asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list and give the locations of the advance or bespoke factories which the Highlands and Islands Development Board has constructed during the last 12 months.

The Highlands and Islands Development Board completed within the last 12 months two bespoke factories, at Inverness and in Shetland, and began construction of three others, at Oban, Stornoway and Cambeltown. The Board began in the same period construction of four advance factories at Alness, Aviemore, Dalcross and Dingwall, and is about to begin construction of a nest of smaller advance factories in Stornoway.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cumulative total of operating expenses of the Highlands and Islands Development Board to date.

The cumulative totals of expenditure by the Highlands and Islands Development Board under the following sub-heads from November, 1965 to 31st March, 1972 are:

		£
Salaries and Wages	…	1,661,938
Travelling and Subsistence	…	227,942
General Administration	…	632,476
Total	…	2,522,356

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement of future electricity generating capacity in the north-east of Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to announce plans for future generation of electricity as a result of discussions with the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board; and what fuel will be used.

There will be a need for additional generating capacity in the area of the North of Scotland Hydro Electricity Board in 1978 and this will be met by a new power station. It will be either nuclear or oil/gas fired.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further representations he has received about the state of the building industry in Scotland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place copies in the Library of any current circulars he intends to send to housing authorities on the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill.

Circulars are at present being prepared for issue to local authorities after enactment of the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill and, at that time, I shall be glad to make copies available to any Member who asks for one.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to make money available to Lanarkshire County Council to implement the town map proposals for Bellshill and Uddingston.

My right hon. Friend has not yet received any investment proposals in respect of these towns from Lanark County Council, but there are shortly to be discussions with the County Council on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he has made in preventing premature death from sudden heart failure due to soft water, especially in the Glasgow area; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend said in reply to a Question from the hon. Gentleman on 10th March, 1971, the nature of the connection between soft water and heart disease is as yet too imperfectly understood to suggest any particular line of action. Research into the problem is still continuing.—[Vol. 813, c. 123.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on the position of Glasgow's selective schools.

I have approved Glasgow Education Authority's proposals for discontinuing junior secondary education in two schools and making comprehensive two senior secondary schools. I am still considering similar proposals in relation to schools in the Bridgeton and Hyndland/Partick areas and also the authority's proposals for reorganising its city-wide selective schools. On 14th June the Court of Session granted an order requiring the authority to make arrangements for a selective intake to certain of the city-wide selective schools next session.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy for listing buildings by contemporary living architects as being of special architectural interest.

It is exceptional for buildings by living architects to be listed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to regard the year spent in training by the original members of children's panels as one year of their three-year term.

Children's panel members have been appointed initially for specific periods which include periods spent in training. To ensure continuity, half of the first panel members were appointed to serve until 30th April, 1973, and the remainder until 30th April, 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will examine the pos- sibility of introducing day centres to which children could be directed for training, by children's panels.

Glasgow Education Authority already provides two day centres for maladjusted children and a third is opening shortly. Several other education authorities also have proposals of this kind and I should be glad to consider any other proposal which may be put forward by local authorities for inclusion in the building programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a circular to local authorities directing their attention to the importance of providing adequate accommodation and staff to ensure the efficient working of children's panels.

Circulars were issued to local authorities in February and April, 1970 drawing attention to their duty to provide adequate accommodation for children's hearings and adequate staff.A circular was issued in November, 1971, asking local authorities to make a systematic review of their responsibilities under the 1968 Act, so that facilities can be provided to meet the demands that are likely to be placed upon them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been taken by his Department to protect those items listed in the various reports of the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments as particularly worthy of preservation.

Monuments so listed are scheduled provided they come within the scope of the Ancient Monuments Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average amount of overtime worked by members of the police force in Scotland.

A recent study by the Police Council for the United Kingdom showed that in a typical four-week period the average weekly overtime worked in Scotland by uniformed constables, sergeants and inspectors was four, three and a half and two and a half hours respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has studied the report published by the Hunterston Development Company on the future development of Hunterston, a copy of which is in his possession; and what action he proposes to take in the light of it.

The interim report which the Hunterston Development Company has received from its consultants is being studied. It will be for the company in the first instance to make proposals for action when the final report is presented in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to take the chair at a meeting of the Scottish Economic Planning Council.

I regularly take the chair at meetings of the Scottish Economic Council and I propose doing so again on 14th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings of the Scottish Economic Council he has attended in the past two years; and when he will next attend a meeting.

There have been 10 meetings of the Council in the two years since 18th June, 1970, and I have attended nine of them. The next meeting is on 14th July and I propose to be in the chair as usual.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he now has to pay official visits to companies and locations in the North-East connected with the development of North Sea oil.

I have already made some visits of this kind and I intend to make more during the Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the £70,000 spent on research and development to assist disabled people in 1971 was spent on aids for the disabled.

About 80 per cent.

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

Since March of this year, local authorities have been free, subject to the terms of a general consent, to sell their houses to sitting tenants without reference to the Secretary of State, and up-to-date particulars are therefore not available. Up to March, 51 local authorities had sought the Secretary of State's consent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of crimes involving violence was committed by persons under 21 years of age in the latest available year; and by what percentage that was an increase or decrease over the previous year's figures.

The table below sets out the numbers of persons age 17 to 20 who were convicted of a crime of violence in 1970 and 1971 and the percentage they bear to all persons over the age of 17 similarly convicted. Because of the changes introduced by Part III of the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1968, no such direct comparison is possible in relation to persons under 17.

		Aged 17–20	Total aged 17 and over	Percentage (1) of (2)
		(1)	(2)	(3)
1970	…	372	1,124	33·1
1971	…	398	1,216	32·7

Crimes of violence comprise murder, attempts to murder, culpable homicide, assaults, threats, rape, assaults with intent to ravish and indecent assault.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information is available to him to indicate in what percentage of crimes involving violence in the latest available year alcoholic consumption was a considerable factor.

The statistical information available to me about crimes is not in a form which enables me to distinguish this.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what percentage in the latest available year the number of crimes involving violence rose or fell; and what was the number.

The provisional number of crimes of violence known to the police in Scotland in 1971 was 3,708, an increase of 504 or 15·8 per cent, compared with the corresponding figure of 3,204 in 1970.Crimes of violence comprise murder, attempts to murder, culpable homicide, assaults, threats, rape, assaults with intent to ravish and indecent assault.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what percentage in the latest available year the number of prosecutions involving the use of cannabis and LSD, respectively, rose or fell; and what were the numbers.

The number of persons proceeded against for offences involving the use of cannabis and LSD under the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1965 and the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964 for the years 1969 and 1970, together with the percentage change, are shown in the table below.

		1969	1970	Percentage increase
Cannabis	…	104	256	146·2
LSD	…	11	44	300·0
The figures for 1971 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students were undergoing social work training at 31st May, 1972.

422.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the £27 million expected to be spent on social work in 1974–75 is estimated to be spent on the chronic sick and disabled, and on children's panels, respectively.

The White Paper on Public Expenditure to 1975–76 (Cmnd. 4829) included provision for estimated expenditure of £34 million on social work services in Scotland in 1974–75. Separate estimates are not avail- able for expenditure on services for the chronic sick and disabled and for children coming before the children's hearings. The administrative costs of children's panels are expected to be about £800,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of rate support grants or their equivalents paid to Glasgow in 1967–68, 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72, respectively.

The total amounts of rate support grants or their equivalents, paid to Glasgow Corporation in the last five years were:

				£
1967–68	…	…	…	26,419,053
1968–69	…	…	…	29,477,019
1969–70	…	…	…	33,597,849
1970–71	…	…	…	38,936,724
1971–72	…	…	…	45,372,127

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been allocated by the Government to increase the number of units for the young chronic sick in Scotland.

As stated in the reply given to the hon. Member on 3rd May, Regional Hospital Boards are aware of their responsibilities to do their best to provide suitable accomodation for the young chronically sick. The provision of such accommodation is usually appropriate to the Boards' own building programmes, schemes within which are selected by the Board themselves. The Government have increased the financial resources available for these programmes.—[Vol. 836, c. 139.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of home helps in Scotland in 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively.

Many home helps are employed part-time, but the full-time equivalent figures are as follows:

1966	…	…	…	…	4,817
1969	…	…	…	…	5,095
1970	…	…	…	…	5,413
The figures for 1971 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the percentage increase in numbers employed in the Home Nursing Service in Scotland between 1970 and 1971.

About 3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest visit of his inspectors to the Corsbie Hall School for handicapped children, in view of the deterioration in staffing standards since the school was officially registered.

The school was inspected on 26th May, and visited again on 15th June. The inspectors reported that the resignation of the headmaster had led to some falling off in standards and they were concerned at the possibility of further deterioration if he and the experienced teachers who are resigning at the end of the term (21st June) were not replaced by competent staff. The proprietor has been asked to ensure that the school is suitably staffed when it resumes after the holidays.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he refused to meet representatives of Fife industrialists to consider the future of the county on the proposed reconstruction of local government.

Following the publication of the White Paper in February, 1971, I agreed to an extended period of consultations about the future of Fife after which I announced my conclusions on 22nd December. This request from representatives of certain firms for a meeting came several months later and it would be misleading and confusing to appear to be starting the process of consultations again.It is nearly three years since the Wheatley Commission made unanimous recommendations on the regional structure, which the Government have accepted, and the Scottish office of the Confederation of British Industry gave their general views on them nearly two and a half years ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for curbing land price increases.

My plans are as outlined in the statement I made in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. MacArthur) on 27th April.My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Development is meeting the Association of Registered House Builders early next month and the local planning authorities soon afterwards to discuss appropriate remedies.—[Vol. 835, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the progress of his consultations with the fishing industry about the setting up of fish producers' organisations.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 22nd May to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang).—[Vol. 837, c. 299.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Highlands and Islands Development Board for the development of the Strath of Kildonan.

I understand from the Highlands and Islands Development Board that some useful progress has been made, particularly in relation to the recommendation about fishing and Kildonan gold.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials of the Highlands and Islands Development Board are employed in transport matters; what representations he has received from the Board on the subject; and what reply he has sent.

Four Board officials are employed directly on transport matters. They include the head of the Transport Division who is also the head of the Industrial Development and Marketing Division. The Board advises me on transport matters and I could not undertake to detail the many consultations constantly taking place between us.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the staff redundancies recently announced by the National Coal Board in Scotland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the results of his review of the system of crofting tenure.

I am not yet in a position to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for the Western Isles (Mr. Donald Stewart) on 24th November, 1971.—[Vol. 826, c. 380.]

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects to appoint the remaining member of the Population Panel in accordance with the statement made on 23rd November last.

As announced by my predecessor on 22nd March, it has been decided not to appoint an additional member.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects a report from the Population Panel; and if he will request it to make an interim statement.

The Panel has been asked to report by the end of the year. To ask it to make an interim statement would be liable to hold up its report which we do not want to delay.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a further statement on the new parliamentary building.

The Services Committee has been considering the results of the competition held for the new parliamentary building and I would anticipate that it will shortly be reporting to the House.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to make available seats at the Chairman's table in Standing Committee on the Finance Bill on the left of the Chairman, for advisers to Opposition Members, to counter-balance the seats occupied by advisers from the Treasury, in order to obtain equality of information.

No. There are no available seats on the left of the Chairman of a Standing Committee. Opposition advisers may use the public seats which, in Standing Committees, are conveniently close to Members' seats.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) how many attendants on the Serjeant at Arms staff have worked in the Palace of Westminster for a longer period than the incremental period for salary increases;(2) whether he will list the salary scales of all categories of staff employed in the Commons part of the Palace of Westminster.

I agree with the view which has always been taken hitherto that it is not in the best interests of the staff that matters dealing with their pay and conditions of employment should be dealt with by means of Question and answer in this House.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) what is the present incremental scale for the salaries of attendants on the Serjeant at Arms staff;(2) which categories of staff employed in the Commons part of the Palace of Westminster receive a meal allowance, a late night allowance and a disturbance allowance; and if he will state the amounts of such allowances;

I must adhere strictly to the views expressed by my predecessors and by a former Speaker that it is not in the best interests of the staff that matters dealing with their pay and conditions of employment should be dealt with by means of Question and answer in this House.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many attendants on the Serjeant at Arms staff have in this Session of Parliament so far worked more than an average of five hours per week overtime; and what is the average time of overtime worked by such staff.

Of the 10 attendants on the Serjeant at Arms' staff, eight of them worked more than an average of five hours per week overtime in this Session. The average amount is 5 hours 38 minutes.

asked the Lord President of the Council what further proposals he has for the better conduct of Northern Ireland legislation.

This question is being urgently considered. The Government accept that there is a case for a committee to scrutinise Northern Ireland Orders in Council.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) why, in the case of non-parliamentary papers, Members of Parliament are generally unable to obtain same from the Vote Office without filling in a green form of application, whereas the Secondary Legislation of the European Economic Community which Her Majesty's Government have declared to be non-parliamentary papers are available at the Vote Office on the same basis as all parliamentary papers;

Parliamentary papers are those which are printed by Command in the numbered series together with papers printed in the sessional series of both Houses. Other Government publications not usually presented to the House are described as "non-parliamentary".For the benefit of Members, however, it was recently decided that those non-parliamentary papers likely to be of general interest to Members should also be placed in the Vote Office. The Secondary Legislation of the European Economic Community naturally falls within this category and consequently a green form does not have to be completed in this case.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement about the late delivery and incompleteness of the OFFICIAL REPORT and other parliamentary papers in the week beginning Monday, 12th June.

These papers are produced overnight, and in normal circumstances are delivered to the House at about 8 a.m.In the week beginning 12th June there were delays due to staff sickness at the Parliamentary Press at a time of very heavy printing demand. In accordance with precedent under these circumstances it was decided to defer Written Questions to the following day's edition in order to ensure the appearance of the OFFICIAL REPORT as early as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is now able to announce the date when he expects to publish the detailed booklet promised regarding the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Bill.

I understand that the Trustees hope to publish a short guide soon after the Bill becomes law, and to follow this up later with a detailed booklet which will naturally take rather longer to produce.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications when he expects an improvement in the percentage of successful first-time connections with dialled local, national subscriber trunk dialling and inter national ISD calls.

The quality of telephone service is primarily a matter for the Post Office with whom the hon. Member should take up any particular difficulty.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what is the estimated cost of the postal services over the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what is the estimated percentage of this expended on wages and salaries of per sons employed therein.

The latest Post Office Report and Accounts shows total postal expenditure in 1970–71 of £446 million, of which 72 per cent. was for pay, pensions and the employer's share of national insurance contributions.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what plans he now has to invite the other member Governments of the Council of Europe to set up a European television and radio service, operating regularly and simultaneously on one channel and one frequency and to which other non-member European countries would be invited to contribute on a regular basis.

None. Broadcasting organisations in Europe are well equipped through their membership of the European Broadcasting Union to provide us with programmes of mutual interest.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he is aware of the poor television reception available to the inhabitants of the Moelfre and Llansilin areas of Denbighshire; and what proposals he has in mind for its improvement.

Yes. Although my aim is to provide the maximum possible coverage in Wales as elsewhere, there are no present proposals which affect this particular area.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will make a statement on the envisaged proposals of the European Economic Community Commission regarding the development of telecommunications and the open purchasing policy of buying equipment from other than national enterprises; and to what extent this will affect the present purchasing arrangements in Great Britain.

I do not yet know whether the Commission will have any proposals to make but we already collaborate closely with the countries of the Six in association with the International Telecommunication Union and the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether agreements for the transfer of the Post Office telecommunications monopoly in the Channel Islands and the postal monopoly in the Isle of Man to those Islands are soon to be concluded.

I expect to conclude these agreements, which will be made under Section 87 of the Post Office Act, 1969, in time for the transfer early in 1973, in the case of the Channel Islands, and in about a year's time, in the case of the Isle of Man.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has noted the inadequate provision of bins or larger receptacles for litter disposal in many English urban and rural areas; and if he will seek power to remedy these deficiencies.

Yes. Power to provide such litter bins is available to all local authorities and parish councils. Authorities must decide the scale of provision for themselves. But I hope that they will bear in mind the extent to which the provision of enough receptacles in suitable places can help to reduce the litter problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many English local authorities, which institute proceedings under the Litter Acts, have provided adequate numbers of bins or larger receptacles for litter disposal throughout their areas.

Details of the numbers of bins or larger receptacles for litter disposal provided by local authorities in England are not available centrally. It is for each authority to decide whether provision is adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the accident on the M1 near Toddington, Bedfordshire, on 9th June, when a lorry broke through the crash barrier and collided with oncoming traffic, he will order an immediate inquiry into crash barriers on the Bedfordshire section of the M1; if he is satisfied with crash barrier construction on all motor ways; and if he will make a statement.

As a result of recent detailed inspections, I am satisfied that the barriers have been constructed in accordance with specifications which are practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment at what date the rest of the M3 motorway will be open to the public.

I cannot add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. James Hill), on 18th April.—[Vol. 835, c. 79.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the removal of defence works of the period 1940–42.

The removal of wartime defence works may attract Exchequer grant and, in assisted areas, may come within Operation Eyesore. I shall shortly be consulting the local authority associations on a proposal that local authorities should draw up a programme for the removal of disfigurements in the countryside.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for improving the road connections between the industrial complex on the western side of Southampton Water with the proposed M27 so as to avoid the residential and shopping areas of Totton.

Work on the Nursling Link from M27 to A35 at Redbridge is due to start later this year. When completed it will, in conjunction with A326 and A35 principal roads, enable traffic from the western side of Southampton Water to join M27. My right hon. friend has no other plans for a link from this area to the motorway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for improving the intersection between the A35 and the B3053, known as the Rushington Roundabout, in the parish of Eling in the county of Hampshire.

It is for Hampshire County Council as the highway authority to consider and plan any improvements which may be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is in a position to state what improvements he contemplates in the canal system between Tinsley and the locks to the east of Barnby Dun; and if he will make a statement.

The British Waterways Board has submitted a £2½ million improvement scheme which is being studied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation for breathalyser tests for drivers of railway trains, with approximate penalties in cases where the alcoholic content of the blood is greater than the maximum permissible for motorists.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his proposal to reorganise vehicle licensing provisions and in particular his proposal to introduce after 1976 temporary licensing powers for motor traders.

The centralisation of vehicle licensing is planned to be completed by the end of 1976. I hope that it may subsequently be possible, given proper safeguards, to authorise approved motor dealers to issue temporary licences to allow a newly purchased vehicle to be used on the road immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which departments of the proposed new local authorities after reorganisation will be statutorily required to publish annual reports on their activities; and which of those departments do not have such a requirement under existing legislation.

The Bill does not set out to change the position with respect to particular reports. Like the Local Government Act, 1933, it gives the Secretary of State and either House of Parliament a general power to obtain from local authorities such reports and returns as they may require.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reach a decision on the inspector's report on the proposals to widen the A259 in Shoreham, Sussex.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many official visits have been paid by Ministers in his Department to Manchester since May, 1971, to discuss with the Manchester City Council the housing problems of the city; and what results have ensued since their visits.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public sector houses are envisaged in building schemes submitted to him by the Manchester City Council since May, 1971; and if he will list each scheme for which he has given loan sanction, indicating the number of dwellings involved and the provisional cost for which the sanction was granted.

The following are the schemes for which tenders have been accepted and subsidies approved since May, 1971:

Scheme	Number of dwellings	Erection costs £
Longsight 4 and 7	680	2,883,324
Denton Main Centre	81	314,456
Butterworth Street	117	483,704
Various Small Sites 2/3	63	252,212
Various Small Sites 3/1	165	535,706
Galston Street	264	1,063,913
Dam Head Farm	591	2,268,477
Longsight 3 and 5	466	2,110,276
Johnson Street Extension	12	37,012
Colshaw Farm Phase 2	138	637,147
Merryfield Street/Smedley Street	87	369,556
Derry Street Phase 2	45	221,925
Elland Street	184	793,015
Denton (Houghton Green)	14	49,290
Longsight 6	175	946,779
Monton Street	240	1,064,746
Galston Street Extension	12	38,968

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the response of Manchester City Council to his request that land should be made available for housing.

One of the Government's actions to make more land available for housing has been to set up under their own auspices meetings with the builders and planning authorities in each region to identify the particular problems concerned and to try to solve them. My Department will pursue any local problems that are shown up.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now make a statement on recent action which he has taken to persuade the Manchester City Council to follow his policy of offering council houses for sale to sitting tenants.

The City Council, like all other housing authorities in England, will have received a copy of Circular 56/72 issued on 13th June urging all local authorities which have been reluctant to sell council houses to those tenants wishing to buy them to reconsider their policies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent his proposals for increasing the supply of homes for sale will enable more building for home ownership to be undertaken by private enterprise within the City of Manchester; and whether he will make a statement.

I am sure that the action being taken by the Government generally to increase the supply of new homes to own should be of as much benefit in Manchester as elsewhere. But progress must depend also on the planning authorities, such as Manchester City Council, actively assisting by trying to ensure an adequate supply of land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in considering applications for loan sanction for council house building schemes, he also considers the overall need for council housing in the area of the local authority seeking the sanction; and what are his general criteria for coming to a decision on applications.

As the Under-Secretary of State explained in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend on 27th April, it is in the first instance for each local housing authority to determine its house building programme in the light of its assessment of the housing needs of its area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the bypasses for Malton, York and Tadcaster are now in the preparation pool; and when a start will be made.

The by-passes for Malton and York have been accepted into the firm roads programme of schemes. Work is expected to start in late 1973 to early 1974, subject to funds being available at the time and a final decision by the Secretary of State on these schemes in the light of statutory procedures under the Highways Acts, 1959 to 1971. In the case of York by-pass, the result of and a decision on a public inquiry are outstanding. Tadcaster by-pass is in the preparation pool but the scheme has not yet reached the stage for consideration of its inclusion in the firm programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people work in the following buildings in Parliament Street: Great George Street Building, the Foreign Office and the Air Ministry.

The approximate capacity of each of these buildings is as follows:

Government Offices, Great George Street	1,900 office staff
Old Public Offices Whitehall (Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office building)	1,650 office staff
Government Offices, Whitehall Gardens (formerly Air Ministry and Board of Trade building)	3,600 office staff

Actual numbers in occupation at any particular date will naturally fluctuate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to ensure that all bridges over motorways are totally enclosed either by glass or wall to avoid people throwing stones or similar objects on the motorways, in the interest of road safety.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to announce the date for increasing the speed limit for touring caravans to 50 miles per hour.

New proposals were circulated for comment on 2nd June and it is too early to forecast their outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when an official survey of the small ports and harbours of Great Britain was last carried out.

I am not aware of any such survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a progress report upon his Department's research into the health hazards of lead in petrol.

I accept the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health that current levels of lead emissions do not present any danger to health, but that it is desirable those levels should not be exceeded and should if possible be reduced. I am urgently reviewing how best to give effect to this advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he is sponsoring into the health hazards of concentrations of carbon monoxide, emanating from vehicle fumes in areas of dense traffic; and when he expects to be able to make a progress report.

Extensive studies, carried out by the Medical Research Council, have shown no danger to health from the levels of carbon monoxide found in heavily trafficked areas. I have just published proposals that all petrol engined vehicles manufactured after 1st April, 1973, should comply with the European standards on vehicle emissions. This would reduce emissions of carbon monoxide by up to 30 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to monitor the levels of sulphur dioxide, in the atmosphere; and what level he regards as the maximum acceptable to the health of the community.

Warren Spring Laboratory receive results from 1,200 sites, monitored by nearly 500 local authorities and other bodies throughout the country and publish them in the National Survey of Smoke and Sulphur Dioxide. Average ground-level concentrations during 1970–71 were 10·8 per cent. lower than in 1968–69 and 26·7 per cent. lower than in 1960–61. These downward trends are expected to continue. One cannot be specific about a maximum consistent with public health, but medical advice is that some adverse effects might be detectable after exposure for 24 hours to an atmosphere containing over 500 microgrammes per cubic metre. The highest annual average for any locality during 1970–71 was 132 microgrammes per cubic metre in Greater London, with a maximum winter average of 340 at some inner London sites.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he is making for interim reports to be made by the Meteorological Office on its further three-year study of the chemical processes in the ozone layer and the effect thereon of Concorde's exhausts.

The results of the Meteorological Office's research will be published as they become available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ascertain from river authorities and publish the number of water power users who have abandoned such use in each river authority area in England in each of the years 1966 to 1972.

No. River authorities have information about the use of water power only where the user holds a licence under the Water Resources Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ascertain from river authorities and publish figures as to the total revenue of each river authority in England from charges to water power users under Sections 23 and 58, respectively, of the Water Resources Act. 1963.

No. I am not satisfied that the value of this information would justify the expenditure involved in obtaining it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ascertain and publish the names of river authorities in England who do not require water power users to be licensed under Section 23 of the Water Resources Act, 1963.

I agree that it would be useful for my Department to publish general guidance on the application of the Act to power generation, and consultations are taking place with the Association of River Authorities and the British Association of Grain, Seed, Feed and Agricultural Merchants Ltd. to this end. When this has been done it will be possible to determine how far there are genuine differences in the interpretation of the Act, which would have to be resolved by the courts. Until then the differences in circumstances between individual river authorities' areas make it impracticable to do this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ascertain and publish the names of river authorities in England which make a specific rate for water power users in their charging schemes under Section 58 of the Water Resources Act, 1963.

The list is as follows:

• Cornwall.
• Cumberland.
• Dee and Clwyd.
• Devon.
• Hampshire.
• Isle of Wight.
• Kent.
• Lancashire.
• Lincolnshire.
• Mersey and Weaver.
• Northumbrian.
• Trent.
• Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimate of the figures on a national basis of reports of cases made by the police and traffic wardens of suspected evasion of road tax payments.

No national figure for reports of suspected unlicensed use is available, but in 1971 there were 554,379 reports following which actual as opposed to suspected unlicensed use was established.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his attention has been drawn to the 1971 Report of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police calling for a system whereby for fixed penalty offences the last registered owner of the vehicle should be held responsible for any offence other than those committed whilst driving; and whether he will initiate either by order or legislation such arrangements.

I am considering such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent Great Britain will be affected by Part 13, Decision 72/135/EEC of 7th March, 1972, on the appointment of members of the Joint Advisory Committee on Social Questions on Road Transport.

I have already answered an almost identical Question from the hon. Member on 14th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 319.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that, at their meeting on 18th May, the Transport Ministers of the Six reached agreement on the adoption of common maximum sizes and weights for lorries and also agreed that France would be allowed to grant aid to her lorry manufacturers in general, and Berliet and Saviem in particular; and whether Great Britain will be enabled to assist by grant-in-aid her lorry manufacturers.

The Council of Ministers has made no decisions on this matter referred to. It has simply adopted proposals which will now form the basis of consultation with the acceding countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give the costs involved in issuing the circulars requesting information on the purchase of new cars; and under what statutory authority these circulars are being issued.

The extra cost of including statistical questions on the new form for registration of a motor vehicle is just under a penny per vehicle registered and is being borne by the motor industry. No statutory powers are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can now announce measures to reduce the risk of accidents on motorways in fog.

I have decided that lighting should be installed on 86 miles of motorway in areas particularly prone to fog. The lengths to be lit, which were chosen by analysing accidents on motorways in fog over a period of three years, are as follows:

	Miles
M1—Scratchwood to Newport Pagnell (Junctions 3 to 14)	38
M1—Nottingham area (Junctions 24 to 26)	11
M5—Almondsbury to Avonmouth (Junctions 16 to 18)	6
M6—Wolverhampton (Junctions 10 to 11)	6
M6—Lymm to Wigan (Junctions 20 to 27)	17
M62—Rockingstone Moss to Ainley Top	8
Total	86

This is the largest single lighting programme ever undertaken and is estimated to cost £2½ million. I hope that the first lights will be installed in the autumn and the whole programme completed during 1973.The Landscape Advisory Committee has been consulted. The design of each individual length of lighting will be put to the Royal Fine Art Commission for comment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will inform every industrial grouping in the United Kingdom of the empty advance factories available in Scotland, drawing particular attention to the facility at Mosshill Industrial Estate.

Vacancies are made known very widely in industrial and commercial circles through Government and other agencies and by means of the press, and any company interested can readily get any further detail from our various offices throughout the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Skyvan aircraft have been authorised by his Department to be built by Shorts of Belfast; how many have been built; how many more are to be authorised; and when authorisation is to be given for the development of a stretched version of this aircraft.

It would be contrary to the company's interests for me to disclose details of the numbers of aircraft authorised. 74 have been completed. The proposal for a stretched Skyvan is still in the study phase.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had, and with whom, concerning the sale of Skyvan aircraft produced in Belfast for the armed services.

The purchase of aircraft for our own armed services is a matter for my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. The company has sold some 20 military versions of the Skyvan to foreign forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Skyvan aircraft made in Belfast have been purchased by concerns in Eire.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the total of launching aid made available to the aircraft industry since 1960, and the amount made available to Shorts of Belfast.

A total of some £150 million has been made available in the form of launching aid to the aerospace industry since 1960. Shorts have not received launching aid but have received substantial financial assistance in other ways.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificate applications have been received for projects in Scotland since changes were announced in Government regional policy.

Fifty-one industrial development certificates have been approved and none refused.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many machine tool firms are established in Wales; and what is the total number of people employed.

The provisional results of the 1968 Census of Production record that there were 14 establishments in Wales classified to the metal working machine tool industry with a total employment during 1968 of 950 persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to establish a separate Consumer Council for Scotland.

No. I do not exclude the possibility of new institutions in this field. But it remains my view that the main functions of a body like the former Consumer Council are more appropriate to private consumer organisations than to a body appointed and financed by the State.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent Great Britain will be affected by Part 3, Decision 72/106/ECSC of 31st January, 1972, on the appointment of representative organisations chosen to establish the lists of candidates for the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14th June.—Vol. 838, c. 333.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what study has been given to the regulation of the European Economic Community Council No. 805/72 dated 17th April, 1972; and what consultation he has had with the tobacco companies regarding this.

Both the Department and the Tobacco Advisory Committee are aware of the provisions of this Regulation, which relates to the target and intervention prices for Community-grown leaf tobacco from the 1972 harvest. The Regulation will have no foreseeable effect on the United Kingdom tobacco manufacturing industry, since no significant quantities of Community-grown tobacco are imported into the United Kingdom at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, following proposals put to him in March and April, what conclusions he has drawn from the investigation of possible revisions of the Mole Valley and Dover Two departure routes from Heathrow Airport; and what action he proposes, consistent with maximum safety, to reduce the number of people affected by aircraft noise in the Twickenham constituency.

The investigation has now been completed. With a view to reducing overall noise disturbance it is the intention to put into operation, on an experimental basis for a period from 20th July this year, a revision of the first leg of the Mole Valley route so that aircraft will fly over the open spaces of Fulwell Golf Course and Bushy Park. A final decision about the route will not be taken until the results of the experiment have been assessed. The question of the Dover Two route is being further considered but it is not proposed to alter it during the period of the Mole Valley experiment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his talks with Icelandic Ministers on the proposed extension of fisheries limits.