asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, in view of the concern in areas served by the Caernarvonshire and Anglesey Hospital Management Committee at the continuing delay in planning the provision of a district general hospital at Bangor, he will make a statement on the progress being made in this matter.

The purchase of the land allocated by the local planning authority as the site for the proposed hospital is being negotiated by the district valuer. The planning work is proceeding independently and is, I understand, making steady progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if his officials have completed their discussions of regional policy with representatives of the European Economic Community.

My office continues to maintain a close watch on developments in the regional policies of the

Organisation			Post			Geographical County of Residence
Wales Tourist Board	…	…	Secretary	…	…	Glamorgan
Forestry Commission National Committee for Wales	…	…	Secretary	…	…	Glamorgan
Welsh Hospital Board	…	…	Secretary	…	…	Glamorgan
Welsh Arts Council	…	…	Director	…	…	Glamorgan
Ancient Monuments Board for Wales	…	…	Secretary	…	…	Glamorgan
Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments (Wales and Monmouthshire)	…	…	Secretary	…	…	Cardiganshire
Welsh Committee of the Countryside Commission	…	…	Secretary	…	…	Glamorgan

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the percentage change in manufacturing investment in Wales between June, 1970, and June, 1971.

Information in respect of the dates referred to is not available. Estimates of manufacturing investment normally relate to calendar years. The estimate for 1971 will not

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of the authorities in Wales which have erected signs giving distances in kilometres.

I am not aware that any road traffic signs have been erected in Wales giving distances in kilometres. I understand that some metric signs, mainly indicating footpaths which do not fall into the category of road traffic signs, have been erected by the Monmouthshire County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the counties of residence of the secretaries of the Welsh Tourist Board, the Forestry Commission for Wales, the Welsh Hospital Board, the Welsh Arts Council, the Ancient Monuments Commission for Wales, and the Welsh Committee of Countryside Commission, respectively.

The information is as follows :be available until well after the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of children in Wales has, by the age of 15 years, received the inoculations and vaccinations made available by the National Health Service since birth against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, whooping-cough, measles and smallpox ; and what percentage have been vaccinated against tuberculosis and, where appropriate, rubella.

I regret that the information is not available in the form

Percentage of children born in 1968 and vaccinated by 31st December, 1970
Whooping Cough	Diphtheria	Poliomyelitis	Tetanus	Measles	Smallpox children under 2 vaccinated in 1970
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
73	74	71	74	21	21

The vaccination scheme against rubella did not commence until the autumn 1970 and by the end of that year, 5,733 girls in Wales, aged 13, had been vaccinated. Figures for tuberculosis include students as well as children. During 1970 23,243 such persons were vaccinated.

asked the Attorney-General how many letters he received in June from women who had failed to receive alimony awarded to them by court order.

My noble and learned Friend received no such letters during June. This does not take account of complaints relating to orders made by magistrates' courts, which are dealt with by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a view to proceedings for seeking to procure prosecutions for pecuniary gain, security companies employed by supermarkets whose remuneration is related to the number of successful prosecutions they secure, details of which have been sent to him.

I have asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to make inquiries about the particular case which the hon. Member has referred to me. If the hon. Member has any details showing that criminal offences may have been committed by any of these companies, I would be grateful if he would

asked the Attorney-General with the advice of which members of the judiciary and the legal profession he was fortified in his examinations of the terms and conditions for possible entry into the Eropean Economic Community, including the transference of the rights of determination of the validity and interpretation of the Treaty of Rome on instruments and acts made under it from the House of Lords to the European Court of Justice.

Those who gave their advice in 1962 and later did so on a confidential basis and I am not prepared to disclose their names.

asked the Attorney-General when he will introduce legislation proposed by the Law Commissioners on civil liability of vendors and lessors for defective premises.

The Law Commission's Report (No. 40) contained four recommendations, of which two have proved controversial. My noble Friend, the Lord Chancellor, does not propose to reach a decision about any legislative proposals he may lay before Parliament until those who may wish to comment on these recommendations have had sufficient opportunity to do so.

asked the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been made arising from the Auctions (Bidding Agreements) Act, 1927 during the last five years.

None.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a view to a prosecution under the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act, a communication, a copy of which has been sent to him, posted in Chepstow to a constituent of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Small Heath, advertising the supply of obscene publications from an address in Denmark.

The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act does not come into effect until 12th August, 1971. However, inquiries have already been made about the posting of copies of circulars of this nature in this country, as the distribution might contravene other provisions of the criminal law. These inquiries will continue.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT his letter to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, dated 8th July, 1971, relating to defendants' costs in the recent Sunday Telegraph secrets case.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now make further proposals for additional incentives to assist the development areas.

These matters are constantly under review. We have already introduced a substantial and effective package of incentives for industrial development. Moreover the Government have just announced a major programme of increased public works which will improve the basic attractions of the assisted areas and will help to provide additional employment, particularly in the construction industry.—[Vol. 821, c. 257,510–16; 160.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement about the amount of anthracite and other smokeless fuel imports into the United Kingdom.

240,000 tons of smokeless fuels were imported in the six months following the lifting of restrictions on imports in early December, 1970, compared with 40,000 tons in the 11 months to November, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware of the difficulty in obtaining adequate supplies of smokeless fuel in Yorkshire and Humberside ; and what he is doing to remedy this.

I am not aware of any general shortage in this area, but the local availability of supplies is a matter for producers and merchants. I am asking the Solid Smokeless Fuel Federation if it will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines, yardsticks, and references about price increases are given to Weights and Measures inspectors to assist them in Trade Descriptions Act prosecutions.

None. The Act does not deal with price increases ; it is concerned with misrepresentation of the price actually being charged, or of its reduction from a previous or recommended price.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates were issued in the Sunderland area in 1971 to the latest available date ; and how this compares with the corresponding figure for the previous year.

Two industrial development certificates for 171,000 sq. ft. were issued in the Sunderland group of employment exchange areas during the first six months of 1971. The comparable figure for 1970 was seven for 100,000 sq. ft.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason an industrial development certificate was not granted in 1970 to a motor vehicle components firm which would have given employment to approximately 650 workers in Corby. Northamptonshire.

Because the pro posed development was not consistent with the proper distribution of industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reason an industrial development certificate was not granted in 1970 to a refrigeration engineers firm from the Greater London Council area which would have given employment to approximately 300 workers in Corby, Northamptonshire.

The firm was told that the proposed development was not consistent with the proper distribution of industry and the application was withdrawn.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many official visits to east European countries will be made this year by Ministers from his Department ; and which countries will be visited.

Our provisional plans allow for five such visits.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if, in view of cancellations of tours and unsatisfactory tours since 28th June, he will arrange for an impartial body to be set up to investigate the claim for compensation arising from the cancellation of tours, air flights alterations and provision of alternative hotels to those offered in the travel trade brochures ;(2) if, in view of difficulties experienced since 28th June by holidaymakers on overseas tours, he will set up a departmental inquiry ; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that there have been complaints recently about difficulties experienced by holidaymakers on inclusive tours overseas but I do not consider that either an independent investigation or a departmental inquiry is necessary. The number of complaints is extremely small compared with the number of holiday visits abroad by United Kingdom residents.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set up an inquiry into the insurance industry.

We are carrying out our own review into the question of possible changes in insurance company legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been issued for the Yorkshire coalmining intermediate area during the past two years.

From 1st July, 1969, to 30th June, 1971, 239 industrial development certificates were issued in the Yorkshire Coalfield Intermediate Area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been applied for within the City of Hull since 1st July, 1970 ; how many were granted ; and what were the corresponding figures for the previous 12 months.

From 1st July, 1970, to 30th June, 1971, 22 industrial development certificates were granted in the Hull Employment Exchange Area. The comparable figure for the previous 12 months was 37. There were no refusals.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now seek powers to control the quality of motor cars produced in British car factories.

No. Quality control is the responsibility of the manufacturers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the percentage of total wool textile imports by the Common Market countries and Commonwealth, respectively, that are of British origin at the latest available date, and, in the case of the Commonwealth, by how much this figure differs from that for 1957.

5½ per cent. for the Common Market countries in 1969 ; and, for the five main countries accounting for much the greater part of all Commonwealth imports of these goods, about 30 per cent. in 1969 compared with 64 per cent. in 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) in what respects the European Economic Community's Common Trade Policy differs from the United Kingdom's restrictions on trade with Eastern Europe ;(2) if the agreements reached in the negotiations with the European Economic Community would require, in the event of the United Kingdom's accession to the Community, liberalisation of the United Kingdom's restrictions on trade with Eastern Europe and permit an expansion of that trade.

With permission, with Question No. 61 I will also answer Question No. 64, to which I have been asked to reply.The Community's commercial policy towards Eastern Europe, like our own, is based on a progressive liberalisation of trade. It has agreed lists of items on which member States must not maintain import restrictions against State trading countries. The adoption of these lists will only involve minor additions to our own liberalised list and we are negotiating transitional periods for a very few difficult items.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the numbers of new jobs that will become available in the United Kingdom coal mining industry in the event of the United Kingdom joining the European Coal and Steel Community.

This will depend on the general expansion we expect in economic activity as a result of membership of the enlarged Community and also on the success the National Coal Board achieve in expanding their exports to Community countries, for which there are great opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he can now state to what extent India's exports of mohair and jute to the United Kingdom will be affected in the event of United Kingdom membership of the European Economic Community.

The C.E.T. on raw mohair and raw jute is zero and I would not expect our small imports of these from India to be affected by entry into the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now take steps to confer wider powers on shareholders in public companies to procure effective supervision of the conduct of their companies' affairs.

I am considering what changes in company law would be desirable for this and other purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what proportion of British exports for the years 1968, 1969, 1970, and so far this year, were represented by British exports to the Commonwealth, as defined in 1967, together with exports to South Africa ;(2) what proportion of British exports for the years 1968, 1969, 1970, and so far this year, were represented by British exports to the Commonwealth, as defined in 1967.

To the Commonwealth and South Africa, 27, 26, 25 and (to end May, 1971) 26 per cent., respectively ; to the Commonwealth alone, 23, 22, 21 and 22 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of the national shortage of manpower employed in weights and measures departments of local authorities, if he is satisfied with the effectiveness of the Government's consumer protection policy ; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of certain shortages in some areas, but in general I consider that the enforcement work of which these local authority departments are responsible is satisfactorily discharged.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, since the gas boards are statutorily required to bear the full costs of converting appliances to natural gas, what method of appeal the consumer has if the gas board attempt to charge for work which is it claimed is for remedying existing defects revealed by pre-conversion surveys, where the consumer feels that these shall fall within the conversion costs.

Gas Boards are statutorily required to bear the cost of altering or replacing burners on consumers' appliances were necessary when calorific value of gas is changed. Consumers who

PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT 14TH JUNE, 1971
						Males	Females	Total
Northern Ireland	…	…	…	…	…	9·1	4·3	7·3
South Western Development Area	…	…	…	…	…	6·6	1·5	4·8
Merseyside Development Area	…	…	…	…	…	6·8	2·0	5·0
Northern Development Area	…	…	…	…	…	6·9	2·1	5·2
Scottish Development Area	…	…	…	…	…	7·7	2·8	5·8
Welsh Development Area	…	…	…	…	…	5·6	2·6	4·6

The numbers registered as unemployed have been expressed as percentages

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take legislative or administrative steps to discourage finance companies from enticing mortgagors to take out second mortgages on their properties.

Several of the recommendations of the Committee on Consumer Credit, under the Chairmanship of Lord Crowther, would affect the activities of companies offering second mortgages. The Report of the Committee is under urgent consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many male workers registered as unemployed have been so registered for more than three and six months, respectively.

At April, 1971, the latest date for which detailed information is available, 292,344 wholly unemployed males in Great Britain had been registered for more than 13 weeks. They included 186,459 who had been registered for more than 26 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the percentage of the insured population, male and female, respectively, unemployed in Northern Ireland in June, and how this compared with the development areas in other parts of Great Britain.

Following is the information :of the estimated numbers of employees—employed and unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of unemployed people in the service industries in Scotland in July.

At 14th June, 1971, 35,456 people were registered as unemployed in Scotland who last worked in the service industries (Orders XXII to XXVII of the Standard Industrial Classification).Information for 12th July is not yet available.

REGISTERED WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED MEN WHO LAST WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
		Bricklayers	Plumbers, pipe fitters	Painters	Plasterers	Slaters	Carpenters, joiners	Electricians	Other occupations	Total
June, 1971
Edinburgh	…	31	77	72	8	26	62	76	947	1,299
Leith	…	10	28	18	1	10	32	27	380	506
Portobello	…	4	12	12	3	6	17	9	196	259
Dalkeith	…	6	—	6	—	1	2	6	106	127
Loanhead	…	3	7	9	2	1	5	5	90	122
Musselburgh	…	9	1	4	3	6	26	7	179	235
Tranent	…	1	3	—	1	1	8	4	63	81
Bathgate	…	6	9	2	7	—	15	4	358	401
Livingston	…	3	8	3	—	—	17	10	84	125
West Calder	…	1	2	—	—	—	4	2	49	58
Broxburn	…	4	2	1	1	1	5	2	86	105
Bo'ness	…	1	—	1	—	—	4	5	109	120
Linlithgow	…	—	2	—	—	—	1	1	18	22
Haddington	…	7	4	2	1	—	10	1	67	92
June, 1970
Edinburgh	…	55	13	13	7	23	63	43	717	934
Leith	…	10	12	5	2	10	19	18	219	325
Portobello	…	1	2	4	5	7	7	7	131	162
Dalkeith	…	7	2	—	1	—	8	1	88	107
Loanhead	…	7	1	2	3	—	20	3	58	94
Musselburgh	…	8	2	1	11	4	28	4	120	178
Tranent	…	3	—	1	2	—	6	—	59	71
Bathgate	…	16	4	6	3	—	8	1	168	206
Livingston	…	3	—	1	—	—	10	—	55	69
West Calder	…	—	—	1	—	—	2	—	22	25
Broxburn	…	2	1	1	—	—	6	1	46	57
Bo'ness	…	1	—	—	—	—	6	1	44	52
Linlithgow	…	—	—	—	—	—	1	1	9	11
Haddington	…	3	4	3	2	—	7	—	40	59

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further progress has been made in consultations with industrial training boards regarding the specialist firm in a specialist industry whose training requirements are not catered for.

My right hon. Friend has now received and approved proposals from a number of boards for the exemption of small firms from levy. He is at present considering a proposal from the Engineering Industry Training Board

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men were wholly unemployed in each of the Edinburgh and Lothian employment exchange areas in June, 1971, who last worked in the construction industry ; how many were registered as bricklayers, plumbers and pipe fitters, painters, plasterers, slaters, joiners, and electricians, respectively ; and what were the corresponding figures in June, 1970.

Following is the information :for the exemption of 10,000 small firms out of a total of 27,000 firms covered by the Board. I am sending the hon. Member details of proposals recently announced by my right hon. Friend for taking certain small but highly specialised activities completely outside the scope of the Engineering and the Construction Industry Training Boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the June and July figures of unemployment in Scotland, and show how these compare with the same months over the past 10 years.

Following is the information for each June from 1961 to 1971:

Numbers registered as unemployed in Scotland
	100s
June, 1961	59·8
June, 1962	72·1
June, 1963	94·8
June, 1964	70·6
June, 1965	56·1
June, 1966	52·4
June, 1967	77·0
June, 1968	78·4
June, 1969	74·7
June, 1970	84·1
June, 1971	121·6

Information for July, 1971, is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are now registered as unemployed on the Special Executive and Professional Register ; and how this compares with the same period over the past 10 years.

The numbers of unemployed people on the Professional and Executive Register at 9th June, 1971, and at June in each of the previous 10 years were as follows :

1971	23,939
1970	16,013
1969	14,413
1968	14,368
1967	11,865
1966	7,816
1965	7,398
1964	9,006
1963	10,551
1962	8,954
1961	6,483

The figures for 1961 excluded people on the Technical and Scientific Register, which was embodied in the Professional and Executive Register in 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of unemployed in the West Central Scotland Special Development Area in July ; and how this compares with the month in which that area was designated as a special development area.

The total numbers registered as unemployed in the West Central Scotland Special Development Area at 14th June, 1971—the latest date for which information is available—and 8th February, 1971, were 63,088 and 59,565, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the sale of Lunn Poly to the Cunard Steamship Company has been completed.

The Transport Holding Company expects the final contract to be signed very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which historic towns are situated on trunk roads ; and how soon he will be able to take steps to divert the roads.

The schedule published by the Council for British Archaeology lists 232 towns in England as having town centres which merit preservation. Of the towns in England 105 are on trunk roads. I am sending a list of these towns to my hon. Friend. Of the towns on trunk roads, 84 are either already relieved to a greater or lesser extent of trunk road through traffic, or will be so relieved by the early 1980s or earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Trent District Anglers' Consultative Association about river pollution ; and whether he will make a statement.

The Association have written to my right hon. Friend about the ned to make Trent water fit for re-use and recreation and in particular about the proposed decision on an appeal by the Upper Tame Main Drainage Authority against conditions imposed by the Trent River Authority for the discharge of treated effluent to the River Tame from the sewage treatment works at Minworth. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the proposed decision on the appeal. I shall also be sending him a copy of the reply to the Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the design difficulties which necessitated the postponement of the start of improvement to the A39 at Hele Bridge between Bude and Camel-ford.

It was necessary to investigate whether the siting of the new bridge over the River Strat and the Bude Canal was compatible with any further improvement of A39 required in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the County Councils Association proposing an amendment to the Public Utilities Street Works Act, 1950, to limit statutory undertakers' powers of placing apparatus in the highway and giving the Highway Authority more effective powers of control and enforcement.

The County Councils Association has made in the past various representations for amendment. The matter is now under consideration by the Steering Committee dealing with the implementation of the report of the Committee on Highway Maintenance. The membership of the Steering Committee includes the County Councils Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about bringing formally into operation the provisions of the 1968 Town and Country Planning Act Part I, concerning structure and local plans.

The substantive structure and local plan provisions are to be brought into operation by a series of commencement orders applying Part I to the areas named in them. The firs such order has now been made, for the Tees-side area ; containing the Tees-side county borough and certain adjoining areas of the administrative counties o Durham and the North Riding of York shire named in the order. Further commencement orders, bringing Part formally into operation in other areas o the country, will be made from now on in consultation with the local planning authorities concerned. The Structure and Local Plans Regulations made by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales, have now been laic before Parliament. These Regulations which apply to England outside Greater London and to Wales, deal with the content of the new plans and set out the procedures to be followed on them. A covering circular, containing a memorandum of advice and explanatory annexes on the new system of development plans is today being sent to local authorities, together with a copy of the Regulations.The statement which I made on 12th May, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Londonderry (Mr Chichester-Clark)—[Vol. 817, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage change in the yardstick used for firm price tendering to local authorities ; and how this compares with the actual increases in building costs which have taken place during the same period and to date.

Since introduction in July, 1967 the housing cost yardsticks have been increased by between 17 per cent. and 29 per cent. according to the nature and location of schemes. It is estimated that during the same period house-building costs increased by about 27 per cent. The difference between these figures gives some indication of the extent to which the yardsticks have been successful in encouraging better cost planning and the use of more economic designs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to establish a Public Health Inspectorate completely independent of the local authorities, to whom a tenant can appeal for help to ensure his local authority landlord complies with the provisions of the Public Health Acts ;(2) what rights he proposes for tenants to be consulted by the local authority before any assessment is made for their homes ; and what machinery he proposes to enable the tenant to be present and represented by experts at the special committee responsible for determining assessments as laid down in the fair-rent procedure for privately rented property under the Rent Act, 1965 ;(3) what assistance he is proposing for tenants to employ qualified surveyors, architects, lawyers and other experts to assist in making representations to the local authority responsible for determining the provisional assessment for their homes ; and if financial responsibility for such experts will be met from public funds ;(4) if he will publish his proposed procedure for enabling tenants to obtain comparisons with other properties in Greater London when considering the provisional assessments made by the London boroughs as envisaged in Command Paper No. 4728 ;

Under the proposals in Command Paper No. 4728 the rents of council dwellings will be fixed by an administrative procedure, as at present. Further details of this procedure will be set out in the legislation giving effect to the proposals. This will be introduced in the next Session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the response so far of each London borough to his Circular 10/70 on making available land for housing ; and what is the approximate number of new houses represented by this response.

Statistics for London are not available in the form requested. In the present London housing situation, Circular 10/70 was not intended to override the existing arrangements for London Boroughs to offer their surplus land suitable for housing to other London authorities, or to the Greater London Council for the provision of essential housing for all-London needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the total number of houses built in the City of Leeds in each of the last five years ended 31st December, 1970, distinguishing between those built for local authorities and those for the private sector.

This information is published in Local Housing Statistics (Nos. 1, 5, 9, 13 and 17). Copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the total number of housing units built in England and Wales in each of the last five years ended 31st December, 1970, distinguishing between those built for local authorities and those for the private sector.

The information is published in Table No. 2 of Housing Statistics No. 21 (May 1971) a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the numbers of evictions that have taken place in the Greater London area, borough by borough and year by year, since 1965.

Statistics of the execution of warrants for possession are available only for county court warrants. They are not available by local authority areas, and cannot conveniently be produced by county court areas.The number of county court warrants for possession executed in England and Wales in the six years 1965 to 1970 were as follows :

1965	4,204
1966	5,445
1967	5,390
1968	5,667
1969	6,462
1970	7,056

These were warrants for the possession of premises and land of all kinds. Separate figures for dwellings are not available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will increase the Harrier aircraft squadrons in service with the Royal Air Force.

On the basis of orders already placed, the deployment of Royal Air Force Harrier squadrons is expected to be completed early next year. I have no plans at present for the formation of additional squadrons.

asked the Minister of State for Defence in view of the deaths of two soldiers on 12th and 13th July and the numerous terrorist explosions in Belfast on the nights of 11th and 12th July, what further steps he will take to deal with violence in Belfast.

These incidents are part of a campaign of violence, which has been taking place for most of the year. I would refer my hon. Friend to statistics of arrests and arms finds published in answer to Questions on 15th July, which show the results obtained so far in countering this campaign. Measures for improving tactics, intelligence and equipment are continuously being taken.—[Vol. 821, c. 125–127.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the terrorist ambush in the Andersontown district of Belfast on the night of 13th July in which a soldier was killed.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given on 16th July to the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley).—[Vol. 821, c. 166.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he is aware of the concern of British Service men having to live a considerable distance from their bases in Germany ; and if he will provide suitable accommodation nearer bases and ensure that standards of furniture and equipment in married quarters are improved soon.

My noble Friend referred on 8th June, in the debate on the Armed Forces, to the present shortage of married accommodation in Germany and the steps we are taking to overcome it.I am unaware of any recent complaint about the standards of furniture and equipment in married quarters. These standards are however kept under review.—[Vol. 818, c. 893–4.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many Service personnel are stationed in Malta ; and if he will make a statement.

There were 3,535 Service personnel stationed in Malta on 1st April, 1971, including 799 locally enlisted Maltese.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is proposed to legislate in order to prevent children whose future is the subject of magisterial decision being taken abroad before an appeal can be lodged and other matters relating to court procedure connected with the custody of children.

The courts already have power to grant a stay of execution pending an appeal. My right hon. Friend sees no need for legislation on the point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimated expenditure for 1971–72 on non-departmental research projects ; what requirements he imposes regarding publication and consultation before publication ; whether deletions or alterations have been required or permission to publish refused in respect of all or part of any project whose results were submitted to his Department during the last 10 years ; and to what extent he controls entry for research purposes to depart-mentally-controlled institutions.

About £1¼ million.Apart from reports on research designed for internal use, in general I welcome the publication of reports on research financed by the Home Office. Some grants are made under contracts containing a copyright clause ; and some on the condition that the Home Office will be consulted on the text of any proposed publication connected with the research, with opportunity to comment on, and ask for modifications of, any part of the text deriving from official resources and to ensure that nothing published is likely to lead to the identification of any individual or (where appropriate) of any institution.As a matter of course the attention of research workers is drawn to any errors of fact and conclusions that are not substantiated. Sometimes amendments have been made before publication to meet Home Office points, but permission to publish has rarely been refused.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the numbers of cases of guilty pleas, of not guilty pleas, and acquittals from not guilty pleas, respectively, for the last three years for which figures are available, in the following classes of crime, numerically identified by his Department in the Criminal statistics, namely in 28) burglary, 34) robbery, 46) larceny from shops and stalls, 49) other simpler and minor larcenies, respectively.

I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, as soon as it is ready, the information requested for 1969 and 1970. Corresponding information for 1968 could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners currently serving determinate sentences for robbery, burglary, theft and crimes of serious violence have served for more than 9½ years.

No prisoner in England and Wales had on 1st July, 1971, served more than 9½ years of a determinate sentence for robbery. Seven prisoners had served more than this period of a determinate sentence for burglary ; three for theft and six for indictable offences of violence against the person.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently serving determinate sentences for robbery, burglary or theft for 10 to 12 years, 12 to 15 years, 15 to 18 years and over 18 years, respectively.

The following table gives the only available information. It shows the numbers of prisoners in England and Wales who on 1st July were serving determinate sentences of 10 years or more for theft or burglary :—

Length of sentence	Burglary	Theft
10 and up to 12 years	44	10
Over 12 and up to 15 years	6	2
Over 15 and up to 18 years	3	1
Over 18 years	8	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of housing units owned by the Metropolitan Police for occupation by members of the force.

The Metropolitan Police own 4,814 houses and flats for married officers and rent a further 35 properties. In addition there is hostel accommodation for 2,931 single men and 304 women.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received, and from whom, from public representatives in Northern Ireland requesting him to hold an inquiry into Army action in Londonderry on 8th July, including the deaths of two men ; and what replies he has given.

I have received representations from the hon. Member for Belfast, West (Mr. Fitt) and from the hon. Member for Foyle in the Northern Ireland Parliament, Mr. John Hume.I have nothing to add to the reply given by my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence to a Question by the hon. Member for Mid-Ulster (Miss Devlin) on 12th July.—[Vol. 821, c. 31–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of indictable offences committed in 1962 ; and what was the figure for 1969, or the latest available date.

The number of indictable offences known to the police in England and Wales in 1962 was 896,424 and in 1970 1,555,995. These figures are not directly comparable because of the effect on the statistics of the Theft Act, 1968, which came into force on 1st January, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of non-indictable offences committed in 1962 ; and what was the figure for 1969, or the latest available date.

Non-indictable offences are not recorded : the number of persons proceeded against for non-indictable offences in England and Wales in 1962 was 1,107,134 and in 1970 it was 1,426,059. These figures are not directly comparable because of the effect on the statistics of the Theft Act, 1968, which came into force on 1st January, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prisoners in civilian prisons, giving the number of men and women, respectively, in the South-West Region.

On 30th June there were 4,790 men and 44 women in prisons in the Prison Department South-West Region.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of beds in the hospital sections of the prisons in the South-West Region.

The number is 261.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have to share a prison cell in the South-West Region.

On 30th June, 1971, 2,031 persons were sleeping two or three in a cell.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies there are in open prisons in the South-West Region.

About 60 on 30th June, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for Family Income Supplement have been received and how many approved in, respectively, the borough of Chesterfield and the Chesterfield Parliamentary Division.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for Family Income Supplement so far have been received and how many approved in, respectively, the City of Manchester and the Ardwick Parliamentary Division.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people residing in the Bolsover constituency have applied for Family Income Supplement ; and of that number how many have been successful in their claim ;(2) how many people residing in the County of Derbyshire have applied for Family Income Supplement ; and of that number, how many have been successful in their claim.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for Family Income Supplement have been received from South Ayrshire ; of these how many have been granted ; and what has been the average amount of benefit awarded.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the cost, based on the number of successful applications, of Family Income Supplement in the financial years 1971–72 and 1972–73.

As the take-on period is not complete it would be premature to attempt to calculate the costs of this new benefit on the basis of the awards that have so far been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of successful claims in Scotland since the Family Income Supplement was first introduced.

Up to 13th July, 2,541 favourable decisions had been given in Scotland on claims for Family Income Supplement. Some 1,300 claims were awaiting determination on that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the successful applicants for Family Income Supplement are one-child families.

About one-third.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ex-Service men and women injured in the 1914–18 war are in hospitals or homes permanently ; how many need frequent outpatient treatment ; how many there are in each degree of disablement ; and what is the amount of the pension they receive.

There are about 870 1914–18 War ex-Service men and women permanently in hospitals or homes on account of their war disabilities ; the number receiving frequent out-patient treatment is not known. The numbers of 1914–18 war pensioners by degree of disablement are :

Per cent.	No.
100	6,900
90	1,400
80	3,700
70	4,850
60	5,000
50	10,750
40	11,150
30	16,800
20	28,300

Basic disablement pension rates vary proportionately from £8.40 (£10 from September) for the 100 per cent. disability to £1.70 (£2 from September) for the 20 per cent. disability. Additional allowances are payable, in the main, to the more severely disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to make available the Rosenheim Report to staff involved in renal dialysis and to the general public, respectively.

The report is not yet available, but my right hon. Friend hopes to receive it later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is being given at present to avoid serum hepatitis ; and what finance he is making available to implement any necessary precautions.

Infective jaundice was made a notifiable disease in 1968 to enable medical officers of health to inquire into the epidemiological background of cases. Each intermittent dialysis unit, where the risk of serum hepatitis is a particular problem, has established a code of practice based on guidance from the Public Health Laboratory Service. My right hon. Friend has recently asked Regional Hospital Boards to arrange to start testing all blood donations for the presence of Australia antigen, which is thought to be associated with the cause of serum hepatitis, and has issued advice on the safety precautions to be taken. Some Boards have already begun to test blood donations. The costs will be met from Boards' annual allocations of funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, of the total amount paid in sickness and injury benefit by his Cumnock office in the past year, how much can be attributed to the three waiting days' payments.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider introducing short optional introductory courses for persons appointed to hospital regional management committees.

I fully recognise the value of introductory training for new members of hospital management committees but I should prefer to see it provided by the regional hospital boards who appoint them. My Department has recently drawn the attention of board chairmen to the need for such courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has completed his investigation with the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board into the needs of the Barnsley Group of Hospitals for more staff and moneys to reduce the waiting list of persons awaiting X-ray examinations ; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing at present to add to my reply to the right hon. Gentleman on 28th June but I will write to him as soon as the Regional Hospital Board's future staffing plans have been decided.—[Vol. 820, c. 37.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he will introduce legislation to give statutory effect to his proposals arising from the two specific recommendations by the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (First Report, Session 1970–71), on which he has made observations, in Command Paper No. 4729, published on 14th July, for the protection of taxpayers as described and otherwise.

No. The proposals amount to no more than an extension of the Board of Inland Revenue's existing practice of remitting tax in the course of exercising their responsibilities for the care and management of the Inland Revenue duties. I do not regard the extension as needing legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the circumstances under which, for tax purposes, a caravan counts as a dwelling-house.

Under Section 57 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act, 1970, relief may be claimed for interest on loans used for purposes which include the purchase or improvement both of dwelling-houses and of certain caravans. Income derived from letting sites for caravans or accommodation in caravans is chargeable to tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend the definition of a dwelling-house under the Finance Acts so that caravans may be exempt on sale from Capital Gains Tax.

Jenkin : In so far as caravans are wasting chattels with a predictable life of less than 50 years, gains accruing on their disposal are already exempt from capital gains tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the figures of consumers' expenditure for the first six months of 1971.

The first preliminary estimate of consumers' expenditure for the second quarter suggests that consumers' expenditure in the first six months of 1971 was about £11,730 million at 1963 prices. Actual figures of consumers' expenditure at current prices in the first half of 1971 are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the improvement in the gross national product to £42,667 million in 1970 from £38,913 million in 1969 took place between June and December, 1970.

The latest estimates show an increase in gross national product at factor cost of £3,817 million between 1969 and 1970. Between June and December, 1970, the increase over the corresponding period of 1969 was £2,215 million, seasonally adjusted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gross national product for the first six months of 1971.

The figures are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the rate of growth of the gross national product during any transition period before European Economic Community membership.

It is not possible to make a quantitative forecast of the rate of growth over the transitional period from 1973 to 1977. The Government are confident that membership of the Community will have a beneficial effect upon the growth of the economy in that period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, from information available from international sources, what is the gross domestic product per head at factor cost in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands for the most recent year for which figures are available ; and how these figures compare with that for the United Kingdom in the same year.

The latest figures available are given in the table below, based on National Accounts 1959–69 published by the Statistical Office of the European Communities and the latest published figures for the United Kingdom. The figures have been converted from national currencies at official exchange rates which do not necessarily reflect differences in the internal purchasing power of the national currencies.

Gross domestic product at current factor cost per head of population, 1969
	£
Belgium	870
France	1,000
Germany	910
Italy	560
Luxembourg	900*
Netherlands	820
United Kingdom	690
* Figure relates to 1968; 1969 not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of the national income of Great Britain and France was taken by earnings from employment and self-employment in the most recent year for which comparable statistics are available from international sources.

The latest information available, based on returns made to O.E.C.D. and the latest published figures for the United Kingdom, shows that the share of national income taken by income from employment and income from self-employment combined in 1969 was 84·3 per cent. in the United Kingdom and 84·7 per cent. in France.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish

NET WEEKLY INCOMES OF FAMILIES AT PARTICULAR LEVELS OF EARNINGS, AFTER TAKING ACCOUNT OF INCOME TAX AND SURTAX, NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS*, FAMILY ALLOWANCES AND FAMILY INCOME SUPPLEMENT†
		Married Couple with‡
Weekly Earnings	One Child	Two Children	Three Children	Four Children	Ten Children
£	£	£	£	£	£
12·00	13·97	15·47	16·87	17·87	23·87
15·00	15·32	16·82	18·32	19·82	26·72
20·00	17·17	18·64	20·37	22·08	31·08
25·00	20·46	21·93	23·65	25·57	33·37
28·00	22·42	23·89	25·62	27·53	35·14
30·00	23·73	25·20	26·93	28·84	37·05
40·00	30·27	31·75	33·47	35·39	45·00
50·00	37·20	38·67	40·40	42·31	51·93
75·00	54·67	56·14	57·87	59·78	69·20
100·00	71·49	72·93	74·63	76·52	86·97
* The rates of National Insurance contributions assumed are those effective from 20th September 1971 for employees not contracted-out.
† Family Income Supplement will become payable from 3rd August 1971.
‡ The following ages of children have been assumed :

Couple with 1 child	…	Under 11.
Couple with 2 children	…	Both under 11.
Couple with 3 children	…	One between 11 and 16, two under 11.
Couple with 4 children	…	One over 16, one between 11 and 16, two under 11.
Couple with 10 children	…	One over 16, three between 11 and 16, six under 11.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect is likely to be experienced, in the event of Great Britain entering the European Economic Community, in the retail prices of the following foodstuffs, namely, sugar, pork, lamb, poultry and bacon.

In paragraph 88 of the White Paper "The United Kingdom and the European Communities" (Cmnd. 4715), it is estimated that membership will affect food prices gradually over a period of about six years, with an average increase of about 2½ per cent. each year in retail prices. Of the commodities mentioned by the hon. Member, it is estimated that the price of poultry will increase by slightly less than the average, pork by about the average and sugar,