asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how and in what way the adoption of Part 32, Milk and Milk Products Regulation No. 2469/71/EEC of 17th November, 1971, will affect British industry engaged in these activities; and whether he will make a statement.

This regulation strengthens the provisions relating to recovery, on export from the European Economic Community, of subsidies paid on skimmed milk powder that has been denatured, or on compound feeding stuffs which include subsidised skimmed milk powder. It will require the lodging of a security on some exports of these products in intra-Community trade.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how and in what way the adoption of Part 32, Milk and Milk Products Regulation No. 2732/71/EEC of 20th December, 1971, will affect British industry engaged in these activities; and whether he will make a statement.

This regulation introduces more flexibility into the arrangements for pre-fixing rates of restitutions, so that changes in intervention prices and rates of subsidy can be taken into account. These more flexible arrangements will apply to all member States.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how and in what way adoption of Part 32, Milk and Milk Products Regulation No. 2814/71/EEC, of 23rd December, 1971, will affect British Industry engaged in these activities; and whether he will make a statement.

This regulation reduces the rate of subsidy on Community skimmed milk processed into high quality casein and caseinates, following the increase in prices on the world market. Its effect on British industry is likely to be small.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how and in what way the adoption of Part 32, Milk and Milk Products Regulation No. 73/72/EEC, of 12th January, 1972, will affect British industry engaged in these activities; and whether he will make a statement.

This supplements the existing arrangements under which member States provide information to the Commission about trade with third countries. It will have no effect on British industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the price of the following items on the most recent date, taking the price immediately before decimalisation as 100, namely, bread, eggs, potatoes, bacon, chocolate, sweets, butter, margarine, beer, apples, blackcurrant jam, flour, milk, minced beef, sausages, steak and salt.

The information available from the data collected for the purposes of the General Index of Retail Prices is as follows:

Item	Percentage Increase in Average Price between mid-January 1971 and mid-April 1972
Beef: Home-Killed
Rump steak*	18·0
Beef: Imported, Chilled
Rump steak*	19·1
Sausages
Pork	6·2
Beef	9·8
Bacon
Collar*	4·6
Gammon*	7·5
Middle cut,* smoked	7·6
Back, smoked	10·1
Back, unsmoked	8·7
Streaky, smoked	4·9
Bread
White, l¾lb. wrapped and sliced loaf	4·2
White, l¾lb. unwrapped Loaf	5·4
White, 14 oz. Loaf	12·7
Brown, 14 oz. Loaf	6·2
Flour
Self raising, 3 lb.	7·5
Milk, ordinary, per pint	—
Butter
New Zealand	63·4
Danish	43·7
Margarine
Standard quality (without added butter) per ½lb.	6·8
Lower priced, per ½ lb.	3·9
Eggs
Large, per doz.	— 17·7
Standard, per doz.	— 20·9
Medium, per doz.	— 22·1
Potatoes, Old
White, loose	17·6
Red, loose	15·0
Apples
Cooking	58·3
Dessert	21·4
Beer	6·0
* Or Scottish equivalent.

Comparable information is not available for chocolate, sweets, blackcurrant jam, minced beef or salt.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to finalise his consideration of the use of injectable oestrogens used in veal production; and how he will publish and implement his decision.

I refer the hon. Member to the latter part of the reply I gave him on 23rd May, 1972.—[Vol. 837, c. 336.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the report concerning the operations of the Potato Marketing Board recently submitted to him by the Consumers' Committee for Great Britain.

This report deals with the effect of the Potato Marketing Scheme on domestic consumers of potatoes. The principal recommendation of the committee was that there should be a complete reconsideration of the whole basis of potato marketing. An examination of the guarantee and marketing arrangements for potatoes is in progress, in the course of which full weight is being given to the committee's report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the conditions for the transportation of horses and other live stock from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Conditions for the transportation of horses from the Republic of Ireland are laid down in the Horses (Sea Transport) Order, 1952. as amended, and the Horses (Landing from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) Order, 1954. Conditions for the transportation of other livestock are governed by the Transit of Animals Order, 1927, as amended, and the Animals (Landing from Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland) Order, 1955. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that these orders provide adequate welfare safeguards.

asked the Attorney-General why he will not seek powers to arrange for the courts to sit regularly on Saturdays and Sundays, in view of the long waiting list of cases to be heard.

No such powers are necessary. Regular sittings on Saturdays and Sundays are not thought desirable in the interests of justice or reasonable in the light of the demands they would make on the judiciary, the court staff, jurors, witnesses, and members of the legal profession. There are no general arrears of cases outside London and, outside the Crown Court, delays in hearing are not unreasonable. In the Crown Court, my noble Friend considers that the remedy lies in increased availability of court accommodation and not in regular weekend sittings.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the Government offices that are at present located in development and intermediate areas; and what plans have been made for further removals.

I regret that it would require a disproportionate amount of time and expenditure to answer the first part of the Question. Current plans provide for the dispersal of 5,500 Government jobs from London to assisted areas and for the establishment of 10,650 jobs in new offices in assisted areas. On future plans for the transfer of Government work, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 8th February that we expect to receive recommendations as a result of the location review later this year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why no arrangements have so far been made for a fully mobilised full-time platoon of the Ulster Defence Regiment; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on this subject on 16th March, 1972.Recruiting has somewhat declined since that date and has averaged 97 applications a week during the last five weeks.In accordance with the policy of expanding the regiment in areas of good recruiting, it has been decided to form a new battalion of the UDR, 11th (Craigavon) Battalion. It will form on 1st July next.— [Vol. 833, c. 741–2.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) whether he will intervene to secure the quicker turn-round of Shorland armoured cars, which are in need of repair; and whether he is satisfied with the present position;(2) what is the average length of time taken for return to active use of Shorland armoured cars in need of repair; and how many of the Shorland armoured cars on the strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment are currently being repaired.

At present, three of the Shorland amoured cars on the strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment are undergoing repairs and modification. The time taken for such work averages at present about one month, but we are seeking ways to achieve a quicker turn-round.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will now consider undertaking a new recruitment drive for the Ulster Defence Regiment; and if. in addition to Press and television advertising, he will send representatives of the Regiment to seek to talk to students and staff of the universities, teacher training colleges and the Northern Ireland Polytechnic and large firms.

A new recruiting drive is already being considered, although this will be concentrated on particular localities where the need is greatest. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his other suggestions, and I shall bear these in mind.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if the Ulster Defence Regiment has been supplied with its full complement of Shorland armoured cars; and how many have still to be supplied.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 18th May to my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison)—[Vol. 837, c. 152.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will give details of the incident which occurred at Crossmaglen, County Armagh, on Wednesday, 17th May, 1972.

I gave details of this incident in my reply to the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley) on 22nd May.—[Vol. 837, c. 289.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what steps she is taking to advise local education authorities of the methods used by such centres as the Word Blind Centre to help children suffering from those specific reading difficulties commonly known as dyslexia;(2) what steps she is taking to ensure that teacher training colleges are made aware of the teaching methods used by such centres as the Word Blind Centre to help children suffering from those specific reading difficulties commonly known as dyslexia.

I understand that the Director of the former Word Blind Centre has recently published a description of the approach which that centre adopted to the teaching of children with specific reading difficulties. I am sure that this will be widely studied by the staffs of local education authorities and colleges of education and I do not consider that any action on my part is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many remedial teachers of reading have been specially trained to help children with the particular problem of specific reading backwardness commonly known as dyslexia.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will request all education authorities to provide her with information on the provision they make for children with reading problems, and in particular for children with those specific reading difficulties commonly known as dyslexia;(2) what steps she is taking to implement the recommendation of her Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children that authorities should review their provision for those who leave school without adequate reading skills and that such provision should include arrangements for a fuller investigation of those who present unusual problems;(3) what steps she is taking to implement the recommendation of her Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children that for children with specific reading backwardness full use should be made of oral learning methods and there should, where necessary, be arrangements for oral assessments in internal, and if possible also in external, examinations;(4) if she will request local education authorities to provide specialists in the remedial education centres who are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of those specific reading difficulties commonly known as dyslexia;(5) what steps she is taking to implement the recommendation of her Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children that all local education authorities should set up remedial education centres;(6) if she will request local education authorities when they screen children for reading backwardness to identify those children suffering from specific reading difficulties commonly known as dyslexia;(7) what steps she has taken to implement the recommendation of her Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children that all children should be screened for reading backwardness, preferably at the end of the infant stage, and that a continued check on their progress should be subsequently maintained.

The report, which was published in February, has been widely circulated and I have requested comments from local authority and teacher associations. These comments, together with others from associations and individuals, are in the main highly favourable to the recommendations in the report and are now being analysed by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many full and part-time remedial teachers of reading are employed in primary and secondary schools, respectively; and what steps she is taking to increase the numbers of such teachers.

Information about the numbers of such teachers is not available. Local education authorities are encouraged to apply for additions to their teacher quota in order to improve their teaching of slow learners.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many remedial teachers of reading have attended a specialised course on remedial teaching.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if rates of pay for remedial teachers vary under different local education authorities.

No. Statutory scales of salaries for teachers, including remedial teachers, in schools maintained by local education authorities in England and Wales apply on a national basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if all remedial teachers are paid under the Burnham scale; and if special scales apply.

Remedial teachers employed in schools maintained by local education authorities are all paid under the statutory Burnham primary and secondary salaries document. Teachers in maintained special schools and in special classes in ordinary maintained schools receive a special salary addition.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what in-service provision is made for teacher-training courses in the subject of specific reading difficulty.

Relevant courses in the teaching of reading and in remedial education are provide by a variety of agencies and more are being established, but it is not possible to identify provision related to specific reading difficulty.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will give the number of children with specific reading difficulties receiving grants under the boarding education scheme, and the number in so far as it is known to her of such children whose parents have opted out of State education and placed their children in independent schools;(2) if she will give the number of children with specific reading difficulties who are receiving special remedial education in child guidance clinics, hospital clinics, and independent dyslexia centres, respectively;(3) how many local education authorities already have remedial education centres.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the names and credentials of the persons appointed to her committee on the teaching of reading in schools and the use of English language.

As I announced on 18th May in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. John E. B. Hill), Sir Alan Bullock, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and a former Chairman of the Schools Council, will be chairman of the committee. The other members of the committee have not yet been appointed—[Vol. 837, c. 161.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will give an estimate of the proportion of children who are unable to read when they transfer from infant to junior schools;(2) if she will give an estimate of the proportion of children who are unable to read when they transfer from primary to secondary school;(3) if she will give an estimate of the proportion of children leaving school at the age of 15 years who are unable to read.

The Department does not collect information which would enable it to make such estimates. The recently-published report of the National Foundation for Educational Research "The Trend of Reading Standards" which was commissioned by the Department, gives the most recent assessment of reading attainments, of 11- and 15-year-olds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities are now screening all children for reading backwardness at the end of the infant stage of education.

The Department does not collect this information. It is however common practice for individual primary schools to check the reading progress of their pupils regularly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied that teacher training colleges spend sufficient time on the methods of teaching reading; and if she is satisfied with the range of teaching methods their courses cover.

The committee of inquiry my right hon. Friend has set up will be considering inter alia the role of initial and in-service training in improving the teaching of reading, and she would prefer to defer an opinion until she has studied its report.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will set up a commission of inquiry into the management of the Teachers' Superannuation Scheme, to provide details showing the correct valuation of the above Scheme for each financial year from 1966 to the latest date for which details are available.

A broadly based working party is already well advanced on a comprehensive review of the teachers' superannuation schemes, which I hope will soon lead to agreement on substantially improved benefits for teachers. My Department and the Government Actuary's Department are at present engaged on the preparatory work for the statutory quinquennnial valuation of the scheme for the period 1966–71. I see no need for further inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the reasons for each of the 70 decisions she has made to veto proposals for comprehensive schools under Section 13(4) of the Education Act, 1944, as amended.

The reason in each case was that, after careful consideration of all the relevant factors, including local objections, I concluded that the proposals would not be in the best interests of the pupils concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received about the level of remuneration for road crossing patrols for schoolchildren; and if she will take steps to secure higher levels of pay in the interest of road safety.

I have been asked to reply.I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether all the staff of Warnes' Mail Marketing who are involved in the postal ballot being conducted by the Court of Industrial Relations in connection with the current rail pay dispute have signed a declaration concerning the Official Secrets Act; and what arrangements he has made to protect the confidentiality of the ballot.

The Commission on Industrial Relations is required by the Industrial Relations Act to conduct the ballot in accordance with rules which are designed to protect the confidentiality of the ballot. I am asking the chairman of the Commission to send the hon. Member a copy of the rules. Since the staff of Warnes' Mail Marketing are employed only on despatch and do not handle the completed ballot papers, it is unnecessary to ask them to sign a declaration concerning the Official Secrets Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the total number registered as unemployed at the Bedford District employment exchange; and how this figure compares with six months and one year ago.

In the area covered by the Bedford employment exchange, the total numbers of people registered as unemployed at May, 1972, November, 1971, and May, 1971, were 1,002, 1,347 and 1,108 respectively. The figure for May, 1972 is provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the price of the following items on the most recent date, taking the price immediately before decimalisation as 100, namely, washing powder, coal, toilet soap, bus fares, postage rates, taxi fares, razor blades, envelopes, and newspapers.

Taking prices at 19th January, 1971, as 100, prices at 18th April, 1972 were as follows:

Coal	116
Bus fares	113
Postage etc. rates	150
Razor blades	101
Washing power, toilet soap, etc.	108
Newspapers	121
Taxi fares	not available
Envelopes	not available

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to be able to give all the legal costs and those pending settlement incurred by Her Majesty's Government resulting upon action taken in connection with references to the National Industrial Relations Court since the commencement of the Industrial Relations Act.

My right hon. Friend does not expect to have all the relevant information for some considerable time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what provision for retraining is available in north-west Kent; and how many applicants are on the waiting list.

North-west Kent is served by the Medway Government training centre which has 273 training places available and a further 156 are planned. On 22nd May, 354 applicants were on the waiting lists. Training facilities under the Government's vocational training scheme are also available in colleges of further education and employers' establishments in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial accidents occurred in the Macclesfield and Congleton districts of the Factory Inspectorate foe 1971; and if he will list these accidents under individual industrial categories.

I am arranging for the information to be extracted from the records and sent to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factories and mills have notified him of their closure in Macclesfield, Congleton and Bollington in the last eight years; how many have notified him that they expect to close in the next six months; and how many jobs, male and female, respectively, are involved.

Not all closures are notified to my Department. However, our records show that 24 closures of establishments in manufacturing industry employing 575 males and 593 females were notified to my Department's Macclesfield and Congleton local offices in the period 1st May, 1964 to 30th April, 1972. Twelve of these establishments. employing 401 males and 312 females, were engaged in the manufacture of textiles.My Department has not been notified of any establishments in these areas which are expected to close within the next six months.NOTE: The Bollington Urban District area is included in the area covered by the Department's Macclesfield local office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of redundancies notified in Wales in the first five months of 1972.

During the period 1st January-24th May, 1972, my Department was notified of redundancies in Wales involving 5,652 workpeople.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the employment exchange areas in the West Midlands with adult male unemployment higher than the national average, together with the appropriate percentage levels of unemployment.

Rates of unemployment can be calculated for males of all ages but not separately for adult males. The calculations are made for employment exchange areas either singly or grouped to form travel-to-work areas.Following is the available information:

Percentage rates of unemployment for Great Britain and for those areas in West Mid-lands with rates higher than those for Great Britain.
			Per cent.
Great Britain	…	…	5·7 (5·5)
Bridgnorth	…	…	7·3 (7·3)
Cannock	…	…	6·7 (6·6)
Ledbury	…	…	7·8 (7·8)
Ludlow	…	…	6·7 (6·7)
Malvern	…	…	6·2 (6·1)
Market Drayton	…	…	9·9 (9·8)
Oswestry	…	…	6·6 (6·6)
Ross-on-Wye	…	…	6·6 (6·5)
Worcester	…	…	6·3 (5·7)
Birmingham*	…	…	6·8(6·4)
Dudley*	…	…	6·1 (4·6)
Oakengates*	…	…	16·1 (6·5)
Tamworth*	…	…	8·0 (7·1)
Walsall*	…	…	7·3 (6·5)
Wolverhampton*	…	…	9·2 (6·7)
* Travel-to-work area.

The rates are based on the total number of males registered as unemployed, including temporarily stopped workers. The figures in brackets are the rates based only on the numbers who were wholly unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list those occupations in the West Midlands with higher adult male unemployment than the national average, together with the appropriate percentage levels of unemployment.

Rates of unemployment for occupations cannot be calculated in the absence of detailed estimates of the numbers employed in these occupations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish the total number of man-hours lost through unemployment in the last five years; and what are the latest figures.

The number of man-hours lost through unemployment is not known, but the following table shows, for Great Britain, the estimated number of working days lost in each of the five years ending in May each year.

Unemployment in Great Britain
Estimated number of working days lost*
Year ended				Millions
13th May, 1968	…	…	…	141·7
12th May, 1969	…	…	…	138·7
11th May, 1970	…	…	…	144·3
10th May, 1971	…	…	…	163·8
8th May, 1972	…	…	…	236·1
* On the basis of 250 working days in a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will ask for a report into the proposed redundancies announced by BOCM in its Hull plant.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies exist in the area in similar work to that done by workers now threatened by redundancy at the Hull BOCM plant.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the type of skill content in the proposed redundancies notified to him at the BOCM plant in Hull.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in relation to his proposals for alternative runway sites for the Maplin Airport, he will now publish revised noise contour lines and cost estimates, based on the commencement of construction on the most northerly site with the first runway constructed to the north of that site.

The consultative document makes clear why we assumed south to north construction, and I doubt that it would be helpful to work on any other basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will amend the relevant regulations to enable purchasers of second-hand cars to arrange for them to be given a Ministry of Transport test, at their own expense, when so desired.

Existing regulations enable this to be done for cars registered for over three years. Private arrangements may, of course, always be made for other vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now reverse his decision not to extend the M2 from Brenley Corner to Dover in view of the inadequacy of the existing A2 and in the light of the recent decision of the Transport Ministers of the European Economic Community to increase the permitted weight of lorries up to 40 tons.

No. Our existing proposals should prove adequate to meet expected traffic needs. The A2 between Brenley Corner and Dover will be improved to modern dual-carriageway standards by the mid-1970s.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent, when giving new consultants until 1975 to examine and report on the extension of ringway 3 to run northwards from the Uxbridge Road, he took into account the overall planning implications of stopping ringway 3 at the Uxbridge Road until 1975 or later.

These considerations have been fully in mind. The early construction of the section of ringway 3 between M4 and A4020 will provide relief to Hayes town centre from through traffic. A Greater London Council scheme is in the Department's principal road preparation list for the improvement of the A4020–A312 junction in Hayes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the new consultants appointed by his Department to examine and report on that section of ringway 3, now M16, between Uxbridge Road, A4020, and the M1 at Bushey have been asked to make an assessment of previous reports and proposed routes, or to make a fresh appraisal with a view to recommending a new route.

The consultants have been asked to investigate the route for this section of ringway 3, taking into account previous reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Hillingdon Borough Council was not informed by his Department of the appointment of new consultants to examine and report on the route of ringway 3 to run northwards from the Uxbridge Road before the information regarding this appointment was released to the Press; and at what stage he intends that the Hillingdon Borough Council is to be consulted by either his Department or the new consultants in regard to Ole ringway 3 extension.

The consultants were introduced and had their first meeting with officers of Hillingdon Borough Council on 24th May. Separate notification of their appointment was not considered necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the names of persons appointed to serve on rent scrutiny boards.

Until the Housing Finance Bill comes into force, no such appointments can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations, draft regulations and discussions in the European Economic Community there are concerning the prohibition of vehicles over a certain age being allowed on the roads; and if he will make a statement.

None, and none are contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in view of the reluctance of local authorities to rectify planning permissions mis

				Dwellings Completed
				Local authority		Private Sector
				1964	1965	1964	1965
Congleton Borough	…	…	…	4	—	112	108
Macclesfield Borough	…	…	…	168	474	258	202
Macclesfield Rural District	…	…	…	30	22	227	161
Bollington Urban District	…	…	…	—	—	49	93
Disley Rural District	…	…	…	—	—	4	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state the expenditure which his Depart-part intends to incur to provide financial assistance in regard to local authorities' schemes to reserve traffic lanes for use by

I believe that the incidence of compensation in such cases is sufficiently known without the need for an inquiry. I do not contemplate the introduction of legislation on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority houses have been sold in the borough of Congleton, the borough of Macclesfield. Macclesfield rural district, Bollington urban district and Disley rural district in each of the last eight years.

These authorities reported no sales of council houses in 1965 to 1971. Information for 1964 is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority houses and how many private houses were built in the borough of Congleton, borough of Macclesfield, Macclesfield rural district, Bollington urban district and Disley rural district in each of the past eight years.

The numbers of dwelling completions reported in each of the years 1966 to 1971 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 as as follows:public transport vehicles; and to what extent it is estimated that such schemes will reduce the capacity of the roads for use by other traffic.

In order to encourage bus priority measures, I hope to be able to meet all local authority requests for grants towards the installation of bus lanes where the expenditure can be justified.Bus lanes inevitably restrict use by other traffic, and they are introduced only where such restriction is considered acceptable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take in response to the suggestion from the appropriate constabulary that an experimental order should be made prohibiting heavy goods vehicles from using the third or overtaking lane of the A2 at Swanscombe cutting.

A decision will be taken when further information has been received from the Kent County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is the intention of the Government that rents determined by rent scrutiny boards under the Housing Finance Bill shall correspond to registered fair rents for comparable dwellings in the private sector; and whether it will be open to private tenants to object to the rents determined for their dwellings on the grounds that comparable rents for council dwellings are lower, and vice versa.

A well established method of assessing a fair rent is to refer to the registered rents of comparable dwellings. A private tenant may offer whatever evidence he wishes to support an application for registration to a rent officer or on an appeal. It is for the rent officer or rent assessment committee to judge in each case how much weight they should attach to evidence of comparables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many councils in the West Midlands have now sent him estimates of average rents under the fair rents proposals; and whether he will publish the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The only estimate received is from Birmingham CBC. The average fair rent estimated by the Council is £3·32 per week.

asked the Secretary of Sate for the Environment in view of the dangers to children and the environment in the Lunt Road area in Bootle from a disused smelting works, if he will consult with the Bootle Council with a view to demolishing the existing structure and redeveloping the site in a manner designed to improve the atmosphere and environment of the area; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has approved a grant of 85 per cent. towards the reclamation of this site, and I understand that the council intends to redevelop it as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will extend the time limit within which he has requested comments on his decision to reject the recommendation of the inspector appointed to review the Emsworth short bypass proposal from 3rd June to 31st July.

Yes, and during the extended period my right hon. Friend intends to advertise draft proposals for a new section of the M27 South Coast motorway linking the Havant and Chichester bypasses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what incentives the proposed regional water authorities will have to spend money on the maintenance of canals; and what sanctions will be taken against regional water authorities which fail to maintain canals in their region in good order.

The Government propose that regional water authorities shall have a statutory duty to maintain waterways and that there should be provision for requiring them to observe it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to increase the speed limit on vehicles towing a caravan from 40 miles per hour.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) on 25th May.—[Vol. 837, c. 470.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount paid in subsidies in the public sector of housing for the year ended 31st March, 1972.

The total amount of subsidies, including improvement contributions, payable to local authorities, new town corporations and housing associations for 1972–73 is estimated to be about £200 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if franchise arrangements granted to licensees on motorways permit the franchise holder to refuse to display advertisements of hotels and restaurants.

Yes.

Inspector's Name		Address	Tel. No.
Mr. S. D. Phillips	…	3 Cable Street (ground floor), Lancaster	0524 67583
Mr. A. Disley	…
Mr. J. Swaine	…	DOE, 5 North Hill Road, Headingley, Leeds	0532 59303
Dr. L. A. W. Hales	…
Mr. G. G. Jones	…	DOE, 1 Hamilton Place, Chester, CH1 2BH	0244 40939
Dr. H. J. Atherton	…
Mr. S. J. Hart	…	DOE, NW Regional Office, Sunley Building, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester	061 832 9111
Dr. J. K. Allen	…
Mr. E. S. Tomlinson	…	Whirlow House, Ecclesall Road South, Sheffield	0742 360001 Extn. 8
Mr. M. White	…
Mr. A. H. Brown	…	DOE, Crown House, Grantham Street Lincoln	0522 20968
Mr. S. Richmond	…
Mr. J. L. Pinder	…	DOE, 34 Wolverhampton Road, Stafford	0785 54180
Mr. F. Gardner	…	Room 8, 51 Vesey Road, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire	021 354 9102
Mr. P. J. Moore	…
Mr. R. L. Pawson	…	Government Building, Hamilton Road, Cambridge	0223 63287
Mr. J. E. Hopper	…		0223 61422
Mr. J. M. Thayer	…	DOE, Welsh Office, Cathays Park, Cardiff	0222 28066 Extn. 467
Mr. R. J. Perriman	…	DOE, Room 443, 4th floor, St. Davids House, Wood Street, Cardiff	0222 396278
Mr. J. Downs	…
Mr. J. C. Peabody	…	Park House, Church Place, Swindon, Wiltshire	0793 30327
Mr. J. L. Barnett	…
Dr. J. J. Lane	…	Room 214, The Gaunts House, Denmark Street, Bristol	0272 22011 Extn. 504
Mr. R. H. Smith	…	DOE, 207/215 High Street, Orpington, Kent, BR6 OTJ	66 28172

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has been able to establish what is the average price per acre of building land sold in the East Midlands in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The average price of private sector housing land in England and Wales is estimated to have been about £6,500 per acre in 1969, £7,700 in 1970, and £8,400 in 1971. Separate figures for the East Midlands are not available, nor are prices per acre before 1969. I am inquiring into the possibility of regional figures without undue additional staff effort.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names, office addresses and office telephone numbers of the alkali inspectors.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available to the public the names, office addresses and office telephone numbers of the alkali inspectors, in the same way as this information is published about the Factory Inspectorate.

Offices of the Factory Inspectorate, together with the areas they cover, are published in local telephone directories. Offices of the Alkali Inspectorate also appear in local directories, but not always under the heading "Alkali Inspectorate". I am arranging for the heading "Clean Air and Alkali Inspectorate, Department of the Environment" to be used generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his studies of his inspector's report regarding the line of the Chester southerly bypass; and whether he will make a statement.

The report was received from the inspector less than a fortnight ago, and the study of it is proceeding expeditiously.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he now proposes to seek powers to prevent vehicles over 32 tons in weight from entering the United Kingdom

The necessary powers are available under the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he now proposes to make regulations requiring all new heavy goods vehicles to conform to the British Standard smoke emission levels.

I have just made such regulations; they will be laid before the House in a few days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet received the action programme for the protection of the environment submitted by the European Economic Community Com- mission in April, 1972; and if he will publish this programme translated into English.

I am sending the hon. Member copies of unofficial translations of the working documents to which he refers

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the value of improvement grants provided in the year 1971.

Nearly £33 million to private owners in England and Wales

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is intended to appoint an ombudsman in Hong Kong.

Persons in Hong Kong with a sense of grievance have a variety of channels of complaint open to them and make good use of them. The Office of the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils has made a good start. I shall be discussing with the Governor whether existing channels need supplementing during my visit to Hong Kong next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is intended to encourage constitutional development of Hong Kong.

Because of Hong Kong's special position, constitutional development towards self-government is not possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is intended to increase the number of unofficial members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council.

I shall shortly be considering the recommendations of the Government covering appointments from 1st July, 1972, of all substantive members of the Legislative and Executive Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the contribution of the Government towards a new Council of Europe and Parliament building in Strasbourg;(2) what percentage of the total estimated cost of providing a new Council of Europe and Parliament building in Strasbourg is being paid by the British Government.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 22nd May.—[Vol. 837, c. 263.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Uganda about the disappearance of Mr. Anil Clerk, who holds a British passport; and if he will make a statement.

According to reports received from Kampala, Mr. Anil Clerk was taken from his home on 14th May by two unidentified men. Since then there has been no news of him. The British High Commission sent Notes Verbales to the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 16th and 17th May, asking that urgent investigations should be made into the disappearance.On 18th May the High Commissioner asked the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for information. The Permanent Secretary stated that Mr. Clerk was not being held by any Ugandan authorities. On 23rd May, the High Commissioner saw the Minister of Foreign Affairs and pressed on him the importance of full and urgent investigations. The results of such investigations as have been made have not yet been communicated to the High Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what evidence he has that West German businessmen are evading the sanctions against Rhodesia;

Copies of the reports of the United Nations Sanctions Supervisory Committee—the Committee established in pursuance of Security Council Resolution 253—containing the texts of notes submitted by Her Majesty's Government about suspected violations of sanctions are available in the Library. It will be understood that while, for example, the fact that a particular product is on sale in Rhodesia is prima facie evidence of an evasion, such transactions pass through many hands and it is not of itself conclusive evidence that a particular firm is guilty of a breach. The same sort of problem arises in the case of exports from Rhodesia. Further investigation in each case is a matter for the United Nations Sanctions Supervisory Committee and the Government of the country concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement upon the talks he held on 24th and 25th May with the Foreign Minister of Iceland regarding her territorial fishing limits.

The Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Einar Agustsson, accompanied by the Minister for Fisheries, Mr. Ludvik Josefsson, visited London from the 23rd to 25th May for discussions with British Ministers on the fisheries dispute between the two countries. They had conversations with my right hon. Friends the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and held more detailed discussions on an interim arrangement, concerning British fishing in the waters off Iceland after 1st September and pending a definitive settlement of the dispute. The British delegation at these discussions wes led by my noble Friend the Minister of State and included my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.No agreement on an interm arrangement was concluded at these discussions but both sides agreed on the necessity of reaching agreement on practical arrangements. It was agreed that both sides would reflect further on the form that such arrangements might take and that they should meet again in June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement concerning the explosion of a cannon at Harold Hill on Sunday, 21st May, which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of a dozen others; and whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for the control and licensing of offensive weapons which are used for entertainment purposes.

A home-made device, in the form of a cannon designed to emit smoke and eject toys, burst while being discharged in the car park of the Albemarle Youth Club at Harold Hill, Essex, during the evening of 21st May. I regret that one person was killed, three others severely injured, and a number of bystanders received minor injuries. Inquiries, with which one of Her Majesty's inspectors of explosives is associated, are still being made into the circumstances of the accident.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total amount of unpaid fines presently outstanding in the United Kingdom; what is the average proportion of fines unpaid at any given time; and what methods are proposed for obtaining payment of these outstanding fines.

The information asked for in the first two parts of the Question is not available. On 31st December the amount outstanding in England and Wales, excluding inner London, was £7,030,003, but this figure included fines in respect of which the time allowed for payment had not expired. Advice has been given to justices' clerks in England and Wales on means of improving their fine enforcement machinery.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report "Alternatives to Holloway", from the Radical Alternatives to Prison (Holloway Campaign Group); and what action he proposes on the recommendations therein.

I have received this report. Measures are already in hand which should help to reduce the number of women who have to be remanded in custody for reports, and various provisions in the Criminal Justice Bill are intended for women as well as men. But we must provide better conditions than exist at present for those women for whom the courts consider there is no satisfactory alternative to custody. This is the purpose of the rebuilding programme at Holloway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bench warrants were issued in England and Wales for the arrest of defendants who, having been granted bail, failed to appear on the day listed for trial, for each of the years 1969, 1970 and 1971.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take with the publishers of a periodical advertising a record, copies of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Bothwell.

It is not for me to enforce the law. I have brought complaints about this publication to the notice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long hotel and boarding house keepers were given to apply for registration under the Fire Precautions Act, subsequent to the passing of the requisite legislation.

Three months. The Fire Precautions (Hotels and Boarding Houses) Order, 1972—S.I. 1972, No. 238 —was laid before Parliament on 29th February, 1972. It comes into operation on 1st June, 1972; and by that date those concerned should have submitted their applications for fire certificates to the local fire authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of hotels and boarding houses have so far applied for registration under the Fire Precautions Act.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further consultation he intends to have with chief fire officers concerning the implementation of the Fire Precautions Act.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave yesterday to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Wiggin), Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker), Beckenham (Mr. Goodhart) and Blackpool, North (Mr. Miscampbell).—[Vol. 837, c. 1605–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the bodies representing the hotel and catering industry, with which his Department consulted about the Fire Precautions Act, have taken sufficient steps to notify those whom they represent about the Government's intentions to implement the Act; and if he will make a statement.

I do not know what steps these private organisations took to consult or inform their members. But the Home Office has given ample publicity to the application of the Fire Precautions Act, 1971, to hotels and boarding houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from police authorities in England and Wales regarding the proposed redistribution of local government boundaries; which authorities have made these representations; and what replies he has sent.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many false and malicious reports of unexploded bombs have been made during each of the last three years; if he can estimate the total cost of investigating these reports; and how many persons have been prosecuted.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent disturbances at Strangeways prison. Manchester.

On the afternoon of 17th May, prisoners from the incentive earnings shop refused to come in from the exercise yard at the end of the normal exercise period. They later came in and the governor saw six of them and heard their complaints. The same group of prisoners demonstrated again the following day. The governor arranged for all those who demonstrated to be interviewed individually. Their complaints related to such matters as the length of their hair and the radio programmes allowed at work. Normal routine at the prison has been resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons who were remanded on bail failed to answer to their bail in each of the years 1964 to 1971 and up to the present time;(2) how many remands in custody for reports were ordered by magistrates' courts in each of the years 1968 to 1971. respectively, and up to the present time in 1972;(3) how many remands on bail while reports were awaited were ordered by magistrates' courts in each of the years 1968 to 1971, respectively, and up to the present time in 1972.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals the Government have for increasing the number of bail hostels in 1972 and 1973.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary, of State for the Home Department (1) in how many cases where remands in custody for medical or psychiatric reports were ordered in magistrates' courts since 14th May, 1971, have cases been expedited following notification by the governors of prisons or remand centres where such persons were detained that the report in question had been completed;(2) in how many cases where remands in custody for medical or pyschiatric reports were ordered in magistrates' courts since 14th May, 1971, were defendants released on bail until the date when the proceedings were to be resumed, following notification by the governors of prisons or remand centres where such persons were detained that the report in question had been completed.(3) in how many cases where remands in custody for medical or psychiatric reports were ordered in magistrates' courts since 14th May, 1971, courts took no action to expedite proceedings following notification by the governors of prisons or remand centres where such persons were detained that the report in question had been completed.

I regret that the information is not available, but I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the circular which he issued to clerks of magistrates' courts on 14th May, 1971, to the effect that when a defendant had been remanded in custody for a medical or psychiatric report, the governor of the remand centre or prison should notify the court when the report is completed with a view to bringing forward the adjourned hearing or, alternatively, to consider the release of the defendant on bail until the date when the proceedings are to be resumed.

The results have been disappointing, mainly because of the diffi- culty which courts find in bringing together all the people concerned in a case on a date earlier than one which has already been fixed. The courts will be encouraged to adopt 14 days instead of 21 days as the normal period for remand where local probation resources are sufficient for reports to be prepared within the shorter period.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he can now state when he intends to present his Budget for Northern Ireland; and in what form it will be presented to Parliament.

It is the Government's intention to present shortly a White Paper outlining the financial arrangements as background to a number of measures affecting public expenditure and taxation in Northern Ireland which will come before Parliament this year. It will also contain an outline of the Northern Ireland Budget for 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints he has received about the higher direction of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the City of Londonderry.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patrols were made by uniformed members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the village of Clady, County Tyrone, during the month of April, 1972.

The village of Clady comes within the police subdivision of Strabane, and patrols are arranged from there as necessary. During April available police resources were heavily committed in the urban area of Strabane and no patrols were made in Clady by uniformed members of the RUC.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations he has had with the Ulster Farmers' Union in connection with the Explosives (Northern Ireland) Order, 1972.