asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the recent N.E.D.O. Report on agricultural production, a copy of which is in his possession.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he accepts the 1968 National Economic Development Council targets for expanded farm output and resulting import saving; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the target shortfall reported in the years 1967–68 and 1969–70.

My right hon. Friend does not intend to make a statement on the recent progress report by the Economic Development Committee for Agriculture. He welcomes the advice of the Committee but the Government has not accepted the precise individual commodity targets proposed by the Committee. The second part of the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for King's Lynn (Mr. Brocklebank-Fowler) does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the level of capital investment in the agricultural industry for the latest available 12-month period compared with the previous five 12-month periods.

Gross capital formation in fixed assets is provisionally estimated to be £222 million in 1970, compared with £172 million in 1965, £172 million in 1966, £186 million in 1967, £210 million in 1968 and £212 million in 1969.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards participation by the Ministry of Agriculture in agricultural shows.

After this year we shall exhibit only at the National Shows. Technical advice and help will be offered to other show societies who plan technical demonstrations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the uptake of live vaccine following his recent change of vaccination policy on fowl pest; and if he will make a statement.

Since live vaccine was approved for general use, substantial supplies have been taken up. But in recent weeks, about 85 per cent. of affected flocks were still not properly vaccinated: most of these were small flocks. I must repeat that this epidemic will only be brought under control if all producers undertake effective vaccination.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many outbreaks of fowl pest have been reported in Derbyshire during the recent epidemic; and what recommendations he will make to prevent a recurrence.

From the beginning of the present epidemic to 7th February there were 148 outbreaks of fowl pest in Derbyshire, involving 430,236 birds. The only way to reduce the number of outbreaks and bring the epidemic under control is for all poultry keepers, no matter how small their flocks may be, to vaccinate their stock regularly and effectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he plans in the role of the Apple and Pear Development Council.

My right hon. Friend shares in what I believe is the general view that the Council does a very good job on a modest budget in promoting the sales of home grown apples and pears, and in other ways. I think it is best for any suggestion for a change in its rôle to come from the Council itself, or from the growers who finance it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish as a White Paper an analysis of growth in agricultural output compared with the Selective Expansion Plan of September, 1965, and the Agricultural Objectives Statement of November, 1968, respectively.

I am grateful for my hon. Friend's suggestion, but I think such an analysis would serve no useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the annual average rate of growth in agricultural net output in the quinquennium between a base date of 1964–65 up to and including the latest forecast for 1969–70; and what was the annual average increase in net output between a base date of 1959–60 up to and including output for 1964–65.

1·1 per cent. and 4·2 per cent. respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the sheep population has dropped by about 14 per cent. in five years and is still falling; what action he will take to counteract this; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. I am fully aware of the decline in the sheep population since 1965. The state of the sheep industry and of other sectors will be examined at the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he will take to improve the efficiency of the horticultural industry.

I have already introduced an improved Horticulture Improvement Scheme and am considering a possible increase in the rate of orchard grubbing grant. But it is for the individual members of the industry to decide what measures each of them can best take to improve his own efficiency.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which wholesale horticultural markets within 50 miles of London will be considered for the key capital expenditure classification.

The priority to be given to borrowing for capital expenditure on wholesale horticultural markets under local authority control will in future rest with the authority concerned within the limits of its block allocation for locally determined projects.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution the proposed import levies will make to import saving; and when he expects to announce details of the interim levy scheme.

The attainment of significant reductions in imports is not the essential aim of the proposed interim import levy schemes. They should give a firmer tone to the market by preventing unduly low-priced imports and will thus increase farmers' confidence. I will announce details of the schemes when the present negotiations are completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much more at an annual rate farm costs rose in the quinquennium 1964–65 to 1969–70 than between 1960 and 1965.

Total farm expenses rose at an annual average rate of 4·2 per cent. between 1964–65 and 1969–70 and 3·1 per cent. between 1959–60 and 1964–65.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will estimate the amount of increased costs to farmers during the last year and also since 6th October when he announced increased guaranteed prices.

When the current Annual Review is completed information will be available about cost changes since the 1970 Review. Estimates of cost changes since 6th October only are not being prepared.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of the Brucellosis Incentives Scheme.

From mid-July to 31st December, 1970, the Scheme had attracted 11,649 applications in Great Britain, and over 80 per cent. of existing accredited owners had opted for it. The encouraging start which I reported to the House on 27th October has therefore continued. With the herds still qualifying or accredited under the earlier scheme, we now have nearly 27,000 herds engaged in voluntary accreditation, and over 12,000 of them have already gained registration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the average producer prices of cereals in the European Economic Community and Great Britain.

United Kingdom prices in 1969–70 were 29s. per cwt. for wheat, 26s. for barley and 27s. 10d. for oats. Comparable prices in the European Economic Community vary between member countries. In 1969–70, the range was from 44s. 8d. to 35s. 11d. per cwt. for wheat, 39s. 2d. to 30s. 7d. for barley and 37s. 9d. to 32s. 4d. for oats.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the average producer prices of sugar beet in the European Economic Community and Great Britain.

Average prices for beet in the European Economic Community are not available. The minimum price in the European Economic Community for beet within basic production quotas is £7 4s. per ton and the guaranteed price in the United Kingdom is £6 19s. per ton: but the terms of sale are different, and so the difference between these prices is much greater than the figures suggest.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what safeguards for British agriculture have so far been obtained in the negotiations in Brussels; and what further safeguards are being sought.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the speech I made in the debate in this House on 21st January.—[Vol. 809, c. 1317–34.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the possibilities of British agricultural expansion in the event of Great Britain entering the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect on rewards for efficient British farmers of joining a Community of Ten as compared with the present position.

I do not think it is possible at present to go further than the estimate of the possibilities of expansion given in the 1970 White Paper (Cmnd. 4289) United Kingdom agriculture as a whole, provided it is efficient, has nothing to fear from entry into the European Economic Community and in most sectors it has the possibility of a definite advance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made an assessment of how Great Britain's entry to the European Community would affect British horticulture.

I consider the assessment in the 1967 White Paper "The Common Agricultural Policy of the European Economic Community" (Cmnd. 3274) remains broadly valid. How individual growers would be affected would obviously depend on many factors including their present viability, their ability to change production lines and their marketing methods as well as the actual transitional arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the intervention arrangements for pigs and pigmeat in the United Kingdom under the European Economic Community Common Agricultural Policy will include support buying.

We have said we are prepared to accept the basic structure of the common agricultural policy which includes support buying of pigmeat in certain circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which organisation in the United Kingdom will be responsible for operating the intervention arrangements for pigs and pig-meat under the European Economic Community Common Agricultural Policy.

No decisions have yet been taken on what arrangements would be made for this if we joined the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the current Annual Price Review arrangements would be maintained if Great Britain joins the European Economic Community.

It is too soon to say precisely what arrangements would be appropriate in an enlarged Community. The Community has agreed in the current negotiations that as a member we should still be able to hold our own annual review of agriculture in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the effect of existing European Economic Community legislation on farming as far as British farmers and farmworkers are concerned if Great Britain joins the European Economic Community.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the White Paper of 1967 (Cmnd. 3274) which assessed the effect of adopting the Community's common agricultural policy and to the White Paper of 1970 (Cmnd. 4289) which assessed the more general economic consequences of Britain's membership of the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now in a position to say when he will meet the Executive of the National Farmers Union to explain the British Government's policy on the subject of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Leominster (Sir Clive Bossom).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the latest forecast for aggregate farming net income for 1969–70 represents as a percentage of the net income for 1964–65, at constant prices.

The forecast of £535½ million net income for 1969–70 published in the 1970 Annual Review White Paper represents 91 per cent. of net income in 1964–65 at constant money values. A more up-to-date estimate will be available when the 1971 Annual Review White Paper is published.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the Annual Price Review.

I will announce the Annual Review determinations as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the liquidity position of farmers; and if he will take account of this in the Annual Price Review.

A number of factors, especially cost increases, are affecting farmers' financial position, and these are being examined in the Annual Review. It was because of these factors that the Government increased the guarantees by £54 million for the current year last October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reduction his recent announcement on staffing will achieve in administrative costs within his Department, and also in those falling on farmers generally.

The reduction in my Department's administrative costs is estimated at some £1½–3 million annually. The effect on farmers' administrative costs will vary; but the simplification of Departmental procedures, and the streamlining of some grants should save farmers' time and administrative costs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present policy of the Forestry Commission regarding the replacement of oaks and other trees by conifers.

The Commission does not intend to replace oaks and other hardwoods with conifers where amenity and conservation are major considerations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on progress on disposal of unwanted land held by his Department.

Excluding the experimental centres and the small-holdings estates managed on my behalf by the Land Settlement Association the acreage at present held by my Department amounts to some 38,100 acres. This includes about 2,400 acres previously under the management of the Land Settlement Association, the bulk of which is in process of sale.As I stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Holland with Boston (Mr. Body) on 20th January, I have opened negotiations with the Holland County Council as smallholdings authority for the sale of 6,500 acres of smallholdings land held by my Department in that county. I am reviewing the future of the remaining 29,200 acres held by my Department in England with a view to disposal where appropriate. This includes 20,300 acres of freehold and leasehold agricultural land originally purchased in connection with forestry acquisitions.I am hoping to complete a review of the freehold properties by the end of March to determine in consultation with the Forestry Commission the areas which are surplus to the requirements of the forestry enterprise and can therefore be considered for disposal and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is taking parallel action on the land which he holds in Wales.—[Vol. 809, c.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average cost of feeding a single person in 1969; and what was the increase over the previous year.

The average cost of feeding one person in 1969 in the United Kingdom was £124 compared with £118 in 1968, an increase of £6.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the current level of food prices.

The Food Index stood at 144.1 on 15th December, the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many price rises in foodstuffs of all kinds have taken place between 18th June and 31st December; and how many have been recorded from 1st January, 1971, to 6th February, 1971.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take to prevent or correct any unjustified rounding up of food prices by either wholesalers or retailers before and following Decimalisation Day;

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of errors already caused by dual pricing on price tags of food products, he will appoint a special team of inspectors to advise shopkeepers of food pricing problems caused by Decimalisation.

I see no need for special action.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what foods he expects considerable increases in prices during the next few months.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind what I said on 19th January. I was referring to likely movements in the Food Index rather than individual foodstuffs.—[Vol. 809, c. 694–6.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent he estimates the Government's policy of reducing subsidies on food by £100 million per annum will increase food prices to the housewives and increase the cost of living.

If the hon. Member has in mind the Government's intention to introduce levy arrangements, I would refer him to the reply I gave him on 7th December.—[Vol. 808, c. 39–40.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent he estimates a rise in food prices due to his new system of import controls, and deficiency payments for cereals; and to what extent his granting of an all-round price increase of 15 per cent. in the price review will raise prices of food and the cost of living.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 7th December. As regards the second part of the question, I cannot anticipate the Annual Review.—[Vol 808, c. 39–40.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to encourage in marketing among horticultural producers.

The Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation is to have increased resources for promoting co-operation, especially in marketing. Horticultural marketing co-operatives will qualify for the same grants as those given to individuals under the Horticulture Improvement Scheme, as well as for special grants for purposes of particular interest to these co-operatives. They will also benefit from the proposals in the Rating Bill.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to introduce regulations to limit the use of persistent organochlorine pesticides that are undesirable in the environment; and to what extent effective substitutes are now available.

Revised recommendations have been issued and good progress is already being made in complying with the recommended uses of these chemicals under the present voluntary scheme. This action will be completed by 30th September of this year. The report of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals of December, 1969 describes many effective alternatives.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to speed up the installation of arterial drainage as recommended in the recent Agricultural Advisory Council Report.

The Report makes many important recommendations. These are all being carefully considered and I have nothing to add at this stage to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House on 12th January.—[Vol. 809 c. 1–3.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has decided on the new rates of grubbing grant; and whether he will make a statement.

I cannot yet add to the reply given to a supplementary question by my hon. Friend the member for Maidstone (Mr. John Wells) on 8th December.—[Vol. 808, c. 229–30.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what acreage of land now used by hill farmers is expected to be afforested during the next five years.

On present trends about 25,000 acres in England.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many breeding ewes there were in England and Wales in the latter half of 1970; and what proportion of that number qualifies for the hill sheep subsidy.

At the 1970 December census, 7,950,000 breeding and two-tooth ewes were recorded. In 1969, the last year for which hill sheep subsidy figures are available, about half the breeding flock in England and Wales qualified for the subsidy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further information he can now give on the Unicar system in Great Britain.

I have nothing to add to my reply on 26th January to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Miss Holt).—[Vol. 810, c. 78.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the possible expansion of home-produced fish meal.

It is for the industry to judge what further investment would be right, having regard to the fish stocks available, the high demand for meal at present, and the competing claims of fishing for human consumption.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an estimate as to the date by which the river authorities and the Greater London Council are expected to reach agreement on the details of the proposed Thames Barrier, and in particular the levels to which the river defences of the downstream authorities, especially Canvey Island, will have to be raised.

I cannot say precisely when the G.L.C. and the Essex and Kent River Authorities will finalise all the technical, legal and financial questions which are at present under discussion. In the meantime the design of the Barrier is under way, and we have assisted with the provision of information about the effects on tide levels at places downstream of closing it. The River Authorities are considering, in the light of this information and other factors, the standards to which the downstream defences, including those of Canvey Island, should be improved.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to promote increased consumption of fish.

I welcome this opportunity to commend fish as food, but promotional expenditure from public funds would not be right.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to make a statement on his talks with the meat industry aimed at imposing a meat tax.

Discussions on the proposed interim levy schemes are still taking place with the other Governments and domestic interests concerned. Until they are completed it is not possible to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the regulations regarding the nutritive standard and labelling requirements of meat substitute foods are adequate for the protection of consumers; and if he will make a statement.

Meat substitutes can be of high nutritive value, but they can be used only when the labelling of the product informs the consumer of their inclusion. All manufactured meat products must contain the minimum amount of meat laid down in the compositional standards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the increased risk of the spread of rabies in the event of Great Britain joining the Common Market, what preparatory steps he is taking to ensure that there will be adequate control to prevent the spread of rabies through wild animals such as foxes.

Joining the Common Market should not affect the risk of spread of rabies and would not prevent us from applying our present controls against the disease. They are currently under review by the Waterhouse Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that the Forestry Commission makes a proper contribution for the services of foot packs in fox control in the country generally.

The Forestry Commission does not contribute directly to foot packs but it subscribes to selected Fox Destruction Societies and Clubs as circumstances require, including those carrying out an agreed programme on its land with the aid of foot packs. The hon. and learned Member is already aware of the special subscriptions the Commission has introduced in Wales for Societies operating with foot packs, and it is keeping the situation in England and Scotland under review. My right hon. Friends see no need to intervene.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will inquire into the use of codes by food manufacturers to indicate dates of manufacture of processed foods and final dates for safe consumption with a view to establishing standard codes that can be easily understood by consumers and retailers;(2) if he will introduce legislation for the compulsory marking of dates on containers of processed foods to indicate when they can no longer be considered fresh and safe to be consumed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Joyce Butler) on 8th February.—[Vol. 811, c. 61.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he hopes to complete his review of government-aided research and development in the production, processing and distributing sectors of the fishing industry; and if he will state the membership of his review committee.

This review is being carried out by the Ministers concerned. It will be completed as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Belgian and French Governments about exporting British cattle on a dead-weight basis, in view of the concern at the present arrangements for live-weight exports.

My Department made inquiries into the export of a consignment of calves to Belgium and I have nothing to add to the statement I made on 8th December.—[Vol. 808, c. 227–9.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will enumerate all the departmental committees of inquiry or commissions coming under the responsibility of his Department and indicate the dates on which these were set up.

There is only one departmental committee of inquiry coming under the responsibility of my Department, viz., the Committee of Inquiry on Rabies, which was set up on 6th April, 1970.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Minister of Agriculture for Northern Ireland about the possibility of additional aid under the remoteness grant scheme for those farmers in Mid-Ulster who live at a height over 500 feet and who have found difficulty in obtaining electricity through the Rural Electrification Scheme.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider widening the definition of land eligible for assistance under the Hill Farm Act, 1953, so as to include areas of Drumlin-type hillocks rising over 300 feet where the soil is unsuitable for cropping.

No. The hill farming grants are intended to give special assistance to the recognised areas of mountains, hills or heath, and it would not be appropriate to extend them to poor land in other parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect on the price of food consequent on the measures proposed in Command Paper No. 4564, Proposed Changes in the Work of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Any such effect would be negligible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to intiate experiments with bulky soil conditioners as recommended in the recent Agricultural Advisory Council report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to encourage the study of grass as a substitute break for cereals on best silt lands.

Work is already being done on these problems at the Department's experimental centres. The need and priority for more is being considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now abolish payments from public funds to young farmers' clubs.

This is an annual grant and my right hon. Friend is considering the Federation's application for 1971–72.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will confirm that there will be no additional financial burden placed on downstream local authorities as a result of the raising of their river flood defences because of higher tide levels caused by any closure of the barrier which is to be erected to protect London.

This matter is at present under discusion between the Essex and Kent River Authorities and the Greater London Council. I have recently written to my hon. Friend and I will of course keep him informed when the local bodies concerned reach their conclusions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the ban on use of D.D.T. for home and garden use to come into operation; and if he will make a statement.

Revised recommendations which will end the use of D.D.T. preparations in home kitchens, larders and gardens have been issued to come into effect on 30th September. Already a number of these products are no longer supplied to distributors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will establish, along the lines recommended by Lord Denning in his report to Her Majesty's Government, an advisory committee to control the banana trade in the interests of Caribbean Commonwealth countries; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will appoint a Committee of Junior Ministers to consider the problems of inflation.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 4th February.—[Vol. 810, c. 445.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure, as a practice of his Administration, that a White Paper is published on each occasion when part of the assets of a public body is given away to companies within the private sector.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if, instead of increasing charges payable by dental patients, he will consider introducing an increased tax on sweets, the product of which would be used as a contribution to the cost of treating dental disease;(2) if, in view of the relationship between the incidence of dental caries and ingestion of refined sugars, he will consider an increased tax on sweets, so as to reduce the consumption of such sweets.

I am aware of all the factors bearing on the taxation of sweets, but I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give permission to enable the joint stock banks to extend credit facilities of small trader customers who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining payment for goods and services as a result of the postal strike.

I am sure that the banks will be sympathetic to the difficulties of customers in this situation. I do not think that any guidance is required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he hopes to abolish selective employment tax for the building industry, in order to stimulate the housing programme; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27th November to the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. James Hill).—[Vol. 807, c. 243–244.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the number of days lost in industry on Monday 28th December, 1970 which, although not declared a bank holiday, was taken as a holiday by a majority of workpeople throughout the country, in many cases supported by employers fixing the day concerned as a holiday date.

I have been asked to reply.No estimates are available. Arrangements for collecting appropriate information systematically from employers were not considered justifiable and were not made. Paid holidays are not regarded as days lost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Revenue of reducing the tax threshold for a married couple without children to £20 per week with a view to reducing the pressure of wage demands.

If the married man's allowance was increased from £465 to £809, thus freeing from tax a married man with earnings of £20 a week, the cost would be over £700 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will enumerate all the Departmental committees of inquiry or commissions coming under the responsibility of his Department and indicate the dates on which these were set up.

There are currently no Departmental committees of inquiry or commissions which come under the responsibility of the Treasury.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that his decision to suspend work on an Inland Revenue computer centre at Washington New Town, County Durham, has caused dismay throughout the North-East of England; and if, in view of the prevailing unemployment problem, and the fact that the centre would ultimately provide 3,000 new jobs in the area, he will now reverse his policy and sanction work to proceed on the project.

I am well aware of the concern which the suspension of the Inland Revenue's computer programme has caused to people in the North-East of England and in the other areas which are affected; but further expenditure on new Computer Centres would not be justified until the review of the programme which I announced in the House on 7th December, 1970, has been completed.—[Vol. 808, c. 130–131.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the communication sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, he will take steps to ensure that entertainers and business men who do not pay their income taxes for many years and then go bankrupt without paying any taxes are constrained to pay some taxes each year.

The Inland Revenue use their best endeavours to collect tax which is due, and there is no discrimination in favour of any particular occupations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the reasons why in his forthcoming Budget he will not introduce a tax system whereby the Inland Revenue shall have powers to recover taxes from business men and entertainers who have evaded tax, and been declared bankrupt on any new earnings or income and by confiscation of property and capital assets which may be obtained after the bankruptcy proceedings by these persons.

Such a provision would require a fundamental change in bankruptcy law and could not in equity be confined to the Inland Revenue. Moreover legislation of this kind would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to prevent peers who are members of Her Majesty's Government or who hold salaried State appointments, from being entitled to claim the six and a half guineas per day tax-free allowance when attending the House of Lords.

Peers are not entitled to a tax-free allowance of six and a half guineas per day when attending the House of Lords. Members of the House of Lords may recover, within a daily limit of £6 10s., their actual out-of-pocket expenses. This does not apply to Ministers of the Crown, Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, and certain other office holders.For the rest of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 26th November.—[Vol. 807, c. 218–19.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of the new information as published on 27th January, 1971, showing that the official cost of living figures rose by 8 per cent. during 1970, and that the annual rate is now running at 10 per cent., he will give a full and detailed explanation and reasons why he will not change his policy and take some action to control price increases as well as wage increases.

The Government believe that the way to slow down the rise in prices is through a progressive de-escalation in the scale of wage and salary settlements, within the framework of a firm control of demand. The reasons for this policy have been set out in a number of statements, including in particular my right hon. Friend's speech to the Overseas Bankers Club on 1st February and the Memorandum submitted by Her Majesty's Treasury to the Court of Inquiry into Pay in the Electricity Industry. (Cmnd. 4579).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will in future take such actions as will enable him to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much information as may be readily available giving details, without identification of the persons concerned, where tax of £1,000 or more has been outstanding for payment to the Inland Revenue for a period of one year or more, the number of such cases and the amounts outstanding, and the total amounts owing to the Inland Revenue.

I would be reluctant to ask for the extraction of further Revenue statistics in a form which I consider would be of little value as an addition to the existing controls.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not recommend to the Review Body examining Members of Parliament's salaries that such salaries should be adjusted by the same percentages and on the same dates as the salaries of judges, chairmen of nationalised boards and higher paid civil servants.

Because it is not the intention of the Government to restrict in any way the freedom of the independent Review Body to decide what factors are relevant to its enquiries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the nearest and what is the furthest distance a resident in the Mid-Ulster constituency has to travel to reach a local office of the Inland Revenue.

About four miles and 30 miles respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many offices of the Inland Revenue are situated in the Mid- Ulster constituency; and what are their locations.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the increasing unemployment in the soft drinks industry, he will take steps to abolish purchase tax on soft drinks.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will seek powers to provide that the maintenance and confinement fees of unmarried mothers should be borne by central funds and not fall on local authorities.

I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind, but if he will write to me I shall be glad to consider the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Central Health Services Council approved the report of its Nursing Advisory Committee's sub-committee on the staffing of operating theatres; and when the report is to be published.

The report was formally submitted to me by the Council with their comments after their November meeting; it has been printed and will be distributed when postal services permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make a further statement about the proposed development of the Whittington Hospital, Archway, London, N.19; when building will commence; and what will be the estimated cost, and the approximate date of completion.

The North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board hopes to start this development within the next two or three years. Rebuilding is planned in several Phases over a number of years and it is impracticable to forecast the date of completion. The current estimate of cost is about £9 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of the 24,000 persons wage-stopped prior to November, 1970, have already been removed from the application of the wage-stop as a result of the rise in National Joint Council rates after the local authority manual workers' strike; and how many further persons will be removed from the scope of the wage-stop when the present review is completed;(2) how many persons have been removed from the application of the wage-stop regulation as a result of the increase in National Joint Council rates after the local authority manual workers' strike; how much extra supplementary benefit has since been paid out weekly on average to these persons; and how many claimants remain wage-stopped by up to 10s. a week, by more than 10s. but less than £1 a week, by more than £1 but less than £2 per week, and by more than £2 per week.

The review of wage-stopped claimants following the last National Joint Council increase was completed by 15th January but I regret that because of the postal strike the figures the hon. Member asks for are not yet available. I will write when they are.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what basis a fair comparison is made between social security benefits in Great Britain and foreign countries.

Any comparisons of the levels of social security benefits should take account of such factors as the scope of the schemes, wage levels, standards of living, taxation, health and welfare services, occupational pensions and fringe benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women, with dependants, have been refused social security benefits because they are deemed to be co-habiting.

I regret that the information asked for, which relates mainly to supplementary benefit, is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claim forms exist in the Department of Health and Social Services for people claiming social security benefits.

There are seven types of form used for supplementary benefit claim purposes. As to contributory benefits there are 34 types of form for initial claims with 58 covering increases and changes in such benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministerial salary payable to the Minister of State in his Department.

179.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many civil servants in his Department are in receipt of salaries in excess of his own Ministerial salary.