asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether, in his Ministerial responsibilities concerning help which he should give to Members of Parliament, he will take whatever action may be open to him to ensure that his letters are delivered to Members in periods less than seven days from the date of leaving his office at Waterloo Bridge House and arriving at the House of Commons; and if he will arrange, where necessary, for Members personally to collect their mail and thus save time now taken for receipt of his correspondence.

Letters for Members are despatched either by hand or by first-class letter post to the House of Commons, so I do not think it necessary to make arrangements for Members to collect correspondence from my Department.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of his official engagements for Saturday, 5th June, 1971.

It is not the practice to do so.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will give a general direction to the Post Office Corporation to cease publication of its literature and advertising about postal codes until a thorough review of their content and intention has been conducted.

No. A general direction would not be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if, in view of the fact that 31 per cent. of those who are unable to receive either sound or television programmes live in Wales, he will set up a departmental inquiry to study this problem in the Principality and to make recommendations.

The figure of 31 per cent. in my answer on 30th April to the hon. Member did not apply to radio reception but only to television. An enquiry would not serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications how many of the 80,000 persons in Wales who are unable to receive radio or television programmes live in Cardiganshire.

Virtually everyone in Wales has the possibility of receiving the B.B.C. on radio. Of those in Wales outside the coverage area of B.B.C.'s television transmissions, some 14,500 live in Cardiganshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans have been submitted to him by the Council of Richmond-on-Thames to improve the environmental character of the riverside in Twickenham.

None, but the Council has itself designated parts of the riverside as conservation areas under the Civic Amenities Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to improve traffic signs leading from Hyde Park to Paddington Station.

No. Local direction signing outside the Royal Parks is a matter for the Greater London Council as traffic authority for London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the total receipts from the Severn Toll Bridge; how long it has been operating; and what has been the cost of maintenance.

During the 4½ years of operation up to 31st March, 1971, toll receipts amounted to about £3·7 million and maintenance costs to about £200,000. Maintenance forms only a small part of the total operating costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what legislative proposals the Government now have in mind, following the recommendation of the Francis Committee, for strengthening the penalties for harassment and illegal eviction.

In Use	Local Authority Motorways					Miles
M63	Stretford-Eccles By-pass	…	…	…	…	6·0
	Leeds Inner Ring Road, Stage I	…	…	…	…	0·7
M32	Bristol Parkway, Stage I	…	…	…	…	2·8
A194 (M)	Blackfell/White Mare Pool	…	…	…	…	3·8
	*Westway-London	…	…	…	…	2·7
	*West Cross Route, Stage I-London	…	…	…	…	0·6
	*Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach-London	…	…	…	…	2·6
M63	Stretford-Eccles Extension	…	…	…	…	0·6
	Leeds Inner Ring Road, Stage II	…	…	…	…	0·8
* Restricted to motorway classes of traffic by G.L.C. Order		…	…	…	…	20·6

Under Construction
A38 (M)	Aston Expressway	…	…	…	…	…	1·6
M602	Eccles By-pass	…	…	…	…	…	1·8
M602	Ringway Airport Link	…	…	…	…	…	0·4
M606	Bradford South Radial Motorway	…	…	…	…	…	2·3
M57	Liverpool Outer Ring Road, Stage I	…	…	…	…	…	3·3
A627 (M)	Broadway Extension	…	…	…	…	…	4·2
M68	Middleton Link	…	…	…	…	…	1·2
	East Cross Route, Stage I—London	…	…	…	…	…	0·9
M32	Bristol Parkway, Stage II	…	…	…	…	…	0·9
	Leeds South-East Urban Motorway, Stage I	…	…	…	…	…	2·5
	Leeds Inner Ring Road, Stage IIA	…	…	…	…	…	0·4
							19·5

SCHEMES CONFIRMED BY THE MINISTER
	Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central Motorway East	…	…	…	…	…	1·2
	East Cross Route, Stage II-London	…	…	…	…	…	0·6
	Leeds Inner Ring Road, Stage III	…	…	…	…	…	0·7
	Portsmouth City Council (M27 Twyford Avenue Section) Motorway Scheme					…	1·6
	Ellesmere Port Motorway	…	…	…	…	…	5·2
A329	Relief Road (Nos. 1 and 2) (Berkshire Section)	…	…	…	…	…	5·4
A329	Relief Road (Reading Section)	…	…	…	…	…	0·7
							15·4

SCHEMES MADE BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND SUBMITTED TO THE MINISTER FOR CONFIRMATION
Mancunian Way	…	…	…	…	…	1·4
Liverpool Outer Ring Road (Kirkby-Ta	…	…	…	…	…	7·5
Dover Radial Route	…	…	…	…	…	3·3
						12·2

The Government accept this recommendation as was announced on 10th March, and are now considering in detail how to give effect to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, showing the mileage in respect of each, those local authority motorways or lengths of motorway in use, under construction, motorways schemes confirmed by the Secretary of State, and those made by the local authority and submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation, as at 30th April.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to complete his review on the future of the Voluntary Housing Movement; and if he will make a statement.

The report is to be published about the end of this month. I hope that it will prove a contribution to public debate on the future of voluntary housing as well as a work of reference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include an investigation of the problems and implications of industrial obsolescence in the terms of reference of the North-West Study sponsored by his Department.

Terms of reference for the North-West Study have already been agreed by the commissioning body, which comprises Government Departments, the local planning authorities and the Economic Planning Council. The study team is to produce a framework plan for the future development of the region and to suggest policies for the solution of major, long-standing, physical planning issues of regional significance. It will be for the study team in the first place to determine how they should approach this task: but clearly the problems and implications of industrial obsolescence will be a major consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to him by the Smaller Public Libraries Group in regard to the rôle of libraries within the county council areas arising from the Government's White Paper containing proposals for the reform of local government.

The Group have proposed that the forthcoming legislation on local government reorganisation should permit the new district councils to exercise library functions with the consent of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce provisional routes for the new road and rail links to the projected third London airport at Foulness.

Decisions on the alignment of the surface access links to the third London airport will depend upon the precise location of the airport and upon detailed discussions with the many interests concerned. It will not be possible to announce provisional routes for some time yet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the proposed bypass of Uppermill village on the A670 Ashton to Huddersfield road.

A scheme to bypass Uppermill is in the principal road preparation list, but its priority cannot be established until it is apparent what effects the opening of various stages of M62 will have on A670 traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in his discussions with those affected to speed up the preparation and approval of structure plans.

Officers of the Department will shortly open discussions with groups of local planning authorities to expedite the preparation of structure plans in accordance with a programme covering considerably more authorities and a much wider area of England than hitherto contemplated. In preparing the programme, I have given preference mainly to areas with major problems of a kind which lend themselves to structure plan treatment and I have also taken account of work on regional strategies and land use transportation studies. The aim of the discussions is to agree the areas which should be covered by the structure plans and to explore the scope and need for collaboration between neighbouring authorities in the production of plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given to the police and local authorities in the South-West to deal with the large influx of motorists entering Devon and Cornwall when the motorway to Exeter is completed by 1974–75; and if he will make a statement.

None so far. The problems likely to arise would primarily concern local or regional bodies, some of whom have begun to assess the situation. The regional officers of my Department are ready to help.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will make available sufficient funds to local authorities in the South-West for them to provide adequate car parks, toilets, etc., and other facilities on the motorway to deal with the influx of motorists entering Devon and Cornwall when the motorway is completed in 1974–75.

My Department proposes to develop three service areas on the M5 Motorway between Bristol and Exeter. They will provide car parking, toilets, catering and refuelling facilities. I am seeking powers to provide picnic areas and toilets on trunk roads other than motorways in the Highways Bill at present before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make public the results of his latest measurements of lead concentrations.

Yes, in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now able to name the opening date for the Lightwater to Basingstoke section of the M3.

About the middle of June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now state the date on which traffic will be able to use the M3 between Popham and Black Dam.

Before the end of this month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce his decision on the re-opened inquiry into the proposed bypass at Rock Ferry, Birkenhead.

My right hon. Friend announced on 11th May his decision to confirm the Compulsory Purchase Orders and to make the associated Side Roads Order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many municipal houses and flats, subject to central government subsidy, have been started and completed, respectively, in the Twickenham area of Richmond-on-Thames in each of the last 10 years.

The hon. Member should apply for this information direct to the Richmond London Borough Council. Particulars for the borough as a whole since it was set up in 1965 and for the Twickenham U.D.C. up to that date are contained in the published statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for what purpose, and at whose expense, coloured windmills were placed along the cornice of the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park.

The windmills were commissioned by the Arts Council, which runs the Gallery, to mark the opening of its 1971 season. I understand that part of the cost was met by the Council and part privately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of housing starts in the private sector in the first four months of 1971, and what increase in percentage terms this represents over the number of starts in the corresponding months of 1970.

The figures for the first four months of 1971 are not yet available. The total for the first quarter of 1970 was 29,635 and that for the first quarter of 1971 was 40,685, which, as my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 6th May represents an increase of some 37½ per cent.—[Vol. 816, c. 1683.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses were started by the Westminster City Council in 1970; and what the council's house-building programme is for the years 1970 to 1975.

The City Council started 1,355 dwellings in 1970 and propose to put to tender an average of 500 dwellings a year for the next five years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that each of the countries of the European Economic Community spend more per person on housing than does Great Britain; whether he will publish details in the OFFICIAL REPORT to show to what extent housing costs per person in Great Britain would have to rise to match the countries of the Six; and whether he will consider doing this in order to facilitate Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

I do not find it possible to make reliable comparisons of total expenditure on housing between Britain and the E.E.C. countries, or to draw from any such comparison any valid conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a general direction to British Railways to improve methods of preventing travel on trains without a ticket.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many autistic children are in mental hospitals in Scotland; and in which hospitals.

The normal hospital statistics do not show the number of children in this complex diagnostic category, but a special enquiry is at present being carried out and I shall send details to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many autistic children are being educated in day schools in Lanarkshire.

I am asking the education authority to provide the hon. Member with up-to-date information.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many autistic children in Scotland are in special units of education.

The education authorities have reported to me that in January there were 14 autistic children receiving special education. It will however be appreciated that many children who are classified under other handicaps also exhibit autistic symptoms.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the British delegates will take at the International Commission for the North-West Atlantic Fisheries meeting at Halifax in June, to restrict facilities or ban the high seas fishing for salmon.

The United Kingdom delegation will support the most effective arrangements for the restriction of the salmon fisheries in the Commission's area and on which agreement can be reached at the meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a statement on the progress of the school-teachers' pay negotiations in Scotland.

As stated in the answer given to the hon. Member for Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton) on 7th April, the Scottish Teachers Salaries Committee has agreed that teachers' salaries should be increased by 8½ per cent. with effect fro m1st April.—[Vol. 815, c. 445.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total acreage of reclaimed land in the former mining areas in Scotland; and what is the amount of land still to be reclaimed.

By 31st March, 1971, 1,700 acres of derelict land in Scotland had been rehabilitated at a cost of £3,250,000. Almost all of this is in the industrial central belt; no analysis separately identifying mining areas is immediately available.About 13,000 acres remain to be reclaimed, of which 1,500 are currently being dealt with and 300 are the subject of approved proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to speed up motorway construction and improvements to trunk roads in Scotland, respectively, with a view to creating employment for men in the construction industry.

I have already made provision for an expanding programme of expenditure on motorways and trunk roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current average pupil/teacher ratio in secondary and primary schools, respectively, in each of the Scottish education authority areas.

The following table shows the number of pupils per teacher in education authority schools in January, 1971. The teacher numbers used in working out the figures include the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers but exclude all supply, relief and visiting teachers, and unregistered teachers.

Burghs		Primary	Secondary
Aberdeen	…	22·8	13·8
Dundee	…	26·1	15·5
Edinburgh	…	28·0	16·1
Glasgow	…	33·1	17·4
Counties
Aberdeen	…	24·5	15·1
Angus	…	26·3	16·0
Argyll	…	23·3	16·2
Ayr	…	28·7	16·0
Banff	…	25·6	15·5
Berwick	…	22·9	13·0
Bute	…	27·8	13·2
Caithness	…	26·8	16·8
Clackmannan	…	27·1	13·3
Dumfries	…	28·1	15·4
Dunbarton	…	26·9	15·8
East Lothian	…	30·9	16·8
Fife	…	29·2	15·2
Inverness	…	22·6	15·9
Kincardine	…	24·8	13·3
Kirkcudbright	…	25·4	12·4
Lanark	…	32·8	18·6
Midlothian	…	29·0	16·2
Moray and Nairn	…	28·3	16·6
Orkney	…	22·0	14·0
Peebles	…	26·8	16·8
Perth and Kinross	…	24·5	14·5
Renfrew	…	31·8	19·8
Ross and Cromarty	…	22·3	14·4
Roxburgh	…	25·0	14·8
Selkirk	…	27·7	15·5
Stirling	…	25·0	16·4
Sutherland	…	22·3	11·9
West Lothian	…	26·2	16·5
Wigtown	…	25·9	15·5
Zetland	…	22·0	12·5
Total	…	28·7	16·4

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the average total cost, including land and services, of new three-bedroomed council dwellings in the City of Edinburgh in 1970; and how they compare with the average total cost for Scotland as a whole;(2) what was the average total cost, including land and services, of new two-bedroom council dwellings in the city of Edinburgh in 1970; and how they compare with the average total cost for Scotland as a whole.

Information is not readily available for separate sizes of house in separate local authority areas. The average approved costs (including house erection, site development and servicing, land and fees) of local authority houses, of all sizes and types, approved in 1970 were:

				£
Edinburgh	…	…	…	5,400
Scotland	…	…	…	4,300

Costs may be affected by differences in the types of house, in the proportions of houses of different sizes, in the density of development, and in site conditions, and also by other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what precautions have been taken by local authorities in Scotland to prevent pollution of beaches and estuarial waters in the event of oil slicks being washed inshore; and whether supplies of detergent and dispersal equipment are now available for such emergencies.

Schemes for dealing with oil pollution have been prepared for the whole of the Scottish coast. Equipment has been earmarked for the purpose, and supplies of detergent have been purchased or are readily obtainable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total acreage of afforestation now completed by the Forestry Commission in Scotland; and whether he will list the areas contemplated for further planting.

As 31st March, 1971, the Forestry Commission had about 910,000 acres under plantations in Scotland.It would be impracticable to publish a detailed list of areas contemplated for further planting but at 31st March, 1970,

the total area of land in hand for planting was distributed between the commission's four Scottish Conservancies as follows:

		'000 acres
North	…	69·7
East	…	16·4
South	…	61·5
West	…	76·2
Total	…	223·8

These reserves are liable to fluctuate as the land is planted and further acquisitions are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the latest available figures of homeless families in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectively.

There is no single definition of "homeless".Recent returns from local authorities show that the numbers of persons in temporary accommodation provided under the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1968, were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each of the years 1960, 1965 and 1970 the total number of beds in all hospitals under his administration; how many of each of those totals were for private patients; and how many of each category were empty at the most recent convenient date.

The numbers of staffed beds available in N.H.S. hospitals are as follows:

1960	1965	1970
63,548	62,689	62,954

The number of empty beds on 30th September, 1970, was 9,484.In 1960 and 1965 there were respectively 848 and 614 beds set aside for private patients.In terms of Section 1 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968, no individual beds are now set aside, but a maximum is fixed (for each hospital where private patients are treated) to the number who may be treated at any one time. In 1970, the maximum of private patients for all hospitals was 360, and the number being treated at 30th September, 1970, was 170. For the reason mentioned this has no significance in terms of "empty beds".

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what pre-pollution surveys he has made of the dumping grounds beyond territorial waters which his Department approves for the disposal of domestic and trade wastes.

My Department is able to determine suitable areas for waste disposal from its extensive knowledge of the marine environment, in particular from the information it has on fishing and spawning grounds, hydrographic studies. and monitoring of fish and shellfish for pollutants.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what productivity increase has been achieved by British agriculture in the last 25 years.

Estimates of the industry's gain in productivity overall are only available from 1950–51, since when the increase has been at a compound rate of about two per cent. per annum.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what arrangements are being made to compensate adequately those prematurely retired from the Home Civil Service or the Diplomatic Service who have served in places scheduled under Section 25 of the Superannuation Act, 1965.

Staff who have served in places scheduled under section 25 of the Superannuation Act, 1965, will be able to choose, if they are prematurely retired, between retaining the enhanced benefits by way of higher pension and lump sum and lower retiring age which they have earned as a result of service in scheduled territories, and forgoing these in return for an additional capital sum calculated on the basis of 3 per cent. of pensionable salary for each year of scheduled service. Those who retain their enhancement under Section 25 will have any further benefits, apart from resettlement leave, calculated in relation to their reduced minimum retiring age; for those who forgo their enhancement any further compensation will be calculated on the same basis as for staff with no service in places scheduled under Section 25.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will announce the results of the review of the circumstances in which civil servants and members of the Diplomatic Service may be prematurely retired and the compensation to be paid to them in these circumstances.

The Fulton Committee and the Duncan Committee both made recommendations which pointed to the need to improve the terms of compensation for those prematurely retired from the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service. As a result, the circumstances in which civil servants and members of the Diplomatic Service may be retired before the minimum retiring age (other than on grounds of ill-health) and the compensation to be paid in these circumstances have been reviewed in depth in the course of intensive discussions with the Staff Side of the National Whitley Council and the Trade Union Side of the Joint Industrial Consultative Committee. The Staff Side are now consulting their constituent organisations on the proposed new arrangements and improved compensation terms with a view to a final decision in the near future.As part of the new arrangements a distinction will be drawn between staff in the Home Civil Service at and above Executive Officer level and its equivalents, and those below that level; in future staff in the lower grades will no longer (except in a few cases) have to be prepared to serve anywhere in the country and compensation will be paid when no work is available within reasonable daily travelling distance of their homes.The mobility obligations of staff in the higher grades will not be changed but it will become possible, subject to certain safeguards, to call on them to retire prematurely in the public interest; for example if their performance no longer adequately measures up to the requirements of their jobs, or where there is a very bad age distribution in a particular grade leading to serious promotion blockage and consequent difficulty in the management of that part of the Service. We see no reason to expect large-scale retirements on these new grounds, but we agree with the Fulton Committee that arrangements of this kind are necessary to maintain a high level of efficiency in the Civil Service. They will complement the present arrangements for retiring people on grounds of inefficiency.Provision will be made for all civil servants and members of the Diplomatic Service who are prematurely retired to have their cases considered by an independent Appeal Board if they so wish.Mobile staff under age 40, or at any age with less than 10 years' service, who are retired on redundancy or otherwise in the public interest will receive a compensation payment of one month's pensionable pay for each year of service, progressively augmented for those over the age of 31 to a maximum of three months' pay for each year of service after the first five completed after the age of 36. Those with between two and nine years' service will also receive a payment of 3/80ths of pensionable pay for each year of service; those with 10 years or more will have their pension benefits preserved for payment at retiring age.Mobile staff retired prematurely in these circumstances over the age of 40 and with more than 10 years' service will be compensated by an annual payment equivalent to 1/80th of their pensionable pay for each year of service, enhanced by up to a further 1/12th of pensionable pay, together with a lump sum equivalent to 3/80ths of pensionable pay for each year of service, enhanced in the same proportion as the annual payment. They will also receive a special compensation payment of up to six months' pensionable pay and those who have spent at least two out of their last five years of service abroad will get up to six months' resettlement leave.Established staff who no longer have a mobility obligation, and unestablished staff with at least two years' service, retired prematurely will receive two weeks' pensionable pay for each of the first five years' service, three weeks' pay for each of the next five years' service and four weeks' pay for any further years, augmented by a further two weeks' pay for each year of service completed after the 40th birthday, subject to a maximum of 2 years' pensionable pay in all. Established staff with 10 or more years' service will be able to preserve their pension benefits for payment at the retiring age or, if they are over 55, take them at once instead of the compensation payments; if they have between two and nine years' service they will get an additional capital sum based on 3/80ths of pensionable pay for each year of service. These terms will also apply to mobile staff retired on grounds of inefficiency.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances a soldier was shot and injured in Londonderry on or about Wednesday, 5th May; what sort of gun was used; and what arrest or arrests have been made.

In the early hours of Thursday, 6th May, an off-duty soldier was attacked by three men in Londonderry. He broke free from his attackers, but one of them fired two shots at him from a sub-machine gun type of weapon, and a bullet passed through his left hand. No arrests have so far been made.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the explosion which blasted an Army landrover occupied by six members of the Ulster Defence Regiment on the Londonderry-Donegal border in the early morning of Saturday, 8th May; what injuries the soldiers received; to what extent the landrover was damaged; and what information he has concerning those responsible for this action.

At about 3.15 a.m. on 8th May a landrover occupied by six members of the Ulster Defence Regiment was ambushed near the unauthorised border crossing point at Glen-bridge. The vehicle was blown into a ditch by two manually operated and electrically initiated explosive charges. Three of the vehicle's occupants suffered cuts, bruises and shock. The damage to the landrover's chassis was slight, but the bodywork was severely damaged and will need to be replaced. It would be contrary to the public interest to reveal the progress of investigations into the attack.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his visit to Northern Ireland.

I visited troops in Northern Ireland from 3rd to 5th May. As always, I found them in good heart, and I was impressed by the increasingly good collaboration between the Army and the R.U.C. and by the increasing success of operations by the security forces. I paid calls during my visit on the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and on the Chief Constable.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what further steps he now proposes to take to ensure security for Army barracks and off-duty personnel in Northern Ireland in future, in view of the damage caused by a bomb to St. Lucia Barracks, Derry Road, Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on 21st April, 1971.

Further measures for the safety of Army installations have been taken where appropriate, but it is not the practice to give details of these. So far as the security of off-duty personnel is concerned, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 3rd May.—[Vol. 816, c. 282.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will review the regulations determining entitlement to free school meals by making allowance for family income of costs necessarily involved in school bus fares.

I do not see any possibility of this at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if a count of wild geese was taken last November; what estimate was made of the number of wild geese in Great Britain; what was the number counted in Perthshire; and if she will publish the figures for Great Britain and Perthshire, respectively, for the years 1967 to 1970.

A count was taken. The figures for the winters of 1967 to 1970 are as follows:

			Great Britain Estimated	Perthshire Counted
1967–68	…	…	183,000	49,330
1968–69	…	…	185,000	55,810
1969–70	…	…	204,000	25,390
1970–71	…	…	204,000	63,100

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were unemployed in the Newark area in the month of March in each of the past five years.

Following is the information:

Total numbers registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Newark Employment Exchange
March, 1971	…	…	…	828
March, 1970	…	…	…	790
March, 1969	…	…	…	675
March, 1968	…	…	…	525
March, 1967	…	…	…	350

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he will take to increase the numbers of factory inspectors; and whether he will make a statement.

The number of factory inspectors has increased by 40 per cent. in the last four years from 500 at 1st April, 1967, to 708 at 3rd May, 1971. Only marginal increases are proposed for the immediate future.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list, for the last two available years, the target strength and actual numbers of the Factory Inspectorate.

The authorised cadre and numbers of staff in post in the Factory Inspectorate on 1st April, 1969, 1970, and 1971 were as follows:

		1969	1970	1971
Cadre	…	671	699	736
Staff in post	…	570	631	707

Current vacancies in the Inspectorate are being filled.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware that the legal restrictions of the Industrial Relations Bill imposing limits on the right to organise and to strike infringe the international obligations of the British Government under International Labour Organisation Convention 87, Articles 2, 3 and 7 and under the European Charter 1961 Article 6; and if he will seek to have these restrictions removed from the Bill.

I am satisfied that the Industrial Relations Bill does not infringe our international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now make a further statement on the accommodation and facilities at the employment exchange in Wythenshawe, Manchester.

The search for relief accommodation, mentioned in my hon. Friend's reply of 8th April, has been successful and arrangements have been made for a temporary benefit office to be opened in St. Luke's Church Hall, Wythenshawe on Monday, 7th June.—[Vol. 815, c. 254–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers were recruited in England and Wales in the years 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1970, respectively; and how many probation officers resigned from the service prior to retirement in these years.

328 in 1965 and subsequently 311, 365, 396, 419 and 430. The respective numbers for resignations were 142, 119, 132, 132, 167 and 190.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now considered the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Buckoke and Others versus the Greater London Council; if he will introduce amending legislation to enable drivers of fire appliances, ambulances and police vehicles to be exempt from prosecution when disobeying robot traffic signals while on emergency calls and when it is safe so to do; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is considering the implications of the judgment in consultation with my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Social Services, for Scotland and for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, if Great Britain joins the Common Market, the residual national contributions will be replaced from 1975 onwards by up to 1 per cent, of the receipts from a value-added tax or by a 1 per cent, value-added tax.

The present system calls on the present member states of the Community for a financial contribution from 1975 which may not exceed 1 per cent, of the receipts from a value-added tax.Her Majesty's Government will conform with the financial system of the Community by the end of the transitional period agreed in the negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with the Governments of South Africa, Canada, Norway, Iceland and Denmark with regard to Articles 17 to 21 of R.2142/70 of the European Economic Community fisheries policy; and if he will make a statement.

There have been no consultations with the Governments of South Africa and Canada on this subject. We have had contacts with the Governments of Denmark and Norway, who have also applied for membership of the European Economic Community, on matters of mutual interest arising out of the European Economic Community fisheries policy generally. We are also in regular contact with the Government of Iceland as a fellow member of E.F.T.A.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that the Danish Government have now agreed to hold a referendum on whether or not Denmark should enter the Common Market; and whether, in view of this new information, he will reconsider the question of Great Britain holding a similar referendum and arrange to have discussions with the Danish Government to ascertain how and in what way, they are to hold their referendum and to see to what extent a similar type of consultation with the people can be organised in Great Britain.

Arrangements for referenda in other countries on entry into the European Economic Community have no relevance to the position in this country. In arriving at a decision on terms agreed in the British negotiations with the European Economic Community established constitutional processes will be followed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in addition to Parliaments of member States being enabled to debate issues for decision in the Community before decisions are taken in the institution of the Community, the Parliaments of member States are also enabled to debate and change their decisions after the Community and/or its institutions have reached a decision on any matter.

It would be open to Parliament to debate Community legislation after it has been made by the institutions of the Community. If Parliament approves instruments of accession to the Treaties of the Community, these and accompanying United Kingdom legislation would determine the rôle of Parliament in relation to Community legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will recommend the setting up of a Royal Commission to investigate the amount of moneys spent in Great Britain on advertisements in the Press advocating Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community during the last 12 months.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the United Kingdom representatives on the North Atlantic Assembly.

The following represent the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Assembly:From the Government benches:The hon. Members for:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the information supplied to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, he will give an assurance that all persons living on boats, houseboats and other vessels moored on rivers, lakes, canals and the Norfolk Broads have received and filled in their Census forms.

Returns from Census field staff are not yet complete. A report on the coverage achieved by this Census will be made to Parliament in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain to what extent Census enumerators broke their oaths of secrecy in divulging to any unauthorised persons or organisations details which should not have been passed on to any person or organisation other than the Census Office; and what action he has taken, or intends taking, in each instance, except in the case in which proceedings have been issued.

Unlawful disclosure of any information acquired in the course of his employment as a Census enumerator would be a breach of the enumerator's undertaking. This is covered in the Census Regulations, 1970, and does not require investigation. Any such occurrence would be dealt with under these regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the first annual report of the National Health Advisory Service will be published; and if he will make a statement.

The Report is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what aircraft engines are being designed and manufactured at the present time which are now being promoted or supported from public funds; and if he will indicate the extent to which they have already been developed in each case and the amount expended.

I take this question to apply to civil engines. Only the Rolls-Royce RB211 is currently being supported from public funds. It is in an advanced stage of development and it should be ready for airline service in April, 1972.Launching aid of £47 million was piad to Rolls-Royce Ltd. for the RB211 before the Receivership. The Government has so far committed about £24 million in indemnifying the Receiver for continuing work while negotiations are pursued about the future of the engine. This sum forms part of the estimate of £130 million for Government support for further development and production that was announced to the House on 10th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the cost to public funds of developing the Rolls-Royce M 54 H engine required for the Fokker VFW-614 plane; and what has been the progress to date.

None: development of the M45H engine has so far been funded by Rolls-Royce, S.N.E.C.M.A. and the Federal German Government. Development is, I understand, proceeding satisfactorily. Rolls-Royce are now considering, with their partners, arrangements for continuing development and production.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he will now be making following the Civil Aircraft Report 3/71 on the circumstances of the near collision near Heathrow Airport and concerning Northolt Airport on 9th January, 1970.

During the course of the Investigation steps were taken to introduce a special precautionary height check into the approach procedure for landing at Northolt, and attention was drawn to this and to the importance of observing the rules already in force there in a Notice to Airmen published in March, 1970. In addition some minor shortcomings brought to light during the Instigation, though they did not contribute to the incident, have been corrected.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will cut the tariff on imported cars.

I am always prepared to consider changes in tariff policy if circumstances justify this.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will move for tribunal of inquiry into the maladministration and neglect upon the part of his Department in failing to carry out its statutory duties in an expeditious and efficient manner, as laid down under the Companies Act, with particular reference to the Dollar Land Holdings Company Limited, Three Ways Nurseries Limited and Hartley Baird Limited.

No. I do not accept the hon. Member's assumption that there was maladministration and neglect.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that 3,000 investors who invested £4 million in the Agricultural Investment Corporation Limited with offices in Green Street, Park Lane, London, W.1, are unable to get the return of their money, and that the company has issued no balance sheet for over a year, and whether, in view of the details submitted to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, he will have this company and its associate, Investors Financial Management Corporation, investigated under the Companies Act.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to Agri International U.K. Ltd. and I can assure him that its affairs have not escaped our notice. No trace can be found of the registration or of business activities in this country of the other concerned referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sending a letter from the Society of Graphical and Allied Trade making complaints against the Government's actions in regard to the paper and board-making industry; and what was the nature of his reply.

The communication from the hon. Member was received on 7th May and a reply will sent as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade Industry whether he is aware that in 1960 the United Kingdom consumption of paper and board was 5·2 million tons whereas in 1970 it had increased to seven million tons, an increase of 34 per cent. in 10 years; why during this period imports were allowed to reach 35 per cent. of total requirements when British home production, which could have supplied these needs, was run down to the detriment of Great Britain's workers and balance of payments; and what action he proposes to take to change this situation.

I am aware of the situation described by the hon. Member. It arises because under successive Governments, purchases of paper and board have been free to exercise their commercial judgment in placing their business. As my hon. Friend said in his reply on 3rd May, following discussions with the industry about the trading practices of certain Scandinavian countries, we have decided to raise the matter with these countries again.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will make a statement on his Department's investigations into matters connected with the Pinnock Organisatoon;(2) when his Department were first requested to investigate the affairs of the Pinnock organisation; what action was taken and with what results; when, and on how many occasions action was requested, and on what dates; and whether he will make a statement on why the law, as laid down by statute on his Department was not acted upon.

No formal application for an investigation can be traced in my Department. We became aware of a complaint by a depositor in April, 1967. As a result of inquiries by my Department and the dismissal by the court on 31st July, 1967, of a petition for the winding-up of Pinnock Finance (Great Britain) Ltd. my Department on 1st August, 1967, appointed inspectors to investigate the company's affairs. In September, 1967, the inspectors were similarly appointed with regard to associated companies. I do not accept the imputation in the last part of the second Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will have an investigation made to ascertain to what extent the loss of £9 million to the general investing public by the Pinnock affair was due to a failure upon the part of his Department to act expeditiously in accordance with the obligations laid upon them by statute, when requested to do so by shareholders and others connected with the Pinnock organisation.

No. I do not accept that there has been any such failure on the part of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as full and detailed a statement as may be readily available giving for as far back as possible the number of occasions upon which his Department have been asked to take action or investigate companies and their affairs; the dates when such applications were made and on how many different occasions were renewal applications made, and what action was taken by his Department in each instance and with what results.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given to him on 3rd May about requests for investigations. It is not possible without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort to give the information for which the hon. Member asks.—[Vol. 816, c. 262–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, following the Government's decision to site the third London airport at Foulness, he will study the possibility of routeing all night flights through Foulness, and away from the residential population near London Airport, Heathrow.

Such a study would be premature at present but I am confident that, as and when appropriate, all possible consideration will be given to ways in which the population near Heathrow may obtain relief through the use made of Foulness.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, pending the construction of the third London Airport at Foulness, he will provide that there should be no increase in the number of night jet flights permitted at London Airport, Heathrow.

Later this year after the usual consultations with all concerned, I shall announce whether I am maintaining or altering the present summer limit of 3,500 night jet movements which has applied since 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the estimated total amount of grants and loans to each shipbuilding firm in Scotland for the financial year 1971–72.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer on 3rd May, 1971, to the hon. Member for Leeds, South (Mr. Merlyn Rees).—[Vol. 816, c. 260–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has now approved the International Air Transport Authority fares increases recently agreed at Honolulu and Geneva; and whether he will make a statement.

I have approved all the international fares on which agreement was reached, including reductions as well as increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will increase the annual grant to the English Tourist Board for the improvement of tourist facilities; and whether he will make a statement.

The hon. Member will see from the published Civil Estimates that the grant-in-aid proposed for the English Tourist Board for 1971–72 represents a substantial increase over that for the previous year. It includes £500,000 for the new measures of assistance to tourist projects in Development Areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those Commonwealth developing countries at present offering reverse preferences to United Kingdom exports, who may thereby be prevented from benefiting from the United States offer under the United

					1970		1970
					United Kingdom		United States
Commonwealth developing countries giving preferences to certain U.K. exports					Imports	Exports	Imports	Exports
					£	£	U.S. $	U.S. $
					million	million	million	million
India	…	…	…	…	106·0	72·9	298·1	571·6
Pakistan	…	…	…	…	35·3	49·2	80·2	325·3
Ceylon	…	…	…	…	36·6	18·5	26·4	12·3
Malaysia	…	…	…	…	46·6	60·4	270·2	66·2
Singapore	…	…	…	…	33·5	62·5	81·1	238·7
Brunei	…	…	…	…	0·0	2·9	N/A	N/A
Fiji	…	…	…	…	10·2	6·1	N/A	N/A
Western Samoa	…	…	…	…	0·1	0·3	N/A	N/A
Malawi	…	…	…	…	12·1	8·0	1·9	5·0
The Gambia	…	…	…	…	4·1	2·1	0·2	0·4
Swaziland	…	…	…	…	9·4	0·4	0·4	5·3
Lesotho	…	…	…	…	0·0	0·1
Botswana	…	…	…	…	3·2	0·4
Mauritius	…	…	…	…	22·5	5·9	2·2	4·9
Jamaica	…	…	…	…	27·5	38·2	185·7	217·4
Barbados	…	…	…	…	6·8	12·0	8·8	21·2
Trinidad and Tobago	…	…	…	…	19·3	28·1	235·6	84·0
Guyana	…	…	…	…	12·6	14·9	43·2	24·6
Cyprus	…	…	…	…	20·4	26·1	1·2	8·4
Malta	…	…	…	…	5·8	25·7	1·3	5·6
N/A = Not available.
In addition, United Kingdom goods enjoy preferences in a number of dependent territories and associated states for whose external relations we are responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what negotiations are taking place between the United Kingdom and developing Commonwealth countries which at present offer reverse preference to permit them to benefit from the United States of America offer of Generalised Trade Preferences under the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development scheme.

There have been discussions with most of the Commonwealth countries concerned about the implications for them of the United States offer of preferences, the terms of which have still to be announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing, for the most recent convenient year, for each of the Commonwealth developing countries offering reverse pre-

The information is as follows:ferences to the United Kingdom, the value of United Kingdom exports benefiting from such preferences.

The information is not available in this form but I estimate that in 1970 something over £200 million of United Kingdom exports to Commonwealth developing countries benefited from some margin of preference. I shall send the hon. Member what additional information I have.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in order to facilitate public discussion of the Green Paper, Value-Added Tax, Command Paper No. 4621, he will express in cash terms an estimate of the difference in yield per annum to the Exchequer by the application of a zero rate and exemption in regard to food, respectively, assuming a value-added tax of 10 per cent. and 15 per cent.

As the hypothetical assumptions underlying such an estimate are likely to be complex, such an estimate is not likely to facilitate discussion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in the case of a single-parent family where the mother is working part-time and a son aged 16 years is earning, if he proposes to disaggregate those earnings, respectively, for income tax purposes, for family income supplement eligibility, where the mother is in receipt of supplementary benefits, where the son is receiving supplementary benefits, and in the case of model rent rebate schemes;(2) in the case of a single-parent family where, respectively, either the parent or the child has unearned income, if he proposes to disaggregate such income, respectively, for income tax purposes, family income supplement eligibility, where the mother is in receipt of supplementary benefit, where the child is receiving supplementary benefit, and in the case of model rent rebate schemes.

The aggregation provisions which my right hon. Friend has proposed should be repealed do not apply to earned income. The other matters are for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Social Services and, in the case of rent rebate schemes, for the Environment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a husband with a permanently disabled wife who saves the taxpayer money by declining to have his wife attended to by a registered nurse, or home help at a cost of more than £1,000 per annum, by arranging for a married daughter to undertake these duties, is unable to claim tax relief for such expenditure; and whether he will examine this question, in the light of the details submitted to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

The law provides for a tax allowance of £40 in such circumstances provided the daughter is resident with and maintained by the claimant. I shall be writing to the hon. Member shortly about the particular case he has just raised with me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to arrange for artisans who are called for jury service to be granted an income tax allowance for a suit in place of their working suits, similar to the tax reliefs allowed to barristers and Queen's Counsel for their wigs and gowns.