asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the communication from the Secretary-General of the United Nations Organisation of March, 1971, inviting him to submit views on review of the Charter.

The Secretary-General has invited us to reply before 1st July, 1972. It is our intention to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement with regard to the situation of Mrs. Gladys Yang, who is under investigation by the Chinese Government and thought to be held in detention.

As I told the House on 2nd August, Mrs. Yang's detention has been raised with the Chinese Government on many occasions. Our charge d'affaires in Peking was informed in April that Mrs. Yang was in good health but that her case was still under investigation. He was told on 17th November that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would let us know as soon as there was any further information on her case. We shall continue to do all we can to secure her release.—[Vol. 822, c. 1082.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of India to hasten the payment of compensation to nationalised British insurance companies and to provide for the repatriation of their funds.

The British High Commission in New Delhi has on several occasions made clear to officials of the Indian Finance Ministry our concern that the compensation to be paid should be prompt, adequate and freely remittable across the exchanges in accordance with the established principles of international law.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the progress of the agreement with Rhodesia.

I have nothing to add to the statement which I made to the House on 1st December.—[Vol. 827, c. 464–78.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, following the publication of the proposals for a settlement in Rhodesia, he will seek discussions with the Smith Government on the eventual release of political detainees held without trial.

As the White Paper made clear, the cases of political detainees who remain in detention will be subject to a special review with a British observer present. The recommendations of the tribunal will be binding.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the light of the draft settlement with Rhodesia, he can now give an early decision on recognising the validity of divorces granted by Rhodesian judges since the Unilateral Declaration of Independence.

As the White Paper indicates, steps will be taken to regularise matters of this nature affecting the personal status of individuals on the implementation of the proposals for a settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will ask Lord Goodman to go to Rhodesia to negotiate on the release of all imprisoned Africans who have not been convicted of any crime.

No. The arrangements agreed for reviewing the cases of detainees and restrictees are made clear in the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the steps he has taken, in conjunction with the Pakistan High Commission, to relieve the financial difficulties of East Pakistan students in the United Kingdom.

East Pakistani students in Britain are the responsibility of the Pakistan High Commission. A number of these students are said to be in financial difficulties because of the continuing emergency situation in East Pakistan. The assurance I gave in a debate last May was based on the understanding—subsequently reaffirmed—that the High Commission was willing to assist all bona fide students in need. My officials have obtained details of individual cases from the United Kingdom Council for Overseas Students Affairs and have been discussing the problem with the High Commission.The High Commissioner recently assured me that he remained ready to help and had done so in a number of cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to obtain from the Pakistan Government overdue interest and repayment instalments on outstanding loans.

The Pakistan Government has been reminded of its obligations to repay principal and interest on outstanding loans, and advised that delay in doing so will result in further interest accruing on both principal and interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to initiate discussions with the Governments of developing countries which have not yet accepted the need for population control, with a view to impressing upon them the importance of birth control programmes.

No. Governments of developing countries with which we have an aid relationship are already aware of the importance which we attach to this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what allocation of overseas aid is to be made to Antigua to improve the distribution of water.

My Department is now considering a water distribution scheme. The present estimated cost of this project is about £740,000 spread over four years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to start construction of the new hospital at Montserrat.

The Government of Montserrat and the consultants are expected to agree to formal contracts in the near future. I expect the project to be ready for tender eight months after that.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, following the President of Egypt's declared intention of resuming hostilities, he will seek, under the Four Power agreement, to ensure the continuance of the ceasefire.

We are seriously concerned about the situation in the Middle East. We do not believe, however, that it would be helpful for us to propose at this time a more formal basis for the ceasefire between Israel and Egypt.The Middle East dispute is the subject of debate at the present time in the General Assembly of the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland about the 22 incidents in which shots have been fired across the United Kingdom frontier at security forces in Northern Ireland and at which on the Republican side there have been present members of the Eire Army or of the Gardai of the Republic.

We exchange views with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on a number of matters. Details must remain confidential, but—while not necessarily accepting the statistics quoted—I can assure my hon. Friend that our representations covered those occasions when shooting occurred and the Gardai or the Irish Army unaccountably failed to play as vigorous a rôle as might be hoped.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reply has been made to the South African Government's request for the supply of certain maritime arms.

I have nothing to add to what the House was told previously, namely, that no orders relating to any new arms deal have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to lodge a further declaration introducing the right of petition under Article 25 of the European Convention of Human Rights for a further period of years.

A further declaration accepting the right of individual petition under Article 25 of the European Convention of Human Rights is at present under consideration by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions are given by his Department regarding representations received at British embassies and High Commissions abroad from British nationals regarding unforeseen medical expenses incurred while on holiday.

Overseas posts are instructed to give every possible assistance to British nationals in difficulty abroad. Help in the case of unforeseen medical expenses incurred while on holiday can only be advice on, for example, the transfer of funds from the United Kingdom, or on the extent of cover provided by local schemes where reciprocal arrangements are in force. It may not, of course, extend to the payment of bills from public funds, since the National Health Service does not operate outside the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated revenue from passport fees for the current financial year; and if he will take steps to make part of the increased passport fee available for insurance of British passport holders against unforeseen medical expenses incurred on holiday abroad.

The estimated revenue from passport fees, both home and overseas, for the current financial year, is £8,762,000. There is no reason to suppose that insurance of British passport holders against unforeseen medical expenses incurred on holiday abroad is not adequately covered by private companies. Whenever a passport is issued, renewed or serviced in any other way, the holder is also given or sent a pamphlet, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, calling attention to the desirability of insuring against medical and other expenses incurred abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about recent developments in the Gulf.

I have nothing to add to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend on 6th December.—[Vol. 827, c. 944–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the supply of arms to Portugal with special reference to the provisions designed to ensure that armaments supplied for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation purposes are confined in their use to such purposes.

As the House knows, we do not approve applications for the sale of arms to Portugal for use in the Portuguese overseas territories, but we do allow the supply of arms and military equipment to meet Portugal's requirements as a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ally. I am satisfied that any armaments supplied by Britain to Portugal are used for the purposes stated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what herbicides, defoliants and other chemicals suitable for military use have been supplied from Great Britain to Portugal since June, 1970; and whether he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions during the past year arms supplied by Great Britain to Portugal earmarked for use in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation have been used by the Portuguese forces in Angola, Monzambique or Guinea-Bissau.

None, to my knowledge.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government accept recommendation No. 626 on the legal aspect of marine pollution which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 21st January, 1971; and whether they will contribute to the preparation, within the framework of the Council of Europe, of a draft agreement concerning a ban on the discharge of certain pollutants into the sea, and the necessary controls, as recommended in paragraph 8(b)(i) of this text.

Her Majesty's Government agree that, as stated in recommendation No. 626, the problem of marine pollution should be tackled on a multilateral as well as on a national basis. A conference of countries interested in the North Sea was held in Oslo in Octo- ber. Good progress was made towards a convention, which it is hoped to conclude in the near future, on the control of pollution, in particular from dumping, in the North-East Atlantic area. A global ocean dumping convention is being discussed under United Nations auspices.Principles concerning marine pollution are being drafted by an Intergovernmental Working Group in preparation for the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Further international agreements on oil pollution are under discussion in the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation for conclusion at its 1973 conference.Her Majesty's Government attach importance to and are playing a leading role in all these activities. However, as described above, most of the work advocated in recommendation No. 626 is already in hand or nearing completion and further initiatives in the Council of Europe are not necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made by Her Majesty's Government in the preparation of proposals for the World Conference on Population Control; and if he will make a statement.

We took part last month when the United Nations Population Commission discussed the Report of the Preparatory Committee. I gave an assurance to the hon. Member on 22nd March that we would play a full part in the associated preliminary regional conferences. My Department is at present represented at the first African Population Conference in Ghana.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid was given to Indonesia over any convenient 12-month period of 1970–71.

Disbursements during the financial year 1970–71 were just under £3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the total expenditure of the Welsh Hospital Board since 1948 has been expended in Cardiff.

Expenditure between 5th July, 1948, and 31st March, 1971, at hospitals in the area now administered by the University Hospital of Wales (Cardiff) Hospital Management Committee was 20 per cent. of the total expenditure on hospital services in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if a date has now been decided upon for the opening of the final stretch of motorway linking South Wales with the Midlands.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Usk—Coldra section of the New Midlands Road. I expect this road to be opened towards the end of 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to prevent the wastage of skilled engineers and aircraft workers through unemployment in the greater Manchester region.

I am confident that the faster economic growth which the Government's policies are designed to achieve will lead to additional employment for skilled workers in Manchester as for workers generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a date for the completion of membership of the board of Govan Shipbuilders Limited.

No, Govan Shipbuilders Ltd. was set up with private capital and appointments to its board are a matter for the company. In view of the Government's special interest in this company the board has consulted my right hon. Friend on the appointment of a chairman in succession to the late Mr. Stenhouse.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will invoke Sections 64, 68(1)(d), and 61 of the Companies Act, 1967, in respect of the Paramount Insurance Company Limited, preceded by an investigation under Section 172 or 173 of the Companies Act, 1948.

If the hon. Gentleman has information which would seem to justify the kind of action he proposes, he should send it to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what procedure his Department has whereby persons dissatisfied with its decisions in insurance and companies matters can appeal.

My right hon. Friend is responsible to Parliament for his decision. In some cases recourse may be had to the courts, and persons dissatisfied may approach hon. Members, including the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why his Department did not wish to forward a copy of the letter, by Mr. M. Moir concerning Dollar Land Holdings, of 12th November to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

When Mr. Moir wrote to an official in my Department asking for a copy of his letter to be sent to the Parliamentary Commissioner, he was quite rightly advised that he could do this himself if he so wished. On Mr. Moir's suggestion, the Parliamentary Commissioner asked to see the correspondence and the Department immediately acceded to this request.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware of the transportation of nuclear material from Bradwell, Essex to Wind-scale, Cumberland by rail; if he is satisfied with the security arrangements on such journeys; and what is the use to which the material transported is put.

I am aware of this transportation, which has been going on for nearly ten years, and I am satisfied with the security arrangements. The material is carried under special arrangements in massive steel flasks weighing over 50 tons, with a bolted down lid which itself weighs eight tons. Fixed installations are required at loading and off-loading points, and special facilities to handle the material. Safety arrangements are approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The material is returned to British Nuclear Fuels Limited for chemical separation of the valuable isotopes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a report on the changes that have been proposed to him in the management and organisation of the two airlines, which will arise in the event of the proposed British Overseas Airways Corporation/British European Airways merger taking place.

No such changes have been proposed to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what timetable has been suggested by him to the Chairman of the British Airways Board concerned with the proposed British Overseas Airways Corporation/British European Airways merger.

No such timetable has been suggested to the Chairman, and no merger has been proposed. It will be for the Airways Board, forthwith after the appointed day, to undertake the review of the affairs of the Airways Board Group envisaged in Section 39 of the Civil Aviation Act, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution his Department has made to the review of dispersal policy currently being undertaken by the Civil Service Department.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Civil Service Department on 8th December.—[Vol. 827, c. 327–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions have so far been initiated under the Trade Descriptions Act relating to holiday travel arrangements; and with what result.

Up to the end of August, local weights and measures authorities had reported 44 prosecutions concerning statements about various aspects of holiday arrangements, including travel. Of these prosecutions, 32 were successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the effectiveness of the present Companies Acts; and if he will make a statement.

A review of companies legislation is now in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he takes to verify the accuracy of audited accounts of motor insurance companies.

The annual returns are carefully scrutinised, and inquiries are addressed to the companies concerned on doubtful points.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he requires from insurance companies annual audited accounts; and how many companies at the present time are not complying with this obligation.

Yes; I am at present in touch with 20 companies which have not deposited accounts within the time allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish those checks which he makes on insurance companies to determine whether or not they comply with the law; and how often he carries out such checks.

It would be against the public interest to give details of the checks employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is in receipt of sufficient information to determine the degree to which individual insurance companies are in compliance with the law.

This matter is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what consideration he has given to introducing mandatory observance of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation routes for British ships in foreign waters outside Europe;(2) what consideration he has given to introducing mandatory observance of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation routes in the English Channel and North Sea by British ships.

I hope that a Statutory Instrument will shortly be laid before Parliament making it an offence for British ships to navigate in listed traffic separation lanes against the prescribed direction of traffic flow. The traffic separation schemes to which the Statutory Instrument will apply will include schemes in the English Channel, the North Sea and elsewhere in the world.

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

I hope to make a statement early in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Law Commission's Report on exclusion of liability in contracts for the supply of services is expected to be available.

A working paper by the two Law Commissions has been widely circulated for comment and criticism by 31st March, 1972. The Commissions will report to Ministers after considering reactions to this paper; but it is not possible to forecast when this will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in the light of recent price increases, he remains satisfied with the response by both public and private sectors of industry to the Confederation of British Industry's initiative for voluntary price restraint; and if he will make a statement.

The response has been generally very good in both sectors of industry, and has been reflected in significant signs of improvement in the indices for wholesale and retail prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek powers to lay down an approved code of conduct for the travel and travel agent industry.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, as on entry into the European Economic Community he will be unable to maintain his power to ban the importation of coal from any of the countries of the Six if he should so desire, he will arrange to discuss this subject with the National Union of Miners and the National Coal Board.

No. The coal industry already knows that there will be free trade in Community coal, including duty-free opportunities for export of British coal.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will have the power to retain quotas on imported Commonwealth cotton textiles and those from the countries of the European Economic Community on Great Britain's entry into the Community.

No restraints will be permissible on such trade between members of the enlarged Community, and there are none at present. We shall retain our existing rights to control imports from countries outside the Community except in cases where Community arrangements have been concluded. There are already Community arrangements for restraining imports of cotton textiles from certain countries, including three Commonwealth countries and these arrangements will be applied with suitable modifications to imports into new members of the Community after accession.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the time and date when the announcement was made outside the House of the appointment of the right hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames as the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority; and whether he will require him to relinquish all other appointments on taking up this full-time appointment.

Yes. It was at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 2nd December. I am discussing with my right hon. Friend the question of his other appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the announcement of the appointment of the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority was not made to the House of Commons; whether he will list the qualifications of the new Chairman and the salary for this appointment; and if he will make a statement.

The speculation about the appointment in the Press made an immediate announcement necessary. My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Trade, took the first available opportunity to inform the House. During his long and distinguished service in this House and as a Minister the chairman designate has had much experience that will be relevant to his new work. His salary is still under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with representatives of the European Economic Community concerning control of industrial effluent in international waterways.

There is wide agreement among the Governments concerned that industrial effluents reaching the North Sea are capable of causing damage, and I have already had exchanges on the subject with Ministers in other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what stage has been reached in determining the route to be followed by the proposed motorway M15 through the eastern side of the London Borough of Newham; what studies have been made by the consultants appointed by him to investigate this route and what remain to be made; and when he expects to announce his proposals for the route.

Progress is being made with the investigations necessary before proposals for the alignment of the M15 can be settled. A soil survey has been completed. Studies are proceeding into the proposed interchanges with the A13 and North Circular Road and the crossing of the railway at Ilford. Tests of the load carrying characteristics of the subsoil at Ilford are almost completed. I cannot yet say when proposals for the route will be announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average income of the head of a household living in private, furnished and rented accommodation in England; and what percentage is paid in rent.

I regret this information is not available. As I explained to my hon. Friend on 7th December some information on incomes and rents can be obtained from the Family Expenditure Survey reports but the number of house-holds within the survey sample that occupy privately rented furnished accommodation is too small to provide reliable estimates within that group.—[Vol. 827, c. 289– 90.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether the term derelict land as used for the purposes of reclamation grants includes disused mill lodges;(2) whether the term derelict land as used for the purposes of reclamation grants includes abandoned industrial buildings and installations;(3) whether the term derelict land as used for the purposes of reclamation grants includes land affected by mining subsidence.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the premises within five miles of Whitehall occupied by his Department on 1st April, 1971, he expects to vacate by 31st December, 1972, as a result of the occupation of 2, Marsham Street.

Queen Anne's Mansions, Petrofina House, Elizabeth House and part of Government Offices Great George Street. The last two will be reoccupied by other Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state the proportion of existing on street parking space which would cease to be available if the proposed prohibi-

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the land reclamation schemes completed in the last two years where the after-value of the land exceeded the costs of acquisition and reclamation.

The schemes known to the Department are as follows:tion of parking within 20 yards of all urban road junctions should be enforced.

It will vary considerably from area to area. Much will depend on the final details of the ban, and on councils' parking policies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what letters he has received from those anxious to preserve the Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, following his recent decision in relation to it; what replies he has sent; and whether he will make a statement.

I have received a letter from the Chairman of the Theatre Royal Society who complained that the Portsmouth Corporation was not assisting his society and that the owners were not keeping the theatre in repair. The reply sent to him set out the terms of my decision on the application for consent to demolish the theatre and also the powers open to a local planning authority if it appeared to it that a listed building was not being properly preserved. In accepting my inspector's recommendation to refuse consent for the demolition of the Theatre Royal, I also accepted his conclusions one of which was that a further period of one year should be given as a last opportunity of finding a use for the building. In view of the possibility of a further application regarding the future of this building coming before me at a later stage, I cannot add to the decision I have already given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applicants for driving licences cancelled their proposed tests during each of the years 1965 to 1970, respectively, and during each of the months from January to November, 1971, respectively; how many of these cancellations were due to illness; how many of the applicants received the return of the fees paid for their tests; and how much test money was retained in respect of tests cancelled, during each of the above periods.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will issue a general direction to the Post Office Corporation, when centralising outgoing mail in cities and ending individual date stamp names for townships, to consult the local authorities concerned.

No. Such consultation is normal Post Office practice, although I understand that a failure occurred in a recent case affecting the hon. Member's constituency. This is now being put right.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1) how often the British Broadcasting Corporation detector van has been in the Bogside and Creggan estate areas of Londonderry since 1st January, 1971; how many cases have been detected in those areas of persons using a television set without a licence; how many summonses have been served; and how many cases have been successfully prosecuted;(2) how often the British Broadcasting Corporation detector van has been in the Ballymurphy, Turf Lodge, Ardoyne, Upper Falls and Lower Falls areas of Belfast since 1st January, 1971; how many cases have been detected in those areas of persons using a television set without a licence; how many summonses have been served; and how many cases have been successfully prosecuted.

Two Post Office television detector cars were operating in Northern Ireland until 10th August this year. They were in Belfast from 17th May to 4th June but did not operate in the districts mentioned. One detector car visited Londonderry between 26th April and 14th May and between 19th July and 6th August but did not operate in the areas mentioned. Subsequently the detector cars were garaged and then removed to Great Britain for use there. But detector cars are only one of several ways of discovering unlicensed users of television sets.Separate details of the prosecutions resulting from the operation of detector cars alone are not kept. Nor are figures of unlicensed use of sets discovered in separate areas of Londonderry and Belfast recorded. Neither of these statistics is readily ascertainable. However, in the period from 1st January to 30th June, 1971, the latest date for which figures are available, 33,000 unlicensed users of television sets were discovered in Northern Ireland. The great majority obtained licences but 457 were successfully prosecuted in Northern Ireland. Information on how many unsuccessful prosecutions there were is not readily available but the number is likely to be minimal.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what discussions he has had with members of the European Economic Community on the structure of the National Health Service and any changes which may be necessary when Great Britain enters; and what proposals have been put forward;(2) what organisations within the National Health Service in Great Britain he is consulting on changes which he expects will be occasioned by Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

Accession to the European Economic Community would not involve changes in the structure of the National Health Service, and I have had no discussions on this subject either with the Community or with organisations in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what trade unions within the National Health Service have been invited to send representatives to professional liaison committees working in co-operation with the European Economic Community.

I regret that this information is not available. Any such invitations would be a matter between the committees and those to whom they were addressed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what urgent steps he is taking to increase the number of domiciliary midwives in Halifax.

I am consulting the local health authority and will write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the countries where British nationals on holiday who incur unforeseen medical expenses have to pay, respectively, the full cost, a proportion of the cost and none of the cost.

British visitors on holiday abroad normally have to pay in full any expenses incurred as a result of medical treatment, except in the following countries: Bulgaria, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Yugoslavia. In these countries, with which we have reciprocity, hospital treatment is normally free but British visitors on holiday have to pay the same proportion of the cost of other treatment as nationals of the countries which they are visiting.We have also signed recently an agreement with Austria which has yet to be ratified under which British visitors in need of urgent medical treatment will be able to obtain free treatment in hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social services what information the 1971 Census has revealed on the extent to which men and women in full-time employment hold second jobs; and when fuller details can be expected.

No relevant question was asked.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total population now living in, respectively, the Plymouth and the West Cornwall clinical areas.

390,200 and 300,350.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the population estimated to be living in, respectively, the Plymouth clinical area and the West Cornwall clinical area for 1981.

The board's current planning is based on an estimated population increase of some 12 per cent. in the Plymouth clinical area and of 4 per cent. in the West Cornwall clinical area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of general practitioner obstetric beds provided at the Freedom Fields Hospital, Plymouth, the Alexandra Maternity Home, Devonport, the Devonport Maternity Home, the Old Tree Maternity Home, Launceston, the Tavistock Maternity Home, and the Penrice Hospital, St. Austell, respectively.

None, 21, 18, 15, 14 and 24, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the ratio of general practitioner obstetric beds per head of population for, respectively. England, the area covered by the South West Regional Hospital Board, the area covered by the Plymouth clinical area, and the area covered by the West Cornwall clinical area.

The figures are 0·104, 0·235, 0·174 and 0·203 per thousand population.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the firm proposals to increase the number of general practitioner obstetric beds in any of the hospitals and maternity homes serving the Plymouth clinical area and the West Cornwall clinical area.

I understand from the South Western Regional Hospital Board that it has no such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost of transport in each year since the closure of the Trebarras Maternity Home, Liskeard, in taking expectant mothers living in the Trebarras Home catchment areas to other hospitals and maternity homes.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what extra facilities and number of beds, together with the costs have been provided in neighbouring hospitals and maternity homes since the closure of the Trebarras Maternity Home, Liskeard, as a direct consequence of this decision.

None. It has been possible to care for the patients affected by the closure of these six beds within existing resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the estimated capital cost to establish a three- to four-bed short-stay maternity unit at the Passmore Edwards Hospital, Liskeard;(2) what is the estimated annual cost of providing a three to four bed short-stay maternity unit at the Passmore Edwards Hospital, Liskeard.

The capital cost of such a unit, including the ancillary ante-natal services and including fees and equipment, would be nearly £100,000. An estimate for the annual cost would be rather over £15,000. But special provision to establish so small a unit would not be economic and cost estimates on this basis therefore have no real validity.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will allocate funds to assist or encourage local authorities to establish clinics for the treatment of obese children.

No. It is established practice for local authority doctors working in local authority clinics to have particular regard to obesity in assessing a child's developmental progress and for arrangements to be made for treatment wherever necessary either through the general practitioner or hospital services.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is now able to give an estimate of the costs involved in supplying to each Member of Parliament a copy of each of the 1,500 orders, rules, regulations, recommendations and edicts of the European Economic Community which Parliament will have to pass on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 17th November.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in order to enable the consequences of entry into the European Economic Community to be correctly assessed, he will publish the information in his possession concerning the fertilizer selling agencies or cartels that have been sanctioned by the Community for effecting sales to territories outside the European Economic Community, and the participants of each.

I have been asked to reply.A selling agency or cartel which was concerned only with sales outside the European Economic Community would not normally need the sanction of the Commission. However, such organisations can make application to the Com-

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a special grant towards prevention of flooding from the River Ouse to avoid the need for raising the road level between the villages of Carlton and Harrold, Bedfordshire;(2) if he will make a special grant towards prevention of flooding from the River Ouse to avoid the need for raising the road level between the villages of Milton Ernest and Radwell, Bedfordshire.

The authority responsible for initiating proposals of this nature is the Great Ouse River Authority. My right hon. Friend has received no such proposals from it, and my understanding is that their cost would be likely to be prohibitive in comparison with the benefits to be received.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of persons leaving colleges of education in each of the past five years

We estimate that about 90 per cent. of those who complete non-graduate courses of initial training accept posts in maintained primary and secondary schools. A proportion of the remainder obtain posts in further education, special schools, direct-grant schools or independent schools, or teach in Scotland, Northern Ireland or overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will outline the method of economic or financial evaluation used, inter alia, by her Department in deciding whether a sub-standard pre-1903 primary school building should be improved or replaced by a new building;(2) what is the average expectation of life of a building which her Department calculates in relation to decisions on improving pre-1903 primary schools, as compared with decisions on providing replacement new schools.

Each case is treated on its merits in consultation with the local education authority. A remodelled school has to comply with the Standards for Schools Premises Regulations. The decision whether to remodel or replace takes account of the present state of the buildings, the cost of bringing them up to standard and the cost of starting afresh; a number of other factors may also be relevant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she expects to receive the national survey on reading ability of children aged 11 years and 15 years of age.

I cannot give a precise date but I understand that the National Foundation for Educational Research's work is almost completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information she has about the numbers of immigrant teachers in different local education authority areas of the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

My Department does not keep records on this basis and I regret therefore that I cannot help my hon. Friend on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the percentage annual increase in the total United Kingdom labour force since 1967 to date, and the expected increase up to 1975, and the effect on unemployment to date.

During the period March, 1967, to March, 1971, the latest date for which estimates are available, the working population of the United Kingdom fell from 25,925,000 to 25,373,000, an average annual decrease of 0·5 per cent. Over the same period, the number registered as wholly unemployed in the United Kingdom rose from 564,000 to 738,000 and the most recent figure, November, 1971, was 894,000.Apart from the effects of fluctuations in the pressure of demand, the total working population in 1975 is expected to be about the same size as in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of registered vacancies in the Easington constituency at the latest available date.

At 4th November, 148 notified vacancies remained unfilled in the area covered by the Peterlee and Wingate employment exchanges. As there is no obligation on employers to notify their vacancies to my Department, this figure does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures are being taken to retrain redundant workers in the paper industry.

In common with other redundant workers, workers in the paper industry who have been made redundant may be considered for training under the Government Vocational Training Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he expects to be able to present to the House before the Christmas Recess the consultative document on the future of industrial training.

No, but my right hon. Friend hopes that the consultative document will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and how many women are at present following courses in Government training centres in Wales and in Great Britain.

Government training centres in Northern Ireland are not my responsibility but following is the information for Wales and Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what vacancies exist for men and for women at Government training centres in Wales and in Great Britain.

Following is the information for Wales and Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish his survey into the causes and the nature of unemployment.

The study which my Department is making of this subject is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will arrange for a pilot survey in the West Midlands to discover the number of men and women actively seeking work on a given date.

No. In so far as those actively seeking work are not registering as unemployed, estimates in respect of April, 1971 will become available from the results of the 1971 Census of Population,

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will arrange for pilot surveys in at least two regions designed to establish how many of those actively seeking work would be prepared to move house in order to take up employment.

My Department intends to undertake a further programme of research into the geographical mobility of labour. Workers who are eligible under the Department's Resettlement Transfer Scheme may, of course, qualify for household removal assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many skilled and unskilled men, respectively, over 50 years of age were unemployed in October, 1971; how many of these had been unemployed for more than four weeks; and what were the figures for the West Midlands.

At July, 1971, the latest date for which a detailed age analysis of the unemployed is available, the numbers of wholly unemployed men aged 50 years and over who had been registered for more than four weeks in Great Britain and in the West Midlands region were 174,199 and 15,180, respectively. The analysis does not indicate how many of these were skilled and how many were unskilled.

asked the Secretary of of State for Employment how many skilled and unskilled immigrant males, respectively, were unemployed in October, 1971; how many of these men had been unemployed for more than four weeks; and what were the figures for the West Midlands.

On 11th October, 16,287 males born in, or with a parent or parents born in the New Commonwealth were registered as wholly unemployed in Great Britain, of whom 3,979 were registered in the West Midlands. No analysis of these figures by occupation or by duration of unemployment is available.

asked the Secretary of of State for Employment how many of the unemployed in October, 1971, were physically handicapped or suffering from a chronic illness; and what were the figures for the West Midlands.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, in April, 1971, there were in Great Britain 80,172 people registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts who were unemployed. Of these 9,367 were suffering from mental disorders and 70,805 from various types of physical disability, including chronic illness. In the West Midlands in April, 1971, 6,271 registered disabled persons were unemployed, of whom 663 were suffering from mental disorders and 5,608 from other types of disability. A similar breakdown is not available for October, 1971.

asked the Secretary of of State for Employment how many married women were employed and unemployed, respectively, in October, 1964, and October, 1971.

Estimates of the numbers of married female employees, employed and unemployed, are made for each mid-year and at June, 1964, the number was 4,440,000. The figure for June, 1970, the latest date for which information is available, was 5,388,000. Between these dates the method of calculation was altered and the figures are therefore not strictly comparable. The numbers of married woman registered as unemployed at October, 1964, and October, 1971, were 41,674 and 44,839, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and women, respectively, were in full-time employment on 1st October, 1964, 1st October, 1969, and 1st October, 1971, respectively.

The following table shows the total numbers of employees in employment at September, 1964, September, 1969, and March, 1971, the latest date for which information is available. The statistics do not indicate how many of these were in full-time employment and how many were employed on a part-time basis:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of self-employed persons who had been out of work for at least four weeks on 1st October, 1964, and 1st October, 1971, respectively.

I regret that the information is not available. People who register for work after being self-employed are not identified separately in the unemployment statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men who left the mining industry for other employment during the period 1960 to 1965 were out of work in October, 1971.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of women out of work but not registered as unemployed on 1st October, 1971.

There is no accepted way of defining or measuring the number of unemployed persons who are not registered as unemployed. Practices vary from country to country. In the United Kingdom, the Censuses of Population provide information about the numbers who are seeking work or waiting to take up a job, but the results for 1971 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many skilled and unskilled men, respectively, over 50 years of age, received redundancy payments during the period June-September, 1971; how many of those men were unemployed on 1st November, 1971; and what were the corresponding figures for the West Midlands.

Claims for rebate or guarantee payments from the Redundancy Fund were approved in respect of 32,179 men aged 50 and over during the quarter ended 24th September, 1971. The corresponding figure for the West Midland planning area was 3,608. I regret that the other information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment at which Remploy factories on Merseyside he intends to increase sheltered employment, and by how much at each.

Remploy Ltd. aims to provide six more places at Wallasey now and nine more at Aintree early next year. In the longer term, it plans to add at least a further 25 places at Aintree. But this will be dependent on the introduction of shift working, which will involve consultation with the trade unions concerned, as well as the securing of additional work, and will take commensurately longer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time or on an annual basis, the cost to the Exchequer of the tax-free allowances of all types of goods, wines and spirits, etc., which are allowed to entrants into Great Britain from abroad.