asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the shipping companies which have sought design advice from establishments under his charge for the construction of liquefied natural gas carriers.

An evaluation of the design of this type of ship was undertaken for Shell International Marine Limited by the Naval Construction Research Establishment at Rosyth. This is the only formal request for assistance of this sort with which we have dealt.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the present North Atlantic Treaty Organisation arrangements in relation to Western European defence; and if he will make a statement.

I doubt whether any Defence Minister in any country can ever say that he is completely satisfied with defence arrangements. But I am sure that none of the Defence Ministers of the 15 North Atlantic Treaty nations doubts the need for the continuance of the alliance.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the withdrawal of British troops from Malta.

The withdrawal is now entering its final phase and will be completed by the end of March if a new agreement cannot be achieved.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many persons in his Department have been fully engaged upon investigating the 10 per cent. of unidentified flying object reports for which there is no explanation; what form this investigation takes; and what action has been taken.

There are no Ministry of Defence staff engaged full-time on the investigation of unidentified flying objects. Reports are examined, as necessary, by appropriate specialist staff at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Royal Air Force commands and elsewhere to determine whether there are any possible defence implications. As I explained in the reply to my hon. Friend on 27th January, 1972, no further action is taken in cases where it is impossible to give an explanation because of insufficient information.—[Vol. 829. c. 504.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the value of surplus stores sold by his Department by auction or privately for each of the past five years.

Receipts from the sales of surplus stores by the Ministry of Defence in each of the past five financial years were:

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has to replace the Varsity aircraft for the training of Royal Air Force aircrew categories other than pilots.

We hope shortly to select a replacement for the Varsity in this rôle.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what consultations he had with the National Defence Industries Council before preferring Jetstream for the Royal Air Force to the HS748.

None. The council is not normally concerned with individual procurement decisions.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his evaluations of Jetstream and HS748 at Boscombe Down.

Handling assessments of the Jetstream, HS748 and other potential aircraft for the multi-engine pilot training rôle were made at Boscombe Down in July, 1971. These assessments were taken fully into account in the subsequent selection of the Jetstream and the NAR690 for more intensive evaluation.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce a new piston-engined basic trainer into Royal Air Force Training Command when the Jet Provost is withdrawn from service, to provide an intermediate stage of pilot training between primary training on the Bulldog aircraft and advanced training on the HS1182 or Jetstream.

We expect the Jet Provost to continue as the basic trainer for the Royal Air Force for a good many years. It is not necessary at this stage to decide on a replacement.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which Mr. Joseph Jardine, a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment, was murdered by Irish Republican Army men from the Irish Republic on Wednesday, 8th March, at Middletown, County Armagh.

Mr. Jardine worked for the Northern Ireland Ministry of Agriculture, was employed at Middle-town customs post on stock registration duties. At about 3 p.m. he was inside a hut adjacent to the cattle pens when three terrorists drove across the border from the Republic. They stopped at the customs post, dragged Mr. Jardine from the hut and shot him. Twenty-eight Thompson machine gun bullets and 13 Ml Carbine bullets were fired at him. Afterwards the gunmen drove back into the Republic.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what report he has now received from the General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland concerning the allegations against British troops referred to him by the Ministry of Defence on 17th January.

The allegations to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 17th February are still being investigated by the R.U.C. with the full co-operation of the Army authorities so far as military personnel are concerned. Regrettably 15 of the 19 complainants have now refused to make statements or co-operate at all with the inquiries.—[Vol. 831, c. 596–7.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what arrangements are being made for Royal Air Force fixed-wing aircraft to operate from H.M.S. "Ark Royal".

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) how many airframes and engines, and of what manufacture, were to be ordered under the original Anglo-French agreement for the Lynx helicopter; and what is the present relative position;

It is not the normal practice to give detailed information of this kind. Since the programmes were launched there have been some changes in the overall numbers likely to be required. Where appropriate, adjustments have been made in the work-sharing arrangements between the two countries.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what he estimates will be the effect on the capability of the Royal Air Force in Germany of the shortage of money for helicopters.

With greater expenditure the capability of the Royal Air Force in Germany could be increased. But if more money were available for defence, provision of more helicopters for Royal Air Force Germany would not necessarily be the first priority.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how much was spent by his Department on evaluation over a three-year period 1968 to 1971 of Chinook and Sikorsky helicopters.

The costs of these evaluations were small.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many airframes and engines, and of what manufacture, were to be ordered under the original Anglo-French agreement for the Jaguar aircraft; and what is the present relative position.

There has been no change in the numbers of aircraft which each country foresees as being its likely requirement. The manufacture is being shared about equally between the industries of the two countries.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when Jaguar enters service with the Royal Air Force; and when, from information available from international courses, it enters service with the French Navy.

Deliveries to the Royal Air Force are expected to start next spring. It is for the French Government to decide when the contract for the French naval version should be placed to meet their requirements.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many air frames and engines, and of what manufacture, were to be ordered under the original German-Italian-British agreement for the multi-rôle combat aircraft; and what is the present relative position.

As my right hon Friend said on 22nd July, 1970, the total requirement of aircraft for all three countries is expected to be about 900, of which the planned Royal Air Force requirement is between 350 and 400. This is still the position. It will be some time before production orders are placed.—[Vol. 804, c. 556.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will consider trade pay being given to riding instructors in the British Army, having regard to the skilled and responsible nature of their work.

No. The pay banding of riding instructors, which has been assessed with the help of job evaluation, takes full account of their skills and responsibilities.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when the Linesman system of air defence radar will be operational in all phases; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what study he has made of the additional expense incurred by installing Spey engines into Phantom aircraft; and what conclusions he has drawn;(2) what note he has taken of the Public Accounts Committee Report on the installation of the Rolls-Royce Spey engine in Phantom.

I am aware of the report of the Public Accounts Committee which covered this subject fully in the 1967–68 Session. I accept the recommendation that if we buy an existing equipment from abroad we should keep modifications to the minimum compatible with operational requirements, and should obtain adequate information about the cost of those modifications.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he hopes to complete the feasibility study of a medium-range Sparrow weapon, with advanced British components, developed by Marconi and Electrical and Musical Industries.

The feasibility study should be completed later this year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what preliminary estimate he has of the cost of installing British variations in the American Sparrow weapon;(2) what is the estimated cost of the feasibility study of British instrumentation in an American Sparrow weapon.

It would be contrary to the usual practice to disclose this information.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what representations have been made to him, urging the installation of British instruments in American equipment.

Representations have been received from time to time on ways of maintaining British technology and employment when procurement of foreign weapons is in question. The proposal to install a British guidance head and fuse in the basic Sparrow missile is consistent with these objectives and appears an economical way of meeting our requirement for an improved medium-range missile. It was evolved jointly by the Ministry of Defence and United Kingdom companies.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why he makes feasibility studies on well-proved and elderly American missiles.

We consider the Sparrow missile capable of further development to meet our requirement for an improved medium range air-to-air missile. The study to which the hon. Member refers is to establish the feasibility, including the cost implications, of achieving the necessary modifications with British components.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Raythion Corporation on questions of patent, in relation to the Sparrow weapon.

Some preliminary discussions have already taken place but this is one of the points to be covered in the feasibility study.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what representations he has had from the United States Government as to their participation in the Hawker Siddeley Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile 75; and what reply he has sent.

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study he is making of contractual and legal difficulties, arising out of joint projects with the Americans.

Contractual and legal issues in relation to joint projects, including those with the U.S.A., are reviewed both generally, and as they arise, and we take them fully into account in deciding whether or not to proceed with such projects.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the total cost of the programme, relating to altering the afterburner in the Rolls-Royce Tubermeca engine, in the creation of the HS1182 advanced training aircraft.

The contract for the adaptation of the Adour for the HS1182AJ has not yet been negotiated.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will define the new close-support rôle of the HS1182; and to what extent it is dependent on an Adour engine.

The HS1182 is required for advanced training including elementary weapons training. The AJ version which we have selected will also have a close support capability, which is likely to be attractive to overseas customers and offers the Royal Air Force the option of using the aircraft for close support in certain situations should we so decide.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what encouragement he is giving Hawker Siddeley in selling HS1182 aircraft with Adour engines.

:The purchase by the Royal Air Force should greatly help the expert prospects of the HS1182, and the Ministry of Defence Sales Organisation will give Hawker Siddeley every assistance in obtaining orders.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a progress report on the operation of Skynet.

After some two years of operation, the performance of the Skynet satellite has fallen below a usable standard. We are however, continuing to provide satellite communications between the United Kingdom and stations overseas by using other spacecraft pending the launching of Skynet II next year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what improvement he estimates a Post-Apollo and Shuttle Transportation system will make in the field of naval navigation;

As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Aerospace told the House on 7th February, 1972, the Government are at present examining the merits of participation in the Post-Apollo programme and we are continuing discussions on this subject with our European Space Conference partners and jointly with them, with the United States authorities. Until this examination is concluded it would be premature for me to comment on the improvements, if any, a Post-Apollo and Shuttle Transportation system might make in the particular fields of activity referred to in the hon. Member's Questions.—[Vol. 830, c. 243.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study he is making of the servicing and ratification and retrieval of in-orbit satellites.

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what study he is making of methods of updating satellite systems;(2) what study he is making of updating the systems of, and extending the operational life of, satellites.

A study is being made of a defence communications satellite which would have greater reliability and more traffic capacity than the Skynet II satellite due to be launched next year. Other studies of a more general nature are being made into satellite characteristics and environmental questions.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study he is giving to the incentive to recruitment of high grade personnel for the Royal Air Force, of the possibility of creating opportunities for United Kingdom military service passenger astronauts; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what medical research he is doing related to human functions in space.

None specifically, but some of our medical aviation research has incidental relevance to manned space flight.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study he is making of the problems of close range observation of orbiting satellites.

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the current course on air warfare at Royal Air Force Man by have chosen the Space Shuttle as their course project; and if he will make a statement.

Three.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study he is making of problems of observation of specific small earth targets for detailed examination.

My Department is involved in the technical management of a number of remote sensing projects, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what studies are being undertaken by the Staff College, Camberley, on Post-Apollo problems.

None. The implications of advances in the fields of science and technology are primarily studied at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham, which all staff college students attend before going to Camberley.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why the post of Director of Operations, Space Research, at the rank of squadron leader was discontinued.

Although it did not bear this title I assume the question refers to a squadron leader post in the former Ministry of Aviation Supply. This post was civilianised in January, 1971, there being no longer any direct defence interest in the Black Arrow programme.

asked the Minister of State for Defence to what extent problems of Post-Apollo co-operation with the United States of America feature in lecture courses on aerospace studies at Royal Air Force, Manby.

The Post-Apollo programme features in lecture courses on aerospace studies at Man by, but not the problems, if any, of co-operation with the United States of America.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what studies of the Post-Apollo programme are being made at Royal Air Force, Manby.

Post-Apollo programme studies form only a small part of the Man by programme and are limited to the study of available unclassified material.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of Royal Air Force, Man by following the proposed transfer of the Royal Air Force College of Air Warfare to Royal Air Force Cranwell in 1975.

Man by will house the Royal Air Force School of Education and the Management Squadron, both redeployed from Royal Air Force Up wood, and the Royal Air Force Police Depot, redeployed from Royal Air Force Debden. Flying there will cease, since the School of Refresher Flying will be disbanded and its task redistributed to Cranwell, Leeming and Linton-on-Ouse.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain from the Northern Ireland Government and publish information as to how many children and young persons under the age of 17 years have been killed and injured, respectively, as a direct result of the disturbances and Republican terrorist activity in Northern Ireland since 1st August, 1969.

I understand from the Northern Ireland Government that since 1st August, 1969, 16 persons under the age of 17 have been killed during disturbances. They include those engaged in action against the security forces. Figures for the injured under 17 cannot be extracted from the total of those injured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Republican terrorists have been arrested by the security forces since 1st August, 1969; how many have been charged with offences involving violence; and how many convictions have been obtained.

I understand from the Northern Ireland Government that it is not possible to give reliable figures classified in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement on the Government's intentions with regard to Northern Ireland.

As was announced yesterday, the Government will be having further talks with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in London on 22nd March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the resignation of Lord Wigg from the chairmanship of the Horserace Betting Levy Board; and what proposals he has for appointing a successor.

Lord Wigg has not resigned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many approaches, and from whom, he has received requesting that trade union representatives should be appointed to the Horserace Totalisator Board and the Horserace Betting Levy Board; and what has been his reply.

My right hon. Friend received on 10th March a letter from the Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union. He is considering it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his letter of 30th December to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East, why he considers it appropriate that a 14-year-old boy in Ashford Remand Centre should have been punished by a bread and water diet.

It is not normally appropriate for a 14-year-old boy to be punished by restricted diet but occasionally there is no effective alternative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has so far been made with the Oldham community development project.

Oldham County Borough Council decided last December to take part in the Community Development Project. The post of project director is about to be advertised. A decision about the university to undertake the research for the project will be taken shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the revitalisation of Civil Defence; and if he will make a statement.

A circular will be issued to local authorities on 22nd March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Commissioner of the Metropolis received a communication from Mr. F. McAllen and Mr. Michael Cudlipp regarding alleged malpractices upon the part of the police; and what action he took in connection with them.

The hon. Member has written to my right hon. Friend on this subject. I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what time and on what date the Metropolitan Police were requested to take action with regard to a vehicle dangerously and illegally parked in Wightman Road, London, N.8, registration No. RZI 724; and when they actually took action in connection with same.

The vehicle was reported at about 12.15 p.m. on 7th March. Police inquiries began at once.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the hon. Member for West Ham, North wrote to him on 1st January, 1972, concerning Government responsibility for his constituent named Mr. J. Cheedozie, of Forest Gate, London, E.7, and that it was not until 8th March, 1972, that the hon. Member received an interim reply; and whether he will now take action to ensure speedier replies to communications from Members of Parliament in general and the hon. Member in particular.

My noble Friend the Minister of State wrote to the hon. Member about this case on 28th January and 8th March. Every effort is made to ensure that hon. Members receive prompt replies; but where inquiries have to be made overseas, as in this case, it may be some time before a final reply can be sent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in view of the fact that the official representative of the Police Federation has complained of the dangers of men of doubtful character being employed in security firms and of some firms using police uniforms and arms which are not supplied to the police forces, he will now cause an investigation to be made with a view to initiating a licensing system of these private security firms.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the prima facieevidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North that the Kray twins were and are able to contribute towards their legal costs, he will have an investigation made to ascertain how and on what basis the Metropolitan Police reported that these convicted criminals had insufficient assets to contribute towards their legal costs.

Inquiries into the means of these defendants were conducted by officers of the Supplementary Benefits Commission as required by Section 77(1) of the Criminal Justice Act, 1967, and, despite exhaustive inquiries, they were unable to establish that the Kray twins were in possession of any income or capital. Police inquiries made at the same time reached the same conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now give a progress report on the sale of the Carlisle and District State Management public houses.

Offers for 34 of the smaller public houses have been accepted from the tenant or manager. The remaining public houses are to be sold by public tender. I expect to be able to announce details soon after the Easter Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his policy on the supply of arms from the United Kingdom to Greece.

Proposals for the sale of arms to Greece are considered in the light of her N.A.T.O. requirements. We do not give military aid to Greece.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made, or intends to make to the Government of the Irish Republic concerning the Irish Republican Army terrorists who came from the Irish Republic to Middletown, County Armagh, on Wednesday, 8th March, murdered an Ulster Defence Regiment member, Mr. Joseph Jardine, and then returned to the Irish Republic.

We have drawn this incident to the attention of the Irish authorities, pointed out that this is yet another example of apparently unchecked activity by the Irish Republican Army on which we have frequently made representations, and emphasised the need for early investigations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Mr. Alistar Mars, a British subject, has been expelled from Malta; and what representations he has made.

Our High Commission in Valetta learned of the proposed expulsion of Mr. Alistar Mars on 13th March. Mr. Mars is a Canadian citizen but in view of the circumstances the High Commission helped him with his departure arrangements and obtained a short extension of his stay to enable him to complete his arrangements. It is not however for the High Commission to make representations on behalf of a Commonwealth citizen expelled from another Commonwealth country or to seek reasons for the expulsion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of local anxiety over the possible closure of the Slough-Windsor rail service which would result if his Department failed to continue its grant after1972, and of the fact that the permanent closure of the Windsor Bridge increases the importance of this rail link over the Thames, making it vital for communications, if he will undertake to continue the subsidy after the end of 1972.

I expect the Railways Board to apply for the renewal of grant aid later this year and will then consider the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has sent to the letter dated 25th September, 1971, and subsequent correspondence to him from Mr. J. A. L. Neyroud of The Manor House, Compton, Winchester, regarding the route to be followed by the M3 motorway through the village of Compton.

Mr. Neyroud has been told of the inspector's agreement to make a factual amendment of his report. A reply to subsequent correspondence has now been sent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what land reclamation schemes are currently in progress in Teesside; and how much derelict land has been dealt with there since 1966.

According to the derelict land surveys about 90 acres were reclaimed within the area now forming Teesside County Borough between 1966 and 1970. One grant-aided scheme of 12 acres is in progress. Two other schemes covering 59 acres have been approved for grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give further details of the way in which the Government's proposals for inland waterways will make more money available for them.

The detailed arrangements are being worked out in the course of consultations on the proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on his consideration of the future commercial development of inland waterways in the United Kingdom.

As my hon. Friend made clear in the debate on the Adjournment on 3rd March, 1972, it is my intention that nothing should prevent commercial development of the waterways wherever it can be shown to be economically and socially justified. I shall be meeting representatives of the National Association of Inland Waterway Carriers to consider how this may best be achieved in the context of the Government's proposals for water reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can now give a precise indication of the date when he will announce his proposals on the compensation code, in particular as they concern blight and injurious affection.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Rye (Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine) on 26th January.—[Vol. 829, c. 453.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish, in the OFFICIAL REPORT, the names and addresses of the people serving on the Yorkshire rent assessment panels, in their respective layman, professional and legal capacities, at the present time.

:The following are the names of persons currently serving on the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel. It is not departmental practice to disclose private addresses:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions are placed on local authorities in respect of the installation of zebra crossings on district, county and trunk roads.

:Trunk roads are under the direct control of my right hon. Friend. Zebra crossings on other roads are the responsibility of local authorities subject to quotas based on population and to the criteria recommended by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has received on the subject of illuminated pedestrian crossing posts; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has received inquiries from users and the industry. A technical specification and criteria will be issued in about three months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement about steps taken or to be taken to ensure that navigation of the River Yare does not endanger the safety of the river banks.

I understand that the Great Yarmouth Port and Haven Commissioners are urgently considering the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give a general direction to British Rail to ensure that adequate safety measures are being taken for disabled persons using uncontrolled crossings.

No. I am not aware that present measures are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have his inspector's report on the public inquiry regarding the Chester Southerly Bypass; and when he anticipates work will commence.

Within the next two months. Depending on my right hon. Friend's decision and that of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales work could begin on an approved scheme by the end of 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether the element of dereliction resulting from the use of land for sludge lagoons for Coal Board washeries is increasing; and at what annual rate;(2) how many acres of derelict land in England and Wales have resulted from the construction of coal washeries lagoons for sludge and effluent.

The information is not available. The derelict land surveys do not include land in operational use. Any abandoned sludge lagoons are included but are not separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the statutory controls that can be exercised by his Department in respect of the construction of washery settling lagoons by the National Coal Board;(2) if he will list the provisions of the law which require the National Coal Board to seek planning permission before constructing coal washery settling lagoons.

Section 13 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1962, would require planning permission to be obtained for any such lagoon unless it were in the immediate vicinity of a pithead, in which event it would be authorised as permitted development under the Town and Country Planning General Development Order, 1963. However, my right hon. Friend has power to initiate a direction under Article 4 of that Order, or to approve one made by the local planning authority, to require a planning application to be made for anything which would normally be permitted development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the estimated environmental effect of the proposed washery settling lagoon at Lowca in Cumberland.

As the National Coal Board has decided to look for another site, the question will not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to limit the practice of local authorities of evicting unsupported mothers for arrears incurred on mortgages by husbands who have left the home.

I should be surprised if local authorities behave unkindly or unreasonably in matters of this nature. If the hon. Member cares to send me any evidence he has that local authority practice is generally defective I shall be grateful to him.

Mr. Peter Rees asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the mounting pressure on the port and town of Dover due to increasing traffic to and from the port, he is now in a position to announce proposals for improving the road connections between the port and the A2.

My right hon. Friend has today included a scheme for an eastern by-pass of Dover from Lydden to the eastern docks in the preparation pool in substitution for the Lydden-Dover (Temple Ewell) improvement announced in June, 1969. It is hoped to publish draft line and side road orders by May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the accident on the A30 in the village of Bridestowe, Devon.

The police are still investigating the cause of the accident which occurred early on the morning of 15th March, when a laden lorry approaching the village on the A30 trunk road from the Okehampton direction ran through the wall surrounding the school yard and crashed into the school building. I regret that the driver, who was unaccompanied, died of his injuries. No other vehicles were involved, and there were no witnesses.The trunk road through Bridestowe is inadequate and various possibilities for improving it have been considered, but the only satisfactory answer is to by-pass the village. Such a by-pass would form part of the comprehensive improvement of the Okehampton-Bodmin route which was included in the trunk road preparation pool last June. My hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Development will certainly take account of the problems of Bridestowe as an important factor in determining the priority to be given to this work. In the light of the accident, our engineers are considering whether there is anything which can be done immediately to make the road safer. I will be writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement concerning the facilities for the education in schools for colleges of further education of handicapped children over the age of 16 years.

A local education authority has a duty to see that facilities for full-time education are available either in a school or institution of further education for all those between the ages of 16 and 19 who want to continue their education, but nobody has an unqualified right to a place in one rather than the other.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision is made for secondary education for deaf children in Staffordshire.

There are no secondary schools for deaf children in Staffordshire. The all-age school at Stoke-on-Trent has about 40 deaf children of secondary school age. Some Staffordshire children attend schools for the deaf in Birmingham and Derby.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research she is doing on plasmas in space; and if she will make a statement.

The Science Research Council's scientific space research programme includes the use of rockets and satellites for research on, or using, the naturally occurring plasmas in the sun, the ionosphere and the Aurora Borealis, and the artificial plasmas created by rocket discharges. The aim of the research is to increase general understanding of the atmosphere, the ionosphere and stellar processes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decisions have been reached on recommendations Nos. 3, 20, 21, 26, 68 and 76 of the Northumberland Committee Report on Foot and Mouth Disease.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have reached the following decisions.On recommendation No. 3, comprehensive testing of all samples in extreme circumstances could swamp the available laboratory facilities. We have made arrangements for sufficient facilities to be available, in addition to those at the Animal Virus Research Institute, Pirbright, to permit all the testing likely to be needed for effective disease control.On recommendation No. 20, we accept that it will occasionally be necessary to arrange temporary diversions of traffic, but propose to continue to do this by voluntary co-operation with police authorities as the need arises.On balance, we have decided not to accept recommendation No. 21, since it is unnecessary for the policeman on gate duty to enter infected premises and it would be undesirable to encourage him—or to seem to encourage him—to do so.Recommendation No. 26 is accepted and the necessary powers to close parks and zoos are available, although we would hope to continue to rely on voluntary co-operation wherever possible.On recommendation No. 68, we have concluded that a scheme on the lines proposed by the committee would be unworkable. The arrangements for valuation of animals slaughtered have, however, been improved and it is unlikely that in any future epidemic there will be substantial differences in levels of compensation similar to those experienced in the 1967–68 epidemic. In view of this, and the need to avoid breaching in any way the principle observed by successive Governments and committees of inquiry that there should be no compensation in respect of consequential losses, we do not propose to make any changes in the legislation on this point.Recommendation No. 76 related to compensation which is treated as a trading receipt for tax purposes. Following the 1967–68 epidemic, the Board of Inland Revenue agreed to an arrangement whereby farmers could exclude any profit attributable to such compensation in computing their taxable profit for the year in which it was received and could spread that profit over the three following years of assessment. The board has indicated that this arrangement will be available in future outbreaks of the disease for all animals compulsorily slaughtered that do not form part of a production herd for which an election for the herd basis has been, or could be, made. This arrangement effectively implements the committee's recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will establish a Government training centre in the Doncaster travel-to-work area.

There are no plans at present for a new Government training centre in Doncaster. The area is already well served by the Sheffield centre, where training capacity will be increased by the provision of a new training annexe. The training needs of the area will however be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified at Doncaster arising from British Rail's proposed administrative restructuring; when he expects these to become effective; and what consultations he had with British Rail about these proposals in view of the unemployment in the town.

No detailed proposals have been received from the British Railways Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified arising from the proposal by the Ford Motor Company to close their Doncaster factory; when these will become effective; and what representations he has made to the company in view of the unemployment level in the town.

I understand that discussions are taking place between the company and the workpeople's representatives, and in the meantime no firm information is available on numbers likely to become redundant or on timing. My right hon. Friend has made no representations to the company in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the redundancies that have been announced in Doncaster since 18th June 1970.

Information supplied by individual employers is often provided in confidence and I should not feel justified in publishing it. However, our records show that redundancies involving about 2,250 workpeople were recorded as due to occur in the Doncaster travel-to-work area in the period from 18th June, 1970, to 14th March, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of male unemployment in the Doncaster travel-to-work area; and how many pending redundancies have been notified to him.

At 14th February, 1972, 7,470 males were registered as unemployed in the Doncaster travel-to-work area and the rate of male unemployment based on this figure was 11 per cent. Excluding 1,783 male workers who were temporarily stopped, the rate was 8·4 per cent.Redundancies involving some 260 workpeople are known to be pending in the Doncaster travel-to-work area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the annual percentage increase in wages and salaries to the nearest convenient date, taking January, 1947, as 100.

Information on the increase in average earnings of all wage and salary earnings since January, 1947, is not available. In the 25 years from October, 1946, to October, 1971, the average annual percentage increase in the average weekly earnings of full-time manual workers covered by the Department's regular inquiries was 6·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the aggregate numbers of persons of all grades employed by local authorities in 1969, and the numbers employed to the nearest convenient date in 1971.

The numbers employed by local authorities and in police forces in Great Britain at June, 1969, and June, 1971, were 2,344,283 and 2,466,488, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of the estimated rise in the cost of living as a result of the 7½ per cent. increase in the price of coal.

The direct effect on the General Index of Retail Prices of an increase of 7½ per cent. in the retail price of coal would be a rise of 0·13 per cent. The indirect effect on the prices of coke, gas, electricity and all other items would raise the index by about a further 0·1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people over 50 years of age made redundant received redundancy payments in the years 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively; and how many remained unemployed for more than six months.

Precise figures by age are not available. Among recipients of redundancy payments in respect of which payments were made from the Redundancy Fund each year, the percentages aged 50 and over were approximately as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people over 55 years of age in the Blaydon employment area received redundancy payments for the years 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively; and how many remained unemployed for more than three months.

I regret that the information requested is not available.