asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution to the United Kingdom market for cheese will be supplied by domestic cheese makers in the current year.

Domestic cheese makers are expected to supply about 131,000 tons of cheese to the United Kingdom market in 1971, which would be about equivalent to 46 per cent. of our consumption. At least 128,000 tons is expected to be of cheddar and cheddar type, of which the home producer will be the principal supplier, with an estimated share of about 50 per cent. in this major area of the market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the policy of the new Eggs Authority towards market intervention.

This is a matter for the Eggs Authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he now proposes to take to explain to consumers the increases of food prices resulting from the Annual Price Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much he estimates food prices will rise as a result of the price awards in the recent Farm Price Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, by how much he estimates the prices of eggs, lamb, beef, sugar and potatoes will rise consequent on the decisions made in the recent Farm Price Review.

There is no basis for suggesting that the Annual Review determinations will result in a large increase in food prices and I would refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Kinsey) and the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Deakins) on 23rd March.—[Vol. 809, c. 1318–9.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he altered the previous basis of calculation of cost increases for the purposes of the 1471 Annual Review; and why it was necessary to exclude the £24 million increased costs attributable to production of milk and eggs outside the standard quantities.

The costs to be taken into account in calculating the minimum determination under the provisions of the Agriculture Act, 1957 are those in respect of

"produce to which the guaranteed prices apply".

This means that all costs in respect of produce outside the standard quantities for milk and eggs must be excluded as was done this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make regulations under the Farm and Garden Chemicals Act.

Next month.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the differences between him and the manufacturers of tractors on the regulations governing the provision of safety cabs and his intention to amend the regulations concerned, when he now proposes to lay the amended regulations with or without the agreement of manufacturers.

Amended Regulations do not require the agreement of any particular organisation or group, but they can be laid only after statutory consultation with all the interests concerned. These consultations have started and good progress is being made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, without disproportionate cost, he will supply as much information as possible as to the changes in food prices over the past six months for which his Department is responsible.

On milk, which is the only product for which I have responsibility for retail prices, I approved in February minor adjustments which do not affect the price of ordinary pasteurised milk, which forms the greater part of liquid milk sales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to simplify the agricultural census.

My right hon. Friend is considering a number of changes designed to make substantial reductions in form-filling by farmers generally. He hopes to be able to give details in the near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers he will have within an enlarged European Economic Community to ensure that United Kingdom farmers are recouped, in whole or in part, for increased costs of production.

We should play our full part in the institutions of the Community, which set target, intervention and other prices for the main agricultural products, in the light of the relevant circumstances at the time. It would be pointless to speculate about the extent to which future production costs would or should be recouped.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his latest estimates of the effect on British farmers of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community on the terms now envisaged.

As I said in the debate on 21st January I have no doubt that British farmers would have much to gain from entry but I cannot give my hon. Friend any more detailed estimates. We have not concluded our negotiations on the transitional arrangements for agriculture. —[Vol. 809, c. 1323.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will, in furtherance of the Government's educational programme, within the control of his Department, initiate a series of public discussion meetings to advise the public to what extent Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community will affect food imports, qualities and descriptions of foods, Commonwealth trade in food and agricultural products, and the prices of food and agricultural products; and in preparation therefore, whether he will consult with the Trades Union Congress, the Agricultural Workers' Union, and the National Farmers' Union.

As I said in the debate on 21st January, I believe that the country should be fully informed and I will continue to make the facts known as opportunity offers. But I do not think meetings of the kind suggested would be helpful.—[Vol. 1318–9.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the general policy of Her Majesty's Government towards farmers in areas of marginal economic production.

Our policy is to help farmers to make the best use of their land. Those in marginal areas depend mainly on livestock rearing, and the Review decisions for cattle, sheep and wool will give them further help to increase production and productivity.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which chemicals and other substances he prohibits the use of only to a limited extent;(2) how many chemicals and other substances are currently under review or investigation by his Department with a view to complete or partial prohibition from use in agriculture or forestry;(3) which chemicals and other substances he prohibits the use of without exception.

Since 1957 thousands of proprietary products, utilising some 400 chemical or other substances, have required safety clearance from the Government before being used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, home gardens, food storage, home kitchens and larders. Disproportionate effort and expense would be involved in giving the hon. Member the detailed analyses he is seeking. As an example, however, some conditions or precautions were prescribed in virtually all of the 591 decisions reached last year, and there were 9 instances where the proposed use was not authorised at all.These safety clearance measures are a continuing process. They include not only the critical scrutiny of new products, but also the review of those previously examined and for which new uses may be envisaged or new scientific evidence may become available. They are conducted with the valuable help of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and other Toxic Chemicals, and of its Scientific Sub-Committee. I am sending the lion. Member details of the Precaution Scheme which is operated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how soon he anticipates being able to terminate the County Agricultural Executive Committees; and what arrangements he will institute in their place.

Amendment of the Agriculture Act, 1947, is required before County Agricultural Executive Committees can be abolished. The necessary legislation will be introduced as soon as the Parliamentary time-table permits.These Committees will be replaced by small regional panels as announced in the White Paper (Command 4564) presented to Parliament in January this year which set out the proposed changes in the work of my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is considering the possibility of a reversion to the use of inactivated vaccine once the current fowl pest epidemic is over.

We are proposing to examine our control measures on fowl pest in consultation with the interests concerned in the course of the next few months, and I would not wish to rule anything out at this stage; but my right hon. Friend would not have approved the use of live vaccine last December had he not seen a long-term as well as an immediate balance of advantage in doing so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what use of computers his Department is making in the storage and retrieval of personal and other financial data about farmers.

The only data stored by computers are those which are essential for accounting and financial control of payments made to farmers by my Department. None is personal. Computers also store information from the samples of farm accounts collected by universities in the Farm Management Survey. These accounts are completely anonymous to my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce minimum import prices for imported fruit and vegetables into the United Kingdom.

Minimum import prices are part of the new support system we are introducing for certain agricultural commodities. We have no plans to extend these support arrangements to horticulture.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he now expects to complete the transfer of the system of agricultural support from deficiency payments to import levies.

It is not proposed to take further steps to change the system of support beyond those I announced on 17th March until the outcome of the negotiations on entry into the European Economic Community is known.—[Vol. 813, c. 1438–40.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now estimate by what amount the 1971 Budget will increase the annual rate of growth.

The Budget is designed to raise the rate of growth between the first half of 1971 and the first half of 1972 by nearly 1 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his latest estimates of the proportion of revenue obtained from direct and indirect taxation.

In 1970–71 taxes on income and capital accounted for 55 per cent. of the tax receipts of the central government and taxes on expenditure for 45 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis the calculation was made, as contained in the notes to Table A.7 in the White Paper on Public Expenditure, 1969–70 to 1974–75, Command Paper No. 4578, that there would be a saving of £150 million in housing expenditure by 1974–75.

The calculation was based on assumptions relating to the new policies announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in the House in November and represents the difference between the costs of those policies and the costs assumed by the previous Administration. The details of the new policies are still under discussion with the local authority associations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the latest estimates of the proportion of the national income taken by taxation, with a comparison of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, from information available to him from international sources.

Following is the information for taxes and social security contributions based on the latest returns to O.E.C.D.

Taxes and social security contributions as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost, 1969
				Percentages
Belgium	…	…	…	38·1
Denmark	…	…	…	41·6
France	…	…	…	43·1
Germany	…	…	…	41·2
Italy	…	…	…	34·1
Japan	…	…	…	20·7
Netherlands	…	…	…	42·9
Norway	…	…	…	44·8
Switzerland	…	…	…	25·6
United Kingdom	…	…	…	42·0
United States	…	…	…	34·5

The latest figures available for Austria, Canada and Sweden are for 1968 and are as follows:

					Percentages
Austria	…	…	…	…	43·2
Canada	…	…	…	…	36·4
Sweden	…	…	…	…	48·4

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will, on the basis of past experience of permissions granted on applications received, estimate the amount of transfer of capital which will result from Britons purchasing houses and villas in the South of France, Italy and the countries of the Six on or by the middle of the transitional period after British entry into the European Economic Community; and how this is likely to affect Great Britain's balance of payments and sterling reserves.

There would be some cost to the reserves but past applications do not provide a reliable basis for an estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not advise the negotiators for entry into the European Economic Community that Great Britain cannot support the proposals of the Six on the subject of taxation of tobacco, cigarettes and cigars, etc.

It would be premature to formulate United Kingdom views on draft proposals which have not yet been considered by the E.E.C. Council of Ministers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, in the European Economic Community, life insurance premiums are taxed; to what extent, on any known terms of entry into the European Economic Community, Great Britain would have to introduce such a tax; and whether he proposes to introduce life insurance premium tax.

Some Member States of the European Economic Community apply special indirect taxes to insurance premiums, but until such time as there is harmonisation of indirect taxation throughout the Community, Member States are free individually to decide questions of tax coverage. My right hon. Friend described his proposals for taxation in his Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now introduce a wealth tax.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average annual impact on the incomes of families with no children, one child, two, three and four children, respectively, earning the average weekly wage, and £15, £20, £30, £35, £40, £60, £100, £200, £300, and £400 per week, for the following, namely,

MARRIED COUPLE WITH TWO CHILDREN AGED 4 AND 6
(£ per annum rounded)
Earnings*		Income tax and surtax 1970–71	Income tax and surtax 1971–72	Increase in N.I. contributions	Changes in schools meals charges §	Changesin milk charges§	Changes in N.H.S. charges§
£2,500 p.a.	…	548	484	-34	-6	-9	-3
£30 per week	…	246	200	-7	-6	-9	-3
£900p.a.†	…	34	1	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
£15,000 p.a.‡	…	7,908	6,720	-34	-6	-9	-3
* The husband is assumed to earn the whole of the amount shown, and in addition to receive family allowances (except at the £15,000 per annum income level, see note ‡).
† The family at the £900 per annum income level will be eligible for Family Income Supplement of about £47 per year.
‡ At this income level, it is to the family's advantage to forgo family allowance. The tax figures on this line assume this has been done.
§ The figures in the last three columns are averages for the family type and earnings levels specified: the effect will vary with individual circumstances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the table of figures of the

Meaningful figures covering all these variables cannot be estimated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of figures showing the effect of his autumn and spring Budget proposals on a man and wife with two children of four and six years of age with a total earned income of £2,500 per annum plus the family allowance, giving the tax deductions for 1970–71 compared with 1971–72 reduced taxation, increased child allowance higher National Insurance contributions, higher costs for school meals and changes in free milk, and accounting for the increased charges for prescriptions, dental and spectacle charges under the health charges scheme; and if he will give similar details for a man earning £30 per week, £900 per annum and £15,000 per annum.

Following is the information:per capita productivity of the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Community countries compared with Great Britain by taking account of the differences in internal purchasing powers in each of the countries and the movement between 1968 and 1969 in Germany and France resulting from devaluation in these countries.

No. The necessary data are not available. It is generally recognised that the use of official exchange rates is not satisfactory for international comparisons of this type but the preparation of comparisons of internal purchasing power is a complex and time-consuming task. The United Nations Statistical Office is at present engaged on a series of comparisons of the internal purchasing power of the currencies of various pairs of countries, one such pair being the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. It is hoped that this work will eventually produce a better basis for international comparisons, but it is not yet possible to say when the results will be available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not include in the Finance Bill provision to make taxable promotional gifts offered by petrol companies, in order to provide an incentive to them to lower retail prices rather than offer such gifts.

If the seller thinks his customers prefer gifts to lower prices, he should be free to conduct his business accordingly without fiscal or other penalties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will cease the present practice whereby his Department keep under constant review the prices and charges for which he has responsibility, and initiate a system of monthly reviews of such prices and charges to enable him to show from month to month to what extent, since June, 1970, the Government's policy of reducing prices and costs is operating so far as it affects his departmental responsibilities; and whether he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons or what categories of employees, other than Members of Parliament, were, at the latest stated date, classified as self-employed persons and paying National Insurance contributions under class II but were assessed under Schedule E as holding an office for income tax purposes.

The number of persons paying Class II National Insurance contributions who are assessed to income tax under Schedule E is not known. The categories involved include, as well as Members of Parliament, Ministers of the Crown, Judges, ministers of religion and some company directors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether now, in view of the watch that he has been keeping on the experiences of Belgium and other countries which have imposed a value-added tax, he will state whether his investigations have been such as to enable him to state to what extent this tax has affected the rise in the cost of living in Belgium and each of the countries of the Six.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the fact that Members with a pension scheme cannot negotiate their hours, wages conditions and pensions, and unlike civil servants and others with negotiated pension schemes, are classified as self-employed for National Insurance purposes while being taxed under Schedule E, and as this precludes them from relief under the retirement annuity provisions, he will take steps to place Members on the same basis as all other self-employed taxpayers.

I see no reason to propose better treatment for Members of Parliament than for other holders of offices for whom there is a pension scheme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of paper and paper products is purchased by Government Departments from United Kingdom manufacturers and foreign manufacturers, respectively.

About 96 per cent. from United Kingdom manufacturers and 4 per cent. from foreign manufacturers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have been reported of human beings contracting Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement.

Newcastle disease is a virus disease of birds, especially of domestic fowls. The virus from diseased birds can cause conjunctivitis in human beings. The disease in humans can be confirmed only by virological investigation in laboratories. The following numbers of confirmed cases have been reported by the Public Health Laboratory Service.

1967				1
1968	…	…	…	Nil
1969	…	…	…	Nil
1970	…	…	…	14
1971 (to date)	…	…	…	2

The cases in 1970 and 1971 occurred in parts of the country where there were extensive outbreaks of Newcastle disease in poultry.The disease in humans is short-lived and without residual effects.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will appoint a committee to look into the whole question of geriatrics.

No. Adequate machinery for advice on geriatric services is already available. Such services form only part of the health and social services needed for the elderly. I am arranging for various studies on this wider question.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make provision for more hospital beds and operational facilities for patients suffering from hip diseases.

The provision to be made for particular services in each area is a matter for regional hospitial boards, and I am not aware of any general shortage of facilities for patients suffering from hip diseases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the examination fee paid to ophthalmic opticians under the Supplementary Ophthalmic Service in 1950 and in 1971, respectively; and what is its value today in terms of the purchasing power of the £ sterling in 1950.

The average fee paid in 1950 was 14s. 2d., and the fee introduced in January, 1971, was £1 9s. 7d. (£1.48). At its introduction, the present fee would have had the same purchasing power as 14s. Id. in January, 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce the additional post of Consultant Dental Surgeon to the Hull Group A Hospital Management Committee; and when he anticipates that this appointment will be made.

My right hon. Friend will be advised on the application for this additional post by the Dental Advisory Committee on Consultant Establishments when it meets on 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the regulations promulgating the new charges to dental patients, which came into force on 1st April, were not ready until 10th March and were not in the hands of general dental practitioners until 24th March.

I do not regard 10th March as an unreasonable date for the laying of the regulations, having regard to the time needed to prepare them and to consult interested bodies. Special distribution arrangements were made, with the assistance of the Dental Estimates Board, as soon as the necessary copies were available, and despatch to executive councils was completed on 18th March. I understand that the South-East London and Kent Executive Councils despatched copies to practitioners on 19th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the factual evidence submitted to him showing that Ford strikers have been illegally claiming social security benefits, he will take steps to deal with this practice.

Normal inquiries made within the Department have brought to light a small number of cases of fraud by Ford strikers, and prosecution will follow where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he will not issue instructions to the post offices that until 25th September, 1971, they should overstamp all pension order books by £1·60 and £1·00 for married and single pensioners, respectively, and pay these extra amounts as from 1st April, 1971.

Because the operative date for the proposed increases in benefits and contributions is the week commencing 20th September.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cease the present practice whereby his Department keep under constant review the prices and charges for which he has responsibility and initiate a system of monthly reviews of such prices and charges to enable him to show from month to month to what extent since June, 1970, the Government's policy of reducing prices and costs is operating so far as it affects his departmental responsibilities; and whether he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many acres of defence land were afforested in each of the past 10 years; and what consideration he is giving to the disposal of such land.

The figures for each of the past 10 years are as follows:

				Acres
1961–62	…	…	…	260
1962–63	…	…	…	325
1963–64	…	…	…	477
1964–65	…	…	…	393
1965–66	…	…	…	333
1966–67	…	…	…	559
1967–68	…	…	…	389
1968–69	…	…	…	344
1969–70	…	…	…	310
1970–71	…	…	…	463

It is not possible to dispose of this land which is planted mainly for soil conservation and safety reasons in training areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will permit local authorities under the Housing Act 1969, to make payment of certain additional sums over and above site value in respect of properties in clearance areas which were designated as unfit before the date specified in the Act but for which compensation terms have not yet been concluded.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to do so. The rules on which compensation is assessed are laid down by statute.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the result of his consideration of the practice regarding Ministerial statements in the House of Commons with a view to enabling the Secretary of State for Scotland to answer Questions on statements made by other Ministers affecting Scotland.

The practice that replies to all supplementary questions on a Ministerial statement relating to Great Britain as a whole are given by the Minister making the statement has been followed for at least 50 years. I nonetheless consider that in suitable cases a change might be introduced for the convenience of the House. The Secretary of State for Scotland would himself like to see a change because the present longstanding practice has the effect of silencing him on such occasions, unless he makes a separate, largely duplicating, statement. Similar considerations apply to Wales.Since June the Secretary of State for Scotland has been top of the list for oral Questions every three weeks, instead of every five or six weeks as previously. As a result he has, I understand, answered more oral Questions and supplementaries than any Secretary of State for Scotland in recent times during the equivalent period.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the public speech on Government policies he made at the Cutlers' Feast in Sheffield on 18th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech at the Cutlers' Feast in Sheffield on 18th March, on the relations of Her Majesty's Government with the trade unions.

I did so on 19th March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now seek to pay an official visit to New Zealand.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is at present in London, and I have had comprehensive discussions with him. I have at present no plans to visit New Zealand again.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will conduct a review of use of computers in the security services.

I know of no reasons which would call for such a review.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official meeting with trade union leaders on matters concerning the car industry.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and I met Mr. Leonard Woodcock, Mr. Jack Jones and Mr. Hugh Scanlon on 23rd March. We had a wide-ranging discussion about industrial relations, with particular reference to the motor industry.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has received from Northern Ireland on matters for which he is responsible there.

This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the arrangements for co-ordinating regional policy which exist between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Employment; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Satisfactory arrangements exist for co-ordination between all Departments concerned with regional policy.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the meeting he presided over of the National Economic Development Council.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his discussions at the National Economic Development Council meeting held on 7th April, 1971; to what extent these included matters affecting trade, industry, unemployment and the Government's recent Budget proposals; and what was the attitude of the Trades Union Congress representatives to these and other matters discussed at this meeting.

My right hon. Friend's Budget was the main item considered by the Council at its meeting on 7th April. It is not the practice to give details of the discussion at N.E.D.C. meetings.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to have official talks with representatives of the Trades Union Congress on matters of mutual interest.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now arrange a further meeting with the Trades Union Congress to discuss the Government's economic policy.

I met the T.U.C. Economic Committee on 11th March and had discussions on economic policy with representatives of the T.U.C. at the N.E.D.C. meeting on 7th April. There are at present no plans for further talks, but the Government have made it clear that they will be glad to discuss with the T.U.C. at any time matters of common concern.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that since the Government decided to increase the salaries of judges, chairmen of the nationalised boards and others receiving £17,500 per annum in 1970–71 to £20,000 per annum as from January, 1971, the average increase on £17,500 per annum resulting from tax cuts was £1,563·79 per annum and on £20,000 per annum will be £1,982·48; and whether, in view of the Government's call for income restraint, he will restrict the increases to be paid as from 1st July, 1971, to these higher paid persons.

No.

asked the Prime Minister when the inter-departmental committee report on consultations between the Department of Employment, the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Health and Social Security on integrated action for the application of advanced technology and other aids is likely to be received; if he will encourage closer collaboration between these Departments in this field; and if he will make a statement.

If the hon. Member is referring to technical aids for the disabled, I am not aware of the existence of any such committee. But I can assure him that there is already close collaboration between the Departments concerned with all forms of aid for the disabled.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has received so far this year relating to inflation; and what replies he has sent.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to a Question from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Carter). My replies make clear that I share my correspondents' concern about inflationary wage settlements.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his official discussions with the Prime Minister of New Zealand; and to what extent matters connected with the effects on New Zealand's economy of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community formed part of these discussions.

These useful discussions covered the Five Power defence arrangements as well as economic matters including the problems for New Zealand connected with British entry into the E.E.C.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent official visit to West Germany.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 8th April to Questions from the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) and my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas).— [Vol. 815, c. 297–8.]

asked the Prime Minister whether he will change the present practice of not making available details of his official engagements, so as to enable the general public to be kept officially informed of the day-to-day work of the Prime Minister.

I believe the general public is already adequately informed from day to day about my official engagements.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will establish a National Selection Committee to advise the Government on the suitability of persons to fill appointments as chairmen of state boards and nationalised industries.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his Question of 11th December, 1970, about the establishment of a Public Office Appointments Board. It is the responsibility of the Minister concerned to make his choice of candidates for appointments by the means he considers best on each occasion.—[Vol. 808, c. 197.]

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of the growing practice of Members of Parliament being appointed as Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of Quarter Sessions and as Recorders, which, in addition, to their other public duties as Members, make it difficult for them to fit in these appointments; and whether he will introduce a Bill to clarify these appointments as offices of profit under the Crown debarred to Members of Parliament.

No; the practice is not a growing one and I do not think it would be right for those Members of Parliament otherwise eligible and willing to serve in a part-time judicial capacity to be debarred from appointment and so deprived of the opportunity to gain judicial experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many additional nursery schools and nursery school places are needed in the area covered by the Featherstone Urban District Council, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to provide such education for all children of appropriate age;(2) how many additional nursery schools and nursery school places are needed in the area covered by the Pontefract Borough Council, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to provide such education for all children of appropriate age;(3) how many additional nursery schools and nursery school places are needed in the area covered by the Castle-ford Borough Council, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to provide such education for all children of appropriate age;(4) how many additional nursery schools and nursery school places are needed in the West Riding County Council Education area to provide such education for all children of appropriate age;(5) how many additional nursery schools and nursery school places are needed in the Pontefract and Castleford Divisional Education Executive areas to provide such educational for all children of appropriate age.

To provide full-time nursery education for all children aged 3 and 4 in the West Riding would require about 50,000 additional places. Figures for divisional executives are not available in the Department, but may be obtainable from the local education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to make available more funds for research into new forms of treatment for mental diseases.

The Medical Research Council already gives priority to the problem of mental illness and its expenditure in support of relevant research amounted to some £1,627,000 in 1970–71, an increase over previous years. The figure for 1971–72 is expected again to be higher. Other substantial provision from Exchequer money is made by the Health Departments and through the U.G.C. in universities and medical schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his official discussions with the Confederation of British Industry on Tuesday, 6th April, on the Government's wage and salaries policy.

My right hon. Friend's meeting with the President of the C.B.I. on 6th April was one of a series of talks to discuss the wages and salaries situation. They reviewed progress made towards reducing settlements to a more reasonable level. They also agreed on the need to continue this policy and in particular on the undesirability of agreements which carry forward into future years the present high level of settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now decided whether further regulations on pollution control of motor cars are necessary.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. Faulds) on 5th April. —[Vol. 815, c. 50.]

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications when he hopes stereo radio facilities will be provided in those parts of the country at present unable to receive them.

I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley (Mr. Hunt) on 15th February, 1971.—[Vol. 811, c. 1175.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent on the present known terms of Great Britain's possible entry into the European Economic Community antidumping orders on foods, fertilisers, &c. and any other items for which he has Ministerial responsibilities will be prevented or restricted.

The answer given on 5th April to the hon. Member's similar Question concerning non-agricultural imports applies to all products.—[Vol. 815, c. 4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the Government's descision to intervene to influence the price of steel, he will extend this intervention into all areas of prices in relation to which the Government possess statutory powers.

The Government will continue to scrutinise closely all proposed major price increases in the public sector.