asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to improve the employment situation in North Humberside, particularly for young people in skilled employment, by the provision of Government-sponsored industry in the area.

The provision of intermediate area incentives in North Humberside together with our recent measures to stimulate the economy should lead to an improvement in the area's employment prospects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will indicate his estimate of the forward trends over the next five years of trade between Great Britain and the European Free Trade Association, the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe, respectively.

The many uncertainties make any such estimates misleading.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates were issued for the Yorkshire and Humberside region in the first nine months of 1971; and how many jobs these are estimated to provide.

A total of 135 industrial development certificates were issued, for projects of 10,000 sq. ft. and above. They were expected by the applicants to provide nearly 5,000 additional jobs when the projects were complete and fully manned.

asked the Secretary for State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates were issued in Carlisle and Cumberland, respectively, since 18th June, 1970, to the nearest convenient date; and how many jobs these are estimated to provide.

During the period 1st July, 1970, to 30th September, 1971, four industrial development certificates were issued for the Carlisle Employment Exchange area for 110,000 square feet. The projects when complete and fully manned were expected by the applicants to give rise to 100 jobs. The comparable figures for Cumberland are 15 industrial development certificates for 580,000 square feet estimated to provide 720 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what legislation he proposes regarding the importation of skins of endangered species of wild animals such as the cheetah, cougar, leopard and puma; and if he will make a statement.

The practicability of controlling such imports under existing legislation will be sympathetically considered as soon as the Department receives the essential technical information from the British Fur Trade Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, having regard to the number of complaints forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Chigwell at the instance of his constituents, he will make a statement about the stacking of aircraft in the area of the Chigwell Urban District and the Epping and Ongar Rural District.

The introduction of new departure and arrival patterns to deal with increased traffic in the London area required the use of the Ongar navigational beacon as an additional holding point for inbound aircraft. I am studying this situation in consultation with my hon. Friend and other hon. Members affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the changes which he is introducing in the regulations governing the labelling of goods to indicate their country of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, on the lapse of the present regulations at the end of November, he will issue new Origin Marking Orders under the Trade Descriptions Act, since otherwise imported textiles and knitwear need carry no label stating the country of origin.

I have nothing to add to the answer given on 19th October to my hon. Friends the Members for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) and Leicester, South-West (Mr. Tom Boardman).—[Vol. 823, c. 104.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to ensure that pottery imported into Great Britain is marked clearly with its origin.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) and the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. David Steel).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he is withdrawing the regulations which require country of origin to be marked on imported goods.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to his earlier Question on the same subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to protect the Shetland knitwear industry against misleading descriptions of knitwear manufactured abroad, consequent upon the proposed cancellation of the requirement that marks of origin must be shown on imported knitwear.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to similar Questions from my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) and from the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. David Steel).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, on the lapsing in November of current marking requirements, he will restore the provisions which require foreign goods entering this country for sale to show a mark of origin

I have nothing to add to the Answer given on 19th October to my hon. Friends the Members for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) and Leicester, South-West (Mr. Tom Boardman).—[Vol. 823, c. 104.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a further statement of the action taken since the Ronan Point disaster to ensure that all gas appliances are properly installed, and the action taken to prevent similar types of explosion.

Yes. The following are the details of voluntary action taken by the gas contractors and the gas supply industry, as well as of statutory measures taken and in hand.

The voluntary association known as CORGI (the Confederation of Registered Gas Installers) was formed in 1970 with the support of the leading institutions, associations and trade unions concerned with this work as well as of the gas industry itself. The aim of CORGI is to promote the carrying out of gas installation work to safe and satisfactory standards. Membership has grown swiftly, and good progress has been made in CORGI's work.

Codes of practice prepared under the auspices of the Institute of Gas Engineers in consultation with other interested bodies are published by the British Standards Institution and are under constant review.

The gas industry is carrying out a safety check of all gas installations in the course of converting to natural gas. This, as was pointed out by the Morton Report of 1970, provides a unique opportunity for examining all existing installations. My Department has been concerned with rectifying certain weaknesses in the statutory position and the forthcoming gas legislation will make further provision relating to safety. An advanced stage has been reached with the preparation of regulations on installation work, and I intend to circulate these on a consultative basis in the very near future. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has strengthened the provisions in building regulations for the ventilating and flueing of fuel burning appliances.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is now able to announce the names of the remaining members of the British Export Board.

I hope to be in a position shortly to announce the name of the first Chairman of the British Export Board. Thereafter, in consultation with the Chairman and others, I propose to appoint the remaining members of the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards implementing the provisions of section 1 of the Finance Act 1971 relating to generalised preferences for manufactured and semi-manufactured exports from developing countries; and what steps are being taken to harmonise the policy of Her Majesty's Government with that of the European Economic Community in this respect.

An order bringing into effect the United Kingdom's new preferential arrangements from 1st January, 1972, will shortly be laid before the House. We are considering with the European Economic Community arrangements for the assimilation of our scheme to the Community's after our entry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware that the Italian Government have been advised by the Commission of the European Economic Community that their plans to provide aids for industry in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia are inconsistent with the Treaty of Rome, although unemployment in that country exceeds one million; and if he will make a statement on the implications of this development for Great Britain's regional policy in the event of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

I see no reason for concern at the Commission's action. The measures in question were introduced, not by the Italian Government, but by the regional authorities, in an area where unemployment has traditionally been below the Italian national average.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what will be the procedure for designating areas of Great Britain as central areas in accordance with the Commission's plans to restrict regional aids within such central areas, in the event of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implications for British regional development policy of the proposals of the Common Market Commission relating to restrictions of regional aid and the nature of regional aids within areas designated as central areas, in the event of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

As my hon. Friend knows, the Community's recent decisions apply only to development in the prosperous areas of the Common Market. I welcome the aim of limiting competitive bidding between countries for international investment in such areas not least because of the benefits such a limitation can offer to the less prosperous regions—including our own. The application of the Community's policies to the United Kingdom would be a matter for discussion and joint decision after entry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take action to ensure that there is a clear distinction between those medicines normally prescribed by a doctor and those that are available for purchase in shops other than those of dispensing chemists, with a view to the abolition of resale price maintenance on the latter list by giving them another designation to exempt them from the ruling of the Restrictive Practices Court on medicines.

No. It is for the court to decide whether a particular product falls within its ruling exempting medicaments from the ban on retail price maintenance. We do not intend to introduce legislation to change the effect of the court's decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports he has received from the National Coal Board about further contraction in manpower and output in the mining industry in Scotland; what are the number of men involved; and in which pits.

The N.C.B. has told me that it is concerned about the trend in demand for Scottish coal and is in touch with its main customers. Its manpower prospects should be clearer when these discussions are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement regarding the use of powers under the Coal Industry Act, 1971, to direct the National Coal Board to "hive off" any of its activities or dispose of any of its assets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his present policy now is with regard to using his powers under Section 7 of the Coal Industry Act, 1971, to direct the National Coal Board to discontinue or restrict any of its activities or disposal of any part of their undertaking or assets.

I am discussing with the National Coal Board a report it has sent to me on its non-colliery activities. I shall inform the House of the outcome as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conclusion he has reached following his further consideration of whether to introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence for a private landlord wilfully to over-charge a tenant for the use of gas or electricity.

I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, arising from the information supplied to him by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, if he will give consideration to a prosecution under the Trade Descriptions Act of a computer operator training company, whose name is in his possession; and if he will make a statement.

The duty of enforcing the Trades Description Act is placed on the local weights and measures authority, to whom I suggest the hon. Member's constituent should submit the necessary evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the Census of Distribution 1971 contains almost twice as many questions as the Census for 1966.

For most retailers the information required in the 1971 census is substantially the same as for 1966. The main difference is that, as was the case in 1961, traders have been asked to indicate the types of goods sold.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is now in a position to state the Government's intentions for implementing the recommendations of the Crowther Report on Consumer Credit.

No. I accept that there is need for reform of the law in the consumer credit field. The proposals of the Crowther Committee are complex, and I am still receiving views from the main interests involved. I hope to make shortly a statement of the Government's general intent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the White Paper on the Government's policy towards metrication.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Redmond) on 18th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 362–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is now in a position to make a statement concerning workers' shares in the Rolls-Royce Company.

I hope to make a statement within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on Concorde, in the light of recent discoveries affecting the ozone layer, details of which have been sent to him.

There have been a number of recent studies of this question, all of which have been very carefully considered. Our scientific advisers consider, in the light of these studies, that the effect on the ozone layer of operating even a large fleet of Concorde aircraft would be considerably less than the range of natural variations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the future of Concorde.

I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to earlier similar Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware of the widespread concern for the future of the British aerospace industry; and what proposals he has for its future development.

The long-term future of this industry lies, I believe, in ever closer cross-frontier partnerships, particularly with Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in setting up a working party in order to ensure the maximum retention of jobs in shipbuilding on the upper Clyde.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made on 20th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 724–36.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what diminution of the quota of foreign apples from 68,750 tons in the second half of 1971 he proposes for the first half of 1972; and, having regard to home-growing resources, whether he will reduce the foreign apple quota for the first half of 1972 to 40,000 tons.

No. The global quota for the second half of 1971 is 15,200 tons, and we have decided that the quota for the first half of 1972 should be 68,750 tons. These figures are both at the same level as in the 1970–71 season.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the working of the Development of Tourism Act, 1969, particularly in view of the need to encourage overseas tourists to visit the west country; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The British Tourist Authority encourages overseas visitors to come to all parts of Britain and many visit the south-west. The English Tourist Board has set up a new regional tourist board covering the whole of the west country with responsibility for promoting tourism in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in view of the aggravation of unemployment in the Mexborough district caused by the decision of the National Coal Board to close Manvers main workshop in February, 1972, if he will consult with the Board in order to delay or phase the closure until suitable new industries have been provided in the locality.

No. This is a matter for the National Coal Board, which tells me that it can offer alternative employment to the men now employed at the workshop.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which regional development associations receive grants from the Treasury; and why nothing is granted to the North-West Industrial Development Association or the Merseyside Development Committee.

The Government make grants to the North-East Development Council, the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) and the Development Corporation for Wales, but in general the finance of local development associations is a local, not a national, responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the investment plans of the British Steel Corporation.

My review of the financial position and development plans of the British Steel Corporation is still in progress, and I shall make a statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on his decision to appoint Mr. David Lancaster Nicolson as Chairman of the British Airways Board at a salary of £13,000 per annum on a part-time basis; why this appointment was made on this basis and not full time; how many hours per week or per annum Mr. Nicolson will work; and whether he will additionally maintain his other directorships.

I appointed Mr. Nicolson because I am satisfied that he is the best man to do this job. His salary is £13,500 per annum. He will devote some two-thirds of his time to the job. He will retain certain of his directorships and withdraw from others.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has studied the Second Survey of Aircraft Noise Around London (Heathrow) Airport; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Noise Advisory Council has been asked for its views, in the light of which we shall decide how far and in what way to apply the findings of the Survey.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the Moneylenders Acts with regard to the maximum permissible rate of interest chargeable on loans.

This is under consideration in the light of the report of the Committee on Consumer Credit.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will carry out an urgent review of the likely effect on the textile industry of the ending of import quotas and the substitution of a 15 per cent. tariff; and if he will make a statement.

This matter is kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the occasions over the last 15 months when his Department has received representations in person from members or officials of the Derbyshire County Council, together with the dates on which such representations were made, the names of those taking part and the subjects discussed.

Because of the wide range of subjects for which the Department has responsibility and the considerable number of meetings and discussions continually taking place with local interests in Derbyshire, I regret that it is not practicable to provide the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will change the official writing paper of the Minister for Aerospace so that the sole form of transportation depicted thereon is no longer a three-masted sailing ship.

No. The crest is copied from my right hon. Friend's seal of office as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and President of the Board of Trade, which is derived from the Board of Trade seal dating from 1786. It is identified with the Department at large rather than with any special part of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he has taken in the last 12th months, and what steps he intends to take in the future, to reduce the level of unemployment in the Wigan travel-to-work area and in the Skelmersdale New Town; and if he will make a statement.

The hon. Member will know of the many steps the Government have taken to stimulate the economy both nationally and regionally. Skelmersdale also, of course, receives the full benefits of development area status.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the impending closure of Locomotors Limited, Wythenshawe, Manchester; what reply he has made; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

In reply to the hon. Member's representations—which were the only ones received—on 19th October I stated that the decision to close the factory is a matter for the company concerned. The full resources of the Department of Employment would, of course, be available to assist in finding new jobs. I regret that there is no action I can take.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy on rents charged for industrial property managed on his behalf by the English, Scottish and Welsh industrial estates corporations; and whether he will make a statement.

For many years it has been an established principle that rents for these factories should be determined on the basis of current market value, as assessed by the district valuer. This policy is sound and will be maintained. At the same time the application of the normal arrangements to leases first negotiated many years ago at a fixed rent can sometimes lead to sudden large increases in rent when the time comes for the leases to be renewed, and many of the factories are in areas of high unemployment. In these circumstances, I have decided that it would be right to provide some temporary relief by staging such increases over a limited period. The concession will apply to leases falling due for renewal in the coming year and details will be notified to tenants in due course by the appropriate estate corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is yet in a position to announce when the Report of the Bolton Committee inquiring into the problem of smaller businesses will be published.

I expect to publish the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms on 3rd November.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is satisfied that exploration of the North Sea for oil and gas will be on an adequate scale during the next few years; and whether he will make a statement.

I keep this under continuing review but the present level of exploration and the favourable response to the recent invitation to apply for new licences suggests there will be a satisfactory rate of exploration in the foreseeable future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the latest prospects for solid smokeless fuel supplies in the coming winter.

Stocks are satisfactory, and producers and merchants are confident that provided production continues normally, they can meet the demand this winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will examine the Heathrow landing proposals, put forward to him by the Local Authorities Aircraft Noise Council; and if he will make a statement.

No such proposals have reached me but I gather from press reports that the council's interest is in the two-segment glide path. This technique has been explored experimentally and, though it offers a reduction of noise in certain areas, it involves increased noise near the airport and introduces problems of safety and other difficulties in implementation. On balance this technique does not seem worth pursuing further at present especially as other, possibly more promising, alternatives are under examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action is taken against companies which file accounts at Companies House after the statutory time limit has expired.

All cases which come to notice of failure to file accounts are pursued by correspondence. As my hon. Friend indicated in his answer of 30th November, 1970, our policy is to seek to secure compliance before proceeding to prosecution: persistent default is of course likely to lead to prosecution.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action is taken against companies which file accounts at Companies House without giving the additional information required by the Companies Act, 1967.

The Department pursues with the company concerned any case which comes to its notice of failure to file information required by the 1967 Companies Act. If a company persistently fails to comply, it may be prosecuted.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes legislation to regulate the basis of operation of air charter firms in the light of evidence that the present rules are unsatisfactory.

The Civil Aviation Act already contains provision for the licensing of air travel organisers by the Civil Aviation Authority. I am considering possible changes in the basic rules, and hope to make a statement on this aspect before Christmas or early in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Trade Descriptions Act so as to prevent the producers of multi-part encyclopaedias increasing the cost before the end of the series.

I will bear the point in mind when a general review of the Act's operation becomes appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking toward international agreement to regulate the practice of providing export finance at artificially low interest rates.

This question is currently under discussion in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. It is, however, one of particular difficulty and I cannot hold out any hope of significant early progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the effect on Great Britain's export performance of last year's increase in the level of fixed interest rates for export credits.

Precise estimates are impossible since the interest rate is only one among many factors affecting United Kingdom competitiveness, and a substantial number of the export contracts signed during the first half of this year were at the former rate because of commitments already entered into by the banks. However, the Government are keeping this matter under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of the increasing high level of unemployment in the Chester-le-Street constituency area, what action he intends to take to provide more job opportunities for adults and juveniles in the area before the end of 1971.

The hon. Member will know of the many steps the Government have taken to stimulate the economy both nationally and regionally. As to Chester-le-Street, the Department will continue to bring the advantages, of location in the S.D.A. of which it forms part to the attention of industrialists seeking premises in the North-East.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now introduce legislation to make it unlawful to supply with any goods fraudulent or misleading guarantees or warranties.

No. The next step should be to make clauses excluding the Sale of Goods Act conditions and warranties void in consumer transactions. This we intend to do.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has now concluded his consideration concerning the need for greater protection to motorists from the insolvencies of motor insurance companies; and whether he will make a statement.

No. As my right hon. Friend told the House on 10th March, he is considering the adequacy of the law relating to insurance generally. Extensive consultations are continuing and I shall want to take into account anything that the V. & G. Tribunal may say.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his future policy will now be with regard to the use of travel clubs by people wanting to travel by air at a low fare, having regard to the number of occasions when large numbers of air passengers have been stranded at British airports as a result of the enforcement of the rules governing charter flights by officers of his Department just before take-off.

It is hoped to make a statement on this subject before Christmas or early in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the discussions he is having with the United States Government over the status of Rolls-Royce engine design patents.

No. It would not be helpful to make any statement at the present stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the Rolls-Royce engine design patents which are Crown patents.

Following their acquisition from the Receiver under the terms of the agreement announced by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council on 11th March all engine design patents owned by Rolls-Royce Ltd. on 2nd March, 1971, are at present owned by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who owns the patents of the Rolls-Royce TF41 engine.

To the extent that these patents were owned by Rolls-Royce Ltd. they are at present owned by the Government following their acquisition under the terms of the agreement referred to in the Answer to the hon. Member's earlier Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who owns the patents of the Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine.

To the extent that these patents were owned by Rolls-Royce Ltd. they are at present owned by the Government following their acquisition under the terms of the agreement referred to in the Answer to the hon. Member's earlier Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for the greater co-ordination of the British aerospace industry with Europe.

This is primarily a matter for the industry. It already enjoys many links but even greater co-ordination offers increasing mutual advantages for the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects Foulness Airport to be ready to give major relief to Heathrow; and if he will forecast the rundown of movements at Heathrow.

Planning and construction of the third London Airport will be pursued as quickly as possible but it is doubtful whether it will be possible for it to be operational before 1980. It is neither possible nor necessary at present to indicate in detail how the new airport will be used to afford relief at Heathrow and other London airports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken on the guarantees requested by Irish Shipping Limited in respect of the ships which it wishes to have built at Govan shipyard.

Although there are a number of unresolved details, the Government have agreed to offer guarantees of the kind requested. A further statement will be made when negotiations are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what maritime arms have been requested by the South African Government; what orders have been placed; and if he will make a statement.

No new orders have been received for maritime arms. As my right hon. Friend said on 12th July, the House will be informed of any decision to enter into any new arms deal with South Africa covering categories outside those comprised in his statement of 22nd February.—[Vol. 821, c. 20–22; Vol. 812, c. 34–42.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will take steps to prevent the sending of propaganda documents from the illegal régime in Rhodesia to the United Kingdom, accompanied by a letter from Mr. Orchard of the Rhodesian Department of Immigration, copies of which documents have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Derby, North.

Short of a complete ban on communications or censorship of all mail from Rhodesia which, like the previous Administration, we regard as neither practicable nor desirable, there is no way of preventing the entry of such postal material.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now remove the embargo on imports of chrome ore from Rhodesia.

No. It would not be consistent with our policy on continuing sanctions, while the possibility of an honourable political settlement is being explored, to make an exception in the case of chrome imports from Southern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of his negotiations with Mr. Ian Smith.

As my right hon. Friend has told the House on a number of occasions a statement will be made only when there is something of substance to report. Meanwhile, I would refer the right hon. Member to the Answer that my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 18th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 49.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make a statement concerning the Government's policy with regard to the decision of the International Court regarding Namibia.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I told the House in the Adjournment debate on 19th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 678–86.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he now has to seek to pay an official visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I have no immediate plans to visit the Soviet Union, though I remain ready to do so at an appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the increase in the numbers of diplomatic staff in the United Kingdom of the embassies of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, France, Germany and the United States of America between 1960 and 1970; and what steps he intends to take to limit the numbers and to impose restrictions on them equivalent to those imposed on British diplomats in those countries.

I am not at present contemplating any limitations or restrictions other than those already announced, which concern the Soviet Union only.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has had on the assistance given by Her Majesty's Government to relieve the burden on India of nine million refugees.

The Government of India have made it clear that they welcome assistance, but no formal representations have been made to me by other Governments. Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have received a number of letters from Members of Parliament and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the planned net contributions of the European Economic Community countries to the Community Budget in each of the years 1973 to 1977; and how they compare with the United Kingdom's contribution, as a percentage.

I have nothing to add to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave to the right hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Healey) on 19th July.—[Vol. 821, c. 224–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the planned net contributions of each country to the budget of the Economic Community in the year after 1980, as a percentage; and how this compares with the figures for the United Kingdom.

The answer which my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave on 26th July to the hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Woodhouse) applies equally to estimates of contributions to the European Economic Community budget in years after 1980.—[Vol. 822, c. 23–24.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a special grant towards the costs of printing and exhibiting the posters, "Say Yes to the Common Market".

No. I explained the purpose of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office grant-in-aid to the European Movement in my answer to the hon. Member on 20th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 133–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will arrange for the publication before 28th October, 1971, of an authoritative text of the arrangements negotiated for British entry into the European Economic Community.

The records of the negotiating conference are confidential but throughout the negotiations Ministers have made regular statements on the agreements reached in the negotiating conference with the Communities. The White Paper Cmnd. 4715 on the negotiations was laid before the House in July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what reasons he attributes the fall in the percentage of gross national product devoted to official overseas aid from 0·39 per cent. in 1969 to 0·37 per cent. in 1970.

The percentage fell because the increase in the gross national product turned out to be greater than the increase in the net aid programme over that of the previous year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sections or agencies exist in his Department for collecting information from, or giving advice and assistance to, private sector industry.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry, provides exporters with a world wide trade promotion and information network. At some 220 embassies, high commissions and consulates in more than 100 countries, about 480 diplomatic service officers and 380 locally engaged officers employed full-time on commercial and economic work send back to the United Kingdom a constant flow of commercial information for dissemination by the Department of Trade and Industry throughout British industry. They seek out and report export opportunities, help British firms wishing to appoint agents and distributors etc., and give advice and assistance to representatives of British firms visiting their territories either as independent visitors, as members of trade missions or as exhibitors in trade fairs.In addition the Overseas Development Administration is currently implementing the proposals in Cmnd. 4656 for using official aid to encourage British private investment in developing countries and has appointed an adviser on private investment to assist with this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government regards the Caprivi Strip as being part of the mandated territory of South-West Africa.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will institute an inquiry into the number of foreign nationals entitled to diplomatic immunity which enables them to avoid prosecution for offences, including assaults on police officers; and if he will make a statement.

There are 121 diplomatic missions in London, reflecting the importance attached by foreign and Commonwealth countries to representation in this country, and this accounts for the large number of staff needed for representation to be conducted adequately.At the end of August, 1970, the total number of diplomats, ancillary staff and wives entitled to immunity in varying degrees from prosecution for criminal offences, including assaults on police officers, was 6,962.When a person claims immunity from criminal jurisdiction the authorities notify the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which takes the matter up with the Head of Mission concerned, who is then expected to take appropriate disciplinary action.In certain cases a Head of Mission could be informed that the person concerned is no longer welcome in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the public statement made by the United Kingdom Ambassador in Washington relating to the speech about the Northern Ireland situation by Senator Edward Kennedy was made with his authority; whether he will publish the text of the statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT; and if he will make a further statement.

The statement made by Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador in Washington was made after consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The text is as follows:

"The Northern Ireland problem is not a colonial problem. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, Mr. Lynch, himself has said 'There is no real invader here. … This whole unhappy situation is an Irish quarrel.' British withdrawal would not make the Northern Ireland problem disappear. Successive British Governments have indicated that if a majority of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland said that they wished to join the Irish Republic. Britain would not stand in their way. The crucial point is that the inhabitants of Northern Ireland have for the past 50 years continuously voted by overwhelming majorities to remain part of Britain. There are over a million people in Northern Ireland, out of a total population of a million and a half, who are determined to remain British. Cardinal Conway, Primate of all Ireland, and the Catholic Bishops in a statement last September asked, and I quote, 'who in his sane senses wants to bomb one million Protestants into a United Ireland?' British troops are in Northern Ireland for the purpose of stopping murder and bloodshed perpetrated mainly by extremists. Their restraint has been highly commended by impartial observers. Far from averting the civil war which Senator Kennedy fears, the withdrawal of British troops would lead to further bloodshed."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Spain concerning the statement by the Spanish Foreign Minister on 18th October, 1971, that the Gibraltarians can have no say in the question of sovereignty over the Rock, that these matters can only be discussed by the Governments of Spain and Great Britain, and that agreement along these lines has already been reached between the two Governments; and what the position is of the British Government.

None. The Spanish Government are already aware that the position of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the status of Gibraltar and its people remains as set out in the preamble to the Gibraltar Constitution Order in Council. My meeting with Señor Lopez Bravo in New York on 27th September did not result in any agreement on the substance of the Gibraltar question, but we did agree that we should think together about it and that I would visit Madrid in the New Year to carry this process forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will confirm that in future discussions with the Spanish Government over the future of Gibraltar any change in the administration and sovereignty of the Rock will only be made with the full support of the Gibraltarians.

Her Majesty's Government's position remains as set out in the preamble to the Gibraltar Constitution Order in Council of May, 1969, namely, that

"Gibraltar will remain part of Her Majesty's dominions unless and until an Act of Parliament otherwise provides and furthermore that Her Majesty's Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their freely and democratically expressed wishes."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Malta.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to him by my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence on 21st October.—[Vol. 823, c. 870–872.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give a detailed breakdown showing how the £21,000 for each of the 17 days' tour of Great Britain of Emperor Hirohito was spent.

The Emperor of Japan visited Britain for three days, from 5th to 8th October. The additional expenditure borne on Votes for the whole three-day visit was approximately £21,000. This does not include expenditure borne directly by Her Majesty The Queen.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on what action the Government propose taking regarding the banning by the Soviet Government of a number of British diplomats and other citizens from holding appointments and visiting the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, details of which are in his possession.

I regard these measures, particularly the victimisation of individuals, as unwarranted. But having regard to all the circumstances I do not propose to take further steps at this stage and I have so informed the Soviet Foreign Ministry.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest dates for the commencement and completion of work on the new district general hospital at Bodelwyddan; and whether he expects any future adjustments to the timetable.

Work is expected to start before the end of this year and should be completed towards the end of 1975. At present there is no reason to suppose that there will be future adjustments of the timetable.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many new jobs have been created in Cardiganshire since 18th June, 1971.

There is no obligation on employers to notify all new jobs created. Net changes in employment in an area are, however, indicated by the mid-year figures of employees in employment. The figures for the year ending June, 1971, are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department proposes to institute improvement works at two dangerous bends on the A5 trunk road, at Bwlch-y-Rhysgog and nearby directly on the boundary between the counties of Denbigh and Merioneth, where no less than four fatal accidents have occurred within the last two years.

Improvements at Bwlch-y-Rhysgog is already programmed to start in this financial year. The work will be undertaken as soon as the necessary land has been acquired. I hope also to add improvement at Tref-y-Nant to the programme very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received relating to the establishment of a Permanent Royal Commission to safeguard the future of the Welsh language; and what replies he has given to the same.

I have had letters from Pwyllgor Cydenwadol yr Iaith Gymraig (Welsh Language Interdenominational Committee), Urdd Gobaith Cymru (Welsh League of Youth) and from two individuals. I have said that I would consider the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will improve the facilities afforded by his Department to registered unemployed in the light of the increased numbers in this condition.

My right hon. Friend has already announced improvements in training facilities and increased training and transfer allowances. He expects to announce plans for improvements in the Employment Service shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the figures of labour turnover of the disabled and the percentage of disabled people who are unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the job opportunities for the disabled.

No separate figures of labour turnover are available for registered disabled workers.Since registration as a disabled person is voluntary, it is not possible to say what percentage is unemployed, but of those who have chosen to register with the Department, 84,072 or 13.5 per cent. were registered as unemployed on 13th September, 1971.Any improvement in job opportunities for disabled people depends upon an upturn in employment generally, but the measures which I announced in the House on 25th March last in reply to the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr) are now fully under way and it is hoped that

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have been declared redundant in the Chester-le-Street constituency area since July, 1970, to the latest available date, as a consequence of firms reducing their labour force; what are the reasons for such reductions; and what action he proposes to take in order to replace the workers affected.

Not all redundancies are notified to my Department and it is not the practice to keep records of every minor redundancy. However, our records show that redundancies involving about 330 people have been declared in the Chester-le-Street constituency in the period 1st July, 1970–21st October, 1971. The reason given for these redundancies was slackening in demand for products in home and foreign markets. All the resources of my Department, including job teams, special canvassing for vacancies, and opportunities

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present rate of unemployment in the Skelmersdale area for men, women, boys and girls; how this compares with the average for Merseyside, the North-West Region and nationally; and what is the rate for Skelmersdale for the last three years.

Rates of unemployment can be calculated for males and for females but not separately for men, women, boys and girls. Following is the available information:for training are available to help redundant workers secure alternative employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has of the number of private computer operator training companies; and if he will make a statement.

No official record is kept of the number of private computer operator training companies. Information from published works of reference suggests that there are at least 30 companies operating in this field. The Government have no plans for special controls over these companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish the review of industrial training boards, which was promised for the autumn of 1971.

My right hon. Friend expects to publish a consultative document on industrial training before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of unemployment in the Wigan travel-to-work area in numbers and ex-

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many travel-to-work areas are receiving Government aid to help them maintain and attract employment which have a lower rate of unemployment than the Wigan travel-to-work area.

At 11th October the provisional rate of unemployment for the Wigan travel-to-work area was 5·3 per cent. Unemployment rates can be calculated for 194 areas which are wholly or primarily within the development and intermediate areas. Of these, 85 had rates of 5·2 or less.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will name the parts of the City of Leeds involved in the Leeds West and East factory inspectorate division.

The City of Leeds is divided into Leeds West and Leeds

Rates of unemployment can be calculated for males and for females but not separately for men, women, boys and girls. Following is the available information:East Districts of H.M. Factory Inspectorate.The part of the City of Leeds which is the Leeds West District of H.M. Factory Inspectorate is that part which is covered by postal districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 16.The part of the City of Leeds which is the Leeds East District of H.M. Factory Inspectorate is that part which is covered by the postal districts 1, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15 and 17.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of workplaces in each of the Leeds West and East factory inspectorate divisions, together with the number of reported accidents, the incidence rate per 1,000 employees, and the number of factory inspectors per division, for the latest available year.

A re-allocation of factory inspectorate district boundaries for Leeds North and South, West and East was effected from 1st January, 1971. Statistics for 1970, therefore, relate to the former Leeds North and South Districts and are, respectively, 1,972 and 1,709 premises registered under the Factories Act, 1961, as at 31st December, 1970; 1,315 and 3,149 accidents reported in factory processes during 1970; accident incidence rates during 1970 of 25 and 41 per 1,000 employees; and two and four inspectors, the latter including two inspectors under training.