asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are now participating in the Operation Eyesore Scheme and how many are not; and if he will make a statement about the progress of the scheme.

I am pleased to inform the House that the Operation Eyesore Scheme has been an outstanding success. The number of schemes approved is 7,100, meaning that in areas like the North-West and North-East an average of more than 40 environmental schemes have been approved for each constituency. I would like to thank those who have worked so hard in the regional offices of my Department and the local authorities for seeing that this scheme should have had such a major impact upon our environment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of publicly-owned land have been disposed of since June, 1970.

Acreage figures for the exact period since June, 1970, are not available except in the case of the Ministry of Defence which has disposed of 9,000 acres and the Land Commission 2,550 acres in that time. The National Coal Board disposed of 16,900 acres from April, 1970, to April, 1972, and British Rail have from January, 1970, to the present time disposed of property to the value of £38 million. In total for the years 1970 and 1971, central and local government and public corporations have disposed of property to the value of £200 million. This includes property sold by one public authority to another, for example, by British Rail to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will initiate legislation for the repeal of Section 2 of the Redundant Churches and other Religious Buildings Act, 1969, to ensure that such buildings can no longer be demolished without listed buildings consent.

No. The exemption of historic churches from control over demolition is part of an arrangement which goes back to 1913, under which historic churches do not receive State aid. It would be premature to review this at this stage. Discussions are, however, beginning with the church authorities on State aid for historic churches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the report of the Action Group on London Housing on the outer London boroughs housing programmes.

The Action Group has been following up its land availability survey with a series of visits to selected individual boroughs to discuss with them how they can best contribute towards meeting London's housing needs. These boroughs building programmes will be one of the subjects discussed at these meetings but the Action Group does not at present have a separate report in preparation on the outer London boroughs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications by local authorities regarding exemption from the full rate of rent increase arising from the Housing Finance Act have been received by the Department; and how many councils are still waiting for an answer.

The figures are 174 and 14, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will send a circular to local authorities requesting them to ensure that the provision of housing accommodation for the Ugandan Asians will not prevent them from supplying similar accommodation to those born in the United Kingdom who are without a home.

No. In exercising their responsibilities for the management of their stocks of housing, local authorities can be relied on to take fully into account the various needs for housing which face them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give a decision as soon as possible with regard to the towns and boroughs which are to be succeeded by parish councils.

Decisions on this aspect will certainly be taken as soon as is practicable. The Local Government Bill provides for the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to make proposals as to which towns should retain successor parish councils, and I propose shortly to consult the local authority associations on the guidelines within which the boundary commission will work when making its proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to reduce the network mileage on British Rail from 11,700 miles to 7,000 miles; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish immediately the full report prepared in his Department containing proposals for wholesale closures of branch lines on British Rail.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport Industries indicated yesterday, the document to which the Sunday Times drew attention on 8th October is merely one of a series of studies undertaken by officials in my Department and by British Rail themselves. This process, which is not yet complete, is made necessary by the financial position of the board. Future policy will not be decided before there has been the most careful consideration of the alternatives and the costs attaching to each.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the future structure of British Rail.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Cardigan (Mr. Elystan Morgan).—[Vol. 843 c. 47.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ensure that consultations between his Department and British Rail about the future size of British Rail include the representatives of railway trade unions.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take account of the impact upon the morale of management and workers in British Rail of proposals being considered by his Department to curtail still further the British Rail system throughout Great Britain; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today in reply to a Question by the hon. Members for Sunderland, South (Mr. Bagier) and Montgomery (Mr. Hooson).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the date when Mr. W. G. Pottinger was suspended from duty and for what reasons; whether such suspension is on full or half pay; and how much payment has been made to date.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister informed the House on 18th July, Mr. Pottinger was suspended from duty on that day, pending the outcome of a police investigation into matters arising out of the public examination in bankruptcy of Mr. Poulson. He receives full pay, which for the period since suspension until the end of last month amounted to £2,145 gross.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report of the Fisher Committee on the alleged abuse of welfare benefits; and when the report is likely to be published.

I understand that I shall receive the report shortly and hope to publish it in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has reported on the question of the prescription of acrylamide poisoning as an industrial disease; and if he will make a statement.

The council has reported to my right hon. Friend, who has accepted its recommendation that poisoning by acrylamide monomer should be prescribed under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act, 1965, in respect of occupations involving the use or handling of, or exposure to, acrylamide monomer.Regulations amending the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations in the terms recommended by the council have been laid before the House today and will come into operation on 13th November, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the recent report published by his Department on one-parent and two-parent families.

In May this year my Department published a report in its Statistical and Research Report series called "Families receiving supplementary benefit", which compared the circumstances of some fatherless families and families of the long-term sick and unemployed. I regret that my reference to this report in my answer to a supplementary question by the hon. Member on 11th July last may have misled since this report was necessarily based on a study of matched and therefore not representative samples of families receiving supplementary benefit. While it makes some helpful comparisons between the different kinds of families studied it is not possible to draw conclusions from it about the circumstances of one and two-parent families in general.—[Vol. 840, c. 1389–90.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has found out whether Mary Bell was involved in the taking of improper photographs at Red Bank School, as implied in a British Broadcasting Corporation television programme on 3rd October; and what steps he intends to take.

I am satisfied that this implication was untrue. I arranged for two senior officials to see the photographs, together with the Director of Social Services, Newcastle. They found no improper photographs. One which seems to have prompted comment in the BBC programme was, in fact, taken in the presence of the child's grandmother. Continuing comment and publicity about this girl is damaging to her and not in the interest of the school and the other children in it, and I should like to make plain my confidence in the school, its managers and its staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken, and what steps he proposes to take, in response to the demand made by 506 consultants in England and Wales regarding the shortage of registrars in regional hospitals.

My right hon. Friend proposes in these matters to rely on the advice of the Central Manpower Committee, a body set up jointly by the Joint Consultants' Committee and the Department, which includes a majority of members nominated by the medical profession itself. I am sure the committee will not overlook the points made in it. The committee's first recommendations, after being set up last March, related to the need for more consultant posts and hospital authorities are formulating plans on the lines recommended by the committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many additional registrars are required for obstetric units in hospitals in the Leicester area;(2) how many additional registrars are required for orthopaedic units in hospitals in the Leicester area;(3) how many anaesthetic registrars are required in hospitals in the Leicester area;(4) how many psychiatic registrars are required for units in hospitals in the Leicester area.

If the hospital authorities concerned consider—with their own professional advice—that more doctors with training and experience in a particular specialty are required, it is for them to put forward proposals to my Department. But the numbers of doctors in the particular training grade of registrar need to be regulated by reference to the prospective need for consultants: otherwise we would be in danger of training doctors for non-existent futures. Where for this reason additional registrar posts cannot be agreed my Department, acting in the light of advice from the Central Manpower Committee, is usually sympathetic to proposals to establish more consultant posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many additional obstetric registrars have been appointed in England and Wales since May, 1972, when the President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists informed his Department that in the college's view any obstetric unit should have not less than two registrars.

Two new posts have been approved; the considerations affecting the establishment of such posts were indicated in my reply to the hon. and learned Member's earlier Questions. I think the hon. and learned Member is referring to statements made in the course of a conference last May, but the college has not sent to my right hon. Friend any representations on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many obstetric units in England and Wales have one obstetric registrar.

Information is not available in the form requested, but the total number of registrars in obstetrics and gynaecology in England and Wales at 30th September, 1971, was 421 and the number of units was just over 350, excluding general practitioner units.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which members of the English Tourist Board have had experience either as hoteliers or in the travel and tourist industry;(2) which members of the English Tourist Board have had practical experience in promoting the travel and tourist industry in the development areas.

The members of the English Tourist Board were selected for their wide experience of business and public affairs and not as representatives of particular sectional or regional interests.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what use is made in this country of recycling techniques; and what percentage of steel made in Great Britain comes from scrap.

Recycling techniques are in widespread and growing use although the extent varies with particular industries. About one-half of the steel made here comes from scrap.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the implications for his Department of the pay dispute between the Government and their industrial civil servants.

The great majority of Ministry of Defence employees have continued to work normally, but from 26th June to the week ended 6th October there was industrial action over pay at the Royal Dockyards and at a number of other establishments. This ranged from bans on overtime to withdrawal of labour, and in duration from a single day to periods of some weeks.Service requirements have been affected particularly in the Royal Navy, but the penalties have been kept to a minimum by careful planning. I am glad that the trade unions' acceptance of arbitration has been followed by a return to normal working.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will make a statement on the refusal of the Government to meet the pay claim by their industrial civil servants.

It has been agreed that the dispute over this pay claim will be referred to arbitration. The hearing will be on Wednesday, 25th October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet decided whether new forestry dedication schemes can be accepted; and if he will make a statement.

The dedication scheme remains suspended for new applicants pending any decisions we may reach following the consultations we have put in train on a new scheme of grant-aid for private forestry. These consultations have not yet been concluded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet decided whether the benefit of existing forestry dedication schemes can be transmitted to the successors in title of existing forestry owners; and if he will make a statement.

I can confirm that there are no plans to withdraw the option of successors in title to estates already dedicated to apply for entry to the dedication scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on his consultations within the United Nations, the Commonwealth and European institutions concerning the welfare of stateless Asians expelled from Uganda.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has accepted responsibility for the stateless Asians once they have left Uganda. It would therefore be inappropriate for us to engage on any separate consultations which could impede the exercise of his mandate. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State visited Geneva for discussions with the High Commissioner on 10th October, to obtain his views on the situation and offer him the results of our experience in arranging for the travel and reception of United Kingdom passport holders. We have offered to contribute to the world-wide fund that is being set up to finance the High Commissioner's work on behalf of the stateless Asians.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when she expects to publish guidance from her Department concerning the organisation of publicly financed libraries in the new local authorities so that librarians now endeavouring to plan library services will know what to do;(2) if she will include in her guidance to libraries under the new local authority arrangements the results of her study of the Library Association's standards for school library resource centres, together with a statement of policy on the benefits of having responsibility for the library and the education services in the same local government tier;(3) if the policy explained in the White Paper of February, 1971, Command Paper No. 4584, stating that libraries should be associated with education still applies; and if she will make a statement on this matter so that librarians can make the appropriate plans.

The Local Government Bill, like the White Paper, proposes that the local authorities responsible both for education and public library services shall be the same. My right hon. Friend hopes shortly to consult the representative bodies concerned with a view to the issue of guidance to library authorities as soon as possible after the Bill becomes law, on the implications for the public library service, including the steps which they might consider to ensure that full advantage is taken of the possibilities for closer links between their services and education services. Study of the Library Association document in the Department is not yet complete and any action arising from it is for separate consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions have taken place in the period from 1st April, 1971, to 31st March, 1972, for 1p coins being fraudulently used in substitution for 2½p coins in the area of the Metropolitan Police;(2) how many prosecutions have taken place in the period from 1st April, 1971, to 31st March, 1972, for 1p coins being fraudulently used in substitution for 2½p coins;(3) how many cases have been reported in the period from 1st March, 1971, to 31st July, 1972, of 1p coins being fraudulently used in substitution for 2½p coins.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the care arrangements for unaccompanied children and juveniles detained at London Airport and other ports of entry to the United Kingdom.

Unaccompanied children who are refused entry on arrival at London Airport are normally lodged in accommodation at Harmondsworth which is used primarily for family groups and has both male and female staff. Any refused entry at other ports in the South-East are normally transferred to Harmondsworth if detention for longer than a day or two is necessary. Other suitable arrangements are made when circumstances so require. If the hon. Member has any particular point in mind, I hope that he will write to me about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were taken during each of the last three years in respect of motor vehicles emitting excessive smoke; how many of these vehicles were buses; and what was the average fine imposed.

Separate figures for buses and other vehicles are not readily available. The total numbers of prosecutions in England and Wales for unlawful emission of smoke and other substances from vehicles, and the average fine imposed on those found guilty, were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he proposes in income tax codings; and if he will continue to ensure complete secrecy for all transactions.

A new system of PAYE coding is being used for the 1973–74 codings which are now being issued and which take account of the changes in the tax system which come into effect on 6th April, 1973. The PAYE codes are being given values such that the code will generally be the total of allowances due, without the final figure. Letters are added to the codes so that any change in the rates of the single person's or married man's allowances made in future Budgets can be put into operation quickly.The new codes continue to ensure the privacy of taxpayer's private transactions and, save in one respect, give no more information about taxpayer's personal circumstances than can in many cases be inferred from the existing codes. The letters L or H in a man's code show respectively that he is entitled to the lower (single) or the higher (married) allowance; but if the taxpayer does not wish his employer to have the information conveyed by these letters he is invited in the literature accompanying his coding notice to ask the tax office to substitute the letter T. That letter will also be used in a wide range of circumstances in which the tax office must review the code before a change of personal allowances in a future Budget can be put into effect. The letter T does not therefore disclose the taxpayer's personal circumstances. The letter used in a woman's code will be L

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with representatives of the building societies concerning proposals to increase building society mortgage interest rates; and if he will make a statement.

Changes in building society interest rates are a matter for the

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish tables showing the effects for each parent of ending child tax allowances and family allowances for two-parent families with up to four children over a standard range of incomes and of paying positive tax credits of £1 per child tax free to each parent where income is all earned by the father and where income is earned equally by both parents.

The figures are:societies, but they normally keep the Government in touch with developments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to what extent nonprofit making operatic societies now pay purchase tax and selective employment tax; whether such bodies will be exempt from value added tax; or what rate of tax will be payable;

No estimates can be made of the purchase tax and SET borne by non-profit-making operatic societies or by angling associations.The provision by a club or association of the facilities available to its members and the admission, for a consideration, of persons to any premises are within the scole of the value-added tax; and these bodies will be liable to VAT to the same extent as other persons making taxable supplies. Many of them, however, will have a turnover in taxable supplies not exceeding £5,000 a year and will therefore be exempt from registration for VAT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what accommodation will be needed for computers for the tax credit system; and where it will be located.

Whether or not the Government decide to go ahead with the tax credit scheme will depend upon whether such a scheme finds general acceptability and commends itself to the House, as stated by my right hon. Friend in his Budget Speech. In the event of a decision to proceed with the scheme, a building will be required to house the main computer installation and the staff associated with it. Should the scheme not be proceeded with, the building would then be required to house the computers to be used for the administration of the present PAYE system. A new building has therefore been authorised, and will be located at Washington. County Durham.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the operation of Section 79 and Schedule 12 of the Finance Act, 1972, in relation to restrictions attaching to shares.

Yes. Section 79(2)(c), Finance Act, 1972, exempts from any charge to tax under Section 79(4) any acquisitions of shares which inter alia were not subject to any restriction other than restrictions attaching to all shares of the same class. Such restrictions usually take the form of the shares concerned being deprived of dividend or voting rights, or being subject to restrictions as to transfer. The Inland Revenue is advised that where such restrictions are imposed as a condition of a loan granted to employees in order that they may acquire shares under a share incentive scheme the shares may not be subject to restrictions within the meaning of Section 79(2)(c). In such cases the restrictions will not reduce the value of the shares and an employee who acquires them at less than market value will be liable to income tax on the difference; but unless the shares are of a special class, subsequent increases in their value will not be subject to income tax whether or not the scheme is approved by the Inland Revenue.The intention of the legislation was to allow shares to be acquired under an approved share incentive scheme at not less than 80 per cent. of the market value of unrestricted shares, without income tax liability being incurred, if the scheme imposed appropriate restrictions; but to charge income tax on increases in the value of shares acquired under unapproved arrangements if any special restrictions were imposed.I propose to include in next year's Finance Bill provision to ensure that any restrictions on the rights of a participant in a share option or incentive scheme or on the exercise of those rights, however imposed and whether or not they reduce the value of the shares, are treated as restrictions attaching to the shares for the purposes of Section 79 and Schedule 12, Finance Act, 1972. The legislation will apply to shares acquired after today. It will not affect purchases of shares, other than shares of a special class, by individuals as directors and employees that are financed by means of loans which are independently arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce a scheme whereby the Government guarantee building societies in Northern Ireland against loss, where new loans are granted to individuals residing in areas where the building societies are currently refusing to lend; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is at present considering what steps can be taken to deal with this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what study has been made of the pollution effects of motorway traffic on water supplies; and what consideration has been given in this regard to Llanishen reservoir and other storage and water pumping stations in the vicinity of the proposed line of the M4.

The Warren Spring Laboratory has carried out research into lead concentrations from motorway traffic and will undertake more general studies over the next five years to measure carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, lead and particulate matter in relation to traffic density and weather conditions at five roadside sites, including one in Cardiff. In addition all interested authorities in Wales have recently been advised of the appropriate steps to be taken in the event of inland oil spills as they affect water supplies. The Llanishen reservoir is to be phased out from public water supply use before work on the M4 extension is due to be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied that the amount of land reserved on the original line of the M4 meets the environmental standards considered desirable in 1972; what his current environmental standards are; and if he will make a statement.

Land requirements vary with changes in design standards and proposals are kept under review. If my hon. Friend has a particular problem in mind I will look into it.