asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish a list of the Members as at 1st January, 1971, of all those regulative or advisory bodies or public finance corporations, to which payments of any kind are made from public funds, together with a list of the amounts of those payments and the dates from which the appointments took effect and are due to expire.

No, the cost of preparing such a list would be disproportionate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the special index number of retail prices for pensioner households on 1st July, 1970, 1st January, 1971 and 1st March, 1971.

The special retail prices indices for one-person and two-person pensioner households are published quarterly. The indices for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters of 1970 are given below. The figures for the 1st quarter of 1971 will be available towards the end of April.

		One person	Two person
		16th January, 1962=100
2nd Quarter 1970	…	139·3	139·4
3rd Quarter 1970	…	140·3	140·6
4th Quarter 1970	…	144·1	144·0

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of apprenticeships available to young persons in British industry in February, 1970, March, 1970, February, 1971 and March, 1971, respectively; and if he will give the figures for each region and for the private and public sectors separately.

I regret this information is not available as the statistics of unfilled vacancies do not distinguish between apprenticeships and other jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the percentages of the male working population of Bradford wholly unemployed and on part-time to the latest available date; and what are the percentages for wholly unemployed in the United Kingdom overall and in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region.

At 8th March the provisional rates of unemployment for wholly unemployed males in the Bradford and Shipley travel-to-work area, in the United Kingdom and in the Yorkshire and Humberside region were 5·4, 4·2 and 4·7 per cent., respectively. During the week commencing 8th March, 1 per cent. of all male employees in the Bradford and Shipley area, including some who were not registered as unemployed on 8th March, were known to have worked for less than their normal week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is, as a total and broken down by offices, the number of

DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONAL AND EXECUTIVE REGISTER
Vacancies notified and placings during period: 4th December 1969 to 2nd December 1970
Office					Vacancies notified		Placings
					Men	Women	Men	Women
Aberdeen	…	…	…	…	152	9	32	9
Birmingham	…	…	…	…	1,964	96	516	61
Bournemouth	…	…	…	…	286	27	80	10
Bradford*	…	…	…	…	87	4	13	—
Brighton	…	…	…	…	451	32	246	43
Bristol	…	…	…	…	856	91	269	67
Burnley	…	…	…	…	364	21	126	17
Cambridge	…	…	…	…	386	40	92	18
Cardiff	…	…	…	…	682	29	316	32
Carlisle	…	…	…	…	118	3	37	5
Chelmsford	…	…	…	…	811	6	185	10
Coventry	…	…	…	…	537	27	198	14
Darlington	…	…	…	…	524	22	171	31
Dundee	…	…	…	…	61	5	52	11
Edinburgh	…	…	…	…	439	59	214	50
Exeter	…	…	…	…	289	31	132	33
Glasgow	…	…	…	…	1,105	87	946	149
Gloucester	…	…	…	…	408	15	121	11
Grimsby	…	…	…	…	277	4	94	3
Hanley	…	…	…	…	365	18	105	18
Hull	…	…	…	…	326	36	138	26
Leeds	…	…	…	…	1,095	62	330	35
Leicester	…	…	…	…	731	33	215	27
Lincoln	…	…	…	…	184	15	38	12
Liverpool	…	…	…	…	1,000	78	303	30
London	…	…	…	…	6,333	886	2,759	437
Luton	…	…	…	…	1,238	25	178	14
Maidstone	…	…	…	…	367	7	116	2
Manchester	…	…	…	…	1,289	49	448	30
Middlesbrough	…	…	…	…	764	46	223	38
Newcastle	…	…	…	…	1,381	152	471	91
Norwich	…	…	…	…	163	1	49	3
Nottingham	…	…	…	…	618	39	208	26
Oxford	…	…	…	…	133	5	36	3
Plymouth	…	…	…	…	412	8	157	22
Portsmouth	…	…	…	…	575	21	182	20
Preston	…	…	…	…	515	42	220	48
Reading	…	…	…	…	973	42	185	21
Sheffield	…	…	…	…	694	29	331	36
Southampton	…	…	…	…	636	23	129	34
Swansea	…	…	…	…	463	43	200	50
Warrington	…	…	…	…	457	22	145	11
Wrexham	…	…	…	…	481	7	88	2
Total					30,990	2,297	11,094	1,610
* Bradford of office opened on 19th October 1970, taking over part of the area previously served by Leeds office.

The numbers of vacancies notified in the year ended 2nd December, 1970, the latest date for which confirmed figures are available, are given in the following statement. Information about the number of those vacancies which have been filled during the year could only be ascertained at a disproportionate cost. However, I have shown the numbers of placings made by each office during the year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what illegal military activities in the Bahamas have been uncovered by a Royal Marine Commando group; and if he will make a statement.

In January of this year a Royal Marine training exercise was carried out in the Bahamas. During the exercise the opportunity was taken to conduct searches of Andros Island and of Williams and Billy Islands which lie off the west coast of Andros. A skeleton, spent ammunition and used medical equipment which were discovered indicated that the islands could have been used illegally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the terms of reference for the forthcoming public inquiry into the Cambridge western bypass.

My right hon. Friend has today announced the appointment of Mr. F. A. Adams, C.B., as an independent inspector to hear objections and representations to the published proposals for the Cambridge Western Bypass and the improvement of the A604 from Girton to Godmanchester and the alterations to the side roads affected by those proposals. The public inquiry will commence on Tuesday, 11th May, at the Shire Hall, Cambridge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an announcement on the chairmanship of the Northern Economic Planning Council.

I have appointed Dr. W. Reid, C.B.E., as Chairman of the Northern Economic Planning Council with effect from 1st April. Dr. Reid will succeed Mr. T. D. Smith, D.C.L., who will have completed his term of office on 31st March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now introduce legislation to make mandatory the prompt reporting of any archaeological evidence uncovered during the rebuilding or development of any site by the firm concerned and introduce financial penalties for failure to do so.

No. I think that for this purpose I can best rely on the alertness of archaeological societies and the goodwill of those concerned on site, backed by existing statutory powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the aid and resettlement agreement recently signed with the Kenya Government.

The agreement to which my hon. Friend refers related to the offer of financial aid announced by my predecessor on 15th April, 1970. The aid amounts to £11.5 million. £7·75 million of this will be used for various development purposes to be agreed between the two Governments, including land consolidation and rural development. The remaining £3·75 million will be available for the purchase of British-owned farms under programmes to be agreed between the two Governments.—[Vol. 799, c. 257–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the pre-independence Governmental records of the Executive Council of Kenya for 1939 to 1963 are in the possession of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where the Kenya Government Archivist is denied access to them.

The pre-Independence governmental records of the Executive Council of Kenya from 1939 to 1958 were returned to this country as they include matters that relate to a United Kingdom Government interest as distinct from a Kenya colony interest. We have received no communication from the Government of Kenya about these records.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why all the Governmental records in the Central Province of the Kenya Colony, including those connected with the state of emergency, are no longer in existence.

This would appear to relate to a matter of which inquiry should be made to the Government of Kenya.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the Middle East oil supplies to Great Britain will be carried by the projected pipeline to be built to Egypt.

Current estimates suggest that up to 20 per cent. of the United Kingdom's oil supplies from Middle East sources east of Suez might be carried by the projected pipeline.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect the new oil pipeline is likely to have upon the tonnage of British shipping using the Cape sea route.

It is estimated that the capacity of the projected pipeline could displace in the region of 5 million deadweight tons of tanker shipping annually from the Cape route. It is impossible to estimate how much of the displaced tonnage would be British. Estimates of the increase in Western European oil demand indicate that shipping tonnage round the Cape will not decrease by virtue of the construction of the pipeline.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the international recommendations which make it impossible for him to amend the regulations to enable a wife or widow to use a joint passport unilaterally.

The recommendation was made at the 1926 Passport Conference held by the Organisation for Communications and Transit of the League of Nations, which

"agreed that the head of the family may travel alone with such a passport (a family pass) but that it cannot be used by his wife and children travelling without him."

Family passports were reviewed as recently as 1963 by the United Nations Conference on International Travel and Tourism at Rome. This conference's recommendations did not alter those made in 1926 about the use of family passports.If Britain were to make unilateral exceptions, wives travelling alone on family passports might run into difficulties abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made towards ratification of the Tripartite Centrifuge Agreement.

The instrument recording ratification of the Agreement by the United Kingdom is being deposited with the Netherlands Government today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the basis that the standard rate of income tax were stated in terms of earned income, what would be the present rate expressed as a percentage; and what would be the same figure taking account of the proposals announced in the autumn Budget.

For 1970–71 the rate of income tax chargeable on earned income not exceeding £4,005 would be 32·08 per cent., seven-ninths of 41.25 per cent. For 1971–72 the corresponding rate would be 30·14 per cent., seven-ninths of 38·75 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the extra charge to income tax of income obtained from savings.

I am not sure that I understand what my hon. Friend has in mind. But to extend the existing earned income reliefs to all forms of income up to the relevant levels for those reliefs would cost about £250 million for a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the extra charge to income tax on income obtained from savings and reducing the resultant combined standard rate by 2½p or by 5p.

I am not sure what my hon. Friend has in mind; but if the earned income reliefs were applied to all kinds of income at present not ranking for those reliefs, the estimated costs are about £650 million for a reduction of 2½p and about £1,050 million for a reduction of 5p.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the extra charge to income

RATE OF CHANGE IN PRICE INDICES FOR CONSUMERS NOVEMBER TO NOVEMBER
Per cent. per annum
				1969–70	1968–69	1967–68	1966–67	1965–66
United Kingdom	…	…	…	7·9	5·4	5·2	1·9	4·1
European Economic Community
Belgium	…	…	…	3·3	4·3	2·3	3·5	3·4
France	…	…	…	5·5	5·8	5·2	3·6	2·7
Germany	…	…	…	4·1	2·7	2·7	0·6	2·5
Italy	…	…	…	5·3	4·1	0·7	3·8	2·3
Luxembourg	…	…	…	5·2	2·1	2·0	3·2	2·7
Netherlands	…	…	…	5·7	6·9	4·9	3·4	4·7
European Free Trade Association
Austria	…	…	…	4·8	2·8	3·2	3·8	2·4
Denmark	…	…	…	7·6*	4·5	4·5	10·3*	6·5*
Finland	…	…	…	2·9	1·7	6·0	7·3	4·4
Norway	…	…	…	12·1	3·1	3·3	4·3	4·8
Portugal	…	…	…	3·8	10·5	4·8	7·7	4·1
Sweden	…	…	…	8·1	3·9	1·5	3·4	5·5
Switzerland	…	…	…	5·4	2·2	2·2	3·7	3·7
United States of America			…	5·6	5·7	4·8	2·8	3·6
Australia	…	…	…	3·8†	2·8‡	2·7‡	3·2‡	1·7‡
Canada	…	…	…	2·3	4·6	4·2	3·7	3·6
New Zealand	…	…	…	5·8†	3·9‡	5·1‡	6·6‡	1·7‡
				Source: United Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, Table 60.
* Rate of change, October to October.
† Rate of change, 3rd quarter average 1969 to 3rd quarter 1970.
‡ Rate of change, 4th quarter average to 4th quarter each year.—[Vol. 814, Col. 41–42.]

I am not sure what my hon. Friend has in mind but if my replies to his earlier Questions do not cover his point perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the rate of inflation over the period November, 1969, to November, 1970, in the United Kingdom, each of the European Economic Community countries, the European Free Trade Association countries, the United States of America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand compares with the rates in the years November, 1968, to November, 1969, November, 1967, to November, 1968, November, 1966, to November, 1967, and November, 1965, to November, 1966, on the basis of figures available to him from international sources.

The following table gives the figures for earlier years on the same basis as those given in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 22nd March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer if there were in operation a scheme of abatement of capital gains tax based upon reducing the liability by one-tenth for each year the assets had been held, so as to extinguish liability on assets held for 10 years.

No estimate is available but the cost would probably amount to a substantial proportion of the yield from capital gains, including the corporation tax thereon.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, since in the City of London 10 per cent. of the road vehicles, including all classes of lorries, have no Road Fund licence, he will estimate what revenue is being lost on a national basis of such evasion.

I do not accept that the level of evasion is as high as 10 per cent. either in the City of London or generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what animals are used for testing potentially harmful chemical substances such as detergents, pesticides and cosmetics; and which Government agency is responsible for deciding on minimum standards of safety for these products.

I regret that the information requested in the first part of the Question is not available. Safety standards for a wide range of pesticides are determined under a voluntary scheme—administered by the Agriculture and Health Departments of the United Kingdom, with the advice of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and other Toxic Chemicals—whereby such products are submitted for clearance before they are marketed. Domestic detergents and cosmetics are the concern of the Home Office, which relies largely on the voluntary cooperation of the trade.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public appointments other than those supervised by the Civil Service Commission depend on his nomination; what is the annual cost of the consequential emoluments chargeable to public funds; and whether he will publish a schedule of the offices within his gift, other than those which are supervised by the Civil Service Commission.

The words used by the hon. Member leave me in some doubt as to which appointments he has in mind. But if I am right in assuming that he is concerned with paid appointments to public boards (i) for which I have statutory responsibility, and (ii) the costs of which are met from public funds, the answer is that there are 62 such appointments, some whole-time and some part-time. The emoluments amount to some £73,000 a year. The appointments are:

• Chairman, 2 deputy-chairmen and 9 members of the Community Relations Commission.
• Chairman and 4 members of the Gaming Board.
• Chairman, vice-chairman and 31 members Chairman and 11 members of the Race of the Parole Board.
• Relations Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers there are; and how many of them are women.

On 1st March, 926, all men. I have recently decided to recruit women immigration officers and a start will be made this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to make known the recently-published results of the scientific investigations sponsored by the Medical Research Council into the taking of cannabis and the danger to health which this report establishes.

The findings to which my right hon. Friend refers are so far preliminary and at this stage it would be premature to attempt to draw conclusions. My right hon. Friend will, however, watch the future progress of this continuing work with interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost to public funds per week in respect to each person placed by the courts in the care of the Probation Service.

Precise information is not available, but the cost is estimated to have been about £1 a week in 1969–70.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of persons brought before each of the magistrates' courts covering the constituency of North Cornwall charged with drug offences during the last 12 months period for which figures are available and for the equivalent period in each of the previous two years; and what proportion these were of the total number of persons brought before each of these courts.

The figures requested in the first part of the Question are given in the table below. The information requested in the second part of the Question is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Court		Persons brought before court on charges under the Dangerous Drugs Acts, 1965 and 1967 or the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964	Persons brought before court on charges under other statutes where dangerous drugs or other controlled substances were involved
Pydar*
1967	…	10	—
1968	…	4	2
1969	…	11	—
Stratton
1967	…	—	—
1968	…	1	—
1969	…	—	—
Wadebridge
1967	…	—	—
1968	…	—	—
1969	…	1	—
* The area served by this court is not wholly within the North Cornwall constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for the last 12-month period for which figures are available and for the equivalent periods in the previous two years, the total number of persons brought before each of the magistrates' courts covering the constituency of North Cornwall in which the charges were limited to the possession of cannabis; and the number of persons charged with the sale of cannabis.

The figures requested are given in the following table:

Court		Persons brought before court on charges limited to unlawful possession of cannabis	Persons brought before court on charges of unlawfully supplying cannabis
Pydar*
1967	…	5	—
1968	…	2	—
1969	…	7	1
Wadebridge
1967	…	—	—
1968	…	—	—
1969	…	—	1
* The area served by this court is not wholly within the North Cornwall constituency.

No proceedings for such offences were brought before the other magistrates' courts in the North Cornwall constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the Royal Albert Hall enjoys exemption from most of the Statutes empowering the Greater London Council to require suitable means of escape in case of fire, and that the maintenance of satisfactory means of escape can be enforced only when the premises are used for entertainments requiring approval under the Cinematograph Acts, 1909 and 1952, or the Theatres Act, 1968, and whether he is satisfied that the public attending the Royal Albert Hall on other occasions is adequately safeguarded in case of fire; and whether he will make a statement.

Although the Royal Albert Hall is exempt from many of the statutory controls normally applicable to places of public entertainment, good liaison exists between the management and the London Fire Brigade and my right hon. Friend has no reason to believe that the present fire safety arrangements do not fulfil their purpose. The provisions of the Fire Precautions Bill at present before Parliament will be enforceable there by the Greater London Council as in all other places of public entertainment in London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the current negotiations between the National Association of Probation Officers and the employers concerning improved conditions of service, including revised salary scales.

I am not yet in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has decided that it is inappropriate to increase payments of grant to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for the promotion of home safety, in view of the fact that he is simultaneously considering new rules to make homes safer.

The annual grant towards the cost of the Society's expenditure on home safety publicity is being increased from £11,000 in the current financial year to £13,500. The extent to which regulations are made under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961, relating to the safety of consumer goods has no bearing on the amount of the grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will investigate the circumstances of the employment of au pair girls at Oundle School who are receiving more than the permitted level of remuneration.

I understand that these girls are not in this country on an au pair basis but hold work permits for resident domestic employment.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications how many communication cables there are at rest on the British continental shelf; and what steps he has taken to ensure their protection against fishing gear and industrial operations on the sea floor.

There are over 500 British civil submarine communications cables, 70 of which lie in open sea areas. The Post Office carries the primary responsibility for making cables safe from interference as far as possible and for repairing faults.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will give a general direction to the Post Office Corporation to exempt retired pensioners rehoused by local authorities from slum clearance areas from the 75p postal redirection fee.

No, but I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment that local authorities have, under Section 63(1) of the Housing Act, 1957, discretionary powers to reimburse such costs in appropriate cases.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications when he proposes to announce the appointment of the Chairman of the Scottish Council of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

An announcement will be made as soon as possible about the appointment of a National Governor for Scotland, who is ex officio Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT for each year since 1964 the total of supplementary benefit payments to strikers and their families after returning to work.

The information is as follows:

Post-dispute Payments of Supplementary Benefit
				Amount
Year				£
1964	…	…	…	3,710
1965	…	…	…	64,300
1966	…	…	…	22,210
1967	…	…	…	113.830
1968	…	…	…	80,803
1969	…	…	…	668,497
1970	…	…	…	888,802

These figures are not comprehensive as they relate only to larger disputes for which special records were kept.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of supplementary benefit payments to strikers' dependants during trade disputes, the average payment made, and the cost of such payments in 1970.

During 1970 a total of 233,513 payments, amounting to £1,445,912, were made for the dependants of men involved in disputes; the average payment to each family was £6·15.For purposes of comparison, the corresponding figures for the years 1964–69 were:

			Number of payments	Cost	Average Payment
				£	£
1964	…	…	11,084	49,413	4·45
1965	…	…	12,614	65,763	5·20
1966	…	…	22,616	126,134	5·55
1967	…	…	62,454	375,330	6·00
1968	…	…	56,951	333,722	5·85
1969	…	…	124,371	747,141	6·00

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT, for 1970, the total cost of payments to strikers themselves during trade disputes.

During 1970, discretionary payments totalling £2,191 were made to persons involved in disputes for their own requirements as opposed to those of their dependants.For purposes of comparison the corresponding figures for the years 1964–69 were:

			Cost of Payments to Strikers themselves
				£
1964	…	…	…	602
1965	…	…	…	173
1966	…	…	…	1,454
1967	…	…	…	1,774
1968	…	…	…	749
1969	…	…	…	1,401

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of all strikers' families receive supplementary benefit during industrial disputes.

Supplementary benefit is very rarely paid during strikes lasting less than two weeks, which constitute some 90 per cent. of all strikes. A rough estimate made by the Donovan Commission showed that in 1962–66 about 8·4 per cent. of the average yearly number of workers involved in strikes lasting more than two weeks received supplementary benefit for their families. The comparable figure for 1967–69 is 17·7 per cent. It has been estimated that in 1967–69 less than 2·5 per cent. of strikers received supplementary benefit for their families during strikes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give details of the amount of supplementary benefit paid during and after the Ford strike of spring, 1969, the coal strike of autumn, 1969, and the dock strike of summer, 1970.

Following is the information requested:

			Payments during dispute	Payments after dispute
			£	£
Ford	…	Spring 1969	103,641	78,613
Coal industry		Autumn 1969	147,368	441,775
Docks	…	Summer 1969	49,883	142,447

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of financial assistance to voluntary bodies organising pre-school playgroups in the Northern Region; and if he will give the number of places provided in such groups.

The only information available centrally about financial assistance to playgroups in the Northern Region is that relating to expenditure approved under the Urban Programme. Details were included in the Answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office to the hon. Member on 9th March. On 31st December, 1969, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 9,398 places in premises in the Region registered by voluntary organisations and private persons for the sessional care of children aged under five.—[Vol 813, c. 78–84.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will hold an investigation into the relationship between the number of people entitled to all benefits, and the actual take-up.

We have no plans to do so, but we are conscious of the need to improve take-up of some benefits and considerable efforts have already been made in this direction. The position is under constant review to see what more can be done and, as my right hon. Friend explained in his reply to the hon. Member for Bedwellty (Mr. Kinnock) on 16th March, a nationwide entitlement campaign will be launched after Easter in regard to free milk, exemption from National Health Service charges and entitlement to family income supplements.—[Vol. 813, c. 266.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time in the Inner London area for the issue of Medresco hearing aids other than model OL56.

There is in general no waiting time for the issue of standard aids for children (0L57 and OL67) served by centres in the Inner London area. The average waiting time for high-power aids (OL 58 and OL63) for children and adults is at present three to four months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to make his decision on whether the management of waiting lists for adenotonsillectomy calls for special arrangements; what consultative machinery he has to advise him on this matter; if his advice will be issued by circular to hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot yet add to my reply to the hon. Member on 19th March.—[Vol. 813, c. 418–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek powers to enable vouchers to be issued to enable handicapped persons to purchase petrol at a reduced cost.

No. It is the Government's policy not to make concessions in kind but to give people in need, from whatever cause, adequate cash benefits which they can spend as they choose.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the British Insurance Association since the collapse of the Vehicle and General Insurance Company; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is discussing with the Association possible means by which it can contribute towards giving greater confidence to the public who take out policies of motor insurance. The Association announced on 25th March that it had decided to establish a special fund to assist passengers who have been injured in traffic accidents where the driver responsible was entitled to indemnity under a motor insurance policy issued in the United Kingdom by the Vehicle and General Insurance Company or any of its subsidiaries which have gone into liquidation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing, for each month in 1970, the number of persons passing through and

				Passengers*		Air Transport Movements
				Scheduled Flights	Charter Flights	Scheduled Flights	Charter Flights
Heathrow
September	…	…	…	1,678,324	53,078	22,896	564
October	…	…	…	1,325,278	29,206	20,994	370
November	…	…	…	991,738†	15,462†	17,915†	144†
December	…	…	…	994,857†	17,540†	17,606†	194†
Gatwick
September	…	…	…	72,372	424,814	1,632	4,555
October	…	…	…	55,861	231,216	1,557	2,596
November	…	…	…	42,870†	102,761†	1,300†	1,259†
December	…	…	…	50,453†	119,362†	1,420†	1,456†
Stansted
September	…	…	…	97	82,924	1	864
October	…	…	…	87	25,225	1	387
November	…	…	…	—†	12,713†	—†	214†
December	…	…	…	4,580†	13,042†	58†	195†
Luton
September	…	…	…	5,247	276,469	164	2,926
October	…	…	…	3,724	163,029	83	1,761
November	…	…	…	665†	81,728†	15†	895†
December	…	…	…	689†	71,684†	14†	854†
Southend
September	…	…	…	41,868	6,848	1,502	368
October	…	…	…	20,136	4,159	1,045	367
November	…	…	…	12,460	1,275	909	392
December	…	…	…	15,637	3,090	893	259
* including those in transit on a through flight.
† provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing for each of the main airports in the United Kingdom the number of persons of United Kingdom citizenship leaving those airports on international flights, other than those terminating in Eire, for the year 1970, dividing the numbers between scheduled and charter flights, respectively.

Departure of United Kingdom residents are estimated at just over 5 million. Information for each airport and type of flight is not available. It is estimated that in 1968 73 per cent. of United Kingdom residents arrived or departed at airports in London and South East England.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will

Information for January to August, 1970, is published in Business Monitor Series CA2. Following is the information for the remaining months.publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing for each of the main airports in the United Kingdom the number of persons, not of United Kingdom citizenship, arriving at those airports on international flights, other than those originating in Eire, for the year 1970, dividing the numbers between scheduled and charter flights, respectively.

Arrivals of overseas residents are estimated at just over 5 million. Information for each airport and type of flight is not available. It is estimated that in 1968 90 per cent. of overseas residents arrived or departed at airports in London and South-East England.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing for each of the years 1965 to 1970, the number of persons entering and leaving the United Kingdom on international flights, other than those originating from, or terminating in, Eire, dividing

					Passengers entering the United Kingdom ('000)		Passengers leaving the United Kingdom ('000)
					Scheduled flights	Charter flights	Scheduled flights	Charter flights
1965	…	…	…	…	4,014	1,145	4,024	1,165
1966	…	…	…	…	4,530	1,523	4,524	1,554
1967	…	…	…	…	4,885	1,750	4,880	1,740
1968	…	…	…	…	5,161	2,054	5,175	2,049
1969	…	…	…	…	5,732	2,854	5,738	2,867
1970*	…	…	…	…	6,400	3,600	6,400	3,600
* Provisional, partly estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he can now give a forecast of the future levels of scheduled and charter international air traffic at United Kingdom airports, referred to in Paragraph 4.7.1. of volume viii of the Papers and Proceedings of the Commission on the Third London Airport, giving upper and lower estimates of passenger and air traffic movements.

Heathrow

Gatwick

Terminal Passengers— millions

Air Transport Movements— thousands

Terminal Passengers— millions

Air Transport Movements— thousands

Year

Lower

Upper

Lower

Upper

Lower

Upper

Lower

Upper

1970

…

…

…

…

12·3

12·8

194

200

3·0

3·1

39

40

1971

…

…

…

…

13·4

14·6

196

207

3·4

3·7

40

43

1972

…

…

…

…

14·7

16·6

199

216

3·8

4·3

42

46

1973

…

…

…

…

161

18·9

206

229

4·2

5·0

45

50

1974

…

…

…

…

17·7

21·4

213

245

4·7

5·8

48

55

1975

…

…

…

…

19·4

24·2

222

260

5·3

6·7

51

60

1976

…

…

…

…

21·2

27·2

230

274

6·0

7·7

54

65

1977

…

…

…

…

23·1

30·5

238

289

6·7

8·8

58

70

1978

…

…

…

…

25·4

34·1

248

305

7·4

10·1

61

75

1979

…

…

…

…

27·8

38·2

258

321

8·3

11·5

65

81

1980

…

…

…

…

30·4

42·7

268

339

9·3

13·2

69

87

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will indicate the current and future likely pattern of journey origins of United Kingdom citizens leaving by air on international flights, and the journey terminations of those not of United Kingdom citizenship arriving from abroad by air discounting in both cases travel to and from Eire.

Information is at present available only in respect of traffic through airports near London. These attract 85 per cent. of total traffic. Details are published in "Passengers at London

Following is the information:

The forecasts given below are of the trend of international air traffic demand at Heathrow and Gatwick. The kinds of services that will carry the traffic have not been predicted nor is any account taken of transfers of services, as congestion increases, from Heathrow to Gatwick or other places.Airports" (H.M.S.O.; SBN 11 5103120). No marked changes are expected within the next 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is his estimate of the cost of providing, over and above the tax allowances now available, investment grants at the rate of 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. on the same range of investment goods other than ships as is specified in the Industrial Development Act, 1966, on the assumption that tax allowances are allowed net of grant;

Assuming investment expenditure other than on ships to be such that grant payments at the 20 per cent. standard rate and the 40 per cent. development area rate amounted to £550 million in a full financial year, total grant payments at flat rates of 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. on assets other than ships would be approximately £100 million and £200 million, respectively. On the same assumptions and assuming also the same proportion of total payments to development areas as in 1969–70, grant payments to those areas at 5 per cent., 10 per cent. and 20 per cent. would be approximately £32 million, £64 million and £128 million, respectively. It is impossible to estimate the extent to which these payments would be offset by increased tax liability since this depends on the location and circumstances of the grantee.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the undertakings in which the National Coal Board have a direct financial interest.

Pages 20 to 23 of Volume II of the National Coal Board's Report and Accounts for 1969–70 show the Board's trade undertakings up to 28th March, 1970. Since then the Board has acquired an interest in British Drilling Ltd., and has disposed of its interest in Omnia Concrete Sales Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times since its completion the cross-Channel power cable link has been broken or fouled; and what steps have been taken to protect it.

This is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board, and I am asking the Chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the undertakings in which the British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways have a direct financial interest.

Pages 65 and 69 of British Overseas Airways Corporation's Report and Accounts for 1969–70 and pages 83 and 84 of British European Airways' Report and Accounts show the position up to 31st March, 1970. Since then B.O.A.C. has acquired a direct financial interest in Alta Travel Limited; Airlink Limited, and Compagnie Internationale de Teleinformatique (C.I.T.E.L.), while B.E.A. has acquired an interest in Airlink Limited and Container Base Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he is now satisfied with the rate of industrial development in the Northern Region; and if he will make a statement;(2) what further steps he proposes to take in the light of increasing unemployment to stimulate industrial development in the Northern Region.

The Government are not satisfied with the level of investment over recent years in the Northern Region. They have therefore, made major changes in investment incentives and in regional policy to provide a more effective stimulus to industrial development there and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls are exercised by his Department over the management of aerodromes other than those operated by the British Airports Authority.

This Department exercises controls under the Air Navigation Order, 1970, as amended. The principal control is the licensing of aerodromes used for public transport or instruction in flying. Officials of the Department inspect licensed aerodromes to ensure that their facilities are adequate for safety purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for investment grants for the installation of fire defence equipment were made by industrial and commercial firms in 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report of the Monopolies Commission on its investigation into the supply of fire insurance services.

Later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what study the Welsh Office is making of economic policies pursued in small countries of comparable size and character to Wales.

The Welsh Office keeps itself informed of relevant economic policies in other countries, but I see no merit in undertaking a special study.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what increase or decrease he expects to take place in the total number of argicultural workers in Wales by the end of 1975.

The outflow of agricultural 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.