asked the Minister of Defence what training facilities are now available for Her Majesty's forces in the Persian Gulf; and what training has been carried out.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about Her Majesty's forces stationed, and training, in the Gulf.

Since the formation of the United Arab Emirates, we have carried out one infantry and one Royal Engineer exercise; two naval visits have taken place and two survey vessels have been working in the Gulf. In addition, Royal Air Force aircraft have made regular use of Gulf airfields. A full programme of similar activities is planned for the rest of the year. Apart from a field firing range, made available by the Union Defence Force, no special training facilities are required. Stationed in the Gulf we have a Military Advisory Team which, together with personnel on loan to the local Rulers, provide valuable assistance to the forces of the UAE.

asked the Minister of State for defence if he will make a further statement on the operations of the British Army in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the progress of operations in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the operations of the Army in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a further satement on the operations of the armed forces in Northern Ireland.

The Army continues to assist the civil authorities to prevent violence and, in particular, to counter terrorist attacks and prevent intercommunal clashes.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the average length of time which elapses before an Army unit is asked to undertake a second tour of duty in Northern Ireland; and what is the minimum period which has elapsed.

The normal emergency tour for Army units in Northern Ireland is four months. The average interval between such tours is now about 10 months. The minimum period which has elapsed is six months.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what proposals he has for improving security on the Crumlin Road and Oldpark Road areas of Belfast; and how many soldiers are stationed there on a regular basis.

The possibility of improving security measures in these and other areas of Northern Ireland is being, and will continue to be, given the closest attention. It is not the practice to reveal the detailed deployment of troops, but the situation in each area is kept under constant review and their deployment is adjusted as necessary.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what further representations he has received with regard to the presence of nuclear weapons in the Clyde.

None; but I have agreed to receive a deputation from Glasgow Corporation on 27th June, 1972.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the aircraft utilisation and equipment of the Royal Air Force Communications Squadrons; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the squadrons are well used and equipped, but some additions to the force to meet growing requirements are being considered.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many of the Jetstream aircraft to be supplied against the current Royal Air Force order will be secondhand aircraft imported from North America.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Mr. Luce) on 5th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 28.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the state of industrial relations between the Ministry of Defence and Port Auxiliary Service personnel in the United Kingdom.

A revised national pay offer has recently been made to Port Auxiliary Service ratings and, with the exception of those at the Rosyth Naval Base, all men are working normally.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study he has made of the design of Sea Control ships, as developed by the United States Navy; what decisions he has reached on this new concept; and whether he will make a statement.

There is a regular exchange of information and views between the Royal Navy and the United States Navy on the United States Sea Control Ship project. I understand, however, that this project has not yet reached the design stage and that trials to validate the operational concept are currently in progress.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will now initiate project definition studies into the technical requirements of a variant of the Harrier aircraft for Naval operations.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a state- ment on the use of Harrier aircraft or super-Harriers by the Royal Navy.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he now has to order Harrier aircraft for the Royal Navy to gain experience of operating vertical short take-off and landing aircraft at sea.

Studies of V/STOL in a maritime rôle are being pressed forward vigorously and we are approaching the stage when industry could be invited to undertake project definition studies.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he is taking to promote the sale of Harrier aircraft to the Swiss Air Force.

The Ministry of Defence has placed its full resources at the disposal of Hawker Siddeley Aviation to help it in promoting the sale of this unique aircraft to Switzerland. We are in regular contact with the Swiss authorities on this matter.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what proposals he has for further alterations in the system of training Army officers.

Following the introduction of the new pattern of officer cadet training, which I described during the debate on the Army Estimates on 16th March, a much wider review of the training of Army officers is to be made, covering the time from first commissioning up to promotion to lieutenant-colonel and including staff training. When the terms of reference and composition of the reviewing body are settled I will make a further announcement.—[Vol. 833. c. 784–5.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what are the rules governing the publication of books by serving officers; and whether he will review these in the light of recent experience.

The regulations governing the publication of books by serving officers require serving members of Her Majesty's Forces who wish to publish information or views on matters affecting the Armed Forces, or on matters to which they have had access in their official capacity, to seek permission beforehand from the Ministry of Defence. These regulations are kept under regular review.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will pay an official visit to the School of Infantry, Warminster.

I plan to do so later this year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that earnings for comparable work by civilian employees in Fleet Establishments and other Ministry of Defence Establishments at present without productivity on bonus schemes are brought into line with earnings at establishments with such schemes; and whether he will make a statement.

About two-thirds of the industrial employees in the Ministry of Defence are currently in receipt of productivity payments or incentive bonuses of one kind or another. The scope for further schemes will be largely determined by the practacibility of improving the efficiency of establishments to a degree which makes the schemes financially viable and attractive to both management and the employees.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the troubles concerning the servicing of nuclear submarines at Rosyth Dockyard.

Except for the Port Auxiliary Service, whose industrial members at Rosyth withdrew their labour on 23rd May, the dockyard is working normally and the refitting of HMS "Repulse" has been only slightly affected. We are discussing with the trade unions ways of settling the Port Auxiliary Service dispute and of securing the with- drawal of threats made some time ago by other employees to revert to 40-hour working.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the present size and deployment of the British presence East of Suez, following the Moscow Summit meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. We welcome the progress made at the Moscow Summit; but it would be wrong to respond to it by changing our defence priorities.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about recruiting to the Ulster Defence Regiment.

Although recruitment to the Ulster Defence Regiment has slowed down recently, in many areas battalions are up to strength and the immediate task is to increase the numbers in those battalions which are under-recruited. The present strength is 8,838, and recruitment is generally satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will, on behalf of the Government, tender to the Commission on the Constitution a memorandum setting out proposals for the establishment of an elected Council for Wales.

No. In any event, the Government do not have it in mind to submit further evidence to the Commission. The Commission is now in course of considering its report, which it aims to complete by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many voluntary organisations were asked by the Metropolitan Police to help with the train disaster at Eltham on 11th June.

None, because the combined resources of the police, fire and ambulance services and members of voluntary organisations who arrived quickly on the scene were sufficient for the task. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport Industries, in his statement on 12th June, acknowledged the magnificent way in which all concerned carried out the work of rescue, and I am glad to have this opportunity of adding my tribute to the help given by voluntary organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions police cars in the Metropolitan Police area have been sent together with police officers to trade union strikers to deliver messages to tell them to report for work; and whether he will cause a further investigation to be made into the case of the two railway strikers who were so visited by police on Sunday, 14th May,1972;(2) why the police acted as messengers for the Railways Board in asking striking railway workers to return to work on Sunday, 14th May; and whether the police will deliver such private messages for private persons where there is no question of danger or loss of life to either the message sender or the recipient.

The circumstances in which messages were delivered on 14th May have been investigated by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis and an explanation has been given to the hon. Member. I see no need for further inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that in the absence of a court order vesting legal custody of a child in one parent alone, such custody shall be vested jointly in both parents.

My right hon. Friend intends to introduce legislation to give both parents equal rights of guardianship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amend the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to conform with common law practice by providing for the payment of compensation for loss of expectation of life.

In cases where an injury does not result in the victim's death, the Board follows the practice of the civil courts in this respect. In fatal cases, the Board may entertain applications for compensation from a victim's spouse or dependant. My right hon. Friend does not consider that, in an ex gratia scheme of this kind, payment should be made from public funds for the benefit of the victim's estate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action he is now taking to improve conditions in Brixton Prison; and if he will make a statement.

The period allowed for exercise is being increased whenever possible from one hour to one and a half hours. Additional films are to be shown in the afternoons; and improvements are being made in the method of serving food and in the arrangements for shaving.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why vacancies for women immigration officers are being filled from within the Civil Service only, while vacancies for male immigration officers are being advertised.

Because sufficient volunteers for present purposes are expected from this source.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of male and female immigration officers, respectively; and what is the highest rank held by a female immigration officer.

In the basic grade, 958 and 11. No female immigration officer is yet above the basic grade.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions vacancies for female immigration officers have been notified within the Civil Service; and in which departments such notification has been circulated.

On two occasions—April, 1971 and April, 1972—and to all Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Home Office approved the text of the advertisement for immigration officers which appeared in the Daily Telegraph on 8th June.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average interval of time between appeals tribunal decisions in respect of Broadmoor patients and the subsequent notification of his own decision.

In the six months ended 31st March, 1972, 44 cases of restricted patients in Broadmoor were referred to mental health review tribunals. For 38 of these the average interval between receipt of the tribunal's advice and notification of a decision to the hospital was a little over 23 days. The remaining six cases presented features of special difficulty, calling for further inquiries, and are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has not yet announced the name of the new Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board; and why he will not give an assurance that the person appointed should give his full time to this appointment.

The answer to the first part of the Question is that it is too soon. As regard the second part, I have soon. As regards the second part, I have to a Question by the hon. Member on 10th February.—[Vol. 830, c. 421.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an assurance that he will not resort to any action under the Industrial Relations Act or reference to the Industrial Court on the application for a 13½ per cent. increase in police salaries.

No application for an increase in pay is before the Police Council. Anyway, the provisions of the Act do not apply to the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give an assurance that when he received the deputation from the Metropolitan Branch of the Police Federation on 24th May no mention was made of a special £200 a year pay rise for Metropolitan Police Officers notwithstanding the 13½ per cent. application which is under consideration.

The hon. Member is misinformed. No such claim is at present under consideration by the Police Council. I cannot usefully add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member's Question on 8th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 139.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek to arrange to meet ex-Detective Chief Superintendent Keneth Drury to discuss with him all matters pertaining to the trial of Patrick Murphy for the murder of Reginald Stevens, the sub-postmaster at Luton.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the total number of policemen and policewomen, stated ranking officers, coaches, buses and cars, and motor-cyclists, and all police arrangements in operation in and around the Chobham Farm area, Stratford, London E.15, between 12 noon and 5 p.m. on Friday, 16th June; and, taking account of the six hours pay for each police officer and the other costs involved, what was the total expenditure for this exercise.

One commander, three chief superintendents, three inspectors, six sergeants, 60 constables and three coaches. As the police officers were drawn from those already on duty and no overtime payments were incurred, extra cost arose only from the use of the coaches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as the programme "Police Five", which has been a regular feature on Granada Television since 1963, has assisted the Manchester and Salford Police Force in detecting and arresting criminals, he will obtain from the Chief Constable for Lancashire a report giving details of the successes obtained, and publish these in the Official Report.

The Chief Constable of Manchester and Salford informs me that, between 1st January and 31st May, information about 62 cases was broadcast on the Granada Television programme "Police Five". Useful information was received from the public in 18 cases and led to the successful outcome of investigation in seven cases. The corresponding figures for 1971 were 214, 44 and nine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the future organisation of the probation and after-care service in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Government intend that the probation and after-care service should continue to be a separate service, organised in local areas under committees of magistrates. They also intend that the system of financing it through local authorities should in principle remain unchanged, but are prepared to increase the grant from its present level of 50 per cent. to 80 per cent. I have so informed the local authority associations.The boundaries of probation and aftercare areas will have to be adjusted in consequence of local government reorganisation. After consulting the national probation organisations and other interested organisations, I have decided to use my existing powers to establish a probation area for each new county, subject to the possibility of combination of those where the service would otherwise be very small. I am aware of anxiety in the service that the creation of probation areas in the largest metropolitan counties might, because of their size, be detrimental to the relationship between individual officers and their employers, but this could be met by establishing sub-areas and delegating functions to them in relation to the operational work of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of children staying on at school beyond the ages, respectively, of 15, 16, 17 and 18 years in Northamptonshire.

In January, 1971, in maintained schools, 47·5 23·2, 12·9 and 36 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery school places have been authorised and how many have been provided under the Urban Programme and the Educational Priority Area Programme, respectively, in each year since 1967.

Full-time nursery places in England approved under the Urban Programme are as follows:

Phase 1	…	…	…	5,040
Phase 2	…	…	…	5,026
Phase 3	…	…	…	5,279
Phase 5	…	…	…	2,535

Phases 1 and 2 relate to projects expected to start in the period 1968–70. Phases 3 and 5 provide for building starts up to 31st March, 1973.The special addition to the school building programmes for 1968–69 and 1969–70 in educational priority areas was devoted mainly to the replacement of old primary schools for children of compulsory school age. A few projects included nursery classes, but the total of about 850 nursery places included the replacement of existing provision for nursery education.The number of full-time places for children under five (excluding the rising fives) in maintained schools in England rose from 78,000 in January, 1967, to 117,000 in January, 1971. Although this increase is partly due to additional places approved under the Urban Programme, the majority of these places had not been taken into use by January, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will introduce legislation to make uniform the practice of local education authorities regarding grants for post-graduate students taking secretarial courses;(2) if she will introduce legislation to require all local education authorities to pay grants only at the mandatory rate to Higher National Diploma students.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will introduce legislation to end local education authorities' discretion over the level of awards given to students on non-designated courses, in view of the importance of these courses in securing educational opportunity for the early school-leaver.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) on 21st June.—[Vol. 839, c. 131.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will consider setting up an independent inquiry into the working of the Teachers' Superannuation Scheme, in view of concern expressed by the London Schoolmasters' Association at the working of the present scheme.

I have nothing to add to the answers given to Questions by the hon. Members for Newark (Mr. Bishop) and St. Helens (Mr. Spriggs) on 25th and 26th May.—[Vol. 837, c. 445–6; c. 505–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will set up a committee to compare and evaluate the merits of the various arrangements for the training overseas, at public expense, in foreign languages of United Kingdom students in terms of student benefit and cost effectiveness.

No. My right hon. Friend does not consider that this would be a practicable task for any committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation he has had with the United States of America Department of Defence following President Nixon's recent visit to Moscow.

Consultations between the British and United States authorities on matters of common interest take place on a continuing basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking, in concert with other Governments, to ensure that chemical weapons, and the equipment for their manufacture, are kept within the control of Governments and out of the hands of international terrorists.

The responsibility for maintaining adequate safeguards against the unauthorised acquisition of chemical weapons lies with those Governments which maintain stocks of such weapons. Stocks of lethal chemical weapons are in fact held by very few countries. On the general question of controlling chemical weapons, Her Majesty's Government are playing an active part in the discussions of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament designed to achieve international agreement on effective measures for the complete prohibition of their development, production and stockpiling and for their destruction.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, before reaching a decision about the continuation, in the long term, of sanctions against Rhodesia, he will consider the effect on the morale of the Africans in Rhodesia of such sanctions.

I have nothing to add to the statement which I made about sanctions in the debate on 15th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 1763–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what part the United Kingdom is playing in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society's project on environmental and regional planning piloted by France.

Her Majesty's Government, together with the United States, are co-pilots in this project. Our contribution has been to write a number of papers describing the rôle and interaction of institutions dealing with environmental questions, the machinery of decision-making on environmental questions, and illustrations of both these aspects by case studies of specific geographic areas. A meeting is due to be held in Paris at the end of this month, at which officials of the Department of the Environment will be present, to begin drafting a final report to be presented at the next Committee on Challenges of Modern Society Plenary meeting in November.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign ad Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on his Departments preparations for a future European Security Conference.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working intensively on preparations for the European Security Conference. Other Whitehall Departments concerned are working closely with it. This work is taking place within the framework of wider consultations with both the present members of the European Community and the other acceding states, and the members of the North Atlantic Alliance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place between officials of his Department and representatives of the Administration of the United States of America in preparation for the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks which took place in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in May.

The United States Government have been in close touch with their allies throughout the course of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) why the English translation of European Economic Community Secondary Legislation Part 3 Community Institutions Decision 72/1052/ECSC of 23rd March, 1972, was not made available to hon. Members before 17th June, 1972;(2) why the English translation of European Economic Community Secondary Legislation, Part 32 Milk and Milk Products Regulation 445/72/EEC of 29th February, 1972, was not made available to hon. Members before 17th June, 1972.

I have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member's similar Questions on 5th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he now intends to introduce a statutory incomes policy.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will invite the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry to 10, Downing Street to discuss an incomes policy, in the light of the latest National Institute report.

The report confirms that if pay settlements are made at excessive levels prices are bound to increase at unacceptable levels. The current series of talks with the TUC and CBI which cover a wide range of economic issues will indicate the prospects for any new approach to securing moderation in pay settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males are registered as unemployed in the Newport, Monmouthshire, employment exchange area; and how many male vacancies existed at the latest available date.

At 12th June, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Newport and Newport Docks Employment Exchanges was 2,371. At 7th June, 170 notified vacancies for males remained unfilled. The vacancy figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males are registered as unemployed in the county of Monmouthshire; and how many male vacancies existed at the latest available date.

At 12th June, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the County of Monmouthshire was 6,824. At 7th June, 427 notified vacancies for males remained unfilled. The vacancy figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons are registered as unemployed in Monmouthshire; and how many vacancies existed at the latest available date.

Provisional figures for June show that there were 716 unemployed young people and 180 unfilled vacancies in the County of Monmouthshire. The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will initiate an inquiry into the reasons why many firms in Scotland do not employ their statutory quota of disabled persons.

The operation of the quota scheme has recently been examined in depth within my Department and I consider therefore that a further inquiry on the lines suggested would serve no useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the 38 most recent public sector pay settlements, indicating in each case the group of persons covered, the estimated percentage rise in earnings and the numbers involved.

Details of the 33 settlements which have been made public are as follows. The remaining

PUBLIC SECTOR SETTLEMENTS NOTIFIED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SINCE THE COALMINING SETTLEMENT OF FEBRUARY, 1972
Agreement	Approximate number of workers involved	Estimated percentage increase in earnings (at annual rate) resulting from settlement	Operative date
Post Office—Drawing Office Grades	2,900	11·0	1st August, 1971
Civil Service—Departmental Police	4,000	6·5	1st September, 1971
Inner London Education Authority—Laboratory Workshop and Tool Technicians	1,100	8·5	1st October, 1971
University Teachers	26,900	7·5	1st October, 1971
Civil Air Transport, National Joint Industrial Council	55,000	8·3	1st October, 1971
			1st October, 1972
Coalmining—
Managerial Grades	13,600	13·1	1st November, 1971
Clerical, Typing and Machine Grades	19,000	16·5	1st November, 1971
Electricians employed by Local Authorities	3,000	7·0	2nd November, 1971
Water Supply Industry—Craftsmen	2,550	10·8	5th December, 1971
National Health Service—Medical Laboratory Technicians	11,800	7–7·5	1st January, 1972
Post Office—
Manipulative Grades	200,000	8·7	1st January, 1972
Clerical, Secretarial, Typing and Machine Grades	40,000	9·0	1st January, 1972
Cable and Wireless Grades	1,300	6·7	1st January, 1972
Local Authority—Doctors	2,760	5·9*	1st January, 1972
Prison Service	12,500	7·5	1st January, 1972
Gas Supply—Maintenance Craftsmen	5,000	7·7	16th January, 1972
Forestry Commission—Manual Workers	8,500	9·2	31st January, 1972
Electricity Supply—Administrative and Clerical Workers	52,000	7·75	1st February, 1972
National Health Service—Hospital Pharmacists	850	8·0	1st March, 1972
British Steel Corporation—Craftsmen	23,000	10·7†	12th March, 1972
National Health Service—Nurses and Midwives	350,000	8·0	1st April, 1972
Teachers in Establishments of Further Education, Farm Institutes and Colleges of Education (England and Wales)	66,000	7·7	1st April, 1972
Electricity Supply—Managerial Grades	1,500	7·7	1st April, 1972
Teachers in Primary and Secondary Schools (England and Wales)	364,000	9·6	1st April, 1972
National Health Service—
Administrative and Clerical Grades	69,000	7·7	1st April, 1972
Professions supplementary to Medicine	15,000	8·0	1st April, 1972
Remploy Ltd. (Severely Disabled Employees)	7,500	10·0	1st April, 1972
London Transport Executive—Platform Staff	23,000	7·5	8th April, 1972
British Road Services—Operating and other Wages Grades	22,000	9·0	15th May, 1972
British Steel Corporation—Blast-furnacemen and Process Workers	84,000	10·7†	4th June, 1972
National Health Service—Dental Surgery Assistants, Dental Hygienists and Dental Auxiliaries	1,660	7·6	1st July, 1972
Gas Supply Industry—Staffs	54,000	8·1	1st July, 1972
Post Office—Engineering Grades—Manual Workers	119,000	9·9	1st July, 1972
* Agreement lasts to 30th September, 1972.
† Last increase 27th June 1971. Craftsmen's Agreement covers 15 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of redundancies notified in Wales in 1972 to date; and in which occupations these have occurred.

This information is not available in the form requested. However, redundancies notified to my Department in Wales during the period 1st January to 16th June, 1972, involved the following numbers of workpeople in each of the main industrial groups:

Mining and Quarrying	…	310
Food, Drink and Tobacco	…	320
Chemicals and Allied Industries	…	130
Metal Manufacture	…	1,800
Mechanical Engineering	…	520
Instrument Engineering	…	410
Electrical Engineering	…	350
Vehicles	…	220
Other Metal Goods	…	390
Clothing and Footwear	…	120
Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement, etc	…	440
Timber, Furniture, etc.	…	150
Paper, Printing and Publishing	…	260
Construction	…	100
Distributive Trades	…	290
Other industries and services	…	290
Total	…	6,100

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report those items that comprise the cost of living index.

The list of some 350 items for which prices are collected for use in calculating the General Index of Retail Prices is published in a booklet entitled "Method of Construction and Calculation of the Index of Retail Prices".As the list would occupy several pages of the Official Report, I am sending a copy of the booklet to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Committee of Inquiry into Safety and Health at Work to be published.

My right hon. Friend has now received the report of the Robens Committee on Safety and Health at Work and hopes to publish it within a month.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give a list of his official engagements on Thursday, 15th June.

Following is the information:11.30—Speech to the Plenary Session of the 57th International Labour Conference at Geneva.13.00—Luncheon with the French Minister of Labour.18.00—Host for Reception for Commonwealth delegates to the Conference.20.30—Dinner given by the Permanent Head of the United Kingdom Delegation to the International Agencies in Geneva.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the votes cast by the British delegation at the Stockholm environmental conference.

The United Kingdom Delegation voted on many occasions in discussions in the Plenary Session and the three Committees of the Conference. The effect of these votes was to pursue the policy set out in Chapter 9 of the Government's publication for the Conference—"The Human Environment—The British View" and to obtain the eight objectives set out in my opening speech details of which I will circulate in the Official Report. I will also make available in the Library the full text of my speech.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the requirement in the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act, 1970, that local authorities carrying out maintenance work by direct labour on behalf of other public authorities should keep separate trading accounts of these activities will be binding on the new local authorities after reorganisation; and whether he will extend the requirement to cover local authority direct labour building in their own areas.

The answer to the first part of the question is Yes, to the second part, No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he, or one of the Ministers in his Department, will pay an official visit to Doncaster to assess the environmental effects of his proposed route for the M18 motorway, and of the Coalite Plant at Rossington.

A visit to the Coalite Plant at Rossington is being arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the accident statistics during each of the last five years on the A38 between the Bristol city boundary and Highbridge.

Following are the figures:

			Number of injury accidents
Year			Fatal	Serious	Slight
1967	…	…	2	24	48
1968	…	…	8	41	59
1969	…	…	7	38	68
1970	…	…	7	61	75
1971	…	…	9	35	70

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Avon Bridge carrying the M5 to be opened to traffic.

There have been delays on this project because of the need to check the box girder structure and other difficulties and the completion date is now under review. I cannot give a firm date for opening at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the accident statistics during each year since its opening on the Long Ashton bypass.

Road accident statistics for local areas, except where trunk roads are involved, are a matter for the local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his Manual on Pedestrian Safety.

As soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that Her Majesty's Government has taken all necessary steps to ensure the safety of platforms and rigs in the North Sea, essential for the supply of oil and gas to the United Kingdom, from attacks by international terrorists.

The protection of offshore facilities forms part of the Department's defence strategy relating to our energy industries. There is close collaboration with the Defence Department on the practical measures which may be taken to ensure an adequate defence system.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the retail trade on the introduction of metric units of weight; and if he will make a statement.

The current series of discussions on the introduction of metric quantities in the retailing sector, in particular for foodstuffs, began in 1969 when several conferences were organised by the BSI between manufacturers and retailers at which my predecessors were represented. Since then the Metrication Board has been formed and has set up steering committees for the consumer goods and distribution industries at which metrication issues are discussed. Officials of my Department regularly attend these committees. Under the provision of the Weights and Measures Act, we shall be consulting, among others, the retail trade before introducing any orders permitting the use of metric units of weight for goods for which quantities are prescribed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to amend the Weights and Measures Act to ensure that foodstuffs which require to be sold, if prepacked, in standard imperial units of weight will be sold in metric units; and what metric weights will be substituted for the existing imperial weights.

Our consultations with industry and consumer interests will enable us to decide when it would be most appropriate to seek to amend the provisions of the Act to permit the sale of these classes of foodstuffs, but I cannot forecast any timing until these dis- cussions are further advanced. So far as is practicable, I should expect the metric quantities introduced to be simple fractions of the kilogramme or of the litre.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he will take to protect consumers when metric units are introduced for foodstuffs in the retail trade.

I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to paragraphs 68 and 69 of the White Paper on Metrication, Cmnd. 4880. We are discussing this in more detail with the industries concerned and with groups representing consumers, and would welcome suggestions from other interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he anticipates that the European Economic Community Council directive number 71/354 relating to units of measurement will be applied in Great Britain in the event of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

As indicated in paragraph 31 of the White Paper on Metrication, Cmnd. 4880, we have until 31st August, 1976, to agree with the Community the future status of the imperial units presently in use in this country. Where no decision has been reached by that date the units concerned will be authorised for continuing use until 31st December, 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will request the Committee of Inquiry into the Trident disaster to consider to what extent pilot/management relations contributed to the accident, in view of the details supplied to him by the hon. Member for Windsor.

The public inquiry will cover all aspects of the circumstances leading to the Trident disaster. I will arrange for the information received from my hon. Friend to be drawn to the attention of the Treasury Solicitor, who is responsible for preparing the case for presentation at the inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many helicopters with a civilian air-sea rescue rôle, for which grants are provided by his department, are not equipped with winches; where these helicopters are based; what estimate his Department has made of the cost of equipping them with winches; and if he will take steps so to equip them.

All helicopters carrying out air-sea rescue work under contract to the Department are fitted with winches when engaged in this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a decision has been reached by him on the proposal that the British Leyland Motor Company should repay part of their Industrial Reorganisation Corporation loans.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has agreed to accept immediate repayment of £20 million of the £25 million unsecured subordinated IRC loan due in 1975, on terms which have been negotiated with BLMC. These terms include an improvement in the status of the remaining £5 million, together with a revision of the interest rate and terminal date. An element in the restructuring will be the replacement of the £10 million revolving machine tool facility by a fixed-interest term-loan

asked the Prime Minister what recent proposals for settling industrial disputes have been put to him by the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress; what reply he has sent to them; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Prime Minister what formal meetings he has now arranged with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress jointly in July and subsequently to discuss mutually acceptable ways of combating inflation.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the progress of his discussions with representatives of the Confederation of British Industry concerning the future of the wages negotiations conciliation scheme.

Following the meetings which I had with them, the CBI and the TUC began to discuss yesterday their respective proposals for possible new arrangements to help resolve disputes. At an appropriate time the Government will join these discussions.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Department of Trade and Industry on security at British airports: and if he will make a statement.

Yes. There is the closest liaison, through the National Aviation Security Committee and otherwise, between Government Departments, the police, airlines, airport authorities and trades unions on matters affecting aviation security.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and the Secretary of State for Education and Science on the policy of purchasing machine tools, suitable for industrial training.

Co-ordination takes place wherever necessary, but responsibility for direct Government expenditure on the purchase of machine tools for training lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent discussion with the Danish Government.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent official visit to Denmark.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about his recent official visit to Denmark.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his recent official visit to Denmark.

I welcomed this opportunity for discussing with the Danish Prime Minister during my visit a wide range of subjects of interest to both countries, including the future of the enlarged Community, European security and other international issues.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to make an official visit to Lancashire.

On 21st August, when I have accepted an invitation to open the World Assembly of Youth at Manchester.

asked the Prime Minister what recent representations have been make to him on his responsibilities for honours lists; and what reply he has sent.

I receive and welcome suggestions from a great variety of sources on possible candidates for inclusion in Honours Lists; and I undertake that they will be, as they are, carefully considered.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the official discussions he had with Mr. George Meany on Wednesday, 7th June.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to a Question from the hon. Member for Southall (Mr. Bidwell).

asked the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has made official visits to Scotland in the last two years; and what plans he has for further visits before the end of the year.

Six. I have at present no specific plans for further visits.

asked the Prime Minister what reply he has given to Islington Borough Council's request in a letter of 12th May that he should receive a deputation from the Council to discuss the withdrawal of the Housing Finance Bill.

I have told the Council that, since the proposals in the Bill have been discussed at length and in detail with the local authority associations, I am unable to meet their request.

asked the Prime Minister how many requests he has received from local authorities and other organisations asking him to receive deputations to discuss the Housing Finance Bill; and how many of them he has met.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answers to his Questions of 4th May and today.—[Vol. 836, c. 201.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a general direction to the Potato Marketing Board, under Section 20 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1958, to refrain from holding back old potatoes for dumping, in view of the effect this is having on the supply of potatoes to fish and chip shops in particular areas.

I understand that the Potato Marketing Board have not been holding back old potatoes from the market, but on the contrary have been actively encouraging producers with stocks of potatoes under contract to the Board to release them on to the market. It is always possible towards the end of the main crop season for some areas to be short of some qualities of old potatoes, and merchants who have difficulty in obtaining supplies should contact their local or divisional office of the Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the Commission of the European Economic Community prior to their making of a draft directive on reafforestation on 1st July, 1972.

The Commission has not yet submitted a draft directive to the Council and when they do so we shall be fully consulted.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has made to deal with the substantial surplus in cereal production in this country forecast for the years after 1977–78 in the report published by the Home Grown Cereals Authority.

This Report is a useful contribution to the general thinking on the long-term prospects for cereals in the United Kingdom, but developments in the event will depend on the evolution of the common agricultural policy. For this reason it would be premature to reach firm conclusions about the market situation beyond the transitional period.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service in which newspapers advertisements about appointments in the Immigration Service have appeared since 1st May; and on what dates.

Since 1st May, advertisements about appointments in the Immigration Service have appeared in the Sunday Express on 4th June and in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail on 8th June.

asked the Lord President of the Council why, in the form No. 61, Demand for Sessional Printed Papers, circulated on 17th June, 1972, no mention was made in the list of non-parliamentary papers of Part 3 Community Institutions Decision 72/152/ ECSC of 23rd March, 1972, and Part 32 Milk and Milk Products Regulation 445/72/EEC of 29th February, 1972.

The papers referred to appeared on the Pink Demand Form No. 61 Circulated on 17th June, 1972, under the general heading of "Non-Parliamentary Papers" and the sub-heading of "EEC Papers". This form of more detailed classification is adopted for the convenience of Members.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he will take, following a television programme, details of which have been sent to him, on Thursday, 15th June, in which access was gained to an Inland Revenue computer in Newcastle, despite assurances given by him to the hon. Member for Nuneaton that such access by unauthorised persons was not possible.

There is no Inland Revenue computer in Newcastle. The only Inland Revenue computer holding information about individual taxpayers is at East Kilbride, Glasgow, and as this does not have facilities for data transmission, it could not be the computer referred to in the television programme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many additional staff have been taken on by the Customs and Excise Department to deal with value added tax up to 16th June, 1972; and how many more additional staff it is anticipated will be recruited to deal with value added tax after this date.

Approximately 900 extra staff have been taken on up to 16th June, 1972. Some 5,000 further staff are being recruited and about 2,000 existing staff will become available for value added tax when purchase tax is abolished.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of employees at the Customs and Excise Department at Southend-on-Sea, divided amongst their various functions.

The numbers in the various categories at 1st June, 1972, were as follows:

1. Compilation of trade and revenue statistics.	952
2. General accounting and audit control	363
3. Value added tax Gentral Unit.	257
4. Management Services (Automatic Data Processing).	123
5. Miscellaneous services (including training).	155
6. Local revenue control (including Southend Airport).	57
Total	1,907

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the explosion on Saturday, 27th May, at the Crumlin Cinema, Crumlin Road, Belfast; and if, in the light of this, he will review the arrangements for warning householders after a bomb warning has been received.

At 12.05 p.m. on Saturday, 27th May, 1972, an explosion took place in a private car parked outside the Crumlin Cinema, 189 Crumlin Road, Belfast. The car had been hi-jacked at 10.49 a.m. in Alliance Avenue, Belfast, by four armed men. The explosion caused extensive damage to the cinema and surrounding properties. It is estimated that 50 lb. of explosive were used. Ten people sustained slight injuries. The standard arrangements to clear the area were made following an anonymous telephone call at 11.35 a.m. and the security forces had almost succeeded in clearing the area when the explosion took place. Existing procedures for area clearance have proved adequate in the past but they are being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will now reconsider his decision regarding a meeting with the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will reconsider the decision of Her Majesty's Government not to discuss with representatives of the Provisional Irish Republican Army their proposed truce and to nominate members of his Department to discuss with the representatives of the Provisional Irish Republican Army their ideas for the establishment of a truce in Northern Ireland.

I have had two meetings with Mr. Hume and Mr. Devlin, members of the SDLP, on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on his talks with the representatives of the Ulster Defence Association; and what undertakings he gave to and received from representatives of that organisation.