asked the Minister of State for Defence by whose authority a Royal Air Force aeroplane was put at the disposal of the British Aircraft Company for the transport of certain of its employees engaged in servicing the Concorde on its present sales tour; on how many occasions previously this facility has been afforded to private companies; and if he will make a statement.

The decision to make two Royal Air Force aircraft available in support of the current tour by Concorde was taken in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. It reflects the complex nature of the support task and is in accord with the Government's declared policy of support for the Concorde project. The aircraft are on loan to the Department of Trade and Industry under the command and operation of Royal Air Force personnel. Assistance of a similar kind has been provided on a number of occasions by the Royal Air Force in support of sales promotion.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the cost of providing an aircraft to enable employees of the British Aircraft Corporation to accompany the present sales tour of the Concorde; by whom this cost will be borne; and if he will make a statement.

The cost is being met by the Department of Trade and Industry and is included in the provisional figure of £50,000 referred to in my answer to the hon. Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. William Rodgers) on 8th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 135.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence where it is proposed to train British Overseas Airways Corporation pilots for flying Concordes; and when it is anticipated training flights will commence.

I have been asked to reply.Initial crew training will be provided by the manufacturers and will begin early in 1974. BOAC has not decided where and how to handle the crew training which falls to it.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many Service men have been killed in Northern Ireland since the imposition of direct rule; and how many have been wounded.

Between 30th March and 8th June the Army sustained the following casualties as a result of terrorist or other hostile activities:

	Killed	Wounded
Regular forces	19	121
Ulster Defence Regiment	2	10
	21	131

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the incident in the Firth of Clyde on 6th June when, during naval exercises, a United States submarine narrowly missed colliding with a fishing boat; and if he will take steps to ensure that harbour masters, port authorities and fishing interests are advised of the dates when naval exercises will take place.

While engaged in routine training in the declared submarine exercise area of Inchmarnock water, a United States Navy submarine from Holy Loch sighted through its periscope a vessel about 3,000 yards away. The vessel began to manoeuvre, the submarine took evasive action and slowed to 3 knots, and the vessel passed close ahead of it.Submarine operations and exercise areas are publicised in Notices to Mariners, Admiralty charts, and in warnings each year from the naval authorities to the local interests involved.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement on the future of military airfields in South Hampshire and West Sussex.

Officials of my Department have discussed this problem with representatives of the South Hampshire Plan Advisory Committee, of the West Sussex County Council and of the Civil Aviation Authority.The position with regard to RNAS Lee-on-Solent remains as stated in the Answer given by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member on 17th January: and I have concluded that significantly increased civil use of RAF Thorney Island would not be compatible with the essential RAF tasks of that station.With regard to the future of RAF Tangmere, a recent study of the supply drop training carried out there has shown that this training can now be appropriately carried out elsewhere. In the light of this study, and after consultation with the Defence Lands Committee, I have concluded that Tangmere airfield should be closed as soon as possible, and released by the RAF for disposal under the normal procedures.—[Vol. 829, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from Derbyshire County Council for the replacement of the wooden huts by permanent school buildings at Whaley Thorne Junior School, near Langwith.

I understand that the county council will include the replacement of the whole of this school in its proposals for the 1975–76 building programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement about the future of Ryton on Dunsmore Church of England School, near Coventry.

My right hon. Friend has now approved the proposal by the local education authority and the school managers to change the character of Ryton on Dunsmore Church of England Junior and Infant School to a First School. Official letters were dispatched yesterday.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Education and Science if she will make a statement about the future of Stretton on Dunsmore Church of England School, near Rugby.

My right hon. Friend has now approved proposals by the local education authority and the Coventry Diocesan Education Committee to cease to maintain Stretton on Duns more Church of England Junior and Infant School, to establish a Church of England (Aided) First School for 120 pupils in the premises in School Lane, Stretton on Dunsmore, and to establish a Church of England (Aided) Middle School for about 320 pupils by enlarging the premises in Hill Crescent by about 240 places. Official letters were dispatched yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why towns such as Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley are signposted on the M1 going North a considerable distance before the turn off, while Huddersfield with a much larger population is not mentioned until the turn off sign at junction 38; and if he will make a statement.

Because they are much nearer the motorway and have more than one suitable access.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of persons on the housing waiting list in the London Borough of Brent, the number of homeless families in hostel accommodation, the number awaiting transfer and the number of dwellings owned by the council fit for occupation but at present untenanted.

The matters raised by the hon. Member are the statutory responsibility of the local authority, the London Borough of Brent, from whom the information should be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will arrange for an exhibition to be held of paintings by hon. Members of this House.

Yes. I have arranged with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 3rd-13th July, 1972, and am writing to my hon. Friend about the detailed arrangements. I am sure that hon. Members much appreciate my hon. Friend's efforts in this matter, as they did those of the hon. Member for Coventry, North (Mr. Edelman) before him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the regulation in the European Economic Community banning cars more than 15 years old from using the roads will apply in the United Kingdom as a consequence of entry to the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

There is no such regulation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses were started by local authorities in each month since January, 1969 in England and Wales.

The figures are as follows:

Dwellings Started
Local Authorities, England and Wales
Thousands
	1969	1970	1971	1972
January	8·0	6·5	6·1	6·6
February	7·4	6·0	7·1	6·1
March	8·8	7·2	7·5	8·3
April	13·9	10·2	10·5	7·7
May	11·3	11·0	9·4	—
June	12·9	11·1	7·2	—
July	11·7	10·3	9·3	—
August	11·7	7·9	8·3	—
September	12·1	10·2	7·3	—
October	9·5	9·5	7·8	—
November	7·1	9·0	6·4	—
December	8·0	6·7	7·5	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are participating in Operation Eyesore.

So far proposals from 179 local authorities have been approved for grant purposes under this operation. This involved 1,107 schemes, and there are applications for a further 1,245 schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of vacancies for employment as notified to him from the employment exchanges in the Leek parliamentary constituency; and what was the number of vacancies six months ago.

Following is the information:

NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED IN CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS
	3rd May 1972	3rd November 1971
Leek	155	102
Cheadle	29	12
Biddulph	15	27
Kidsgrove	43	61

The figures relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed at the most recent count in the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency; and how these figures compared with those obtaining three months ago.

Following is the information:

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS
	Total	Temporarily stopped included in total
May, 1972
Leek	340	—
Cheadle	205	—
Biddulph	263	1
Kidsgrove	475	2
February, 1972
Leek	1,007	656
Cheadle	248	6
Biddulph	959	640
Kidsgrove	615	78

The numbers temporarily stopped were comprised mainly of those laid off as a result of the power crisis.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unfilled vacancies there were at the end of April, 1972, in the Oldham employment exchange area; and what the comparative figures were for each of the previous four years.

Following is the available information:

Notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the area covered by the Oldham and Chadderton Employment Exchange:
3rd May, 1972	191
5th May, 1971	191
6th May, 1970	446
7th May, 1969	372
8th May, 1968	337

The statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what percentage the number of persons unemployed in Rhodesia has grown between 1965 and 1972.

Unemployment figures for Rhodesia are not available. However, the figures for employment and for the population are, as follows:

	Total employees	Total Population
1965	743,800	4,490,000
1971	890,000	5,590,000

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is able to provide any further information about breaches of United Nations sanctions against Rhodesia by other countries.

In the successive annual reports of the United Nations Sanctions Supervisory Committee—the committee established in pursuance of Security Council Resolution No. 253—copies of which are in the Library, various countries have been mentioned in cases of suspected sanctions violations involving their nationals. For the most part the countries mentioned are those named in the approximately 170 Notes which we have submitted to the United Nations Sanctions Committee, not by way of accusation but so as to enable the Governments of the countries concerned to investigate whether a breach of sanctions has occurred. A list of the countries so named would be misleading: our Notes are no proof of an offence, and in certain cases the reference to an individual country was purely incidental, for instance when a ship with suspect cargo called at a number of ports in different countries.The evidence for widespread sanctions evasions by other countries is, in fact, general rather than particular. It is of four main types. There is, firstly and most importantly, the calculation made by the United Nations Sanctions Committee by reference to recorded trade statistics that at least one-third and possibly as much as a half of Rhodesia's exports are reaching United Nations member countries which claim to be observing sanctions. Secondly, there are the Rhodesians' own published export figures; after a drop of 40 per cent. in domestic exports by 1968 in comparison with 1965 as the relevant Security Council Resolutions began to take effect, there was a steady increase until 1971 when the corresponding figure was only 2·5 per cent. below that of 1965. Thirdly, there are the 120 specific cases of suspected evasions which we have reported to the United Nations Sanctions Committee; it is inconceivable that all of those transactions were innocent, yet in no case that I know of has a prosecution resulted. Lastly, there is the inference to be drawn by the Rhodesians' apparent ability to import up to a level limited only by the availability of foreign exchange; visitors to Rhodesia have commented on the extent to which traditional British exports have been replaced by supplies from other countries.Granted that an export to an innocent destination may eventually end up in Rhodesia without the exporter's knowledge, that an importer may in the majority of cases have no reasonable cause to suspect a Rhodesian origin and that the Rhodesians have in the course of time and increasing experience become more adept at covering their tracks, the overall picture does nevertheless suggest that had the general application of sanctions been as conscientious as it has in Britain many more violations would have been detected and punished. It is, in short, the will on the part of a number of Governments to implement sanctions rigorously which appears to have been lacking.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Rye may expect a reply to his letter of 17th March which was acknowledged on 21st March, about his constituent, Mr. Roy Smith, on a matter for which the Home Office is responsible.

I replied to my hon. Friend on 7th June. I apologise for failing to do so earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning his continuing failure to implement the proposals of the Undermanning Allowances Panel of Standing Committee "C" of the Police Council for the United Kingdom in relation to the police forces of Manchester and Salford and Birmingham; what reply he is sending; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

On 7th March the panel considered proposals by the police authorities of Birmingham, and of Manchester and Salford. It did not recommend payment of an under manning allowance. The Police Council notified the police authorities accordingly. On 1st June, the Home Office received representations from the staff side of Committee "C" expressing concern at my right hon. Friend's continuing failure to implement the proposals of the under manning panel in respect of these two forces. No recommendations await his approval and a reply to that effect has been sent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he allowed into Great Britain a recent Soviet delegation inquiring into the efficiency of the British Communist Party.

Foreign nationals are normally allowed to visit the United Kingdom for lawful purposes provided that they are personally acceptable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list categories of persons exempted from the payment of value added tax by reason of age or infirmity.

Apart from the exemption for small traders, exemption from value added tax is related to supplies of particular goods or services not categories of person. However, old or infirm persons should benefit from various proposals under Schedule 4 and Schedule 5 of the Finance Bill. Welfare services provided by local authorities and other bodies, such as home-helps and "meals-on-wheels", would be outside the scope of the tax and, in effect, exempt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to state the number of persons expected to be employed at the value added tax centre at Southend; and if he will make a statement.

It is not yet possible to give an exact figure but the present estimate is of the order of 1,200. This will include some staff now employed at Southend on purchase tax work.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will meet a deputation of Members of Parliament together with representatives from the Amateur Athletic Association, the British Boxing Board of Control, the Cricket Council, the Football Association, the National Greyhound Club, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the Jockey Club, the Auto-Cycle Union, the Racecourse Association, the Speedway Control Board, the Royal Automobile Club, the Rugby Football League, the Rugby Football Union, the British Show Jumping Association, the Amateur Swimming Association and the Lawn Tennis Association, to discuss value added tax on sport.

The Government's proposals for the application of VAT to sport set out in the Finance Bill were formulated taking full account of the representations that had been received from various bodies concerned with sport. These have already been debated in Committee but if there are any fresh points which particular bodies wish to bring to my right hon. Friend's attention he will be glad to consider them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the most recent convenient year the taxes on expenditure and subsidies allocated to consumer expenditure on the same basis as table three of the article on this subject in "Economic Trends" of November, 1970, and showing an estimate of the value added tax and car tax, as proposed in the Finance Bill, on the same expenditure groups for the same year.

No. A table prepared on the basis requested would involve a number of arbitrary assumptions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Part 5 Customs Questions Regulation 2766/71 EEC of 23rd December, 1971, was published in English translation and made available to Members of Parliament on 27th May, 1972; and whether he will explain how and in what way this will affect Great Britain.

An English text of this Regulation was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 19th May. Its effect is to provide that a guarantee required under the Community transit system of Customs documentation for goods removed between Member States may also serve as the guarantee required by Community export restriction regulations when goods subject to an export restriction are moved through a third country between two Member States. It is therefore a measure of simplification.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Part 5 Customs Questions Regulation 101/72 EEC of 14th January, 1972, was published in English translation and made available to Members of Parliament on 27th May, 1972; and whether he will explain how and in what way this will affect Great Britain.

An English text of this regulation was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 19th May. It concerns goods which, whilst not the subject of a claim at the start of their journey, are of a class entitled under the Common Agricultural Policy to payment of export restitution on export from the Community. This regulation is designed to make Customs control more effective by slight adaption of the Community transit system of Customs documentation for goods removed between Member States. It will be taken into account in the preparations now being made for the adoption of the Community transit system upon accession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much on average each surtax payer will gain from his increases in the personal allowances and in the surtax threshold.

About £52 income tax and just under £30 surtax. The latter figure covers 135,000 exempted from surtax by the change, 75,000 who will pay less and 280,000 whose surtax bill will not be changed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will compare the total net incomes of single persons of 67 years of age when in receipt, respectively, of national insurance pension and of full unemployment benefit, flat rate, when they have in addition unearned regular income of £5, £10 and £15 a week, respectively, and when this income has remained the same for over 12 months, showing any tax deductions in each calculation;(2) if he will compare the total net incomes of men of 67 years of age with wives not earning and with no income of their own and with no other dependants when in receipt, respectively, of national insurance pension when in receipt of full unemployment benefit, flat rate, and when they have in addition regular unearned income of £5, £10 and £15 per week, respectively, and when this income has remained the same for more than one year, showing any tax deduction in each calculation.

The figures are:

	Net weekly income (Weekly tax deduction, if any, is shown in brackets)
	Single person	Married man
Source of Income
(1) National Insurance retirement pension plus investment income of:	£	£
(a) £5 per week	11	14·70
(b) £10 per week	14·61	18·78
	(1·39)	(0·92)
(c) £15 per week	17·66	21·32
	(3·34)	(3·38)
(2) Unemployment benefit (flat rate) plus investment income of:
(a) £5 per week	11	14·70
(b) £10 per week	16	19·70
(c) £15 per week	19·90	24·70
	(1·10)
Notes: 1972–73 rates of tax and allowances have been used for purposes of calculating tax. It has been assumed that flat rate unemployment benefit is payable for 52 weeks, although it is in fact payable for only 45 consecutive weeks.

			RUC	RUC	ARMY	UDR	Civilian		Persons under 16
				Reserve			Men	Women	Men	women
1972 (up to 6th June)	…	…	7	1	*31	†8	43	11	‡2	3
* The figure in this column on 24th May, 1972 should have been 26.
† The figure in this column should have read 8 on 24th May, 1972.
‡ This figure is one less than the figures given on 24th May, 1972; this is because the security forces are now satisfied that one person in this category was killed whilst engaging in terrorist activity.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications how many booster stations for improved television reception are to be built in the United Kingdom in the next five years; and how many of these are to be situated in Wales.

The BBC and the ITA, who are primarily responsible for the extension of coverage of their various services, tell me that their plans for relay

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to prevent the desecration of graves in Belfast City Cemetery.

The security forces patrol the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statistics of murders by the Irish Republican Army are now in his possession; and how many of the victims were tortured or mutilated.

pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 8th June, 1972, c. 125, supplied the following information:The numbers of persons who are known to have lost their lives as a result of terrorist activities so far this year are as follows. The civilian figures exclude persons who died while engaged in terrorist activities on behalf of the IRA and persons who were killed in the course of street disorders.stations for the next five years are not sufficiently firm to provide this information.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what was the total amount of television licence fees paid by television viewers in Wales in 1971; and what was the approximate cost of producing BBC Wales programmes in that period.

The BBC tells me that information in the precise form requested is not readily available, but the following figures show costs and income in 1971–72:

Net licence revenue in Wales—£5·3 million.

Cost of television programmes produced in Wales—£2·7 million (including £2 million on BBC Wales).

Cost of radio programmes produced in Wales—£1·1 million.

Share attributed to Wales of other network programmes broadcast in Wales—£4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instruction he has given to the regional office of his Department at Leeds to amend the Supplementary Benefit Claim Form 07 TD.

None. This form, which is used to obtain necessary information about the circumstances of a person claiming supplementary benefit because of a trade dispute, was amended locally in order to resolve doubts as to whether strike pay was available to particular claimants in a particular dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to increase the number of reciprocal agreements with other countries so as to enable British retirement pensioners living abroad to receive increases on such pensions payable to British residents in the United Kingdom.

We seek to increase the number of these agreements whenever possible. I hope that an agreement with Austria will come into force within the next three months. Negotiations for an agreement with Jamaica are well advanced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the total cost of prescriptions to the National Health Service rose by £1,527,870 for the month of January, 1972 over the cost for January, 1971; what percentage of this rise was due to the on-cost allowance; and if he will make a statement.

The number of prescriptions increased by 1·0 per cent. and the average cost, mainly due to higher ingredient costs, by 8·6 per cent.; 9·2 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the present remuneration per week by all grades of hospital doctor and the average remuneration of general practitioners.

The information is as follows:

Grade	Weekly remuneration at existing rates
	£
Consultant
on maximum	131·18
on minimum	86·53
Senior Hospital Medical Officer
on maximum	94·70
on minimum	67·14
Medical assistant
on maximum	94·70
on minimum	52·18
Senior registrar
on maximum	68·81
on minimum	52·93
Registrar
on maximum	55·35
on minimum	44·65
Senior House Officer
on maximum	44·65
on minimum	39·12
House officer
on maximum	36·13
on minimum	31·18

The fees and allowances recommended by the Review Body are intended to provide an average net remuneration for general medical practitioners of £5,185 a year—equal to £99·44 a week.The remuneration of doctors and dentists taking any part in the National Health Service is subject to review for the period beginning 1st April, 1972, by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many operations on private patients were carried out in National Health Service hospitals during 1971.

The information is not available centrally and it would involve a disproportionate amount of time and money to obtain it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many private operations were carried out in Manchester Regional Hospital Board area in National Health Service hospitals during 1971.

The information is not recorded centrally and to obtain it would involve a disproportionate expenditure of time and money. In 1971 11,555 private in-patients were treated in National Health Service hospitals in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now consider introducing legislation to make directly related financial grants to local authority social service departments whose services have reduced central Government spending on national health and other services; if he will use such grants to encourage better domiciliary and ancillary services for the aged and disabled; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is now considering with the local authority associations the system of grants to follow local government re-organisation. But a scheme of directly related financial grants would seem to be inconsistent with the suggestion made in the Green Paper "The Future Shape of Local Government Finance" that re-organisation should bring to local government greater freedom from detailed controls by central Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if, in view of the special techniques of cost benefit analysis needed to assess the value of various types of social service and of the shortage of such personnel, he will consider provision of extra grants to local authorities who employ specialists from university departments, or other organisations, to produce definitive reports about the needs of the disabled and aged; and if he will make a statement;(2) if, in line with his Department's ten-year plan, he will consider giving extra grants to local authorities to carry out surveys similar to Newcastle-upon-Tyne's employment of the Department of Social Administration at the University of Birmingham, and Leicester's employment of P.A. Consultants Limited to make an evaluation of future social services expenditure; if he will give priority to such expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

The manner in which a local authority carries out surveys of social need and evaluates its social services is for the authority to determine. I have no power to make extra grants to local authorities for these purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will upgrade hospital social workers to parity with social workers employed by local authorities.

The question of the appropriate relationship between the pay of hospital and local authority social workers is one of the matters before the inquiry into the work of probation officers and social workers referred to by my hon. Friend the former Minister of State for Employment on 3rd March, 1972.—[Vol. 832, c. 195–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children of two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 years of age, respectively, have been treated in hospital as a result of injuries attributed to defects in playground equipment in the United Kingdom during each of the last ten years for which records are available; and how many of such injuries proved fatal.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to arrange a meeting between his Department, the National Coal Board and the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the sinking of new coal mines in order to boost coal production.

No. There has been a remarkable recovery in production and stocks since the strike and the emphasis must remain on improving the productivity of existing mines. I must look to the National Coal Board to advise me if and when it thinks it necessary to sink a new mine to meet demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for industrial development certificates have been received for projects in the county of Cardigan during the last 12 months; how many were granted; and what was the square footage of factory floor space involved.

In the employment exchanges most closely approximating to the County of Cardigan one industrial development certificate has been approved and none refused in the 12 months to 30th April, 1972. I regret that details of the certificate cannot be given because of the need to avoid disclosure of information given in confidence by the firm. The Department will continue to do all it can to attract suitable firms to the area.

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

One, in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which of the six European Community countries retain origin marking for merchandise, goods and equipment for the protection of manufacturers and/or consumers; and if he will identify the particular legislation in each case.

France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands require origin marking for a limited range of food products, and under French and German law origin marking is required in certain circumstances where a false impression of origin might otherwise be conveyed. Since details of the legislation are somewhat complex, I shall write to my hon. Friend about them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a general direction to the Central Electricity Generating Board to use waste heat and hot water from power stations for space heating in neighbouring areas.

No. A general direction would not be appropriate, particularly as many schemes would be uneconomic. However, electricity boards already have statutory powers, subject to ministerial approval, to provide heating from waste heat from power stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider introducing legislation to enable his Department to make subsidy payments to assist the British Steel Corporation to offset the social costs of removing or closing down plant; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Government consider that such subsidy payments would not be appropriate. Redundancy payments are, of course, payable to those affected by steel plant closures. Further assistance will be available from ECSC readaptation funds which, as I announced on 23 rd May, we propose to negotiate for workers in the steel industry.—[Vol. 837, c. 1259.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will outline in the Official Report the proposals and support which his Department is giving to bring existing diesel engines up to the BSAU141A standard of smoke emission; and if he will make a statement.

Diesel engine manufacturers are not expected to encounter difficulties in meeting the BSAU141A standard with which new vehicles must comply from 1st April, 1973, under regulations made recently by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport Industries. Existing vehicles are not subject to these new regulations but my right hon. Friend is also considering ways of improving the enforcement of controls over smoke emission from vehicles in use.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representation he has received from the English Tourist Board regarding the classification of hotels; what assistance his Department proposes to give to enable the successful launching of such a scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The English Tourist Board has submitted proposals for the voluntary classification of tourist accommodation based on a statutory registration scheme under Section 17 of the Development of Tourism Act, 1969. These proposals are now being considered and a decision will be announced in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will institute a ban on the importation into this country of pelts of endangered species of wildlife.

We recently restricted the importation of fur skins of certain species agreed internationally as endangered. We would consider extending the controls, if practicable, to other species about which similar expert agreement existed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the air corporations, with the British Airline Pilots' Association and the Civil Aviation Authority about the two-segment aircraft landing approach as a means of reducing aircraft noise; and if he will make a statement.

There have not been any recent discussions with the air corporations or with the Civil Aviation Authority. The British Airline Pilots Association was given an assurance in April last that the technique would not be introduced without full prior consultation. The technique has been explored experimentally in the United States of America and in this country. The results show that though it might offer a reduction in noise in certain areas it causes increased noise near the airport and otherwise gives rise to considerable difficulty from the safety and technical point of view.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to see development work commenced on the proposed industrial estate at Llanbadarn. Aberystwyth.

I understand that the construction of roads and sewers for the industrial site near Factory Bridge, Llanbadarn, is expected to commence not later than September, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities do, and do not, exercise their right to sell council houses to sitting tenants.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newport on 13th March, 1972.—[Vol. 833, c. 3–6.]