asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, when the European Economic Community Council of Ministers has decided on the level of farm prices for the coming year, he will then make and publish a revised estimate of the balance of payments cost of entry into the European Economic Community.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. Scott-Hopkins).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he proposes to take to prevent leakages of capital from the United Kingdom to third countries, when the restrictions on portfolio investment to Common Market countries are removed.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend told my hon. Friend on 27th July, 1971.—[Vol. 822, c. 52.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will be able to take part in the discussions of the newly-agreed economic and monetary committee of the European Economic Community Council of Ministers; and if he will support the proposal to create a European monetary unit of account.

The Community has invited us to participate in the new official steering group to discuss short-term economic policies. This will enable us to keep in touch with developments in the interim period, and we will nominate a representative.The E.E.C. Council has also asked for a study to be undertaken of a European fund for monetary co-operation. The United Kingdom will take part in the study which may include consideration of how such a fund might use a unit of account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much short-, medium- and long-term debt has now been paid off since 18th June, 1970; how much remains to be paid off; and how much of this was incurred in the periods of 1945–50, 1950–51, 1964–70 and 1970–72.

Between end-June 1970, and end-February, 1972, £1,252 million was repaid. At the end of that period, £415 million of medium-term debt and £1,890 million of long-term debt was still outstanding.Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to meet the Trades Union Congress to discuss his budget proposals; and if he will make a statement.

At the meeting which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had with representatives of the T.U.C. on 9th March, it was agreed to hold further discussions after the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make available to Members the new statement of policy of the Inland Revenue Department as to the conditions in which lump sums may be transferred between occupational pension schemes.

The statement to which my hon. Friend refers was contained in a letter issued by the Superannuation Funds Office of the Inland Revenue to representative bodies concerned with pensions matters and to certain technical journals. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now seek a meeting with the Confederation of British Industry to discuss prices and unemployment following his Budget.

My righthon. Friend the Prime Minister met representatives of the C.B.I. on 16th March. These subjects were among those raised. It was agreed to continue discussions after the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those categories of goods which it is proposed will pay value-added tax at 10 per cent. in the United Kingdom and which pay lower rates of value-added tax in any of the European Economic Community countries.

No. Detailed examination of the legislation of the five E.E.C. countries with a value-added tax to identify such goods would require a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that the incidence of value-added tax on purchases made by the nationalised industries and the Post Office Corporation need not increase the cost of these industries' products, and the services of the Post Office Corporation, to the consumer.

My right hon. Friend's proposals for value-added tax on the products of the nationalised industries and the services of the Post Office Corporation are set out in the draft legislation in the White Paper on Value-Added Tax (Cmnd. 4929).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs have been created in the Pontypridd district by the decision to repay post-war credits.

Eighty-eight temporary staff have been recruited to the Pontypridd Post-War Credit Repayment Centre.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the extra persons employed in the Pontypridd district to facilitate the repayment of post-war credits how many were married women, former or existing civil servants, registered as unemployed at the date of such employment, or not working but who had not registered as unemployed, respectively.

Of the 118 staff at present serving in the Pontypridd Post-War Credit Repayment Centre, 30 are permanent civil servants. Of the 88 temporary staff, 33 were sent for interview by the employment exchange or the youth employment service; and a further nine registered unemployed were offered positions.It is not known how many of the recruits were unemployed but not registered as such, or how many are married women. Twenty-six are known to have had previous Government service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the percentage increases in the Retail Price Index for all items except seasonal food, compared with six months earlier, for April, 1970, May, 1970 and June, 1970 and for December, 1971, January, 1972 and February, 1972.

The percentage increases in the General Index of Retail Prices for "all items except seasonal food", compared with six months earlier were 3·6 per cent. for April, 1970, 3·7 per cent. for May, 1970, and 3·5 per cent. for June, 1970. The corresponding figures for December, 1971, and January and February, 1972, were 2·9 per cent., 2·6 per cent. and 2·8 per cent., respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will propose the abolition of the same-day rule for capital gains tax in paragraph 6(1)(b) in Schedule 10 to the Finance Act, 1971, so that where an investor sells securities which he already owns on the same day buys back the same securities, as opposed to securities of the same kind, the investor would, for capital gains tax purposes, be entitled to match the sale price with the original acquisition price.

We have no proposals for abolishing this provision.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken by his department to obtain details of bank accounts held in Swiss banks by British subjects.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 21st March.—[Vol. 833, c. 293.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of the £ sterling now, taking it as 100p on 18th June, 1970.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he hopes to complete his review of the incidence of taxation on liquefied petroleum gas; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has decided to bring the excise duty on gas for use as fuel in road vehicles into operation on 3rd July, 1972, at a rate per liquid gallon of one half of that chargeable on hydrocarbon oil. At the current rate of oil duty this will amount to 11¼p per gallon of the liquified gas. The necessary Statutory Instrument will be laid before the House shortly after the Easter Recess.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent memorandum sent to him by the Child Poverty Action Group.

My right hon. Friend took note of the points made in the group's pre-Budget memorandum. The hon. Member will not expect me to comment on it in detail, but I did in fact refer to it in the context of V.A.T. in the Budget debate last Thursday.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now take into account the effects of the KZ Syndrome, Concentration Camp Syndrome, when awarding war pensions.

The so-called KZ Syndrome is not included in the International Classification of Diseases published by the World Health Organisation in 1969 and any claim would not therefore have been accepted under that name for war pension purposes. Many of the symptoms which have been attributed to this syndrome have, however, already been accepted under other names.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is now taking following the survey by Queen Mary's Roehampton Hospital Trust of the effect on the nervous and liver systems of ex-prisoners of war.

The results of this survey of the effects of captivity on the nervous and liver systems of ex-Far Eastern prisoners of war confirmed our existing knowledge and do not therefore call for further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of mobile X-ray units to be withdrawn by the end of 1972; and what is his estimate of the saving in expenditure.

Eleven. Savings are not readily identifiable; in a number of cases staff and equipment are being redeployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the circular issued by his Department on 15th March, 1972, No. 72/71, encourages self-medication by resort to a chemist rather than to a doctor; if this indicates a change of policy; if this encouragement to dispensing chemists to prescribe has been accepted by the Pharmaceutical Society; and if he will make a statement.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind a recent Press notice advising people taking holidays abroad to obtain insurance cover against medical expenses, and incidentally reminding them that, although doctors cannot prescribe in advance under the National Health Service for illnesses which might occur while their patients are abroad, certain simple remedies can be bought from chemists without prescription. This advice does not imply any change of policy, and no prior consultation was called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in his forthcoming review of retirement pensions and the adoption of the annual review, he will arrange it on the basis that such benefits are maintained in purchasing value on a basis of a fixed percentage of the national average wage; and that the present retirement pension on revision should be based on 50 per cent. of the national average wage.

The Government's proposals for this year's upraising were announced last week.—[Vol. 833, c. 1501–18.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of local authority day nurseries and places, private nurseries and places, hospital nurseries and children privately fostered, respectively, for 1970.

On 31st December, 1970, 453 local authority day nurseries were providing 21,581 places, and in the private sector 748 premises registered under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948, as amended, were providing 19,811 places, for the full day care of children.Comparable information about hospital nurseries is not available.On 31st March, 1970, the estimated total number of foster-children in foster homes being supervised under the child protection provisions of the Children Act, 1958, was 10,600.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the number of legal abortions carried out during the last 12 months for which figures are available and also the number of live births during the same period.

The provisional number of legal abortions performed in Great Britain in 1971 was 137,463. Live births in the same period provisionally numbered 869,708.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people depend in whole, or in part, for their in come on means-tested supplementary benefit; and what percentage this is of the population.

In November, 1970, the latest date for which the requested information is available, there were 4,166,000supplementary benefit claimants, wives and other dependants. This represented 7·7 per cent. of the population of Great Britain in June, 1970. More recent information will become available towards the end of next month, when I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many contracts in each year since the introduction of the Government General Contracts Preference Scheme for Development Areas were awarded to firms located in development areas; what percentage this figure represents of the total issued by his Department; and on how many occasions the Special Preference Scheme has been implemented in each year.

Records are not available of contracts placed in development areas before the present areas were defined in 1966. The number of contracts awarded by the Department in subsequent years to firms located in development areas, and the percentage by value these contracts represent of the total issued, areas follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will extend the private car allowance for disabled persons to the cars owned by the husbands or wives of disabled persons in cases where such cars are used or are modified for use by their disabled spouses.

No. The allowance recently introduced by my right hon. Friend is intended to assist in running a vehicle provided privately by a disabled person as an alternative to the one which could otherwise have been issued. So long as it is registered and insured in the name of such a person with a full licence to drive it, the method of acquisition is immaterial.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has authorised the replacement of nickel standard spectacle frames for children under the National Health Service by plastic frames.

To meet the demand for a more attractive frame for children I am, with effect from 1st April next, transferring to the children's free range a plastics frame for which there has hitherto been a charge. Metal frames will continue to be available, although in a more restricted range of sizes and measurements appropriate to younger children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will raise the age limit for exemption from prescription charges from 15 to 16 years concurrently with the raising of the school leaving age.

No relationship is intended between the age limit for automatic exemption from prescription charges and the age of ending full-time education, and we see no reason to alter the existing arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the cereal marketing intervention machinery to be established on British entry into the Common Market.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my hon. Friend on 29th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Hastings).—[Vol. 832, c. 239–40.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he will not give further details of the costs involved in compensating horticulturists, farmers and others in having to grub-up their apple orchards and taking other action to carry out the conditions for Great Britain's entry into the Europear Economic Community.

Discussions with representatives of horticultural producers have not yet been concluded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to introduce a scheme of charges for certain services provided by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service.

A scheme of charges will be introduced from 1st June for laboratory, diagnostic and certain other services. Details are being discussed with the interests concerned and will be announced as soon as possible. Charges will not be made for advice to farmers and growers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to local authorities regarding their responsibilities in relation to the housing predicament caused by the closure of hostels housing single persons; and if he will make a statement.

I have not issued advice to local authorities specifically about the housing situation of single people arising from the closure of hostels. A circular sent to them following the publication in 1969 of the Central Housing Advisory Committee report "Council Housing: Purposes, Procedures and Priorities" did, however, draw particularly to their notice the sections dealing, among other special housing needs, with the needs of the single.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now completed his review of tolls on the Severn Bridge; and on what date he intends to publish his proposals.

It will be some weeks before my right hon. Friend's review is complete. The date for publication of his proposals cannot be forecast at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what date the Port of Liverpool will be linked by motorway to the Ports of Hull, Grimsby, Felixstowe and Newcastle.

Improved links at least to dual carriageway standards are to be provided as follows:Liverpool-Newcastle: M62–A1–A1(M)—by 1975.Liverpool-Hull: M62–A63—by 1975.Liverpool-Felixstowe: M62–A1–A14–A604–A45—by 1976.Liverpool-Grimsby: M62–M18–A18— by 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in connection with his conclusions on the recommendation of the Working Party on Sewage Disposal, he can state when it is his intention to introduce legislation to give local authorities a wider discretion under recommendation 454 with regard to meeting the cost of connections to new main sewage schemes.

No, except that it will not be this Session. My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that local authorities already have a considerable measure of discretion under Section 13 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in connection with his conclusions with regard to Recommendation 460 of the Working Party on Sewage Disposal, he will arrange for a survey of existing sewage outfalls in estuaries and coastal waters to ascertain which are satisfactory and which cause significant pollution of bathing places or damage to estuaries.

Volume 2 of the River Pollution Survey, which will be published this summer, will give information about sewage outfalls to estuaries. The results of the survey of discharges of foul sewage to the sea will be published later and will provide information about sea outfalls. My right hon. Friend has already announced that control is to be extended to all discharges to estuaries, and has agreed that protection of the sea needs to be improved. We hope soon to start consultations on the action to be taken to implement these conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average loss on derelict land clearance schemes in the south-east Lancashire conurbation when the after-value has been deducted.

The estimated average net loss on derelict land reclamation schemes in south-east Lancashire approved by the Department since 1st April, 1970, is £1,333 per acre, after taking account of the estimated after-value of the land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are taken by his Department to co-ordinate on a national basis the criteria used by local authorities to determine whether derelict land justifies treatment.

Written guidance has been issued to local authorities in England on carrying out the derelict land survey, including guidance on the criteria to be used to determine whether or not derelict land justifies treatment. This is supplemented by advice from the Department's regional offices, and the survey returns are discussed with local authorities where necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total expenditure on derelict land clearance in the North-West Region during 1970; and what proportion of this was borne by central Government;(2) what was the total national expenditure on derelict land clearance in 1970; and what proportion of this was borne by central Government.

Local authority expenditure on derelict land schemes in the financial year 1970–71 was approximately £3·5 million in England as a whole and £1 million in the North-West Region. Information about expenditure incurred by other agencies is not available. The proportion of the total cost of the particular local authority schemes concerned falling on the Exchequer cannot readily be calculated. Where a scheme involves a net loss to a local authority derelict land grant is normally payable on the loss at the rate of 85 per cent. in development areas, 75 per cent. in intermediate and derelict land clearance areas and 50 per cent. elsewhere. Further Exchequer support at varying rates may be provided to local authorities through the resources element of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what part of the North-West Region outside of the development and intermediate areas is classed as a derelict land clearance area.

From 22nd March the whole of the North-West Region outside the development areas comes within the intermediate areas except by reason of the definition of the area by reference to employment exchange boundaries, some small parts of Nantwich and Tarvin Rural Districts in Cheshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the numbers of acres of derelict land that were restored by Bolton, Farnworth, Little Lever, Turton and West Houghton in 1966 compare with the figures for 1970.

According to the derelict land surveys the acreages restored in the areas of these local authorities in the years mentioned were:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the legislation which gives local authorities power, directly or indirectly, to restore derelict land, giving the nature of such powers in each case.

Specific powers for local authorities to restore or improve the appearance of derelict land and to acquire land for these purposes are contained in Section 89 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949, as amended by Section 6 of the Local Authorities (Land) Act, 1963. They include power for work to be done on land not belonging to local authorities, with the consent of all persons interested in such land.A range of powers is available to local authorities to acquire land and to carry out development of various kinds; land for those purposes could include derelict land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost of acquiring and reclaiming an acre of derelict land in the West Riding area; and what is the comparable average cost nationally.

The average gross cost per acre of derelict land reclamation schemes, including land acquisition, approved by the Department since 1st April, 1970, was £1,550 per acre for the West Riding area compared with £1,581 per acre for England as a whole. Omitting the smallest schemes, costs of individual schemes ranged from about £100 an acre to about £30,000 per acre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in his discussions with insurers and other interested bodies over a system of endorsing the registration books of seriously damaged vehicles.

No acceptable scheme has yet been devised, but the discussions are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents on motorways are caused by bad lane discipline; and what proportion this is of all accidents on motorways.

This information is not available. Bad lane discipline is not a factor which can be defined with sufficient precision to permit inclusion in routine accident reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, after nine months delay, he will now give to Norwich City Council his decision on the Bowthorpe Development Scheme involving the building of 4,000 houses and the housing of 10,000 people.

My right hon. Friend's decision upon this appeal, which arose upon the absence of a decision by the local planning authority involved some difficult legal issues and interdepartmental consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to make a statement regarding the construction of the Channel Tunnel.

When the results of the present studies are known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the number of mortgages taken out for residential properties in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what were the comparative figures for each of the previous four years;(2) what is his estimate of the average residential mortgage taken out in the last financial year.

The main institutional lenders in the United Kingdom made 730,000 mortgage advances in 1971. The comparable figures for the four preceding years, starting in 1967, were 595,000, 579,000, 519,000 and 616,000. The average advance made in 1971 was £4,090.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an official visit to the headquarters of the Alkali Inspectorate.

I am in frequent touch with the work of the inspectorate, the headquarters of which are in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, when the Chinese trade delegation visits this country this spring, he will invite it to meet him.

I am glad to say that several trade delegations from China are visiting this country during the next-operating fully in the arrangements for these visits. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade is to meet a delegation from the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation and will also act as host at a reception in the delegation's honour.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the working of the Trade Descriptions Act in relation to advertisements in the home mortgage field, particularly in relation to those purporting to offer 100 per cent. mortgages; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the Act is adequate to deal with statements that really are false or misleading about home mortgage facilities, including any made in advertisements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he now proposes to introduce legislation on monopolies, mergers and restrictive trade practices.

I hope to introduce legislation on this subject next Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further measures he is proposing to promote regional development.

I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper on Industrial and Regional Development published on 22nd March (Cmnd. 4942).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what

The information is available for the financial year only. On this basis expenditure on Government preferential assistance to industry in Wales was £50·4 million in 1970–71.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is his intention that the proposed Minister for Industrial Development should undertake overall responsibility for the work of the regional economic planning council.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list existing Government measures and proposals designed to facilitate the mobility of labour.

I have been asked to reply.The following table lists the facilities available to eligible workers under the present Resettlement Transfer Scheme and under the Employment Transfer Scheme which will come into operation on 5th April, 1972:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Trade Descriptions Act, so as to make it an offence for travel agents or tour operators to misstate the number of days in a package tour or holiday.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the numbers of local authority day nurseries and places, private nurseries and places, hos-

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the progress being made on the final stretch of the new road works linking South Wales with the Midlands; when it will be opened; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am not aware of any judicial decision casting doubt on the effectiveness of the present legislation against such misstatements.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the number of local authority day nurseries and places, private nurseries and places, hospital nurseries and children privately fostered, respectively, in 1970 in the North Wales counties of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, Merioneth, Denbighshire and Flintshire, respectively.

The details are as follows:pital nurseries and children privately fostered, respectively, in 1970.

The figures for Wales, as at 31st December, 1970, were as follows:

Yes. I expect it to be opened in December, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the names, occupations, ages and the members of his Steering Committee and Study Group for National Health Service reorganisation in Wales.

The names and relevant offices of members, all of whom serve in a personal capacity rather than as representatives of particular organisations, were announced in a Press notice on 18th October, 1971. I am sending the hon. Member a copy. Mr. G. S. Evans, Deputy Secretary of the Welsh Hospital Board, has since been added to the Study Group. It is not usual to publish member's ages.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service which Department is responsible for the staffing of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.

The staff required is assessed by the commission in consultation with the Civil Service Department. The posts are filled at present by officers on loan from other Government Departments.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made in reorganising the arrangements for Civil Service catering.

The recently appointed Chief Executive will assume formal responsibility for the Civil Service Catering Organisation when it comes into operation as a part of the Civil Service Department on 1st April. Its organisation, structures and policies will be subject to continuous development and the status of the organisation in the medium and longer term will be a matter for further study.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now give approval to the spending by the Scottish Tourist Board of money necessary to complete tourist information centres on all trunk routes into Scotland.

I have already approved the only two proposals for national "gateway" centres which have so far been put to me by the board

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was given by way of loan to private property owners in Glasgow for storm damage repairs; and of this sum how much still remains to be repaid to the central Government.

£6·1 million has been paid by Glasgow Corporation, with the assistance of a Government loan of £3·9 million for the repair of about 65,000 privately owned houses. £0·5 million of this loan was repaid some time ago, and the balance is about to be repaid in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many generators are functioning at Longannet power station at present; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board that one unit had been out of service last week for maintenance and is now operating again; that two units are under extended repair following breakdowns, one of which occurred on 17th March when a valve failed in the lubricating system and damaged the turbo-generator; and that the commissioning of the fourth unit has been delayed for the past 19 weeks by an unofficial strike, still unresolved, of pipe-laggers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the estimated cost of conversion from coal to oil at Portobello power station; and what is the time factor involved to complete the change-over.

The estimated cost is about £2·1 million; and conversion could be completed in nine months.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the names of the people serving on the Scottish rent assessment panels in their respective lay, professional and legal capacities at the present time.

The President of the panel is Professor Bennett Miller, Professor of Commercial Law at Glasgow University, and the Vice-President is Mr. T. G. Williamson, B.Sc., F.R.I.C.S., F.A.I. The panel includes 62 legally qualified members, 29 members qualified in valuation and 66 others. I am sending the hon. Member a list of these 157 members.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for increasing the expenditure on motorways in Scotland in the next 12 months.

The Roads and Transport Services, Scotland Vote for 1972–73 includes provision for expenditure of £27·3 million on the new construction or improvement of Scottish trunk roads. This includes expenditure of £12·1 million on new construction of Scottish trunk road motorways, an increase of more than £1 million over the estimated outturn in 1971–72.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what the effect will be, if Great Britain enters the European Economic Community, on the subsidies paid to David MacBrayne Limited and the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.

The transport regulations at present in force in the Community will not require any alteration in the subsidies paid to operators of Scottish internal shipping services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to take the necessary action required to increase the fishing limits on the west side of the Western Isles from six to 12 miles, if Great Britain enters the European Economic Community.

No. In accepting a six mile limit for this area in the treaty, we recognised that some E.E.C. countries already have historic rights in the six to 12 mile zone, and that about 99 per cent. of the fish landed by British vessels in North-West Scotland is taken from areas closer inshore, including the Minch, which will remain closed to foreign fishermen.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what growth in electricity demand is estimated over the next six years; and what new planned additional generation is envisaged.

The information is given in the Scottish Electricity Boards' booklet "Scottish Electricity. Plans for the Future 1971–1978", copies of which were placed in the Vote Office in January.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the proposed introduction of a scheme of charges for the advisory services of the Scottish agricultural colleges.

At my request, the colleges are considering the form of a charging scheme, to be introduced on 1st June, relating to certain standard and special laboratory services; charges will not be made for advice to farmers and growers. A full announcement will be made by the colleges themselves in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the total cost to the Treasury of the introduction of a free issue of milk to all schoolchildren between the ages of five and 16 years; and if she will make a statement.

£15·6 million, which would be the Exchequer contribution to the estimated £27·2 million a year which it would cost local education authorities to supply free milk to all pupils aged 5–16 in maintained schools in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will publish a table showing a 10-year projection of teacher supply based on the existing structure and places of colleges and institutes of education assuming high, medium and low rates of pre-retirement resignation, together with the respective estimates of school population and overall pupil-teacher ratios;(2) if she will publish a table showing a 10-year projection of teacher supply based on the proposals of the James Committee, assuming a medium rate of pre-retirement resignation and a 25 per cent. and 50 per cent. element of non-teacher trainees in the colleges, respectively, together with the respective estimates of school population and overall pupil-teacher ratio.

I am considering whether to have further projections of teacher supply prepared for publication and if so on what basis and in what form. They may not accord with the particular requirements set out in the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she asked the Inner London Education Authority to comment upon the observations made to its proposals to amalgamate the St. Marylebone Grammar School and Rutherford School; and when she received these comments.

Objections to the proposals were sent to the Inner London Education Authority for comment between 29th June and 4th October, 1971. The authority's comments were received on 18th February, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether in the observations made to her by the Inner London Education Authority on the proposal to amalgamate the St. Marylebone Grammar School and Rutherford School she was informed by which committee or sub-committee of the Inner London Education Authority it had been considered.

The authority's comments on the objections did not include this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is aware of the difficulties frequently faced by disabled people in receiving education grants from local authorities either to retrain for a new profession or to add to their other educational qualifications; if she will issue a direction on this subject to all local authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Opportunities for retraining are available to disabled people under the Government's Vocational Training Scheme and the awards scheme administered by my Department on behalf of the Department of Employment. I hope that all local education authorities would look sympathetically at applications for assistance from those unable to take advantage of these facilities, but this is a matter for local discretion. The needs of disabled people will be given full consideration in the Government's new Training Opportunities Scheme, announced in February by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will reconsider her decision to transfer railway records from York to London, in view of the fact that these records in the main relate to the North East and should be available there for students of the economic and social developments of the area in which railway developments have played a large part.

No. The historical records at York are part of the national collection of railway records which, as announced in May, 1971, are to be kept in London in the care of the Public Record Office. Consideration will be given to the incorporation of the printed material at present also in the York Railway Record Office into the library of the new National Railway Museum to be built there.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many, and what proportion of, classes in primary and secondary schools, respectively, within the County of Nottinghamshire have 40 or more pupils; and how these figures compare with the previous two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the new school building projects either under construction or expected to start in the present financial year in the County of Nottinghamshire.

Major school building projects in Nottinghamshire are:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish the names of those local eduation authorities in England which are below the quota for the pupil-teacher

Figures for classes of 40 and over are not readily available. The latest available information about classes of over 40 for maintained schools in Nottinghamshire is as follows:ratio by more than 1 per cent.; if she will indicate by what amount they fall below that level; and if she will make a statement.

On 31st January, 1972, the following local education authorities in England were 1 per cent. below quota:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that a post mortem examination was conducted on the late David Owen Jones of Deiniol, Caernarvonshire, against the express wishes of the widow and family; and if he will take steps to ensure that the need for the consent of the relatives is brought to the attention of the general public, and particularly to the authorities concerned.

The post mortem examination was order by the coroner. While I sympathise with the feelings of the relatives, the law does not require a coroner to obtain their consent before directing that such an examination should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now seek to convene a conference to consider the rescheduling of Ghana's debts; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 13th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker). There is nothing I can usefully add at present.—[Vol. 833, c. 21.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government propose to make any contribution towards the cost of the conference of Government experts on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts which is to be held by the International Committee of the Red Cross in May in Geneva.

Yes. We propose to contribute £15,000 towards the estimated £125,000 cost of this conference.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent he is contemplating changes in the way in which information is disseminated from his office.

While procedures in my office are kept under regular review I do not at present intend to make any such changes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a further statement with regard to a national exhibition.

I am not at present in a position to add to the answers I gave on 1st February to Questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Flint, West (Sir A. Meyer).—[Vol. 830, c. 232.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Edinburgh before the end of the year.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 13th March to the Diplomatic and Commonwealth Writers' Association on economic matters represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech made by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in London on 12th March on Government assistance to industry represented the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

My right hon. Friend made no such speech. The speech he made in London on 13th March on a wide range of issues relating to his responsibilities represents Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek to make an official visit to the other Scandinavian countries, in addition to Norway.

I look forward to making an official visit to Denmark on 8th and 9th June.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has now received since 18th June, 1970.

The cost in staff time of calculating the number of letters I have received on matters relating to my official responsibilities would be disproportionate to the value of the information.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Lord Chancellor's Office and the Department of Health and Social Security regarding the provision of staff for administrative tribunals; and what steps is is taking to improve it.

There is already close co-ordination between the two Departments on matters in which they have a common interest.

asked the Prime Minister what assurances he received on the question of price restraint from the Confederation of British Industry during his meeting on 16th March; and if he will make a statement.

The C.B.I.'s voluntary price restraint scheme still has more than four months to run. It has told me that it is considering whether and in what form the scheme can be extended after July.

asked the Prime Minister what action he has taken to promote Her Majesty's Government's policy of a no-holds-barred fight against rising prices.

That I described in the answer I gave to a supplementary question from the hon. Member on 14th March, together with the cuts in purchase tax and other measures announced in the Budget Statement.—[Vol. 833, c. 294–5.]

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to meet the Trades Union Congress General Council.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21st March to a Question from the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton).—[Vol. 833, c. 1338–9.]

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to hold discussions with the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his latest official exchanges with the Prime Ministers of Northern Ireland and of the Irish Republic, respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to my statement of 24th March about the outcome of my most recent discussions with Mr. Faulkner. We maintain the usual contacts with the Government of the Irish Republic, but I have at present no plans for a meeting with Mr. Lynch.—[Vol. 833, c. 1859–74.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement on the steps Her Majesty's Government intend to take in co-operation with the Government of Northern Ireland to restore law and order throughout the Province, and to bring the Republican campaign of violence against the community and against the security forces to an end.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House on 24th March.—[Vol. 833, c. 1859–74.]

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Security in the preservation of the confidentiality of information on income tax and social security benefits during the recent miners' dispute; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury gave to his Question of 15th February.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has been consulted about the appointed of a successor to Signor Malfatti as head of the European Commissioners; and what representations he has made.

No. The appointment, which is for the remainder of this year, is a matter for the present Community. There is to be a new Commission following enlargement.