asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why it is a necessary condition of grant that apple and pear trees that are grubbed up should not be replaced within five years.

Because the purpose of the new grubbing grant is to reduce the acreage of uneconomic apple and pear orchards which have no longterm future and are a drag on the industry. Other grants are still available, without replanting restrictions, to growers who want to grub up old trees in order to renew their orchards.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he expects to make his decision about the proposed open space at Worthy Down, near Winchester, which has been requested from his Department by the Wonston Parish Council.

Some Ministry of Defence land at Worthy Down is likely to be available for disposal soon. If it is not required by another Government Department, it will be offered to the Hampshire County Council and Winchester Rural District Council. Wonston Parish Council has already been advised to make its requirements known to the county council.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will list the types of weapon used against security forces in Northern Ireland since August, 1969, indicating which of these appear to bear origin from countries out- side Western Europe.

Apart from nail, petrol, pipe, etc., bombs, the terrorists have used a variety of rifles, sub-machine guns, pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and rocket launchers. Weapons which have been discovered in arms searches have included rifles and submachine guns and 3·5 in. rockets of American manufacture. However, most of the weapons discovered are 25 or more years old; the markings on many of them are indecipherable; and the country of manufacture is no guide as to the source of supply.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why the Army did not mount a guard at Larne Royal Ulster Constabulary station which was blown up by terrorists on the night of 26th October, 1971.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force explained the basis on which guards are provided for Royal Ulster Constabulary stations in reply to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 20th October, 1971.—[Vol. 823, c. 149–50.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances troops opened fire in the Turf Lodge area of Belfast on the night of 27th October; for how long the Army continued firing; with what results; and what arrests were made.

Between 4 p.m. and midnight there were a number of shooting incidents, during which soldiers returned fire whenever the gunmen presented a clear target. Four gunmen are believed to have been hit, but no arrests were made by the Army at the time. There were no military casualties.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances two soldiers were killed in an Army observation post near Creggan Estate, Londonderry, on 27th October; who was responsible for these deaths; and what arrests were made.

At about 11 a.m. a bomb containing about 20 lb. of explosive was lobbed by unknown assailants on to the roof of an observation post in Warkes Lane, Londonderry, killing the two soldiers inside. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances boys of 13 or 14 years of age attacked an Army patrol with sub- machine guns near Springfield Road police station on the night of 26th October; what action the Army took; what action will they take in similar circumstances in the future; and what arrests were made.

Shortly after 6 p.m. a mobile patrol was attacked by two youths, who appeared to the soldiers to be about 13 or 14 years of age. The youths fired about nine rounds at the patrol. No casualties were sustained, no shots were returned and no arrests were made by the Army at the time. The action that soldiers will take in future when fired upon will depend on the precise circumstances, but will not necessarily be dependent upon the age of the assailant.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what action the Army took at Ballymurphy, Belfast, on 27th October, when shots were fired by four uniformed Irish Republican Army men over the cortege of Martin Forsythe, an Irish Republican Army squad leader shot by the police for subversive activities; what steps he now proposes to take to stop such incidents; and what arrests were made.

Six men wearing black suits and berets were present at the funeral of Martin Forsythe. A volley of shots was fired and troops who were present attempted to apprehend those responsible. They were unable to do so because of the large crowd at the scene. The Army will continue to take all possible precautions to prevent such incidents.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what Army protection was available to the Royal Ulster Constabulary station at Toome, County Antrim, its sergeant and his family, in view of the fact that the station has been bombed and the sergeant has been killed.

I understand that Sergeant Dodds was killed in an ambush at a farm near Gallagh, where he had been investigating a fire. The Royal Ulster Constabulary station at Toome has not been bombed. It is covered by Army patrols and is guarded part-time by U.D.R. personnel.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the nature of the Army's engagement on the Tyrone border on Tuesday, 26th October; and what estimate he has formed of the number of shots fired.

At approximately 9.30 a.m. four gunmen fired approximately 20 rounds from positions within the Republic at troops who were cratering a road in the Clady area. The escorting troops returned fire with 54 shots, and two gunmen are believed to have been hit.

asked the Minister of State for Defence on how many occasions in the past 12 months has Greece been visited by units of the British Forces; and what steps are taken by Her Majesty's Government to ensure that the troops' presence is not used by the Greek regime for propaganda purposes.

Excluding brief calls for refuelling, staging and so on, British Forces have visited Greece on 16 occasions during the past year either as part of their normal national activities or to take part in multi-national N.A.T.O. training and demonstrate the solidarity of the Western Alliance. I have no evidence that the purpose of these visits has been misrepresented.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether nursery education will benefit from the increased allocation of resources to primary schools; and if she will make a statement.

Schools for children of statutory school age have first priority. But over 5,000 additional places in nursery schools and classes in England were approved under the urban programme in January. Further places will be provided by projects in areas of high unemployment approved or shortly to be approved under the urban programme at a cost of £1·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures of days lost through avoidable and unavoidable absenteeism for 1971, and the figures for the years 1966 to 1970.

I regret that no estimates of this kind are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures of working days lost through sickness for 1971, and the figures for the years 1966 to 1970.

I have been asked to reply. The total numbers of days of certified incapacity recorded for National Insurance sickness benefit purposes in the statistical years ending in 1966–70 were:

Statistical Year (June to June)	Number of days (millions)
1965–66	311
1966–67	301
1967–68	328
1968–69	329
1969–70	342
The figure for 1970-71 is not yet available.

NOTE: The figures given relate only to days notified for the purposes of claims to National Insurance sickness benefit and consequently exclude many spells of incapacity lasting three days or less.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what amount of lost time would have been saved during 1970 if employment placings had, on average, been effected in each case 24 hours earlier.

In the 12 months ending on 2nd December, 1970, the Employment Service placed some 1,350,000 unemployed adults. Information is not available as to the numbers of young per- sons who were unemployed at the time they were placed by the Youth Employment Service. It is not possible to say what time would be saved for production.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many placings were effected through employment exchanges during 1970.

During the period 3rd December, 1969, to 2nd December, 1970, 1,442,081 adult placings were made through employment exchanges.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men have registered as unemployed with the professional and executive register ; how many vacancies exist for men on the register at present; and how this compares with October, 1970, and October, 1969, respectively.

The latest date for which statistics are available is 8th September, 1971. The information at that date, and at comparable dates in 1970 and 1969 is:

Year	Unemployed Men	Vacancies Outstanding for Men
1971	26,713	6,875
1970	16,495	10,447
1969	14,392	9,012

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost to the National Insurance Fund of reducing the age of retirement to 60 years.

About £700 million a year. The reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Oldham, East (Mr. Lamond) on 25th October included the cost of additional non-contributory supplementary pensions.—[Vol. 823, c. 273.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he proposes to bring more local authorities within the Structure Plan system;(2) how many local planning authorities have now been invited to prepare structure plans whether he is satisfied with the timetable for the preparation of the plans and, that when submitted to him for his approval, they can be dealt with more quickly than previous development plan submissions; and whether he will make a statement.

A total of 94 local planning authorities in England and Wales have now been invited to prepare structure plans; 55 of these have been so invited since July, 1970.To avoid duplication of work in the preparation of structure plans, the Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, which is being published today, contains permission for such plans to be prepared jointly by any two or more local planning authorities in England and Wales and provisions for dispensing with borough structure plans in Greater London.It has become evident that, if as a preliminary to the Secretary of State for the Environment or the Secretary of State for Wales approving structure plans, there is to be a public inquiry, in the traditional form, into detailed objections rather than the basic policies of the plans, then the period of uncertainty and consequently the period during which large areas of property are unnecessarily blighted, is quite unacceptable.Before submission to the Secretary of State, the structure plans will have been subjected to the statutory requirements for publicity and public participation. After submission, unless the procedure is reformed, neither the examination of the principles of the plans nor the acceleration of bringing them into operation, both of which the 1968 Act was intended to achieve, will in practice take place.Structure plans under the 1968 Act are designed to meet some of the criticisms of the previous system by enabling the Secretary of State to concentrate his examination of a planning authority's proposals on the major strategy and policy issues which have been subject to statutory arrangements for publicity and public participation as part of the plan- making process. The Secretary of State should no longer become involved in the detail of the planning authorities' proposals; for the structure plans are now but the first in a two tier process in which the preparation and adoption of local plans represents the second and subsequent stage. These local plans, on the familiar map base, are those which show the effect on individual properties and interests, to which the traditional public local inquiry into objections is well suited and will be retained.The Bill provides, therefore, that for structure plans there will be an examination, in public, of the main issues recognisable from the earlier public participation and identified by the Secretary of State concerned both from the preliminary examination of the submitted plan and from a consideration of objections. Such an examination, whose procedure we would shape in discussion with the interested bodies, might be conducted by a panel with an independent chairman. It would be less formal in procedure than a public inquiry but much broader in its scope. The panel would explore the main issues arising on the plan with the local planning authority and with bodies and individuals known to be opposed to or have views on the authority's proposal. The panel's report to the Secretary of State would be published. Because it will relate to an examination of the key issues rather than to such objections as happen to have been lodged, it will form a much more comprehensive basis on which the Secretary of State can frame his subsequent decision on the plan.The necessary statutory amendments proposed in the Bill oblige the Secretary of State to hold an examination in public, but remove the present obligation on him to provide all objectors with an opportunity to pursue their objections orally at the structure plan stage.The traditional public inquiry will continue to be the means by which objections to local plans are heard. There is nothing in the propsals which will take away the right of objection to development plans both at structure and local plan stages; or remove from the Secretary of State the obligation to consider all objections to structure plans. The aim is to design a procedure more relevant to the nature of the 1968 Act structure plans and, whilst safeguarding the rights of the indivdual objector, to speed the process of decision on these plans. This is now absolutely necessary in order to lessen the period of any property blight caused by a delay in the adoption of plans, to ensure the effective working of the new system and to achieve the implementation of regional strategies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount of capital aid is being made available by Her Majesty's Government to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Her Majesty's Government have offered the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt capital aid of up to £5 million over the next five years. The aid will be made available in the form of loans repayable over 25 years at 2 per cent. interest with a 7-year grace period during which no repayment of capital will be made. It will be used to provide British goods and services for development projects in Egypt, to be agreed upon between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in view of the takeover by breweries of hotels, restaurants, motorway services, airport shops, and other outlets, he will refer the relevant industries to the Monopolies Commission.

My information is that monopoly conditions as defined in the legislation do not prevail in the hotel and catering industry as a whole or in any major part of it. I shall, however, continue to scrutinise any takeover which falls within the scope of the legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the views of the Noise Advisory Council on the Second Survey of Aircraft Noise around London (Heathrow) Airport; and how soon thereafter will he decide how far and in what way to apply the findings of the Survey.

The Noise Advisory Council's earliest opportunity to formulate views will be at its meeting this month. I expect to be able to make my first decisions with regard to the Survey's findings soon thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the 85 areas at present receiving Government aid which have a lower rate of unemployment than the Wigan travel-to-work area, giving in each case the type of aid given, the current rate of unemployment and the rate when aid was first announced, the date of the beginning of such aid and the reasons advanced at the time; and if he will make a statement.

Unemployment statistics are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. Of the 85 employment exchange areas, 68 were designated by the previous Administration in 1966 as areas where special measures are necessary to encourage the development of industry, having regard to all the circumstances actual and expected, including the state of employment and unemployment, population changes, migration and the objectives of regional policies. The remaining 17 areas —15 in 1970 and two in 1971—were designated as intermediate areas, i.e. areas where special measures are necessary to encourage industrial development, but whose economic problems are not so acute as to justify the whole range of development area incentives. Full information about development area and inter- mediate area financial incentives is included in "Incentives for Industry", a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total amount of Government money so far paid to the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Receiver.

Payments made to the liquidator of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, Ltd. total £4 million to date, of which approximately £2·7 million is recoverable. The Government are prepared to make up to a further £1·5 million available to the liquidator as working capital, but no payments have so far been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether pension increases have been paid to electricity superannuitants, following the increases in national pensions.

Increases have been awarded, and are in the course of payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether pension increases have been paid to gas

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE APPROVAL IN WALES
				Estimated Additional Employment*
		Number	Area ('000 sq. ft.)	Males	Total
1970
January-September	…	202	6,579	10,060	13,150
1971
January-September	…	67	2,450	2,580	4,670
There were no refusals in Wales in either period.
Note
*Applicants' estimates of the additional employment expected to arise when the projects are complete and fully manned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been issued in the past 16 months in Scotland ; and how many new jobs they are expected to create.

During the period July, 1970, to September, 1971, 246 industrial development certificates were issued for 12·7 million square feet. These were estimated by the applicants to give rise to 17,500 additional jobs when the projects were complete and fully manned. Figures for October are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, independent of the British Steel Corporation, his Department has assessed the prospects for the Scottish steel industry if no Green- field Development takes place at Hunterston ; and if he will make a statement.

My review of the British Steel Corporation's development strategy is being conducted jointly with the corporation. Any decision on the superannuitants, following the recent increases in national pensions.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been issued in 1971 for developments in Wales ; how many jobs were provided; and how these figures compare with the similar period last year.

Following is the information:timing and location of the next major steel development will take account of regional considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many advance factories are empty in Ayrshire; how many inquiries have been received in respect of each unit during the past six months ; and how many of these inquiries have proved abortive.

Two, for which there have been three and two inquiries respectively. One inquiry in respect of each factory is still open.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the powers and responsibilities of the new Export Board ; and how these differ from those of the British National Export Council.

The main task of the Board will be to give broad direction to the execution of export intelligence work, the work on trade fairs and other promotional activity overseas, the schemes for financial support for firms to participate in missions and for inward commercial visits to this country. This is a much wider field of executive responsibility than that of the B.N.E.C., whose main task was to give general promotional support to exports and to administer the scheme for financial support for firms to participate in outward and inward trade missions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government funds will be placed at the disposal of the Export Board each year.

The estimates for the current year—1971–2—for the work, which will in future be directed by the British Export Board, amount to £8,193,400 excluding staff costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the members of the Export Board, including the chairman, and give details of their experience in promoting exports.

My right hon. Friend announced on 1st November that he had invited the right hon. The Lord Thorneycroft, former President of the Board of Trade and Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chairman of Pye of Cam- bridge Ltd., of Pye Holdings and the Pirelli Companies in the United Kingdom, to become Chairman of the British Export Board, and that Lord Thorneycroft had accepted. My right hon. Friend has not yet appointed the other members.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what fees or honoraria are payable to members of the Export Board; and for what period are they appointed.

No fees or honoraria are payable to members of the Export Board. The appointment of the Chairman is for two years. The period of appointment of the members will be stated in any announcement about their appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if the collision of the Liberian tanker "Efplia" in the English Channel will be reported to the Liberian authorities with a request for an investigation by those inspectors recently appointed by the Liberian authorities to look into such collisions involving Liberian vessels in the English Channel;(2) if he will investigate the circumstances of the collision that occurred between the Liberian tanker "Efplia" and the British coaster "Redthorn" in the English Channel.

I have ordered a preliminary inquiry into the collision between the "Efplia" and the "Redthorn" on 1st November, 1971, which is now in progress. The Liberian authorities are co-operating in this inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he can now say when the Spanish report on the accident to the Dan Air Comet air- craft near Barcelona in July, 1970, will be published.

The Spanish authorities are sending a copy of their full report to the International Civil Aviation Organisation and have released a summary of it today. Copies of the summary are available in the Library. An English translation of the full report is now being prepared for publication in the Civil Aircraft Accident Report series.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of remitting income tax on the basic retirement pension.

To exempt National Insurance retirement pensions from tax would cost about £175 million for a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, on the introduction of value-added tax, any relief will be allowed to wholesalers and retailers against the purchase tax already paid on stocks of goods already held.

I would refer the hon.Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Mrs. Doris Fisher) and my hon. Friend the Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro) on 26th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 281.]