asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will give a general direction to the Post Office Corporation to extend the Giro system to a European-wide operation in conjunction with other bodies or groups based in Europe.

No. The Post Office already has close links with all the national Giro systems of Western Europe and is working with them to extend and improve the international money transfer services.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he is aware that 40,000 constituents of the hon. Member for West Derbyshire are unable to receive 625 line television transmissions and will not do so until at least 1974; and if in these circumstances he will allocate further moneys to the British Broadcasting Corporation engineering services for the express purpose of accelerating their relay station construction programme.

Yes, I am aware that not only my hon. Friend's constituents but some 5 million people throughout the country do not yet have this service. To meet this, both the BBC and the ITA are constructing transmitting stations as quickly as they can.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what is the latest position concerning the provision of television relay facilities to serve the Neath and Dulais areas; and when the public can expect to receive an improvement in television reception in this area.

The BBC who are primarily responsible for the extension of the coverage attained by their services tell me that their plans include a relay station in the Upper Neath Valley and one at Ystalyfera which is expected to provide a service for the more populous parts of the Dulais Valley. It is too early to say when these stations will open but this is unlikely to be before the end of 1974.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what is the number of communications he has received from local authorities and other public bodies in Wales concerning the failure to provide radio and/or television services in many parts of Wales; and what reply he has sent to them.

Two. I shall be replying explaining the well-known obstacles to good broadcast reception in Wales and the steps which have been and are being taken to provide a reasonable standard of service nevertheless.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications by what method is he able to calculate the approximate number of persons in Wales who are able to receive radio and television broadcasts.

The coverage attained by their various services is primarily the responsibility of the BBC and ITA and it is they who make the calculations. I will ask them to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will take steps to ensure that future publications of the Palace of Westminster telephone directory contain as accurate and up-to-date information as possible.

Yes. It would, however, be a great help if Members would inform the communications manager of any changes in their telephone numbers, or in those of their secretaries.

asked the Lord President of the Council when the administrative arrangements for the fund to cover Members' travel expenses within the United Kingdom, as recommended by Lord Boyle, will be completed.

Discussions through the usual channels are still taking place. I am doing my best to bring the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council what progress he is making in his consideration of the installation of a language laboratory in the House of Commons to enable Members to study the three main languages of the European Economic Community.

The possibility of the installation of a language laboratory in the House of Commons is now being examined by the Services Committee.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in the light of increased parcel postage charges, he will now consider ending the deduction of bulk postal charges from parcels of stationery sent to right hon. and hon. Members at their home addresses from the Serjeant-at-Arms' stores.

Since 1st April, the supply of stationery to Members has been free, including any cost of postage.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will propose an experiment providing for the debates currently designated as Adjournment debates to be taken at morning sittings of the House.

No. I do not believe this would be to the general convenience of the House.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he has given approval to the new statutes of New Hall, Cambridge, in relation to student representation on the governing body.

Amended draft Statutes incorporating a proposal for student representation are now before the Privy Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he in tends to initiate discussions concerning the code of compensation for land needed for road construction with the members and prospective members of the European Economic Community.

Not at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution he expects Foulness Airport will make towards achieving the Government's objective in persuading overseas tourists to visit the regions, rather than to concentrate in London.

My right hon. Friend sees no reason why a major intercontinental airport at Maplin should not attract a variety of domestic services which would permit tourists and others to reach quickly other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now make a statement concerning the future of the Water Resources Board.

The Government hold the view that it is not necessary to interpose a body like the Water Resources Board between Ministers and the small number of strong regional water authorities they propose. A consultation paper on the National Water Council, which will be issued shortly, will explain how we propose the functions previously carried out by the Water Resources Board should be dealt with after reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide financial backing for the British Olympic Association on the condition that it does not rely on the advertisements of tobacco firms to raise funds.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the proposed route of the M64 through south Derbyshire.

In the latter part of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will send a circular to local authorities advising them that planning committees should consider in detail objections or suggestions by residents in a locality where a site is the subject of a planning application, rather than only noting form ally the existence of such objections or suggestions.

I have no reason to believe that local planning authorities fail to consider relevant objections or suggestions by the residents in a locality even where there is no statutory requirement for them to do so; and my right hon. Friend sees no present need for a circular on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the most recent discussions he has had with motor manufacturers on the redesigning of the internal combustion engine to reduce the level of by-products being released into the atmosphere.

My right hon. Friend's latest proposals are aimed at reducing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in motor vehicle exhausts to the levels now in force in Europe. We are seeking the industry's views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, details of port charges for docking, berth and normal facilities in the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community.

No. Because charges vary so widely, the cost would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities in the London area concerning their difficulties in building within the current housing cost yardstick in view of the continuing rise in building costs; and if he will make a statement.

Consultations took place with representatives of the local authorities last March. The yardstick was increased on 1st May by amounts ranging from about 8 per cent, to 12 per cent, or more, according to the nature and location of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of the assessment of the Medical Officer of Health of the Borough of Islington, details of which have been sent to him, that the Housing Finance Bill will increase the housing difficulties in an area of high housing stress like Islington, he will withdraw the Bill and bring forward new proposals.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will include Sunderland in the towns designated for examination of the resources needed to transform such areas.

The choice of towns is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received from residents of Poynton-with-Worth objecting to their inclusion in the proposed Greater Manchester Metropolitan County; and what replies he has sent.

About 770. All the letters were acknowledge by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware of the extent of the additional traffic congestion that has been caused at rush hours by the closure of the Military Road, Wallington, Fareham, as he was forewarned by the hon. Member for Gosport and Fareham on 26th January; and if he will now take urgent steps to meet this problem.

My right hon. Friend does not consider that any special measures are required or would be effective at this stage. Alternative local roads are carrying more traffic and the situation is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority houses and how many private houses were built in the Kidsgrove Urban District in each of the past ten years.

Dwellings completed in Kidsgrove UDC in each of the years 1966 to 1971, inclusive, appear in Local Housing Statistics Nos. 1, 5, 9, 13, 17 and 21, copies of which are in the Library. Figures for the earlier years are as follows:

	Dwellings completed
	Local authority	Private sector
1962	24	103
1963	—	115
1964	31	134
1965	6	213

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to ask for tenders for the construction of a driving test centre and a reception/resettlement centre for single homeless males on the Ennersdale Road drill hall site in the London Borough of Lewisham.

In about twelve months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the salary range and grade for housing commissioners who may be appointed when the Housing Finance Bill is implemented.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 4th May.—[Vol. 836, c. 197.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an assurance that he will not allow to proceed without a public inquiry any proposal which involves the destruction of the Criterion Theatre in the redevelopment of Piccadilly Circus.

The Criterion Theatre is included in a list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest and cannot be demolished without consent. As I said in an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for the Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Tugend-hat) on Friday last, I am discussing the proposals for the redevelopment of Piccadilly with the Westminster City Council. If it is decided that the application for these proposals should be referred to me for decision, any inquiry that may be held will cover the proposal to demolish the Criterion Theatre—[Vol. 836. c. 228.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what change there has been in the level of pollution of rivers in Yorkshire between the 1959 Yorkshire River Authority survey and his survey published last year; and whether he will make a statement.

I regret that I cannot give the hon. Member the information because in 1958 the staff of the then river boards supplied data for an informal river pollution survey on the understanding that details for individual river boards would not be published. In any case, as the 1958 survey was less thorough and exact than the 1970 survey, comparisons of the conditions of individual rivers could be misleading.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue safety regulations to local authorities to remove high diving boards from swimming pools with a depth of less than the minimum advised by the Amateur Swimming Association.

My right hon. Friend has no power to make regulations dealing with such matters, but a design bulletin is in preparation which will contain advice on standards for diving facilities and will recommend that high diving should take place only into diving pools designed for that purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce revised arrangements for the periodic testing of motor vehicles.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings have been held, and what progress has been made, by the working party set up under the auspices of his Department to study the problems of sand quarrying in Cheshire, particularly in and around the borough of Congleton.

One meeting has been held. Although the establishment of a working party was suggested by my hon. Friend the Minister of Local Government and Development, progress in the matter is the responsibility of the local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to remove the present anomaly under which local authorities who improve their houses receive less favourable terms than private landlords and owners if they wish subsequently to sell.

Yes. Instead of receiving a cash grant when a house is improved local authorities receive help through Government contributions spread over a 20-year period. It has hitherto been the practice to discontinue payment of these contributions when an improved house is sold by a local authority. This may discourage local authorities both from improving houses and from subsequently selling them. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I will therefore pay contributions in full for the normal 20-year period on any converted or improved houses sold on or after 1st April, 1972, by housing authorities, both inside and outside general improvement areas. Similar arrangements will be applied in appropriate circumstances to converted or improved houses sold by housing associations acting under arrangements with local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what encouragement he is giving to Hamilton Town Council and Lanarkshire County Council to extend the provision of sheltered housing for the elderly.

I have recently made a renewed approach to all local authorities asking them to give special consideration to the need for sheltered housing in their areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new emergency laybys have been constructed on the M90 north of the Admiralty flyover since that section of the motorway was first opened; and how many are still planned.

Eleven additional laybys have been provided on the Cowdenbeath and Kelty bypass section of M90 and three more are nearing completion. Similar additional provision is planned for the Kinross and Milnathort bypass.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain and publish the names and positions of all those who have seen a copy of the report of his departmental committee on privacy in addition to members of the committee and the secretariat.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that all prison and detention centre staffs in Wales include an officer able to speak Welsh, who can attend visits where the preferred language of conversation is Welsh; and whether he will ensure that, in prisons or detention centres in England, where no member of the staff is Welsh-speaking, arrangements are made for local residents who are Welsh-speaking to be invited to serve when necessary.

The two prisons and one detention centre in Wales have Welsh-speaking staff who are available to supervise visits when they are on duty. My right hon. Friend does not consider that the supervision of visits by persons who are not members of the prison service would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to control the use of liquefied petroleum gas stored or used in premises by limiting the amount which may be stored in any building, by specifying the type of container which may be used and requiring the marking of any room or building in which such containers are stored.

My right hon. Friend is awaiting the production by the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances of guidance as to the storage of portable liquefied petroleum gas containers, to complement the code which has already been published on storing and handling at fixed installations. The introduction of comprehensive statutory controls will then be considered in the light of any relevant recommendations of the Robens Committee on Safety and Health at Work. In the interim, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment will be considering whether some measure of control over the storage of liquefied petroleum gas in factories should be introduced following the report of the Commissioner on the public inquiry into the draft Highly Flammable Liquids Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain and publish advice concerning the capacities of overhead pedestrian ways that serve as exit routes from sports grounds, stadiums or similar centres that exceed 10 feet in length, thus extending the criteria recommended in paragraph 43.1 of the Technical Appendix of the Wheatley Inquiry into safety at sports grounds.

My right hon. Friend sees no need for separate advice on this aspect. Subject to the requirements of the Building Regulations or other relevant legislation, the principles underlying the Technical Appendix to Lord Wheatley's Report are capable, taken as a whole, of being applied to any form of exit route.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that he is made aware of all farm units engaged in the intensive production of veal calves so that it can be ascertained if the animals used are being treated in accordance with the requirements of the codes of practice and the owners are complying with recommended standards of hygiene and effluent disposal.

My right hon. Friend does not consider that special steps to identify all units engaged in the intensive production of veal calves would be justified, as he has received no reports of unnecessary pain or distress being caused to such calves. Compliance with hygiene and effluent disposal requirements are matters for local authorities and river authorities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the measurements of the veal calf pen that Mr. Michael Heath of High Halden, near Tenterden, Kent, is designing for his Department.

I must make it quite clear that the gentleman named is not doing design work for my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the ways in which the Codes of Practice laying down minimum standards of lighting can be disregarded without causing unnecessary pain or distress to livestock; and if he will provide details of the ways in which 160 livestock units failed to comply with these standards in 1970.

Failure to comply fully with the recommendations on lighting in the welfare codes will not necessarily result in unnecessary pain or distress to livestock. In individual cases the judgment as to whether pain or distress is present is made by the inspecting veterinary officer and is based on his professional assessment of the state of physical well-being and behaviour of the animals.The ways in which code recommendations on lighting were not complied with on certain units in 1970 were:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that, of the 4,000 representative livestock units visited by the State Veterinary Service in 1970, the 160 in which the Codes of Practice recommendation on lighting were not being complied with were brought up to the recommended standard.

None. Failure to observe a provision in the welfare codes does not, of itself, constitute an offence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will be able to announce the number of visits paid by his officers to intensive farming units in 1971, the type of animals being reared and how many units in each category were found not to be conforming to the recommendations contained in the Codes of Practice.

This information is not available. In England and Wales during 1971, 1,235 livestock enterprises of various kinds were visited by veterinary staff primarily to check on animal welfare. A comparable figure for Scotland is not yet available.Additional checks on welfare made in the course of other duties are not recorded.In 1971 there were four reports on cattle, five on pigs and two on domestic fowls where non-compliance with the codes resulted in unnecessary pain or distress.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure that the owners of all intensive farm units are apprised of the recommendations contained in the Codes of Practice.

Copies of the welfare codes for cattle, pigs, domestic fowls and turkeys were distributed free of charge in December, 1971, to all farmers and others known to be directly concerned with the welfare of livestock. Copies were also made available at offices of the Department throughout Great Britain and the arrangements were notified to the press. We shall continue to make copies available.

asked the Miniser of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it remains his policy to follow the recommendations of the Balfour Inquiry, Command Paper No. 154, April, 1957, regulating the export of live animals for slaughter, and ensure that they are followed while the animals are in transit in the United Kingdom, awaiting embarkation at collecting places and conveyed abroad in British ships.

There has been no change in policy regarding the recommendations which were adopted following the Balfour Inquiry. The welfare of animals in transit in this country and to countries abroad, whether in British or foreign ships, is safeguarded by regulations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to prohibit the export of live animals for slaughter to Belgium, Holland and France until their Governments give specific undertakings that they will enforce the Balfour assurances on animal welfare and methods of slaughter to which they have all agreed.

My right hon. Friend does not consider it would be right to look upon the assurances and their enforcement as separate issues. Alleged infringements of a substantive nature are always referred to the Government concerned and any remedial measures would depend on the outcome of such inquiries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ban the use in the food given to calves and other farm animals of hormones that prevent sexual development and which have been banned in Holland and Germany because they are considered to hazard human health.

The Veterinary Products Committee have advised my right hon. Friend that on present information any carcinogenic hazard likely to arise from the current use of hormones of this type in animal feed is not sufficient to justify any special controls. However, the Committee made recommendations in relation to injectable oestrogens used in veal production which my right hon. Friend is considering.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the total value of all milk products imported into the United Kingdom in each year from 1967 to 1971.

The total value of all milk products imported into the United Kingdom in each year from 1967 to 1971 was:

	£ million
1967	203·0
1968	195·2
1969	179·1
1970	181·4
1971	232·1

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the total value of all milk products imported from the European Economic Community in each year from 1967 to 1971.

The total value of all milk products imported into the United Kingdom from the European Economic Community in each year from 1967 to 1971 was:

	£ million
1967	22·2
1968	17·1
1969	14·0
1970	16·9
1971	31·2

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the unit value of cheese imports in each year from 1967 to 1971.

The unit value of cheese imports (all types) into the United Kingdom in each year from 1967–1971 was:

	£ per ton
1967	271·4
1968	265·5
1969	261·0
1970	278·5
1971	348·9

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to publish the report of the committee of inquiry into the potato processing industry.

There has been no committee of inquiry into the potato processing industry as such. The right hon. Member may be referring to a joint Processing Potato Marketing Inquiry on behalf of the Economic Development Committees for Agriculture, Food Manufacturing and the Distributive Trades. Publication is a matter for the EDCs concerned, but they have decided that the reports should not be published, as the situation with regard to EEC membership had changed so radically since the Inquiry was initiated. I understand that use has been made of the report in subsequent studies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average price of butter per pound during each month since the beginning of 1970.

It is not possible, from the price statistics available, to calculate an average price for all butter. I can however quote the price of two of the leading varieties, New Zealand and Danish:

AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE OF NEW ZEALAND AND DANISH BUTTER
		P per pound
	New Zealand	Danish
1970
20th January	16·7	20·0
17th February	16·7	20·0
17th March	16·7	20·0
21st April	16·7	20·0
19th May	16·7	20·0
16th June	16·8	20·0
21st July	17·3	20·2
18th August	17·4	20·2
22nd September	17·5	20·6
20th October	17·5	20·8
17th November	18·0	21·2
15th December	18·2	21·3
1971
19th January	18·3	21·5
16th February	18·3	21·6
16th March	18·9	22·2
20th April	19·6	22·9
18th May	22·9	26·0
22nd June	24·2	27·6
20th July	25·4	28·0
17th August	25·8	28·2
21st September	26·7	29·0
19th October	27·7	29·9
16th November	28·8	30·8
14th December	29·3	31·5
1972
18th January	29·8	31·8
22nd February	30·0	31·8
21st March	29·9	31·3

Later figures are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations have been made to his Department, and by whom, about the importation into Great Britain of animals susceptible to rabies; and what replies he has sent.

Since the Rabies (Importation of Mammals) Order, 1971, came into effect on 10th January, 1972, my Department has been in correspondence with many organisations and individuals about the effects of the new controls on their particular interests. This correspondence could not however be described as "representations" and I am sure you will understand that I cannot usefully generalise about the correspondents and the nature of the Ministry's replies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is satisfied that the basic components used in the manufacture of shampoos are adequately controlled by his inspectorate; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is aware that certain components used in shampoos can cause shampoo dermatitis; and what action he intends to take to ensure that shampoos are manufactured that will be safer for apprentices to use.

My Department has no responsibility in this matter.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many jobs have been created in the period June, 1970, to April, 1972, by the transference of Government offices to Wales; and if he will give the figure for 1966 to 1970.

Information is not available in precisely this form, but in the period April, 1970, to the end of 1971, 706 Government jobs were either dispersed from the London area to Wales or established there as a result of the policy of setting up, wherever possible, new offices away from London. For the period May, 1963—when the then Conservative Administration started the first programme of dispersal—to April, 1970, the comparable figure was 1,329. Current plans provide for the establishment of a further 9,431 Government jobs in Wales over the next few years.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service upon what terms and conditions British civil servants will be employed in the Commission in Brussels if Great Britain enters the European Economic Community: and whether such employment will be on secondment for a term of years or permanent.

On the terms and conditions established by the European Commission for its employees. Those who do not wish to stay with the Commission after a term of years will be free to return to the Civil Service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why the amounts of pensions allocated were unilaterally increased as from 1st September, 1971, without prior notification to, or permission of, the pensioners concerned, who had allocated fixed amounts at retirement and now find that these amounts have been increased without their authority.

A civil servant may provide a pension on his death for a named beneficiary by surrendering an actuarially equivalent part of his own pension. He has no further right to the portion surrendered or, therefore, to any increase on it. The resultant allocated pension, however, automatically qualifies for increases under the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1971, under which increases were paid as from 1st September, 1971.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service by what authority unilateral deductions from pensions have been made.

The Superannuation Act provides for deductions from Civil Service pensions in certain circumstances, notably when the pensioner is re-employed or in recovery of overpayments. Regulations made under the National Insurance Acts require some deduction in certain Civil Service pensions when the pensioner reaches the National Insurance retirement age.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will consider amending the allocation rules relating to pensions so that deductions of allocation will be discontinued as from the date of a spouse's death; and what would be the estimated cost of such an amendment.

No. No change was thought desirable in the allocation arrangements, which are purely voluntary, during the recent review of the Civil Service superannuation scheme. A change on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend would destroy the actuarial balance of the scheme, which would mean that the cost of allocation would have to be substantially increased. The increase in cost would vary with individual circumstances, but it is estimated that it would amount to some 15 per cent, for a pensioner aged 65 allocating in favour of a wife aged 60.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make arrangements whereby the premium payable to the Ulster Defence Regiment insurance scheme may, by agreement, be deducted at source from pay; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend wrote to me about this on 29th April, and I shall be replying shortly.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what percentage of the applications to join the Ulster Defence Regiment received during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively, was from Roman Catholics;(2) how many applications to join the Ulster Defence Regiment were received during January, 1972, February, 1972, March, 1972, and April, 1972, respectively.

757, 748, 584 and 474, of which 1·7 per cent., 0·7 per cent., 1·2 per cent, and 3·4 per cent., respectively, were from Roman Catholics.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) how many applications to join the Ulster Defence Regiment were accepted during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively;(2) what percentage of the applications accepted for membership of the Ulster Defence Regiment during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively, was from Roman Catholics.

931, 535, 463 and 339, of which 1·7 per cent., 1·1 per cent., 1·3 per cent, and 0·6 per cent., respectively, were from Roman Catholics.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) how many applications to join the Ulster Defence Regiment were rejected during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively;(2) what percentage of the applications rejected for membership of the Ulster Defence Regiment during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively, was from Roman Catholics.

108, 68, 63 and 59, of which 0·9 per cent., 3·0 per cent., 1·6 per cent, and nil, respectively, were from Roman Catholics.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the numerical strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment on 1st January, 1972, 24th March, 1972, and 1st May, 1972, respectively.

The numerical strengths on the nearest dates for which figures are available were:

5th January	6,648
22nd March	8,078
3rd May	8,489

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) how many resignations from the Ulster Defence Regiment were received during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively;(2) what percentage of resignations from the Ulster Defence Regiment during January, February, March and April, 1972, respectively, was from Roman Catholics.

78, 43, 59 and 64 of which 22 per cent., 12 per cent., 22 per cent, and 16 per cent, respectively, were from Roman Catholics.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Royal Navy Spare Parts Distribution Centre. Eaglescliffe.

Following the announcement last January that the Royal Naval Stores Depots at Copenacre and Eaglescliffe were to concentrate at Hartlebury, we undertook to examine an alternative plan submitted by the Tees-side Regional Organisation for Industrial Development under which the two depots would be concentrated at Eaglescliffe instead of Hartlebury. This examination has now been completed, and it confirms that it would be much more expensive in capital costs to concentrate at Eaglescliffe.However, in line with the recent intensification of the Government's regional measures announced in the Budget, it has been decided that the Eaglescliffe depot should remain where it is and that only the storage task of the Copenacre depot should be transferred to Hartlebury.The separate proposal to move computer facilities and part of the inventory management element from Eaglescliffe to the Copenacre-Bath area is still expected to take place, but a final decision has not yet been taken.As a result of this change of plan, the staff requirements are now being worked out in detail. It is expected that the industrial labour force at Eaglescliffe will remain generally at its present level, but there may be some reduction in non-industrial jobs if the computer facilities and inventory management tasks are transferred.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the availability of Royal Naval vessels to go to the assistance of British merchant shipping in difficulties, following the latest developments off Vietnam.

Consideration would be given to requests for assistance to British merchant shipping where these might appropriately be met by Royal Navy ships deployed east of the Cape.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of full-time and part-time students, respectively, in each of the last five years in all types of further and higher education institutions, excluding universities.

The numbers of full-time and part-time students enrolled in each of the five years 1966 to 1970 in all types of further and higher education in England and Wales, excluding universities are given below.

	Full-time*	Part-time†
	(000s)	(000s)
1966	301	3,175
1967	332	3,272
1968	361	3,207
1969	382	3,135
1970	397	3,229
*Including sandwich course students.
† Including part-time day and evening only students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the latest percentage take-up figures for free school meals, and compare them with May, 1971.

The latest figures available relate to the October, 1971 census period. The information requested is:

Census period	Free meals served daily	Free meals as percentage of pupils present	Free meals as percentage of total meals served
	thousands	per cent.	per cent.
May, 1971	763	9·9	18·3
October, 1971	805	10·3	17·3

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies have been notified to his Department, at the latest convenient date, in the hotel and catering industry.

At 5th April, the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in Great Britain in the hotel and catering industries—minimum list headings 884 to 888 of the Standard Industrial Classification—was 16,128.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will discuss with the British Hotels and Restaurants Association the ways in which his Department can help to fill job vacancies in the hotel and catering industry.

Officials of my Department have already met the Association's officers and agreed ways in which employment exchange staff, careers officers and careers teachers could be kept fully informed about opportunities in the industry. Training facilities provided by the Government are being expanded, and courses in a range of relevant skills are in operation or planned in Government training centres, colleges of further education and with employers.In March, the Association asked its members to ensure that their vacancies are notified to employment exchanges, and every effort will be made to fill these as they are received. We are always ready to discuss any fresh suggestions which the Association may make to help meet its staff demands.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the level of unemployment and projected unemployment in the Borough of Hyde, he will take steps to obtain the figure of unemployed persons who live in the Borough of Hyde.

Our practice is to compile unemployment statistics for Employment Exchange rather than local authority areas. My right hon. Friend does not consider that it would be right to incur the appreciable administrative expense that would be involved in obtaining the figures for the borough of Hyde. On 10th April, 1,178 people were registered as unemployed in the Hyde Employment Exchange area, which corresponds to that covered by the borough and by Bredbury and Romiley Urban District.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers in the Borough of Hyde are at present unemployed.

At 10th April, there were 52 school leavers—most of them Easter leavers—registered as unemployed at the Hyde careers office, which serves an area larger than the Borough of Hyde. Figures are not available for the Borough of Hyde alone.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has been given of the number of employees made redundant as a consequence of the decision of BTR Industries (Miles Red-fern Limited) Hyde, to contract its labour force; and what are the ages, male and female, of the employees affected.

My information is that, while studies are being undertaken within the Group, no firm decision has yet been reached on the future of the Miles Redfern factory at Hyde.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish figures showing the percentage of unemployed by reference to the ratio of unemployed to the total number employed including the self-employed.

At 10th April the rate of unemployment for Great Britain based on the total working population was 3·9 per cent. The working population includes employees (employed and unemployed), employers and self-employed persons and members of Her Majesty's Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what procedures for measuring the hearing of work people have been devised by his Department; and whether he will make a statement.

None. Various forms of audiometry, the technique by means of which hearing may be measured, are known and practised in industry. The rôle of audiometry has been discussed in the Noise Sub-Committee of my Department's Industrial Health Advisory Committee which established that research is needed and is now awaiting the results of an independent investigation into the practical application of audiometry techniques being undertaken by two of the Sub-Committee's members. It is thus too early to make a worthwhile statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of how many people are subject to noise levels of 90 decibels or more in their place of work.

From a survey carried out by the Factory Inspectorate in 1971 based on a small random sample of factories it is estimated that of about 6½ million employed in manufacturing industry within the scope of the Factories Act, approximately half a million are exposed to noise levels of 90 decibels (A) or more continuously (more than six hours per working day) and a further half million intermittently (less than six hours per working day). It is hoped to publish the survey in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in view of the latest unemployment statistics particularly as they affect the Leicester area, he will now take steps to stimulate employment in this area.

I am aware that the unemployment rate for Leicester has increased from 2·1 per cent, in April 1971 to 2·8 per cent, in April this year and share the hon. Member's concern. With its strong and diversified industrial base the area should be well placed to benefit from the extensive measures to encourage industrial investment and secure sustained economic growth which were announced in the Budget and the White Paper on Industrial and Regional Development.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has now been made in the provision of the new capital for British Honduras, Belize.

The new capital of British Honduras at Belmopan became the seat of Government in August, 1970. Government Departments were then transferred there from Belize City. £5·63 million in grants and loans has been made available by the British Government for the first phase of building the capital. This phase is now almost complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in view of the fact that the success of India's green revolution is being endangered by the fact that the loss on stored grain is over 9 per cent., through insects, rodents, fungi and the combined effects of heat and damp, what action is being taken by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and Great Britain to help India put a stop to this wastage.

We have discussed with the Government of India the possible provision of British capital aid for grain storage, but the Indian Government has so far not asked for our help.The Tropical Stored Products Centre— TSPC—of the Tropical Products Institute, one of my Department's associated organisations, continues to work to improve methods of storing grain under tropical conditions. Recommendations arising from this work and from that of others working in this field are published in the publication, "Tropical Stored Products Information ". This is provided twice yearly, free of charge, to a considerable number of Indian officials concerned with storage problems. The TSPC also provides technical information and advice in answer to inquiries.Five Indian officials have recently received training at the TSPC in preventing losses in stored grain, and my Department is ready to consider any requests the Government of India may make for capital aid or technical assistance in connection with grain storage problems.The Food and Agriculture Organisation—FAO—is keenly interested both in storage and in preventing losses after harvest. A sum of more than £50,000 has been allocated in 1972–73 for developing safe and effective ways to control crop losses, and for the practical application of these methods. Another £50,000 has been allocated for the improvement of storage buildings and equipment, including work on grain drying in humid areas. I hope that India will benefit from any improvements which derive from this work.The FAO is also an executing agency for the United Nations Development Programme—UNDP—and thus has charge of a major UNDP grain storage development project in India. It is a five year project, 1968–73, with the principal object of establishing the Indian Grain Storage Institute at Hapur; and the UNDP has allocated to it more than £400,000.The International Development Association has recently made available a credit to the Government of India for a wheat storage project under the Food Corporation of India.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help is being given to the Republic of Indonesia in connection with water resources development, particularly in Java.

In Java we have undertaken studies of water resources in the Kali Progo and the Ngandjuk-Kediri areas, and of the development of the water supply system for Surakarta. The Kali Progo study has been completed and is being followed up with further technical assistance, with a view to some subsequent capital aid, in order to implement the consultant's recommendations. Three experts are also being provided for three years to give general assistance to the River Basin Development Planning Division of the Directorate General of Water Resources Development in Djakarta.Outside Java, studies of irrigation projects in Dumoga and Gumbasa in Sulawesi have been undertaken. I am now considering proposals for a hydro-logical investigation in Lampung, South Sumatra; a water resources study of Madura Island and Bali; and irrigation development studies at Krueng Djreue and Krueng Baru in North Sumatra. We have also carried out a study of the water supply system for Palembang.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what success have been achieved at the University of Airlangga, Surabaya, Java, in regard to the new cardiac unit for which his Department contributed £5,000.

Four operations have been carried out by the cardiac unit. The first was performed by two British experts, a consultant heart surgeon, Mr. J. R. Belcher, and an anaesthetist, Dr. T. M. Moles, with assistance from the university cardiac surgery team. The other three operations were performed by the university team itself, under the supervision of the experts. One of the four patients died later, but the operations themselves were successfully carried out.Mr. Belcher has recommended the supply of a small amount of additional material to enable the university team to undertake further operations. This is being provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the visits he has received from representatives of the Rhodesian Centre Party and the African National Council, respectively.

On 1st May I received a delegation from the Centre Party, including two African MPs. They expressed their views in support of the proposals for a settlement. I told them that any decision as regards future policy would have to await receipt and consideration of the Pearce Commission's report.On 3rd May I received a delegation consisting of three members of the African National Council, who expressed their opposition to the proposals. I explained to them similarly that Her Majesty's Government were awaiting receipt of the Pearce Commission's report and would consider it carefully before taking any policy decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to announce a decision on the report of the consultant engineers on the siting of the permanent landing strip in the Falkland Islands: and if he will publish the report.

The consultant engineers' report on the airfield in the Falkland Islands is under study; I have asked the Governor for his views and hope to announce a decision before long. Publication of the report is a matter for the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any Article of the Treaty of Accession to the European Community, or Community treaty or Community secondary legislation, prohibits the incorporation into United Kingdom legislation of the method whereby United Kingdom representatives should be appointed to the Assembly of the European Community in accordance with Article 138 of the Treaty of Rome.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will give details of the salary scales of qualified and unqualified teachers, respectively, in St. Helena.

Salary scales are as follows:

• 1.Assistant Education Officers
• Graduates £1,320 X 48—£1,512.
• Certificated £1,176 X 48—£l,512.
• 2.Senior Head Teachers
• Certificated £924 X 36—£1,140.
• Uncertificated £816 X 36—£l,032.
• 3.Head Teachers
• Certificated £696 X 24—£816 X 36—£888.
• Uncertificated £624 X 24—£792.
• 4.Teachers
• Certificated £498 X 18—£552 X 24—£672.
• Uncertificated£360 X 12—£400 X 18—£552 X 24—£600.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the total number of teachers in primary and secondary school in St. Helena; how many are graduates; and how many hold a teaching diploma.

The number of teachers is:

Primary schools	40
Secondary schools	33

Three including one Voluntary Service Overseas teacher are graduates and 11 including two Voluntary Service Overseas teachers hold teaching diplomas.

asked the Secre-of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many children are attending primary and secondary schools, respectively, in St. Helena.

The number of children attending school is:

Primary schools	735
Secondary schools	476

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is now going to be taken in regard to a fishing agreement with Iceland.

As foreshadowed in my answer to a Question on 6th March, we have referred to the International Court of Justice our dispute with Iceland over the extent of Icelandic fishing limits, but are holding informal discussions with the Icelandic Government in the hope of agreeing on interim arrangements for the continuance of British fishing off Iceland after 1st September. The forthcoming visit of the Icelandic Foreign and Fisheries Ministers in this connection was announced to the House on 8th May —[Vol. 832, c. 1006–8; Vol. 836, c. 265.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the percentage of houses in Northern Ireland which has been built since 1950; and what percentage of Northern Ireland housing is over 100 years old.

191,403 houses have been built in Northern Ireland since 1950, approximately 42 per cent, of the present housing stock. It is estimated that about 20 per cent, of the houses in Northern Ireland are over 100 years old.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he proposes to take in respect of the Northern Ireland Museums Bill, which was at its Committee stage at the time of the prorogation of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, particularly in relation to museum charges.

My right hon. Friend is now considering this matter further.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what evidence has been submitted to him that hospital doctors are being obliged to carry out terminations of pregnancy;(2)what evidence has been submitted to him that objecting to the carrying out of terminations of pregnancy has had adverse effects on the career prospects of junior hospital doctors;(3)what evidence has been submitted to him that willingness to carry out terminations of pregnancy has had adverse effects on the career prospects of junior hospital doctors.

Section 4 of the Abortion Act, 1967, frees a person from any duty to participate in treatment authorised by the Act to which he or she has a conscientious objection, except treatment necessary to save life or prevent grave permanent injury to health. I have received no evidence that this provision is not being observed. Some cases of difficulty in the appointment of doctors in obstetric and gynaecology departments have been reported to me, but I understand that the Lane Committee will be considering the operation of the Act as it affects hospital staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the quality of the junior doctors taking up hospital appointments in gynaecology and obstetrics compared with those entering other specialties; and if he will make a statement.

The appointment of doctors to hospital posts is a matter for hospital authorities with professional advice given through recognised appointments procedures. I understand that posts in the specialty are competed for keenly and that there is no lack of well qualified applicants.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of septic abortions treated in National Health Service hospitals in England in 1962, 1968, and in the latest available year; and what percentage of conceptions, legitimate and illegitimate, respectively, these represent.

Figures for England alone and numbers of conceptions are not available, nor is it possible to assign legitimate or illegitimate status to cases of septic abortion. Available information is as follows:

	1962	1968	1969
(a) Estimated number of cases treated in National Health Service Hospitals in England and Wales for all forms of abortion involving sepsis	2,570	3,250	2,210
(b)Total maternities in England and Wales—
(1) legitimate	788,242	751,907	732,283
(2) illegitimate	56,023	70,340	67,480
(c) Cases ((a) above) as percentage of all maternities ((b) above)	0·30	0·40	0·28

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give consideration to extending the private car allowance for disabled persons to all who qualify for exemption of vehicle excise duty on the grounds of disability.

This is one of the many possibilities which will be considered in the course of the further review of the invalid vehicle service which my right hon. Friend announced on 21st February. —[Vol. 831, c. 934–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will arrange for a large-scale survey to be initiated to trace beneficiaries entitled to constant attendance allowances who have not claimed them.

No. We expected that up to 50,000 people would qualify, but in fact at 7th April, the latest date for which figures are available, over 72,000 allowances were being paid, and claims continue to come in. In inviting claims, the co-operation of family doctors, social workers, and voluntary societies concerned with the disabled was sought throughout the country, and there is no evidence to suggest that there is any reluctance to claim or ignorance of the allowance. If my hon. Friend has, however, any such evidence, perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what he estimates to be the life span of the Rolls-Royce RB211 engine; and how this compares with the life span of comparable engines.

The RB211 engine could reasonably be expected to have an in-service life span of 20 years, which is comparable to the expectations for other engines of this sort.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consult the planning authority in the Borough of Hyde with a view to bringing forward sites for incoming industry.

The Department's regional director in Manchester wrote to the clerk to the council of the Borough of Hyde to this effect on 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to provide alternative industry as a consequence of the contraction of BTR Industries (Miles Redfern Limited) in the Borough of Hyde.

I understand that closure will not take place for about two years. During this time, the measures set out in the White Paper, Cmnd. 4942, and other measures to stimulate the economy will have their effect in creating new job opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been issued in Teesside to date this year.

Only one, but 2,600 jobs in manufacturing industry are expected to arise in Teesside over the next four years from known industrial projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for industrial development certificates for projects in the Leek Rural District have been withdrawn in each of the past five years.

One, in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to provide alternative employment for those affected by the impending move from the Donibristle Industrial Estate of Varian Associates Limited.