asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many skilled and non-skilled men are registered as unemployed in Hartlepool; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the occupational classifications in both groups with the number of persons involved.

At 8th March, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,241 men registered as wholly unemployed at the Hartlepool exchanges. Of these, 293 were registered for occupations generally regarded as skilled in the engineering, construction, vehicle building, woodworking and printing industries, and 1,587 for labouring occupations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men over 40 years of age are registered unemployed in Hartlepool; and what percentage this section of the unemployed represents of the total out of work and the working population, respectively.

At 11th January, the latest date for which detailed analysis is available, 921 men aged 40 years and over were registered as wholly unemployed at the Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland Employment Exchanges. They formed 33·9 per cent. of all those wholly unemployed and 2·3 per cent. of all employees in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage rate of unemployment among men in Hartlepool; how this compares with the year 1962–63; and if he will make a statement.

In the area covered by the Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland Employment Exchanges, the percentage rates of unemployment for males at May, 1962, May, 1963, and May, 1971, were 7·4, 12·5 and 10·3, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies for men are notified in the Hartlepool exployment exchanges at the latest available date.

My Department's vacancy statistics relate to notified vacancies remaining unfilled on selected days and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.At 5th May, 75 notified vacancies for males remained unfilled in the area covered by the Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland Employment Exchanges.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the highest percentage of unemployment of the working population in Hartlepool for each of the years following 1961, including the latest available figure; and if he will make a statement.

Following is the information:

HIGHEST MONTHLY RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN EACH YEAR FROM 1962 TO 1970 IN THE HARTLEPOOLS TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA
Year		Month		Per cent.
1962	…	December	…	10·6
1963	…	January	…	12·1
1964	…	January	…	6·9
1965	…	February	…	4·8
1966	…	November	…	5·1
1967	…	December	…	6·0
1968	…	August	…	6·8
1969	…	March	…	7·0
1970	…	April	…	6·2
1971	…	May	…	7·8 (provisional)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons below 25 years of age are unemployed in Hartlepool.

At 11th January, 1971, the latest date for which a detailed age analysis is available, 967 persons under 25 years of age were registered as wholly unemployed in the area covered by the Hartlepool and Hartlepool Headland employment exchanges.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for totally stopped male unemployment up to the last convenient date in the Wolverhampton Employment Exchange area; and what proposals he has for reducing this figure.

At 10th May, 1971, the provisional number of males registered as wholly unemployed in the area covered by the Wolverhampton Employment Exchange was 3,359. My Department's officers will continue to do all they can to assist those unemployed to find suitable jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will restrict his choice of candidates for the post of Chairman of the Commission on Industrial Relations to those who have not taken part in the public discussions on the Industrial Relations Bill.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received the report of the Government social survey on the survey into the working of the Redundancy Payments Act, 1965, which was completed last year; and when he intends to publish it.

Yes. Arrangements are being made for the report to be published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when, in view of representations made to him by the Women's Liberation Movement for full equality of the sexes, he will seek to abolish the legislation which requires special approval to be obtained before women can work at night or at weekends.

This legislation is is under review, but it is not possible to say when the review will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he now expects to publish the draft of the Code of Industrial Practice.

My right hon. Friend hopes to publish a draft of the code as a basis for consultation about the middle of next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate has been made of the amount of redundancy payments and unemployment benefit likely to be paid to workers made redundant in the steel industry in the Manchester and Irlam areas.

It is not possible to make an estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment, male, female and total, in percentage and figures, within the travel to work area of Chilton, County Durham.

At 10th May, 1971, the provisional percentage rates of unemployment for the Bishop Auckland travel-to-work area, which includes Chilton, were 9·7 for males, 1·7 for females and 6·4 for males and females collectively. There were 2,561 males and 272 females, a total of 2,833, registered as unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the number of redundancies notified to each office in the Kirkcaldy Employment Exchange area in each of the months January, February, March and April, 1971, and for the corresponding months in 1970.

Not all redundancies are notified to my Department and it not the practice to keep records of every minor redundancy. However, the records held show that redundancies involving the following numbers of workpeople were notified to offices in the Kirkcaldy travel-to-work area in 1971 during the months concerned.

		Glenrothes	Leven	Kirkcaldy	Burntisland
January	…	234	—	—	—
February	…	209	—	—	—
March	…	—	60	—	—
April	…	70	—	50	—
		513	60	50	—

The only redundancy recorded during the corresponding period in 1970 involved 47 workpeople in the Leven area. Redundancies do not necessarily take effect in the months in which they are notified.

asked the Secretary of of State for Employment if he will state the percentatge unemployment in the Kircaldy Exchange area for males, females and the total for each month from 1st January, 1970, to the latest available date.

Following is the information:

PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE KIRKCALDY, BURNTISLAND, GLENROTHES AND LEVEN AND METHIL TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA
	Males	Females	Total
1970
January	7·4	2·7	5·6
February	7·3	2·7	5·5
March	6·8	2·8	5·2
April	6·7	2·4	5·0
May	6·5	2·4	4·9
June	6·4	2·4	4·9
July	7·3	2·7	5·5
August	7·6	3·3	5·9
September	7·3	2·8	5·6
October	6·6	2·6	5·0
November	6·9	2·5	5·2
December	7·2	2·8	5·5

1971
January	8·0	3·0	6·0
February	8·3	3·2	6·3
March	8·4	3·5	6·5
April	8·9	4·0	7·0
May (provisional)	8·6	3·5	6·6

Rates can be calculated for the whole of a travel-to-work area but not separately for its constituent parts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish statistics on the number of workers in Scotland who are now employed by multinational companies.

I regret that such statistics are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of unemployed under 18 years of age, registered at the employment exchanges in Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello, to the latest available date.

At 10th May, 4·2 per cent. of those registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello employment exchanges were under 18 years of age. The figure is provisional. Unemployment rates are available only for all ages combined.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of redundancies notified to the Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello employment exchanges, respectively in each of the months January, February, March and April, 1971, and for the corresponding months in 1970.

Not all redundancies are notified to my Department and it is not the practice to keep records of every minor redundancy. However, the records held show that redundancies involving the following numbers of workpeople were notified to the Edinburgh,

PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE EDINBURGH TRAVEL REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE EDIN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES-TO-WORK AREA AND NUMBERS BURGH, LEITH AND PORTOBELLO EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
					Percentage rates for Edinburgh travel-to-work area			Numbers unemployed at Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello
					Males	Females	Total
January, 1970	…	…	…	…	5·4	1·0	3·6	6,703
February, 1970	…	…	…	…	5·3	1·0	3·5	6,413
March, 1970	…	…	…	…	5·2	1·0	3·5	6,446
April, 1970	…	…	…	…	5·3	1·1	3·5	6,624
January, 1971	…	…	…	…	6·5	1·3	4·3	8,245
February, 1971	…	…	…	…	6·5	1·4	4·4	8,398
March, 1971	…	…	…	…	6·6	1·5	4·4	8,346
April, 1971	…	…	…	…	7·0	1·4	4·6	8,962

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males were unemployed in the Edinburgh travel-to-

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage unemployment in the Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello employment exchanges, respectively, for males and females; and what were the total numbers for January, February, March and April, 1971, and for the corresponding months in 1970.

Rates of unemployment can be calculated for the whole of the Edinburgh, Leith, Portobello, Dalkeith, Loanhead, Musselburgh and Tranent travel-to-work area, but not separately for its constituent parts. Following is the information available:work area at the last count and what was the percentage rate of male unemployment.

At 10th May, 1971, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the Edinburgh travel-to-work area was 9,659 and the rate of unemployment for males was 6·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is yet able to make a statement about the future of the Manpower and Productivity Service.

After reviewing the objectives of the Manpower and Productivity Service I have decided that it should concentrate in future on work related to the manpower and industrial relations functions of my Department. In addition to conciliation in industrial disputes the Service will continue to provide advice to industry on such matters as the efficient use of manpower, labour productivity, labour turnover and absenteeism, payment systems and personnel practices. It will no longer concern itself with questions of general efficiency outside those fields except to the extent necessary to carry out its main tasks.The work done by the Service during the past two and a half years has been widely appreciated and I am sure it will continue to play an important part in improving industrial relations and in promoting the more efficient use of manpower.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the unemployment figures for men engaged in managerial and executive positions on 5th April, or the nearest convenient date, compared with those for the same date in 1970.

Information in this precise form is not available but the numbers of wholly unemployed men in Great Britain registered for employment in administrative, professional and technical occupations at March, 1971, and March, 1970, were 34,257 and 28,279, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now make a statement on the progress of his review of industrial training boards.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my speech in the debate of 13th May, and my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochester and Chatham (Mrs. Fenner) on 24th May.—[Vol. 817, c. 706 and 709–10; Vol. 818, c. 33.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms in the Barnsley area, the South Yorkshire intermediate area, and nationally have taken advantage of the Industrial Training Act to employ the over forties; and how many people have so far been employed.

The same grants are available from Industrial Training Boards for adults over 40 as for those under 40 and the available statistics do not make distinctions on ground of age.From 1st January last my Department has operated in the development and intermediate areas only a scheme of grants towards the cost of training unemployed workers age 45 and over for new jobs. The information in respect of this scheme is as follows:

Area	Number of applications received
Barnsley	3
Intermediate Areas in Yorkshire	21
All assisted areas	402

Each application relates to an individual worker. Statistics on the number of firms involved are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated value of industrial wage settlements made by employers conditional upon there being a period of no strikes; and whether he will list the agreements of this kind made since 18th June, 1970.

I am aware of no such settlements although undertakings in various forms covering the period of a settlement are often incorporated in agreements. Their value depends on the willingness and ability of the unions concerned to see that they are honoured.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the decline in employment in the paper and board industry in England and Wales, and Scotland, respectively, in the last 12 months; and how many jobs lost were male and how many female.

Provisional estimates indicate that the numbers employed in the paper and board industry in Great Britain declined from 92,300 in March, 1970, to 88,700 in March, 1971. Below is a table showing the corresponding changes in male and female employment. Separate estimates for Scotland and for England and Wales are available for June of each year only.GREAT BRITAINEmployees in employment in the paper and board industry (Minimum list heading 481 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1968).

	Males	Females	Total
March, 1970	73,600	18,700	92,300
March, 1971 (provisional)	71,000	17,700	88,700

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he

		General Index of Retail Prices		Depreciation, year to year, in purchasing value of the pound (100p), based on the General Index of Retail Prices		Average earnings per week
		Index (16.1.62) = 100	Percentage increase over corresponding month in previous year			Men manual workers age 21 years and over	Percentage increase over previous year	Male—administrative, technical and clerical workers	Percentage increase over previous year
				Percentage	pence	£		£
13.10.64	…	107·9	—	—	—	18·11	—	23·53	—
12.10.65	…	113·1	4·8	4·6	4·6	19·59	8·2	25·53	8·5
18.10.66	…	117·4	3·8	3·7	3·7	20·30	3·6	26·69	4·5
17.10.67	…	119·7	2·0	2·0	2·0	21·38	5·3	27·90	4·5
15.10.68	…	126·4	5·6	5·3	5·3	23·00	7·6	29·77	6·7
21.10.69	…	133·2	5·4	5·1	5·1	24·83	8·0	32·07	7·7
20.10.70	…	143·0	7·4	6·9	6·9	28·05	13·0	36·12	12·6
20.4.71	…	152·2	9·4	8·6	8·6	—	—	—	—
The "basket" of goods and services priced in the General Index of Retail Prices is changed in January of each year and it is therefore not possible to express the percentage of change in cash terms.
Similar information to that given is not available for those executives on £3,250 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will extend to Hornchurch the self-service job-finding techniques opened in Tottenham on 12th May.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister intends to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT either on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis, the rise in the cost of living, the depreciation in the internal purchasing value of the £ sterling, the rise or fall in the average national wage, on a cash and percentage basis, and similar details for those executives on £3,250 per annum, since October, 1964, to the latest available date.

The following table gives the relevant figures that are available.

The present Hornchurch Employment Exchange premises are not suitable for self-service. The exchange is, however, within the area covered by the Greater London job bank and already receives computer printed list of jobs available in adjacent areas and in central London.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will set up a special inquiry to deal with the needs of handicapped and backward children; and if she will make a statement.

No. As the answer given to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. John E. B. Hill) on 25th May indicates, my right hon. Friend already has access to strongly based and independent advice on this subject.—[Vol. 818, c. 90.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what special consideration is being given to clinical students of medicine as distinct from other medical students, in the current review of students' grants; and what representations have been made to her about their special problems.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 21st May in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas). The higher rate of grant for extra study which will be paid to students at institutions in London will be of special benefit to clinical students. Representations for their exemption from parental contributions and for other special provisions could not be met within the funds available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action has been taken pursuant to the Report on Education of the Northern Economic Planning Council.

My right hon. Friend wrote to the Chairman of the Planning Council in April giving detailed comments on the report's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, (1) if she will require local authorities to supply information on the provision made by them of special education facilities for children who suffer from autism in accordance with Section 26(1) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970;(2) what information she has received from local education authorities about the number of autistic children in their areas;(3) when she will issue her proposed circular of guidance to local education authorities about educational provision for autistic children; and if she will make a statement.

No comprehensive information has been provided hitherto. The circular which I shall be issuing in the middle of next month will call for, among other things, the information mentioned by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new school places she estimates will be provided for the future intake of immigrant children allowed into Birmingham as dependants during 1971.

Additional classrooms at three primary schools in Handsworth were taken into use in January. By September, 1972, six new primary schools as well as extensions to some existing schools are expected to be ready for occupation in areas of the city with large numbers of children of overseas parentage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she expects to announce her decision as to the proposed merger of the Bec and Hillcroft Schools, in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

As soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is her policy that a teaching qualification obtained on a part-time basis should be treated as equivalent to a similar qualification obtained on a full-time basis; and what relevance the distinction between full-time and part-time has in determining a teacher's salary scale or in according qualified status.

In respect of qualifications obtained in this country no distinction is made for either qualified teacher status or salary scale purposes.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why the Royal Navy is deliberately spilling oil off the southwest coast; and what benefits are expected to accrue from this activity.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) on 20th May.—[Vol. 817, c. 342.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if the Royal Navy carries out tests on the behaviour of oil spills resulting from collisions in the English Channel.

No. When such incidents occur there is no time to conduct scientific testing.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North under date of 19th May regarding one of his constituents who is Irish being posted to Northern Ireland; and whether he will arrange for this man to be posted to some area other than Northern Ireland.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further proposals he now has as a result of the work being undertaken by the Road Research Laboratory to improve the safety of road vehicles in conditions of poor visibility, in particular concerning the use of additional lights.

None at present. But as such new lighting systems are perfected, my right hon. Friend will consider what proposals he might make.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many road accidents involving injury or death to the drivers of vehicles concerned took place in 1969 and 1970; and which age group was most involved.

The numbers of drivers injured or killed were as follows:

	1969	1970
2-wheeled motor vehicles	43,719	42,238
Other motor vehicles	91,470	98,018

Amongst drivers of 2-wheeled motor vehicles the highest casualty rate per head of population was in the 16–19 age group, which had 23,540 driver casualties in 1969; amongst drivers of other motor vehicles the highest rate was in the 20–24 age group, with 20,372 driver casualties in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were fatally injured while on pedestrian crossings in England during the last 12 months.

189 in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were fatally injured while on pedestrian crossings in Greater London, Inner London and the London Borough of Hackney, respectively, during the last 12 months.

During 1970, 70, 33 and 4 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many children up to the age of seven years and from seven to 14 years, respectively, were fatally injured while on pedestrian crossings in Greater London, Inner London and the London Borough of Hackney, respectively, in the last 12 months.

During 1970 three children were killed on pedestrian crossings in Greater London. Two of these fatalities took place in Inner London.One of the fatalities was in the London Borough of Hackney and involved a child under seven years of age; the other two fatalities involved children between seven and 14 years of age.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many children up to the age of seven years, and from seven to 14 years, respectively, were fatally injured while on pedestrian crossing in England during the last 12 months.

Five and seven respectively in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take with regard to the use of industrial glue in house building by local authorities and private building consequent upon the observations made by Mr. Douglas Chambers, the Coroner for St. Pancras, during an inquest held at St. Pancras on 13th May, 1971, particulars of which have been sent to him.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment that draft regulations covering the use of highly flammable liquids in places subject to the Factories Act, 1961—which include building sites—have recently been the subject of a public inquiry, of which the report is awaited. I understand that the industrial glue used in this case would probably come under such regulations. The material is not a hazard after it has been applied on a building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress there has been to date in implementing Section 3 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities have been submitting proposals for the provision of purpose-built dwellings for the disabled since Section 3(1) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, came into force. They had, of course, been making such provision before the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the request to him for assistance in the housing project for severely disabled people in the Manchester area put forward by the Multiple Sclerosis Society; if he is now able to make a response to the society's proposal; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering this scheme in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent his Department has evidence indicating that existing tendering procedures on a fixed price basis have an effect on the prices of tenders for building contracts.

It is not possible to identify all the underlying factors which determine a particular set of tender prices. Nevertheless, the firm price tendering policy is disinflationary as it requires tenderers to exercise their commercial judgment under competitive conditions about future changes in construction costs. This gives contractors an incentive to complete their contracts on the most economic terms and in as short a time as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider a modification in the present agreed tendering procedure for public authority contracts so as to allow fluctuations on labour where the contract period is of more than 18-months duration.

Before the Government's policy on firm price tendering was reaffirmed on 17th March, 1971, various methods of relaxing the existing policy, including that suggested by my hon. Friend, were considered. Many were, however, rejected on the ground that they would produce inflationary effects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to enter into negotiations with the Federation of Building Trade Employers with a view to changing the existing practice on tendering for public service contracts.

I have sent my hon. Friend a copy of my statement of 17th March, 1971, to the National Consultative Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industries. In this I explained why the Government decided to retain the firm price tendering policy but offered to review the situation if circumstances showed this to be necessary. I have nothing to add to this statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average rental per square foot paid for depôts occupied by Government Departments.

41p in London and 25p elsewhere for storage, workshops, factories and garages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider extending the inducements to incoming industry to Government-owned factories in a special development area to factories owned by local authorities.

The inducements are the same except that applications may be made for a rent-free period of up to five years in the case of a government-owned factory. Local authorities make their own leasing arrangements subject to my right hon. Friend's consent—or that of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales in the case of a Scottish or Welsh local authority—where the rent proposed is less than the best price. If a particular local authority wishes to let a factory in a special development area on favourable terms, I, or my right hon. Friends as appropriate would be glad to consider the proposal on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Her Majesty's Government have made any approach to other Governments, either unilaterally or in concert with the French Government, with a view to sharing work on the Concorde project.

The present Government have made no such approach. At this stage in the programme there would be considerable practical difficulties in arranging for a share of the work to be done in a third country.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to attract new industries and employment to the Exeter and Devon areas.

Substantial assistance is available for industrial development and for selected tourist projects in the assisted areas. Financial support is also being provided for the promotion of tourism throughout the country; and all areas in Devon, including Exeter, should benefit from the Government's measures to expand the national economy and cut taxation. Devon will benefit considerably from national expenditure on roads during the coming five years. The reduction in S.E.T. should prove of significant benefit to the service industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of his Department's advance factories in Scotland were allocated to tenants in 1969, from 1st January to 17th June, 1970, and from 18th June, 1970, to date.

Allocations to tenants in the three periods concerned were six, one and five. In addition, one advance factory was sold in each period.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to encourage the introduction of new industries into the Leicester area.

Unemployment in the area remains considerably below the national average, and the locality will benefit from the stimulation of business confidence which present policies aim to bring about. I do not consider that special measures of assistance are justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will announce the findings of the preliminary inquiry into the stranding of the Hull trawler "Caesar" off Iceland; and whether it is his intention to hold a public inquiry.

I am at present considering the report of the preliminary inquiry into this casualty and will decide in the light of it whether to order a formal investigation under Section 466 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. It is not the practice to disclose the findings of preliminary inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average loading of passenger aircraft leaving Heathrow in 1970 and 1971 to the latest convenient date.

70·6 passengers and 0·9 tonnes of freight and mail in 1970; 63·6 passengers and 0·9 tonnes in the first three months of 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to nationalise the British aircraft industry under workers' control.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the financial restructuring of Short Brothers and Harland.

No. I have nothing to add to the statement on the financial reconstruction of Short Brothers and Harland Limited which I made on 26th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will approve applications by British European Airways to make firm orders for the L-1011, in view of the number of workers whose future employment may depend on its doing so.

B.E.A. has made no proposals to me. It is still studying which of the available aircraft would suit its network best.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a report on his discussions with the Association of British Travel Agents arising from the decisions of Friendship Tours to cease trading on Wednesday, 19th May.

There have been no discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to enable prosecutions to be brought against firms under the Trade Descriptions Act which change their trading name but retain the same or similar directorship.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to protect the interests of the travel trade and the holiday public in view of recent failures of travel firms.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been authorised in the Barnsley area and the South Yorkshire intermediate area during 1971.

In the period 1st January, 1971 to 30th April, 1971, four industrial development certificates were issued for the Barnsley employment exchange area and 29 for the South Yorkshire intermediate area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs are in prospect from the industrial development certificates granted during 1970–71 in the Barnsley area and the South Yorkshire intermediate area.

Five hundred jobs are expected to arise in the Barnsley employment exchange area from projects for which industrial development certificates were issued from 1st January, 1970, to 30th April, 1971, when these projects are complete and fully manned. The corresponding figure for the South Yorkshire intermediate area is 6,820. These are based on estimates made by the applicants for the certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to his Department, and by whom, to grant the South Yorkshire coalfield full development status; and whether, in view of the level of unemployment in this region, especially among coalminers, he is prepared to consider these requests.

I can trace none, apart from representations made by hon. Members in the House. Intermediate area benefits have been available in the Yorkshire coalfield for little more than a year, and they should be given time to have their full effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will introduce legislation to amend Section 11 of the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, in such a way as to place on a shop the burden of proving that goods on sale at a reduced price were in fact on sale at a higher price for a continuous period of at least 28 days in the preceding six months.

No. I am not satisfied that such a reversal of the burden of proof is necessary for adequate enforcement of Section 11, nor would it in this context be right in principle.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to him by the Northern Economic Planning Council and the North Eastern Development Council on industrial development, investment, financial aid to new industries, and unemployment, in the Northern Region; and what replies he has sent.

I keep closely in touch with both bodies on these matters, and I have assured them that the Government take their views fully into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for a new advance factory programme for the Northern Region; and if he will make a statement.

At the end of April there were 13 advance factories complete but unallocated, 11 under construction and eight authorised but not yet building in the Northern Region. I keep the position under review but have no new proposals to announce today.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now carry out a review of the effects of his Department's regional policies; and if he will make a statement.

No. A comprehensive review of regional policy has only recently been completed, and it is far too early to assess the effects of recent changes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when the one inquiry about the advance factory at Mosshill Industrial Estate was first made; and when it became abortive;(2) whether the firm which made the abortive inquiry about the Mosshill Industrial Estate advance factory has now been established, with his help, elsewhere in Scotland; and if it has been established in a special development area.

The inquiry was originally made in October, 1970, by a firm already established in the Scottish development area. The Department was informed recently that the company had decided not to move.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet considered Report No. 165 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes relating to prices, profits and costs in food distribution; and if he will make a statement concerning his policy thereon.

My right hon. Friend has studied this report. The board's main conclusion is that the pressure of competition in the grocery trade has been effective in promoting efficiency in the Whole process of distribution and in raising the standards of food retailing, and that such pressure also acts to keep profits at a level which is not excessive. He was glad to have this affirmation of the Government's view that effective competition is the best safeguard of consumer interests.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the agreed number of store cattle which the Republic of Ireland is required to place on the British market each year under the Anglo/Eire Free Trade Agreement; and what has been the total number of store cattle provided in each of the years since the agreement was signed.

Under the Agreement on Store Animals and Carcase Meat which was made under the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement and came into force on 1st July, 1966, the Government of the Republic of Ireland gave an undertaking to use their best endeavours consistent with the circumstances of the trade to ensure that the number of store cattle exported from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom in any calendar year should not fall below 638,000 head.The following are the numbers imported in each calendar year since the Agreement was signed in December, 1965:

1966	1967	1968	1969	1970
395,857	623,777	589,244	537,361	506,809

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement as to the permitted use of the substance cysteine in making bread.

L-cysteine is an amino-acid which occurs naturally in the protein of a wide range of food, including wheat and other cereals. Its use as an additive in making bread is not at present allowed, but its employment in this way is being considered by the Food Standards Committee and the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee as part of their review of the Bread and Flour Regulations, 1963.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will carry out a review of the effects of his Budget proposals on regional development; and if he will make a statement.

It is much too soon to review the effects of the Budget measures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money has been recovered by the Inland Revenue during each of the last 10 years as a result of the detection of attempts to evade surtax; what percentage these figures represent of the total annual revenue from surtax; how many persons were involved; and what penalties were exacted.

The following figures, which form part of the totals for under-assessment of profits in Table 25 of the 113th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, relate to cases where surtax alone was involved. Information as to the surtax element in the other cases in Table 25 is not available.

Year ended 31st March		Number of charges	Total amount of charges	Percentage of total surtax	Penalties (including interest)
1961	…	208	254,427	·134	55,145
1962	…	287	263,493	·118	49,443
1963	…	179	150,037	·082	37,090
1964	…	185	207,712	·116	52,113
1965	…	271	265,359	·144	61,162
1966	…	302	318,625	·156	65,439
1967	…	267	314,830	·129	69,298
1968	…	343	350,598	·147	68,744
1969	…	317	328,273	·146	65,840
1970	…	202	238,093	·093	57,111

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the purchasing worth of Members of Parliament's salary of £3,250 per annum as at 1st May, 1971, compared with October, 1964, taking the latter figure as the £ being worth in spending value 100p.

Taking the purchasing power of a Member of Parliament's salary at £3,250 in October, 1964, its purchasing power in April, 1971, the latest date for which information is available, is estimated at £2,340.This comparison is based on the movement in the Consumer Price Index from 1964 to 1970 adjusted by the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices for the months at the beginning and end of the period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an up-to-date table for 1968–69 to show the amounts of Members' expenses allowed for income tax purposes against their remuneration as Members of Parliament together with such comparable figures for 1969–70 as can at present be obtained.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a revised table for 1969–70, showing information now available, of the amounts of Members' expenses allowed for income tax purposes against their remuneration as Members of Parliament, together with such comparable figures for 1970–71 as can at present be obtained.

The table below brings up to date the 1968–79 and 1969–70 figures published on 27th October, 1970 [Vol. 805, c. 30–31.].

NUMBER OF MEMBERS
			1969–70
Expenses allowed		1968–69	Before deducting secretarial allowances	After deducting secretarial allowances
0–99	…	—	1	2
100–199	…	—	—	—
200–299	…	2	—	1
300–399	…	3	2	4
400–499	…	5	1	5
500–599	…	8	6	7
600–699	…	8	7	7
700–799	…	1	6	6
800–899	…	14	3	14
900–999	…	16	4	15
1,000–1,099	…	16	12	15
1,100–1,199	…	25	14	14
1.200–1,299	…	28	14	14
1,300–1,399	…	37	18	19
1,400–1,499	…	32	18	25
1,500–1,599	…	31	15	12
1,600–1,699	…	24	24	17
1,700–1,799	…	25	13	14
1,800–1,899	…	22	9	11
1,900–1,999	…	24	17	7
2,000–2,099	…	21	12	6
2,100–2,199	…	10	9	6
2,200–2,299	…	10	8	6
2,300–2,399	…	18	7	8
2,400–2.499	…	13	5	10
2,500–2,599	…	10	10	5
2,600–2,699	…	8	5	5
2,700–2,799	…	9	9	2
2,800–2,899	…	8	5	2
2,900–2,999	…	6	4	4
3,000–3,099	…	14	—	1
3,100–3,199	…	4	5	5
3,200–3,299	…	1	1	1
3,300–3,399	…	—	3	1
3,400–3,499	…	—	3	—
3,500–3,599	…	—	1	—
Totals	…	463	271	271

The table includes only those cases where final figures are available. Ministers have not been included. No information can yet be given about 1970–71.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will institute criminal proceedings in respect of the selling by the Pye Company of a gramophone recording, of the song, "Have a whiff on Me"; and whether he will make a statement about the advertisement and encouragement of drug-taking contrary to law.

I have asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider whether there is any evidence of a criminal offence in relation to the record.

asked the Attorney-General how many prosecutions under the Post Office Act, 1953, concerning the delivery of obscene or indecent material by post have been instituted in the last five years in Northumberland and in the Northern Region, respectively; and how many convictions have been obtained.

There has been one such prosecution in Northumberland which was successful. In the northern counties of Durham, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Westmorland and Cumberland there have been 38 prosecutions, of which 25 were successful.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, giving prima facie evidence of a convicted criminal carrying on fraud and extortion, and other irregularities and illegal practices; and what action he proposes to take in connection with the same.

I have received from the hon. Member a newspaper cutting from the Sunday Mirror newspaper dated 23rd May, 1971; I have asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider the matters referred to therein.