asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will outline the road programmes in progress in the five counties of Mid-Wales, schemes formally programmed and schemes in the preparation pool.

Four major schemes to the value of £0·5 million are in progress, 29 schemes to the value of £5·6 million are in the firm programme for beginning within about the next two years, and nine schemes to the value of £9·2 million are in the preparation pool. In addition, £4 million worth of smaller schemes are under construction or in the firm programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of applications received for home improvement grants since the Housing Act, 1969 was passed; and how many have been granted.

Up to the end of 1971, 24,626 applications for home improvement grants had been received since the Housing Act 1969 was passed. During the same period, 20,666 applications were approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Welsh Hospital Board intends to take steps to have a consultant paediatrician based on Aberystwyth.

I understand that the Welsh Hospital Board has no present plans to appoint a consultant paediatrician at Aberystwyth. It is taking steps to appoint a second consultant paediatrician based at Carmarthen, which will enable an improved service to be provided at Aberystwyth.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are being taken by his Department to alleviate the staffing problems of hospital casualty units.

The problem of staffing casualty units is widespread in Wales and England. Hospital authorities do all they can to fill vacant posts by repeated advertisement and by seeking aid from general practitioners and other doctors. It is hoped that steps being taken to develop a more satisfactory career structure will help to attract medical staff to these departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will cause his officials to undertake another visit to Brussels to consult with members of the European Commission.

I expect visits to Brussels to take place as working relationships with the Commission develop.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have intimated to him their objection to the Housing Finance Bill.

I have received correspondence from a considerable number of Welsh local authorities about particular aspects of the Housing Finance Bill; only two have notified me of their total objection.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what actions he proposes to take in order to reduce the outward flow of young people from Wales.

The regional policies of the Government are designed to make Wales a better place to come to and stay in.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is in a position to reply to the recent representations which have been made to him for the inclusion of Edinburgh in the Scottish Development Area.

I have no statement to make on changes in assisted area boundaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the position of the shipyards in Upper Clydeside.

With regard to Govan Shipbuilders I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's announcement on 28th February. With regard to Clydebank, officials visited Houston last week to discuss with the Marathon Manufacturing Company the details of its plans should it acquire the yard. At the end of the visit my officials issued a Press statement, which is given at the end of this reply. We now await the company's formal application for financial assistance which will be given urgent consideration.Following is the statement that was made by British Officials at the end of their discussions last week with Marathon Manufacturing Company in Houston, Texas:"The discussions we have had with Mr. Wayne Harbin and his colleagues during the past three days have been very friendly and very full.Marathon have provided us with further details of the Clydebank project which have given us a clearer understanding of their proposals. They also gave us the opportunity to see their similar operations at Vicksburg, Mississippi and Brownsville, Texas.The talks covered a wide range of subjects on which Marathon needed further information.Marathon have expressed their intention of putting in next week an application for financial assistance to the Department of Trade and Industry in London.Both sides agreed that our visit here has been well worth while."

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received the report of the joint steering committee on the long-term investment plans of the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering the report, and a statement will be made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the latest discussions he has had with his Energy Advisory Council on the future of the mining industry.

The council has not met since 1969 and I do not propose to revive it. Discussions on energy questions are best conducted directly with the parties involved in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of experiences resulting from the miners' strike, what steps he is now taking to reduce reliance on coal at power stations.

This is one of the aspects of the miners' strike which, as my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement to the House on 6th March, require further study.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the level of air traffic at London Airport, Heathrow; how it compares with the 1963 level; and if he will now freeze the present level and begin a reduction to below the 1963 level in view of the fact that the Wilson Committee said that level was too high.

There were approximately 157,000 movements in 1963 and 249,000 in 1971. As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Hastings) on 27th July last, Heathrow will have to continue to cater for traffic growth until Maplin is operational.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he now hopes to receive the report of the Vinter Committee on nuclear power.

The report is now complete. Its purpose was to assemble and sift the relevant information for Ministers to consider the many issues involved in conjunction with the chairmen of the generating boards and others concerned. This consideration will be pressed forward, but I cannot precisely forecast when it will be possible to reach or announce decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he can now estimate the loss to the National Coal Board caused by damage to collieries and equipment during the coal strike; and to what extent the cost of replacing damaged equipment will affect the programme of investment in new machinery and trial-boring for new coal seams previously being carried out.

The N.C.B.'s provisional assessment is that some £10 million of equipment has been lost, but it has not yet completed its full assessment of damage or its reappraisal of its investment and trial boring programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he now estimates full coal production will be restored.

Thanks to careful preparatory planning by management and the efforts of the miners since their return to work, the rate of recovery in the coal industry has greatly surpassed the Coal Board's expectations. The recovery of full production, however, still depends on making good the damage sustained by faces and roadways during the strike and this is bound to take some weeks yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he is satisfied that the proposed National Coal Board coal washery settling lagoon at Lowca in Cumberland will be safe, that the proposed site is suitable for the purpose; and if he will make a statement;(2) what controls are exercised by his Department over the construction of new coal washery, sludge and effluent lagoons by the National Coal Board; and if he will make a statement;(3) what consultations his Department has held with the National Coal Board concerning the construction of new coal washery settling lagoons; and if he will make a statement.

Lagoons used for the deposit of mine refuse on land occupied by the National Coal Board are subject to the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act, 1969, and the regulations made there under, which impose requirements with the object of making and keeping tips and lagoons secure. Notice has to be given to Her Majesty's inspectors in advance of the construction of a new lagoon or immediately when there is any change in the design of an active tip or in the nature or location of the type of refuse deposited which might affect its security. The requirements were arrived at in consultation with our Advisory Committee on Tip Safety which also assisted in the production of the National Coal Board's Technical Handbook on the construction and maintenance of tips—including lagoons. I understand that the National Coal Board is not now proceeding with the construction of a lagoon on the Harrington No. 10 tip at Lowca and is seeking an alternative solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate, on the basis or recouping the whole of the impact of the new miners' wage claim coupled with National Coal Board losses by raising the price of coal to all consumers, of the additional figure to be added to the sale price of a ton of coal.

The National Coal Board has estimated that the rise would have to be at least 20 per cent., though this assumes that there would be no reduction in demand as a result of the price increase. The actual increase in the retail price of a ton of coal would depend on type and locality.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, taking 1962 as the base year, by what percentage coal, gas, fuel oil and electricity have increased in price prior to and excluding the recent settlement of the miners' claim; and what estimate he has made of the extent to which the coal figures would be affected on the basis that coal prices were raised by an average 12 per cent. to meet in part the Wilberforce commitments.

There is no simple answer to this question, the figures varying greatly according to the indicator used. The choice of indicator naturally depends on the purpose for which the figures are wanted. The following table gives a broad indication of the overall trend:

Estimated changes	1962–1971
Average colliery proceeds per ton of coal	+40 per cent.
Average revenue per therm of gas sold	-15 per cent.
Average revenue per kWh of electricity sold	+30 per cent.
Published price (including tax) for minimum bulk deliveries of heavy fuel oil, inner zone area	+40 per cent.

If the pattern of sales were unchanged the figure for coal would have risen to nearly 60 per cent. if there had been a recent 12 per cent. increase in prices.Figures for various other indicators are given in the Department's Digest of Energy Statistics 1971, tables 94, 96, 97 and 100.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in connection with the major study of the financial problems of the National Coal Board, he will estimate the effect of a reduction in the productive capacity of the coal industry to 100 million tons per year over a three-year period on the number of mines having to close and on the number employed in the industry on the basis that the most viable collieries are retained,

This is an interesting suggestion which will be considered in the major study.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in relation to the major study of the coal industry, what he estimates will be the coal production for each of the next five years; and if he will consider whether a productive capacity of 140 million tons is sustainable in view of a substantial contraction in the market for coal.

The competitiveness of coal in the energy market will clearly be a major factor in the level of production in the next five years, but, as can be seen from my right hon. Friend's statement on 6th March, and my speech on 10th March, it will also be necessary in our review of the industry's future, to have regard to such matters as the impact on employment and the effect on the regions.—[Vol. 832, c. 1034.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence he has received, in connection with the major study of the coal industry, in the industrial field, apart from Imperial Chemical Industries, that companies to a substantial extent dependent upon coal are changing their buying patterns and moving to alternative fuels.

Consumption of coal by industry—excluding iron and steel—fell from 26½0 million tons in 1961 to 15·6 million tons—provisional figure—in 1971. We shall have to take into account the implications of these figures in our study of the coal industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the loss of sales sustained by the National Coal Board due to the recent strike, of the loss of plant and equipment due to the absence of safety cover in the mines and of the anticipated contraction in sales in the current year.

The National Coal Board estimates that the production lost during the strike and the overtime ban was about 25 million tons. They have provisionally estimated the value of equipment lost at £10 million. No useful estimate can yet be made of past and prospective sales losses.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the tonnage of fuel supplied to coal miners free or on concessionary terms, in the latest convenient period, the revenue obtained thereby by the National Coal Board and the equivalent sales value of this tonnage to domestic users.

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 how many coal miners retired at normal retirement age during the last calendar year.

I understand from the National Coal Board that the number of mineworkers who retired by reason of age in 1971 was 3,513.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new miners were recruited during the last calendar year.

I understand from the National Coal Board that the number of new entrants to coal-mining in 1971 was 13,892. A further 13,569 men re-entered the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners are due to retire at normal retiring age from the mining industry over the next five years.

The National Coal Board estimates that at the end of 1971, 26,500 mineworkers were aged between 60 and 65 years but some of these may leave the industry for reasons other than retirement at normal retirement age.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed statement giving the estimated rise in the price of steel, gas, cars and any other known item resultant upon the 74 per cent. increase in the price of coal.

No. The rise in the price of coal will increase manufacturing costs, but it is not possible for me to say to what extent this will be reflected in prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates were issued in Nottingham shire and how many applications for industrial development certificates in the county were refused in 1971.

There were 77 approvals and four refusals.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been granted for Barnsley and district in the 12 months up to the end of February, 1972;and if he will indicate the monthly progress and the job prospects for the area.

14, of which five were issued in January and February, 1972. 2,140 jobs are expected to arise in the Barnsley travel-to-work area over the next four years in authorised new industrial buildings and in existing buildings taken over by manufacturing industry. This figure does not include jobs which will arise in existing factories or in the service sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates were issued in South Ayrshire in the first two months of 1972; and haw many male and female jobs are expected to arise from the approved projects.

Two; I regret details cannot be provided owing to the risk of disclosing information about individual projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the 20 countries to which the United Kingdom exports most goods and state which of these have changed or made a decision to change to the metric system.

The 20 countries to which we export most are as follows:Countries already using metric units:German Federal Republic, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Spain, Finland, India.Countries currently in course of changing to metric units:Irish Republic, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, New Zealand.Country whose administration proposes to change:United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the Ashbourne Urban Area have had more electricity cuts due to the miners' strike, 18, with a total of 26 hours up to 1st March, than the surrounding areas of Derbyshire; and whether he will provide special compensation for those in that area who have suffered additional loss of income and trade as a result.

The rot a disconnection system would have resulted in about the same number and the same total length of cuts for different areas over a five-week cycle. Since it operated only for three weeks some disparity of treatment between different areas was inevitable. I regret that no special compensation can be provided by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to issue the first set of regulations under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act, 1971.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 25th February, 1972.—[Vol. 831, c. 398.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now announce his decisions on the recent applications for exploration and production licences for oil in the North Sea.

I hope to be able to make an announcement later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what criteria he is able to estimate exploration expenditure of a North Sea oil field as being between £½ million and £2 million.

The estimated cost of drilling an exploration well, at £500,000–£2 million, is based on general experience and available data.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what obligations are laid upon the North Sea oil licensees to co-ordinate their possible plans for lying pipes over the ocean bed with the fishing industry.

Under the Coast Protection Act, 1949, consent is needed to lay a pipeline below high water mark; in the interests of safety and navigation the consent is usually conditional upon the pipeline being buried to such depth as to obviate interference with shipping, including fishing. In practice the licensee consults the fishing industry through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Indus try if he is aware of the rate at which, over the past 18 months, the rate of unemployment in the scheduled development and intermediate areas has increased; and what future plans he has to bring down the numbers of unemployed in these areas.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 8th March.—[Vol. 832, c. 351.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the results of his thorough-going review of regional policy.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 28th February.—[Vol. 832. c. 10.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken as a result of the petition presented to him on 23rd February by unemployed workers from Teesside.

The views expressed in the petition supported by the comments of the delegation I received, have been taken carefully into account in the Government's consideration of the issues involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards international action to standardise pasenger landing fees at airports; and if he will make a statement.

We continue to support the principle advanced by the I.C.A.O. that a single charge should be applied for costs of as many as possible of the airport-provided facilities and services for normal landing and take-off of aircraft. Landing charges payable by aircraft operators and which take account of both aircraft weight and the number of passengers carried are, in our view, preferable to passenger service charges levied directly on individual passengers. This view is now shared by many other States. We are ready to participate in any further studies towards achieving more standardisation of charging methods. Because costs and traffic vary greatly it is impracticable to standardise actual charges either national or internationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in view of the unemployment figure of 6,525 in the town of Barnsley, and a male unemployment figure, including those temporarily stopped of 4,862, 9 per cent. and 12 per cent., respectively, he will, in considering his review of regional policy, declare Barnsley and district a development area.

The circumstances of all areas are being taken into account. I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to the need for night flying bans similar to those imposed on Heathrow at the proposed Maplin airport.

It is too early to consider the question of imposing any restraint on night flying at Maplin.

asker the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether, in view of the statements submitted to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North on 8th February, 1972, on the subject of Hartley Baird Limited, he will now appoint inspectors to conduct investigations under Section 172(3) of the Companies Act as requested by shareholders in this company;(2) whether, in the light of the report into the Vehicle and General Insurance issue and the new evidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North and others, he will reconsider the request made by shareholders for an inquiry into the affairs of Hartley Baird Limited under Section 164 of the Companies Act, 1948,

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) why, by 6th March, 1972, the hon. Member for West Ham, North had not received a reply to his communication dated 8th February, 1972, concerning matters alleging neglect against his Department's handling of affairs connected with Hartley Baird Limited; and when a reply may be expected;(2) why it took him until 7th March to send a communication to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, on the subject of his responsibility for the Companies Acts, in reply to his letter of 8th February, in view of the fact that this communication only stated he was refusing then to reply to the queries in the Member's letter.

I could not quickly decide how best to deal with the hon. Member's letter because of its length, complexity and extravagantly offensive tone. An interim reply was sent on 7th March declining to answer the letter itself, but indicating that answers would be provided when possible to the 32 questions enclosed with it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report the detailed answers to the various questions raised with him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North in his letter of 8th February, 1972, regarding alleged malpractices by Hartley Baird Limited and other companies.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the statutory powers he has, indicating those he will invoke, to resolve the various issues concerning malpractices upon the part of a number of public companies, as detailed in the communication submitted to him on 8th February, 1972, by the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

The powers that my right hon. Friend has are listed in the statutes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of the growing pressure within the United States of America for the early introduction of retrofit, what steps Her Majesty's Government are proposing to encourage retrofit in the United Kingdom.

So far as British engines are concerned, the Government are urgently considering a programme of work aimed at the possible development of commercial retrofit equipment. The Government keep closely in touch with the development of international requirements for retrofit through the United Kingdom membership of the I.C.A.O. Committee on Aircraft Noise.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that appliances known as Hush Kits are now available for the adaptation of existing aircraft so as to reduce aircraft noise; and what is his estimate of the reduction in noise to be achieved by their use and of the cost of adapting those parts of the United Kingdom fleet of civil aircraft which generate the most noise by means of this appliance.

No devices of the type referred to suitable for installation in aircraft of the United Kingdom civil fleet are available at present and I am not therefore in a position to give estimates of cost or effective noise reduction. Development work is in hand in the U.S.A. and I am urgently considering a programme of work in this field with British industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies are presently engaged in consulting his Department on the siting of new oil refineries in the United Kingdom; if he will list the names of the companies involved; and if he will state the locations in which companies are interested.

A number of companies have discussions with the Department but the details are a matter of commercial confidence. Proposals become public knowledge when planning and other necessary approvals are sought at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria he will adopt in assessing the claims of shipyards other than on the Clyde which may seek to secure Government assistance during the current depression in shipbuilding.

I recognise the anxieties of shipbuilders and I have the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to allow private capital to participate in the constructional engineering and chemical divisions of the British Steel Corporation, or in any joint company set up for that purpose.

The B.S.C. has agreed to convert both divisions into Companies Act companies and is free to invite participation of public capital in accordance with the terms of my right hon. Friend's statement of 28th June, 1971. I understand that discussions to these ends are proceeding.—[Vol. 820, c. 34–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the countries supplying coal to the United Kingdom, giving the tonnages received during the past 12 months from Australia, South Africa, the United States of America and Eastern Europe.

Following is the information:—

From	United Kingdom Imports of Coal February 1971 to January 1972 inclusive Tons
Australia	1.647,913
South Africa	415
United States of America.	2.291,819
Eastern Europe (all from Poland).	88,930

In addition to the above countries, coal was imported from West Germany, Irish Republic, Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, France and Norway.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will recommend for the consideration of the shipbuilding industry that there should be one union for shipbuilding and that the several unions in the industry should amalgamate their interests in the interests of British shipbuilding to avoid demarcation problems between them.

The Commission on Industrial Relations in its report on the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry has made recommendations to improve the methods of resolving demarcation problems. The Government have commended the report to both sides of the industry and action on the basis of the C.I.R. recommendations seems to offer the most promising approach to these problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will institute an inquiry to ascertain the effects of duty-free leather from under-developed countries upon the British tanning industry.

If at any time the industry presents good grounds for believing that imports from developing countries under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences are causing them, or threatening to cause them, serious injury, we will examine the matter immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what surveys have been carried out by his Department concerning unused and underdeveloped land owned by nationalised industries.

None, but I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to the hon. Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Freeson) on 12th November last.—[Vol. 825, c. 273.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the extent of his statutory powers for the disposal of unused and unwanted land owned by nationalised industries, where there is an urgent need for land to be made available for low cost housing; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such statutory powers. Disposal of land is a matter for the management of the industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will now remove all restrictions on the freedom of the Central Electricity Generating Board to buy the most economic fuel mix for electricity generation;(2) whether he will now permit the Central Electricity Generating Board to buy natural gas direct from the producers.

Any proposals submitted by the C.E.G.B. will be considered on their merits within the overall framework of energy policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give a general direction to the gas boards not to permit workmen seeking to make conversions to force entry to premises through a window when they are unable to gain access by normal means.

It is the responsibility of the gas boards to ensure that rights of entry are exercised in accordance with the statutory provisions and a general direction would not be appropriate. If my hon. Friend has a specific case in mind I suggest he writes to the Chairman of the Gas Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list some of the chief features of the preferential trading arrangements submitted by 16 developing countries and approved by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade on 16th November, 1971.

As I told my hon. Friend on 22nd December, details of this agreement remain confidential until ratification by the participating countries. This process has not yet been completed.—[Vol. 828, c. 392–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give an assurance that a detailed reply giving answers to each of the questions on matters for which he is responsible contained in the communication sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, in his letter of 8th February, 1972, will be sent within the next 10 days.

I have already informed the hon. Member that I shall in due course give him the answers to the questions sent with his letter of 8th February when these can be got without excessive time and effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which provisions in the emergency powers restricted the use of heating of water for personal washing in industry; and what representations he has received.

No such restriction was specifically imposed but directions were issued under Section 17(2) of the Emergency Regulations, 1972, to a large number of medium-sized industrial consumers prohibiting the use of electricity, except for certain listed purposes, on specified days of the week. Smaller industrial consumers were subjected to rota disconnections by electricity boards on two high risk days each week. This arrangement was operated under the special authority granted under Section 17(1) of the Emergency Regulations. We have received no representations about the use of electricity for the heating of water for personal washing in industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new engineering design activities are planned by the Council of Industrial Design; and if he will make a statement.

The Council's present plans for expansion include new design advisory and information services for engineering management, an enlarged programme of courses and conferences, an increased engineering content in its exhibitions and new publications on engineering design. As has already been announced, the council will shortly be strengthening its senior staff by the appointment of an officer to be responsible for the expansion of its engineering activities.In view of the changing balance of its activities, my right hon. Friend has agreed that the Council of Industrial Design should change its title to "The Design Council" as from 1st April. 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the prospects of release for Mrs. Gladys Yang in the light of the improved relations between China and the West following President Nixon's recent visit to Peking.

The agreement on an exchange of ambassadors, which my right hon. Friend announced in his statement this afternoon, reflects the improvement of our relations with China. In the light of this improvement we hope soon to secure the release of those British subjects detained in China—including Mrs. Yang. We shall continue to do all we can to achieve this.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT all treaties and ancillary treaties of the Communities entered into prior to 22nd January, 1972, as defined in Schedule 1, Part 1(7) of the European Communities Bill, together with the reference to where the text of that treaty can be found and the subject of its contents.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Farnworth (Mr. Roper) on 10th February. A list at the beginning of Volume 1 of the series of "Treaties and related instruments of the European Communities" identifies instruments by subject and indicates where published texts can be found.—[Vol. 830, c. 447–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that under Article 189 of the Rome Treaty most directives of the Council of Ministers need domestic legislation for their implementation; and which of the existing directives fall within this category.

Article 189 of the European Economic Community Treaty does not prescribe the method by which Member States should implement directives. To the extent that existing directives which will be in force on United Kingdom accession to the Communities will entail legislation in the United Kingdom, the necessary provision is included in the European Communities Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has yet completed his study of the announcement by the Ghana Government of the unilateral repudiation of certain outstanding debts to British firms contracted while Dr. Nkrumah was president; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development told the House on 6th March, we are in touch with the other Governments concerned, and the World Bank. I hope to carry matters forward without undue delay.—[Vol. 832, c. 1023–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many separate occasions representations have been made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland arising from attacks made across the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland on citizens of the United Kingdom, members of Her Majesty's forces and property within the United Kingdom; what replies have been received; how many persons suspected of being responsible have been arrested and charged; and how many convictions have been obtained.

Since 9th August 1971, representations have been made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland on numerous occasions about I.R.A. activity in general, and about such activity on or near the Border. Details were given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 3rd March. The Irish Government, who have been given by us full details, including specially prepared maps, of I.R.A. units based in the Republic and operating across the Border, have undertaken to have the material carefully studied.Details of persons in custody in Northern Ireland charged in connection with cross-Border incidents are a matter for the Northern Ireland Government—[Vol. 832, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following the representations made by Her Majesty's Government, what evidence has been presented to him of positive steps taken by the Government of the Republic of Ireland to prevent the planning and execution of attacks upon United Kingdom citizens and property across the Northern Ireland border, and the recruiting, training and collection of funds within the Republic in furtherance of such acts.

Action against the I.R.A. within the Republic of Ireland is a matter for the Government of the Republic. We have over a considerable period requested their co-operation in preventing I.R.A. terrorists from using the Republic as a safe haven. My hon. Friend will also be aware of the statement by Mr. O'Malley, the Minister of Justice in the Irish Republic, at the Fianna Fail Convention on 20th February, in which he envisaged a more robust attitude against I.R.A. offenders. While it is too early to know whether this will be translated into effective action, a number of individuals are, we understand, currently facing charges arising out of their activities as members of the I.R.A.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government intend to give further financial assistance to international organisations for family planning and population activities.

I propose to make a grant of £850,000 to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities; £550,000 of it will be payable in the financial year 1972–73 together with a balance of £300,000 from last year's grant.I propose also to make a grant of £500,000 to the International Planned Parenthood Federation. This will be payable in 1972–73. The Federation will also receive an additional £150,000 in the present financial year, on top of the £275,000 grant announced on 9th February, 1971.Finally, I propose to make a grant of £10,000 for 1972–73 to the O.E.C.D. Development Centre's Population Unit.These grants are subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Estimates provision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the price of beer.

Leading brewers have recently notified my right hon. Friend of price increases affecting a selected number of their lines. None of the increases exceeds, and most are well below, 5 per cent. of their firms' wholesale turnover value.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with brewers about proposed increases in the price of beer.

None. Under the arrangements agreed with the leading brewers, the Ministry was notified beforehand of the intended price increases.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will stop the import of cattle from Eire until such time as the Eire Government hand over the three terrorists who crossed into Northern Ireland, murdered an official of the Stormont Ministry of Agriculture at Middleton, County Armagh, and then drove back into the Republic on 8th March, 1972.

I do not consider that such action would be helpful in the situation. I should like, however, to take this opportunity to express my sympathy to the family of the Northern Ireland official who lost his life in the incident.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the maximum disregard permitted in assessment of entitlement to national assistance or supplementary benefits in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1972; and what percentage these amounts involved in each case of a supplementary allowance for a man and wife with two children aged eight and 11 years of age and paying during each of those years an average rent for non-pensioner recipients of supplementary benefits.

Apart from earnings—for which a separate disregard applies to each member of the family—the maximum amounts which could be disregarded were, respectively, £1, £1, £1·50, £1·50, £2 and £2 (November, 1971), and the percentages were 25·8, 18·2, 19·9, 13·6, 13·4 and 12·0 (November, 1971).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at which offices of the Supplementary Benefits Commission in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region the four-week rule terminating supplementary allowances was in application immediately prior to its suspension in that region.

Following is the information:

• Dewsbury.
• Halifax.
• Harrogate.
• Grimsby East (in Mablethorpe and Louth only).
• Goole (but excluding the towns of Goole and Thorne).
• Scunthorpe (excluding Gainsborough).
• Wakefield (excluding Featherstone).
• York (excluding the area covered by the York Employment Exchange).
• Keighley (for men under the age of 25 only).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of strikers involved in the mineworkers' dispute who were in receipt of supplementry benefits for their dependants up to 28th February, 1972; and how many of these were paid from the South Shields office.

The number of persons with dependants, who received supplementary benefit during the dispute, was 138,718. Of these 1,777 were paid from the South Shields centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of strikers involved in the mineworkers' dispute without dependants to whom payments of supplementary benefits were made up to 28th February, 1972; and how many of them were paid from the South Shields office.

The number of persons without dependants, who received supplementary benefit during the dispute was 11,169. Of these 308 were paid from the South Shields centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount of supplementary benefit paid to the dependants of strikers and to single strikers, respectively, involved in the mineworkers' dispute up to 28th February; and of these totals what sum was paid out from the South Shields office.

From the beginning of the dispute to 28th February, £5,370,821 was paid for dependants and £152,659

DEATHS IN ENGLAND AND WALES FROM BRONCHITIS, PNEUMONIA AND INFLUENZA, REGISTERED DURING SELECTED PERIODS OF 4 WEEKS IN 1969, 1970, 1971 AND 1972
		Causes of Death
		Bronchitis (Acute and Chronic) (All Ages)	Pneumonia (not secondary to accidents or other infections) (All Ages)	Influenza and influenzal pneumonia
				(All Ages)	(Ages 65 plus)
Four week periods ending on:
2nd January, 1970	…	6,329	8,689	4,222	Not available
30th January, 1970	…	6,058	9,574	5,471	Not available
27th February, 1970	…	2,843	4,363	294	Not available
1st January, 1971	…	2,409	3,793	48	34
29th January, 1971	…	3,678	5,306	103	81
26th February, 1971	…	2,607	4,107	55	40
31st December, 1971	…	2,486	4,208	160	107
28th January, 1972	…	3,575	5,867	792	601
25th February, 1972	…	3,432	5,762	616	493

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total of all forms of supplementary benefit paid out to strikers involved in the miners' dispute up to 28th February; and what was the equivalent total paid out from the South Shields office.

The only records kept are of supplementary allowances paid by special strike offices. From the beginning of the strike up to 28th February, £5,523,480 was paid to strikers and their dependants. Of this amount £81,133 was paid by the South Shields centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will inquire from local medical officers of health what was the figure of deaths of old people from bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases during February; how these figures compare with previous months and with the same period for 1971 and 1970; and whether he will publish this information.

Provisional figures for "all ages" are published each week in the Registrar General's Weekly Return and, for the periods referred to in the Question, are as follows. Except as shown in the table, separate figures for particular age-groups are not available without disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many parents of children with both legs missing had applied for constant attendance allowances and how many such applications had been refused, by the latest available date;(2) how many parents of children with both arms missing had applied for constant attendance allowances and how many such applications had been refused, by the latest available date;(3) many parents of children with both arms and both legs missing had applied for constant attendance allowances and how many such applications had been refused, by the latest available date;(4) how many parents of children with two legs and one arm missing had applied for constant attendance allowances and how many such applications had been refused, by the latest available date;(5) how many parents of children with two arms and one leg missing had applied for constant attendance allowance and how many such applications had been refused, by the latest available date.

Statistics are maintained by main cause of disablement and decisions are made according not to the disablement itself but to the dgree of attendance required. This information could not be abstracted without a special scrutiny of all refusals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the anti-depressant drug imipramine cannot cause congenital abnormalities; and if he will make a statement.

In the present state of medical knowledge it is not possible to be completely satisfied that any medicine taken during pregnancy cannot cause congenital deformities. Since imipramine was first marketed in the United Kingdom in 1959 it has been extensively prescribed here without evidence of harmful effects on the foetus. Information from other countries is also reassuring and I understand that the special warning recently issued in Australia has now been withdrawn as a result of corrected information.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will ensure that at least one medical officer serving on a medical board dealing with a Far Eastern prisoner of war has knowledge of tropical diseases, and of the findings of the surveys carried out on Far Eastern prisoners of war post-war health;(2) whether he will review all claims for disability pensions from Far Eastern prisoners of war where a substantial award has not been made.

Whilst I cannot give the undertakings the hon. Member requests, these and other matters concerning the application of the war pensions scheme to claims from Far Eastern prisoners of war and their widows will be the subject of the discussions which I am arranging with the National Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War Clubs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make an immediate increase in all pensions and social security benefits to take account of the increase in coal prices and their effects.

No. But retirement pensions and related benefits are due to be increased next October.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what circumstances family income supplement is available to single-parent families; and what other benefits are available to such families receiving family income supplement.

Under the Family Income Supplement Act anyone who is not living with his or her spouse, or with another person as man and wife, is treated as a single person. A family income supplement is available to such a person if he or she is in full-time work, has at least one dependent child living in the household, and has an income which is less than the prescribed amount. The prescribed amounts depend on the number of dependent children in the family; they are the same for single-parent and for two-parent families. A family which receives family income supplement is also entitled to the following benefits without any further test of means: free school meals, free welfare milk and foods, exemption from prescription charges, help with optical and dental charges under the National Health Service, and refund of travelling expenses incurred through attendance at a hospital for treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest information on the report on fluoridation which the Middle Thames Water Board have recently instructed its officers to prepare; and what is the Board's current policy with regard to fluoridation.

As a result of a request from the New Windsor Borough Council for its water supply to be fluoridated, the Middle Thames Water Board decided to reconsider the question of fluoridation and instructed its officers to prepare a full report on fluoridation, including an estimate of the costs involved, by April, 1972.The board intends to discuss the report at its meeting on 28th April, 1972, and then to reach a decision about fluoridation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax concessions are available to British shipping firms for carrying out ship repairs in British ports.

None. British shipping firms, whether they carry out repairs in this country or overseas, are entitled to the same allowances and reliefs as any other trading business.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the increase in the money stock during the December quarter of an annual rate of £4,400 million in the light of Government monetary policy; and when was the last occasion on which such a quarterly rate of monetary expansion occurred.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement. On the second part of the Question, seasonally adjusted quarterly estimates of M3 are only available from March, 1963;the increase in the December quarter is the highest recorded in that period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people released from employment when, with output remaining constant, productivity rises by 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 3 per cent., 5 per cent. and 6 per cent. respectively.

The relationship between the growth of productivity and changes in output and employment are complex, and no reliable estimate is possible. On a purely arithmetical basis, assuming output remains constant, and taking the total numbers in employment in June, 1971, each 1 per cent. rise in productivity could be expected to lead to a reduction in employment of about 215,000. The corresponding figure for employment in manufacturing industries would be 84,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the gross domestic product was made up from company profits in the year 1964, in the year 1970, and in the latest available period.

As a proportion of total domestic income, the gross trading profits of companies—before providing for depreciation and stock appreciation—are estimated to have been 15·6 per cent. in 1964, 11·7 per cent. in 1970 and 12·0 per cent. in the first three quarters of 1971.The figure for 1964 includes the profits of the iron and steel companies subsequently nationalised, while that for 1971 includes the effect of recording S.E.T. on a cash basis which increased the third quarter figures. If the effect of S.E.T. is excluded, the figure for the first three quarters of 1971 would be 11·7 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average pre-tax personal income for the latest available

				Average income before tax
Economic Planning Region				1969–70	1968–69	1967–68	1966–67
				£	£	£	£
Northern	…	…	…	422	385	355	355
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	…	…	493	447	429	414
East Midlands	…	…	…	505	456	429	404
East Anglia	…	…	…	478	433	403	390
South Eastern	…	…	…	596	592	544	511
South Western	…	…	…	482	442	420	401
West Midlands	…	…	…	540	500	464	449
North Western	…	…	…	491	440	415	409
Wales	…	…	…	445	367	339	339
Scotland	…	…	…	473	383	357	357
Northern Ireland	…	…	…	362	316	291	279
Notes:
1. The figures relate to income for tax purposes and are derived from the Surveys of Personal Incomes. They do not, therefore, include non-taxable income such as National Insurance benefits and any income in kind or taxable incomes below the effective exemption limits in each year.
2. The survey for 1969–70 the place of residence of the taxpayer in the regional analysis Earlier surveys used the place of assessment to classify taxpayers by region. The 1969–70 figures are therefore not strictly comparable with those for earlier years.
3. The population figures used relate to the middle of the calendar year in each case. They include all adults and children living in the region whether or not they have an income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now take steps to remove the tax on heavy fuel oil used for electricity generation purposes, in order to put the electricity generating industry in the same position as the gas industry.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the provisions of legislation, sponsored by his Department and now under consideration by Parliament, that will require some kind of amendment if the European Communities Bill is enacted.

None in respect of known or presently foreseeable Community obligations. The European Communities Bill proposes such changes to existing statutes as will be required on accession to the European Communities.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places are available in each education authority in Scotland for the education of deaf children at primary and secondary level, respectively.

The inform on is as follows:

PLACES PROVIDED FOR DEAF AND PARTIALLY HEARING CHILDREN IN SCOTLAND
Education Authority		Primary	Secondary
Aberdeen	…	36	20
Dundee	…	40	20
Edinburgh	…	70	50
Glasgow	…	210	100
Ayrshire	…	40	20
Clackmannan	…	15	—
Dumbarton	…	10	10
Lanark	…	67	23
Renfrewshire	…	30	—
Stirlingshire	…	6	6
Grant-Aided	…
Edinburgh	…	110	60

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers in each education authority in Scotland are presently engaged in the teaching of deaf children at primary and secondary level.

The information is as follows:

TEACHERS EMPLOYED IN SCHOOLS AND CLASSES FOR THE DEAF AND PARTIALLY HEARING
Education Authority		Primary Classes	Secondary Classes
Aberdeen	…	5	2
Dundee	…	4	2
Edinburgh	…	9	5
Glasgow	…	12	6
Ayrshire	…	4	2
Clackmannan	…	1	—
Dumbarton	…	2	—
Lanarkshire	…	7	2
Renfrewshire	…	4	—
Stirlingshire	…	1	1
Grant-Aided
Edinburgh	…	13	14

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now appoint a person with a trade union background to membership of the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

The board's statutory complement has already been filled.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) which sectors of the South-West regional planning zone are excluded from the area covered by the new South-West Scotland Development Authority;(2) if he will list the organisations and public bodies consulted before the decision was taken to establish the new South-West Scotland Development Authority;(3) which districts of the proposed South-West regional local government authority have been excluded from the area covered by the South-West Scotland Development Authority.

The South-West of Scotland Development Authority is an association of local planning authorities—Dumfries Burgh Council, Dumfries shire County Council, Kirkcudbrightshire County Council and Wigtownshire County Council—set up on the initiative of the authorities and with my consent under Section 2(2) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947. The combined area of these planning authorities makes up the South-West planning sub-region and the proposed South-West local government region, except that it does not include the burgh and district of Girvan. Ayrshire County Council, which is the planning authority for the Girvan area, was consulted before the establishment of the new body, but decided not to participate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total numbers of boys and girls wholly unemployed in Lanarkshire in February 1972; and what were the notified vacancies for boys and girls in that month.

On 14th February, 1972, there were 2,225 young people—1,386 boys and 839 girls—registered as wholly unemployed in Lanarkshire. Notified vacancies in February, 1972 totalled 83; 38 for boys and 45 for girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of male vacancies available in Lanarkshire in February, 1972; and how this compares with the number of males wholly unemployed.

At February, 1972, in the North Lanarkshire travel-to-work area and the Lanark, Lesmahagow and Shotts employment exchange areas, the number of notified vacancies for males remaining unfilled was 248 and the number of males registered as wholly unemployed was 13,018. The vacancy figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled, and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will advise the relevant training boards to make available vehicles so that those who have been driving for some years but will only be compelled to take the heavy goods vehicle licence test for the first time after February, 1973, can prepare adequately and so retain their employment.

It is primarily the responsibility of industry to ensure that a sufficient number of drivers are trained to the standard required by the statutory test for heavy goods vehicle drivers. A considerable number of training courses, such as those run by the group training associations of the Road Transport Industrial Training Board, are available to employers prepared to sponsor drivers for test preparation; a suitable vehicle is provided on such courses for taking the test. I do not think, however, that boards can be expected to make vehicles available for test purposes other than in the course of approved training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the number of unemployed mineworkers in the Barnsley area, many of whom are in need of training for factory employment, he will consider establishing a training centre in Barnsley, and reconsider his proposals to expand training facilities in neighbouring cities with lower unemployment rates.

When planning the additional Government Training Centres announced in the document "Training for the Future", priority was given to those industrial areas inadequately served by existing centres. The Barnsley area did not fall into this category, as there are already two centres within daily travelling distance of Barnsley. The training needs of the area will, however, be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to publish his consultative document about changes in the redundancy payments scheme.

I am not yet able to give a publication date.