asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his forecasts with regard to likely price rises in the cost of fodder and feeding stuffs between 1970 and 1971.

It is not possible to forecast what prices for fodder and feeding stuffs will be during 1971.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the increasing resistance of organisms to Chloromycetin (chloramphenicol) what measures he proposes to ensure closer control of possibly contaminated meat from countries where this drug is used casually, without proper veterinary supervision.

I am aware of the risks which can arise from the use of this antibiotic and the situation in regard to both home production and imports is being watched. I am glad to say that the latest figures available to my Department's Veterinary Investigation Service indicate that the degree of resistence to chloramphenicol in enteric bacteria in animals in the United Kingdom is at least static and possibly declining.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to build a new veterinary investigation centre at Winchester.

Work has already started on the building of this Centre.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies are at the moment being carried out by his Department into problems or conditions which are of special significance in relation to Wales.

The agricultural problems typical of Wales also exist elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Virtually all my Department's work is therefore important to Wales: but among the problems to which my Department is at present giving special attention are those that concern hill areas and the possibility of improving our farm structure schemes. These are both subjects of special relevance to conditions in Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those statutory bodies which submit to his Department for publication annual or periodic reports.

The information is as follows:

Committee of Agricultural Valuation.

Northern Pennines Rural Development Board.

Sugar Board.

White Fish Authority.

Herring Industry Board (which also reports to the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for the Home Department).

Home Grown Cereals Authority.

Forestry Commission (which also reports to the Secretary of State for Scotland and for Wales).

Land Settlement Association.

Meat and Livestock Commission.

The River Authorities (who also report to the Secretary of State for the Environment).

Apple and Pear Development Council.

Covent Garden Market Authority.

Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation.

Agricultural Marketing Reorganisation Commission for Great Britain and England and Wales.

Committees of Investigation and Consumer Committees for Great Britain and England and Wales.

Sea Fisheries Committees.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the net income of hill farmers in the United Kingdom is represented at present by grants and subsidies.

I regret that information is not available from which this percentage can be calculated for hill farmers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the changes in employment in the agricultural industry in Cornwall in the period 1970 to 1975.

The outflow of workers is expected to continue as productivity continues to increase. But future employment in agriculture depends on a large number of factors, and precise estimates cannot be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate she has received of the likely percentage reduction in demand for school dinners in Smethwick when the price increases are introduced in April, 1971; and what this estimated reduction will be in absolute figures.

The Warley Local Education Authority has not yet finalised its estimate for the area as a whole. A separate estimate will not be made for Smethwick.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary school classes in the Warley Local Education Authority area had more than 35 pupils in the term commencing last September; and what was the sum total of pupils in such classes.

September figures are not available in the Department. In January, 1970 there were 289 classes of more than 35 pupils, containing 11,104 pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will consider the provision of capital grants to enable reconstruction or rebuilding of provincial museums and art galleries where they are incapable of displaying or properly storing their collections.

My noble Friend, the Paymaster-General, hopes shortly to initiate a survey of needs of provincial museums and art galleries. As he stated in another place on 16th December, the Government will be prepared to look sympathetically at these needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) for which specific areas the increased allocation to Derbyshire Education Committee for replacement of primary schools has been granted;(2) whether an increased allocation has been made to Derbyshire Education Committee for replacement of primary schools in respect of the financial year 1972–73; and whether the increased allocation will bring the total to the £450,000 allocated for the year 1971–72.

My right hon. Friend has added a third school to Derbyshire's primary improvement programme for 1972–73 and invited the Authority's views before naming it. This will bring the total to over £200,000, compared with £140,000 for primary replacements in 1971–72.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the plans for the extension of Clowne Secondary School in the constituency of Bolsover.

My right hon. Friend has approved the Authority's proposal to use some of their allocation in 1971–72 for raising the school leaving age to extend Clowne County Secondary School by 240 places at a cost of £134,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on plans for replacing Clowne Primary and Junior Schools in the constituency of Bolsover.

A proposal for a new seven-class school to replace the Clowne Infants School on a new site has been submitted by the Authority as their third priority for the 1973–74 primary replacements programme which is now under consideration in the Department. No proposal has been submitted for the Junior School but it has been listed by the Authority among their pre-1903 schools needing replacement or improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the expenditure on new school construction during the last convenient financial year by each of the following county councils, namely, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire;(2) what was the expenditure on new school construction during the last convenient financial year by each of the following county boroughs, namely, Bath, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, Burnley, Leicester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton and Southport.

Expenditure on new school construction during the financial year 1969–70 was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will convene a conference of representatives of all those concerned to consider whether amendments should be made to the laws affecting copyright in order that educational establishments may make full use of technical and educational works while ensuring fair remuneration for their authors and publishers.

Amendments to the law on copyright would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. As for the needs and practices of educational establishments, consultations take place from time to time on various aspects of the question. For example, some problems arising from the use of copyright material are studied by the National Council for Educational Technology, and others are to be discussed soon at a meeting in my Department with representatives of the British Copyright Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement about the cost-effectiveness study of the educational provision for the 16 to 19 age group.

With the agreement of the Steering Committee of representatives of local authority and teacher associations this project is to be terminated. As a pilot study it has encountered substantial technical difficulties of methodology, and data collection and evaluation. The quality of the results likely to be obtained would not justify the continued investment of resources or manpower.I am grateful to all those who cooperated in the study and regret that it has not proved possible to carry it as far as was intended.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether she will now increase the basic grant for students at educational training establishments; and whether she will make a statement;(2) whether she will now increase the level of grants for students at technical colleges; and whether she will make a statement;(3) whether she will now increase the level of grants to students at universities; and whether she will make a statement.

A review is in train to determine the level of grants appropriate for the period beginning 1st September, 1971 for full-time students taking first degree or comparable courses at universities and further education establishments, including technical colleges. I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students at universities are in receipt of grants; and what was the total sum thereof in each of the years 1965 to 1970, inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent communications she has received from the Cornwall County Council regarding its future schoolbuilding programme.

My right hon. Friend has just received Cornwall's proposals for the school building programme for 1973–74.

The numbers of students from Great Britain in receipt of full value awards at further education establishments for all full-time courses except post-graduate courses were as follows:

The numbers of students from Great Britain in receipt of full value awards at universities for all full-time courses except post-graduate courses were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons or firms in Warley were prosecuted during 1970 for contraventions of the Factories Act, 1961, and associated regulations.

Eleven.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits for alien workers have been issued in each of the last five years; and how many have been used for entry to Great Britain.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workpeople have been affected by redundancies declared by industrial firms or establishments in Scotland since October, 1970.

A comprehensive figure is not available as not all redundancies are notified to my Department. Our records show, however, that 12,200 employees were affected by redundancies which were due to take place in Scotland at firms or establishments in the mining, quarrying, manufacturing and construction industries between 1st November, 1970, and 28th February, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps he is taking to protect the Cornish inshore fishing industry in the Common Market negotiations.

Her Majesty's Government continue to reserve their position on the common fisheries policy of the Community, certain details of which have not yet been formulated. A detailed examination of the national and regional implications of the policy is proceeding. This includes contacts with the Commission of the European Communities on aspects of the policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Southern Rhodesia are covered by the patrial Clause in the Immigration Bill.

I estimate the number at between 150,000 and 200,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many widows of policemen survive who married after their husbands ceased to be regular policemen and will receive no pension in accordance with paragraph 38(1) of the Draft Police Pensions Regulations, 1971;(2) how many widows of firemen survive who married after their husbands ceased to be regular firemen and receive no pension in accordance with paragraph 25 of the Firemen's Pension Scheme Order, 1971.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to restrict the payment of travelling expenses to persons who are not patrial to those who have been here for five years or less.

Clause 29 of the Immigration Bill does not contain any such time limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, in paying expenses of immigrants who seek to leave the United Kingdom out of public funds under the Immigration Bill, he intends also to make provision for resettlement grants.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will arrange to place before the Review Committee which is to inquire into the salaries and conditions of Members of Parliament details showing that in addition to the loss of income due to inflation since salaries were last raised in October, 1964, the costs of services which the Members of Parliament have to provide have risen by 50 per cent. to 75 per cent., and that the catering facilities which they have to use have increased in price by some 300 per cent. to 400 per cent.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 15th January.—[Vol. 809, c. 138–9.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will now introduce legislation to extend the powers of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs in manufacturing industries it is anticipated will be created in the Highlands and Islands consequent upon approval by the Highlands and Islands Development Board of application for grant and loan assistance in the six months from 30th June, 1970.

I understand that the Board's estimate is about 300.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the locations proposed to him by the Highlands and Islands Development Board for the construction of advance factories.

In 1971–72 the Board proposes to build advance factories at Alness, Aviemore, Dalcross and Dingwall. In addition the Board has been authorised to acquire sites at Ballachulish, Dunoon, Fort William, Kyle, Mallaig, Thurso and Wick and is en- couraging local authorities to acquire and service sites in their own areas. Any of these could be used by the Board for a bespoke factory at any time and they will be considered for subsequent advance factory programmes which will be decided in the light of experience with the first group.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the cross-resistance which is alleged to occur between tylosin and erythromycin, what steps he proposes to take to control the use of this drug in animal feedingstuffs.

Regulations under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1956, were laid before the House on 26th February, the effect of which is to prohibit as from 1st September, 1971, the sale and supply of feedingstuffs containing Tylosin except on prescription or in accordance with the written authority of a veterinary surgeon or practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will introduce legislation to provide that part-time consultants in the National Health Service shall cease to be members of hospital management committees and regional hospital boards.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the rules for meetings of hospital management committees and regional hospital boards governing the declaration of interest in matters raised at meetings by part-time consultants who are members of these bodies.

Rule 10 of the Schedule to the National Health Service (Regional Hospital Boards etc.) Regulations, 1947, (Statutory Rules and Orders 1947 No. 1298). This rule reads:

"A hospital board, management committee or board of governors shall make, and may vary or revoke standing orders for the regulation of their proceedings and business, which shall in particular include provision that, subject to such exceptions and qualifications as may be specified in the standing orders, if a member has any pecuniary interest direct or indirect in any contract or proposed contract or other matter and is present at a meeting at which the contract or other matter is the subject of consideration he shall at the meeting as soon as practicable after the commencement thereof, disclose the fact and shall not take part in the consideration or discussion of, or vote on any question with respect to, the contract or other matter".

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services why capital expenditure on hospital building work in the Birmingham region has been reduced from 13·1 per cent. of the English total in 1965–66 to 7·4 per cent. in 1969–70; and what his proposals are for allocation to the Birmingham region in 1970–71 and 1971–72 expressed in terms both of proposed expenditure and of such expenditure as a percentage of total English expenditure.

The figures reflect variations from year to year in the progress of major schemes. The estimated capital expenditure during 1970–71 in the Birmingham Region (including the United Birmingham Hospitals) is expected to be nearly £10½ million or about 9 per cent. of the total expenditure in England. The Supply Estimates for 1971–72 will be published shortly: the capital expenditure for the region in that year is provisionally estimated to be about 11 per cent. of the total expenditure in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects his Department to make to the Islington Borough Council, and individual tenants, payments in respect of rent in municipal accommodation, previously withheld because of the unreasonable level of rents in accordance with his agreement with local authorities.

My Department's local officers are about to begin discussion with representatives of the London Borough of Islington with a view to introducing the revised arrangements as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of a recent survey of 40 public houses in the Midlands, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Smethwick, showing that 60 per cent. of beer glasses had so high a bacterial content as to constitute a health hazard, what action he now contemplates to raise bacteriological standards of cleanliness of beer glasses.

The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1970, require articles or equipment, including beer glasses to be kept clean and provide the local authorities who are responsible for enforcing the Regulations, with adequate powers to take whatever action is needed to ensure that beer is served in clean glasses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being carried out into the danger to human health and growth of all chemicals used in aerial spraying; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme, no chemical is cleared by the Government for use in aerial spraying unless they and the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals are satisfied in the light of adequate scientific evidence that it can safely be so used in accordance with the conditions for aerial spraying laid down by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the future of Thorpe Maternity Hospital.

Thorpe Maternity Hospital will continue in use for many years but in the long term the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board plan to reprovide maternity facilities in the district general hospitals to be developed in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what checks local offices of his Department are instructed to make on the first application for an insurance card by an immigrant to see whether the applicant has entered the country illegally.

The staff of my Department have been instructed to look critically at all first applications for an insurance card made by persons from abroad. It would not be in the public interest to disclose the nature of the steps taken on applications which arouse suspicions of irregularity.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those statutory bodies which submit to his Department for publication annual or periodic reports.

The following statutory bodies submit reports which are laid before Parliament and ordered to be printed:

• Air Transport Licensing Board.
• Area Electricity Boards.
• Area Electricity Consultative Councils.
• Area Gas Boards.
• Area Gas Consultative Councils.
• British Airports Authority.
• British European Airways Corporation.
• British Film Fund Agency.
• British Overseas Airways Corporation.
• British Steel Corporation.
• Central Electricity Generating Board.
• Cinematograph Films Council.
• Domestic Coal Consumers' Council.
• Electricity Council,
• Gas Council.
• Industrial Coal Consumers' Council.
• Industrial Reorganisation Corporation.
• Iron and Steel Consumers' Council.
• National Coal Board.
• National Film Finance Corporation.
• National Research Development Corporation.
• Shipbuilding Industry Board.
• United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new controls he is considering on aerial spraying in view of the proven damage to various forms of animal life.

The Department, with the co-operation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is formulating proposals whereby aerial spraying will require its permission, which will be subject to conditions. An agricultural aerial operator will be permitted to spray only those chemicals specified as being suitable for aerial application. Those chemicals will have been cleared under the Government's Pesticide Safety Precaution Scheme. The conditions will include other specified precautions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the subject of high pressure selling techniques employed by salesmen of gas appliances, particularly in cases arising from the need for conversion to natural gas of appliances owned by old age pensioners; and if he will issue an appropriate general direction to nationalised industries.

We have received four representations, three of which concerned old-age pensioners. Control of their salesmen is a matter for the area gas boards who investigate specific complaints brought to their notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what invitation Her Majesty's Government has received from the French Government to assist in the building of a uranium enrichment plant in that country; and what reply has been given.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware of the Storm Surge Warning System operated by the Admiralty on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food uses of tidal gauges; and what consideration his Department has given to enlarging this service to provide warning of abnormal tide surges to shipping using the English Channel.

These tidal gauges are not suitable for offshore use and I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend on 15th December, 1970, about the development of suitable gauges.—[Vol. 808, c. 319.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the growing number of accidents, the deepening draught of larger tankers, abnormal tide surges and shifting sandbanks on the sea bottom he will now initiate a comprehensive precision survey of the English Channel and the southern part of the North Sea.

Survey work by the hydrographer has been going on and is continuing but international co-operation will be necessary for much of the area involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will conduct an investigation or inquiry into the circumstances of the grounding of the Liberian vessel "Trinity Navigator" in British territorial waters, and particularly into the degree of navigational competency of those in charge on board.

This vessel has now left United Kingdom territorial waters and there would be little value in attempting to hold any form of statutory inquiry. We shall, however, be considering the reports of the Department's officers who have investigated the incident.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the position of the Liberian tanker, "Trinity Navigator" when she ran aground on Tuesday 2nd March, and the time, and where she had come from and where she was bound.

The "Trinity Navigator" ran aground under the cliffs at Berry Head, near Torquay, at about 3 a.m. on 2nd March, 1971. The vessel was bound from Kharg Island to Antwerp.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the loss of the Greek vessel "Niki" and the navigational competency of her officers; if he will make representations to the Greek Government to hold such an inquiry; and if his Department will then present evidence to it.

I do not believe that an investigation under the Merchant Shipping Acts into this casualty would be worth while. There are no survivors from the ship. The Department is in touch with the Greek authorities and is prepared to be of assistance in any inquiry which they may hold.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the continuing failures of insurance companies in general and the Vehicle and General in particular, he will now appoint a committee of inquiry to investigate all matters pertaining to insurance of road vehicles and the reliability of insurance companies.

As I stated in the House on 2nd March, in the review of company law which I am undertaking I will not exclude the law relating to insurance companies. I am considering an inquiry under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 1948, in relation to Vehicle and General but I am not convinced of the need to appoint a committee of inquiry such as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware that there are 7,000 wrecks on the bottom of the North Sea, of which only 4,000 are approximately marked on Admiralty charts; and if he will now seek wreck dispersal powers for his department.

Yes, but I see no need for the Department to obtain wreck dispersal powers. Under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse Board have powers to remove wrecks which are a danger to navigation in the North Sea and are within their areas of jurisdiction.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give a general direction to gas boards to agree to exchange portable gas fires for similar ones which can be used with natural gas.

No. The Gas Council took a policy decision not to sell or convert portable gas fires because of evidence that they were being used in totally unsafe conditions. The Morton Report alludes to the dangers, and I support the Gas Council in this policy.Trade-in or replacement arrangements in individual cases are for the appropriate area boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many crates of broccoli were imported into the United Kingdom in each week in January and February in 1969, 1970 and 1971.

This information is not available in the form requested. Imports of broccoli and cauliflowers for the months of January and February, by weight and value, are given in the appropriate issues of the Overseas Trade Accounts—for 1969—and the Overseas Trade Statistics—for later periods; figures for February, 1971, will be published at the end of this month.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will recommend that banks and public bodies should maintain adequate stocks of the sixpenny piece, the shortage of which is causing inconvenience to people needing them for use in machines which have not yet been converted to take other coins.

The banks have adequate supplies of sixpences for those customers who require them. As for public bodies, it is of course for all organisations, public or private, to make their own decisions about their day-to-day transactions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will include in his impending Budget tax relief for single daughters caring for elderly and infirm relatives, in view of the fact that the attendance allowance of £4 to be introduced in April, 1972, has such stringent conditions that many elderly people needing help will not qualify.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to oblige banks not to refuse to cash cheques for amounts described in guineas, in view of the custom of denominating many charitable donations and gifts in guineas.

The Decimal Currency Board's advice is that the expression guinea should not be used, but the banks will not refuse a cheque in guineas provided the amount in figures is correct.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the global figure refundable in tax for the latest convenient fiscal year in respect to covenants for charitable purposes.

About £16 million in income tax was repaid to charities in the twelve months ending 30th September, 1970.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Associated Industrial Consultants Limited have yet made their report on staff wastage in the Chief Inspector's branch of the Inland Revenue.

The report has been completed and is under consideration by the Department in consultation with the staff associations concerned. A summary of the report prepared by the consultants and an accompanying note by the Board of Inland Revenue have recently been issued to staff. A copy of these documents is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of people declared redundant, of whom he has been notified, for the counties of Brecon and Radnor since 1st January, 1971.

Notification of anticipated redundancies is made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. I understand that since the 1st January this year the Department of Employment have been notified of redundancies involving the loss of 52 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the working parties and advisory committees of his Department currently in existence which have as members of them persons other than civil servants, indicating in each case when each was set up and when it is intended that they will report.

The Department has a very large number of Committees advising on various aspects of its work. I mentioned some of the more prominent in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. David Steel) on 9th February. If my hon. Friend is interested in any particular committee, or in any particular branch of the Department's work, I will obtain details for him.