asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that, in regard to the appointment of justices of the peace, those who give acknowledged voluntary service shall receive a fair share of the appointments; and if he will make a statement.

The first considerations for these appointments, on which my right hon. Friend is advised by local committees, is personal suitability. Public service is among the other factors taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the Government's decision on the recommendations in the Report of the Anderson Committee of Inquiry into Commercial Rating.

When consultations on the Green Paper on "The Future Shape of Local Government Finance" have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the productive capacity for each establishment making anti-flu vaccine in Scotland for the National Health Service; where these establishments are; and who owns them.

Anti-flu vaccine for the National Health Service is not made in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has received, and what consideration he has given to them, from local authorities in Lanarkshire, about the establishment of a central park in mid-Lanarkshire, including the Hamilton constituency; and if he will make a statement.

The town councils of Hamilton and Motherwell and Wishaw, together with Lanark County Council, have put to me their proposals for Strathclyde County Park, to be created in the floodplain of the Clyde between Hamilton and Motherwell.I have recently informed these local authorities that, although the costs have increased, their proposals remain broadly acceptable in principle for grant under the Industrial Development Act, 1966, and the Countryside (Scotland) Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to control the numbers of grey squirrels in Scotland.

I have no evidence that grey squirrels are a serious problem in Scotland at present, and I see no need for any special control measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland where and when he met a deputation from Edinburgh Town Council's Joint Committee regarding the exclusion of the city from the Scottish Development Area; whether it contained a representative of the trade unions; and what reply he gave to the representations made by the delegation.

On 16th July the Lord Provost of Edinburgh brought, at his request, a deputation to see me in St. Andrew's House. I understand that the deputation included representatives of the Corporation, the Edinburgh and Leith Chambers of Commerce and the Edinburgh and District Local Employment Committee. In reply to the representations by the deputation, I pointed out that the Government had earlier this year ended the exclusion of the major part of the city from the assisted areas and extended intermediate area status to the whole of Edinburgh and that, as a result, very considerable incentives were now available for industrial development in the city.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement about the implementation of the Tayside Study.

A number of the local authorities in the area have now decided to establish a Tayside Development Authority.The authorities in the area have been asked by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Development to consider jointly the physical planning of the area in the light of the study, in order to agree a five-year programme of rehabilitation and improvement. Informal meetings have also been held at official level with individual authorities to discuss their development plan policies against the background of a regional strategy. My hon. Friend will later meet the authorities to discuss future development planning for Tayside.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any charge to public funds now arises in respect of his official residence at 6, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh.

The provision of this residence was authorised by the Government in 1966, on the basis that it would be administered by the specially constituted Bute House Trust without any charge to public funds. The house itself had been accepted by the Government in part payment of estate duty, and the cost of its renovation, adaptation, and furnishing has been met from funds totalling some £40,000 raised privately, together with many donations in kind. The Government warmly appreciate the generosity of many Scots and Scottish institutions in this enterprise.The funds so far raised are, however, insufficient to cover also the cost of repairs and maintenance, and custody, expected to average some £3,000 a year. Accordingly, in view of the proven value of the house for official purposes in Edinburgh, arrangements are being made for these maintenance costs to be met for the present from public funds. The Bute House Trust will continue to hold the house on lease from the National Trust for Scotland, and is open to receive further donations in money or kind.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the present total number of civil servants compared to the number in June, 1970.

At the end of June, 1970, the number was 701,790. At 1st June, 1971, it was 700,935.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he is aware of the inferior quality of sound and vision programmes provided by the British Broadcasting Corporation in some areas in Fife; and, in view of the standard licence fee in the United Kingdom, if he will take steps to standardise quality more closely.

No. The B.B.C., which is primarily concerned with the quality of its sound and vision services, tells me that Fife is well served generally, and that the U.H.F. transmissions of B.B.C.I from Craigkelly are expected to start next Saturday.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing separately the number of Crown post offices and sub-post offices in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965 and for each subsequent year.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what steps he intends to take to institute proceedings against a firm, whose name is in his possession, for the manufacture and sale of radar spotters without a licence.

None. A licence is not required for the manufacture or sale of "radar spotters". It is illegal to use such devices without a licence, and I am not prepared to licence their use. All known manufacturers and distributors of "radar spotters" have had their attention drawn to this by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware of the heavy administrative expenses incurred by local authorities who have served notices under Section 9 of the Housing Act, 1957, or under the Housing Act, 1961, where the owners or managers of the property fail to comply with the notice, or delay compliance until the local authority is about to carry out the work in default; and if he will introduce amending legislation to relieve ratepayers from having to pay those expenses.

Where an authority carries out work because of the failure of an owner to comply with a notice under Section 9, it can recover its expenses from him. An owner who fails to comply with a notice under the Housing Act, 1961, can be prosecuted by the authority. I have no evidence of any general problem arising for authorities as a result of delays in complying with such notices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to deal with the increasing number of conversions of properties previously subject to the Rent Act, 1968 into near-hotels, particularly in housing stress areas in London.

Action can be taken under planning powers if conversion involves a material change in the use of a building. Whether there is such a change depends on the facts of each case. I support the policy of the Inner London boroughs that hotel development which would cause a loss of housing accommodation, either by demolition or conversion is generally unacceptable. I am keeping the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he now expects to announce the names of the Chairman and the members of the Board of the Aycliffe and Peterlee Development Corporations;(2) what plans he has to increase the number of Aycliffe residents on the Board of the Aycliffe Development Corporation.

I told the hon. Member on 5th May that my right hon. Friend hoped to review the membership of the Board of the Aycliffe Development Corporation this year. This remains the position. It is also the position in relation to the Board of the Peterlee Development Corporation.—[Vol. 816, c. 370.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision he has made within the fair rents scheme for special rebates to severely disabled people living in local authority accommodation specifically designed for them.

It has been proposed that the national rent rebate scheme should provide for a special disregard of the first £2 of any disablement pension or benefit. Local authorities should also have discretion to make their schemes more generous, for example by disregarding the whole of such income. They might also grant special rebates where the personal circumstances of the tenant are exceptional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide ramps for wheel chairs in the Strangers' Cafeteria.

I will gladly look into this suggestion and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether when considering the car parking facilities under New Palace Yard, he will examine the possibility of extending by under-passes a system of underground car parks under Parliament Square with entrances and exits to Victoria Street, St. James Park, Whitehall and Millbank, and similar arrangments under the Old Scotland Yard and No. 1 Bridge Street site with entrance and exits to and from the Embankment, connecting, in each instance, to the proposed New Palace Yard underground car park.

The underground railway runs below Parliament Square and it would therefore be extremely difficult and expensive to provide a car park and under-passes there. So far as the underground car park in New Palace Yard is concerned, access to it will be provided from the north by a tunnel which will run through the basement of the new parliamentary building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made in the amount of subsidies that the Hull Corporation will receive for council houses following the implementation of the White Paper, "Fair Deal for Housing", and what additional revenue will need to be raised from council house tenants.

I have made no estimate because of the many variables in determining fair rents and in the effects of the Government's proposals on the housing revenue account. Such figures are better got from the local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the result of his discussions with the Greater London Council about the council's new proposals for higher rented accommodation in South Islington.

The scheme in question is still under consideration and I am not in a position to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 28th July.—[Vol. 822, c. 94.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the estimated existing number of furnished tenancies and of unfurnished tenancies in the area of each of a stated number of the largest cities and county boroughs of England and Wales outside Greater London.

No more recent estimates than the Sample Census of 1966 are available of numbers of furnished tenancies or of numbers of unfurnished tenancies in the area of any large cities or county boroughs outside Greater London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made any arrangements to ensure that the contents of Audley End House, which is in his care, are retained for the benefit of visitors.

I am glad to announce that this has now been achieved. The Department has purchased from their owner, the hon. Robin Neville, a substantial nucleus of the contents of this notable early Jacobean mansion, which was itself acquired by the Government in 1950. For his part Mr. Neville has very generously agreed to leave the remainder on indefinite loan.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give further details of the arrangements by which the first offer of surplus top soil is made to the original owners of the land compulsorily acquired for the construction of new motorways.

These depend on the circumstances. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present total amount involved in schemes submitted for approval by coastal local authorities in connection with sewerage and sewage disposal schemes; and if he will give a breakdown of this amount.

A quick analysis shows that the estimated cost of schemes submitted by authorities with some boundary on the coast since 1st August, 1970, was of the order of £37 million. Schemes costing less than £100,000, or the product of a rate of 1p in the £ if that is higher, have not needed since 31st March last to be submitted for approval, and are not therefore included in that total. Not all these schemes are necessarily connected with discharges to the sea, because some of the authorities have deep hinterlands. If my hon. Friend would like figures for particular authorities I will write to him. I regret that I cannot give separate figures for sewerage and sewage disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present extent of Government assistance which can be given to industries to assist them in reducing the amount of undesirable industrial effluent discharged by them into rivers, estuaries or the sea.

There is no special Government assistance for the treatment of industrial effluents. The cost of such treatment should be regarded as part of the normal cost of production. The cost of effluent treatment plant can attract capital allowances against taxation. The cost of operating such plant is a normal business expense which may be taken into account in calculating taxable profit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is now his timetable for the progress of the South Coast Trunk Road in the section running through the Fareham Urban District.

Construction of the Windhover—Portsbridge section which runs through Fareham Urban District is expected to be started next year and completed in the summer if 1974. Advance works are already in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his decision to impose no restraint in the coming financial year on derelict land reclamation expenditure in the development and intermediate areas also applies to the derelict land clearance areas.

It does.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of persons appointed as Traffic Commissioners in each of the last three years; and by which organisations or public bodies they were nominated.

Traffic commissioners (other than the permanent Chairmen) hold office for periods of up to three years and may be reappointed. The number of new appointments in the last three years are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial arrangements are being made to meet expenditure on the steel box girder bridges.

The Government will be seeking parliamentary approval in the next Session for the necessary extra expenditure. In the meantime the Civil Contingencies Fund will carry any immediate expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the interim report submitted by the Technical Committee on Steel Box Girder Bridges will be published.

An abridged version of the Interim Report is currently with the printers and will be published within the next few weeks. The form in which it will be published has been agreed with the committee. Abridgement has been necessary to exclude material either supplied in confidence to the committee or bearing on current litigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ease the financial burden placed on bus companies by the requirement to provide the additional bus services which are a condition of his consent to a rail closure.

The Transport Act, 1968, saddled the National Bus Company and the Scottish Transport Group with the cost of additional bus services required as a condition of consent to a rail closure. This obligation represents a serious financial burden to these two companies, faced as they are by falling demand and sharply rising costs. The Government have decided therefore to contribute up to £450,000 in the current financial year towards the cost of the provision of these additional bus services by the National Bus Company and, should the need arise, the Scottish Transport Group. A summer Supplementary Estimate has been presented to the House. This will not affect the standing arrangements whereby the period during which these replacement bus services are subject to Ministerial control is normally limited to two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent the revenue derived from the resources of oil and gas in the North Sea off Scotland will be used for the benefit of the Scottish economy.

Scotland, as part of the United Kingdom will share in all benefits, Exchequer revenues and otherwise, being obtained and to be derived from the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will initiate a departmental inquiry into the performance of the microelectronics industry in Scotland in the last 15 years, with particular reference to the fact that the industry is largely foreign-owned.

I do not believe that such an inquiry would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence for a private landlord wilfully to overcharge a tenant for the use of gas or electricity.

This is a possibility I am considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice his Department gives to people who ask if they may fly in Concorde; and if he will list people with whom he has recently corresponded on this subject.

Requests from people asking to fly in Concorde are considered by the manufacturers in consultation with my Department. Priority must be given to people with a direct interest in the project, such as representatives of potential customers and overseas Governments. I have not corresponded recently with anybody who has requested to fly in Concorde.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has concluded his review into the regulations affecting charter flights; and whether he will make a statement.

No. As I have told the House on a number of occasions, changes cannot be made quickly in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to ensure that a representative of the Department is always on duty at each British airport at or from which overseas charter flights land and take off, in order to assist and advise stranded passengers.

No. It is the responsibility of the travel organiser to make appropriate arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policy recommendations have been given by his Department to those participating at the International Air Transport Association Conference in Montreal about rules and regulations governing affinity group charter flights.

None, but we have made it clear that we hope the conference will agree on fares that will enable the scheduled services to tap the mass air travel market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will endorse the proposals made by the United States Civil Aeronautics Board, details of which are in his possession, for a reform of the regulations governing affinity group charter flights; and whether he will make a statement.

I am considering these and other proposals but, as I have made clear on a number of occasions, any changes must take account of the different interests of holiday and business travellers, of the concern of British airlines to get a fair share of the traffic and of the need to move in step with other countries if the traffic is to flow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will hold an inquiry into allegations that officials in his Department have been in receipt of bribes from operators of charter flight companies, details of which are in his possession.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the right hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 3rd August, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why, with his Department's letter of 30th July sent to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, dealing with charges and allegations of corruption upon the part of his officials, he sent back a letter dated 9th July from Mr. A. G. Hughes regarding alleged malpractices on the part of eight public companies without any answer to the charges; and whether he will make a statement.

The hon. Member is mistaken; the Department's letter to him of 30th July was not concerned with Mr. A. G. Hughes' letter of 9th July, and did not enclose that letter; it refuted the allegations contained in earlier correspondence from the hon. Member. A separate letter was sent in reply to Mr. Hughes on 30th July, and not to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to encourage the tourist boards to concern themselves with the problem of clean beaches on the sea coast of the United Kingdom and the need for more effective sewage treatment in such coastal areas.

These are matters in the first instance for local authorities, but, in view of their importance to amenities, I have no doubt that the tourist boards will take an active interest in them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now make a statement concerning the estimated rate of growth of the total demand for fuel and the likely demand for coal.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 25th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the present level of coal stock; whether he is satisfied with the amount; and if he will make a statement.

Coal stocks have recovered from the low levels of last winter. On 17th July they were 28·2 million tons, 1 million tons higher than a year ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the latest progress of the experimental hovertrain project.

The first test vehicle have been delivered, and progress is being made with the completion of the test track at Cambridge. Tracked Hovercraft Limited is working to test the system at intermediate speeds up to about 150 m.p.h., and it is hoped to begin the first tests in the late autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will widen the terms of reference of the departmental committee, under the chairmanship of Sir Hilary Scott, set up to look into the problem of life assurance policies linked to property bonds and equities, to include all life assurance contracts.

No. As my right hon. Friend told the House on 10th March, in replying to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, South-West (Mr. Tom Boardman), we are examining the adequacy of the controls applicable to insurers under the existing legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent he estimates, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, that the price rises which will result therefrom will affect the £2 million to £3 million per annum of goods purchased by residents of the Six who come to Great Britain to purchase retail goods from British shops due to their cheapness in comparison with the cost of such items in the countries of the Six.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the decision of the United States Senate to provide loan guarantees to the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, he will make a statement on the future of the Rolls-Royce RB211 programme.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Newark (Mr. Bishop).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the specifications of British Standards Institution 2658, electric lifts, to be extended to include escalators; and what research is being conducted into improving safety standards in the meantime.

The separate section of BS2655 which deals with general requirements for escalators and passenger conveyors was published by B.S.I. in July 1969.I understand that manufacturers are continuing their research into all aspects of escalator design.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the powers he possesses to ban the import of animals such as the tiger, jaguar, puma, leopard and ocelot; and what action has been taken under these powers in the years 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively.

The Animals (Restriction of Importation) Order, 1970, made under the Animals (Restriction of Importation) Act, 1964, prohibited as from 1st September, 1970, imports of such animals except under licences granted by the Department. No licence has been granted.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further action he proposes to take with the Brewers Society to ensure that the licensing system for tied houses gives greater freedom to tenants to sell the products of their choice, as nearly half of the on- and off-licence premises are now controlled by brewers having an interest in cider or perry manufacture.

The Brewers Society recommended last December that tenants of tied houses should have greater freedom to sell non-beer products of their choice, including cider and perry. I see no grounds for further action on my part at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the concern that the proposed Watney Mann take-over bid will further extend the monopoly situation in the brewery industry, he will refer the industry to the Monopolies Commission.

I am considering whether or not one or both of the current proposals to acquire Truman Hanbury Buxton & Co. Ltd. should be referred to the Monopolies Commission, under the usual arrangements for examination of mergers coming within the scope of the Monopolies and Mergers Act, 1965. The brewing industry as a whole was the subject of a report by the Commission in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now make an announcement about future arrangements for credit facilities for orders placed in United Kingdom shipyards by United Kingdom shipowners.

The Government recognise the importance to the United Kingdom shipbuilding industry of the fixed rate credit facilities for orders placed by United Kingdom shipowners in United Kingdom yards. The present credit scheme is administered by the Department of Trade and Industry but at present under Section 7 of the Shipbuilding Industry Act, 1967, before a guarantee can be given a recommendation has to be made by the Shipbuilding Industry Board.Following the advice of the Geddes Report, a recommendation by the S.I.B. is conditional upon confirmation that the shipbuilder either has undertaken or is undertaking a reorganisation scheme. Under the Act the S.I.B. ceases to exist at the end of the year and the Geddes conditions would then no longer be operable. The Government therefore intend to introduce legislation to enable shipbuilding credit guarantees to continue to be given after the end of this year, without any requirement for a recommendation by the S.I.B. The present limit of £700 million will be increased to £1,000 million. Taking into account repayments revolving within the scheme, the new limit should be sufficient to cover all home orders placed within the next five years. Arrangements for provision of the additional finance are being discussed with the banks.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he can now announce the dates of the Spring and Autumn Bank Holidays in 1972.

The dates for 1972, 1973 and 1974 are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has now made of the effect of the economic measures of 19th July upon Scottish unemployment over the coming winter.

Following the measures announced on 19th July, I expect national output between the first halves of 1971 and 1972 to rise by between 4 and 4½ per cent., leading to a fall in national unemployment before very long. The measures, together with the substantial increase in public works which is planned for Scotland, should have a favourable effect on Scottish unemployment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he intends to make to the taxation treatment of sale and leaseback arrangements; and whether he will make a statement.

During the Committee stage of the Finance Bill a number of my hon. Friends expressed their concern about some recent developments in the tax treatment of payments and receipts under certain lease-back arrangements. I undertook that, as soon as possible, I would indicate the form of the legislation which I announced on 22nd June would appear in next year's Finance Bill.I will deal first with arrangements entered into after 21st June, 1971. The legislation will be concerned primarily with cases in which an existing tenant of business premises disposes of his lease for a lump sum and the premises are then sub-leased back to the proprietor of the business at a rent which, although no greater than the present-day commercial rent, is in excess of the rent paid under the original lease. I have now decided that it will be sufficient to confine the legislation in general to cases where, assuming the arrangements to be at arm's length, the unexpired term of the original lease at the time of the lease-back transaction is for a period not exceeding 50 years and the period for which the premises are leased back to the tenant is 15 years or less. These time limits mean that the legislation will apply to fewer cases than envisaged in my statement during the Committee stage debate.Special provisions will be necessary to deal with cases where the sub-lease, although for more than 15 years, provides for the increased rent to be concentrated wholly or mainly in the first 15 years, or less, of its term. We shall also have to deal specially with other arrangements whereby, in return for a lump sum not constituting an income receipt, increased payments come to be payable for the continued occupancy of business premises and those payments might be claimed as wholly or partly deductible in computing profits. One example would be a case in which rent under an existing lease is increased in consideration for a lump sum payment from the lessor to the lessee. Another example would be a case in which an existing lease of business premises is sold for a lump sum and the premises are sub-leased back for the unexpired term of the original lease for a premium, part of which is claimed as a trading expense. The legislation will also apply, with any necessary modifications, to all lease-back arrangements where the increased rent is claimed as a deduction or expense for tax purposes.As I said on 22nd June, there are two possible forms the legislation might take and, before I make up my mind between them, I hope that those concerned with these matters will take advantage of the opportunity I am giving them of considering these alternatives carefully and letting me know their views on them. I should like to have them by 15th October.Under the first alternative, the lump sum received by the vendor of the original lease would be treated as a capital sum in his hands but would be explicitly exempted from capital gains tax. The rent payable under the sub-lease, after any disallowance required by Section 491, Income and Corporation Taxes Act, 1970, would be apportioned: a proportion of each rental payment would be disallowed in such a way that the aggregate disallowance over the whole term of the sublease would equal the sum paid by the purchaser for the original lease. I shall be prepared to adopt whichever method of apportionment between income and capital would be most favourable to the taxpayer. The amount thus apportioned as capital would not, of course, be treated for tax purposes as income in the hands of the recipient.The second alternative would declare that the lump sum paid for the purchase of the original lease is partly taxable as income; the taxable part would be computed by deducting from the lump sum 1 / 15th part of it for every year, after the first, of the term of the sub-lease. "Top-slicing" relief would be available. Under this alternative the rent under the sub-lease would be allowable as a deduction subject only to any disallowance required by Section 491. For capital gains tax purposes, the rules applied to premiums taxed under Schedule A would be applied with the appropriate adaptations.I now turn to arrangements entered into before the 22nd June, 1971. These present a particular difficulty. On the basis of the recent decision of the Special Commissioners, the additional payments under such sub-leases would not be allowable for tax. This result, however well grounded in law, may work harshly and there is the further point that I understand an appeal against the decision is likely. Rather than have a long period of uncertainty, and to avoid any suggestion of retrospection, I propose that these cases should be dealt with on the basis that the rent will be allowable for tax and the whole of the capital sum will be regarded as within the charge to capital gains tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the United Kingdom has reserved her position in the same way as Norway on the Common Market rules on freedom of capital movement in relation to British shipping.

No. The United Kingdom does not at present operate special restrictions on capital movement in relation to shipping.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which countries of the European Economic Community the standard of living rose significantly more than double the rate of the rise in the United Kingdom in the last convenient period of 12 months, and what criteria are used in making such comparisons.

Changes in the standard of living are usually measured either by reference to the change in the gross national product at constant prices per head of the population or by changes in private consumption at constant prices per head of the population. On either basis all six of the members of the European Economic Community showed a rate of growth significantly more than double that of the United Kingdom between 1968

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how long it takes to circulate to employers agreements

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the income to the Treasury from taxation on advertising of all kinds.

There is no tax on advertising as such.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the consumption of alcoholic drink in Great Britain from 1968 to the nearest convenient date divided into mature British spirit and Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey, other spirit, British wines, imported wines, and beer.

The net quantities on which duty has been paid are as follows:reached by the Licensed Non-Residential Wages Council; and what steps he is taking to speed up the process.(2) how long printed notices of agreements reached by the Licensed Non-Residential Wages Council take to be printed; and what steps he is taking to speed up the process.

The average time taken to print the wages regulation proposals made by this Council and to distribute them as required by the Act to employers so that all persons affected may have an opportunity to make representations about them is six weeks. The longer period of nine weeks for the current proposals was mainly due to the exceptional difficulties caused by the postal strike.Every effort will continue to be made to minimise delays caused by the operation of the statutory procedures in wages council industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider making agreements reached by the Licensed Non-Residential Wages Council retrospective when their operational date has been held up through delay in printing the agreements and circulating them to the employers concerned.

My right hon. Friend has no power to give retrospective effect to wages regulation proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the total cost to public funds of all forms of wage arbitration and committees of inquiry in wage and salary disputes during the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available.

The information required is not readily available and could only be obtained by a disproportionate charge on public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average increase in hourly wage rates over the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the comparable increase in hourly wage rates resulting from settlements recommended by arbitration bodies.

In the twelve months ending in June 1971 the index of basic hourly rates of wages increased by 13·5 per cent. I regret that no comparable figure is available for increases based on the findings of arbitral bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will cause the Scottish Development Department to make a special study of unemployment problems in Lanarkshire.

The Government are already keeping a very close watch on the unemployment situation in Lanarkshire, and my right hon. Friend is aware of the great problems of the area. A special study would be unlikely to add much to our understanding of the situation, or help solve the difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to conciliate in the dispute between professional engineers and scientists and C. A. Parsons and Company Limited, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and associated companies, who are threatened with dismissal because they have refused to join a particular union.

My officers have discussed the problem with the company and the United Kingdom Association of Professional Engineers but it has not been possible to find a solution acceptable to both parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 29,800 redundancies in the North-Western region in 1970 took place January to June, and how many July to December.

Of the 29,800 redundancies recorded in manufacturing industries in the North-Western region during 1970, 14,760 took place in the period January to June and 15,040 in the period July to December.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current average level of unemployment for persons living in Cardiganshire.

At 12th July, 670 people were registered as unemployed in Cardiganshire and the rate of unemployment was 4·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider establishing another Government training centre on Merseyside.

Existing centres are sufficient to meet the present training demand. When current expansion plans at Runcorn and St. Helens are completed by the end of the year, Merseyside will be relatively well provided for. I will keep the situation under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were registered as unemployed at the East Ham employment exchange at the latest convenient date; and what was the number 12 months previously.

In the area covered by the East Ham employment exchange, the numbers registered as unemployed at July, 1971, and July, 1970, were 867 and 846, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number and types of job opportunities he expects will become available to juveniles and adults in the Chester-le-Street constituency area as a conseqence of Government action before the winter of 1971.

Since the numbers and types of job opportunities which arise in any area by a given date depend upon various unforeseeable factors—for example, decisions by individual employers—I regret that I am unable to make the detailed estimate for which the hon. Member asks. However, I expect his constituency to benefit from the extensive measures we have taken both to stimulate the national economy and to encourage industrial expansion in the development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will encourage employers in the private and public sectors to provide maternity benefits and facilities at least equal to those granted to women in the Civil Service.

Arrangements for and improvements to maternity benefits are best made through the usual processes of collective bargaining and I have no plans to intervene on these questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation next Session to ensure that women are not barred from any profession or work on grounds of sex.

No. My right hon. Friend is not persuaded that the introduction of legislation for this purpose is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of the newly-launched Press and television publicity campaign for family income supplements.

During July and August we are spending about £148,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for supplying explanatory material by his Department to Post Offices; and what representations he has received upon this;(2) what shortages of leaflets, pamphlets or other publications explaining entitlements to benefits have been experienced by his Department recently; what areas of the country these affected; and what were the causes of such shortages.

We have only received isolated representations on difficulty in obtaining explanatory material from post offices earlier in the summer. I am not aware of any shortages now of such material available for the general public, either in post offices or in local Social Security offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements will be made under the reorganisation of the National Health Service for payments to be made between the new local authorities and the new health authorities for services provided by the one to the other.

Whether or not payment will be due will depend on the nature of the service provided and I regret that my answer to my hon. Friend during a debate on 1st July was misleading in this respect. My Department will be considering with those concerned how payments can be arranged with the minimum of administrative inconvenience.—[Vol. 820, c. 603.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many establishments for which he is responsible animals are used for purposes of experimentation and research; and how many animals were used in those establishments for such purposes in 1970.

Establishments in the Health Service which conduct experiments on animals are registered by the Home Office. Separate returns are not kept by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what part of the additional expenditure on health and welfare services in 1971–72 and subsequent years described on page 38 of Command Paper No. 4578 (Public Expenditure 1969–70 to 1974–75) is expected to be spent in the Bournemouth and Christchurch area; and on what projects.

In most cases it is not possible to identify schemes which will be financed from the additions to resources. The enlarged allocations have enabled the Wessex Regional Hospital Board to prepare estimates within a greater total sum; to accelerate a number of capital schemes in the current financial year including schemes at Bournemouth, Boscombe and Christchurch; and to accommodate the consequential revenue commitment. Decisions on further improvements will be taken in the light of a review of services in the region which is being undertaken jointly with general practitioners and local authorities. Local authorities are fully aware of the importance we attach to improvement of services for the mentally handicapped, the elderly, the mentally ill and others, and the capital programmes they will be sending my right hon. Friend later in the year will reflect their decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures of relative waiting times prior to entry to hospital as between National Health Service and private patients, for a range of different specialities, having if necessary, a survey undertaken to establish these relative facts.

No. The information is not available for private patients and I do not think that a special inquiry would serve a useful purpose. I would however refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price) on 13th July.—[Vol. 821, c. 49.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the additional numbers of civil servants required in his Department to implement the new range of allowances introduced by him since taking office.

The new range of allowances introduced under the National Insurance (Old Persons' and Widows' Pensions and Attendance Allowance) Act. 1970, the Family Income Supplements Act, 1970 and the National Insurance Act, 1971 have together required an increase of about 1,050 civil servants in my Department. About 400 of these additional posts will be withdrawn at the end of the take-on period for Attendance Allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what has been the total estimated number of spouses and children, of persons subject to the wage-stop rule during November of each year since 1948;(2) how many persons have been subject to the wage-stop rule in November during each year since 1948.

Following is the information requested so far as it is available:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that contaminated tins of Vichysoise soup have been exported to this country by Bon Vivant Incorporated from the United States of America; and whether he will make a statement on the action he is taking to protect the public from botulism arising therefrom.

So far as can be ascertained, no cans of the batch of this soup responsible for illness in the United States of America have been exported to this country. Nevertheless, in view of precautionary action taken in the United States of America and Canada, importers were asked to withdraw from their wholesale and retail outlets in the United Kingdom all stocks of this firm's canned products.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the plans for reducing the nursing staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead.

The designation of a number of the specialty beds at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead has recently been changed. In view of this, and the transfer of 70 mentally handicapped patients from wards in the Gateshead Group of Hospitals, which includes the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to the newly developed Northgate and District Hospital, the nursing establishment of the Gateshead Group has been reduced and funds made available in the current year have been reduced accordingly. Following representations from the Hospital Management Committee an Assistant Nursing Officer from the Regional Hospital Board has investigated the deployment of nurses in the Group. Her report has been sent to the Group for consideration and subsequent discussion with the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many Ford employees have been prosecuted for making false claims for supplementary benefit during the trade dispute earlier this year.

Summonses have been obtained against 27 strikers, and to date 18 cases have been heard. All of these resulted in conviction with fines ranging from £10 to £90.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements the European Economic Community has made for consultation with the nursing profession before the proposed directives on nursing are finalised; and what opportunities the nursing organisations in this country will have to give their views on the application of the directives to the United Kingdom.

I understand that the Commission has agreed to the establishment of a liaison committee representative of European nursing organisations which will be able to comment on the draft directives, and that the Royal College of Nursing will be given observer status on that committee. As to the possible effect if directives as drafted were applied in this country, my Department has consulted nursing organisations in this country and will be maintaining close liaison with them for the purpose of determining our attitude to the E.E.C. proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce his proposals for the reconstruction of the National Insurance Scheme.

I plan to publish on 14th September a White Paper setting out the Government's proposals for the future development of State and occupational pensions. I am arranging through the Vote Office for a copy to be sent to every hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he can now make a statement regarding the retention of statutory bull licensing in view of its greater importance if the United Kingdom joins the European Economic Community.

Yes. I should like to make a statement about sire licensing.My right hon. Friends and I have now completed our consultations with the organisations concerned with bull and boar licensing. These consultations were on the basis of a consultative document, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House on 17th June.Most of the organisations concerned with boar licensing agreed that statutory licensing arrangements should come to an end. Powers will be taken to repeal Section 6(1) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1944, at the earliest opportunity.On bull licensing the organisations concerned, while willing to see some changes, strongly emphasised that some form of statutory licensing should be retained. They believed that without statutory licensing damage would be caused to the industry through the use for breeding of "scrub bulls" and bulls with hereditable veterinary abnormalities and defects. Accordingly we have decided that the Improvement of Livestock (Licensing of Bulls) Act, 1931, should remain on the Statute Book. But Section 6(3) of the 1944 Act, which prohibits the licensing of cross-bred bulls, will be repealed at the earliest opportunity, and in future the inspection of bulls will be carried out by veterinary surgeons in private practice. Licences will continue to be issued by the Agricultural Departments, and the administrative arrangements will be discussed with the organisations concerned.The boar breeeders indicated that they would wish to consider the introduction of a warranty system along the lines set out in the consultative document. We hope that the bull breeders will also consider a warranty system to run together with the revised licensing arrangements.