asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the reduction of £50,000 for agricultural training boards in this year's Price Review is resulting in several young school-leavers being denied training as new entrants ; what representations have been received from the National Farmers' Union ; and what action he proposes.

I have been asked to reply.I am aware that the Board has restricted the recruitment of trainees into the New Entrant (Apprentice) Training Scheme in Agriculture and Horticulture for the immediate future in order to contain its expenditure. No representations have been received from the National Farmers' Union. I have asked my Department to discuss this matter with officers of the Board.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the acreage of land held by his Department in Bedford and Kempston ; and what plans he has for the relocation of any of the facilities there.

The acreage of land held at Grange Camp and Kempston Barracks, Bedford is 57 acres and 23 acres, respectively. The possibility of relocation of the facilities is being studied but no decision will be reached for some time.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances the Army was called to an electricity transformer in McClure Street, Belfast, on or about 17th July, after an Irish Republican Army bomb explosion ; what time the explosion took place ; what time the Army arrived ; what was the result of its investigations ; how the bomb was detonated ; what amount of damage was done ; whether the area was sealed off ; what searches were made ; and what arrests resulted.

At 10.30 p.m. on 17th July an electrical junction box in McClure Street was blown up by a person or persons unknown. An Army ammunition technical officer, who arrived within a few minutes of the explosion being reported, concluded that some five to ten pounds of explosive had been used and that initiation had been by means of a fuse. He carried out routine searches for evidence and to ensure that the site was free from further explosive. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances a soldier was injured on the Donegal Road on Tuesday, 20th July ; what sort of bomb caused his injury ; whether those who threw the bomb were fired at ; whether the area was sealed off ; what searches resulted ; and what arrests were made.

Shortly after 2 a.m. on 20th July a foot patrol of 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, on Donegal Road was caught in an explosion from a Claymore-type mine made up of three to five pounds of explosive and at least two pounds of scrap metal. An officer sustained a leg injury. No one was seen firing the mine, so that there was no opportunity for the patrol to open fire.An Army ammunition technical officer made the usual searches for evidence and to ensure that the area was free from further explosive. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances the Army was called to the Cooperative Stores, Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, on or about Tuesday, 20th July, after an Irish Republican Army bomb explosion ; what time the explosion occurred ; what time the Army arrived on the scene ; what sort of bomb was used; how it was detonated; what damage was done ; whether the area was sealed off; what searches were made ; and what arrests resulted.

Shortly before 11.30 p.m. on 19th July an explosion occurred at the Co-operative Store, Dunmurry. An Army ammunition technical officer, who arrived within a few minutes of the explosion being reported, estimated that five to ten pounds of uncased high explosive had been placed outside the door by a person or persons unknown. The means of detonation are not known. Minor structural damage was caused, and a small quantity of stock was damaged.The ammunition technical officer carried out the usual searches for evidence and to ensure that the immediate area was free from explosive. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if, in view of the mounting Irish Republican Army campaign, he will strengthen the present security arrangements in Northern Ireland by organising an Ulster Home Guard.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in view of the fact that attendances at the 18 national museums and galleries in 1970 did not exceed 16 million, and in view of the fact that no analysis of the categories of visitors to these institutions is available, how the estimate of receipts from the proposed admission charges of £1,300,000 was obtained.

Discussions with the institutions concerned provided a basis for an informed assessment of the likely yield from admission charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she proposes to announce her decision on the rebuilding of Grafton School, London, N.7, and on the provision of a new Roman Catholic school in the Elthorne Road, London, N.19.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she received the proposals of the Inner London Education Authority for the reorganisation of Tulse Hill, Strand and Dick Sheppard secondary schools ; and when she expects to make a decision upon the proposals.

The I.L.E.A. submitted statutory proposals under Section 13 of the Education Act, 1944 (as amended), on 18th December, 1970 ; the period for statutory objections expired on 18th February, 1971 ; and the Authority commented on those objections on 5th April, 1971. My right hon. Friend expects to announce her decision under Section 13(4) to the I.L.E.A. within a month.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a list of the new schools built in Northumberland during the past 10 years.

Full information is not available in all cases but can be readily obtained from the local education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a list of the schools in the Blyth constituency and the year in which they were built.

This information is not collected by the Department but may be obtained from the local education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many school leavers she estimates to be leaving school for employment at the end of this summer term in the North West Region ; and what advice is given to school leavers by the Youth Employment Service.

The Department does not make regional forecasts of school leavers on a regular basis ; but if the pattern in the North West Region follows that of previous years, an estimated number of 56,000 pupils will leave school for employment at the end of the summer term. Careers Officers of the Youth Employment Service give guidance to school leavers which reflects their individual needs and educational and employment opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached concerning an alcohol safety interlock system, as developed by a Croydon company, details of which he has received ; and whether he will place a firm order for the hire or purchase of a prototype model, as has been done by the United States Government.

My Department have had preliminary discusions with the company concerned, and are considering whether investigation of this device would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he proposes to ban three-wheel tractor units used in light goods delivery services in towns ; and whether he will publish the studies he has made of their degree of flexibility of operation in congested areas.

I have no plans for such a ban and have made no special studies of the kind mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration his Department has given to the study by Felix Walter, F.R.I.B.A., of the design of sports centres and swimming pools, with particular reference to the needs of the physically disabled, a copy of which is in his possession ; what recommendations he will be making to local authorities about this study; if he will make a statement.

I welcome any effort to enable the physically handicapped to join fully in sporting activities.The Technical Unit for Sport were consulted by Mr. Felix Walter during his study and commented on successive drafts of the booklet; when asked for advice on the design of sports projects by local authorities and their consultants, they already draw attention to the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970 and in future they will include Mr. Walter's booklet as well. Regional Sports Councils are also being asked to bring the booklet to the notice of local authorities in their regions, and a forthcoming issue of the Sports Development Bulletin which is published by the Central Council for Physical Recreation, and has a wide circulation to sports bodies of all kinds, will contain an article on his study.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many refugees have sought asylum in Hong Kong after escaping from the People's Republic of China in each year since 1949.

From 1949 to 1955 some million immigrants are estimated to have entered Hong Kong from China. Some would have been former residents of Hong Kong returning after the Japanese occupation of the Colony.From April, 1955 to March, 1971, 700,381 immigrants arrived from China and applied for Hong Kong identity cards.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communication he has now received from the Icelandic Government in answer to his aide memoire following their statement that they intend unilaterally to extend their fishing limits to 50 miles ; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what reply he has received to the aide memoire delivered by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Iceland to the Icelandic Government concerning that Government's declared intention to extend her fishing limits to 50 miles ;(2) whether he has now received the Icelandic Government's formal proposals to extend their fishing limits ; whether he will publish their proposals ; and what reply he has sent.

No reply has been received to the aide memoire delivered to the Icelandic Foreign Ministry on 17th July, and no formal proposal to extend fishing limits has yet been communicated to us by the Icelandic Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what Vote the estimated costs of £1 million incurred for the printing of posters, pamphlets, documents, &c., and the hoardings, posters, and hiring charges publicising the Government's White Paper on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community will be carried ; and on what Vote the costs for the handling of documents by the Post Office will be carried.

The first part of the hon. Member's question does not arise since there have been no posters, pamphlets or documents publicising the Government's White Paper (Command 4715).The costs, including all distribution costs of the Factsheets and short version of the White Paper, are borne on the Central Office of Information and Her Majesty's Stationery Office Votes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will refer to the international court at the Hague for an opinion on the question whether, under the existing treaty rights and agreements between Her Majesty's Government and the Channel Isles, the entry of Great Britain into the Common Market and the signing of the Rome Treaty would be in contravention of these treaties and other agreements with the Channel Isles.

No. Her Majesty's Government have responsibility for the external relations of the Islands. After full consultation with the Channel Islands' authorities Her Majesty's Government seek for the Islands arrangements designed to take account of their special circumstances and to meet their needs and wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether disputes between member countries concerning their land frontiers would be a matter for decision by the Court of Justice in an enlarged European Economic Community.

No. The jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice is restricted to fields covered by the Treaties establishing the European Economic Community, Euratom and the European Coal and Steel Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will publish a further factsheet on Britain and Europe on the subject of national sovereignty in relation to joining the European Economic Community.

As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster promised in reply to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 5th July, the White Paper includes a discussion of the question of sovereignty. It is therefore not considered necessary to issue a separate Factsheet.—[Vol. 820, c. 259.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to help the Government of Ghana to meet the commercial debts incurred by the Nkrumah régime.

An agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Ghana to implement the conclusions of the international Conference on Ghana's debts held in London in July, 1970 was signed at Accra on 17th July. Ghana's medium-term commercial debts to Western creditors incurred

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have received grants for 1969–70 and 1970–71 under Section 11 of the Local Government Act, 1966 ; for what categories of staff in which services have the respective grants been made ; and in what amounts.

Following is the information :

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from representatives of the Church of England concerning the future constitutional relationship between the Government and the Church of England ; and if he will introduce legislation to disestablish the Church of England.

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend contact between police officers at all levels and their counterparts in Europe.

I have no reason for thinking that there is any need to supplement existing arrangements for contact directly and through Interpol.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will investigate the practicability of retirement pensioners paying for their television licence by quarterly additions to their electricity accounts.

No. The issue of broadcast receiving licences is not one of the functions of the Electricity Boards and I understand that in any case it would not be practicable for the licences to be paid for through electricity accounts. Special television licence savings cards are available at post offices so that anyone who has difficulty in finding the whole fee at once can save up for it week by week in advance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has now made, or has received from museum trustees of the net income he expects to accrue from the introduction of charges at the national museums and galleries in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 25th May to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Alexander Wilson). I have now received from the Scottish institutions firm proposals for the implementation of the Government's policy and I am considering these prior to arranging a meeting with them.—[Vol. 818, c. 106–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many consultant posts in obstetrics and gynaecology are vacant; and what steps he is taking to fill them.

The equivalent of just under 21 whole-time posts at 31st March, 1971, the latest date for which figures are readily available. It is the responsibility of hospital boards to fill vacancies and the steps taken will depend on the circumstances of each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to build a second thermal power station within about five miles of Bedford ; when the plant will be built; and what will be its output capacity and choice of fuel.

This is a matter for the C.E.G.B. which requires statutory consent before it can construct a power station. It has not applied for consent for a station near Bedford.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the effect upon industrial and domestic coal prices of the requirement of the European Coal and Steel Community that the National Coal Board should charge the price of coal ex-mine plus the full transport costs.

Industrial coal prices should not be affected as the National Coal Board is already selling on an ex-mine basis. So far as domestic coal is concerned it is possible that some modification in their zone-delivered pricing arrangements may be necessary but I would not expect this to have a significant effect on price levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North enclosing a letter from an accountant making charges against a public company and complaints against his Department ; and what action he has taken or intends taking concerning these charges.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Hawkinge Brick Co. Ltd. a private company dissolved in 1965. No action is intended.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been refused by his Department between 1st July, 1970 and 30th June, 1971, to persons or firms wishing to bring new or diversified industries to the Borough of Bacup.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number of industrial premises in the Borough of Bacup which are currently vacant and which fulfil his criteria for the issue of industrial development certificates.

The Department has been told of six vacant factories available in Bacup. Existing factories can be occupied without an I.D.C.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will arrange for his Department to submit fuller reports to Parliament under Section 451 of the Companies Act, 1948, than has been customary hitherto, in particular by including an estimate of the number of contraventions in the relevant years of each Section of the Companies Act that can be breached.

I am not convinced that any useful purpose would be served by a fuller report.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, as part of his review of the Companies Act, he will commission a study of existing company administration and law from an independent group of experts, such as the Companies Act Consultative Committee, given access to representations from the investing public, and subsequently lay before Parliament a statement showing how he proposes to implement their recommendations.

We shall consider any representations from the investing public, but we do not at present intend to commission a study or reconvene the Companies Act Consultative Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will arrange for his Department to submit fuller annual reports on the activities of insurance companies to Parliament, covering contraventions of the Insurance Companies Acts, defects in existing law, administration and proposed corrective action.

I will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for regulating the carriage of hazardous or noxious cargoes with the aim of minimising the risks of spillage following a shipping casualty.

Statutory control of the carriage of dangerous goods in ships is exercised through the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Rules, 1965, as amended by S.I. No. 332, 1968. The problem of pollution is one for multilateral solution through existing international organisations. Her Majesty's Government have been active in the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation which, in relation to very large oil tankers, has developed proposals for the limitation of tank sizes and in relation to new ships designed to carry chemicals in bulk, has completed a code of safe construction. In all this work the basic concept has been one of safety of containment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has completed his review of the Council of Industrial Design and if he will announce the result.

Yes. I am satisfied that the Council has had a significant and beneficial influence on the standards of industrial design in this country and that there is a continuing need for Government support to enable it to carry out its essential educational and promotional rôle. Earlier I asked the Council, in collaboration with the Council of Engineering Institutions, to consider how progress might be made toward improving the standards of engineering design, and to this end an Engineering Design Advisory Committee has been established. I am convinced that the Council can give a valuable lead in this field. Accordingly I have now asked that it should adjust its priorities and, over time, give greater emphasis to this work.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will now seek to increase the allowable value of luncheon vouchers.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to make such an increase.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the completion of the new Royal Mint at Llantrisant.

The Government have had under consideration the further facilities that should be installed at Llantrisant. We have now decided to authorise the completion of the new Mint, which will include all the productive processes at present carried out at Tower Hill. Detailed planning will now proceed on that basis. It is hoped to bring the Llantrisant Mint into full operation during 1974.Production at Tower Hill will then cease, but the London office of the Royal Mint will remain in the administrative building at Tower Hill.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the coming into effect in Wales of Section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970.

The consultations over the Order necessary to bring Section 21 into effect have been completed. I expect to lay the Order soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make available to the Welsh Council, in preparing its forthcoming study of the effect of European Economic Community entry upon Wales, information possessed by his office regarding this matter.

I shall give the Council any help I can on this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he has to take in order to ensure that travellers on trunk roads are informed of the refreshment, garage and other facilities available in service towns.

My right hon. Friend has recently launched, with the co-operation of the local authorities, a limited experiment to determine the usefulness of signs giving information to motorists about services that are readily available in towns that have been bypassed. The first of these signs have been erected on the trunk road approaches to Honiton and others will be erected at Stamford and Kendal. Each sign comprises a map of the town together with information about services and car parks, etc.If the experiment proves successful consideration will be given to providing similar signs on the approaches to other bypassed towns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to conclude his review of the code of compensation for properties blighted by existing, proposed and under-construction motorways; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain) on 7th July.—[Vol. 820, c. 1333.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of expenditure incurred by the official conducting the personal hearing of appeal against the decisions of the District Auditor, in respect of Felling Urban District Council, in the form of fares, subsistence and other allowances.

£27 3s. in travelling and subsistence expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals have been made against decisions of district auditors in England and Wales in each of the last five years ; and how many of these were made by local authorities and how many by private persons.

During 1968, 1969 and 1970 there were three, seven and 10 appeals respectively, all of which were lodged by private persons. Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to authorise and initiate the construction of motorways as toll roads.

No. It is the Government's policy to impose tolls only on expensive new estuarial crossings from which users derive exceptional savings in cost and time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the improvement works on the Hogarth roundabout on the A4 at Chiswick were begun ; what is the anticipated date of completion ; and what has delayed progress on this work.

Work started in January and I expect it to be completed by early autumn. There has been some delay in the delivery of signal equipment. In addition, the work has had to be arranged so as to minimise disruption of traffic at this very busy junction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations have taken place between his Department and the Greater London Council regarding the proposed widening of the Archway A1 Road, North London ; and if he will make a statement.

Consultations have taken place at various stages in the design and preparation of the scheme for improving the length of Archway Road from the Archway to Winchester Road, and during the Consultants' studies of the length from Winchester Road to Wellington Junction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of dates when he expects to complete anti-crash barriers between carriageways on individual lengths of motorway for which he is responsible.

It is not possible to give exact dates as erection of the safety barriers is dependent on good weather. General timings are given however in the detailed Safety Barrier Programme announced on 16th December, 1970 as amended.—[Vol. 808, c. 353–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to retain for the use of the Haringey Sports Council the former Territorial Army Drill Hall at Tottenham.

When the Drill Hall became surplus in 1967, a number of possible uses were considered, including that of a local authority sports centre. In 1968 it was allocated to the Department of Health and Social Security for conversion into a reception centre for homeless single men and a re-establishment centre. In April, 1970 the Haringey Sports Council were given permission to use the buildings as a temporary sports centre while detailed plans were being prepared for its conversion.In view of the social and recreational value now being derived from the local sports council's use of the hall, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, has agreed to re-open the question of its future use, and has allowed the Sports Council to continue the use of the hall up till next March. I have asked the Haringey Borough Council to join with my Department during the intervening period in a search for alternative premises for the reception centre. If the search is successful then arrangements can be made under which the Haringey Borough Council would be able to acquire the drill hall for permanent use as a sports centre; otherwise, the previous Administration's decision to convert it into accommodation for homeless people will have to stand.