asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, as part of his review of pollution from motor vehicles, he will have consultations with the motor trade with the aim of encouraging the introduction of pollution-free exhaust systems.

I shall shortly be announcing what controls on emissions from petrol-engine vehicles I consider necessary as a result of my review. I shall then have consultations both about the implementation of those controls and about the prospects of achieving more rigorous standards in the longer term.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the names of the people appointed to the four working parties he has set up to report in connection with the United Nations Conference on the Environment at Stockholm.

Following are the names:MEMBERSHIP OF THE FOUR WORKING PARTIES APPOINTED TO ASSEMBLE EVIDENCE FOR THE STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the reports of the four United Nations Stockholm Conference Working Parties on the Environment are ready for publication; and if he proposes to publish them.

All four working parties expect to complete their reports early in the New Year. I intend to publish them in good time for the conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings Lady Dartmouth's working party on the human habitat has held with individuals and organisations to determine their views.

Lady Dartmouth and members of her Working Party have made a thorough study of the literature on the human habitat, and have collected written evidence from more than 300 persons and organisations. They have as expert advisers Lord Clark, Ove Arup and Max Nicholson. They have interviewed many hundreds of people up and down the country and discussed many of the acute problems of our habitat with Professor Buchanan and representatives of the R.I.B.A. Lady Dartmouth has herself made 14 tours covering 30 towns and districts in England, Scotland and Wales. She has held seven half-day meetings at the Department of the Environment and has had several other more informal meetings of her group. I know the House would wish to thank Lady Dartmouth for the vigour with which she has tackled this task.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to amend the method of payment of improvement grants to local authorities on properties which they own.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money in the form of grants has been injected into the house improvement programme.

Since 1969, £55 million has been paid in cash grants to private owners in England and Wales. During the same period, the Government's share of the total capital cost of improvements to local authority housing amounted to £40 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what dates he now expects the completion of the M5 to Exeter, the dualling of the A38 between Exeter and Plymouth, the dualling of the A30 between Exeter and Okehampton, and the improvement of the A30 between Okehampton and Launceston to the 70 miles per hour standard; and if he will make a statement.

Present target dates are the summer of 1974 for the Exeter-Plymouth dualling, and, subject to satisfactory completion of all necessary statutory procedures for settling routes and acquiring land, the end of 1975 for the M5 to Exeter, 1977 for the Exeter and Okehampton dualling, and the end of the 1970s for the Okehampton-Launceston improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give urgent consideration to erecting a crash barrier in the centre of the A23 between Mill Road and London Road, Brighton, and just south of Pyecombe Hill.

No, sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigation is being made into re-using materials from refuse and spoil tips.

The Laboratory at Warren Spring of the Department of Trade and Industry is investigating the possibilities of recovering material from refuse and other wastes; further projects are being undertaken at universities; the use of waste from spoil heaps for purposes of road fill has been the subject of a recent investigation by a working party of my Department; and the industries involved in mineral extraction are themselves looking into ways of re-using their wastes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision the Government is making to increase the degree of responsibility for road safety which is vested in local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The Government propose that road accident prevention should become a statutory obligation of the new county councils and the London authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for reviewing urban motorway proposals in the light of recently announced reports by consultants commissioned by the Government.

I must ask my hon. Friend to await the report of the Urban Motorways Committee, for which these research studies were undertaken. My right hon. Friend expects to receive this next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to provide for heavy weighbridges to be installed at all ports so that commercial vehicles arriving in the United Kingdom are each automatically weighed to see that they are not over-loaded.

No. Adequate weighbridges are available at most roll-on roll-off ports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the discussions which his Department has had in relation to port development in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the discussions which his Department has had in relation to port development in Scotland and on the estimate he has made of the effect of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community on this matter.

Port development proposals are a matter for harbour authorities or other prospective developers. I have not so far received any advice from the National Ports Council which suggests that entry into the European Communities will have a substantial effect on Scottish port development, though I would of course give due weight to this factor in considering any proposals for such developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for implementing the provisions of the White Paper "Financial Policy for Ports", Command Paper No. 4794; and if he will make a statement.

The Harbours (Loans) Bill will have its Second Reading next week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of ports in the United Kingdom which are capable of taking tankers of 250,000 tons dead-weight loading.

Two ports, the Clyde and Milford Haven, can take 250,000-ton tankers fully laden. Some other ports can take them part-laden.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the take up of mortgages from building societies for the first nine months of this year, and how this compares with the equivalent period in 1970.

Building societies made 478,000 house purchase advances totalling £1,940 million in the first three quarters of 1971, compared with 393,000 advances totalling £1,411 million in the first three quarters of 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the siting of local authority headquarters for the new counties.

It will be entirely for each of the new county councils to decide on the location of their headquarters after they have been elected in 1973. Similarly, each of the new district councils will settle for themselves where their headquarters will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what export potential he foresees for the advanced passenger train; whether he plans that its development by British Rail will be in conjunction with the private sector of industry; and if he will make a statement.

I am sure that the advanced passenger train will have great export potential. Private industry is already substantially involved in its development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the information available to his Department enables him fully to compare the social and economic costs and benefits of providing urban transport by road and rail; and if he will make a statement.

These comparisons are made by major urban local authorities, wherever possible, as part of the comprehensive urban land use transportation studies for which they are primarily responsible. The Department is continuing to develop improved methods to enable this to be done more thoroughly and systematically.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy with regard to seeing tenants' delegations accompanied by their Members of Parliament about rent matters.

I am always willing to meet hon. Members to discuss any subject which concerns me. But it is quite impossible for Ministers to meet all the tenants' associations who may wish to see them, whether or not they are accompanied by an hon. Member.As I cannot set myself up to judge one association's claims to be seen against another's I feel it fairer to see none and to consider anything the associations wish to say on the basis of written representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the fact that the Association of London Housing Estates is a grant-aided body under the urban aid programme, and represents council tenants on 130 estates in Greater London, he will reconsider his decision not to meet a deputation from them to discuss the effect on tenants of the Housing Finance Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what his policy is with regard to seeing tenants' delegations accompanied by their Members of Parliament about rent matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will agree to meet delegations of tenants' organisations to discuss the provisions of the Housing Finance Bill.

I am always willing to meet Members of the House to discuss any subject which concerns me. But it is quite impossible for Ministers to meet all the tenants' associations who may wish to see them, whether or not they are accompanied by an hon. Member.As I cannot set myself up to judge one association's claims to be seen against another's I feel it fairer to see none and to consider anything the associations wish to say on the basis of written representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has undertaken into the safety of fast trains travelling between Glasgow and London on electrified rails; and if he will make a statement.

None. Fast electric trains have been running between Euston and Crewe since 1961. No particular safety difficulties have arisen, and I have no reason to think that extension of electrification to Glasgow will create new problems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects that gantry signals on the southern end of the M1 will be operational; and if he will make a statement about the delay in providing them.

The present temporary emergency warning signals over the whole length of the M1 are being progressively replaced by computer-controlled signals. These are already operational on the M1 in Yorkshire, and I expect that the gantry signals at the southern end of the M1 will be operational by mid-1972. Delays have been caused by technical problems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much he estimates housing subsidies to local housing authorities will be reduced as a result of the Housing Finance Bill over the next 10 years; and by how much he estimates that mortgage interest tax relief to owner-occupiers will increase over the same period.

It is not expected that the total subsidies payable to local authorities in England and Wales under the Housing Finance Bill will be below their present level. As regards the second part of the Question, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 27th October by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the results of the speed checks conducted by his Department on the A636 Wakefield road through Kitchenroyd.

A count taken as recently as Monday, 6th December at Kitchenroyd reveals that two out of three cars were travelling at speeds in excess of 40 m.p.h. Of these one quarter were exceeding 50 m.p.h.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities which have implemented Section 15 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act by the co-option of disabled persons to any committees whose business is relevant to their needs.

The provisions referred to by my hon. Friend requires authorities to have regard to the desirability of appointing persons with relevant experience to committees concerned with matters in which the chronically sick or disabled have special needs. I have no reason to doubt that all local authorities have observed this requirement, but information is not available as to which authorities have made appointments to their committees solely because of the passing of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now make a statement as to whether he is prepared to introduce amending legislation to the Accommodation Agencies Act, 1953, in order to protect the interests of prospective tenants seeking accommodation through the aegis of such agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the workings of the Accommodation Agencies Act, 1953; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when, in view of the evasion of the Accommodation Agencies Act 1953 by agencies illegally requiring payment from prospective tenants, he expects to complete his review of the operation of this Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from local authorities regarding the workings of the Accommodation Agencies Act, 1953; and if he will make a statement.

I have received one representation from a local authority on the workings of this Act. I understand that doubts have arisen as to the effect of the High Court's decision in Crouch and Lees v. Haridas.I cannot interpret the law, but I understand that legal opinion has held that it does not prohibit charging for services other than those for which charging is expressly forbidden. I gather that this view is supported by a decision in a case heard before a stipendiary magistrate at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 3rd December. Agencies providing few, if any, services beyond those mentioned in the Act, and charging for them, are as liable to prosecution as ever.In the circumstances, the Government have no proposals at present for amending legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he is making to ensure that local authorities release more land they at present own, where it is suitable for development, in order to ease the pressure of rising land prices due to its scarcity.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 8th December.—[Vol. 827, c. 1287.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to obtain a schedule of redundant, unused, or surplus land from planning authorities, including that in the possession of nationalised and other public bodies.

A decision to do this would involve a substantial change in the relationship of central to local government but I am in frequent consultation with local auhorities concerning the availability of land for development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his consultations on derelict land clearance with the six county councils which have the worst problems.

My right hon. Friend has already visited Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire and Northumberland and will be visiting Derbyshire and the West Riding early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of his consultations with Lancashire County Council over the clearance of derelict land in the county.

Local authorities have been made more aware of the need to make increased use of the generous grants which are available. They have been asked to submit realistic six-year programmes and to aim at clearing their existing problems within 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the rise of points during the latest 12-month period in the index of average prices of new private houses prepared by his Department.

The index rose 22 points or 13 per cent. from the third quarter of 1970 to the third quarter of 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on house prices.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction to the right hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 24th November.—[Vol. 826, c. 363.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in response to the Green Paper on Local Government Finance.

My right hon. Friend has received more than 150 representations from local authorities, local authority associations, other bodies and members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his programme for consultation on the Green Paper on Local Government Finance.

Consultations on the Green Paper began last September and I hope will be completed by about next spring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the savings in wages and salaries resulting from the proposals in the Local Government Bill; and if he will make a statement.

No estimate can be made at this stage. Staff complements will be decided by the new authorities with the advice which will be contained in the Report of the Management Study Group set up by my right hon. Friend and the local authorities associations. Reorganisation will enable staff to be more effectively and economically deployed within modern structures of management.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Professional Footballers' Association, in regard to the rights of players who wish to appeal to an arbitration body in cases where they have the official support of the Association. the hon. Gentleman might like to write

I discussed the possibility of appeals by professional players against sentences passed on them for offences on the field of play. These talks were against the background of the Industrial Relations Act and the draft Code of Industrial Practice.Whilst I am naturally very interested in this matter, the primary responsibility of course lies with the Football Association who I understand are giving consideration to the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is being undertaken by the Joint Fire Research Organisation, into means of escape from fire, both at home and at the place of work.

The Joint Fire Research Organisation is engaged on a number of projects with a direct bearing on means of escape. Following are details:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will initiate plans to reclaim land from the Humber estuary.

No, but I will gladly consider any schemes which are put forward by local interests. Perhaps to me about what he has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the operation of the Leasehold Reform Act; and whether he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations, some of them conflicting, for the amendment of this Act. These have been carefully considered but have established no grounds for changing the conclusion, announced by my right hon. Friend on 14th July. 1970, that the Act should not be amended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list his present powers to limit the weight and size of vehicles arriving at British ports and their loads.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for further legislation in order to protect London's Green Belt.

None; local planning authorities have adequate powers to protect the green belt under existing legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will recommend local authorities to provide ramps at pedestrian crossings to enable the infirm, the aged and mothers with prams to cross roads with greater safety and convenience.

My right hon. Friend already has done so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what authority he has established the Local Government Boundary Commission for England prior to the Local Government Bill receiving the Royal Assent.

The Boundary Commission has not been formally established; this cannot be done until the Local Government Bill has been enacted. The Commission Designate was announced after the Bill had been given a Second Reading, however; no specific authority is required for informal action of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order an inquiry into the proposal of the Post Office Corporation to erect a tower building in the centre of Bristol.

No. This development was approved in outline by the Bristol City Council in March, 1969, after careful consideration of the proposal and the views of interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has sent to the letter from the Committee for Environmental Conservation asking him to undertake further study of Concorde's effects on the environment; and if he will make a statement.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply which I have sent to the Committee for Environmental Conservation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will initiate immediate studies into the questions of the availability and deployment of expert planning staff able to implement the planning provisions of the Local Government Bill.

I have already invited the local authority associations to concert their views on arrangements, including the deployment of staff, for ensuring continuity and administrative economy in handling planning matters. We want to consider these views together with those of the professional and other organisations concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received asking that the Peak Park Planning Board for the National Peak Park should retain its existing powers, and in particular those relating to precepting on local authorities within the National Park.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations recently about the form of administration of national parks generally. As regard the Peak Park, he has already said that he proposes to retain the Planning Board. It will keep its existing powers, including its percepting powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the Vehicles Lighting Regulations so as to permit the use of revolving blue or red flashing beacons on fire and ambulance service vehicles.

Blue beacons are already permitted. I do not propose to seek powers to permit red beacons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in order to obtain better and earlier fog warning for motorists, if he will seek powers to require the installation of supplementary intense rear lights on vehicles, together with a second set of higher and brighter rear lights on trucks.

My right hon. Friend is re-examining these ideas in co-operation with the motoring organisations, the road haulage industry and the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on action to be taken to improve standards of thermal insulation and prevention of condensation in housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in his review of the question of thermal insulation in housing; when the results are likely to be published; and if he will make a statement

The Inter-Departmental review of thermal insulation is well advanced. Its scope has been broadened to consider the question of condensation in dwellings. A survey of condensation in local authority housing has been carried out. When the review has been completed I shall consider the need to issue design guidance to local authorities on the subject of thermal insulation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of those local authorities specifying the use of two inches of thermal insulation in the roofs of new houses; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will increase the Parker-Morris standard of thermal insulation to that prevailing in other countries of Western Europe, with a view to reducing the cost of fuel for heating purposes.

At present the only mandatory standards of thermal insulation are those laid down in the building regulations, which relate to matters of health and safety. A recent survey has shown, however, that many local authorities build to higher standards of thermal insulation than required by the building regulations. My right hon. Friend is reviewing the need to give any additional design guidance on the subject to local authorities. Appropriate thermal insulation standards depend upon climatic conditions, and uniformity with other countries is not necessarily desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence he has received from the headmaster of Balliol County Secondary School, Bootle, with relation to the combination of that school with Hillside High School, Bootle, and the consequent envisaged traffic dangers to children on the Southport trunk road; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he adheres to his estimate of 30th December, 1970 of the range for average fair rents per region in 1973–74 and 1976–77.

The estimates referred to by the hon. Member were provided to representatives of the local authority associations only as a very approximate basis for estimating the total new subsidies which might be payable under the provisions of the Housing Finance Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total tonnage and the total number of containers carried by the Freightliner services of British Rail in 1967 and 1970, respectively, the revenue derived from hauling these trains, and the estimated train mileage run by them.

B.R. carried 108,500 Freightliner containers in 1967 compared with 480,000 in 1970. Freightliners Ltd. paid British Rail a haulage charge of £5·8 million in 1970. The other figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking upon the recommendations of the working party he set up upon the problems of parking goods vehicles in the North-West; and whether he will make a statement with particular reference to the provision of lorry parks by local authorities in partnership with commercial interests on the lines suggested at Stretford.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now able to make a statement on his intentions regarding the recommendations of his Department's working party on lorry parking.

After consultation with the industry and the local authority associations, the Government fully support the strategy proposed in the Report. It is now launching a programme to locate and buy a sufficient number of sites, for leasing to commercial operators, so as to provide a national network of lorry parks in England outside London. Regional study groups on the lines envisaged in the Report are already being set up to establish the best sites.As far as the financial arrangements are concerned, instead of making grants to local authorities for land acquisition, I intend that the land should be provided under the powers of Section 30 of the Highways Act, 1971. It is the Government's intention that, once the lorry parks are firmly established, the land should be sold to the operators.The question of quality licensing of the lorry parks, which becomes important only when they come into operation, requires further study and, possibly, legislation at some future time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for improving safety on motorways in the light of recent multiple crashes in fog.

The vital contribution is the one that drivers make if he is satisfied that the methods used in the cost/benefit study submitted to him of the Cambrian coast line are accurate and fairly represent both the cost and the benefit; what criticisms have been sent to him of such methods of cost/benefit study; and if he will make a statement.

Some criticisms have been made to me of this study. In the present state of knowledge, the useful tool of cost/benefit analysis cannot be totally accurate and decisive, and allowance must be made accordingly. This I shall do

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses, private and public, were built in the year June, 1970, to June, 1971; and how many houses have been built and started in the year November, 1970, to November, 1971, both private and public.

Following is the information:themselves. But my right hon. Friend's meeting with the police and the vehicle users' organisations produced some good suggestions, which are being followed up.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what number of fog warning lights were fit for use on Monday, 29th November, 1971, between exits 29 and 4, on the M1 north- and south-bound carriageways.

All 145 signals were serviceable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now announce the likely date for a public inquiry into the proposed route for the A5111 bypass through Allestree, Derby.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 24th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the speed-up in spending on regional infrastructures, he will advance the programme of construction of the MS motorway in the Exeter area.

I appreciate my hon. Friend's concern, but construction of this part of the motorway cannot be started until the completion of the statutory procedures for settling its line and acquiring land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of repairs to the M5 motorway since the inception of black-top surfacing.

The total cost of repairs to the M5 motorway is about £1·6 million since opening to traffic in July, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date the signs on the north-bound carriageway of the M1 were changed at Watford Gap to indicate that traffic bound for the north-west should continue along the M1 to the recently opened interchange of the M6.

On 15th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the fatal accidents that occurred on the M1 between Luton and Toddington on 29th November, he will consider introducing a winter speed limit of 50 miles per hour on the southern section of the M1.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for encouraging local authorities to build houses for sale on land in their ownership with a view to ensuring its early release for residential development.

I am anxious that there should be a good supply of new homes for would-be owner-occupiers, particularly those with modest incomes, and I am encouraging local authorities in the pressure areas to do all they can to that end by releasing land for private building. Private builders and local authorities should co-operate in this objective, and I am convinced that private builders will do the job most efficiently. Nevertheless, if a demand exists which cannot be or is not being met by private builders, I should be prepared to consider proposals from a local authority to build for sale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his Department's policy towards the development for residential purposes of obsolete farm buildings in rural areas outside towns and villages, in relation to planning procedures.

The policy is set out in paragraphs 15 to 18 of Development Control Policy Note 4, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is the policy of his Department to encourage the conversion of obsolete farm buildings into holiday accommodation rather than into full-time residential accommodation, in relation to planning procedures.

No. The factors mentioned in the Development Control Policy Note to which the hon. Member's attention has been drawn are applicable whether the proposal is to convert obsolete farm buildings into normal residential accommodation or into holiday accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local housing authorities drawing attention to their power to disregard war disability pensions when operating rent rebate schemes.

I believe that housing authorities are aware of their discretion to disregard such pensions. The Housing Finance Bill makes obligatory a disregard of £2 a week and gives authorities discretion to disregard the whole of a pension.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the Rating Act, 1966, to exempt war disability pensions as income for purposes of the rate rebate scheme during the session 1971–72.

The Green Paper "The Future Shape of Local Government Finance" (Cmnd. 4741) outlines a possible new scheme for rate rebates in which up to £2 a week would be disregarded in respect of income from war disability pensions and other payments of a similar kind. Consultations with the local authority associations on the various issues outlined in the Green Paper are now being held; if the Government decide to promote an extended rate rebate scheme, it would be embodied in legislation which they aim to introduce at the earliest opportunity after consultations are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, and for what reason, when the Government proposes to purchase lavatory seats, preference is given to those which are manufactured in Systeme Internationale metric units even if they are more expensive than those produced to imperial measurement.

No. The Government purchase, or specify in building contracts, lavatory seats conforming to British Standard No. 1254, which gives imperial sizes with metric equivalents for guidance. No question of extra cost arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings Mr. Stevenson's Working Party on voluntary organisations has held with individuals and organisations to determine their views.

Mr. Stevenson and members of his working party have collected written evidence from some 250 persons and organisations. They have interviewed many hundreds of people up and down the country, and Mr. Stevenson has himself made three tours, each of three to four days' duration. The first was to the South-West of England and to Wales, the second to the North of England, and the third to Scotland. In addition, he has set up research projects involving social science students at various universities, and he is conducting a national sample survey of local authorities on the subjects for which he is responsible. He has held a number of half-day meetings at the Department of the Environment, and he has had more than 30 more informal meetings with members of his group.I know that the House would wish to thank Mr. Stevenson for the vigour with which he has tackled this task.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to terminate the application of the Small Tenements Recovery Act, 1838, regarding the eviction of local authority tenants.

I hope that it will be possible to take this action quite soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has read the document, "Why do the world's railways lose money", sent to him by the hon. Member for Bristol, North-East, and if he will take its conclusions into account when formulating his transport policies.

I have read the paper with interest. I am writing to my hon. Friend about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce legislation to impose increased penalties for harassment of tenants.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South-West (Mr. George Cunningham) on 24th November, 1971.—[Vol. 826, c. 364.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he can announce in the designation of Green Belts.

I am at present consulting county councils in the South-East on securing some early additions to London's green belt. This follows the Government's approval in principle of a strategic plan for the region. Elsewhere, further progress depends on related regional and local studies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the rates for local authority members' attendance allowances.

Before the elections to the new councils in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were, respectively, the cost of maintenance and repairs on the black-top M5 between Quinton and Strensham, and on the reinforced concrete M6 between Lancaster and the north end of the Preston bypass, in the first five years after con- struction and in the last five years, respectively.

I regret that figures cannot be given for the lengths and periods requested, but costs on the concrete section of the M6 in Lancashire over the past five years are estimated at £56,000, and for black-top on the M5 in Worcestershire the corresponding figures are approximately £350,000 general maintenance and £1·6 million for major repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he is holding with Ministers of the European Economic Community concerning policies to combat pollution of rivers, lakes, and the sea around the British coast.

I am in contact with Ministers of European countries on water pollution problems of international concern.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to publish the results of his review of the compensation code.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has promised to make a statement when the review is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has considered the petition presented to him in September, 1971, by Friends of the Earth, The New Law Journal and the Anglers' Co-operative Association asking for public disclosure of effluent data available to his Department, river authorities, local authorities and the Clean Air Inspectorate; and if he will make a statement.

I am sending a reply this week. I shall let the hon. Member have a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a copy of the circular headed Inspired Parliamentary Questions, reference RC 30/1, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his proposals for the route of the M15 within the London Borough of Newham will be modified to take account of the reports of the firms of consultants who were appointed by his predecessor to study the social effects of the siting of urban motorways.

Research studies by consultants into various problems of fitting major roads into urban areas were undertaken for the Urban Motorways Committee. Its report is expected next year; it would be premature to attempt to consider its relevance for the M15.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to remove the need for passenger insurance to be paid in respect of such motorcycles or mopeds as are incapable of carrying passengers.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the land reclamation schemes currently in progress or planned in Bolton, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Turton and Little Lever, giving the acreage covered by each scheme and the estimated cost of each project.

:The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to remove the obligation to wear crash helmets at present imposed on motorcyclists.

There is no such obligation at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to continue grant aid for the Holy-head-Chester railway line; and if he will make a statement.

The Railways Board's applications for the renewal of grant for this service and others are now being studied. I shall make a general statement early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of each motorway has safety barriers on the central reservation.

I regret that the information is not readily available. I will however write to the hon. Member on the subject as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total outlay on the installation of safety barriers on the central reservations of motorways.

Up to 15th October, 1971, approximately £2,500,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the cost of erecting safety barriers for the total length of all existing motorways.

Just over £9 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is proposing to reduce the number of accidents resulting from insecure loading before the implementation of the Code of Practice on Safe Loading.

The police and my Department's Traffic Examiners will continue to devote as much effort as possible to the enforcement of the relevant regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will ensure that traffic using the M4 motorway from London, bound for Devon and Cornwall, is not signposted through the northeastern suburbs of Bristol;(2) what steps he proposes to take to discourage traffic bound for Devon and Cornwall from London, using the M4 motorway to Bristol prior to completion of the Avon Bridge.

There is no proposal to direct this traffic through the suburbs of Bristol and I propose to discourage it from leaving M4 in the Bristol area by means of suitable publicity.

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