asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage the farm labour force is of the total labour force in the country.

All those working in agriculture and horticulture (including farmers) in the United Kingdom in 1971 numbered 2·7 per cent. of the total working population.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the value of agricultural production is as a percentage of the country's gross domestic product for the last recorded year.

In 1970 agricultural gross product was 2·9 per cent. of gross domestic product at current prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the dumping of toxic wastes in any of the British sea areas which have or could have the effect of causing pollution in Cardigan Bay.

Under our voluntary arrangements my Department requires full details of the amount and composition of wastes before agreeing to dumping in the sea. Agreement is only given if we are satisfied that no harm to fisheries or the marine environment will result.There are no consents in operation for dumping waste in Cardigan Bay, and I am advised that approved dumping elsewhere will not affect the area.In addition to the voluntary dumping arrangements, we monitor fish and shellfish for pollutants in the seas round England and Wales to ensure that no harm is being caused either to fish or to consumers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he is making at the third session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to secure an international cocoa agreement; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East and Christchurch (Mr. Cordle) on 21st February.—[Vol. 831, c. 208.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in the price of beer since 18th June, 1970.

I have been asked to reply.The index for beer in the General Index of Retail Prices rose by 9·9 per cent. between 16th June, 1970, and 18th January, 1972, the latest date for which the index is available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what has been the total expenditure of his Department in the Western Isles constituency during each of the past 10 years; and what are the projected expenditure totals for the next five years.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made with regard to engineering design education, in the light of the Feilden Committee Report on Engineering Design, in the past year.

There has been considerable and continuing progress in the field of engineering design education since the publication of the Feilden Committee Report on Engineering Design. Engineering design is now widely available in a variety of courses at technician, degree and post-graduate level. Further progress in this field is, of course, primarily a matter for the education institutions themselves, and for the examining and professional bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage and number of pre-1903 primary schools which need replacement are in Hampshire as a whole county and Southampton as a city; and how many school places these represent in total.

According to returns from the two local education authorities, there are 114 pre-1903 primary schools in Hampshire and 14 in Southampton in need of replacement or major improvement. These schools, which represent about 1·9 per cent. and 0·2 per cent. of the number in England as a whole, contain about 25,000 and 4,000 pupils respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will set up a new inquiry into the role and value of the small rural primary and infant school and prior to its report send a circular to local education authorities requesting a moratorium on the closure of such schools where possible.

No. I have had a good deal of information from Her Majesty's Inspectorate, which confirms the views expressed in Chapters 13 and 14 of the Plowden Report. Where practicable, a movement towards area primary schools often extends educational opportunities. But local circumstances vary too much to justify a general policy, and I examine, on its merits and in the light of any objections, each proposal by a local education authority to close a school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many persons resident in England and Wales were in receipt of university scholarships for attendance at Dublin University and the National University in the Republic of Eire for the last period for which statistics are available.(2) how many persons resident in England and Wales were in receipt of university scholarships for attendance at Queens University, Belfast and the New University of Ulster, Coleraine, for the last period for which statistics are available.

This information is not available in the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many women heads of comprehensive schools in England there are.

In January, 1971, 171, 118 in girls' schools and 53 in mixed schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action would be necessary to provide equal opportunities for women in employment and equal pay, to enable the United Kingdom to conform with the requirements of the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 111; and how soon he expects ratification of the convention by Her Majesty's Government.

Before ratifying Convention 111 we shall need to resolve doubts whether certain practices constitute discrimination on grounds of sex or of national origin. Examples of these are limitations on the employment of women in the industrial civil service in what the trade unions regard as traditionally men's work and the nationality and residence rules for certain Government posts. We shall also need to discuss with employers and workers organisations what further action is needed and what help they can give to promote acceptable and observance of a policy of equal opportunity and treatment. The position on equal pay does not constitute an obstacle to ratification. I regret that I cannot estimate the time needed to complete these steps.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the apprentice training and retraining schemes at Government training centres are equally available to citizens of the Republic of Eire and Commonwealth citizens now resident in this country; or whether different standards apply.

Commonwealth citizens and citizens of the Republic of Eire who are normally resident in Great Britain and who intend to work at their training trade in this country on completion of their courses, are equally eligible for training under the Government Training Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the composition of the committee on the remuneration of probation officers; and what are its exact terms of reference.

The inquiry into the work of probation officers and social workers in local authorities and the National Health Service is being undertaken by Mr. J. B. Butterworth, M.A., D.L., J.P., Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick. He is being assisted by Professor Margot Jefferys, B.Sc. (Econ.) Professor of Medical Sociology at the University of London, who has been appointed as assessor. The secretariat of the inquiry is being provided by the Office of Manpower Economics.The terms of reference are:1. To carry out a fact-finding inquiry into the work of basic and senior grade probation officers and that of grades of social worker on broadly comparable salary levels employed by local authorities and hospital authorities in England, Wales and Scotland; to evaluate and compare the work of these groups with a view to making recommendations concerning the appropriate relationship between the pay of the services concerned, taking account of the range, content and circumstances of the work, the degree of responsibility exercised by the various grades, the qualities, qualifications and training required, the differences in grading, con- ditions of service and career opportunities, problems of recruitment and wastage in general and in London in particular, and any other relevant factors, including other cognate fields of work.2. To carry out a fact-finding inquiry comparing the work of principal, deputy principal and assistant principal probation officers with that of grades above the level referred to in Part 1 concerned with social work duties in local authorities and hospital authorities in England, Wales and Scotland, with a view to making recommendations concerning the appropriate salary relationship between these officers and grades.3. To make recommendations in respect of the probation service in time for the negotiations for a pay settlement operative from 1st July, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the average earnings for farm workers nationally in England and Wales and in Newcastle-under-Lyme, respectively; and how these figures compare with average earnings for all workers.

Following is the latest information available from the Department's regular enquiry into the earnings and hours of manual workers, and for agriculture.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the average earnings for male farm workers have moved in relation to the average earnings of adult male workers in industry on an annual basis during the past 10 years, both in cash terms and on a percentage basis.

Following is the information available from the Department's regular

(1)			(2)	(3)		(4)	(5)
All manufacturing industries Full-time men—manual workers, aged 21 years and over, United Kingdom			£	Agriculture Hired regular whole-time workers Men, aged 20 years and over Yearly period* Great Britain		£	Col. (4) as percentage of Col. (2)
October, 1961	…	…	15·89	April, 1961—March, 1962	…	10·98	69·1
October, 1962	…	…	16·34	April, 1962—March, 1963	…	11·50	70·4
October, 1963	…	…	17·29	April, 1963—March, 1964	…	12·27	71·0
October, 1964	…	…	18·67	April, 1964—March, 1965	…	12·79	68·5
October, 1965	…	…	20·16	April, 1965—March, 1966	…	13·80	68·5
October, 1966	…	…	20·78	April, 1966—March, 1967	…	14·55	70·0
October, 1967	…	…	21·89	April, 1967—March, 1968	…	15·24	69·6
October, 1968	…	…	23·62	April, 1968—March, 1969	…	16·10	68·2
October, 1969	…	…	25·54	April, 1969—March, 1970	…	17·54	68·7
October, 1970	…	…	28·91	April, 1970—March, 1971	…	19·18	66·3
October, 1971	…	…	31·37	April, 1971—March, 1972	…	Not yet available	†

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what criteria the Agricultural Wages Board rejected the farm workers' claim for an £18, 40 hour, five day week on economic or social grounds, in view of £18 being the basic wage of mining's lowest category, the surface workers, before Wilberforce recommended a £5 improvement for this category.

I have been asked to reply.

OCCUPATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBER OF MEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED WHO LAST WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, AND OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES FOR MEN REMAINING UNFILLED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, IN GREAT BRITAIN AT JANUARY, 1972, THE LATEST DATE FOR WHICH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
					Wholly unemployed	Unfilled vacancies
Carpenter, joiner, shutterer	…	…	…	…	6,240	1,813
Bricklayer	…	…	…	…	3,317	1,541
Mason, stone carver	…	…	…	…	181	94
Slater, tiler, thatcher, etc.	…	…	…	…	1,141	105
Plasterer	…	…	…	…	1,290	323
Floor and wall tiler, etc.	…	…	…	…	525	46
Painter, decorator, signwriter	…	…	…	…	10,412	378
Plumber, gas fitter, etc.	…	…	…	…	4,793	841
Glazier	…	…	…	…	171	71
Pavior, road etc. surface layer	…	…	…	…	782	62
Steel erector, sheeter	…	…	…	…	3,323	25
Electrician, cable jointer, linesman	…	…	…	…	3,755	390
Mechanical handling plant, etc., operator		…	…	…	4,126	144
Erector, millwright, maintenance fitter	…	…	…	…	1,175	101
All other occupations, including miscellaneous building and civil engineering workers and labourers		…	…	…	113,682	3,022
Total, all occupations	…	…	…	…	154,913	8,956

The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of unemployed craftsmen in the construction industry; and how many vacancies exist for craftsmen.

Following is the available information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of men who retired from full-time employment during 1971 who were between 60 and 65 years of age.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of men between 60 and 65 years of age who were in full-time employment during the year 1971.

It is estimated that at June, 1970, the latest date for which a detailed age analysis is available, the number of male employees in employment aged 60 to 64 years in Great Britain was about 1,080,000. The estimates include but do not distinguish between full-time and part-time employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the rise in the cost of living since January, 1968.

The General Index of Retail Prices rose by 30·8 per cent. between 16th January. 1968, and 18th January, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to initiate discussions between his Department and local authorities designed to shorten the time-lag between the clearance of slums and redevelopment of the sites.

My right hon. Friend is not aware that there is a general problem of this kind. If, however, my hon. Friend will send me details of any particular case she has in mind I will be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the hon. Member for Derby, South may expect a substantive reply to his letter of 2nd January on the subject of the Motor Vehicles (Minimum Age for Driving) (Motor Cycles) Regulations, 1971.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn) on 29th February, 1972. In the light of this we hope to answer all correspondence on this subject as soon as possible.—[Vol. 832. c. 90–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the occasions since 1st August, 1971, in which there were border incidents involving persons from the Southern Irish side of the Northern Ireland border; and if he will indicate those which have been the subject of official complaints to the Southern Irish Government

Representations have been made to the Government of the Republic about some 157 border incidents involving violence originating south of the Border in the period of 9th August, 1971, to 6th February, 1972. This figure excludes those occasions when local people acted alone, and the Irish Republican Army involvement was not apparent. It also excludes incidents which took place deeper within Northern Ireland even when it subsequently became known that the offenders came from Irish Republican Army units operating from the Republic.Particular incidents have been the subject of additional representations to the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that Mr. A. C. E. Webb, a British subject, has been imprisoned in the maximum security prison at Kabwe in Zambia without trial since 21st September, 1971; what charges have been brought against him; what steps he has taken to obtain Mr. Webb's release; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Webb is held under the Zambian Preservation of Public Security Regulations which allow detention without trial for up to twelve months. No charges have been made although Mr. Webb has been informed of the case against him. The High Commission in Lusaka have made repeated representations about Mr. Webb's continued detention without trial. The situation is being kept under constant review and all that can properly be done is being done. Mr. Webb is in good health and has been visited by the High Commission staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on the question of the German Democratic Republic participating in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Pollution due to take place in June, 1972.

The question of East German participation at the Stockholm Conference is as yet undecided. As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary told the House on 14th February, the proposals under consideration would, if accepted, ensure that the German Democratic Republic would be able to take a full working part in the Conference.—[Vol. 831, c. 6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the percentage and number of persons remanded on bail and in custody was in 1971 and in each of the preceding 10 years; and whether he will divide these figures regionally;(2) what percentage and number of cases tried summarily persons have been remanded on bail and in custody in 1971 and in each of the preceding ten years; and whether he will divide these figures regionally;(3) whether the percentage of people remanded on bail is increasing or decreasing.

I am examining what information can be made available and shall write to the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will encourage the taking of social inquiry reports, medical and psychiatric reports while prisoners are on bail rather than detention in custody pending sentences in cases where a custodial sentence is not regarded by the court as a likely outcome of such reports.

A number of measures have already been taken with a view to reducing both the number of persons remanded in custody for reports and the length of such remands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the average time spent by persons detained for two weeks in custody for reports is more than two hours in total in relation to the taking of such reports.

A person detained in custody in England and Wales may be interviewed for less than 2 hours by a probation officer making a social inquiry report. But other enquiries necessary to complete the report will add to the time required. No average can be given for the preparation of a medical report. This may involve not only examination by the doctor concerned but also a period of observation by trained staff, the transmission of medical records from outside hospitals or other agencies, and special tests or a second opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now begin negotiations with the parties at Stormont for the withdrawal of all British troops from Northern Ireland and the interim measures to control and collect in arms and restore order and conciliation between the communities.

The Army is the Army of the United Kingdom, of which Northern Ireland is an integral part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Leicester concerning speed limits and road safety conditions outside schools in his area.

My right hon. Friend has had a brief report, from which I understand that these matters have been discussed by the police with local authorities representatives, head teachers and parents.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what representations he has received in the last 12 months concerning the extension of television services in Wales; and what reply he has given.

Hon. Members have asked me 12 Parliamentary Questions; I have received 15 letters from hon. Members and 45 letters from other people. I have replied that the extension of services whether to improve reception in particular places or in Wales as a whole, depends, as in the rest of the United Kingdom, on the construction of new UHF transmitting stations. This is going on as fast as is allowed by the resources of the B.B.C. and I.T.A., but since the whole programme includes several hundred stations it will take a number of years to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the increase of population in the north-east of Scotland as a result of the next stages of oil exploration and development in the area.

It is not possible to make such an estimate at this stage. Development will take a number of years and its effect on population cannot yet be quantified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to reduce the risk of death from panadol and paracetemol.

The abuse of any medicine can be hazardous. The Medicine Commission is at present considering what restrictions should, in the interests of safety, be placed on the retail sale of medicines, including paracetemol. The facts of a fatality recently reported in the press are being brought to the Commission's notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what medical services and treatment were given to people who attended hospitals in the Bristol area after attending a pedal car race at Whitchurch Airfield. Bristol, on Saturday, 26th February, 1972.

115 people received out-patient treatment for eye irritation and in most cases also for superficial burns.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his plans to ensure an adequate number of elected members of local authorities with knowledge of health and social services on the new area health boards.

Under the proposals in the Consultative Document, some members of each area health authority will be appointed by the corresponding local authority. I am sure local authorities will want to choose members experienced and active in the personal social services and other local authority services with close links with the National Health Service. The Government's decisions on health authority membership will be announced in the White Paper to be published in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of instances where the Supplementary Benefits Commission has reviewed a tribunal decision on the grounds that the determination was made in ignorance or was based on a mistake as to some material fact.

I regret that this information is not available. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the different rates of supplementary benefits and National Insurance which have been in force since 1948 with the relative dates of changes in the value of benefits.

The information requested is contained in full in the Annual Reports of my Department and its predecessors which are available in the Library of the House. Comparisons of the value of benefit rates can be made in different ways and, if the hon. Member will tell me in which comparison she is interested, I will be glad to provide it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he expects to complete his consultations with the various patient, disease and consumer associations on their place within the community health councils proposed in his Consultative Document; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will establish a study group to examine the effectiveness of the proposed community health councils, outlined in his Consultative Document, with special attention to the limits which would be imposed upon them by the management structure proposed in the same document.

After the issue of the Consultative Document on National Health Service Reorganisation, comments on the community health councils were received from a wide variety of interested organisations, and these are being studied. The councils are an integral part of my proposals for the management of the unified Health Service; I am confident that they will be able to do their job effectively, and it is unnecessary to set up a study group for the purpose suggested. A fuller statement on their composition, duties and powers will be set out in the White Paper to be published in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what facilities are available in Stockport for screening carcinoma of the breast.

I understand that the local health authority in Stockport does not offer clinical examination of the breast in its clinics.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what health regulations apply to women undertaking paid employment in their homes; by what measures they are enforced; and how many contraventions were reported in the most recent year.

I have been asked to reply. In certain specified trades, factory occupiers or contractors giving outwork are required to send lists of out-workers to district councils, which are empowered by Section 134 of the Factories Act, 1961, to put a stop to work in any place which, in the council's opinion, is injurious or dangerous to the health of persons employed therein. Section 153 of the Factories Act gives councils the necessary powers of entry, inspection and to take proceedings.Under public health legislation, local authorities are empowered to make orders prohibiting the giving out of work in specified trades to a person living or working on premises where there is, or has been, notifiable infectious disease.Information on the number of reported contraventions is not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider exempting from tax the cost of books up to a certain limit purchased by clergymen.

I could not justify a departure from the normal rules.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the cost to the retailer in time, staff and materials of recording the value-added tax transactions, whether he will propose a scheme of financial assistance to ease the transition.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now announce the results of his investigation into the alleged dumping of Canadian potato powder.

As the Department announced yesterday, we are now satisfied that there has been no significant dumping of potato granules imported into the United Kingdom from Canada. The Department has, therefore, no grounds for taking anti-dumping action against these imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the restructuring of the management of International Computers Limited.

No. In accordance with the terms of the 1968 agreement which resulted in the formation of International Computers (Holdings) Ltd., my right hon. Friend was consulted about the resignation of Sir John Wall as Chairman and his replacement by Mr. T. C. Hudson, which changes were announced at the Annual General Meeting on 24th February. But the management structure is primarily a matter for the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list what forms of aid his Department can give to the ship repairing industry in the Southampton area, together with those which he is giving.

We administer for the benefit of industry various advisory services concerned with technical and export problems. The shiprepair industry can, like any other industry, avail itself of these services through our Regional Offices. There are no forms of financial aid available outside assisted areas for the shiprepairing industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has now received the paper prepared by the Local Authorities' Aircraft Noise Council; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement, in particular on their proposal for an aircraft noise levy.

I received this paper on 24th February. It contains a number of interesting suggestions which will require careful study before I can reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now adopt the practice of monitoring aircraft landings at Heathrow.

Noise on landing is an inescapable function of height because aircraft must, for safety reasons, keep to the glide slope and engine power must he regulated accordingly. Monitoring for height purposes is, however, done on a random basis and the results are published. There are few deviations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total workforce employed in the coal mining industry at the latest available date and the total in each of the age groups, 15 to 25 years, 25 to 35 years, 35 to 45 years, 45 to 55 years, and 55 to 65 years.

The total number of mineworkers employed at National Coal Board mines at 1st January, 1972, was 278,450. The latest available information concerning age distribution of the workforce is given in Table 15 (Age Distribution of Wage-Earners on Colliery Books at 26th December, 1970) of Volume II of the Board's report for 1970–71.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of organisations and individuals who made representations on the desirability of origin marking in pottery manufacture.

I have received such representations from three trade associations representing British pottery manufacturers and from the managing directors of two individual firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the results of the Gallup Poll on country of origin research, which was sent to him by the Ceramic Manufacturers Federation: and if he will make a statement on his policy in the light of the poll, particularly so far as the question of replacements is concerned.

No. It is for those who commissioned the Gallup Poll to publish its results. But I should welcome, in the interest of consumers, any reliable indication of the availability of replacements that sellers of china could give.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made, in his consideration of

APPLICATIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY FOR NEW ORIGIN MARKING ORDER
(i) Applications rejected
Applicants		Goods
Furnishing Fabric Manufacturers Association	…	Furnishing fabrics
British Toy Manufacturers Association	…	Toys
British Footwear Manufacturers Federation	…	Footwear
British Clock & Watch Manufacturers Association	…	Clocks and watches
British Leather Goods Manufacturers' Association	…	Leather goods and watch straps
The Gun Trade Association Ltd.	…	Firearms
Imperial Metal Industries Ltd.	…	Sporting cartridge cases
(ii) Applications under consideration or reconsideration
Applicants		Goods
The British Brush Manufacturers Association	…	Brushes
Federation of British Hand Tool Manufacturers	…	Hand tools
The Shirt, Collar & Tie Manufacturers Association	…	Shirts and pyjamas
U.K. Cutlery & Silverware Manufacturers Association	…	Cutlery
Knitting Industries Federation Ltd. & Scottish Knitwear Council		Knitted goods
British Pottery Manufacturers Federation	…	Domestic pottery
Council of British Ceramic Sanitary Ware Manufacturers	…	Ceramic sanitary ware
British Ceramic Tile Council	…	Glazed tiles
Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances	…	Electrical appliances
Society of British Match Manufacturers	…	Matches
Federation of British Manufacturers of Sports and Games Ltd.	…	Sports goods
Chas. F. Thackray Ltd.	…	Surgical instruments
The Overall Manufacturers Association of Great Britain	…	Overalls
National Association of Glove Manufacturers	…	Gloves
Branded Hand Knitting Association Ltd	…	Hand knitting and rug yarns
The Hard Fibre Cordage Institute	…	Cordage
Wool Textile Delegation	…	Woven cloth and woven garments

No such estimate is practicable. But there would inevitably be some increase in indirect costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to inform retailers that they are in breach of the Trade Descriptions Act if they misinform a customer about the country of origin of the goods being sold.

The Act continued a longstanding prohibition of misdescription of the origin of goods and extended it to oral statements. Its provisions have been given wide publicity by the Department, retailers' own associations and the Press, but the onus is on the shopkeeper to know the law.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the requests he has received for origin marking orders for consumer goods, other than food, stating which he has rejected and which are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry of the 47 wells that have been drilled by United Kingdom licensees in the northern basin of the North Sea; what estimate has been made of the likely production of landed oil, at what wells, and at what capital cost.

There are good hopes that production from the United Kingdom sector of the continental shelf will be about 25 million tons per annum by the mid-1970s. The Forties and Auk fields which are being developed will make the major contribution to this. It may reach three times this amount by the 1980s. I am unable to give estimates of cost at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will, in the public interest, investigate the possibility of a gas leak detector being made available to the general public; and what advice he has received to date on the likely cost of such an appliance.

I understand that such detectors are already available. The more sophisticated models as used by the gas industry cost £200 or more but cheaper ones are on sale for £20 or so. Gas supplied to the public must by law have a distinctive smell and chemical odorants are added to ensure this. For the public the nose is the readiest detector, and if an escape of gas is suspected it is important that it should be reported immediately to the Area Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to deal with the current practice whereby brewers sell licensed premises with restrictive covenants which prevent their future use as licensed premises.

I have recently made known to the Brewers' Society my concern about this practice, and the Society have as a result recommended their members not to impose such covenants, North Sea Oil save in exceptional circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been made available in loans of public money to United Kingdom shipowners for the construction of vessels in the United Kingdom under the Shipbuilding Credit Act, 1964; and other relevant legislation since 1964.

Some £75 million under the Shipbuilding Credit Act, 1964, and the Industrial Expansion Act, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amount of public loans have been made to the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company for the construction of its ships since 1960.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the value of fuel allowance and the rent grants to miners.

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 Wales if he will publish a White Paper on unemployment in Wales listing therein his proposals to combat the same.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will cause a survey to be made of those who have recently graduated at the University of Wales but who are unable to find jobs in Wales.

Substantial numbers of such graduates are not Welsh and I do not think that a survey of the type suggested would be particularly meaningful.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will consider seeking to bring occupier's liability towards trespassers in English law into line with the provisions of Section 2 of the Occupier's Liability (Scotland) Act, 1960; and if he will make a statement.

My noble and learned Friend is considering the implications of a recent decision of the House of Lords on this issue and the desirability of inviting the English Law Commission to examine this branch of the law.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of nonindustrial civil servants employed on 1st March in each of the last three years.

492,510 on 1st March, 1970, and 500,250 on 1st March, 1971. Figures for 1st March, 1972, are not available centrally. As I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) on 9th November, 1971, detailed information about the number of civil servants in post are now announced quarterly. The figures for 1st January, 1972, were provided on 9th February, 1972, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Fowler).—[Vol. 825, c. 130–40 Vol. 830, c. 383–92]