asked the Minister of State for Defence what instructions have been given to the manufacturers about a project definition for the Hawker Harrier in its maritime rôle; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Bradford, West (Mr. Wilkinson) and Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd).

asked the Minister of State for Defence, what percentage of maintenance work for the Royal Air Force is sub-contracted to private industry; and if he will make a statement on future policy.

At present all aero-engine repair and overhaul, about 50 per cent. of airframe maintenance and repair, and about 60 per cent. of aircraft component repair for the Royal Air Force is allocated to industry. As regards the future, I do not envisage any change in the policy which I announced to the House on 20th January although the actual percentage may change from time to time—[Vol. 829, c. 648–9.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that adequate measures are taken to prevent the reinforcement and re-equipment of the Irish Republican Army during the truce; and whether he will make a statement.

In the circumstances of the ceasefire the Army took all practicable measures to prevent the reinforcement and re-equipment of the IRA.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what instructions are given to local commanders regarding their dealings with Irish Republican Army and Ulster Defence Association leaders in de facto control of areas in Northern Ireland.

It is not the practice to disclose the instructions which are issued to Army commanders: but where Army commanders have had discussions with persons from the local community their object has been to promote reconciliation and to avert further violence from whatever quarter.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost to the Defence Vote (Air) of transporting representatives of the Irish Republican Army from Ireland to London and back on Friday, 7th July for discussions with members of Her Majesty's Government; and by whose authority these members of an illegal organisation were authorised to fly in an aeroplane of the Royal Air Force.

The cost of about £435 is being borne by the Northern Ireland Office, at whose request these flights were undertaken.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many Gurkhas are now stationed in Brunei.

The strength is 831.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will state the average earnings of skilled craftsmen in Royal Ordnance Factory establishments at 1st April, 1972.

About £37·50 a week.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the grades and rates of pay of male adults working in defence establishments on a basic rate of pay below £20 a week.

The general pay structure for industrial civil servants working in Ministry of Defence establishments includes five male adult basic rates of pay below £20. A full list of grades would be very lengthy, but some typical examples are:

• £17·30 Unskilled labourer.
• £17·95 Skilled labourer, steward II.
• £18·60 Assistant storeman, car driver, patrolman.
• £19·25 Ambulance driver, cook, Steward I.
• £19·90 Coach driver, fireman, storeman.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the number of male adult workers in defence establishments whose take-home pay is an average of £16 a week or less.

This information could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the percentage of male adult workers in defence establishments whose pay is an average of £20 a week or less.

About 14 per cent. of male adult industrial workers were in receipt of earnings of £20 or less at the latest date for which statistics are available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he has studied the recent article in "Educational Research", a copy of which is in his possession, concerning the impact of Service life on Service children and their educational performance; and what action his Department is taking to deal with the problems mentioned.

The experience of the Services over many years accords generally with the results of the preliminary study discussed in this article. The children's educational service therefore pays special attention to the problems caused by turbulence.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the naval policy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries in Northern Europe, with special reference to Russian naval and naval infantry policy in the vicinity of Norway.

NATO is fully alive to the dangers posed by Soviet military strength in Northern Europe and in particular by her amphibious capability. Our ability to react to any threat is regularly tested, both in major combined land, sea and air exercises such as the forthcoming exercise Strong Express and in annual exercises conducted in Norway by our amphibious forces.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish a White Paper on the future role of the Navy in preservation of the marine environment, preservation of the sea bed in fulfilment of relevant international agreements, protection of wrecks of historical significance and the prevention of accidents in busy shipping areas; and whether he will make a statement.

Reports are made as necessary in Statements on the Defence Estimates. I also refer the hon. Member to the United Nations Publication "Sea-Bed—Frontier of Disarmament" which comments on the Sea-Bed Treaty. This has been ratified by the United Kingdom and entered into force this year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will undertake design studies for sea control ships for the Royal Navy.

No. As I explained in my answer to my hon. and gallant Friend on 22nd June, the United States sea control ship project has not reached the design stage, while the design of the through-deck cruiser is now well advanced.—[Vol. 839, c. 145.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation concerning plans for the protection of merchant shipping at sea.

Our plans are fully integrated with those of NATO and discussions are held regularly between the staffs concerned.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many of Her Majesty's ships and how many Royal Fleet Auxiliaries have visited Mauritius during the last 12 months.

Seventeen of Her Majesty's ships and 20 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries have visited the island of Mauritius during the last 12 months.

asked the Minister of State for Defence by whom he was represented at the European Space Conference on 11th and 12th July at Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

The European Space Conference has been postponed. The intention is that it will take place in September. Myhon. Friend the Minister for Aerospace will lead the United Kingdom delegation.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a progress report on the Seebohm inquiry into welfare services in the Royal Navy.

Lord Seebohm's Committee started work in October last and is making excellent progress. The committee expects to complete its examination by early 1973, within the time scale envisaged from the outset.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what amount of compensation has been paid to the next of kin of the late Malcolm Cousins, who was killed in a motor accident whilst on duty in training with the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps on 1st July, 1971.

None. My hon. Friend will be aware that in this case, as in any other similar case involving the death of a member of the Armed Forces, a common law claim is precluded by virtue of Section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act, 1947. Whether or not the next of kin have an entitlement to a dependants' award under the scheme administered by the Department of Health and Social Security is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, in percentage terms, how many prisoners at Holloway are now serving sentences for crimes of violence.

Some 23 per cent., of those serving sentences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage the number of crimes increased in England and Wales during each of the latest annual school holidays for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures 10 years ago.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the strength of the Metropolitan Police Force at the latest most convenient stated date; and how these figures compare with the 1939 to 1945 period.

21,449 on 25th June. At the end of 1939 it was 18,891, and at the end of 1945 12,395.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria are applied by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in interpreting the meaning of the word "conduct" in paragraph 17 of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; to what extent it applies the standards of negligence at civil law in laying down such criteria; and what guidance has been given by his Department on this subject;(2) what estimate he has made of the effect on crime prevention of the interpretation of the word "conduct" as set out in paragraph 17 of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as meaning negligence at civil law; and what action he proposes to take.

The interpretation of the scheme is a matter for the board, and I would refer the hon. Member to the comments on paragraph 17 in the board's Seventh Report (Cmnd. 4812). The Home Office has given the board no guidance on the paragraph, except to inform it that it is not intended to exclude from compensation a person of criminal habits who is the victim of criminal injuries wholly unconnected with his criminal character and background. I am not aware that the board has indicated that it interprets "conduct" as including negligence at civil law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of non-industrial civil servants employed in the Directorate of Telecommunications, the Children's Department, the Civil Defence and Common Services Department, the Research and Scientific Department, the Legal Advisers Branch, the Finance Department and the Establishment and Organisation Department, respectively, of his Department on 18th June, 1970; and how many were so employed on 18th June, 1972.

The information is not available for the dates mentioned. The following are the figures for 1st July, 1970, and 1st April, 1972. respectively:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the communication sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, together with the circular entitled "The Continuing Saga of Mr. Maxwell Joseph and the Horserace Totalisator and Betting Levy Boards Bill", concerning Mr. Joseph's acquisition of the City Tote Offices from the Horserace Totalisator Board and the effort of this on the Bill; and whether he will make a statement in connection with the same.

I received the hon. Member's letter on 12th July. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No".

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many national museums and galleries have now decided to have one free day with or without additional charges on other days.

Discussions are continuing. No decisions have yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is aware that over £500,000 worth of work in Walsall schools is required to improve standards and increase accommodation; and what action she intends to take to facilitate this programme.

Walsall Local Education Authority has been authorised to start school building to a value of £2·86 million between 1972–73 and 1974–75, including £0·45 million for the improvement or replacement of old primary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) why the minor works programme for Walsall Local Education Authority has been reduced for 1974–75 compared to 1973–74, in view of the fact that Walsall's school population is rising and costs are rising;(2) if she will increase the minor works allocation to the Walsall local education authority to enable the completion of major new school and improvement programmes.

The size of minor works allocations is mainly related to the expected rate of growth in the school population. In Walsall the rate of growth is expected to fall in 1974, and my right hon. Friend is therefore unable to increase the size of the authority's allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is now the incidence of dental caries among schoolchildren of primary age and secondary age, respectively, compared with 10 and five years ago.

Information which is available from the quinquennial sample survey of 5-year-old and 12-year-old children carried out by school dental officers has shown that the incidence of dental caries in terms of the average number of teeth found to be decayed, extracted or missing, or already filled, at the time of the examination was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many members there are of the Senate of the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology; and how many are women.

I understand that there are 32, and no women members.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many members there are of the Council of University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology; and how many are women.

The latest information I have is that there are 42 members, including two women.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many registrars of universities there are in Great Britain; and how many are women.

I understand that the figures are, respectively, 44 and none.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of vice-chancellors in British universities; and how many are women.

I understand that the figures are, respectively, 44 and none.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many colleges of further education there are in England and Wales; and how many have women principals.

In 1970, the latest date for which relevant figures are available, there were 638 major establishments of further education, of which 22 had women principals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many colleges of agriculture there are in England and Wales; and how many have women principals.

There are 44 colleges of agriculture in England and Wales. None has a women principal.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many medical schools there are in England and Wales; and how many have women principals.

Twenty-four. I understand one has a woman principal.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of the 28 polytechnics in England and Wales have women principals.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many colleges of advanced technology there are in England and Wales; and which of them have women principals.

There are now no colleges of advanced technology. They were brought within the university system from April, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many colleges of education there are in England and Wales; and how many principals of these establishments are women.

There are 157, of which 72 have women principals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of professorships currently in existence in the University of Wales, St. Davids, Lampeter, University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, and the Welsh School of Medicine; and how many of these professors are women.

I am informed that the position is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of the teaching staff in the departments of education, and teacher training, in the constituent colleges of the University of Wales; and how many of these are women.

I understand that the following are the current numbers:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people form the University Grants Committee; and if she will publish the names and status of women on this committee.

The University Grants Committee comprises 21 members including the chairman. There are at present two women members, Miss E. J. Bradbury, CBE, Headmistress of Penny-well School, Sunderland, and Mrs. Jean Floud, Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many secondary schools there are in England's State sector; how many full-time careers masters and mistresses there are in England's State sector secondary schools; and if she will list them in the Official Report.

In January, 1972, it is estimated that there were some 4,730 secondary schools, excluding middle schools, in the maintained sector. Statistical information about the employment of careers teachers is not available in the Department, but a survey is currently being conducted by H.M. Inspectorate into careers education in secondary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many single-sex secondary schools there are in the State sector in England; and how many of these single-sex secondary schools have male heads;(2) how many mixed local education education authority comprehensive schools there are in England; and how many of these schools have women heads.

In January, 1971, the latest date for which information is available, there were 879 boys' secondary schools, all with male heads, and 883 girls' schools, one of which had a male head. There were 994 mixed comprehensive schools, of which 53 had women heads.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many posts there are in the Department of Education and Science of the rank of deputy under-secretary of state and chief officer, head of department, and assistant secretary and over; and how many of these are women.

The number of posts at assistant secretary level and above, including professional and other posts at equivalent levels, is 84, of which nine are at present held by women.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will outline the current guiding principles for, and initiate a review of, the training of careers teachers, and initiate in-service training for careers teachers.

A wide variety of in-service courses are already available for careers teachers; this aspect of teaching is not usually included in initial training. My right hon. Friend expects to receive by about Easter, 1973, the report of a survey of careers education in schools currently being conducted by Her Majesty's inspectors. She will be reviewing the arrangements for careers education in the light of that report.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many lecturers in science there are in colleges of education in England and Wales; what is the ratio of women to men taking science courses in colleges of education; and if she will make a statement.

Information on the staffing of individual subjects in colleges of education is not available. Of the science, including mathematics, graduates teaching in these colleges in October, 1970, 359 were women and 1,263 were men, a ratio of 1 to 3·5. Student enrolments on science courses amounted to 10,886 women and 7,713 men, a ratio of 1·5 to 1; students may of course be enrolled for more than one subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the ratio of girls compared to boys who take up further education after the age of 18 years.

The ratio is 100: 106 based on the number of school leavers in England and Wales aged 18 + in 1970–71 who intended to go directly to full-time further and higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the facilities available in polytechnics for men and women in the sphere of careers guidance, including a reference to the number of officially designated careers guidance staff.

The information available to my Department indicates that careers guidance services are available to students in about three-quarters of the polytechnics. Some of the remaining polytechnics have plans to begin a service during 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many trainee teachers are training in university departments of education and colleges of education in biology, physics, and chemistry, respectively; and how many women and men are training in each of these subjects and how many, in each subject, were denied course places.

The following table shows the numbers of students in October, 1970, at colleges of education—excluding those on postgraduate courses—following courses in the subjects specified:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in how many local education authority secondary schools sex education is a recognised part of the syllabus for senior pupils.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many heads of education departments and teacher training in universities there are in England and Wales; and if she will publish the names of those of the female sex.

I understand that there are 42 heads of university departments, institutes and schools of education, none of whom are women.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on her policy towards local education authority single sex schools.

I expect local education authorities to provide, wherever possible, the measure of variety and choice of school which best meets local needs and wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans she has to convert discretionary local auth- ority awards to students on to a mandatory basis.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated cost of providing free school milk to primary school children whose parents are in receipt of unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit.

Information on which to base such an estimate is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total amount of money saved by the abolition of primary school milk during the first six months from the date of operation.

An estimated £6·4 million in Great Britain to the end of March, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in each local education authority in the Northern Region were in receipt of medical milk at the latest count; and what percentage of the total number of children in the 7 to 11-year age group in each authority they represent.

The only information available to my Department about the number of pupils receiving free school milk on grounds of health relates to a day in October last year. It is likely that the position has changed since then.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what objections she has received to the Hampshire Education Authority's proposals for the reorganisation of secondary schools in the Winchester—New Alresford area; and what reply she has sent.

2,353 objections have been received. When my right hon. Friend has reached her decision the objectors will be informed.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecomunications whether he will now announce the name of the new chairman of the governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

I would refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member yesterday.— [Vol. 841, c. 609.]

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 July show that there were 889 unemployed young people and 184 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 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 10th July, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the County of Monmouthshire was 7,143. At 5th July, 393 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 10th July, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Newport and Newport Docks employment exchanges was 2,509. At 5th July, 155 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 what is his estimate of the annual increase in the monthly index of average earnings between April, 1968, and April, 1972, and the amount projected between April, 1972, and April, 1973,assuming that future wage settlements are kept at less than 10 per cent, and total payments with regard to overtime and bonuses do not exceed those paid at April, 1972.

Between April, 1968, and April, 1972, the monthly index of average earnings increased at an average annual rate of 10·6 per cent. I am not prepared to make forward projections of movements of earnings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males and females were registered as unemployed at the Bexhill, Hailsham and Rye employment exchanges on 15th July, 1972; and how many of these were over 55 years of age, under 18 years of age and school leavers, respectively.

The following table shows, by age groups, the numbers register as wholly unemployed:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current figures for unemployment in the greater Manchester area; and what redundancies have been notified for the rest of 1972.

In the Manchester travel-to-work area at 10th July the provisional number of people registered as unemployed was 30,116, of whom 544 were temporarily stopped, and the rate of unemployment was 4·4 per cent. Redundancies at present recorded by my Department as due to occur in the area during the period 1st July to 31st December, 1972, involve 1,760 workpeople.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will conduct a survey using his Alkali Inspectorate in the industrial towns of the North of England of industrial plants which are emitting dust and grit which are proving dangers to health or causing physical irritant, with a view to establishing the size of the problem, and therefore determining to what extent his Alkali Inspectorate should be strengthened to deal with the backlog that has accrued.

I have recently added to the Alkali Inspectorate four grit and dust testing teams and intend that these shall be in operation before the end of the year. Further, my Department has been reviewing, in consultation with other Departments, the entire field of monitoring air pollution. When I have considered the results of this review I shall be making another announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the report of the interdepartmental committee which is con- sidering the problem of vehicles which have been written off as a total loss by insurance companies and which are subsequently repaired and sold to unsuspecting customers.

It is too early to say.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the accident rate on dual carriageway roads excluding motorways, compares with that on comparable stretches of single carriageway roads at the latest convenient date.

Separate accident rates for dual carriageway roads are not available on a national basis.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to the London Borough of Hackney.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will review the practice of his Administration regarding the rules for the receipt by civil servants of financial gifts from persons engaged in contracts involving Government expenditure.

The rules are clear, but I am considering further whether there are any grounds for changing existing practice in these matters.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the new composition of the French Government, he will now seek an official meeting with President Pompidou.

No. But I hope to see President Pompidou at the meeting of the Heads of Government of the enlarged Community.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to see the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry to discuss industrial and economic problems.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the outcome of his official meeting with the Trades Union Congress; if he intends to request a further meeting; and if he will make a statement.

At our meeting on 4th July I invited the TUC to take part in a joint examination with the Government and CBI of how best to achieve our common economic objectives. I gave a similar invitation to the CBI on 10th July. This joint examination has now begun at the special meeting under the aegis of NEDC on 18th July, which was attended by Government, TUC and CBI representatives. At that meeting there was general agreement on the aim of achieving a steady rise in real earnings and on the need to approach the problem of inflation by working out sensible arrangements on a voluntary basis. We arranged to meet again on 25th July.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official meeting with leaders of the Confederation of British Industry on 10th July.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 13th July to the hon. Members for Nuneaton (Mr. Leslie Huckfield) and Hackney, Central (Mr. Clinton Davis).— [Vol. 840, c. 421–2.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the public statement issued by him following his meeting in London with the Trades Union Congress General Council on 4th July, 1972.

I have already done so.

asked the Prime Minister if the broadcast interview given by the Secretary of State for Employment on 4th July concerning the meeting between members of the Government and the Trades Union Congress represented the policy of the Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister why, as his political secretary receives no payments from public funds and the terms and conditions of his employment are a matter between him and his employer, namely, the Conservative Party, he is allowed Treasury-costed office facilities and his appointment is included in the Civil Estimates.

My political secretary's appointment is not included in the Civil Estimates nor is he supplied with accommodation in a Government office. No. 10 Downing Street is the Prime Minister's official residence, and occupation of space within it is a matter for the discretion of the Prime Minister of the day.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State, respectively, for the Environment, Health and Social Services and the Home Deuartment in the provision of accommodation for homeless young people; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Departments concerned with the problems of homeless young people are in close touch about their accommodation needs.

asked the Prime Minister which member of the Government will now be responsible for answering Parliamentary Questions addressed to the Prime Minister in his absence.

I shall continue the practice of deciding this responsibility depending on the circumstances on each occasion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is now the total acreage of glass available for glasshouse crops; and how this acreage is divided between edible and non-edible crops.

The June, 1972, able information is given in the table below. As my hon. Friend will know, the same glasshouse may be used for more than one crop each year, but non-usage is highest in winter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate of prospective winter feed he has made from the hay and grass crops this spring.

It is too early to be able to give firm estimates, but the indications are that yields of hay from both temporary and permanent grass will be marginally lower than last year, when they were 39·4 and 33·2 cwt. per acre, respectively, both higher than the three-year average of 34·4 and 29·0, but not all of it was of prime quality. Progress with both hay and silage making this year has been slow. Standing hay crops are over-ripe and quality is likely to be low. Silage yields were satisfactory, but quality may be indifferent as much of the material was wet and conditions were difficult for cutting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to announce his decision in the future organisation of land drainage.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Joyce Butler) on 11th July.—[Vol. 840, c. 293.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he now estimates the figures for the national herds of milking cows, sheep and lambs, beef animals and pigs to be; and how these compare with those for last year.

The June, 1972, census figures for the United Kingdom will not be available until early August, but the following table sets out the results of the March, 1971 and 1972 sample censuses, and incorporates estimates of cattle and sheep in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the current acreages of agricultural crops, available to him from latest returns; and how these compare with the returns for last year.

The June, 1972, census figures will not be available until early August. Farmers' forecasts in

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Whether he will state the number of non-industrial civil servants employed in the Legal Department, Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division, External Relations Division, Milk and Milk Products Division, Sugar and Tropical Foodstuffs Division, Meat and Fatstock Divisions, Fisheries Department, including Fisheries Laboratories, Finance Department, Establishments Department, General Agricultural Policy Division, Information Division, Economics Division, Statistics Division, Home-Grown Cereals, Eggs and Poultry Division, General Food Policy Divisions, Horticultural Divisions, Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, Co-operation and Labour Division, Land Tenure Division, Land Use Division and Animal Health Divisions, respectively, of his Department on 18th June, 1970; and how many were so employed on 18th June, 1972.

The figures at the nearest convenient dates—1st July, 1970, and 1st April, 1972—were as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of non-industrial civil servants employed in the Food Standards, Science and Safety Division of his Department on 18th June, 1970; and how many were employed in the Food Standards and Science Division and Safety, Pesticides and Infestation Control Division on 18th June,1972.

The figures at the nearest convenient dates—1st July, 1970, and 1st April, 1972—were as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of non-industrial civil servants employed in the Crop Improvement Division and Emergency Services and Defence Division of his Department on 18th June, 1970; and how many were employed in the Defence, Emergencies and Crop Improvement Division on 18th June, 1972.

The figures at the nearest convenient dates—1st July, 1970, and 1st April, 1972—were 65 and 64, respectively.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the number of non-industrial civil servants employed in his Department and the Cabinet Office, respectively, on 18th June, 1970; and how many were so employed on 18th June, 1972.

The number of non-industrial civil servants employed in the Civil Service Department on 1st July, 1970, was 2,143. The number employed on 1st April, 1972, was 3,037. This increase is mainly due to the transfer from Ministry of Defence (Procurement Executive) on 1st April, 1972, of the Chessington Computer Centre and the setting up on the same date of the Central Computer Agency incorporating the Technical Support Unit from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Computer Bureau and Procurement Division from Her Majesty's Stationery Office, and to increased activity by the Civil Service College. I am told that the number of non-industrial staff in the Cabinet Office at the same dates was 554 and 586, respectively.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the number of non-industrial civil servants employed by the Central Office of Information in the Advertising Division, Films and Television Division, Publications Division, Exhibitions Division, Establishment and Organisation Division, Tours and Production Services Division, Reference Division, Photographs Division and Radio Division of the Central Office of Information, respectively, on 18th June, 1970; and how many were so employed on 18th June, 1972.

The number of non-industrial civil servants employed by the Central Office of Information in these divisions on 1st July, 1970, and 1st April, 1972, was as follows:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he is satisfied with the existing machinery under which industrial civil servants negotiate about wage rates and conditions of service; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied with the existing machinery. In the case of the current negotiations, I am awaiting the outcome of consideration of the Government's offer by the unions involved.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) on what date and at what time he wrote to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, regarding Mr. George Pottinger, a civil servant in the Scottish Department; and whether he is aware that although this letter was promised in writing on Thursday, 13th July, by Monday, 17th July, no such letter had arrived;(2) when the hon. Member for West Ham, North may expect to receive the letter promised to him regarding the position of Mr. G. Pottinger of the Scottish Department.

I wrote to the hon. Member on Thursday, 13th July, and the letter was despatched to the House of Commons at 6 p.m. The hon. Member has since replied to my letter. It would greatly assist me in expediting correspondence with the hon. Member if he correctly addressed his letters to me by name rather than, as at present, addressing them to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge (Mr. Lane).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider suggesting to the Dutch Government the joint financing of the salvaging, reclamation and restoration of the eighteenth century merchant ship the "Amsterdam".

We have been as helpful as possible to the Dutch Government, whose claim to the legal ownership of this wreck has been accepted, but no direct grant is available for joint financing.

asked the Chancellor of the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of non-industrial civil servants employed by the Treasury in the Tithe Redemption Office, the Estate Duty Office, the Office of the Chief Inspector of Taxes and the Board of Customs and Excise, respectively, on 18th June, 1970; and how many were so employed on 18th June, 1972.

Figures at the dates requested are not available: they are given instead for adjacent quarterly points.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he will take to end discrimination against the British buyer of contemporary and other works of art, in view of the fiscal advantage accruing to overseas buyers under present value added tax proposals.

VAT is in essence a tax on consumer expenditure in the domestic economy, and exported goods, including works of art, are relieved of the tax, under the British VAT as in all other countries' VAT systems.