asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in regard to the building of roads of motorway standard in relation to urban developments, where alternative routes exist; and whether he will make a statement.

The standards, including motorway standard, to which new roads are built depend on a large number of factors, including traffic, cost, other developments and environmental constraints. The Urban Motorways Committee has recently submitted a report to my right hon. Friend which he is now considering.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Code of Loading practice for heavy goods vehicles will be issued; and if he will make a statement.

In October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has received to his offer on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to provide a site in the United Kingdom for the proposed United Nations Programme Secretariat; and if he will suggest sites in Scotland in any further offer.

The Secretary General to the Stockholm Conference is evaluating all the offers made, including London, and will be reporting to the General Assembly in the autumn. We are unlikely to have any response till then and I do not think it will be appropriate to make new offers meanwhile.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the penalty of £5 for a person found guilty of using a commercial van in the Royal Parks was first imposed and how the present fine of £20 compares in value with the original penalty.

The penalty of £5 was introduced on 15th December, 1926. I am advised that this is approximately equivalent to £21 today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the London Borough of Ealing in relation to the Housing Finance Act; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend received representations from Ealing about the shortness of time to introduce the rent rebate scheme required under the Act. I will send the hon. Member a copy of the Department's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Manchester Corporation on the application of the rent provisions of the Housing Finance Act, 1972, to the city of Manchester; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

I have received from Manchester Corporation an application dated 28th July for a direction under Section 62(4) of the Act that the average increase on 2nd October in the rents of the council's dwellings should be less than £1. I will reply as soon as my examination of the authority's application has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing authorities in England and Wales have now signified their intention not to implement the Housing Finance Act, 1972; and if he will list them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 3rd August in answer to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun), and to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on 18th May to the hon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Greater London Council, about the operation of the Housing Finance Act, in the London boroughs.

My Department has had discussions with the Greater London Council and the London Boroughs Association about the transfer of certain GLC estates to certain London boroughs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the Housing Commissioner whom he intends to appoint to carry out the operation of the Housing Finance Act, 1972 in the London Borough of Croydon; and from what date the appointment will take effect.

Since the Act is not yet in force my right hon. Friend has no power to make any such appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what communication he has received from the London Borough of Camden concerning the decision taken at their council meeting on 2nd August, 1972 regarding the operation of the Housing Finance Act; and if he will make a statement.

The town clerk has informed me of the terms of the resolution passed by the council. I very much regret that the council has confirmed its intention not to carry out duties imposed on it by statute and to deprive the people of Camden of the benefits of the Act as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when copies of the Housing Finance Act. 1972 will be published.

Tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will allow local authorities an extension of time for implementation of the Housing Finance Act, in view of delay over its publication.

No. There has been no delay in publishing the Act. Moreover, one of the objects of publishing our proposals in detail at an early stage was to give local authorities the maximum time in which to prepare for their implementation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what staff he has recruited into his Department to administer the Housing Finance Act, 1972, in relation to local authorities defaulting.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of the investigation being carried out at the request of his Department by the Social Survey Division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys into the effects of road traffic on the environment and the lives of the people in town and countryside.

£80,000. The Department is also spending £35,000 on associated physical measurements of noise levels and traffic flows.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases where decisions in respect of appeals concerning the establishment of hypermarkets have been delayed for more than eight months because they raise important issues, the needs and wishes of consumers have been taken into account; and how this consumer evaluation has been undertaken.

These appeals are subject to public local inquiries. Decisions are taken in the light of the evidence given at the inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the development of hypermarkets in England and Wales; and whether he accepts the proposals of the National Economic Development Council that he should draw up a strategic plan for their development on a regional basis.

I am sending the hon. Member copies of the circular 17/72 and Development Control Policy Note No. 13 about Out of Town Shops and Shopping Centres. Those documents were sent to local authorities last February. They drew attention to the report on "The Future of Shopping" of the Distributive Trades EDC.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the context of his assessment of the need for fog lights or a suitable form of fog warning system in the Wormly sector of the projected Hoddesdon-Ware bypass, he will institute full and further local inquiries into the fog record of the area.

No, since such systems are not provided on either trunk roads or motorways.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement upon the future administration and control of the canals of Great Britain.

; A consultation paper will be issued this week. I shall send the hon. Gentleman a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the findings of the Portswood link motorway, Southampton, will be released; and if he will ensure that all dwellings not in the compulsory purchase order will be given planning clearance against any further compulsory purchase order demands as soon as possible.

Public inquiries into the Portswood Link proposals and the associated M27 scheme have only just been completed. It will not be possible to announce decisions for some months.Acquisition of properties in Southampton for highway or other purposes is a matter for the city council. I have no reason to think that it will propose further powers of compulsory acquisition for Stage I of the Portswood Link.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that adequate compensation is given to those dwellings or shops which, though not required for the Portswood link motorway, Southampton, will nevertheless suffer from environmental or trading losses.

At present compensation is not payable unless the whole or part of a property is required for a road scheme. A Government review of compensation is nearing completion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations including requests for grant to the local authority, he has received during the past two years regarding the problems of the owners of small businesses in clearance areas in South Ban, Grangetown and other parts of the Teesside County Borough whose properties have not been purchased by the local authority; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter to ease the position of people who have lost their livelihood through no fault of their own.

Representations have been received from the South Bank and District Chamber of Trade and the National Chamber of Trade. Most of the clearance was carried out under Part III of the Housing Act, 1957. Section 63(2) of that Act gives local authorities power to make discretionary payments towards losses suffered by retail shopkeepers after slum clearance in the area. Teesside CBC will no doubt have observed the hon. Member's concern.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give guidance making it clear whether motor vehicles can be parked without lights in meter bays if the bay is angled to the kerb, or if it is within 15 yards of a road junction.

Vehicles parked at an angle to the kerb or within 15 yards of a road junction are required to have lights on whether they are in metered bays or not.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the report of the Greater London Development Plan Inquiry; and whether, in view of the nature of the inquiry, he will publish the report before he reaches any decision on it.

I hope to receive the report later this year. I cannot as yet say when or in what form it will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he gives to planning authorities concerning the skylines of new buildings, especially high rise blocks of offices or flats.

It is for planning authorities to evolve detailed policies for high buildings, including skyline control, which must depend on local circumstances. I doubt whether general guidance would be helpful but it is important that the best professional advice should be sought.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates have been made of the expenditure likely to be incurred by local government and the Exchequer in making property improvement grants to private landlords.

No separate estimates of this kind are made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the number of private landlords resident outside the United Kingdom who have received property improvement grants.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give further details of the painting contract awarded to Smith Decorators (Newcastle) Limited of which Mr. Dan Smith was a director; and whether at any time this contract was in being, Mr. Dan Smith was employed in Government service for which he received payment.

The contract ran from 25th May, 1967 to 12th July, 1968 when it was terminated because of the firm's unsatisfactory performance on this particular contract; and was for painting and redecorating Government premises in the city of Newcastle and the surrounding district. Mr. Dan Smith, at that time, held several appointments including the chairmanship of the Northern Economic Planning Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT full details of the rules and regulations of the normal competition which were adopted when his Department awarded a £25,000 per annum painting contract to the firm of Smith Decorators (Newcastle) Limited during the period when Mr. Dan Smith, a director, held a State appointment; and whether he will publish a detailed list of all firms which tendered.

The Department's rules and regulations with regard to competitive tendering are too extensive to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The method of tendering adopted in this case was to invite from 11 firms quotations in the form of percentages on or off standard rates for painting and redecorating as set out in a schedule. The offer of Smith Decorators (Newcastle) Limited was adjudged the lowest.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will give the names of the 24 part-time vice-presidents of the provincial rent assessment panels; what their qualications are; when they were appointed; what their normal full-time occupations are; and to what extent preference in their day-to-day employment is shown or given to their normal full-time occupation and their part-time employment;

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will list, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the actual time, in hours, worked by the three vice-presidents of the London rent assessment panels for their £6,500 per annum salaries; and what claims and payments to their normal full-time occupation and their part-time employment.

No president or vice-president has other full-time occupation.Following is the information: in travelling and subsistence allowances were paid for the same period of time;(2) whether he will list, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the actual time in hours, worked by the 24 vice-presidents of the provincial rent assessment panels for their £6,500 per annum salaries; and what claims and payments in travelling and subsistence allowances were paid for the same stated period of time;(3) whether he will list, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the actual time in hours worked by the 14 presidents of the provincial rent rent assessment panels for their £6,750 per annum salaries; and what claims and payments in travelling and subsistence allowances were paid for the same stated period of time.

Presidents and vice-presidents are paid only a proportion of the full time salary according to the time worked. A full time provincial vice-president is paid £6,000 per annum and not £6,500.

asked the Secretary, of State for the Environment whether he is aware that the 41 presidents and vice- presidents of the rent assessment panels, employed on a part-time basis, are costing his Department £256,500 per annum plus the costs of their travelling expenses and subsistence allowances; and whether he will investigate the saving resulting from making theirs a full-time service.

The present cost in salaries to the Department is £136,350 per annum, and not £255,500 as quoted by the hon. Member. Were it possible to appoint people to fill these posts on a full-time basis—and it very rarely is—fewer people would be appointed but they would work the equivalent amount of time to that worked by the part-time appointees, and there would in effect be no saving, as the part-time appointees are only paid the appropriate fraction of the full-time salaries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of his refusal to withdraw the document containing exclusion clauses provided to Members who park in Broad Sanctuary, he will now issue a circular to all Members informing them of the provisions of this exclusion clause.

All Members using the Broad Sanctuary car park have either already been or will be issued with a windscreen label and a copy of the conditions which are self-explanatory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, by reason of the exclusion clause in the document provided to Members who park in Broad Sanctuary, it is intended to ensure that such Members will be required to bear responsibility for damage done to their own vehicles, even where such damage was caused through the negligence of the proprietors of the car park, their servants or agents.

Yes. Cars left in Broad Sanctuary will be at owners' risk which can be covered by insurance to whatever degree any hon. Member thinks fit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of increases in house prices, he will institute an advertising campaign to warn house owners of the desirability of increasing the value of their household insurance policies.

I have no evidence that people are generally unaware of the need to insure their property to the maximum extent in order to cover themselves against the cost of providing a replacement. Some building societies make a point of advising their mortgagors to their effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the expected starting and completion dates for the erection of central barriers on the Durham motorway; and if he will make a statement.

Work started this week and is expected to be completed within four months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the amount of freight carried by road and rail in 1971; and what were the comparable figures five and 10 years previously, respectively.

:Following is the information:

	1961	1966	Million Tons 1971
Road	1,240	1,615	1,710
Rail	238	214	196

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to amend the Zebra Pedestrian Crossings Regulations, 1971, with regard to the position of a motorist entering into an area of zig-zag lines behind one or more stationary public service vehicles.

No, but if my hon. Friend has any particular problem in mind perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what corres- pondence he has had with the leader of the Camden Borough Council, regarding the special circumstances of rent arrears in that borough; and what reply he has sent.

The leader has drawn my attention to the rent arrears problem which is causing the Camden council serious concern. In reply I mentioned that the Housing Finance Act contained provisions for varying rent rebates to deal with problems of high rents in an authority's housing stock. The council was subsequently informed that it would be authorised, if it increased rents in October, to grant higher rebates than those laid down in the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many rent scrutiny boards he expects will be in Operation in England and Wales by 1st September, 1972.

Arrangements for establishing rent scrutiny boards are now being completed. The area which each will cover wil vary with local circumstances and I cannot yet say what the total number will be. The first provisional assessments from local authorities cannot be presented to them before mid-October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet completed his discussions with the local authority associations on rent allowances for furnished tenants; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have concluded our discussions with local authority associations and with their help have devised a practicable scheme. The scheme will generally follow the scheme for rent allowances prescribed by the Housing Finance Act. The arrangements for rent allowance subsidy payable in England and Wales under the Housing Finance Act in respect of unfurnished tenancies will be extended to allowances in respect of furnished tenancies. The purpose of the scheme is to make allowances available to tenants in need who have made their home in furnished accommodation. It will take account of the built-in differences in calculation of the rent of furnished and unfurnished accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state the latest annual expenditure of his Department on office cleaning done by outside contractors.

The cost of contract cleaning to the Department for the financial year 1971–72 was £391,203. The estimated figure for the current financial year is £490,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now make a further statement on the work of the Action Group on London Housing.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction announced at his Conference of London Housing Authorities in September last year his decision to set up the Action Group to spearhead the drive against London's housing shortage. The Action Group is a representative body of elected Members and officers of London housing authorities, including Alderman Sherman, Chairman of the London Boroughs Association; Alderman Perkins, Chairman of the Greater London Council Housing Committee; Alderman Taylor, Deputy Chairman of the London Boroughs Association, and Councillor Dryland, Chairman of the London Boroughs Association Works Committee.The group began its work under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland and it was my privilege to take over the chairmanship earlier this year. The group has now submitted two interim reports to my might hon. Friend, which he has agreed to issue today. Copies are available in the Library, and are being sent today to local authorities in London. The first report records in general terms the range of work which the group has undertaken since it was set up. However, it soon became apparent to the group that shortage of land was likely to be a major problem facing the London housing programme, which had to be overcome as a matter of priority if the housing shortage was to be eliminated. The group's second report is therefore entirely concerned with the results of a survey of land availability and land requirements for housing purposes within Greater London, covering the period 1972–81 but with special attention to the immediate period 1972–75.The London housing situation calls for co-ordinated action on a number of fronts, including improvement, conversion, redevelopment, tenancy allocation and tenure. Among the most important aspects of the situation is land availability, and this report provides a valuable picture, the most detailed of its kind ever assembled for London, on this issue. For the short term it indicates that there is a large gap between housing need and firm supplies of land for the period up to the end of 1975. It estimates that additional land sufficient for 32,000 dwellings over and above what has already been firmly identified is required if the housing programmes already formulated or being formulated for that period are not to be held up to the grave detriment of the many thousands who still have to endure unsatisfactory housing conditions. It is clear that vigorous action is needed to make this necessary additional land firmly available at the earliest opportunity. Much of this action must come from local authorities. It will necessarily take a variety of forms, depending on circumstances in individual boroughs. But authorities will need to consider whether they have really identified all the available land, whether they are doing all that is necessary to secure its early development and to realise its full potential, and whether they are pursuing a sufficiently positive programme of land assembly.The group is anxious to help authorities in this consideration and is now beginning to follow up the survey with a series of visits to individual authorities, designed to discuss their problems in detail, and any action that can be taken to eliminate these problems and to make the best possible contribution to the solution of London's housing needs.Several of the group's recommendations are addressed specifically or primarily to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. Among them are recommendations dealing with development in some parts of the London Green Belt, the release of land in the Dockland Study area and the release of land at present held by Government Departments, nationalised industries and other public bodies, some of which have already been the subject of decisions and action by my Department:(1) The group refers to 500 acres of land which lie within the London Green Belt but which the boroughs concerned consider could be used for housing purposes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has weighed very carefully the conflicting arguments for and against housing development on green belt land. He is very conscious of the acute pressures facing London housing authorities in their search for housing land but in his view these should not outweigh the environmental arguments for preserving the London Green Belt. Although he is prepared to consider individual proposals for the release of areas of green belt land on their merits, this must be done against the background of a very strict adherence to the designated green belt. He sees the regional strategy laid down for the South-East as the means of providing solutions for those London housing problems which cannot be met within London itself. The Government will take a view on the important questions of the future size of London's population, and the related question of the size of the overspill programme, in the light of the report of the inquiry into the Greater London Development Plan, which is expected later this year.(2) As to dockland, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport Industries has been considering urgently with the consultants and with the Greater London Council ways of realising some of the housing potential of the Dockland Study area in the period up to 1975 rather than later. The Dockland Study team has now identified a number of areas which can be used for housing without prejudice to the final outcome of the study. These comprise about 37 acres in the Surrey Dock area, about 100 acres around Cubitt Town in the Isle of Dogs and about 40 acres in Beckton. These acreages include provision for ancillary uses, but I anticipate that about 140 acres should be provided for residential use. Discussions as to the implementation of this recommendation are being arranged as a matter of urgency with the authorities concerned.(3) A series of meetings has been held between the British Rail Property Board and the London boroughs to discuss the release of surplus land for housing. At these meetings the board's land holdings in Greater London have been reviewed in detail, and subject to the successful outcome of negotiations, and in some cases to the relocation of existing operational uses, some 160 acres is expected to be made available for housing in the near future. I should like to acknowledge the co-operation of British Rail in this review. Discussions with it are still continuing and the board is keeping their requirements under review.My right hon. Friend has welcomed the group's reports for their clear exposition of the important land aspects of London's housing problems and for their authoritative recommendations on what is needed for London as a whole. The problems are still considerable, but the reports provide grounds for some confidence that the overall shortage in London can be overcome within the 1970's, given co-operation and vigorous action by all London authorities.The group has recognised that this co-operation between the differing and at times conflicting interests concerned in London is essential if the housing shortage is to be tackled effectively. In following up the survey the group will not be seeking to impose pre-determined proposals on individual boroughs. There are a variety of ways and many aspects in which the boroughs can make a contribution to solving London's housing problems, varying from increasing the stock of publicly-owned dwellings on the one hand, to promoting the construction of more houses for owner occupation, particularly in the lower price ranges, on the other; and including improvement work and measures to increase the contribution made by housing societies and associations. The group will wish to seek the co-operation of individual boroughs to establish which of the alternative activities will together enable them to make the best contribution, without losing their own essential characteristics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why he will not make public the material submitted by the Railways Board in support of the Second Report on Organisation which he laid before Parliament on 21st April, in view of the fact that this report is based solely on grounds of managerial efficiency;(2) if he will place in the House of Commons Library the material submitted by the Railways Board in support of the Second Report on Organisation which he laid before Parliament on 21st April.

Much of the material which the board submitted to me dealt with confidential matters of management, the publication of which would be inappropriate. The board has already given staff representatives and local members a full account of their reasons for the choice of the different territorial headquarters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now able to announce a decision on the proposed new route between Sheffield and Manchester: and if he will make a statement.

On Monday, 31st July I visited the Peak District National Park and had discussions with Alderman Gratton—the Chairman of the Park Planning Board—Colonel Haythornthwaite, Councillor Levick, Commander Shuttleworth, Councillor or Mrs. Tomlinson, Mr. Whitson and Alderman Wilson—members of the board—and officers both of the Peak Park Planning Board and of the Countryside Commission. In the light of these discussions, and of the consultations which the Department had previously had with the planning and highway authorities, including the Peak Park Board and the Countryside Commission, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has decided that of the several alternative routes considered that which lies in a corridor from Hyde Bypass in the west, along the south side of the Longdendale Valley to join the M1 near Chapeltown, is preferable from several points of view but especially the environmental. The construction of a route there would encourage through traffic to use a single road designed to carry it and greatly relieve other roads in the Peak District National Park.In order to make it possible for these and other relevant factors to be considered in greater detail before conclusive decisions are taken, my right hon. Friend has decided to include in the Trunk Road Preparation Pool a scheme for a new major route between Manchester and Sheffield. Proposals on the line which might be followed will now be developed for further consultation with the authorities concerned, for public comment and for objections to be considered.In the process of preparation special attention will be paid to the effect on the environment, particularly within the Peak District National Park. Full consultation will take place with the planning authorities, on the line, the landscaping and the design of the route. In particular careful account will be taken of the specific suggestions which the representatives of the Peak Park Board and the Countryside Commission put to me during my visit to the area. The route will meet the need for a direct link between the South Yorkshire and South Lancashire conurbations and industrial areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further consideration he has now given to the views of industrial organisations, and those concerned with providing employment in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, including the Sheffield City Council and Chamber of Commerce, and to the views of organisations concerned with conserving national parks, including the countryside commission and the Peak Park Planning Board, about a route and necessary landscaping for a motorway link between Sheffield and Manchester.

The decision to proceed with the preparation of the scheme for a major new route between Manchester and Sheffield followed careful consideration of representations from the bodies concerned, including those referred to by my hon. Friend. As is usual, in its further planing of the route the Department will continue to have the benefit of the advice of the Landscape Advisory Committee; and will consult with the Peak Park Planning Board and the Countryside Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now completed his review of tolls on the Severn Bridge; and when he expects to publish his conclusions and proposals.

My right hon. Friend has now concluded his review. He proposes to retain the 12p toll for all vehicles other than motor-cycles, and the 5p toll for motor-cycles. This accords with the findings of the review, which indicated that while no increase is necessary any general reduction would result in a shortfall of revenue over the 40-year toll period. It should be possible to hold the toll at 12p in the foreseeable future. He proposes however, as an experiment initially for two years, to make available to regular users books of 12p tickets at a discount of approximately 10 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now completed his review of the use of direct labour by local authorities; and whether he will make a statement.

After full consideration of all the views expressed to him by the various interests which he has consulted, my right hon. Friend has decided to issue circulars to local authorities in England which will notify them of the introduction of new arrangements as follows.For highway works, the present levels of £50,000—direct labour costs only—on trunk roads and £100,000—total scheme cost—on principal roads above which direct labour organisations must compete with private contractors will be reduced to £40,000—total cost excluding land—on new construction and improvement on both trunk and principal roads, and on maintenance works on trunk roads.For water and sewerage schemes costing more than £100,000 or, if greater, the product of a 1p rate—sewerage—or a 2p rate—water—on which the use of direct labour is proposed, approval for loan sanction purposes will be withheld until a certificate is furnished that competitive tendering has taken place and direct labour tender was the most favourable received. A similar certificate will be required for all schemes, irrespective of their size, for which application for grant is made.In order to allow the bodies concerned adequate time to adjust their proposed programmes of work, the new arrangements will not take effect until 1st April, 1973.Further consideration is being given to the question of the use of direct labour for housing work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the policy pursued by the Development Corporation for the Central Lancashire New Town in their purchase of land for communal use.

I shall expect the corporation to make full and early use of its powers of land purchase, including compulsory purchase when it thinks it necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has accepted the proposal of the National Economic Development Council to draw up a strategic plan for the development of hypermarkets in Scotland; and if he will make a statement on the situation so far.

I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the recommendation of the Distributive Trades EDC that, in order to plan shopping provision rationally, planning must be done over wide enough areas to enable strategic plans to be drawn up on a regional basis. In June, 1971, my right hon. Friend pointed out that the question of shopping distribution was an important one for study by local planning authorities jointly, and asked that statements of shopping location policy should as soon as possible form an important part of local authority development plans. Since then he has asked local planning authorities to refer to him all large shopping centre applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many contractors have succeeded in obtaining contracts for office cleaning in his Department in the last five years; whether he will publish their names; and how many firms tendered.

In my Department, office cleaning contracts may be placed on a local basis. The information requested is therefore not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the annual percentage increase in contract prices for cleaning his Department's offices in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971; and how this compares with the annual percentage wage increase of maintenance staff actually employed by his Department.

This information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the annual saving to his Department by employing contractors to do office cleaning instead of employing cleaners as part of his staff.

Estimates are not made on this basis. Each building is looked at separately and once a decision has been made on the method of cleaning to be employed, records of alternative costs are not maintained.When any contracts made come up for renewal the position is reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the latest annual expenditure of his Department on office cleaning done by outside contractors.

The expenditure for 1971–72 on office cleaning done by outside contractors for the offices of my Department for which contracts were centrally negotiated was £28,142. Information in regard to other offices of my Department is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value of fines collected in Scotland in each year since 1965; what was the total value of fines remaining uncollected; and how this money was distributed.

The amount received in fines imposed in the sheriff courts and burgh and justice of the peace courts in the financial years 1967–68 to 1970–71 is given in the following table. Similar figures are not available for earlier years and those for 1971–72 are not yet ready.

	Amount received in respect of fines in
	Sheriff Courts* £	Burgh and justice of the peace courts £
1967–68	953,806	379,000
1968–69	1,095,334	408,000
1969–70	1,251,658	519,000
1970–71	1,381,701	534,000
* Figures derived from Exchequer accounts.
-Estimates based on local authority financial returns.

Information is not available for fines due but unpaid, or for fines written off as irrecoverable in the case of burgh and justice of the peace courts. But fines written off after three years as irrecoverable in the case of the sheriff court amount to less than 1 per cent. of the fines imposed in each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total current and capital expenditure, less any receipts by central and local government, on the probation service in Scotland in the years 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68. 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72.

Figures for the first four years are as follows

1965–66	£510,000
1966–67	£572,000
1967–68	£661,000
1968–69	£735,000

Figures for later years are not available because there ceased to be a separate probation service in Scotland when the relevant provisions of the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1968 came into operation in November, 1969. The supervision of persons placed on probation is now one of several functions undertaken by the social work departments of local authorities, and it is not possible to pro-

							Married women resident in hospital region
				Northern		North-Eastern		Eastern		South-Eastern		Western
				No. of abortions notified	No. of associated sterilisations	No. of abortions notified	No. of associated sterilisations	No. of abortions notified	No. of associated sterilisations	No. of abortions notified	No. of associated sterilisations	No. of abortions notified	No. of associated sterilisations
1969	…	…	…	113	65	249	154	168	76	455	187	852	503
1970	…	…	…	150	77	303	218	226	128	683	183	1,306	705
1971	…	…	…	149	66	398	280	301	182	782	280	1,594	831

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the per capita figure for health and personal social services for Scotland based on gross estimated expenditure for 1971–72, and what was the corresponding figure for England and Wales.

The per capita figure for Scotland is £55·9. I understand that the corresponding figure for England and Wales is £49·0.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to restrict entry to the three-year primary diploma courses in the colleges of education starting in October, 1972; and if he will make a statement.

Entrants to the three-year course this year will not be available for work in the schools until 1975–76. I estimate that with an intake this year of about 2,500 students sufficient new teachers will become available in 1975–76 to enable education authorities to achieve the improved staffing standards in primary schools set for that year vide separate figures of expenditure on particular elements of the social work services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, for each of the years 1969, 1970 and 1971, how many married women resident in each of the hospital regions in Scotland had National Health Service abortions; and of these how many were also sterilised.

Following is the information:by Circular 819. I have asked the colleges of education to make arrangements accordingly. 2,939 students were admitted to these courses in October, 1971.The colleges of education will of course have additional commitments in connection with the training of the increased numbers of graduates and persons with practical or aesthetic qualifications who are expected to enter training, particularly for work in the secondary schools, and with the development of in-service training.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what increases he has made in housing cost yardsticks in Scotland since June, 1970; whether he is considering a further increase; and what were the comparable increases in England.

Since June, 1970, the Scottish housing indicative costs have been increased on three occasions, in October, 1970, April, 1971, and October, 1971. The increase overall has amounted to about 19 per cent. The indicative costs are kept under continuous review and will be further revised as necessary.Increases in the housing yardstick costs for England and Wales in the same period have been made at different times and, I understand, on a different basis; no direct comparison is therefore possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a progress report on plans to erect a hospital in the burgh of Rutherglen.

The first development in Rutherglen is to be a 100-bed maternity unit for which tenders will be invited shortly by the Western Regional Hospital Board. The general hospital which is to be built on the same site is in Band VI of the current major hospital building programme and preliminary planning is being undertaken by the Regional Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the announcements recently made by the British Steel Corporation on the future of the steel industry in Scotland, he will conduct a survey of future employment prospects in the Rutherglen and Cambuslang area.

The Scottish Economic Planning Board, on which the British Steel Corporation is represented, is reviewing employment prospects in all areas likely to be affected by the proposals of the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the sums which will be paid to the Corporation of Glasgow in Government grants and in subsidies under housing and other legislation in the current financial year; and what were the comparable totals in each of the previous three years.

I am having the information extracted, and it will be sent to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about future generation of electricity in the north of Scotland.

The Chairman of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board announced yesterday that the Board has decided to proceed with an oil-fired station at Boddam, near Peterhead. He explained that, in the light of the statement made earlier yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, it had become clear that within the time scale available it would be impossible to meet the anticipated load growth in the north of Scotland with a nuclear station at Stake Ness. The Stake Ness site, which is particularly suitable for a nuclear station, is being retained by the Board for a later development.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of per capita expenditure on the arts by each of the 20 largest cities and county boroughs of England and Wales outside London.

This information is not available without special inquiry of the authorities. (Local authority accounts do not identify expenditure on the arts as such, which in any event is not a closely defined term.)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many comprehensive schools in England are for pupils from 11 to 16 years of age and not beyond 16 years of age.

In January. 1971, 537.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the approximate number of primary and secondary school places, respectively, under construction in the East Midlands generally and in the Kettering and Corby area in particular at 1st July, 1970, 1st July, 971 and 1st July, 1972.

As I have previously explained to the hon. Member the Department's records of school building relate to local education authority areas and not to Parliamentary constituencies.The number of school places under construction in the East Midlands were as follows:

	On 30th July, 1970	On 30th July, 1971	On 31st March, 1972 (latest available figures)
Primary	8,240	13,000	16,050
Secondary	16,285	22,270	30,763

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why she has delayed publication of the report of the committee which completed its work in March on the speech therapty services: and if she will make a statement.

I expect this report to be published in October.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate she has made of the loss in receipts from admission charges at the Wallace Collection and London Museum, respectively, which would result from one free day wekly but with the exclusion of either Saturday or Sunday.

The loss would depend on the change in attendance patterns caused by a free day, which it is impossible to predict with confidence. A very tentative estimate is that the loss might be about £4,000 at the Wallace Collection and £5,000 at the London Museum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she expects to authorise the London Borough of Brent to proceed with the building of a new primary school in Quainton Street, Neasden.

My right hon. Friend has received no such proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she has now set up the research project into the use of finger spelling in the education of deaf children, which her advisory committee recommended in 1971; and if she will make a statement on the progress made.

I fully accepted the recommendations on research made by my Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children, and my Department has since been engaged in discussions with the Northern Counties School for the Deaf about their proposed research into one-handed finger spelling. It is now hoped that the University of Newcastle will be able to join the School in this research and my Department is awaiting a formal proposal from them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she has sent a representative to Russia to investigate the methods used there in the education of deaf children; and if she will make a statement.

Members of HM Inspectorate who visited the USSR in April have now submitted their report. I am considering the implications of the report for the education of the deaf in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make an investigation to see whether deaf children are obtaining the educational qualifications which would enable them to obtain employment commensurate with their intelligence.

I do not think that a special investigation is needed. This problem is already in the forefront of the consideration which is being given to the education of the deaf.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the number of special schools for deaf and hard of hearing children which provide certificate of secondary education and O-level courses.

Examination courses were offered in 1971 at the following maintained and non-maintained special schools for the deaf and partially hearing:

• GCE Ordinary Level
• Mary Hare Grammar School, Newbury.
• Burwood Park School, Walton-on-Thames.
• Ovingdean Hall School, Brighton.
• Royal Cross School, Preston.
• Certificate of Secondary Education
• Northern Counties School for the Deaf, Newcastle.
• Beverley Road School for the Deaf, Teesside.
• Elmete Hall School, Leeds.
• Maud Maxfield School, Sheffield.
• Odsal House School, Bradford.
• Yorkshire Residential School, Doncaster.
• Thomasson Memorial School, Bolton.
• Alice Elliott School, Liverpool.
• Royal School for the Deaf, Cheadle Hulme.
• Birkdale School, Southport.
• St. John's School, Boston Spa.
• Whitebrook School, Manchester.
• Royal School for the Deaf, Derby.
• Braidwood School, Birmingham.
• Longwill School, Birmingham.
• Needwood School, Burton-on-Trent.
• East Anglian School, Gorleston-on-Sea.
• Tewin Water School, Hertfordshire.
• Heston School, Hounslow.
• Blanche Neville School, Haringey.
• Burwood Park School, Walton-on-Thames.
• Nutfield Priory School, Redhill.
• Royal School for the Deaf, Margate.
• Ovingdean Hall School, Brighton.
• Royal West of England School for the Deaf, Exeter.
• Hartley House School, Plymouth.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will list the number of children in special schools for the deaf and hard of hearing who obtain certificate of secondary education or O-levels;(2) if she will express the number of children in deaf and hard of hearing schools who obtain certificate of secondary education or O-level as a percentage of the children in the age group in these special schools;(3) if she will make a survey of the educational attainments of a year's leavers from schools for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Pupils in special schools for the deaf and partially hearing obtained the following numbers of individual subject passes in the 1970 and 1971 CSE and GCE examinations. The number of pupils is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the percentage of children in special schools for the deaf and hard of hearing that go on to some form of higher education.

Complete information is not available. The main avenue of entry into higher education for the deaf and partially hearing is the Mary Hare Grammar School. About 4 per cent. of the pupils who enter the academic course there enter degree courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if instruction in the use of manual communication is yet part of any training course for teachers of the deaf.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the reasons for the delay in the publication of the survey into the ability of deaf school leavers to communicate by speech and lip-reading, which was expected in 1972 and is not now to be published until the end of 1973.

The hon. Member may recall that my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State wrote to him on 26th June informing him that this survey will be included in the next biennial Report of my Department's Chief Medical Officer which should be published this Autumn.There is no question of it being, delayed until the end of 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will seek to ascertain the extent to which external examining bodies permit assistance in understanding the questions to be given those born deaf children whose vocabulary may be limited.

I am making inquiries whether schools for the deaf and partially hearing are experiencing difficulties in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will request local education authorities to inform her of the number and proportion of unqualified teachers of the deaf that they employ, and the number of graded posts they have for teachers of the deaf;(2) what is the present proportion of teachers in schools and units for the deaf and hard of hearing who have a special qualification to teach deaf children; and what it was for each of the five years.

All teachers in partially hearing units attached to ordinary schools are required to have obtained a special qualification: teachers in schools for the deaf and partially hearing must obtain this within three years of taking up post. Figures for 1972 and for each of the preceding five years are not readily available, and I will arrange for them to be sent to the hon. Member together with the information on graded posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied, on the basis of applications made to her, that the proportions of posts for teachers of the deaf which are graded, is sufficiently similar in all educational areas; and if she will make a statement.

No applications needs to be made to my right hon. Friend about graded posts. The 1972 statutory salaries document contains a new provision giving greater discretion to local education authorities in respect of more higher-paid posts in special schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to discover the number of non-communicating children who are in hospital schools and special schools; and if she will investigate how many of these are deaf and how many could be helped by the use of manual communication.

The educational, psychological, medical and phsiological needs of handicapped children are already carefully assessed before they are admitted to special schools and reassessed from time to time thereafter. Children in hospital are under close medical supervision and the facilities of the local education authority are also available to them. Children with problems of language development are helped by whatever communication methods are most appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps she is taking to increase the proportion of teachers of deaf children who are qualified.

The number of teachers annually obtaining the special qualification for teaching the deaf and partially hearing has risen since 1968 by nearly 30 per cent. The number of places in the two training centres provided by university departments has also been increased during this period. In 1969 a new course was set up in a college of education: this produces about 30 additional teachers a year and is expected to expand to an annual total of 40. In addition it is hoped that a further university course will be provided within the next few years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the percentage of all children in the relevant age group who obtain certificate of secondary education or O-levels.

In 1970–71 about 41 per cent. of the age group gained one or more GCE Ordinary level passes or were awarded Grade 1 in one or more subjects in the CSE examination. The proportion of all school-leavers who left in 1969–70 with one or more O-levels or one or more Grade 5 CSE passes or better was 54·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the average number of children who enter the Mary Hare Grammar School each year, and the total number of children in the school.

The average number of children entering the Mary Hare Grammar School during the three years 1970 to 1972 is 30. In January, 1972 the number of children on roll was 160.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the total number of children in special schools for the deaf and hard of hearing; and what percentage of these are at Mary Hare Grammar School.

In January, 1972 there were 5,071 children on roll at special schools for the deaf and partially hearing. In 1971, 7 per cent. of pupils in the relevant group (11 to 18) attended the Mary Hare Grammar School.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the percentage of all children that go on to some form of higher education.

During 1970–71 about 22 per cent. of school leavers intended to continue their full-time education; more than half of these are likely to have entered some form of higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will issue a general circular to local education authorities and other interested parties with regard to arrangements for the safety of parties of school children on officially sponsored holidays in mountains, sea or other potentially hazardous areas.

My Department is currently revising its pamphlet "Safety at School". The new edition will take the form of separate booklets, each dealing with an aspect of safety. The one giving updated advice on safety in mountain and out-door pursuits should be published in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will state the latest annual expenditure of her Department on office cleaning done by outside contractors.