asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Senator Arthur Lewis, a member of the illegal Rhodesian regime, was permitted to enter the United Kingdom; if any conditions have been imposed on his stay; if, in the light of information supplied by the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North, he will now arrange for Senator Lewis to be deported; and if he will make a statement.

No record can be traced of the circumstances of Senator Arthur Lewis's admission to this country. He is not, however, to the best of our knowledge, a member of the Rhodesia Front and is not considered to come within the categories of persons connected with Rhodesia who are to be made subject to passport and travel restrictions in accordance with the statement made in the House by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs on 27th June 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of new recruits to the Metropolitan Police, and resignations therefrom, to date in 1978.

Up to 31st March, 325 officers were recruited, 294 resigned and 177 retired with pension or gratuity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the considerations that have led the Government to withdraw responsibility for Summer Time from the proposed Welsh Assembly do not apply in the case of the proposed Scottish Assembly.

There are objective arguments for a different Scottish practice. When British Standard Time was applied experimentally in 1969–71, an official survey showed that although in Great Britain as a whole the majority favoured the retention of British Standard Time, this was not so in Scotland. The same was not true of Wales; nor does devolution necessarily require identical treatment. It is inherent in the present scheme that the different requirements should be matched with different solutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of certificates issued under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 during the year 1976.

Certificates are given by the holders of the appointments set out in Section 11 of the Act. A standard licence condition, however, provides that a certificate shall not have effect until I have notified the licensee that I do not propose to exercise my power to disallow it. The figures of the total number of certificates submitted to me during 1976 for approval could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the approximate cost of collecting television licences.

The estimated cost for 1976–77 of collecting television licence fees, including enforcement costs, was £18·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the additional cost to the legal aid fund if the means test were abolished for all criminal cases in which legal aid would be likely to be granted under present criteria, other than financial circumstances: (a) in the higher courts only, and (b) in all courts.

It is not possible to make a reliable estimate. The statistics of refusals of applications for legal aid in criminal proceedings do not distinguish between the reasons for refusal. An applicant's statement of means is taken into account in the making of contribution orders. If the liability to pay a contribution towards legal aid were abolished, an unquantifiable, but probably very considerable, increase in the number of applications could be expected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many care orders were made in criminal proceedings in 1971, 1976 and 1977;(2) how many supervision orders were made in criminal proceedings in 1976 and 1977;(3) how many juveniles were sentenced to detention centres in 1969, 1976 and 1977;(4) how many juveniles were sent to borstal in 1969, 1976 and 1977;(5) how many juveniles were sentenced to attendance centres in 1969, 1976 and 1977.

The information requested for 1969, 1971 and 1976 is published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales". Figures for 1977 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of care proceedings involving the offence condition there were in 1971, 1976 and 1977; and what proportion of all care proceedings these represent.

In 1976, the number of persons aged 10 and under 17 years involved in care proceedings in England and Wales under Section 1(2)(f) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 was 25, or 0·7 per cent. of all persons aged 10 and under 17 years involved in care proceedings. In 1971 the corresponding number was 81; the percentage is not available. Figures for 1977 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grant was made to the National Marriage Guidance Council for the year 1976–77; and how this level of grant was calculated.

£265,000, the same as in 1975–76 and 1977–78. The grants for this three-year period had regard to the council's estimates of the amount by which its income from other sources would fall short of the sum needed to maintain its activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, on the reasons for granting bail form required under the Bail Act, it does not state on the defendant's copy the penalties for failing to appear; and if he will consider making the relevant changes in the form at the earliest opportunity.

I fully accept the importance of warning a person who is granted bail of the penalties for absconding. The courts, the police and prison governors have been asked to ensure that an explanation of the penalties is given

REMANDS INTO CUSTODY OF THOSE AGED 14 TO 16 BY STATUS AND TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENT
					Initially received untried		Initially received convicted unsentenced
Year					Local prison	Remand centre	Local prison	Remand centre
1971	…	…	…	…	117	1,818	104	908
1976	…	…	…	…	195	3,145	111	1,361

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

It would not be possible to give a definitive and exhaustive list of the topics on which I might judge it right not to give information in reply to a particular Question; the prevention and detection of crime, the security of the State, and privacy and commercial confidence are among the relevant considerations. There have been no changes in practice since March 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth whenever a person is bailed. Although it is open to a court to include a warning of the penalties for failure to surrender to custody in any document relating to bail which may be given to a defendant, this information was not included in the prescribed forms because there is no obligation under the Bail Act to give a person granted unconditional bail a copy of the bail record unless he asks for one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convicted juveniles entered adult prisons and remand centres awaiting sentence in 1971, 1976 and 1977;(2) how many juveniles entered adult prisons and remand centres awaiting trial in 1971, 1976 and 1977.

The information available is given in the following table. 1977 data are not yet available.Affairs what reports he has received from the British Embassy in Vietnam about atrocities and infringements of human rights in that country.

There have been reports of detention without trial of employees of the previous regime for the purpose of "re-education", and of restrictions on personal, political, religious and other freedoms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer Parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

It is my policy that positive answers should be given, as far as possible, to all Questions put down to me, but it is not possible to provide a definitive and exhaustive list of Questions which I might exceptionally decline to answer on grounds other than cost. I can assure my hon. Friend that each Question will continue to be considered on its merits, but, by way of example, the following topics would fall into this category:

(a) details of individual arms sales—see my hon. Friend's written reply of 25th April to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Newens).—[Vol. 948, c. 521–2.]

(b) confidential exchanges between Governments—see my hon. Friend's written reply of 27th April to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead),—[Vol. 948, c. 679.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department will authenticate certificates of origin required for the export of goods to Taiwan.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will certify the signatures of chambers of commerce and notaries public on certificates of origin or other documents which may be required for United Kingdom exports to any destination. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes no account of, or responsibility for, the content of the document in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his estimate of the total amount of central Government funds allocated to civil aerospace development projects over the past 25 years, 20 years, and 10 years, respectively; how much of this has been returned from profits made on viable products; and in what planning regions of the United Kingdom the capital has been invested.

Government contributions to the aerospace industry in respect of the launching of civil aircraft and aerospace projects over the 25, 20 and 10 years up to and including 1976–77 are estimated to have been £1,185 million, £1,115 million and £1,020 million respectively. Government receipts over the same periods are estimated at £170 million, £165 million and £140 million. It is not possible to estimate from Government records where expenditure was incurred.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the civil aircraft projects which, over the past 15 years, have received central Government research and development assistance; and which projects became commercial propositions in that the price per aircraft allowed a repayment of investment capital and operating profits.

Government contributions were made towards launching of the following civil aircraft projects over the 15 years up to and including 1976–77:

• Rotodyne
• Trident
• VC10 and Super VC10
• Concorde
• BAC111
• Herald (proving)
• Argosy (proving)
• Jetstream
• Islander
• HS146 (holding programme) Ancillary projects

Levies on sales of aircraft were paid in respect of all the above projects apart from Rotodyne and Argosy. The question does not arise in the case of the HS146.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many industrial estates are situated in the St. Ives parliamentary division; how many new factories are planned on these estates; how much space is available for future expansion; and to what extent he and the local councils control policy for the future development of these estates.

There are industrial estates at Penzance—two—Helston and St. Ives. The two at Penzance are fully developed, although the one at Longrock is to be extended by 12 acres. Four acres remain at Helston and 1·5 acres at St. Ives. My Department is to build, on behalf of the Development Commission, a 5,000 sq. ft. terraced advance factory at Helston and two 5,000 sq. ft. terraced advance factories at St. Ives. The future development of these estates rests with the local authorities as land owners, but they co-operate with my Department in making land available as required for Government advance factories.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he has to encourage the building of additional petrochemicals and plastics plant in Scotland; and what attitude has been taken to additional capacity by the EEC Commission.

It is the Government's policy to encourage the best use of our North Sea resources, and the full range of our regional and industrial incentives is available for qualifying projects in Scotland.

			Non-public sector appointments	Part-time public sector appointments (other than to the NEB)
Basnett, David	…	…	General Secretary and Treasurer, National Union of General and Municipal Workers	None
Dickinson, John L., C.B.E., D.L.			Director, SKF Steel Ltd.; Sheffield Twist Drill and Steel Co. Ltd.; Bofors Companies (UK) Ltd.; Weyroc Ltd.	Chairman, British Rail (Eastern Board)
Frame, Alistair G.		…	Deputy Chief Executive, The Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation Ltd	Board Member, Central Electricity Generating Board
Gardiner, John	…	…	Chief Executive. The Laird Group	None
Lvons, John	…	…	General Secretary, Engineers and Managers' Association	None
Mes, Mrs. Caroline M.			Economic and Industrial Consultant	Member, Monopolies and Mergers Commission
Scanlon, Hugh P.		…	President, Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers	Chairman, Engineering Industry Training Board; Board Member, British Gas Corporation; Board Member, Metrication Board
Urwin, Harry C.		…	Deputy General Secretary, Transport and General Workers' Union	Member, Manpower Services Commission; Board Member, National Freight Corporation
Wellings, Sir Jack, C.B.E.			Chairman and Managing Director, The 600 Group Ltd.	None

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report the full-time occupation and part-time Government appointments

		Full-time occupation	Part-time Government appointments (other than the British Steel Corporation)
Mr. J. Diamond	…	Retired (formerly Assistant General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation)	—
Lord Gregson	…	Managing Director, Fairey Engineering Holdings Ltd	—
Mr. W. D. Griffiths	…	British Steel Corporation employee	—
Sir James Menter	…	Principal Queen Mary College University of London	Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Council for Applied Research Development. Member of the Finniston Enquiry into the Engineering Profession.
Sir Melvyn Rosser	…	Partner Deloitte & Co.	Chairman of the Welsh Council. Member of the Advisory Committee on Celtic Sea Oil.
Sir James Woddeson	…	Chairman of Northern Engineering Industries Ltd.	—

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report the full-time occupation and part-time Government appointments held by each part-time member of the National Enterprise Board.

The following is the information abstracted from the register of NEB members' interests maintained under Section 1(8) of the Industry Act 1975:held by each part-time member of the British Steel Corporation.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if the employees of Spartan Steel and Alloys Ltd., Birmingham to be made redundant in July 1978 are to benefit from the European Communities (Iron and Steel Employees Re-adaption Benefits Scheme) Regulations as set out in Statutory Instrument No. 1265, 1976.

An application is being made for ECSC funds to be allocated to readaptation benefits for any eligible workers made redundant by this company.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps are taken to co-ordinate the Government's programme of advance factory building with local authority advance factory building programmes.

Consultations between our regional offices in the assisted areas and local authorities on the provision and location of advance factories regularly takes place.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list those

Following is the information:topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the

It is not possible to provide a definite and exhaustive list of Questions which my right hon. Friend might exceptionally decline to answer on grounds other than cost. Each Question will continue to be considered on its merits but, by way of example, the following questions would fall into this category:—Details of financial assistance to individual companies except to confirm details of regional development grant and selective assistance published in

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the National Enterprise Board may determine under its guidelines whether or not to meet the liabilities of its subsidiary of associated companies in the event of their insolvency.

I have nothing to add to the statements made to the Public Accounts Committee by my Department's accounting officer in May last—see Eighth Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 1976–77, Appendix III.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what payments have been made, or are due to be made, by the National Enterprise Board to meet the liabilities of its subsidiary or associated companies; and if he will list the companies concerned.

This is a matter for the NEB.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the subsidiary or associated companies of the National Enterprise Board whose creditors have a specific guarantee from the Government.

I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 21st January 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to conclude the details of the latest Polish shipping deal; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls) on 15th February 1978—[Vol. 944, c. 243–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry by how much his Department's expenditure per capita in the North-West Region exceeds, or is less than, that of the national average per capita in respect of his Department.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what assistance he will give to a worker participation scheme to prevent the closure of the Spillers French bakery in Plymouth.

I am prepared to look at any suggestion those concerned may wish to put forward. If they are able to make viable proposals, we would consider the possibility of selective financial assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, on the same terms as to any other business. Some of those affected by the closure have already had discussions with the South West Industrial Development Office about the availability of premises. Under the Industrial Common Ownership Act 1976, we are giving support to organisations whose purpose is to encourage the development of worker controlled enterprises. The Co-operative Development Agency Bill which is currently before Parliament aims to establish an agency to which persons proposing to establish co-operatives may turn for advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities have set aside funds, in trust funds or otherwise, to purchase places in (a) the primary sector of education and (b) the secondary sector of education; and what is the amount in each case.

Local education authorities have the power to take up places in non-maintained schools, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State. My right hon. Friend has approved arrangements submitted to her by 37 local education authorities to take up new places in respect of pupils of secondary age in the school year 1978–79. Details of the cost of these places are not readily available; none of the arrangements involves the use of trusts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

My practice is to answer parliamentary Questions about all subjects within my ministerial responsibility except where an answer would infringe the proper exercise by other persons or bodies of responsibility vested in them; touch upon matters which are at the time sub judice or subject to arbitration; involve a breach of confidence or security; involve a disproportionate cost to secure the information requested.I am not aware that this represents any change in the practice of my predecessors.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary schools in the areas served by the Oldham education authority and the Kirklees education authority were built before 1905; and if she will list them.

Eighty-two primary schools in the area of the Kirklees Education Authority were built before 1905. They are:

• Boothroyd Lane Middle.
• Boothroyd Lane Infants.
• Berry Brow Infants.
• Carlton Road First and Middle.
• Birkby Infants.
• Eastborough First and Middle.
• Dewsbury Moor Infants.
• Longwood Infants.
• Earlsheaton Infants.
• Moldgreen Juniors.
• Moldgreen Infants.
• Paddock Juniors.
• Spring Grove Junior and Infant.
• Stile Common Infants.
• Crow Lane Junior and Infants.
• Birkby Junior.
• Mount Pleasant Junior.
• Batley Birstall Junior and Infants.
• Batley Carlinghow Junior and Infants.
• Batley Field Lane Infants.
• Batley Gregory Street Infants.
• Batley Healey Junior and Infants.
• Batley Mill Lane Junior and Infants.
• Batley Park Road Junior and infants.
• Batley Purwell Infants.
• Batley Warwick Road Junior and Infants.
• Colne Valley Cloughead Junior and Infants.
• Colne Valley Linthwaite Junior.
• Colne Valley Linthwaite Infants.
• Colne Valley Marsden Infants.
• Colne Valley Scapegoat Hill Junior and Infants.
• Colne Valley Slaithwaite Nields Junior and Infants.
• Colne Valley Wellhouse Junior and Infants.
• Colne Valley Welberlee Junior and infants.
• Derby Dale Clayton West Kayes First.
• Derby Dale Emley First.
• Derby Dale Skelmanthorpe First.
• Heckmondwike Bettye Street Infants.
• Holmfirth Hade Edge Junior and Infants.
• Holmfirth Hepworth Junior and Infants.
• Holmfirth Hinchcliffe Mill Junior and Infants.
• Holmfirth Holme Junior and Infants.
• Holmfirth Netherthong Junior and Infants.
• Kirkburton Lepton Infants.
• Kirkburton Shelley First.
• Kirkburton Shepley First.
• Kirkburton Upper Whitley First.
• Spenborough Hartshead Junior and Infants.
• Spenborough Hightown First.
• Spenborough Littletown Junior and Infants.
• Spenborough Millbridge Infants.
• Spenborough Millbridge Upper Junior.
• Spenborough Whitcliffe Road First.
• St. John C. of E. Infants.
• Thornhill Lees C. of E. Infants.
• Batley Hanging Heaton C. of E. Junior and Infants.
• Batley Staincliffe C. of E. Junior.
• Colne Valley Slaithwaite CE Infants.
• Colne Valley West Slaithwaite C. of E. Juniors and Infants.
• Holmfirth Holmbridge C of E.
• Kirkburton Flockton C of E First.
• Kirkburton Highburton C of E First.
• Kirkburton Kirkbeaton C of E Junior.
• Kirkburton Kirkheaton C of E Infants.
• Kirkburton Thurstonland Endowed First.
• Mirfield Upper Hopton C of E.
• Spenborough East Bierley C of E First.
• Spendborough Moor End of C of E First.
• Mirfield Eastthorpe C of E First.
• Kirkburton Fannley Tyas C of E First.
• Spenborough Millbridge C of E Junior and Infants.
• Holmfirth Honley C of E Infants.
• Spenborough St. Lukes C of E First.
• Almondbury C of E Infants.
• Whitley Lower C of E First and Middle.
• Colne Valley Golcar C of E Junior and Infants.
• Colne Valley Linthwaite C of E Junior Infants.
• Derby Dale Cumberworth C of E First.
• Derby Dale Denby C of E First.
• Meltham Helme C of E Junior and Infant.
• Spenborough Gomersal C of E First.
• Batley St. Mary's RC Infants.

Listed below are the 19 primary schools in the area of the Oldham Education Authority built before 1903. Primary schools in this area built in 1903 and 1904 cannot readily be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of full-time educational administrators expressed as a percentage of those engaged in full-time teaching.

The number of full-time non-manual, non-teaching staff employed by local education authorities in England and Wales in December 1977 was 20 per cent. of the number of full-time teachers and lecturers employed by the authorities at that time. I regret that numbers of educational administrators are not separately available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what her Department considers to be the numbers of students necessary to make a sixth form unit educationally viable.

As my right hon. Friend replied to a question by the hon. Member for Banbury on 18th April 1978,

"I have to look at every proposal for the establishment of a sixth form on its merits. But my concern is that there should be an adequate range of courses without uneconomic staffing or at the expense of the rest of the school. This suggests normally a minimum of 70 pupils and preferably 100."—[Official Report, 18th April 1978.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the average number of pupils in sixth forms in the Kirklees education authority area;(2) if she will list the number of sixth form pupils contained in each sixth form unit in the Kirklees education authority area.

The information, for maintained schools, is as follows:

JANUARY 1978
School	Number of pupils following courses beyond GCE O level/CSE
King James'	92
Greenhead College*	222
New College*	477
Batley Girls Grammar	40
Heckmondwike Grammar	97
Honley High	208
Mirfield High	125
Colne Valley High	101
Batley Boys High	38
Shelley High	29
Wheelwright College*	141
Whitcliffe Mount	146
All Saints (Roman Catholic)	115
Batley Grammar (Voluntary Aided)	123
Total for 14 schools	1,954
Average number in each of these schools	140
* Sixth Form College.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will publish a table showing the number of teachers, irrespective of age, unemployed in each local education authority, expressed as a percentarge of the total available teaching force;(2) if she will publish a table in rank order showing teacher unemployment in nursery, primary and secondary education, respectively, by local authority area.

I regret this information is not available. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment that it is at present practicable to supply unemployment figures only for employment office areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a leaflet setting out in detail schemes and grants made available by the Government to enable qualified teachers to retrain.

Booklets are already available, both on the Government's scheme of special awards for those training or retraining to teach mathematics, the physical sciences or craft, design and technology—"Training and Retraining to Teach"—and on the normal local authority grant arrangements which apply to some qualified teachers taking one-year retraining courses to teach shortage subjects—"Grants to Students—a brief guide". Copies are available in the Library of the House. Retraining for occupations other than teaching is a matter for the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is (a) the total number of trained teachers, and the percentage unemployed and (b) the total number of those employed in educational administration and the percentage unemployed.

Information is not available in the exact form requested. However, the total number of full-time teachers, not all of whom will have undergone a course of initial training, in all schools and maintained and grant-aided establishments of further education in England and Wales was estimated at January 1978 at 589,000. On 9th March 1978 teachers registered as unemployed by the Department of Employment and seeking jobs as school teachers or teachers in establishments for further and higher education formed 1·6 per cent. of the above total. The number of full-time non-manual, non-teaching staff employed by local education authorities in England and Wales in December 1977 was 108,799. Figures are not available from the Department of Employment of the numbers unemployed in this category which includes non-administrative as well as clerical staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much her Department's expenditure per capita in the North-West Region exceeds, or is less than, that of the national average per capita in respect of her Department.

I regret that comprehensive information in the form requested is not readily available. The largest element in the expenditure borne directly by my Department is for recurrent and capital grants to the universities: in the financial year 1976–77, this expenditure represented £13·22 per head of population in Great Britain, or £12·74 per head excluding the Open University, and grants to the universities located in the North-West Region represented £10·57 per head of the regional population.The main form of Exchequer support for local government services, including education and related services, is the rate support grant which is covered by the hon. Member's question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will make a statement following the publication of the Justice report on the case of David Anderson, VRD, QC; and if he will set up a public inquiry to consider the conclusions reached in this report.

No. I have no power to set up a public inquiry into a matter of this kind.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

There is no topic within my ministerial responsibility on which, as a matter of practice, I am not prepared to answer parliamentary Questions. However, in answering Questions there are certain limitations on the information which I would be prepared to give—for example, with respect to legal advice which I have given to a Government Department or information in relation to a case considered for prosecution. There has been no change in practice since 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of the statistics for failing-to-stop accidents in the Greater Manchester area and the correlation in hours and days with licensing hours, he will take action to introduce mandatory disqualifications for accidents causing injury to the person equivalent to those currently laid down for failure to take a breath test or supply a sample of blood or urine.

No. Magistrates already have powers to disqualify hit-and-run drivers where they consider the circumstances warrant it.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

I have had no "practice" of this kind since my Department was set up in 1976 but obviously I answer only those Questions for which I have ministerial responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the full-time occupation and the part-time Government appointments held by each part-time member of the National Freight Corporation.

No complete records are held in my Department, but the following information has been obtained. The following list shows, for each part-time member of the NFC, (a) his full-time or principal occupation, and (b) other part-time appointments made by United Kingdom Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in how many cases an applicant for a driving test in (a) a private car and (b) a motor cycle had to cancel it through illness less than three days before the test in 1977, thus laying himself open to forfeit the fee; and in how many such cases the applicant was permitted ex gratia to be refunded the fee, or else to have it credited to his next application for a test.

I regret that the information required by the first part of the Question is not available. Extra-statutory refunds on grounds of particular hardship were made in 122 cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of experience of the operation of the Road Traffic Act 1962, he will seek to amend the provisions which require three days' advance notice of cancellation of a driving test, even when illness is involved, in order to avoid forfeiture of the fee; and whether he will consider more flexible arrangements for illness, while retaining forfeiture where no reasonable explanation is available for the cancellation.

No. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that more flexible arrangements could not be introduced without prejudicing the objective of avoiding waste of resources. We will continue to be as sympathetic as possible where the strict application of the law would be particularly harsh.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in how many cases in 1977 an applicant for a driving test in (a) a private car and (b) a motor cycle gave the requisite three days' notice of cancellation in advance, and was thus

CASUALTIES AND CASUALTY RATES: GREAT BRITAIN: 1973–77
					1973	1974	1975	1976	1977*
Motor cyclists†
Killed (number)	…	…	…	…	750	796	838	990	1,182
Rate per 1,000 vehicles registered				…	0·7	0·8	0·7	0·8	…
Injured (number)	…	…	…	…	44,518	46,038	55,257	66,636	70,508
Rate per 1,000 vehicles registered				…	44·3	44·2	47·6	54·6	…
Car Users
Killed (number)	…	…	…	…	3,048	2,704	2,444	2,520	2,443
Rate per 1,000 vehicles registered‡				…	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2	…
Injured (number)	…	…	…	…	166,752	147,424	142,709	146,333	149,150
Rate per 1,000 vehicles registered§				…	12·4	10·8	10·4	10·4	…
* Provisional data.
† Includes motor cycles, mopeds and motor scooters, riders and passengers.
‡ Figure based on total of all registered private cars and private vans.
§ Not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons have been killed or injured, other than the driver or passenger of the motor

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish details of the extra resources which he will make available to local authorities to introduce or improve concessionary bus fare schemes as stated in the reply to a parliamentary Question on 1st March 1978.

I gave the information in my reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Dodsworth) on 24th April.—[Vol. 948, c. 470–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor cyclists and passengers on motorcycles have been killed and injured, respectively, in England and Wales in each of the past five years; how this compares with the number of car drivers and car passengers killed and injured; and what proportion each category of death and injury is of the total number of each type of vehicle in use on roads.

The following information is available:cycle, as a result of an accident involving a motor cycle in England and Wales in each of the past five years; and what are the comparable figures for accidents involving cars.

The information for Great Britain is as follows. More than two years information or information for

OTHER CASUALTIES IN MOTOR CYCLE* OR CAR ACCIDENTS: GREAT BRITAIN 1976–77
Number
					1976		1977†
					Killed	Injured	Killed	Injured
Motor cycle accidents‡		…	…	…	266	11,133	308	12,367
Car accidents‡	…	…	…	…	2,288	112,558	2,323	118,877
* Motor cycle, motor scooter or moped.
† Provisional.
‡ Where an accident involved both a car and a motor cycle the resulting casualties are shown in both lines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in order to ensure maximum control over atmospheric pollution, he intends to implement the Flowers Report recommendation that local authority officers should be authorised to act as local agents of Her Majesty's Alkali Inspectorate.

We are giving careful consideration to the recommendations the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution made in its Fifth Report. I am not yet able to say what response will be made on particular issues.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the size of the overseas market for desalination plants, he will consider extending the role of the desalination working

RENOVATION GRANTS APPROVED FOR PRIVATE DWELLINGS: BY NUMBERS, VALUE AND PERCENTAGE SHARE FOR THE PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR
ENGLAND: 1973–77
						1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
Number of dwellings
Grants for private dwellings (000's)					…	214	137	76	66	62
of which for private rented dwellings (000's)		…	…	…	…	66	41	19	16	14
Private rented as per cent. of all private dwellings (in terms of numbers)					…	31	30	25	24	22
Value of grants
Grants for private dwellings (£m.)					…	163	108	72	72	81
of which for private rented dwellings (£m.)		…	…	…	…	Not available		21	20	20
Private rented as per cent. of all private dwellings (in terms of total value of grants)	…	…	…	…	…	Not available		29	28	25

The terms of reference of the desalination working party are primarily the responsibility of the National Water Council. Its functions do not ex-extend to overseas research and development projects, which is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry. However, I am sure that the National Water Council would be happy to play any part it can that would contribute to exports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of house renovation grants approved for property in England in each of the years from 1973 to 1977 was for privately rented dwellings; and how much expenditure was involved.

From available information, the percentages requested can be calculated in terms of either the numbers of dwellings or the total value of the grants approved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of purpose-built retirement pensioner dwellings in England by district.

I regret this information is not available. However data from surveys already under way are expected to be available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has extended the five-year period for review of definitive public rights of way maps as contained in Section 33(3) of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

No. My right hon. Friend has no power to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of wild animals, subdivided by species, imported for use in zoos, safari parks and for private collections in each of the last five years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of people killed as a result

								1976–77	1978–79
								Actual Expenditure	Forecast Expenditure
								£	£
Provision of new assets			…	…	…	…	…	3,626,418	4,508,000
Running costs of existing assets				…	…	…	…	10,832,490	1,754,000
Contributions to local authorities and Statutory Undertakers	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	395,585	360,000
Total	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	14,854,493	6,622,000
The figures for 1976–77 include administration •costs—salaries, wages, rent, rates, heating and lighting etc.—of £3,262,045. Those for 1978–79 include forecast administration costs of £2,384,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of running the Commissioners for Local Administration in England including all main constituent costs of any sort whatsoever, such as expenditure on their own programmes, wages, rent, heating and lighting, maintenance, &c., in the

No statistics of the nature are kept by my Department, the Sports Council, or the Central Council of Physical Recreation and I do not know of any source from which they could be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that steps taken to protect Stonehenge and adjoining land at the summer solstice 1978 are likely to prove more effective than hitherto.

My Department is in touch with the Wiltshire Constabulary and other parties concerned, and my noble Friend, the Baroness Birk, will be writing to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of running the Commission for the New Towns including all main constituent costs of any sort whatsoever, such as expenditure on its own programmes, wages, rent, heating and lighting, maintenance, &c., in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the projected costs for 1978–79.

The Commission's expenditure in 1976–77, and its forecast expenditure in 1978–79, are as follows:latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the projected costs for 1978–79.

These are questions for the Commission for Local Administration in England. The expenses of the Commission are defrayed by the county councils in England, the Greater London Council, the water authorities in England and the Council of the Isles of Scilly. I understand that the Commission will be writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of running the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas (COSIRA) including all main constituent costs of any sort whatsoever, such as expenditure on its own programmes, wages, rent, heating and lighting, maintenance, etc., in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the projected costs for 1978–79.

The total running costs of the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas (COSIRA) for 1977–78 were £2·216 million; projected costs for 1978–79 are £2·81 million. This covers the administrative costs of providing the advisory, technical and credit services for small firms in rural areas and in constructing small factories in rural areas outside the assisted areas as agents of the Development Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of running the Development Commission including all main constituent costs of any sort whatsoever, such as expenditure on its own programmes, wages, rent, heating and lighting, maintenance, etc., in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the projected costs for 1978–79.

The Development Commission operates in an advisory capacity advising me on the making of advances from the Development Fund. Advances from the Fund in 1977–78 are expected to total about £7·6 million. The projected costs for 1978–79 are £15·5 milion. These include £400,000 for Development Com mission administrative costs in 1977–78 and £431,000 for 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of running the Historic Buildings Council for England including all main constituent costs of any sort whatsoever, such as expenditure on its own Programmes, wages, rent, heating and lighting, maintenance, etc., in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the projected costs for 1978–79.

The Historic Buildings Council is an advisory body and serviced by officers of my Department, who have other duties. It has only two paid members, the chairman and the chairman of one of its committees. The expenses incurred directly by the Council during the financial year 1977–78 were the remuneration of the chairmen, amounting to £4,100, and the travel and subsistence for the voluntary members, amounting to £3,100. The projected costs for 1978–79 are of the same order, with an allowance for inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the increases in water charges in certain parts of the United Kingdom, he will reconsider the introduction of a rate rebate to low-income consumers.

No. I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the member for Stockport, South (Mr. Orbach) on 18th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the duty on local authorities to offer ratepayers the right to pay by 10 instalments also extends to regional water authorities which have decided to adopt direct billing of customers; and, if not, whether he will seek to amend the Water Act 1973 to achieve this.

Water authorities are already able to accept payment of charges by instalments; I look to the authorities to treat sympathetically requests for such facilities from people who would otherwise suffer hardship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences were granted in 1977 for the import of wild animals which were protected in their countries of origin.

I regret that this information is not available. However licences granted under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 normally include a condition requiring the production of an export permit or comparable documentation from the exporting country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the appropriate regulations giving effect to recently agreed improvements to pension schemes for full and part-time government officers; and what is the reason for the delay.

Steady, albeit regrettably slow, progress is being made with the drafting of the necessary regulations. I am considering what, if anything, can be done to speed things up and shall be meeting the employers and TUC shortly to discuss the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the difficulty experienced by urban areas, such as Stoke-on-Trent, in assembling industrial sites under land reclamation schemes, where extensive coal mining operations have made the ground unstable, he will make additional finance available under inner city programmes.

Grants are available for the acquisition and reclamation of derelict land and there are resources under the community land scheme for the assembly of sites for industrial and commercial development. In addition, compensation may be payable under the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act 1957 for damage caused by coal mining subsidence. Such claims are dealt with by the National Coal Board. There is close liaison between the Board and local authorities on preventive works to guard against or reduce the extent of damage to existing property or planned development. I am not aware of the need for any additional provision of funds and I do not think the use of the urban programme would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the operation of the Water Act in relation to the need for water authorities to be sufficiently responsive to public opinion on planning and environmental matters.

In general, yes. But the White Paper on the Review of the Water Industry (Cmnd. 6876) proposes further measures aimed at enhancing water authorities' responsiveness to local needs—in particular, the suggested statutory requirement to establish wide ranging liaison within their areas, and the increase in local authority representation on water authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer Parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

It is my practice to answer all Questions on topics falling within my responsibilities, subject only to generally recognised restrictions relating to certain types of information, notably:

(i) information which is commercially confidential (for example, details of the leases of individual Government office buildings);

(ii) some aspects of the management of my Department and the formulation of policy (for example, personal information relating to the appointment and employment of individuals, and details of the advice given by individual officials);

(iii) information which is classified for security reasons;

(iv) information which can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

I am, however, unable to provide information on topics which fall outside my ministerial responsibilities, such as:

(v) matters which are entirely within the responsibilities of individual local authorities (for example, a council's decisions in respect of people on its waiting list for housing; the staff matters of individual authorities);

(vi) matters relating to the day-to-day management of nationalised industries, Government agencies and fringe bodies (for example the water authorities and the Nature Conservancy Council).

No list of "prohibited topics" is maintained by my Department. Each Question is dealt with as it arises. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested in the latter part of the hon. Member's Question, except to say that there has been no change in general practice since 1972. The responsibilities of the Department of the Environment changed when the Department of Transport was formed in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what new outdoor leisure maps the Ordnance Survey intends to publish during 1978 and 1979; and what are the intended publication dates.

Four new outdoor leisure maps will be published in late May or early June this year: two of the Bala and Harlech areas of the Snowdonia National Park and one each of South Devon and the South Pennines.Plans for next year include the New Forest in two sheets printed back-to-back and Cader Idris printed back-to-back with the Dovey Forest. Publication is planned for early spring 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land acquired under the community land scheme and under other legislation by English local authorities and the Land Authority for Wales were resold for (a) housing development, (b) commercial development and (c) industrial development; and what sums were received from these sales in 1977–78 or the period for which most recent figures are available.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 17th November.—[Vol. 939, c. 338.] Figures for Wales can be obtained from the Land Authority for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the names of those parishes in England whose domestic rate, including sewerage and water, has risen by over 25 per cent.; and if he will list these according to the magnitude of increase giving the percentage rise.

Details of parish rates for 1978–79 are not yet available. The information requested could not in any case be provided at reasonable cost since records of the 10,000-or-so parish rates are not maintained in a form which permits computer processing of the material and the boundaries of parishes and of sewerage and water charging areas frequently do not coincide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land were acquired by English local authorities and by the Land Authority for Wales (a) under the community land scheme and (b) under other legislation; and how much these acquisitions cost in 1977–78 or the period for which the most recent figures are available.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Gould) on 24th April—[Vol. 948, c. 477]. The land acquired in England cost nearly £12 million. Figures for Wales can be obtained from the Land Authority for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much his Department's expenditure per capita in the North-West Region exceeds, or is less than, that of the national average per capita in respect of his Department.

The latest estimate of per capita expenditure for 1977–78 on the two major elements of the Department's expenditure—rate support grant and housing subsidies—in respect of the North-West Region is £170. This is £13 in excess of the comparable figure for England and Wales as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the countries within the EEC permit fluoridation of their public water supplies, have abandoned it after trial use, and have not to date authorised its use.

I have been asked to reply.I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General what advice he has received from the Law Society concerning the extention of legal aid, free of any means test, in all personal injury claims for which legal aid would be likely to be granted under present criteria, other than financial circumstances; and what would be the additional cost to the Exchequer of accepting that advice.

The Law Society has not given such advice. However, a working party on which the Law Society was represented recommended that power should be sought to allow legal aid, to those financially eligible for it, without, as at present, requiring a contribution from them. The cost of that more limited change was put at about £70,000 in 1975–76.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the High Court judges indicating (a) their age, (b) whether they attended State or private schools, (c) their length of tenure as a judge and (d) a date when they will be obliged to retire.

The information for which my honourable Friend has asked is not immediately available, but my noble Friend will be writing to him about it as soon as possible. All High Court judges appointed since 17th December 1959—the date on which the Judicial Pensions Act 1959 came into force—must retire when they reach their 75th birthday.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary Questions; and if he will list any changes in practice since 1972, indicating in each case the date on which the change was made and the relevant reference in the Official Report.

It is not possible to provide a definite and exhaustive list of Question which I might exceptionally decline to answer on grounds other than cost. Each Question will continue to be answered on its merits, but examples which would fall into this category would be Questions about:

(1) the propriety of decisions given in individual cases by courts of law, administrative tribunals and similar bodies, such as legal aid committees;

(2) advice given to and by the Lord Chancellor about judicial and other appointments;

(3) confidential exchanges between the Lord Chancellor and the judiciary;

(4) details of investigations by or on behalf of Departments, for which I am responsible, in connection with prosecutions or civil actions and confidential information relating to such proceedings or possible proceedings: and

(5) legal advice given to or by the Law Officers and their Department.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the official engagements which he undertook on 2nd May 1978.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Miinster if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 2nd May 1978.

asked the Prime Miinster if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 2nd May 1978.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 2nd May 1978.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley).

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek a meeting with Heads of State concerned with the settlement of the outstanding issues in Rhodesia.

My right hon Freind the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I will continue to keep in touch with the Heads of State most closely concerned with Rhodesia in the course of our search for a satisfactory negotiated settlement. Our main objective, however, is to bring all the parties together in round-table talks.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to visit Northumbria.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 25th April.