asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Government are taking to encourage local authorities in Scotland to release loans for private house building.

Earlier this year we removed the limits formerly imposed on local authority lending and I have no evidence of any general reluctance to grant loans.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if all the provisions in Sections 1 and 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, are expected to be made generally available to the Scottish disabled and if he will make a statement.

The general duty of local authorities to promote social welfare under Section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1968, includes the provision of services for the disabled, and I expect local authorities to take full account of their needs in drawing up proposals for the development of the social work services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of private houses built for sale in Scotland in 1970 and the number built for sale in 1961; and what was the number built in the same years for the public sector.

7,147 houses were built for private owners in 1961 and 8,220 in 1970. The figures for the public sector were 20,083 and 34,947 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses in the private sector in Scotland were started and completed, respectively, in 1971 to the most convenient date, and in the equivalent period in each of the years 1966 to 1970.

To 30th September, this year, 7,562 private houses were started and 7,306 completed. These are higher than the figures for the comparable period in each of the earlier years mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Government intend to enter into discussions with local angling clubs with a view to establishing a Scottish anglers' trust.

I welcome the initiative that has been taken by angling associations towards the setting up of a new body and I hope that consultations will begin in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in response to the views of the hon. Members for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles and Berwick and East Lothian (Mr. Mackintosh) and the Scottish Trade Union Congress and the deputation of local authorities which visited him on 23rd November, he will introduce legislation to establish a borders development board.

I do not think that a convincing case has been made out for establishing a separate statutory development board for this area. There are two bodies in the Borders, based on the local authorities, which are working actively with Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of recent projects for which planning permission involving a change in land use has been granted in connection with providing facilities, on shore, for the servicing of the oil industry.

Proposals arising from future North Sea oil operations are at the discussion stage with several local planning authorities. A few applications have so far been made, but only in certain cases do such matters come to me for decision. In one of these cases I was able recently to issue very quickly a direction which opened the way for sea platform construction in the Cromarty Firth.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what fraction of the cost of providing houses in the public sector comes from local authority sources, how much is provided by ratepayers, and what derives from Government sources.

In 1969–70 more than 35 per cent. of local authority expenditure on housing was met from the rates and a little under 25 per cent. from Government contributions. In the same year more than 40 per cent. of expenditure on housing by new town development corporations and the Scottish Special Housing Association was met from Government contributions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to introduce the proposed rent rebate scheme for private tenants in Scotland.

Under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill as present before Parliament this should be not later than 1st January, 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Kirkcaldy Town Council regarding the division of Fife arising from the reform of local government proposals for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The town council indicated in March that it had agreed to be associated with Fife County Council in pursuing the possibility of Fife's becoming a separate region. No subsequent representations have been received from it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish as a separate document a report on the work of the Scottish Hospital Advisory Service.

A chapter of the Report on Health Services in Scotland for 1970 was devoted to the work of the service, and a fuller account of its first year was included in the health bulletin issue by my Chief Medical Officer in November, which has been given wide publicity. My right hon. Friend will consider whether it would be appropriate to publish a separate report after the service has been in operation for a longer period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take on the question of expenditure at Perceton House, headquarters of the Irvine Development Corporation, on furnishings and decorations of £1,500 for a marble fireplace, and £3,000 for decorating one office.

None. The hon. Member is misinformed about the cost of furnishings and decorations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how far his Department is involved in the current examination into the advisability of establishing a deep-water ore terminal at Hunterston; what progress has been made; when it is expected that a decision will be announced; and if he will make a statement.

I have approved the zoning of land for this purpose. The project itself is a matter for the British Steel Corporation and the Clyde Port Authority in the first instance and I understand that it is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the general statutory criteria under which local authorities are empowered to make a grant towards the installation and/or rental of a telephone in the homes of disabled persons and/or retirement pensioners.

Facilities for the disabled are provided under Section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, which does not impose detailed criteria for the provision of telephones.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many disabled persons received financial help, from which local authorities, for the installation and rental, respectively, of telephones in 1971, 1970 and 1969, respectively; what percentage of these persons in each year were retirement pensioners; and what was the total cost per year.

I regret that this information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to encourage building societies to make loans available to men in the £24 income group to purchase their own homes.

Building societies are already doing this, and the Government's option mortgage scheme is available to help those with moderate incomes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new factories he has opened in the last 18 months; and how many he plans to open officially in the next 12 months.

During the last 18 months Scottish Office Ministers have by invitation opened eight new factories. We have so far received two invitations to attend opening ceremonies next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women were aborted with sterilisation and discharged from National Health Service hospitals in Scotland on the same day as the operation, the next day, and two, three, four, five, six and seven or more days later, respectively, for each of the years 1968, 1969 and 1970.

This information is not readily available, but I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to inspect the school for mentally disturbed children at Corsbie Hall, Thornton, Fife.

Early in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria the local area boards proposed in Command Paper No. 4821 will use in deciding whether a landowner is making reasonable charges for fishing permits when he applies for statutory protection for fishing.

Until consultations with representative organisations have taken place I am not in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is giving to creating a Kilmarnock road expressway; and if he will make a statement on the matter particularly in regard to its effect on Glasgow's housing problem.

No proposal for a Kilmarnock Road Expressway has yet been made to me by Glasgow Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the proposed passenger transport authority for the greater Glasgow area and its executive will be vested with powers to provide car parks, repair motor vehicles, sell petrol, oil, spare parts and car accessories, provide facilities for the purchase and consumption of food and drink, acquire and develop land, lend money, and construct, manufacture, produce, purchase, maintain or repair anything required for the purpose of their business;(2) if the proposed passenger transport authority for the greater Glasgow area will have the power to issue precepts to rating authorities; and whether any payments made by rating authorities to the passenger transport authority will be reckonable expenditure for the purpose of rate support grants;(3) whether the proposed passenger transport authority for greater Glasgow will be required to finance suburban train losses;(4) who will appoint the members of the proposed passenger transport authority for greater Glasgow.

The Passenger Transport Authority and Passenger Transport Executive for the Greater Glasgow area which I have proposed as an interim measure pending the reorganisation of local government can only be established in terms of Part II of the Transport Act, 1968, which prescribes the powers (including power to make payments in respect of railway services), method of appointment, and method of financing of these bodies. The Bill to reform Scottish local government will, however, afford an opportunity to make appropriate and desirable amendments to the 1968 Act as to the powers and duties of the Secretary of State, the Passenger Transport Executive, and the regional authority for West Central Scotland which is to succeed the Passenger Transport Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects work will commence on the construction of the Ballachulish Bridge.

I hope that work can begin before the end of 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the Labour Committee for Irvine New Town on elective representation on the New Town Board; and if he will make a statement.

This Committee represented to me that members of the Irvine Development Corporation should be elected and not selected. I have replied explaining that the arrangements for appointments have been in force since Parliament first passed new towns legislation in 1946; that they provide for consultation with local authorities before appointments are made; and that I have no plans at present to introduce amending legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with local authorities on the provision of job-creating public works, in the light of the Chancellor's recent announcement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. David Steel) and for Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he proposes to send to the recent letter he has received from the Town Clerk of Stornoway, writing on behalf of all the local authorities in the Western Isles, about local government reform.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to several Oral Questions on this subject.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has for further dispersal of Government offices to the Blackpool and Fylde area.

There are at present no firm plans for further dispersal to this area; but the North-West will be considered, along with other parts of the country, as the current review of London headquarters offices proceeds.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the average pass mark for a candidate for a clerical grade in the Civil Service to be offered an appointment in Glasgow, Newcastle and London, respectively, in each of the last three years.

No central record is maintained of the marks awarded by Departments to locally-recruited clerical staff, but the available evidence indicates that the average pass mark for Glasgow has been higher than for Newcastle-upon-Tyne and London.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give for the latest and most convenient stated date the total costs in salaries and wages of the Civil Service; how these figures compare with June, 1970; and to what extent he now estimates these figures will increase or decrease in the event of Great Britain entering the Common Market.

The total cost of Civil Service wages and salaries, based on the provision in Estimates, will be about £1,040 million in the current financial year as compared with £937 million in 1970–71. The effect of our entering the E.E.C. will be that some parts of the Civil Service will expand a little, but we expect to achieve some offsetting economies.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he has now completed his discussions with the staff side of the Whitley Council on the recommendations of the report on the employment of women in the Civil Stervice; and if he will make a statement.

We hope to complete in the New Year the discussions with the Staff Side of the National Whitley Council on all the recommendations, with the exception of one or two which will require more detailed examination.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will state the total numbers of copies of the Green Paper, "A Framework for Government Research and Development", Command Paper No. 4814 that were printed, and available for distribution outside Government Departments, respectively, at the end of November and by 20th December, 1971.

I have been asked to reply.I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 17th December to the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt). More than 300 copies were available on 20th December for distribution outside Government Departments and the further reprint of 4,000 copies is now being delivered to Her Majesty's Stationery Office.—[Vol. 828, c. 213.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total cost of weighting allowances paid to civil servants employed within 16 miles of Charing Cross.

There are approximately 150,000 non-industrial civil servants employed within 16 miles of Charing Cross. The total annual cost of London weighting allowances paid to them is just over £22 million.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will introduce legislation to make the sub judice rule, as operated in the House of Commons and by the Press, mandatory upon the broadcasting media.

No. Broadcasters, like newspaper publishers, are already liable to be held in contempt of court for comments on pending proceedings which might tend to interfere with a fair trial.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what reply he has made to the Independent Television Authority submission entitled ITV2, published on 8th December, requesting permission to institute a complementary Independent Television channel by 1974; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add for the present to my reply of 8th December to the hon. Member.—[Vol. 827, c. 1271.]

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what action his Department is taking to prevent Radio Jackie from operating on 227m and 94mgz very high frequency; and whether he will make a statement.

Post Office investigating officers, acting on my behalf, are diligent in tracking down the many transmitters used by this illegal station. Nine transmitters have been tracked down and there have been twelve successful prosecutions.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will give a general direction to the Post Office to use postal codes on all their correspondence.

No. This is a Post Office matter and I understand that appropriate standing instructions already exist.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications how many Post Office redundancies he expects to result from the reduction in postal services.

The Post Office has made it clear that it would not expect any serious redundancy problem to arise from the proposed reduction.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if it is intended to harmonise the British postal code system with the postal code systems of the existing Common Market countries.

No.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications how many of the vans and lorries hired by the Post Office to deal with extra mail at Christmas this year are unlicensed.

This is entirely a matter for the Post Office.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether letters bearing stamps overprinted with the words, Support Sinn Fein, or Dail Uladh, fall within the rules regarding valid franking.

No. The Post Office treats any such letters as prohibited when they are observed in the mail.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in what circumstances the Post Office publishes or releases for publication the contents of letters opened by it is undeliverable; and whether he will make a statement.

It is contrary to Post Office practice to disclose the contents of undeliverable letters. I am asking the Post Office to write to my right hon. Friend about a letter to Santa Claus which recently received publicity.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what approvals he has given under section 13(2) of the Post Office Act, 1969 for Post Office manufacture and supply to others.

I have recently given one approval which broadly allows the Post Office to continue those activities in the field of manufacture and supply in which it had engaged as a Department of State. As the text is somewhat lengthy for the OFFICIAL REPORT, I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1) how many complaints about excessive quarterly accounts have been received from subscriber trunk dialling telephone subscribers for each year for the past five years;(2) how many accountancy mistakes have been made by the subscriber trunk dialling telephone service in the United Kingdom for the past five years; and if he will give the figures for each year and state how much subscribers' accounts were overcharged and undercharged, and the amount for each year;(3) how many of the accountancy mistakes made by the Post Office telephone services in the past five years were discovered by the Post Office; and how many as a result of subscribers' complaints.

These are matters for the Post Office.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will give a general check to the Post Office to take steps to prevent subscriber trunk dialling telephone subscribers from being overcharged on their quarterly telephone accounts as a result of inefficient accountancy methods.

No. These are matters for the Post Office.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will issue a general direction to the Post Office to estimate the cost of installing a metering device on private subscribers' telephones, and to install such devices free of charge for private subscriber trunk dialling telephone subscribers to protect them against overcharging.

No. A general direction would not be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of completions and starts in the public sector of housing this year up to the present time compared with the similar period in 1970.

In Great Britain from January to October, 1971, 116,200 permanent dwellings were started and 130,100 were completed in the public sector compared with 131,700 starts and 147,600 completions in the same period of 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to require accommodation agencies to obtain a licence to operate from the local authority.

I have no proposals for so doing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the approximate average weekly rates paid by council tenants and private landlords' tenants in England and Wales, in London and in each of the major regions of Great Britain.

The following information has been derived from the report of the 1970 Family Expenditure Survey and is subject to sampling errors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will implement the disposal of Thomas Cook by means of an offer for sale of shares to the public by subscription.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what scientific advice is available to his Department to show that liquefied petroleum gas is a less dangerous source of atmospheric pollution than petrol or diesel fuels; and what steps he will take to encourage its use by public transport and other large users.

Evidence available to my Department shows that vehicles running on liquid petroleum gas emit less toxic pollutants than vehicles with uncontrolled petrol engines but are not superior in that respect to diesel-engined vehicles. While I will certainly do nothing to discourage its use, the reduction of pollution can be more effectively achieved by setting appropriate standards for conventionally fuelled vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Government offices, other than regional headquarters and other district offices of Government Departments and agencies, are situated within the city of Birmingham; what is the total square footage; and how many persons are employed therein.

Fifty-eight with a total floor area of 513,630 square feet and employing 3,854 staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Government offices are situated within the city of Birmingham; what is the total square footage; and how many people are employed therein.

100 with a total floor area of 903,511 sq. ft. and employing 6,166 staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning applications relating to the redevlopment of Piccadilly Circus are awaiting his decision; and whether he will make a statement on the present state of plans for redevelopment and take steps to encourage their early implementation.

I understand that the owners of sites around the circus are discussing tentative plans with Westminster City Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions he has issued to planning authorities for the granting or rejection of planning permission for the winning, working and getting of minerals in the national parks and areas designated as of outstanding natural beauty.

None. As my right hon. Friend indicated in replying to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Mr. Chapman) on 20th October, he sees no call for this. I believe local planning authorities to be fully alive to their responsibilities.—[Vol. 823, c. 713.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will discuss with local authorities, with the building and construction industries and with gas and electricity boards how best to ensure that new houses and flats shall not be heated by ducted air or similar central heating systems which tend to aggravate such illnesses as sinusitis, asthma and bronchitis.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on Monday, 20th December, on this subject.—[Vol. 826, c. 1091.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will have inspected the two sites adjacent to the A20 in the Chislehurst division, now occupied by caravans, bearing in mind that this area is Green Belt, that there is no sanitation or water laid on, that trees and shrubs have been destroyed, and that the London Borough of Bromley and its predecessors have already made permanent provision for a considerable number of gypsies and caravanners and should be protected against further incursions.

No. This is a matter for the local authority. More positive control powers should become available under the Caravan Sites Act, 1968, when the accommodation at the permanent site in Bromley is extended to 15 vans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he is having with the Plastics Institute regarding methods of disposing plastic containers; and if he will make a statement.

The terms of reference of the working party set up by the Plastics Institute were set out in the reply given to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Joyce Butler) on 16th November, 1971.—[Vol. 826, c. 117–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total interest paid by local authorities on their housing revenue accounts in the last 12 months to a convenient date; and what are the housing subsidies received from the Exchequer in the same period for new council house building.

The total interest paid by local authorities in England and Wales and charged in their housing revenue accounts during the financial year 1969–70 amounted to £450 million. In that same year the total subsidies credited to those accounts in respect of new council house building amounted to £128 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to compel bus companies to ensure that children's fares will be valid at the age of 16 years because of the raising of the school-leaving age.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 8th and 15th December.—[Vol. 827, c. 306; Vol. 828, c. 123.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total deficit on housing revenue accounts of the London boroughs and the Greater London Council.

Voluntary rate fund contributions and compulsory transfers to finance deficits on the housing revenue accounts of the London boroughs and the Greater London Council amounted to £35,549,000 in 1969–1970, the latest year for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is to be the proposed average annual increase in expenditure on housing from 1971–72 to 1975–76.

It is impossible to give accurate figures. Total future expenditure on housing depends on the individual decisions of many hundred local authorities and millions of private individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of road accidents where injury and/or death were reported where the vehicle which caused the accident was uninsured, unlicensed, and failing to have a roadworthiness certificate, respectively;(2) in how many cases of road deaths in October, 1971, where vehicles were involved, they were unlicensed, uninsured and without a roadworthiness certificate, respectively;(3) in how many road accidents in October, 1971, other than fatal accidents, the road vehicle involved was unlicensed, uninsured and without a roadworthiness certificate, respectively;(4) in how many road accidents in the first 10 months of 1971 the road vehicle involved was unlicensed, uninsured and without a roadworthiness certificate. respectively.

This information is not readily available, and to obtain it would involve a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what kinds of road accidents, other than those caused by builders' refuse containers, are not included in accident reports received by his Department.

A report is received on every road accident involving personal injury and known to the police. I am sending a copy of the report form to my hon. Friend, and I am also placing copies in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the approximate number and proportion of council and private tenants, respectively, who are likely to be eligible for rent rebate under the proposals contained in the Housing Finance Bill.

Any such estimate can only be very tentative as it will depend upon many variables. Subject to this qualification it is estimated that in 1975–76 about 2 to 2¼ million tenants, that is about 40 to 45 per cent. of all council and new town tenants in England and Wales, might receive rebates, and that about 500,000 to 700,000 private tenants, that is about 30 per cent. of all private tenants, might receive rent allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in respect of the reorganisation of water services, he will state the names of the public bodies with whom he, or any of his Departmental Ministers, had discussions, subsequent to the publication of the Report of the Central Advisory Water Committee and before his approval of the terms of the circular on the reorganisation of water services of 2nd December last.

There were no such discussions during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which parts of his consultative document on the reorganisation of water and sewage services, other than the principle of establishing multipurpose regional water authorities, are not open to amendment or modification as a result of representations he may receive during the period of consultation.

Within the broad principles set out in the document, consultation will cover all aspects of the proposed reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to co-ordinate the work of the Building Research Station, Fire Research Station and Forest Products Research Laboratory; whether he proposes any further organisational changes following his review of the work of his Department's research activities; and whether the existing joint arrangements for collaboration between Government and the insurance companies in fire research will be maintained.

After the necessary consultations I have decided, in the interests of increased efficiency and greater flexibility in carrying out the Department's research programme, to amalgamate the Building Research Station, the Fire Research Station and the Forest Products Research Laboratory into a single organisation to be known as the Building Research Establishment. This new arrangement will come into effect on 1st January, 1972. The Fire Research Station will retain its present name and will be a department of the Building Research Establishment. The existing joint arrangements for collaboration between Her Majesty's Government and the insurance companies will be maintained for the time being. Discussions are, however, taking place with the insurance companies in regard to future responsibilities for certain aspects of the work at the Station, e.g. routine testing. The Forest Products Research Laboratory will become the Princes Risborough Laboratory and will also be a department of the Building Research Establishment. It is envisaged that the activities of the stations will largely embrace the fields covered in the past. Both will remain identifiable working units headed, as at present, by deputy chief scientific officers, who will become assistant directors of the Building Research Establishment. The present Director of the Building Research Station will become Director of the Building Research Establishment.I have also decided that from 1st January the Road Research Laboratory should be known as the Transport and Road Research Laboratory to reflect its wider interests and activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to approve the Western Docks extension of the Port of Southampton.

Berths 1 to 5 inclusive of the Western Docks extension at Southampton have been authorised; work is either complete or in progress. The British Transport Docks Board is not currently seeking approval for any further berths.

Irvine asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a reduced rate for new driving licences for pensioners.

There would be difficulties in varying the licence fee for people of different ages, but I will bear the suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to meet the effects of price restraint on the nationalised industries within his responsibilities.

As the House knows, I have been discussing with the chairmen of the nationalised transport industries the implications for them of compliance with the C.B.I. initiative on price restraint. The financial position of both the British Railways Board and the National Bus Company, as I have reported to the House, had already given some cause for concern. Following price restraint it is evident that neither of these undertakings will be able to comply with their statutory financial obligations unless they receive special financial assistance. I have, therefore, agreed with them the amounts needed in 1972 to enable them to discharge these obligations—£27 million for the British Railways Board and £7 million for the National Bus Company—and that these sums will be made available by way of grant. Legislation making the necessary provision will be introduced as soon as possible. Finance by way of loan will continue to be available towards the undertakings' capital expenditures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been achieved with the joint financing of the proposed water desalination plant at Bucklesham, Suffolk; and whether he will make a statement on the prospects for this project.

This matter is under review. I shall write to my hon. Friend about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in the past year from representative professional organisations about the amendment of existing regulations so as to ensure the greater safety of building in so far as fire risks are concerned.

Representations have been received from various sources. I can only take account of proposals directed at securing public health and safety.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he took into account the declared wishes of residents of particular districts or groups of districts when forming his policy towards local government reform; and if he will make a statement.

The wishes of local residents were of course taken fully into account, but the Government's proposals for the new areas, set out in the Local Government Bill, necessarily had regard to many other relevant factors as well.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the circumstances in which a Cardiff to Portsmouth passenger train collided with a Victoria to Portsmouth passenger train at Portsmouth and Southsea Station on Wednesday, 15th December; and whether he will set up an inquiry into the adequacy of the automatic signalling system in operation in the area.

At about 1.20 p.m. on 15th December, the 9.15 a.m. Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour diesel-hauled passenger train collided with the rear of the 11.02 a.m. Victoria to Portsmouth four-coach electric multiple unit passenger train which was standing in the Down platform of Portsmouth and Southsea High Level Station. Passengers were getting into and out of the standing train at the moment of impact.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the no-ceiling policy on grants for derelict land clearance applies to the whole country or only to priority areas.

The statements that there will be no restraint on expenditure on derelict land reclamation in 1972–73 refer only to the priority areas, that is the development areas, intermediate areas and derelict land clearance areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the official figures for derelict land in this country includes such land held by British Rail, the National Coal Board and the Ministry of Defence; and how much is held by each body.

The surveys include derelict land which is no longer in use

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the total acreage of derelict land in Bolton, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Turton and Little Lever; and how many acres have been cleared since 1966.

Following is the information:by these bodies and which is not subject to planning conditions or other statutory arrangements for after treatment. The information asked for in the last part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people served on tribunals hearing appeals against assessment of gross and rateable values in the period 1st January, 1960, to 31st December, 1970.

I regret that this information is not available, but as an indication of the figures, the present total membership of the 95 local valuation panels in England and Wales is about 2,600.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many gross values set for new owner-occupied houses have fallen into the ranges £0 to £49, £50 to £99, £100 to £149, £150 to £199, £200 to £249, £300 to £400 and £400 plus in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and the first nine months of 1971 for, respectively, Lambeth, Liverpool, Rickmansworth urban district, Rotherham rural district, St. Albans, Salford, Sheffield, Southampton, Southend, Stockport, Stretford, Swansea, Swindon and Westminster.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many gross values set for new owner-occupied houses have fallen into the ranges £0 to £49, £50 to £99, £100 to £149, £150 to £199, £200 to £249, £300 to £400 and £400 plus in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and the first nine months of 1971, for, respectively, Aylesbury, Barry, Birmingham, Bolsover urban district, Brent, Brighton, Croydon, Epping and Ongar rural district, Esher urban district, Gateshead, Glossop, Gloucester, Grimsby, Havering, Hemel Hempstead, and Kensington and Chelsea.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, for the years 1965 to 1970, how many appeals were made by owner-occupiers against the gross value assessments for their dwellings; what was the average assessment against which the appeal was made; how many appeals led to a reduction of assessment; and what was the average gross value after appeal in the areas of Aylesbury, Barry, Birmingham, Bolsover urban district, Brent, Brighton, Croydon, Epping and Ongar rural district, Esher urban district, Gateshead, Glossop, Gloucester, Grimsby, Havering and Hemel Hempstead; and what was the average gross value after appeal.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, for the years 1965 to 1970, how many appeals were made by owner-occupiers against the gross value assessments for new dwellings; what was the average assessment against which the appeal was made; how many appeals led to a reduction of assessment; and what was the average gross value after appeal in the areas of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Liverpool, Rickmansworth Urban District, Rotherham Rural District, St. Albans, Salford, Sheffield, Southampton, Southend, Stockport, Stretford, Swansea, Swindon and Westminster.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the growing practice of motor drivers using unlicensed, uninsured, defective road vehicles on the roads, contrary to the law, leading in some cases to loss of life, whether he will introduce legislation to increase the penalties for these types of offence.

My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans for doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present limit on weight of load on any one axle for lorries in the United Kingdom; and what plans he has for reducing the limit.

Generally, 10 tons. I have no plans for reducing the limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have requested meetings with him to discuss the effects on local authorities of the Housing Finance Bill; and how many of these requests have been acceded to.

The seven local authorities who have requested meetings with Ministers on this matter have been informed that their requests cannot be met. There have been extensive consultations with the local authority associations on the proposals in the Bill.It would not, therefore, be appropriate to receive deputations from individual local authorities while the Bill is being considered by Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a general direction to British Rail not to enter into the retail trade.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he prefers not to introduce legislation making it compulsory for drivers and passengers in motor vehicles to wear safety belts.

Because my right hon. Friend would prefer persuasion which might work to compulsion which might not.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the approximate annual totals for expenditure by local authorities under the Local Authorities (Historic Buildings) Act, 1962, since the passage of that Act.

The following is the information so far available. A few authorities have yet to make returns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received representations from the Chelsea and Kensington Committee on aircraft noise; and what action he is taking.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the unemployment position in Scotland.

Provisional figures indicate that on 6th December 141,149 people were registered as unemployed in Scotland and the rate was 6·5 per cent. We recognise that this is unacceptably high. In recent months we have introduced many measures to expand the national economy and to help Scotland in particular. As they take effect unemployment in Scotland as in other parts of Great Britain should come down.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the proportion of manual workers in the working population, divided into skilled, semiskilled and unskilled; what was the similar figure for 10 years ago; and what estimate he has made of the future trend.

The New Earnings Survey shows that nearly 60 per cent. of employees were in manual occupations in April, 1971. These surveys have only been held in recent years and a corresponding 1961 figure cannot be given.In the 1971 Census of Population about 50 per cent. of the economically active population, including employers, self-employed, Armed Forces and unemployed, were classified as manual workers. In the 1966 sample Census the proportion was about 48 per cent. 1971 results are not yet available, but the proportion may be expected to fall gradually. About five in every 10 manual workers were in skilled occupations, three in semiskilled and two in unskilled occupations in both 1961 and 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in view of the uncertainty in industry, he will state on what date he intends to publish his consultative document on industrial training boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date he intends to publish the consultative document on industrial training.

I cannot yet give a precise date, but I expect that the document will be published soon after the end of the Christmas Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the total number of strikes this year; and how this compares by numbers and precentages with the comparable figure for 1970.

The provisional total for stoppages beginning in the first eleven months of this year is 2,075. This compares with 3,786 in the same period of 1970, a decrease of 45 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the estimated number of employees in employment in the Leyton and Waltham-stow area in 1961; and what is the latest available figure.

I regret that employment estimates are available only for Greater London as a whole and not for individual districts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of redundancies notified to the Leyton and Walthamstow office for the first 11 months of each year from 1961 to 1971.

Figures for this area are available only from 1966, and these are not comprehensive since they cover only redundancies involving 20 or more employees in any one firm in any one month. The figures recorded for the first 11 months of each year are: 1966, 814; 1967, 493; 1968, 690; 1969, 1,022; 1970, 1,058; and 1971, 985.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of registered unemployed in the Leyton and Walthamstow area each November from 1961 to 1971, together with the respective percentage unemployment rates.

Following is the available information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the categories of workers and professions with annual holiday entitlements of three, four and more weeks.

I refer the hon. Member to Appendix III of the publication "Time Rates of Wages and Hours of Workers 1st April 1971" and also tables 104 and 105 of the report "New Earnings Survey 1970" which analyse holiday entitlements in April, 1970, of employees, analysed by occupation. It is estimated that about two in every three full-time manual workers covered by collective agreements now have basic entitlements of three weeks or more, in addition to public holidays.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the average weekly earnings of academic and professional workers and teachers compare with those of skilled and unskilled manual workers; and what changes there have been in the relationships in recent years.

The results of the New Earnings Survey include the following estimates of (a) average weekly earnings in April, 1971, of full-time men, whose pay in the survey pay-period was not affected by absence, in specified main occupational groups (b) percentage increases between April, 1970, and April, 1971, in the average weekly earnings of those for whom returns were received in both the 1970 and 1971 surveys.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the categories of workers and professions with annual service increments.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22nd January, 1971.A wide range of non-manual workers, particularly in the public sector and engineering draughtsmen, receive annual