asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied with current recruitment to the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, in all the circumstances. The present strength of the Royal Ulster Constabulary is 4,237 which is only 159 short of this year's establishment. My right hon. Friend would of course by very glad to see more recruits come forward and the Police Authority is making strenuous efforts to this end.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his proposals for the enlargement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and for the inclusion of some additional specialised force within its organisation.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary has increased in strength from just over 3,000 at the end of 1969 to the present figure of 4,237. It is planned to reach a strength of 5,000 by April, 1975.There are no plans for the creation of any additional specialised force within the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of those who qualified in Northern Ireland for university entrance and have been unable to find a place either in Queens University or the New University of Ulster or any British university for the term commencing October, 1972.

The UCCA statistics for the academic year 1972–73 will not be available for some time. When they are, I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of delay before civil cases come on for hearing in the county court.

There have been no appreciable delays in the normal civil business of the county court in Northern Ireland. Cases entered for hearing at any particular session are generally cleared at that session, unless adjourned at the request of the parties. There are many contributory factors between parties which may delay the bringing of cases to the county court.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on Operation Motorman;(2) if he will make a statement on the security situation since Operation Motorman.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made to the House by my hon. Friend the then Minister of State on 31st July, the day on which Operation Motorman was mounted. That operation put an end to the no-go areas, and as a military operation with that objective it was a total success.Since that day the security situation in Northern Ireland has improved. The evidence for this is the marked decline in the number of shooting and bombing incidents; the increasing number of arrests of known Provisional IRA officers, of whom more than 150 have been arrested since Motorman; and the very large finds of firearms, ammunition, and explosives made by the security forces. The security forces will continue their operations against terrorism until the violence ends.—[Vol. 842, c. 31–42.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will seek to ascertain in how many of the cases of those persons in Northern Ireland awaiting trial following committal proceedings the delay is due to the difficulty of persuading witnesses to come forward, intimidation of witnesses or fear that a wrongful verdict will be brought in by the jury because of actual or feared threats of intimidation of the jury.

I have been asked to reply.I am not aware of any case in which delay in bringing a person to trial following committal proceedings is due to any of the factors to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is aware that, notwithstanding the Government's appeal to the Ugandan Asians not to enter the red areas, including the London Borough of Newham, since July, 1972, 366 immigrant children, of whom 118 were Ugandan Asians, have entered the borough; and, in view of the effect on the education services, what action she proposes to take to deal with this situation.

I will consider sympathetically any application by the local education authority for an extra minor works allocation for 1972–73 to provide any necessary additional accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be available giving the number of persons employed in schools generally and the teaching professon in particular who were, on 23rd October, in receipt of wages and salari8es of £28·40 per week; and whether in these cases rent allowances were additionally paid.

The detailed information requested is not available and could not be produced without undue expenditure of effort and time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will send a circular to local authorities about the use of schools in coastal areas for educational purposes during holiday periods to give added opportunities for children from large urban areas.

No, Sir. Local authorities already have wide powers to use facilities outside their own areas, and many do so. I hope that all local authorities will do more to ensure that expensive educational buildings are used to the fullest possible extent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will arrange that the Post Office Giro system may be used for the collection of teachers' superannuation payments.

My Department is currently evaluating the economy and convenience to the Department and to the teachers' employers of various methods, including the use of the National Giro, for collecting teachers' superannuation contributions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of places available in public and private schools for maladjusted children in the Northern Region and in England as a whole, respectively; and if she will make a statement.

The following table shows the number of places taken up by local education authorities in the different types of school in January, 1972:

Area of school places	Public sector (special schools and units)	Private sector (independent schools)
(1) NorthernRegion	276	71
(2) England	8,083	3,225
(1) as percentage of (2)	3·4	2·2

The children placed at schools within a region are not identical with the children placed by the local education authorities within the region. A number of applications from authorities in the North in recent years for special school building projects for maladjusted children have been received and approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be available giving the number of retired teachers who were, on 23rd October, in receipt of pensions of £28·40 per week; and whether in these cases rent allowances were additionally paid.

The information requested in the first part of the Question is not available and could not be obtained without excessive cost. There is no provision in the teachers' superannuation scheme for the payment of rent allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the number of students entering dental schools for each of the last 20 years.

The number of new entrants to pre-clinical dental studies in Great Britain universities is shown below for 1965–66 to 1971–72. The series for 1954–55—the earliest year available—to 1964–65 is of all new entrants to dental faculties in universities.

1954–55	543
1955–56	695
1956–57	796
1957–58	758
1958–59	713
1959–60	593
1960–61	582
1961–62	590
1962–63	604
1963–64	636
1964–65	666
1965–66	745
1966–67	784
1967–68	774
1968–69	778
1969–70	791
1970–71	822
1971–72	882

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to chief constables on how they should respond to direct and indirect approaches by the illegal Rhodesian Smith régime on the recruiting of British personnel for the Rhodesian Police; and whether he will make a statement.

No such guidance has been necessary. Chief officers of police are aware of the provisions of Article 14 of the Southern Rhodesia (United Nations) Order (No. 2), 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive a report from the working party he has established to review the whole question of the controls on firearms of all kinds; and whether he will make a statement.

I am studying the report of the review carried out by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the regulations covering the issue of guns to police officers: and in what way these regulations have been changed over the last five years.

The issue of firearms to police officers is a matter within the discretion of the chief officer of police concerned.In general the policy, which has not been changed in recent years, is that firearms are issued only when there is reason to suppose that a police officer may have to face an armed man or, on a limited scale, for protection purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables on the number of times in each of the last three years guns have been issued to police officers, and the number of times they have been used.

The issue of guns is a matter for chief officers of police. I am considering with them what information can be obtained, and shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek powers to prohibit the supply of imitation firearms which might reasonably be mistaken for real weapons.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary has recently reviewed the controls of firearms of all kinds, and I shall be considering this problem in that context.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the qualifications that must be satisfied before British citizenship and nationality can be conferred upon an applicant not born in the United Kingdom; and what status this confers.

My right hon. Friend has the authority to grant naturalisation to a foreign national who meets the requirements set out in the 2nd Schedule to the British Nationality Act, 1948, and in that event he acquires citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies. A Commonwealth citizen may acquire such citizenship by registration if he meets the requirements of Section 6(1) of that Act. From 1st January, 1973, the requirements for registration will be modified by the Immigration Act, 1971. Wives of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies, and minor children, can acquire citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies under Sections 6(2) and 7 of the 1948 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has completed his inquiries into the conduct of the police in the matter of the assault on Mr. Willoughby Norman in London on 12th October and the subsequent court proceedings that took place at Bow Street on 13th October; and whether he will make a statement.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to the Metropolitan Police of towing away a car which is illegally parked; how many cars were impounded for illegal parking in central London during the past 12 months; and how much money was reclaimed in fines.

The cost of removing a vehicle varies according to the circumstances, but in general does not exceed £6. During the 12 months ended 30th September, 1972, 76,075 cars were removed to pounds in central London. Information about the payment of removal charges is available only for the whole Metropolitan Police District; during the same period £289,764 was received in removal charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons convicted in the magistrates' courts in each year since 1965 were committed to the Crown Court for sentence under Section 28 and Section 29 of the Magistrates' Courts Act, 1952.

The available figures are for committals to quarter sessions from 1965–71.They are as follows:

	Section 28	Section 29
1965	3,011	6,035
1966	3,773	7,211
1967	3,610	7,243
1968	3,339	9,601
1969	3,767	9,971
1970	4,354	11,424
1971	4,114	11,046

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the figures for the recruitment of prison officers in each year since 1965.

The figures for England and Wales are as follows:

1965	773
1966	1,182
1967	1,593
1968	1,370
1969	1,418
1970	942
1971	1,415
1972 (to 31st October)	1,301

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take immediate steps to improve the catering facilities of Greenham Common resettlement camp; and if he will make a statement.

The Uganda Resettlement Board informs me that the catering at this centre is in general satisfactory. Representations on specific points are sympathetically considered by those in charge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be available from chief constables giving the number of former police officers, now retired, who were, on 23rd October, in receipt of pensions of £28·40 per week; and whether in these cases rent allowances were additionally paid.

It is estimated than on 23rd October some 1,100 retired police officers in England and Wales were receiving police pensions of £28·40 a week or more. Rent allowances are not paid to retired officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be available from chief constables giving the number of those serving in the police force who were, on 23rd October, in receipt of wages or salaries of £28·40 a week or less; and whether in these cases rent allowances were additionally paid.

This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to public funds. As to rent allowance, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to a Question by the hon. Member on 9th November.—[Vol. 845, c. 213–14.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the Government's appeal to the Ugandan Asians not to go to Red areas, this is happening, and that 7,382 children under the age of 16 have entered Great Britain up to 20th October, 1972; how many of these have gone to Red areas; and what action he is taking to ensure that there are adequate schooling and other welfare services available for these new arrivals.

Many refugees from Uganda have joined friends and relatives already settled in this country. The Uganda Resettlement Board discourages, but has no power to prevent, the refugees from going to areas where social facilities are under pressure. It is not possible to give statistics of the present whereabouts of Ugandan Asian children who entered this country up to 20th October.The board has given local authorities detailed advice about special financial assistance for those who incur expenditure on resettlement, including schooling and welfare services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for Members of Parliament to visit the Ugandan Asian resettlement camps for the purpose of examining the facilities and conditions of these camps.

Members of Parliament are welcome to visit the Uganda Resettlement Board's centres and a number have already done so. An hon. Member who wishes to visit a centre is asked to get in touch with the board in order to make the necessary arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the threatened strike of the Asians in the Ugandan resettlement camps; what complaints he has received about segregation and about food; and to what extent the occupants are arranging and cooking their own food and arranging their own diets.

A few complaints about food have been made at two of the centres. At one centre some residents objected to the staff, who have European food, eating their meals in a different part of the dining room from the refugees who have Asian food. Reports of threatened strikes are exaggerated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why contractors are employed for the cleansing of accommodation in Ugandan Asian resettlement camps; and whether contractors are also employed for the preparation of diets and the cooking of food for those resident in such camps.

As regards contract cleaners, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his Question on 9th November. Catering contractors are at present employed in all but one of the centres used by the Uganda Resettlement Board, but these arrangements are being reviewed.—[Vol. 845, c. 217.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the dates when the Uganda Resettlement Board consulted the local authority associations regarding the details of financial assistance that would be available; whether the letter sent on 1st November, 1972, to local authorities contained details of an agreed financial settlement; what this amount was; and whether he will publish the text of this letter in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The local authority associations were sent a draft of the board's letter on 16th October and a revised draft on 18th October. The letter sent on 1st November explains which categories of expenditure are eligible for grant. Copies of the letter have already been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 3,000 letters he received from the general public since August on the Ugandan Asian expulsions and the 400 from Members of Parliament offered accommodation to these refugees.

The Uganda Resettlement Board has received 2,000 offers of accommodation; these offers have come by various channels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what services in addition to accommodation, furniture, heating, lighting, bedding, food. entertainment, television and the cleaning of the establishments are provided by the authorities to those in the Ugandan resettlement camps; and how much, and on what basis, the users are called upon to contribute towards the costs of these services; and whether he will seek to make arrangements based upon the charges made to British-born homeless people in local authority resettlement homes.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "None, except for education and advice on resettlement". Those refugees who are able to contribute towards their maintenance are required to do so according to the following scale of charges:

	A week
	£
Single person over 16 years	4·00
Man and wife	6·00
Each dependent child over 2 and under 16 years.	1·50

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the statement by Mr. P. Patel, a member of the Ugandan Asian Resettlement Board, that Asians are seeking to make the resettlement camps their permanent homes, whether he will make a statement on this matter.

The Uganda Resettlement Board's initial task was to make arrangements for the reception of the refugees from Uganda. The priority now is to get them resettled in the community, and the board's resettlement teams are doing all they can to achieve this objective as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mr. David Patience of the Barn, Braintree, Essex, at the Chelmsford Crown Court appealed unsuccessfully against a speeding conviction on the grounds that he was being chased by bandits when he was carrying takings from his father's business; and whether, in view of the new facts and information which have come to hand in the weekend of 4th-5th November, he will have this case reviewed.

I am having inquiries made and shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to publish the total costs in all matters pertaining to the various legal cases concerning the motoring charges against the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro).

Full details of the costs of these proceedings are not expected to be available for some time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it took him until 7th November for his private secretary to inform the hon. Member for West Ham, North that his letter of 25th October relating to a prisoner had been forwarded.

The hon. Member has not given sufficient information to enable this correspondence to be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details giving the date when Ronald Larby joined the police force; what action was taken to check his record and character; what progress he made in the force and on what dates; what charges and allegations were made against him and by whom; what was the result of the investigation; and whether this investigation was carried out by officers of a force independent of that in which Larby served.

Because I am not persuaded of the need to supply personal information about Mr. Larby, who is no longer a police officer. As to the disciplinary matters, I have nothing to add to the replies which have been given to the hon. Member's previous Questions on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the total number of immigrants who have entered the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years.

On the assumption that the hon. Member has in mind Commonwealth citizens coming here for settlement, the figures including United Kingdom passport holders are:

July-December 1962	18,800
1963	59,800
1964	55,900
1965	63,200
1966	57,300
1967	75,000
1968	71,900
1969	42,800
1970	36,700
1971	38,200

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the production of North Sea oil in 1975 and 1980, respectively, and the revenues accruing to the Government in those years.

There are good hopes that production will reach 25 million tons a year by the mid 1970s trebling by 1980. The corresponding revenues are about £25 million and £80 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has received for additional expenditure on district heating schemes.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to attract more light industry to the Newark-Lincoln and Southwell area of the East Midlands in view of the current levels of unemployment.

I am confident that the measures taken both nationally and regionally to stimulate the economy will benefit these areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what telephone number should be called, or what address should be written to, by persons who do not have ready access to telephones in the Consett and Stanley areas of County Durham to register complaints of rising prices.

Failing satisfaction from the retailer concerned, persons should contact the Food Prices Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for information on food and drink products, and the Prices Unit of the Department of Trade and Industry for other goods and services. The addresses and telephone numbers are as follows:

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Food Prices Unit, 3, Whitehall Place, London, SWIA 2HH. Telephone: 01–839–8050.

Department of Trade and Industry Prices Unit, Thames House South, Millbank, London, SW1P 4JQ. Telephone: 01–834 2299.

Regional Offices of both Departments: Wellbar House, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NEI 4TU. Telephone: 0632 27575.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take action to publicise the address and telephone numbers to which persons in the Consett and Stanley areas should register complaints of rising prices by requesting Government Departments, local authorities and the Post Office to display the number and address at their public buildings in the area.

I do not think that this is necessary since these numbers and addresses have already been very fully publicised.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will request all manufacturers, wholesalers and retail trade associations to advise their members in the Consett and Stanley areas to display the address and telephone number to be used by persons in this area desirous of registering complaints about rising prices.

I do not think that this is necessary since the procedure has already been very fully publicised.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been refused in each year since 1964 to firms wishing to develop in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

None in the employment exchange area of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the context of the United Kingdom's and the Irish Republic's entry to the European Economic Community, he will make a statement of policy on co-operation with the Republic of Ireland with regard to regional policy.

Co-operation with all our partners will be essential in achieving an effective regional policy for the Community as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of its proposals to change Article 44 of the Irish Constitution, he will open negotiations with the Dublin Government for the deletion from the constitution of its claim to territorial jurisdiction over Northern Ireland.

No. Amendments to the Irish Constitution are entirely the concern of the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the decision about Common Market political union at the summit meeting in Paris in October, 1972, was taken under, or arises out of, the European Communities Act.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 8th November.—[Vol. 845, c. 196.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passports have been issued to Rhodesian Africans since the unilateral declaration of independence in 1965.

No record is kept to indicate whether the holder of any United Kingdom passport is of African or European origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will establish an interdepartmental committee to inquire into the advisability of replacing actions for damages from personal injuries by a scheme for compensating victims, irrespective of liability, from a public fund financed by a levy on industry.

I have nothing at present to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 17th October.—[Vol. 843, c. 35–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to promote the improvement of dental care for the chronic sick, the disabled and the elderly.

Dentists can, and often do, make special arrangements for treating chronic sick, disabled and elderly patients.I am sure, too, that the Working Party on the Dental Services will recognise that its remit, to secure the long-term development and improvement of National Health Service dental services, includes the needs of this group of patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to safeguard the staffing position of the National Health Service in England and Wales following the decision of the General Medical Council to strike doctors off the register.

I understand that only a small minority of the medical profession have rendered themselves liable to erasure from the medical register, but if any doctors, notwithstanding their professional and contractual obligations, by continuing to withhold the statutory retention fees, were to put themselves in the position of not being able to provide their normal services to patients, I and the National Health Service authorities would take all necessary steps within our powers to maintain statutory services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total number of dental practitioners' contracts with the National Health Service in January for each year since 1948.

The information is as follows:

Year ended	Principals in Contract with Executive Councils (England and Wales)
1st January
1949	Not available
1950	9,367
1951	9,596
1952	Not available
1953	9,610
1954	9,377
1955	9,314
1956	9,414
1957	9,419
1958	9,550
1959	9,572
1960	9,660
31st December
1960	9,721
1961	9,917
1962	10,013
1963	10,020
1964	10,396
30th September
1965	10,419
1966	10,520
1967	10,674
1968	10,948
1969	11,132
1970	11,361
1971	11,566

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made since June, 1970, to reduce waiting lists at hospitals in the area served by the Cornwall Hospital Management Committee.

The position has remained relatively unchanged, apart from some mainly seasonal variations upwards and downwards. The problem of reducing waiting lists generally has been under consideration in my Department, and my right hon. Friend intends to issue further guidance to hospital authorities in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals or hospital management committees have advertised recently in the Fire magazine for fire safety officers at a wage rate of £22·84 for a 40-hour week; how many applications were received in each case; what were the qualifications sought by the employing body; and if he will make a statement on the responsibilities which these officers will carry in post.

Details of advertisements for appointments made by individual hospital authorities are not kept centrally. Fire safety officers are responsible for the practical application of fire precautions

£
		Family income under tax credits	Present Family Income		Improvement available under tax credits
	Weekly pay		Assuming take-up of FIS	Assuming no claim for FIS	Assuming present take-up of FIS	Assuming no current FIS
Married with 2	15	20·50	19	15·90	1·50	4·60
children under 11	20	24	21·50	20·90	2·50	3·10
Married with 4	15	24·50	22	17·90	2·50	6·60
children—2 under 11 and 2 between 11 and 16	20	28	24·50	22·90	3·50	5·10

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the gross total of money paid to dentists

			1969	1970	1971	1972
			£ million
January	…	…	—	4·860	6·376	5·627
February	…	…	—	4·837	5·670	5·571
March	…	…	—	5·118	5·861	10·729*
April	…	…	—	5·224	6·694	5·764
May	…	…	—	5·339	6·908	5·676
June	…	…	—	5·306	6·771	6·080
July	…	…	—	6·780	6·202	6·770
August	…	…	—	5·704	6·572	6·145
September	…	…	—	5·039	5·599	5·448
October	…	…	4·569	9·631*	5·555	—
November	…	…	5059	6·468	5·921	—
December	…	…	5170	6·443	5·855	—
The figures quoted include employees' superannuation contributions.
*Include arrears due on Review Body pay awards

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the tables in Command Paper No. 5116 which show the impact of tax credits on different families assume take up of family income supplement by those eligible.

Yes. To the extent that families have not claimed the family income supplement they are entitled to, the transition to tax credits would mean increases in income of up to £5 a week more than the illustrative figures in the Green Paper.The following table illustrates this in connection with the examples given in the Green Paper of family men earning £15 and £20 a week:by executive councils for each month during the last three years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will announce the boundaries of the area and regional health authorities in greater London.

As stated in the White Paper, National Health Service Reorganisation: England, Cmnd. 5055, the health areas in London will be formed out of single boroughs or groups of boroughs, the four Metropolitan regional health authorities will each include some London health areas, and, as elsewhere in the country, health care will be based on districts which may overlap the administrative boundaries.The circumstances in London are such that for the area and regional boundaries there is no pattern that is ideal or will please everybody. After extensive consultations, I have decided that the areas and regions that will best serve the needs of the National Health Service are those set out below.I would again emphasise that in the National Health Service administrative boundaries are in no sense barriers to the movement of patients or to the establishment of medical and dental teaching links.

Region No. 5 in Cmnd. 5055
Area:	Barnet
Area:	Brent
	Harrow
Area:	Ealing
	Hammersmith
	Hounslow
Area:	Hillingdon
Area:	Kensington and Chelsea
	Westminster

Region No. 6 in Cmnd. 5055
Area:	Barking.
	Havering
Area:	Camden
	Islington
Area:	City
	Hackney
	Newham
	Tower Hamlets
Area:	Enfield
	Haringey
Area:	Redbridge
	Waltham Forest

Region No. 7 in Cmnd. 5055
Area:	Bexley
	Greenwich
Area:	Bromley
Area:	Lambeth
	Lewisham
	Southwark

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the considerations extended to owner-occupiers and house owners in the White Paper, "Development and Compensation —Putting People First", recently published, will be available also to tenants of the local authority accommodation who are similarly affected by road developments and so on.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Land Compensation Bill. Local authority tenants will, where applicable, benefit from the provisions relating to sound insulation, home loss payments and, when they are displaced from their homes, those relating to assistance with rehousing. They may, indirectly, benefit from injurious affection compensation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to pay a subsidy to cover all rent increases imposed since 30th September, 1972, during the period of the wages freeze.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost to the Exchequer of improvement grants to private landlords in the latest available 12 months.

Grants paid to private owners during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1972, amounted to about £52 million. Information about the split of grants paid between owner-occupiers and landlords is not obtained from local authorities, but for numbers of grants approved it is about two to one. The Government bear three-quarters of the cost of each grant outside assisted areas and nine-tenths inside these areas, but the amount of the Government contribution is not known until after the local authorities have submitted claims for the financial year concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which Ministers have responsibilities in regard to pollution; and what are these responsibilities.

It is my responsibility to co-ordinate the work of the Government on environmental pollution generally, and in discharging this responsibility I work closely with all the other Ministers concerned. I am directly responsible also for water pollution, air and noise pollution, except from aircraft, and the disposal of solid and radioactive wastes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the numbers of fatalities and casualities for each of the past five years on the Lincoln—Newark road; what plans he has for improvements; and what action he is taking to reduce accidents.

The statistics of casualties readily available are as follows:

IN KESTEVEN
Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight
1968	1	13	11
1969	3	10	11
1970	2	4	9
1971	4	8	16
Up to October, 1972	3	8	13

A further fatal accident has been recorded in November.

IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight
1967	—	3	4
1968	1	4	2
1979	—	3	2

Street lighting will be installed from South Hykham to the Nottinghamshire County boundary in the immediate future. The extension of the 40 m.p.h. speed limit at North Hykham southwards to the end of existing street lighting is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to give himself power to review awards of costs made by the Commons Commissioner in actions about the registration of common land.

No. This is properly a matter for the discretion of the Commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to give a decision on the City of Stoke-on-Trent Comprehensive Development Area No. 1 Concurrent Compulsory Purchase Order 1970, the inquiry into which was held on 6th October, 1970.

The decision was issued on 14th November. I shall send the hon. Member a copy of the decision letter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress was made towards a world agreement on ocean dumping at the recent conference in London at which his Department was represented; and if he is satisfied with the outcome.

The conference adopted the text of a Convention controlling all deliberate dumping of wastes at sea. None of the 80 States present dissented from the text and 57, including almost all major industrial and shipping nations, signed the Final Act. Copies of the text have been placed in the Library, and the Convention will be open by the end of the year for signature by any State. I am sure that the House will share my satisfaction with the result and note with pleasure the gratitude expressed by the conference for the part that this country and its representatives played in achieving it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the interest of road safety, he will take steps to ensure that all containers should be twist-locked on to vehicles.

Not all containers can be twist-locked, but the Code of Practice on the Safety of Loads of Vehicles, which have recently issued, specifies that containers equipped with corner castings should, so far as possible, be carried on vehicles fitted with twist-locks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how motor insurance policies will be affected by the European Economic Community directive on motor vehicle insurance; what effect there will be on premiums payable by the British motorists; and whether he will make a statement.

Discussion with the motor insurance market has established that the future statutory requirement that all motor insurance policies issued in the United Kingdom must also contain the minimum cover required by the law in each of the other member States will be met by suitable extension of policies, with effect from 1st January, 1974. Some insurers—a minority, I understand—will include a provision that indemnity to the policy holder will depend upon prior notification of travel in other EEC countries.I am assured that the need for statutory EEC cover to be included in policies will not affect premiums for vehicle owners who do not travel abroad. Any additional premium will become payable only when such travel is actually undertaken. This is, in effect, what happens now under the present "green card" system.So far as commercial vehicles are concerned, it is likely that a policy requirement for prior notification will be the rule rather than the exception.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he has sent to the letter dated 10th November from the Lord Provost of Edinburgh concerning the possible move from Edinburgh to Livingston new town of the headquarters of the Scottish Special Housing Association; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to reply shortly, and I shall send my hon. Friend a copy of my letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to ensure that the markings on the edges of the carriageway on the M90 motorway are to the same standard for all its length.

I try to ensure that markings are up to as high a standard as possible, but they necessarily vary on different lengths of road because of the particular form of road construction employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to implement European Economic Community directive 67/548, relating to the classification, packing and labelling of dangerous substances, as amended by directives 69/81, 70/189 and 71/44.

These directives are concerned in the main with industrial chemicals and legislation on similar lines has been envisaged for some time by my Department. The United Kingdom is being consulted on the draft of a fourth amending directive and my Department is co-ordinating the necessary consultations on this within the United Kingdom which involve the TUC, CBI, Chemical Industries Association, British Standards Institution and a considerable number of other interested organisations. When the draft amending directive has been finalised and adopted, there will be further consultations with these organisations, and regulations will be made to implement all four directives.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to fill the places not taken up in the Government training centres in the Northern Region.

Every effort is made to use Government training centres' capacity to the full. There is at present some spare capacity in a number of trades in centres in Northern Region. The facilities available have been widely publicised and urgent steps are taken to inform suitable registrants at local employment offices of courses with unfilled places.

			October, 1970		October, 1972
Government Training Centre			Available places	Unfilled places	Available places	Unfilled places
Billingham	…	…	249	40	235	84
Darlington	…	…	151	26	104	28
Durham	…	…	342	67	286	98
Felling	…	…	340	66	322	119
Killingworth	…	…	292	46	269	72
Maryport	…	…	85	20	85	44
Middlesbrough	…	…	164	26	—	—
Total	…	…	1,623	291	1,301	445

In October, 1970, 66 per cent. of the available places were occupied, compared with 82 per cent. in October, 1972, when the number of places available had increased by 25 per cent.Under the Training Opportunities Scheme which was introduced in August, it is planned to increase the number of places available in Government training centres to about 18,000 by 1975, as compared with 11,000 in July, 1971. Over 440 new places will be provided in Northern Region, of which 360 are expected to be available by mid-1973. Greater use is also being made of training facilities in colleges of further education and employers' establishments.By 1975 not less than 60,000–70,000 people a year will receive training in these establishments and in Government training centres, and this figure will be raised as soon as possible to 100,000. This compares with an expected output of 30,000 in 1972. Northern Region will benefit fully from the expansion and 570 trainees are already in training there in colleges and employers' establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many former coal miners living in the Easington constituency are currently undergoing retraining on Government training courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of persons under training in each of the Government training centres in the Northern Region; the number of unfilled places; how these figures compare with the same period in 1970; and if he will make a statement on future training policy.

Following is the information:

Eleven were undergoing training on 30th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of unemployed in the Huddersfield district in each year in the month of September from 1964 to the latest available date.

The following table shows the numbers registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Huddersfield employment exchange:

	Total	Temporarily stopped included in total
September, 1964	588	19
September, 1965	472	8
September, 1966	447	13
September, 1967	1,070	161
September, 1968	1,094	118
September, 1969	1,213	269
September, 1970	3,509	2,147
September, 1971	2,861	472
September, 1972	1,919	32

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average weekly wage earned by farm workers in England and Wales.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Prime Minister what proportion of the official visits he has made in 1972 has been by means of scheduled air services.

I have been asked to reply.None.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to make a ministerial broadcast.

I have been asked to reply.I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) on 7th November.—[Vol. 845, c.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has for further discussions with the Heads of other member States of the enlarged European Economic Community on the question of increased democratisation of the Community's institutions.

I have been asked to reply.At the summit meeting in Paris on 18th and 19th October, the Heads of Government agreed that they wish to strengthen the powers of control of the European Parliament and invited the Council and the Commission of the Communities to put into effect without delay the practical measures designed to achieve this reinforcement and to improve the relations both of the Council and of the Commission with the Assembly. My right hon. Friend has no plans at present for further discussions about this with other Heads of Government.

asked the Prime Minister what exchanges he has had with the Prime Minister of Australia on changed relations resulting from United Kingdom membership of the European Community.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had full and useful discussions about this and other matters with the Australian Prime Minister last year. We have continued to keep in close touch with the Australian Government about aspects of our entry into the European Communities which affect Australia. My right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary visited Australia last June, and the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade had talks here in July about trade matters.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination of Government Departments in relation to the settlement of Ugandan Asian families; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Yes. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that there is close co-operation and consultation between the Uganda Resettlement Board and all the Government Departments concerned, which from the outset have given the board their fullest support.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to hold joint talks with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend made clear in his statement on 6th November that the Government are fully prepared to resume the discussion between the three parties in due course on the objectives and problems of economic management.

asked the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made in his discussions with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

I have been asked to reply.I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement on 6th November.—[Vol. 845; c. 622–37.]

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to hold an official meeting with the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has no such meeting fixed, but he is always prepared to meet the general secretary of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has for further meetings with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress.

In my statement on 6th November, I made clear that the Government are fully prepared to continue to take part in discussions with the CBI and the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the series of talks held with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 6th November.—[Vol. 845, c. 622–37.]

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so. Ministers have met representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress on several occasions in recent months, and the latest of such meetings was on 25th October. The Government are, therefore, kept fully aware of the views of the STUC.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the coordination between the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry regarding the necessary joint planning of Foulness Airport and the Channel Tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friends cooperate closely on the implications of the two projects both for regional policy and for traffic flows.

asked the Prime Minister what action he proposes to take on the recommendations of the Bolton Committee aimed at easing the burden of administrative form filling.

I have asked all Ministers to ensure that their Departments pay attention to easing the burden of form filling. In particular, I have asked that, when new forms are devised, special care should be taken to assess and take into account the expenditure of time and effort they will require of respondents—individuals as well as firms. I have asked also that Departments should from time to time examine afresh the cost, time, and effort involved in filling up existing forms.The Bolton Committee's recommendations on the establishment of a central data bank raise issues of confidentiality of information, of the kind referred to by my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in his answer of 29th March.The Government have since received the Report of the Younger Committee on Privacy and are considering the implications of this for central Government activities. The Government do not propose to proceed with a central data bank at the present time. I have, however, asked Ministers to ensure that administrative information is available for statistical purposes where possible, and where the requirements of confidentiality can be met.Finally. I have emphasised the need to make full use of the expertise of statisticians in devising the simplest and most effective means of collecting information for administrative as well as statistical purposes and in advising on the value for statistical purposes of information required for administration.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the average time now taken for the vetting procedure for a man applying to join the Ulster Defence Regiment.

The situation remains as given in my predecessor's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder) on 11th February, 1972.—[Vol. 830, c. 452.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether flak jackets are now available to every man in the Ulster Defence Regiment.

A pool of flak jackets is held in Northern Ireland which allows for about 3,000 for the Ulster Defence Regiment. This is considered sufficient to equip all members of the regiment under normal deployment who are on duty at any one time. When a call-out of the regiment for extended service occurs, additional issues are made from Regular Army stocks.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will indicate the number of persons who resigned from the Ulster Defence Regiment in each month of 1972; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 15th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder).

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will indicate the number of applicants to join the Ulster Defence Regiment each month of 1972; and if he will indicate the number accepted.

The information is as follows:

1972	Applicants	Accepted
January	652	748
February	684	612
March	753	569
April	474	339
May	396	392
June	275	253
July	209	140
August	801	259
September	269	278
October	277	304
Up to 8th November	115	104

Note: Acceptances follow a few weeks after applications and are, therefore, not necessarily related to the applicants in the same month.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army in Northern Ireland have applied for transfer to the Ulster Defence Regiment, at the latest convenient date.

A total of 54 members of the TAVR have to date applied and been accepted for transfer to the UDR under the special arrangements announced in October, 1971. This figure does not include former members of the TAVR who may have applied to join the UDR at the conclusion of their normal TAVR engagements.