asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what date he instructed immigration officers to cease to use a form seeking voluntary agreement by single women immigrants to undergo a gynaecological examination; and if he will make a statement;(2) on what date immigration officers were previously instructed not to use virginity testing of single immigrant women;(3) how many times in a recent period of 12 months virginity testing forms were issued for signature; and how many times such tests have been carried out;(4) if there has been an age limit for virginity testing;(5) what has been the country, or countries, of origin of women tested for virginity over the last 12 months; when the form used recently was first compiled; and whether there have been any cases of virginity testing of single women from the Old Commonwealth, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

There have not hitherto been any specific instructions to the immigration service forbidding requests like the one recently made by an immigration officer at Heathrow. It is not possible to say on how many occasions similar requests may have been made but the form to which my hon. Friend refers was produced for the one occasion and has of course been withdrawn. As soon as the recent case came to my notice I gave instructions that there was to be no recurrence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received recently from the public on the desirability of United Kingdom nationals voting in the European elections if they are abroad at the time.

About a dozen letters have been received during the past six months representing that United Kingdom citizens resident abroad should be permitted to vote in the forthcoming European Assembly election.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total number of criminal proceedings initiated in 1977, the number of persons tried on indictment in 1977, the number of persons proceeded against for indictable offences in 1977 and the number of the above persons who were committed for trial.

The information available relates to proceedings completed during the year, some of which will have been commenced in the preceding year. Information on proceedings completed at magistrates' courts in 1977 was published in table 1(a) of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1977" (Cmnd. 7289). Information on those for trial at the Crown court is given in table 5(a) of the same publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an undertaking that no less sum will be spent in Wales on publicity for postal votes during the general election campaign in 1979 than is currently being spent for this purpose for the referendum on 1 March.

No. Many who receive a postal vote for the referendum will automatically receive one for the parliamentary general election.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the increases which have taken place in printing costs since the upper limit for election expenses for parliamentary elections was last increased, if he will consider seeking to introduce a further increase in the limit to come into force before the general election and if he will make a statement.

I have no present plans to change the maximum limits of permitted election expenses, which were last increased in July 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the assistance in grants and other forms given to the Welsh language in each of the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each district council housing authority in Wales the statistics on homelessness for the quarter July to September 1978.

Statistics on homelessness for the quarter 1 July to 30 September 1978 will be published shortly on an all-Wales basis. I am at present considering the possibility of publishing information on a district by district basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the expenditure of each local authority in Wales on new accommodation for its work since reorganisation of local government; and how much more is proposed.

Local authorities do not need my approval for, nor do they notify me of, such expenditure. I regret,

The following table shows the sums provided through central Government grants or grants in aid during the past five years. These figures understate the position, since a very wide range of further assistance such as expenditure on education, the arts, bilingual forms, and so on, is provided by Government Departments, local authorities and other bodies which it is not practicable to itemise.therefore, that I cannot supply this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will amend town and country planning legislation in order to provide a means whereby an appeal can be made by an interested party against a planning consent which a local authority may have granted.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers of employees in employment in coal mining and iron and steel manufacturing for June and September 1978.

Information is available only for the broader industry groups of mining and quarrying and metal manufacturing. The latest available quarterly estimates published in the January 1979 issue of the Department ofEmployment Gazette indicated that, in Wales, the numbers employed were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals she has for grants to the arts in 1979–80.

Plans for next year's expenditure have not yet been presented to Parliament for approval, but I am giving the following information for planning purposes to the bodies and institutions concerned:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is satisfied with the rate of provision of secondary school places in the Inner London Education Authority area.

The Inner London Education Authority has estimated that between 1977 and 1984 the numbers of children in the 11-plus age group will decline from over 30,000 to just under 19,000. This points to a substantial surplus of secondary school places in the ILEA area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it remains his intention that temporary employment subsidy should be granted to companies to enable them to retain employees during periods of temporarily reduced production.

Temporary employment subsidy is available for a period of up to 12 months to firms which apply by 31 March 1979. The question of assistance to firms after that date is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he will take regarding the insistence of certain bakery employers on night work, even where an agreement has not been submitted jointly to his Department to obtain exemption under section 9 of the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act.

I have no statutory authority to take any action. Under section 2 of the Act any bakery employer may undertake night work provided he notifies my Department of his intention and observes the provision of that section.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many sector working parties have reported worsening shortages of skilled labour over the last year; and what action the Government propose to meet these shortages.

Most sector working parties reported difficulty with skilled labour shortages. Seven sector working parties reported worsening shortages.The employment and training services administered by the Manpower Services Commission have been substantially improved. Further improvements are in hand following the proposals in "Training for Skills" and the TOPS review. Financial incentives to mobility have been streamlined and enhanced. Proposals for making local authority housing arrangements more conducive to labour mobility have been published.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all industrial closures notified to him in the towns of Falmouth, Penryn, Hayle, Camborne and Redruth, since October 1974, giving the numbers of workers involved, and includ-

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Iranian Foreign Secretary in the near future.

We have recognised the new Iranian Government of Dr. Bazargan. We look forward to having good relations with them on a basis of friendship and mutual respect, and they have assured us they share our hope. My right hon.

Requirements for the notification of redundancies have changed over the period in question and it is not always possible to distinguish closure from the gradual rundown of a company. The best information available to the Department shows that closures in the towns of Falmouth, Penryn, Hayle, Cam-borne and Redruth since October 1974 have been as follows:Friend will be ready to meet the new Foreign Minister of Iran, Dr. Sanjabi, when a mutually suitable opportunity presents itselt.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet the Foreign Minister of Iran.

My right hon. Friend will be ready to meet the Foreign Minister of Iran when a mutually suitable opportunity presents itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had any recent discussions with Her Majesty's ambassador in Iran.

My right hon. Friend has discussed Iran with both the previous British ambassador to Tehran and with our newly appointed ambassador prior to his departure at the end of January.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet the new Iranian ambassador.

My right hon. Friend expects to meet the new Iranian ambassador when one is appointed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom subjects are known to his Department to be still in Iran; and what advice he is giving to them through the embassy in Tehran as to their continued residence in that country.

There are approximately 2,000 United Kingdom subjects still in Iran. The number continues to fall. On 7 February our ambassador in Tehran repeated to the British community our previous advice that dependants and those without an important need to remain should leave.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects next to visit Luxembourg.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been achieved towards implementing his suggestion that there should be a political dialogue between Ministers of NATO and representatives of Warsaw Pact countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in arranging the dialogue with Warsaw Pact Ministers proposed by him on 7 December 1978.

At the North Atlantic Council last December, my right hon. Friend suggested that better progress might be made in detente if Ministers themselves took part in negotiations. The Council agreed to keep this possibility under review both for the MBFR negotiations and for the CSCE follow-up meeting in Madrid.

asked the Secretary or State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now establish a permanent British mission in Salisbury, Rhodesia; and whether he will make a statement about the Government's policy towards the interim Government, following the referendum held in Rhodesia on 30 January.

There is a small residual mission in Salisbury, but as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the right hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. Steel) on 17 January—[Vol. 960, c. 1715.1—we would be prepared to consider sending further emissaries to the area in certain circumstances.The outcome of the recent referendum is no measure of the acceptability of the regime's constitutional proposals to the people of Rhodesia as a whole. We do not believe that elections on the basis of the internal agreement will bring peace to Rhodesia. We shall continue to work for a wider solution which could end the war, satisfy the fifth principle, and gain the acceptance of the international community.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress of the Anglo-American proposals for a peaceful settlement in Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest situation in relation to Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the current situation in Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest situation in Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common-wealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on Rhodesia.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest estimate of the number of people killed in Southern Rhodesia since the signing of the internal settlement.

Figures released by the regime show that some 5,000 people died as a result of the conflict in Rhodesia between 3 March and 31 December 1978. No independent statistics are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the question of Harrier sales to China was put to COCOM; and what was the response.

As I explained on 17 January to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook)—[Vol. 960, c. 767.]—to function effectively COCOM needs to maintain the convention whereby its discussions remain confidential. The hon. Member will not, therefore, expect me to disclose whether individual cases have been put to or considered by the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, having regard to the situation in Iran, he will make a statement on the future of CENTO and British relations with countries in that part of the world.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Griffiths) on 7 February.—[Vol. 962, c. 1175.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will pay an official visit to Moscow.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's plans for the administrative future of the New Hebrides.

It is the intention of the British and French Governments to bring the territory to independence in 1980, if the people so decide, in accordance with a joint ministerial decision of July 1977. A Government of national unity was formed in the New Hebrides in December 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's attitude to the present situation in the Middle East and progress towards peace.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following his conversations with the United States Secretary of State, he will provide an updated statement on the progress of negotiations for a peace settlement in the Middle East.

We continue to believe that building on the Camp David accord offers the most practical way of making progress towards a comprehensive settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the policy of housing the boat people by the Hong Kong Government.

Since 1960, some 80,000 boat dwellers have been resettled in public housing estates. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the Hong Kong Government give appropriate priority to the needs of these people, within an overall programme that will provide public housing for 65 per cent. of the population by 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposed elections in Namibia and any proposed British participation.

We hope that, in accordance with Security Council resolution 435, United Nations supervised elections take place in Namibia later this year. We have offered to contribute to the proposed United Nations transition assistance group, but its composition has not yet been finally agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Great Britain's future relations with Uganda.

The Government have no plans to resume relations with Uganda.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about progress towards the establishment of a world commodities centre in London.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 17 January.—[Vol. 960, c. 767.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is satisfied that the safeguards proposed for the Banabans can be made permanently binding on the Government of the new State of Kiribati.

My right hon. Friend is confident that the Kiribati Government will honour their constitutional commitments which include the entrenchment, with a Banaban right of veto, of the provisions relating to Banaba. In addition, the Gilbert Islands Government have expressed their readiness to discuss a treaty with Fiji to safeguard the rights in these provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights the violation of human rights in Paraguay.

No. We continue to follow the human rights situation in Paraguay closely, and to make the Paraguayan authorities aware of our views whenever an appropriate occasion arises. We shall continue to consider whether an initiative of the sort proposed would be effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his talks with the United States Secretary of State.

Mr. Vance and my right hon. Friend discussed many world problems of common interest between our two countries including the problems of Southern Africa, particularly Namibia and Rhodesia, where the deteriorating situation gives cause for concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made towards a settlement in Cyprus, particularly as concerns the right of Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, United Kingdom citizens, Armenians and other minorities to return to their own homes.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price). The particular question of the return of displaced persons to their own homes would be an important aspect of the intercommunal negotiations.

asked the Secretary. of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have received any request from the Government of South Africa for assistance in their inquiry into unauthorised public expenditure by agencies of the South African Government.

Yes. The South African Embassy informed the Government that the South African passports of certain of its former officials involved in alleged financial irregularities had been cancelled and asked for assistance in recovering them should they seek to enter the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest preparations for the Madrid review conference.

The Government are engaged in regular consultations with their partners in the Nine and NATO about the preparations for the Madrid meeting and are currently intensifying their bilateral contacts on the subject with other signatories of the Final Act, including countries in Eastern Europe. United Kingdom delegations have also been playing a full part in the three experts' meetings provided for in the Belgrade concluding document, the results of which will be taken into account as appropriate at Madrid.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any survey of potential maritime resources has been undertaken regarding the Phoenix and Northern Line Islands.

No comprehensive survey of maritime resources has been undertaken, but a tuna survey for Christmas Island (Northern Line Group) was carried out in 1972 and an assessment of the fishing potential of Gardner Island (Phoenix Group) was made in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent approaches have been made to the Soviet authorities with a view to uniting Misha Voikhansky, now resident in Leningrad, with his mother Dr. Marina Voikhansky, resident in the United Kingdom.

The Government have repeatedly raised Misha Voikhansky's case with the Soviet authorities, in the context of the family reunification provisions of the Helsinki Final Act. The last approach to the Soviet authorities was made on 8 January 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss the resettlement of refugees from Indo-China with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so, but the Government remain in close touch on this matter with Mr. Paul Hartling, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose a Commonwealth initiative to speed the resettlement of refugees from Indo-China with a view to supplementing the work of the United Nations High Commission.

No, but we are in touch with fellow members of the Commonwealth on this issue and many are already supporting the efforts of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions he has had with the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees since last year's meeting.

The United Kingdom Permanent Representative in Geneva has had several meetings with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and his staff since the meeting convened by the High Commissioner on 11 and 12 December 1978, which I attended.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Hong Kong about increasing the rate of resettlement of refugees who are temporarily given sanctuary there.

My right hon. Friend maintains close and constant contact with the Governor of Hong Kong on this matter. At the Governor's request, the Government have made approaches to potential recipient countries to urge them to accept more refugees from among those in Hong Kong who are awaiting permanent resettlement elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss in the United Nations an approach to Governments of countries which are not members of the United Nations the need to accept a fair proportion of refugees wishing to go to those countries.

It would be inappropriate to discuss this in the United Nations, at a time when many member States have themselves yet to contribute to a solution. The Government have, however, encouraged certain non-member States to do more in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose in the United Nations a quota system for all countries to which refugees wish to go and seek the urgent acceptance of such a quota.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has already proposed a quota system to help refugees in South-East Asia and has pressed for its urgent application. In response, and as part of a wider international effort, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 17 January his decision to admit to the United Kingdom a further 1,500 Vietnamese refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement about the future territorial integrity of Belize.

As I informed the House on 17 January—[Vol. 960, c. 1695.] —and on previous occasions, no settle- ment will be made with Guatemala which is unacceptable to the people of Belize. Their representatives have made it clear that they regard territorial cession as unacceptable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the salary and expenses, respectively, expressed in £ sterling, paid to EEC Commissioner Haferkamp in 1978.

Mr. Haferkamp's basic annual salary as a vice-president of the Commission expressed in £ sterling and with effect from 1 July 1978 is £63,966 gross, £42,212 after tax. A vice-president is also entitled to tax-free allowances totalling £17,189 plus an allowance of £739 for each child.A common representational fund of £195,000 is allocated for the expenses of all the Commissioners from which sub-allocations are made to each Commissioner. I have no information on how much of this was allocated to Mr. Haferkamp.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommendations he will make for the provision of facilities for regular contacts between officials of the Committee of Permanent Representatives and members of the European Parliament.

None. Provision already exists for contact between the European Assembly and the Council of Ministers, to whom the Committee of Permanent Representatives reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to visit the European Parliament in Luxembourg.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to visit the European Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next be in Brussels for an official EEC meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to visit Brussels for an official EEC meeting.

On 6 March, for the Foreign Affairs Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will meet next the President of the European Commission.

My right hon. Friend expects to meet Mr. Jenkins next at the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet the EEC Commissioners.

My right hon. Friend expects to meet a number of them at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to visit Paris on EEC matters.

On 12 March for the next European Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken to protect Hong Kong's interests with the European Economic Community.

The Government make every effort to ensure that Hong Kong receives fair treatment under the present arrangements for trade in textiles between Hong Kong and the EEC. We are continuing to seek the removal of the remaining discrimination against Hong Kong in the Community's generalised scheme of preferences.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will attend the next meeting of Ministers dealing with the common fisheries policy in order to bring these negotiations to a speedy and successful conclusion.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland will represent the United Kingdom at the next Fisheries Council, which will be held on 19 February. My right hon. Friend has no plans to attend himself.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether, in view of the waste of money and of skilled manpower due to resignations, she will now reconsider the Government's decision to disperse the Directorate of Overseas Surveys to Glasgow.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Richmond-upon-Thames (Sir A. Royle) on 5 February.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what aid has been given by Her Majesty's Government to Malagasy in the last two financial years; what aid is proposed for the forthcoming financial year; whether any Malagasy students are currently receiving education in the United Kingdom wholly or partly at the expense of the British taxpayer; what is the total cost of such expenditure; and whether it is proposed by her Department that any Malagasy students should receive education in the United Kingdom in the forthcoming financial year, at what expense to the British taxpayer.

Aid to Madagascar consists of technical co-operation. There is no capital aid programme. Expenditure on bilateral technical co-operation for Madagascar in 1977–78 was £213,000. Expenditure for 1978–79 is expected to be £230,000: in 1979–80 it is expected to be about £300,000. There are currently 16 Malagasy students being trained in the United Kingdom financed by the technical co-operation programme at a cost of £46,000: about 50 training places will be made available in 1979, costing approximately £180,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider using the Central Policy Review Staff in examining developments and forecasting in new towns.

I do not think such a study is required at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to public funds of the publication and distribution of "Office Location News"; and whether advertising is invited.

"Office Location News" is published every two or three months by the Location of Offices Bureau. Each issue consists of 3,500 copies and costs £1,050 to produce and distribute. Advertising is not invited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the number of people living on residential boats; and what steps are being taken to ascertain the exact number;(2) if he is satisfied that residential boats have, in law, sufficient security of tenure and protection against harassment;(3) why residential boats were not included in the mobile homes review; and what are the results of the examination elsewhere.

Information about the number of residents is not available, but a small scale survey carried out in 1975 indicated that the number of residential houseboats in England and Wales was probably not more than 1,500. There are no proposals for a further survey. In my view, legislation to give statutory rights of security of tenure on moorings would be of doubtful value. Houseboats were not included in the mobile homes review because they involve different policy and legal issues.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the application of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act by local authorities in respect of displaced residential boat owners.

In the first half of 1978, some 2 per cent. of the homeless households for whom local authorities accepted a responsibility to secure accommodation under the Act had last been living in either a mobile home, caravan or houseboat before becoming homeless. The statistics collected do not indicate how many of these had been living in a houseboat.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the specific authority granted to the British Waterways Board to issue houseboat licences he will introduce legislation to correct the present imbalance between houseboat and pleasure boat licences and to increase the number of residential licences, particularly on or near existing moorings, to deter vandalism on the waterfront.

The numbers of houseboat registration certificates and pleasure boat licences issued on the inland waterways of the British Waterways Board is a matter for the Board's judgment in the exercise of its statutory duties. I am not aware of any need for the legislation sought by my bon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward legislation to enable those who live afloat to become eligible for the same reliefs as land dwellers, in particular, rent and rate rebates.

Consideration is being given to extension of rent assistance to houseboat dwellers renting their houseboats Although rates are paid on moorings, the houseboats are almost always exempt and occupiers could become eligible for rate reliefs only if the houseboats were brought within the scope of rating; the arguments for this are finely balanced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any structures currently closed by the British Waterways Board on the grounds of public safety, and indicate if such structures were specified in the Fraenkel report as being in need of a structural survey because of potential risk to the public's safety.

The following structures are currently closed to navigation because of risk to users or the public at large:Foulridge Tunnel (Leeds and Liverpool Canal).Burnley Embankment (Leeds and Liverpool Canal).Kirklees Low Lock (Calder and Hebble Navigation).Preston Brook Tunnel (Trent and Mersey Canal).Tyrley Cutting (Shropshire Union Canal).Retford Aqueduct (Chesterfield Canal).Tardebigge Tunnel (Worcester and Birmingham Canal).Wast Hill Tunnel (Worcester and Birmingham Canal).Netherton Tunnel (Birmingham Canal Navigations).Evitts Embankment at Solihull (Grand Union Canal).Braunston Tunnel (Grand Union Canal).Crick Tunnel (Grand Union Canal—Leicester Section).Saddington Tunnel (Grand Union Canal—Leicester Section).Of these, the first two were identified in the Fraenkel report as being potential safety risks needing early investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a detailed breakdown of the gross total estimated expenditure, current and capital, respectively, for each of the royal palaces in 1979–80.

I will arrange for the required information to be printed in the Official Report as soon as the Supply Estimates for 1979–80 have been published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the present provision of refuse collection services in the Penwith, Kerrier and Carrick districts of Cornwall.

I am informed that refuse collection operatives in Penwith and Carrick are working to rule and that some in the Kerrier district have been on strike for three weeks. As a result the collection of refuse has been subject to delay in some areas and suspended altogether in others.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 37·5 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Monotype Holdings Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired, and what was the cost to the Board;(2) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 50 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Newton Securities (Northern) Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(3) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 49·8 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in North-East Audio Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(4) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 34·4 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Pakmet International Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(5) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 40 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Powerdrive PSR Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(6) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 33·3 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Power Dynamics Ltd; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(7) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 30 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Sandiacre Electrics Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(8) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 73·3 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Sinclair Radionics Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(9) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 79·9 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Systems Programming Holdings Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(10) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 33–3 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Twinlock Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(11) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 70·0 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in United Medical Enterprises Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(12) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 49·0 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Vicont of London Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board;(13) on what date he gave his consent under section 10 of the Industry Act 1975 for the National Enterprise Board to acquire 49·9 per cent. of the nominal value of the total equity in Computer and Systems Engineering Ltd.; what is the number of type of shares acquired; and what was the cost to the Board.

My right hon. Friend gave his statutory consent to the Board acquiring 30 per cent. or more of the voting shares in Monotype Holdings Ltd. on 13 September 1978; in Newtown Securities (Northern) Ltd. on 27 June 1978; in North East Audio Ltd. on 7 October 1977; in Pakmet International Ltd. (then Packaging Methods Ltd.) on 23 March 1977; in Powerdrive PSR Ltd. on 13 September 1978; in Power Dynamics Ltd. on 12 December 1977; in Sandiacre Electrics Ltd. on 5 August 1977; in Sinclair Radionics Ltd. on 20 October 1976; in Systems Programming Holdings Ltd.—then Systems Programming Ltd.—on 23 March 1977; in Twin-lock Ltd. on 21 July 1976; in United Medical Enterprises Ltd. on 25 November 1977; and in Vicort of London Ltd. on 2 March 1978. My right hon. Friend's statutory consent was not required by the Board for the acquisition of its shareholding in Computer and Systems Engineering Ltd. In all these cases the number and type of shares acquired, and the cost to the Board, was set out in the replies I gave to the hon. Member on 24 January and 15 November last.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what consultations took place with the vehicle division of his Department in assessing the De Lorean car.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who has primary responsibility for the De Lorean car project, has kept my right hon. Friend informed at all stages and consulted my Department as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents in 1976, 1977 and 1978 were caused by cars jumping traffic lights; and what steps his Department is taking to warn drivers of the dangers of this practice.

The information is not available. Advice is given in rule 94 of the Highway Code and we have also produced a short film for television demonstrating the dangers of this practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport by what percentage he expects roll-on/roll-off traffic through the Kent ports to have increased by the end of the century.

Traffic forecasts are not available in the form requested. However, the National Ports Council forecasts that roll-on/roll-off traffic through South-East ports—that is, ports between London and Plymouth—will increase by about 90 per cent. by 1990. A large proportion of this growth can be expected to go through the Kent ports.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he is giving to the proposal for a bypass around Clifton in Nottinghamshire; and whether he will set out the anticipated timetable for the consideration, planning and construction of the bypass.

A route assessment study of the A453 trunk road near Clifton is being carried out by the Nottinghamshire county council as the Department's agency authority. A report is expected by the end of this year and consideration will then be given to the provision of a bypass for Clifton.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether new information on the dangers to health from vehicular lead emissions constitutes grounds for the re-examination of a pro- posed road scheme as set out in paragraph 10 of his White Paper on highway inquiry procedures.

No. If it were shown that the amount of lead emitted from vehicles was a danger to health we would need to consider urgently the implications for road traffic generally, rather than for individual schemes for new roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has sought the views of the relevant inner city partnerships on the likely effects on employment and population in Inner London of the construction of the M25.

We look primarily to the Greater London Council, which is a member of the three inner London partnership committees, for advice on the effects of M25 on Inner London.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles are forecast to use the M25 for the purpose of travel between Heathrow and Gatwick airports in 1996.

The amount of traffic will depend on the development of London's airports and the pattern of operations and cannot be forecast with any confidence at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on how many days since the publication of the report on the Review of Highway Inquiry Procedures, Command Paper No. 7133, major road inquiries have been disrupted by members of the public; and if he is satisfied with the operation of the new arrangements for such inquiries.

At one inquiry there has been frequent serious disruption over a considerable period. Apart from that, only two inquiries have been subjected to serious disruption on three separate days. Some 20 other inquiries have taken place without serious interruption since the publication of Cmnd. 7133.The new arrangements reflect the Government's determination that the procedures should be as fair and open as it is possible to make them. I am satisfied that in almost all cases the objectives set out in the White Paper have been achieved, but I am concerned that in even one case demonstrators should have made it difficult for the real objections to be heard and considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of inland freight in the United Kingdom is currently conveyed by rail; and what were the corresponding percentages for the years 1970, 1974 and 1977.

In Great Britain in the years in question the percentage of inland freight carried by rail was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he is taking to disregard the EEC demand that the United Kingdom Government introduce tachographs; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, following the finding of the European Court of Justice that the United Kingdom is in breach of EEC regulations by not implementing the tachograph, what action he proposes to take.

The full judgment of the European Court of Justice is still being studied. I will make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about cash limits, as they apply to expenditure within his Department.

The latest estimates of expenditure are all within the 1978–79 cash limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the police and other authorities with regard to the new type of vehicle number plates in which the letter A can easily be confused with the letter R; and if he will make a statement.

A number of bodies including the police have recommended that regulations should be amended in order to prevent confusing letters on vehicle registration plates. We are considering how best to tackle a range of problems concerning registration plates and will be consulting interested parties in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reduction in staff in tax collectors' offices will result from the use of a central computer at Shipley.

About 1,100, after taking account of the staff need of the accounts office itself.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum allocated by the National Economic Development Office for communications during 1978; and what percentage of these funds has been channelled through the Trades Union Congress or directly with an individual trade union.

A total of £250,000 for the year 1978–79 has been allocated to the National Economic Development Office to be spent on communicating the industrial strategy. Of this, £50,000 has been made available directly to the TUC as a grant-in-aid towards certain expenses incurred in holding conferences on the industrial strategy attended by union representatives concerned with industrial sectors covered by sector working parties. So far, some £20,700 has been paid to the TUC.In addition to the £50,000 grant-in-aid, the TUC has received financial assistance of approximately £12,000 from the funds allocated to NEDO towards design and printing costs of a broadsheet, for general circulation to those at shop floor level, about the industrial strategy and the work of individual sector working parties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing annual indices 1949 to 1978 of growth in expenditure on each of the expenditure programmes listed in the public expenditure White Paper.

The programmes used in the annual public expenditure White Papers were restructured in December 1973 and figures for the earlier years requested could not be complied without disproportionate time and cost. An alternative analysis of expenditure is shown in the annual publication "National Income and Expenditure" giving figures of expenditure which in most cases can be broadly attributed to a public expenditure programme. In the latest edition of this publication, table 9.4 gives figures relating to general Government expenditure between 1967 and 1977.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for every £100 spent by the Government on each person resident in England, how much was spent on each person resident in Scotland for each of the years from 1960 to 1978; and if he will publish a table giving the relative figures and percentages for each year for each of the following subjects: the National Health Service, social work, education, arts, sport, housing, rents, local government, rate support grants, planning, water, new towns, the countryside, buses, roads, ferries, airports, passenger subsidies, land tenure, tourism, fire service, courts and administration of the criminal and civil law.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the correspondence between the Financial Secretary and the hon. Member for Blaby, dated 4 January and 5 February, on the subject of tax changes and Inland Revenue staff numbers.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost would be to the Exchequer in a full fiscal year if the flat rate retirement pensions under the national insurance scheme were to become tax-free payments.

I will let my hon. and learned Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a means of preventing strikes, in his forthcoming Budget he will arrange for all registered shop stewards to receive 13·50 a day tax-free attendance allowance and a first class travel warrant to and from their homes and places of employment.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions have been brought (a) by his Department and (b) by others under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act in each year since the Act was implemented; and, in each case, what were the results and the penalties imposed in consequence.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 13 February 1979], gave the following information:Prosecution under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 is not a matter for my Department, but evasion of the import and export restrictions which it imposes is liable to proceedings under the Customs and Excise Act 1952. Particulars of such prosecutions are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of the Government on facilitating the payment by China for the exports of British goods to China which the Government are seeking to promote; what is the extent of the financial commitment by the Government and public bodies; and what would be the consequences of any failure by China to fulfil its obligations to pay.

I have been asked to reply.All the normal facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department are currently available for exports to this market. A $1·2 billion credit facility involving 10 British banks and supported by ECGD was arranged last December with the Bank of China to finance contracts for plant and equipment and associated services placed with Chinese trading organisations during the period ending June 1980. No business has so far been negotiated under these facilities.Contract negotiations are in progress on the part of both public and private sector companies for major projects in China,

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the maternity grant has not been increased since 1969; and when he intends to increase it.

Since this Government returned to office in 1974 they have given priority to improving the range and value of benefits for the family, the elderly, the disabled and the unemployed. The Government have accepted an amendment to the Social Security Bill requiring the level but as yet no contracts involving medium or long term credit have been signed.In the light of the above, it would appear to be premature to speculate on the consequences of China failing to fulfil her payment obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will publish in the Official Report the names of members of the South-Eastern Transport Users Consultative Committee, their occupations and towns of residence together with an indication of which members are regular railway commuters.

The information is as follows:of the maternity grant to be reviewed annually, but the question of any increase in the grant must depend on the availability of resources at the time and the priority which then attaches to this in relation to the many competing claims for resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance he proposes to give to doctors to ensure a more uniform response to be given to applications for attendance allowance in the case of profoundly deaf children.

It would not be appropriate for my right hon. Friend to issue such advice. Responsibility for determining entitlement to attendance allowance is, under the Social Security Act 1975, entirely a matter for the attendance allowance board, which is independent of my Department. Entitlement to the allowance depends on the amount of attention the child needs in connection with bodily functions or the amount of supervision it requires to avoid substantial danger to himself or others. I understand that when considering these requirements in relation to deaf children the board takes into account numerous factors such as the presence of other disabling conditions, whether or not these are related to his or her deafness, how the child has adapted to the handicap, the child's response to training, his or her age and, in the case of deafness acquired subsequent to birth, the length of time since onset.