asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions exist within the European Economic Community to prevent the transferability of registration of fishing vessels from one member nation to another; and whether it will be permissible for continental vessels to register in the United Kingdom to take advantage of British waters.

The registration of fishing vessels continues to be regulated by the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, which is of course a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. So far as Community legislation is concerned, no measures extending to fishing activities have yet been taken under the provisions of the Treaty of Rome which relate to the right of establishment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the privately owned slaughterhouses within each local authority area in Wales;(2) If he will list local authority owned slaughterhouses within each local authority area in Wales.

There are 17 public and 117 privately-owned slaughterhouses in Wales. As the list is lengthy and detailed I am sending the information to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in the interests of public health, he will have further consultations with the Bristol Corporation about their intention to co-operate with Imperial Chemical Industries in the plan to dump 90,000 gallons of arsenic waste into the Bristol Channel.

My Ministry consults, as necessary, those concerned in dumping proposals under the voluntary arrangements. In this case the application from I.C.I. which we are now considering relates to a solution containing a very small proportion of arsenic trioxide, and is in respect of a 12 month period. Authorisation will be given only if all factors including method, area and dilution of dumping ensure that no harm will be caused to fisheries or consumers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information relating to the cost of food in the event of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community he has supplied to the European Economic Community Commission in Brussels.

The Commission has received the White Paper "The United Kingdom and the European Communities" (Cmnd. 4715) which includes the Government's assessment of the way food prices will be affected by our accession to the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what study his Department has made of the Council of Europe's draft convention on the welfare of intensive livestock; and whether the United Kingdom has been invited to join any committee of experts set up to consider the draft.

A preliminary study of the draft Convention has been made by my Department. It will be studied in depth when the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe appoints a Committee of Experts to consider the draft. We would expect to be invited to nominate United Kingdom representatives to serve on the Expert Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has received from the Northern Ireland Government for new schemes to offset the higher feeding stuffs costs expected in Northern Ireland after entry into the European Economic Community.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the importance of animal feedingstuffs to the Northern Ireland economy, and this question has been fully discussed with the Northern Ireland Government in the general context of United Kingdom adaptations to the common agricultural policy.

AVERAGE COMMODITY PRICES RECEIVED BY PRODUCERS
			England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
Fat Cattle*	…	£/live cwt.	12·87	12·63	13·08	12·04
Store Cattle*	…		18 months old		1–2 years old	18 months old
Beef breeds	…	£/head	86·00
Aberdeen Angus	…				89·13	72·70
Other beef	…				84·43
Dairy breeds	…		90·00		59·82
Dairy/beef cross	…		95·00
Fat Sheep*	…	p/lb d.c.w.	22·3	23·6	22·3	22·7
Fat Pigs*	…	£/score d.w.	2·60		2·68	2·90
Poultry	…	No information available
Eggs†	…	p/dozen	16·83		16·57	15·57
Milk‡	…	p/gallon	17·77		18·64	15·10
Barley §	…	£/ton	23·08		25·02	25·20
Potatoes*	…	£/ton	15·20		15·00	13·90

asked the Minister of State for Defence if the Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve has been supplied with rubber bullets.

No.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if the Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve has been supplied with CS gas.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average commodity price received by producers in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, respectively, of the following commodities up to 31st December, 1971, namely, cattle, store cattle, fat sheep and lambs, fat pigs, poultry, eggs for consumption, milk, barley and potatoes.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will now set a time limit for the presence of British troops in Northern Ireland.

No. British troops will remain in Northern Ireland for so long and in such strength as they are needed.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will pay an official visit to Londonderry during the Easter Recess, 1972.

I have no plans at present to do so.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will tabulate separately the latest figures for industrial

			Non-industrial staff in post		Industrial staff in post
Departments (by Ministerial responsibilities)			1st January, 1971	1st January. 1972	1st January, 1971	1st January 1972
Cabinet Office	…	…	562	584	—	6
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food		…	14,941	14,599	1,058	1,070
Chancellor of the Exchequer:
Treasury	…	…	1,060	1,075	—	—
Customs and Excise	…	…	17,919	18,308	—	—
Inland Revenue	…	…	69,620	72,849	24	27
Information	…	…	1,438	1,328	70	68
National Savings	…	…	15,124	14,635	144	145
Stationery Office	…	…	3,483	3,529	4,198	4,229
Small Departments	…	…	1,961	1,640	1,102	999
Civil Service Department	…	…	2,227	2,156	133	178
Education and Science:
Department of Education and Science and University Grants Committee			3,226	3,189	48	56
Museums and Galleries (England)			3,914	952*	185	92*
Employment	…	…	30,899	31,818	1,184	1,251
Environment:
Department of the Environment			39,381	38,672	32,887	31,576
Ordnance Survey	…	…	4,206	4,232	446	442
Foreign and Commonwealth:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office			10,338	10,286	228	257
Overseas Development Administration			2,451	2,439	46	50
Home	…	…	21,511	22,922	4,206	4,332
Lord Chancellor:
Courts, etc.	…	…	7,650	8,846	—	6
Land Registry	…	…	4,009	4,292	6	6
Public Trustee	…	…	539	569	—
Public Record Office	…	…	305	315	—	—
Posts and Telecommunications		…	403	424	5	8
Scotland: Scottish Office	…	…	8,353	8,418	984	1,042
Scottish Courts Service	…	…	509	524	—	—
Small Departments	…	…	1,039	1,000	23	23
Social Services:
Department of Health and Social Security			71,635	74,354	182	195
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys			2,053	2,546	16	18
Trade and Industry:
Department of Trade and Industry			24,780	24,627	1,793	1,642
Export Credits Guarantee Department			1,489	1,598	—	—
Wales	…	…	885	924	2	2
Small Departments not included above			1,971	1,247*	—	—
Defence	…	…	129,809	129,548	154,193	149,731
* As explained in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) on 9th November, 1971 the figures for 1st January, 1972 omit certain staff not employed by Government Departments but deemed to be civil servants for superannuation purposes, the staff of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Exchequer and Audit Department and certain judicial officers—[Vol. 825, c. 130–40.]

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will seek powers to ensure that heads of schools report all accidents sustained by their pupils, outside or in close proximity to their schools, to her Department.

I already have power under the Education Acts to enable me to obtain any information I need to carry out my functions under the Acts, but I do not think it necessary for all accidents to school children to be reported to my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the annual output of trained doctors from the pre-clinical schools of the London teaching hospitals;(2) what annual output of trained doctors it is expected will be achieved when the 12 existing medical schools in London are reduced to six.

In the year ended 31st July, 1971, 974 students of the London medical schools obtained first registrable qualifications. When the planned reorganisation of the schools is complete, it is estimated that the number will rise to over 1,200.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue a circular to local authorities advising them of the undesirability of adding exclusion clauses to their replies to additional inquiries or other questions raised by solicitors acting on behalf of proposed purchasers of property within their areas.

A circular giving advice on this subject would be premature while the local authority associations are discussing the matter with the Law Society and while it is also being considered by the Law Commission which will be reporting to my noble and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will tabulate the latest figures for local government employees, comparing these figures with those for one year previously.

The information is as follows:

NUMBERS EMPLOYED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND IN POLICE FORCES: ENGLAND
	June 1970	June 1971
Males:
Full-time	870,191	883,752
Part-time	102,998	107,283
Females:
Full-time	507,285	527,041
Part-time	556,250	585,308
Total males and females	2,036,724	2,103.384

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many citizens of the Republic of Eire, working outside the United Kingdom as employees of foreign Governments, also receive pay or allowances from Her Majesty's Government.

Exact information is not available, but there are fewer than 200 people receiving benefits from Her Majesty's Government under supplementation agreements concluded in pursuance of the Overseas Development and Service Act, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available regarding the number of British subjects who have served or are serving in the armed forces of Israel.

It is our understanding that, in order to serve in the Israel Armed Forces it is necessary to have Israeli nationality. We have no information as to how many persons with dual United Kingdom citizenship and Israeli nationality have served, or are serving, in the Israel armed forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED, AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, AT 10TH JANUARY, 1972 IN THE PLANNING REGIONS OR SCOTLAND
								Temporarily stopped included in total	Percentage rates
			Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total		Males	Females	Total
Glasgow	…	…	64,383	4,799	14,228	3,080	86,490	366	11·0	4·3	8·4
Falkirk/Stirling		…	4,351	212	1,426	201	6,190	210	7·4	4·6	6·4
Edinburgh	…	…	19,531	1,025	3,957	650	25,163	37	8·5	2·8	6·2
Tayside	…	…	9,662	559	2,719	487	13,427	1,463	9·7	4·4	7·5
Borders	…	…	1,465	64	274	43	1,846	127	5·6	1·7	4·0
South West	…	…	2,904	174	689	129	3,896	54	9·8	4·4	7·8
North East	…	…	6,505	296	1,362	183	8,346	711	7·2	2·6	5·4
Highlands	…	…	7,159	408	1,510	379	9,456	1,154	140	6·2	11·2
Rates of unemployment can be calculated for males and for females but not separately for men, women, boys and girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the number of males and females over and under 18 years of age registered as

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED, AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF Unemployment At 10TH JANUARY, 1972 IN THE ENGLISH REGIONS AND IN WALES, SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND
								Temporarily stopped included in total	Percentage rates
			Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total		Males	Females	Total
South East	…	…	157,386	5,157	22,092	2,796	187,431	1,482	3·4	0·8	2·4
East Anglia	…	…	19,410	801	2,896	474	23,581	305	4·9	1·4	3·6
South West	…	…	45,589	1,428	8,780	1,068	56,865	563	5·6	2·0	4·2
West Midlands		…	95,352	2,999	12,540	1,572	112,463	25,185	6·7	1·7	4·9
East Midlands		…	43,118	1,449	6,180	859	51,606	3,564	50	1·3	3·6
Yorkshire and Humberside		…	81,065	3,270	10,685	2,147	97,167	5,799	6·6	1·7	4·8
North West	…	…	118,403	5,468	18,743	3,494	146,108	5,737	6·9	2·0	5·0
North	…	…	73,625	3,949	11,469	2,781	91,824	1,717	9·1	3·0	6·9
Wales	…	…	43,878	2,339	8,100	1,899	56,216	500	7·3	3·0	5·8
Scotland	…	…	115,545	7,498	26,119	5,140	154,302	4,091	9·3	3·7	7·1
Northern Ireland		…	33,129	1,859	10,190	867	46,045	1,171	10·9	5·6	8·9
Rates of unemployment can be calculated for males and for females but not separately for men, women, boys and girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the

Following is the available information:unemployed in each of the regions of Great Britain; and what percentage these figures represent of the total insurable population of each respective region.

Following is the information:number of persons employed respectively in the engineering and chemical goods, textiles, distributive trades, professional and scientific services and vehicles Indus- tries in the Oldham area each year from 1964 onwards.

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE OLDHAM AND CHADDERTON AND FAILSWORTH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
							(Thousands)
			Engineering and chemical goods	Textiles	Distributive trades	Professional and scientific services	Vehicles
June, 1964	…	…	15·9	12·8	9·6	6·4	8·3
June, 1965	…	…	16·9	12·6	9·0	6·1	9·2
June, 1966	…	…	16·6	11·7	8·5	6·7	8·5
June, 1967	…	…	16·5	11·1	8·8	7·0	8·4
June, 1968	…	…	14·3	11·6	9·7	7·4	7·7
June, 1969—	…	…
(a)	…	…	13·4	10·6	11·6	8·7	7·1
(b)	…	…	13·2	10·5	11·6	8·7	7·1
June, 1970	…	…	13·0	9·0	11·4	7·1	6·7

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many travel-to-work areas in Great Britain have experienced a higher percentage increase in unemployment in the past 12 months than Bolton and district, where the wholly unemployed figures alone are used.

Based on the numbers registered as wholly unemployed, there were six travel-to-work areas in which the increase between January, 1971, and January, 1972, was higher than the increase for the Bolton travel-to-work area.

Year					Cases dealt with by prosecution	Total findings of guilt	Cases dealt with by fine	Average-fine
								£
1966	…	…	…	…	2,837	2,662	2,282	8·0
1967	…	…	…	…	2,855	2,652	2,241	8·4
1968	…	…	…	…	2,837	2,632	2,175	7·9
1969	…	…	…	…	2,666	2,476	2,001	8·0
1970	…	…	…	…	2,477	2,256	1,823	9·2
Figures for 1971 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is in a position to make a statement about the recommendations of the working party on habitual drunken offenders.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of offences for the past five years of forgery and/or using a driving licence with intent to deceive in England and Wales; and what are the amounts in fines.

The information is as follows in relation to offences of forgery, altering, using or lending a driving licence and of making or possessing a document resembling a driving licence, with intent to deceive:

Since the Report of this Working Party was published, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and I have consulted various bodies concerned with the problems of alcoholism. We have concluded that facilities for persons who are habitually drunk in public places ought normally to be provided as part of a comprehensive counselling, treatment and rehabilitation service for alcoholics and others with drink problems.This is primarily a socio-medical matter and we have therefore decided that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services should be responsible for generally carrying out the rehabilitative measures recommended in the report.Discussions are in progress about establishing several pilot detoxification centres based on selected hospitals. The provision of adequate hostel accommodation will necessarily take time, but my right hon. Friend is already in touch with some of the authorities and organisations likely to be involved. For the time being, the Home Office will continue to offer grants to voluntary bodies which provide hostel facilities for alcoholic offenders; and I shall keep in close touch with my right hon. Friend to ensure that the services with which I am concerned are enabled to make their full contribution in this field and that my responsibilities for the after-care of offenders with drink problems are discharged in close co-operation with his Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he has had with local health and welfare authorities about emergency assistance to citizens in difficulties arising from cuts in power supplies; and whether he will sanction the bulk purchase of night lights and alternative heating apparatus, an increase in meals-on-wheels and other assistance, including help to families and individuals in danger of isolation in high tower blocks.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the circular issued to local authorities by my Department. All the matters she specially refers to are within the power of local government and need no additional sanction from me. I am informed that local authorities have responded admirably to the tasks they face.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the closing of the Woolavington Wing operating theatres at the Middlesex Hospital and the effect that this will have on National Health Service patients;(2) if he is aware that, because of the closure of the Woolavington Wing operating theatres at the Middlesex Hospital, consultants are now being allowed to put their private patients on their ordinary list; and what action he proposes to take about this;(3) if he is aware that, because of the closure of the Woolavington Wing operating theatres at the Middlesex Hospital, operations on private patients over a 12-week period are to be carried out in National Health Service theatres and National Health Service operating lists cancelled to accommodate them; and if he will take action to prevent this;(4) how many National Health Service patients have had their operations deferred because of the decision taken at the Middlesex Hospital to allow private patients to have their operations in National Health Service theatres, following the closure of the Woolavington Wing operating theatres;(5) what financial arrangements have been made concerning the use of National Health Service operating theatres by private patients, following the closure of the Woolavington Wing operating theatres.

I find that there are eight main National Health Service operating theatres at the Middlesex Hospital of which two, in the Woolavington Wing, are used mainly but not exclusively for private patients. These two theatres are closed for modernisation from 17th January for 12 weeks. The work of the surgeons is being re-arranged to fit into the six remaining theatres by using the theatres more frequently, by allowing surgeons to fit private patients into their normal operating sessions, by cancelling 12 private and nine National Health Service sessions and by closing 20 per cent. of the private beds. I cannot say how many National Health Service patients have had or will have their operations deferred as a result. However, from 17th January to 5th February there were 7 per cent. fewer operations on National Health Service patients compared with 1971, but 28 per cent. fewer on private patients. I see no reason to intervene in these arrangements.These changes do not affect the hospital charges payable by private patients, as these are based on average in-patient costs, which include theatre costs.

asked the Secretary State for Social Services (1) for each of

								1971 (provisional)
					1968*	1969	1970	1st qtr.	2nd qtr.	3rd qtr.	4th qtr.
Total numbers of abortions performed after 20 completed weeks of gestation					751	1,421	1,093	245	269	†	†
Of these, the numbers performed on grounds:—
1	…	…	…	…	59	79	46	6	17	13	†
4 alone	…	…	…	…	29	25	33	1	11	13	†
4 with 2	…	…	…	…	22	26	18	2	9	6	†
*Figures for 1968 are for 27th April to 31st December only.
† Not available.

Grounds are as follows:—1. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.2. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.4. There is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.Emergency cases necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman (ground 5) are not included.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many workers were employed in the war pensioners welfare service in November, 1971, and how many were employed in November, 1946.

Eighty welfare officers with supporting staff were in post in November, 1971, compared with 50 in November, 1948, the year in which the war pensioners' welfare service was established.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, for future annual reports under section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, he will invite independent and the years 1968, April to December, 1969, 1970 and 1971, how many abortions were performed after 20 weeks of gestation and how many of these were done on grounds of continued pregnancy involving risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated:(2) how many abortions were performed after the 20th week of pregnancy in the years 1968, April to December, 1969, 1970 and 1971, on the ground of a substantial risk that, if the child were born, it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.

Figures relating to England and Wales are as follows:charity organisations to submit details of their research and development work; if he will accept submissions given voluntarily by them; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be appropriate to include in these reports work other than that being sponsored by or done on behalf of a Minister of the Crown. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 24th January, these organisations are free to publish details of their work; and, if they do, I shall be glad to study their publications.—[Vol. 829, c. 347.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children in the City of Leicester received treatment in city hospitals for accidental poisoning in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many in each of the previous nine years.

This information is not available in the form requested. The numbers of children admitted to hospital in Leicester for one or more nights for treatment for poisoning or suspected poisoning in 1971 and the previous four years (figures for earlier years are not available) were: 1971, 332; 1970, 150; 1969, 140; 1968, 299; 1967, 208.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has now received a report from the Committee on Safety of Medicines concerning the use of hexachlorophane; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. The Committee on Safety of Medicines has reported to me in the following terms:

"Hexachlorophane is a long-established antibacterial agent which is a constituent of a wide range of medicinal products, disinfectants, toileteries and cosmetics. It is less liable to cause skin irritation and sensitisation than some other agents.

Recent experimental studies in the United States indicate that in certain circumstances hexachlorophane can induce brain damage in animals. This damage is usually reversible if administration is stopped but these studies must be accepted as providing circumstantial evidence of potential toxicity in man. Experience of the human use of hexachlorophane extends for over 22 years but the Committee on Safety of Medicines is unaware of any evidence that preparations containing hexachlorophane are harmful to human adults or infants when used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

The higher strength hexachlorophane preparations on the market are promoted for medicinal purposes and have been used in hospitals in many countries as prophylaxis against staphylococcal colonisation and disease. In particular, in the hospital care of the newborn, regimes involving skin cleansing of the babies and their attendants with hexachlorophane have resulted in the reduction of the incidence of infection.

It is now clear that detectable amounts of hexachlorophane can appear in the blood after application of such preparations containing hexachlorophane to the skin; it therefore seems prudent to emphasise that a potential hazard may exist from the use of these preparations and extra care should be observed. The decision as to when the benefits of using hexachlorophane preparations outweigh any possible risk must be left to the judgment of the individual physician. Appropriate advice has already been made available to hospitals by the manufacturer of one of the preparations widely used in hospital practice.

RECOMMENDATIONSThe Committee accept the value of hexachlorophane as an antibacterial substance but in the light of the evidence now available they recommend:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that no taxpayer is obliged to pay income tax on income that does not materialise.

If my hon. Friend will let me have details of what he has in mind I shall have the matter looked into.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now allocate further advance factories to Wales and in particular to the Afan Valley and the Port Talbot travel-to-work area.

I will consider the need for further advance factories in

(MILLIONS) SHIFTS
				Absence
				Voluntary	Involuntary	Total	Number of possible appearances
1966–67	…	…	…	5·6	11·4	17·0	98·2
1967–68	…	…	…	4·9	12·1	17·0	93·6
1968–69	…	…	…	3·7	10·6	14·3	78·8
1969–70	…	…	…	3·3	9·6	12·9	70·5
1970–71	…	…	…	2·9	9·8	12·7	66·2

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many employees of the National Coal Board are housed by the board; and what estimate he has formed of the element of subsidy involved;(2) what is his latest estimate of the gross annual value per man of the concessionary supply of coal to employees of the National Coal Board.

These are matters for the National Coal Board and I am asking the Chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make mobile generators of electricity available Wales when occupiers have been found for more of those at present available and authorised. The needs of the Afan Valley and the Port Talbot travel-to-work area will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many man-hours were lost by absenteeism amongst employees of the National Coal Board in each of the past five years.

Absence in the coal-mining industry is measured by the number of non-appearances. A distinction is made between voluntary absence, which occurs when a mineworker is away from work without good cause; and involuntary absence, when a worker is absent owing to sickness, industrial disease or injury, or for other authorised reasons.The following table shows the number of appearances lost by absenteeism over the last five years.to key points of food production and processing.

No, unfortunately the number of mobile generators available is sufficient only to cover the most essential needs at major hospitals, water works and sewerage plants. I recognise that the production of the nation's food is essential and have therefore excluded premises engaged on this activity from those served with Directions regulating or prohibiting the consumption of electricity. It is not however possible to exempt them from rota power cuts. To do so would mean leaving large numbers of non-essential users connected and would increase the load on the supply system unacceptably.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make special arrangements to deal with the problem of an intermittent electric supply to plants processing milk and sterilising milk bottles in places where the volume of supply covers a large section of the population.

Milk processing plants are exempt from electricity restrictions made under Regulation 17(2) but may be subject to rota cuts, in common with almost all consumers of electricity. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I are watching the milk supply position closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a breakdown of requests for industrial development certificates for the City of Birmingham over the past five years, together with the area of each case, how many were refused and the area of each refusal.

I regret the detailed information requested could not be made available without a disproportionate expenditure of time and money. If, however, the hon. Member cares to let me know of any particular point he has in mind I would be happy to try and help him.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he continues to give financial help to the Sino-British Trade Council, in view of the disbandment of the British National Export Council; and how much he has given the Sino-British Trade Council over the most recent convenient period of time.

Because of the particular expertise required in trading with China it is proposed to continue support for the Sino-British Trade Council for a further year, pending a full examination of the organisation of export promotion activities by the British Export Board.Financial assistance to the Sino-British Trade Council in 1970–71 amounted to £27,641.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the possibility of opening Sumburgh Airport during the coming summer months.

Sumburgh services in 1972 were discussed at a meeting arranged by the Highlands and Islands Development Board in Edinburgh last November attended by representatives of my Department and B.E.A. As an alternative to Sunday openings B.E.A. have plans to operate additional services on Saturdays and Mondays during next summer. I have not received any representations subsequently apart from my hon. Friend's request for information to which I replied on 6th December last—[Vol. 827, c. 208]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many general aviation movements took place during each of the past three years at each of the airports administered by the British Airports Authority.

General aviation movements for 1969 and 1970 are obtainable from Table 1 of the Business Monitor CAL Provisional figures for 1971 are:

Heathrow	14,977
Gatwick	23,644
Stansted	7,872
Prestwick	4,345
Edinburgh	25,900†
† Partly estimated

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what prosecutions there have been for acts of violence in the case of the wreck of the Dutch East Indiaman "Hollandia".

None. My answer given to the hon. Gentleman on this point on 20th January contained a mistake and should have read,

"In appropriate cases however a salvor may obtain protection from the courts against interference by others with salvage operations on which he is engaged, and I understand that this has been done in the case of the wreck believed to be that of the "Hollandia".

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what applications he is considering from British European Airways for the purchase of aircraft for their Island and Highland routes.

I am considering no such applications.