asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the capacity of the brick industry is adequate for future demands; and if he will make a statement.

Brick producing capacity is increasing. I expect it to be adequate to meet the forecast demand for bricks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will expedite the completion of the feasibility study of the M1-A1 link motorway.

Yes, Sir. The results of the study should be available by the end of December next year, about three months earlier than the original target date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the provisions in the new Convention which prohibit dumping in the sea of atomic waste, even in containers.

Article IV and Annex I prohibit the deliberate dumping of high level radioactive wastes except in serious emergencies. Article VI and Annex II require special permits for other radioactive wastes, taking full account of the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In Article XII the parties pledge themselves to promote measures to protect the marine environment against radioactive pollutants from all sources, including vessels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, in view of the inadequacy of the public notice system of notification of planning applications for the purpose of lodging objections, he will amend the procedures to allow for direct notification to persons likely to be adversely affected by such planning applications, if agreed to, in all cases;(2) if he will introduce amendments to present planning procedures to allow for greater consultation between planning authorities and those persons directly affected or likely to be so affected by planning applications made by local authorities, Government Departments and private persons.

My right hon. and learned Friend agrees that there is scope for extending the statutory requirements for publicity. In the meantime, further guidance will be issued to local planning authorities. However, a universal requirement to advertise and notify would be too sweeping, and a large measure of discretion must be left with local authorities. The Government accept that public and private proposals should be treated similarly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that local planning authorities are ensuring that information required from them in connection with appeals under Section 36 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 are submitted promptly, in accordance with paragraph 2 of his Department's circular 23/72; and if he will make a statement.

In general, yes, though there are now 50 per cent. more appeals than a year ago. If my hon. Friend has particular cases in mind I should be glad to look into them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when talks will be resumed with the Common Market about the weight of heavy lorries.

Further ministerial consultations are planned for 18th and 19th December, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the regulations now in force regarding the entry into Great Britain of the heavy lorries from the countries of the European Economic Community; whether they have to be licensed and insured and carry certificates of roadworthiness; and to what extent the position will change on 1st January, 1973 on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

A list is given below. Like all foreign vehicles, heavy lorries from EEC countries entering Great Britain are subject to bilateral agreements regarding licences and insurance. Neither they nor British vehicles are required to carry certificates of roadworthiness. There will be no change on 1st January, 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the legislation and regulations under which the owners and drivers of heavy goods vehicles coming to this country from the Common Market countries can be stopped by the police, charged and prosecuted, for offences against the Road Traffic Acts; and whether this will continue after 1st January 1973 on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

The answer to the first part of the Question is the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act 1972: the answer to the second part is "Yes".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the supply of privately rented accommodation in London.

No, the situation is already well known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much accommodation his Department estimates to be available for renting from private landlords on new lettings in London at rents of under £10 per week.

We have not made, nor does the basis exist for making, any such estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received to extend the period during which grants are payable for the clearance of minor dereliction and local eyesores beyond June 1973; and what replies he has sent.

I have had about a dozen specific requests that this scheme should be extended, and there have been a number of inquiries. Inquirers have been told that the working of the scheme is now being reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance he is giving to the County Borough of Doncaster in its efforts to reclaim the derelict land of Doncaster Carr by the use of pit waste.

My Department is in touch with Doncaster Corporation about its proposals for the treatment of this area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now consider seeking powers to provide grants for local community groups who wish to contest development plans on general civic and amenity grounds before public inquiries.

No, Sir; but I am considering ways of encouraging closer cooperation between local voluntary organisations, with the aim of helping them make a more effective contribution to the planning process.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to prevent the earning of professional fees by members of the committees of housing associations and housing societies and to require them to put building programmes out to tender.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why he has not allowed more than the statutory six weeks for objections to the route of the Bromsgrove section of the proposed M42 motorway;(2) whether he will extend the period of time for objections to the route of the Bromsgrove section of the proposed M42 motorway.

As announced last March, proposals for the whole of the M42 are being accelerated and, consequently, the objection period was limited to six weeks only. However, arrangements are now being made for a public inquiry to be held next summer into these and the related proposals for the northern section of the M40. All objections received in the meantime will be fully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning his proposals for the British Waterways Board, and in particular the future of its Freight Services Division.

Discussions are continuing with the board on the details of the proposed reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost of subsidy to British Rail for the year 1973–74, in respect of railway routes to be kept open and operational as socially and economically desirable, though failing to pay their way; what comparisons he made thereby with the figure for 1971–72; and what application has been received from British Rail, and what estimate he has made of the cost of keeping open the main line, Oxford, Evesham, Worcester, Malvern, Hereford, Western Region, compared with 1971–72.

For passenger services in 1973, about £75 million—about 10 per cent. more than for 1971. For services grant-aided on the Oxford-Hereford line, £565,000—about 35 per cent. more than for 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent to date on advertising the Housing Finance Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent to date on advertising in the Press and on television the provisions of the Housing Finance Act.

The estimated cost of television and press advertisements to which we are committed until early next year to inform tenants of their rights under the new Act is about £590,000. Other expenditure on publicity during the same period is estimated at about £42,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to give additional protection to purchasers of new houses against jerry builders and developers who leave sites in a dangerous condition.

I have no evidence that such powers are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on what steps he intends to take on land reclamation in the Conisbrough Urban District Council area with special reference to the pit heaps at the Cadeby Colliery and the now closed Denaby Main Colliery.

The West Riding County Council plans to reclaim 30 acres in the next few years at these two collieries. My regional office is discussing with the county council ways of achieving this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to publicise the first elections to local authorities set up under the Local Government Act, 1972.

Consultations on this matter will be opened with the local authority associations shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet received the report of the Layfield Panel of Inquiry into the Greater London Development Plan; and whether he will publish it at the earliest opportunity so that the public may study and comment on its findings.

I expect to receive the report in the next few days. I cannot yet say when it will be published, but it will be at the earliest practicable date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the adoption by the Greater London Council of new motorway proposals differing from those presented to the Layfield Panel of Inquiry, he will institute a new public inquiry with these new proposals, or alternatively refer them for examination to the Layfield Panel.

The Greater London Council has not proposed any formal amendment to the primary road proposals contained in the Greater London Development Plan, on which the panel of inquiry was asked to report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the decline in house building, he will consider taking steps to establish a national housing corporation.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his intentions in respect of extra assistance to local authorities to provide housing for Ugandan Asian refugees.

The Government already give assistance to local authorities in ways which help them, among other things, to provide housing in their areas. They have no plans to give them extra assistance specifically directed towards the housing of the Uganda Asian refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the outcome of a meeting attended by 600 people in Rainham, Essex, on Friday, 17th November, 1972, details of which have been sent to him, if he will now announce that he will exclude from consideration the widening of the A13 road through this village.

No. My right hon. and learned Friend does not yet have all the information necessary to decide on the merits of widening or diverting this route.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects a start to be made on the widening of the A13 from Kents Hill Road to Bradley Avenue, Thundersley.

The starting date cannot be forecast until the scheme has been accepted into my principal roads preparation list.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of people currently in receipt of rent rebate; and by how much this falls short of the Government's estimate.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 29th November, 1972, in answer to a similar Question.—[Vol. 847, c. 138.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of the additional Exchequer subsidies to local authorities to enable them to restrict increases in the rates.

The orders now before the House provide for rate support grants in 1973–74 of £2,875 million. The latest estimate for 1972–73 is £2,522 million. This increase reflects both the expected increase in local authority expenditure in real terms and the increase in the percentage of that expenditure to be met by the Exchequer to assist local authorities to hold down the level of rates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the various reports prepared in his Department concerning the future of branch lines on British Railways so that the whole future of British Railways can be debated publicly before any final decisions are taken.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mr. Walter Johnson) on 8th November.—[Vol. 845, c. 999–1000.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have for setting up a working party to consider the environmental difficulties in relation to packaging; and what plans there are to coordinate the work of the three study groups involved with tin, glass and plastics.

This was discussed at a national conference of interested bodies convened in London last year, and my Department has since been considering the conclusions. The question of co-ordinating the work of the three study groups will be further considered as soon as their reports are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the completion of the M3 motorway.

By the end of 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to announce a decision on the future expansion of Harlow new town.

I am not yet at the stage of deciding whether to make a draft order for the extension of the designated area. If such an order is made, the timing of a final decision will depend on whether objections are made which require the holding of a public inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to announce the names of the chairman and members whom he is to appoint to serve on the advisory committee on rent rebates and allowances.

I expect to be able to announce the names of the chairman and members before long.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to establish local tribunals exercising power to control the emission of smoke, dust and noise from industrial undertakings, as alternatives to prosecutions under public health legislation, or the common law action for nuisance.

No, but my right hon. and learned Friend proposes to strengthen anti-pollution measures as and when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he now proposes to take to end the tipping of colliery waste on Durham beaches; and if he will make a statement;(2) what proposals he now has for the application of remedial measures arising from the practice of disposing of colliery waste on beaches.

I am still considering this. A statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the state of the existing law on drinking and driving; and if he will make a statement.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake an immediate review of the housing cost yardsticks for local authority schemes in inner London, in view of the large increase in costs since the present yardsticks were fixed.

The yardstick is kept under continuous review, and, as announced by my right hon. and learned Friend's predecessor on 2nd November, we are now prepared to give special yardstick allowances where local market conditions make this necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Portsmouth City Council about the need for approval to go ahead with schemes for capital expenditure despite the economic freeze; and what reply he has sent.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ascertain and publish the figures for the sale of local authority dwellings in the second quarter of 1971, the second quarter of 1972, the third quarter of 1971 and the third quarter of 1972, respectively.

Local authorities in England and Wales sold 4,346 dwellings in the second quarter of 1971 and 11,288 in the second quarter of 1972; the corresponding figures for the third quarter of those two years were 4,408 and 11,493, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why, in view of the fact that a motorist found stopping at a defective red traffic signal is unable to proceed or reverse without the possibility of committing a traffic offence, he will not introduce a regulation or legislation to permit such a motorist to treat the defective red traffic signal light as if it were a stop or give way signal and to proceed with care and caution.

Because it is more important to preserve drivers' confidence in traffic signals generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that the decision as to whether Liverpool airport will be managed and financed after 1st April, 1974 by the Liverpool District Council or the Merseyside Metropolitan County Council will be decided by the latter body after its election in spring 1973.

Future responsibility for Liverpool airport will be the subject of consultations with the local authorities concerned before the final decision is given effect by order of my right hon. and learned Friend under the Local Government Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state, from figures available to him, how many rents have increased and how many have decreased in total since the commencement of the Housing Finance Act; and if he will summarise the position in Sheffield in particular.

I regret that this information cannot be provided because it is impossible to know how tenants have been affected individually by the many variable factors. Sheffield Corporation has, however, told me that in October the rent of 3 per cent. of its dwellings was not increased at all and the rent of a further 6 per cent. was increased by 20p or less. The number of tenants getting a rebate, excluding those in receipt of supplementary benefit, has almost trebled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment approximately how many council house tenants are paying more rent as a result of the Housing Finance Act.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. R. C. Mitchell) in answer to a similar Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing authorities have applied to him to make a direction under Section 62(4) of the Housing Finance Act, 1972, that the increase of rents in 1972–73 or 1973–74 shall be a lower amount than would otherwise be required by Part VI of the Act; how many such directions he has made; and what lower amounts have been specified in each such direction.

Following are the 170 housing authorities to which a direction has been given in respect of the increase to be made in October 1972, with the amount of the direction in each case. In 12 other cases no direction was given and two applications are under consideration. Thirteen housing authorities have so far applied for a direction in respect of the increase to be made in April 1973; no directions have yet been given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the average standard exclusive rents and the average exclusive rents actually demanded as at 30th September 1972 by housing authorities within the Greater London area.

This information is not available in the Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will extend the Great Model of Westminster to include those buildings now scheduled for preservation, namely, Richmond Terrace, Scotland Yard, the Norman Shaw North building, the Foreign Office, Home Office, India Office, and Bryden's Great George Street Treasury.

Yes. The work is already in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the anti-litter poster campaign.

I am informed by the Keep Britain Tidy Group that expenditure on the 1972 poster campaign amounted to about £100,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to make the fitting of mud flaps obligatory on all vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

No. Experiments have shown such mud flaps to be of little value on private cars but I am initiating research on improvements in lorry mud-guarding, including mud flaps.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider making it a condition for inclusion in the selected list of tenderers for public work contracts that building contractors employ the recognised quota of indentured apprentices.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30th November. Similar arguments apply to both defence and other public works contracts.—[Vol. 847, c. 210.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the organisations which he has consulted in his proposal to issue driving licences for life.

My Department wrote on 5th October, 1971, to 56 organisations covering a wide range of commercial and motoring interests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what legislative steps he intends to take to increase the maximum speed limit permissible on motorways.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he is having on the implementation of the Wheatley Report on Safety at Football Grounds.

I have held no formal discussions myself, though I have spoken informally with the football authorities about this and related questions. Officials of my Department have taken part in discussions organised by the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he now proposes to take to reduce the number of road casualties.

Measures to reduce the number and severity of accidents are always being sought and examined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of the London Boroughs Association.

On 17th November, along with representatives of other local authority associations and the Greater London Council, to discuss the financial assistance to be given to local authorities in England and Wales in 1973–74.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request local authorities not to sell their water undertakings, and ask those authorities involved not to recommence negotiations for the sale of those undertakings.

As the Water Companies Association was told on 14th November that in the light of the announcement in the Queen's Speech that the Water Bill was to be introduced this Session, we would not be prepared to entertain any applications for such transfers where the necessary formalities had not been completed by the date of this letter. On the other hand we see no reason why such transfers which had already been agreed upon by the parties concerned should not be the subject of applications to my department for orders under the Water Act 1945, provided there are technical advantages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he now expects the M16, from the A10 to the M11, to be open to traffic.

The aim is for this route to be open to traffic in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he is taking about the vacant office building at Centre Point.

As I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. Lena Jeger) on 20th November, I am keeping the situation under review.—[Vol. 846, c. 298.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider altering the provisions in discretionary and standard improvement grants so that if any dwelling receives an improvement grant and that dwelling is sold within three years 50 per cent. of

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his housing action group will investigate the extent to which certain local authorities in the greater London area have recently accumulated land from private builders, to whom planning permission has already been granted, to hold for future municipal development.

I do not think a specific investigation of this topic by the action group is necessary, but it is open to the group to discuss it during its visits to individual authorities where it thinks this would be helpful.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines, based on information available from the Road Research and Trans- the grant is repayable to the local authority.

This is one of the matters which will be looked at very carefully in the course of our review of policy on older housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many discretionary and standard improvement grants were approved in the third quarter of 1971 and the third quarter of 1972, respectively; and of these totals how many were for local authorities, owner-occupiers, landlords with sitting tenants, and others, respectively.

This precise breakdown is not available but detailed figures are as follows:portation Laboratory, he is now giving local authorities about achieving a correct balance between the private motor vehicle and public transport in towns and cities; and what specific advice he has given the city of Sheffield.

The correct balance between private and public transport will depend on local conditions. I have given no specific advice to Sheffield.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates he had discussions with the Uganda Resettlement Board; and what matters were discussed.

Ministers and officials of my Department keep in close touch with the chairman, members and officials of the board. It would not be appropriate to give details of the contents of such discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) in view of the need to know future motorway routes, if he will have placed in the Library of the House of Commons a map, corrected every three months, or more frequently, showing the latest public information about motorway planning;(2) when he will be able to publish a national map to show the motorway programme for the future, to include in detail, so far as made public, the latest plans for city motorways as well as intercity routes.

A map showing the motorway and trunk road programme will be published in the New Year and annually thereafter. I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library. Local authority motorway schemes will not be shown but these are in any case limited in number.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now announce the findings of the public inquiry into Luton Airport.

I hope to do so very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the bridges linking Canvey Island with the mainland now under construction to be completed and open to traffic.

Next spring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of projects in Operation Eyesore and the cost at which they are being undertaken, specifying the figures for each region.

Close to 10,000 projects for cleaning up and beautifying local areas of dereliction and ugliness have now been approved at a cost of nearly £22½ million. The following table gives the numbers and cost of projects approved in each region since the scheme commenced in February this year.Following are the figures at 30th November 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what dispensation from the Counter-Inflation (Temporary Provisions) Act he has given to National Car Parks Limited to enable it to raise its parking charges during the Christmas period above those charged on 6th November.

None. A regular seasonal increase would be permissible if it did not exceed last year's increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up a working party to study and analyse the growth of traffic in ten major city centres in the United Kingdom.

The study and analyses of traffic growth is a continuous process.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to make the construction of swimming pools in the gardens of private houses a matter for which planning permission is required, in order to protect the amenities and welfare of the immediate neighbours.

No; but the new General Development Order which we intend to lay before the House shortly will include some changes in the permissions granted for development within the curtilage of a dwelling-house.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of those river authorities which have dissented from his proposals for the reorganisation of water services.

The Association of River Authorities has recently expressed again its support for the reorganisation. I have no means of knowing whether any individual river authority now dissents from this view.The Great Ouse, Lincolnshire, Welland and Nene, and Wye River Authorities wrote to us shortly after the statement in the House last December, expressing opposition to the general idea of multipurpose authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the construction industry on the subject of bridge design and construction over the past two years; and what replies he has given.

Following the appointment in November, 1970, by the then Secretary of State for the Environment in association with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales of an independent technical committee to examine the basis of design and method of erection of large steel box girder bridges, representations were received from the Constructional Engineering Union expressing its concern regarding safety aspects during the erection of this type of bridge.These representations were taken into account by the committee in framing, the recommendations contained in its interim report published by HMSO in September, 1971. A number of these recommendations were implemented forthwith for work controlled by the Department and strongly advocated for adoption by other Authorities. Aside from this, approaches have been made from time to time by various organisations on matters of commercial interest. These have been dealt with on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek facili- ties to hold international discussions on the subject of bridge design, method of construction and application of safety measures.

Discussions on the design, fabrication and erection of steel box girder bridges will be held in London on 13th-14th February, 1973, under the auspices of the Institutions of Civil, Structural and Highway Engineers. Consideration will no doubt be given to the desirability of arranging for similar discussions in relation to other forms of bridge construction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been made of the zebra zig-zag crossings; and what steps are being taken to publicise the purpose of these markings on roads.

Studies of driving and pedestrian behaviour have been started. The effect on accidents cannot be fully assessed until after November, 1973, when all the crossings will have been marked. Publicity is provided through the Press, television, posters and leaflets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation his Department has had with the Sports Council on the effect of value added tax on British sport; what views have been put to the Department by the Sports Council, and if he will make a statement.

The Sports Council has established a working group to study the net effect of value added tax on sport. The chairman of the council will be letting me have his council's views as soon as he can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the proposed scheme for discharging additional sewage into tidal creeks on Hayling Island meets the criteria now being applied by his Department in its attempts to minimise environmental and, in particular, estuarial pollution; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the Hampshire River Authority to decide what discharges should be permitted and it has given its consent. But I understand that apart from storm overflows following long wet periods only fully treated sewage effluent will be discharged from the sewage works serving Hayling Island.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is still his intention to discontinue the recording of previous owners in car registration documents, thus encouraging dishonest car-dealers fraudulently to misdescribe used cars with less chance of detection.

The new type of registration document to be issued from 1974 under the centralised vehicle licensing system will include only the current owner's name and address. The expense and inconvenience of providing otherwise could not be justified. But when a car is with a dealer the registration document will still give the name and address of the last private owner; enforcement officers will be able to obtain other previous owners' names and addresses on inquiry of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received satisfactory assurances from local authorities that sites selected for the dumping of poisonous waste are so situated and controlled as to ensure that there will be no seepage from corroded containers into waterways and no contamination of neighbouring land.

Local authorities are well aware of the potential dangers of pollution of water by the dumping of poisonous waste. I have no reason to believe that they, and river authorities, are not taking full advantage of the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 to exercise such control over the operation of authorised tipping sites as they consider necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases of coastal pollution by oil are known to have occurred in Great Britain in each of the last five years; and in how many of these incidents the origin of the oil has been traced.

Recorded coastal oil pollution incidents in Great Britain during the last five financial years are tabulated below. Occasionally several neighbouring local authorities have reported oil ashore, subsequently established as having come from a common source: each such report is recorded as a separate incident. Since July, 1968, the origin of 69 recorded incidents has been traced; the number of sources of the pollution was 14.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases of pollution of the Cumberland coast by oil have been reported to his Department in each of the last five years.

Three incidents of oil pollution are known to have occurred on the Cumberland coast; all were in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are still in breach of the Housing Act; and what steps he is taking against them.

My right hon. and learned Friend has made default orders under the Housing Finance Act against three authorities. In two of these cases he has also directed an extraordinary audit to be held.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the reasons why the number of local authority houses started in England fell from over 31,000 in the second quarter of 1970 to just over 22,000 in the second quarter of 1972.

Local authorities are not restricted by the Government as to the number of houses they may build to meet local housing needs. The figures referred to therefore reflect the aggregated decisions taken by local authorities in pursuance of their housing responsibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the population figures for those areas in which his Department has contributed, or is to contribute to, the cost of transportation studies.

For studies completed since January, 1971, in progress or about to begin, the area population figures are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to prohibit garden bonfires in smokeless zones.

No. Local authorities have adequate powers to deal with bonfires, where necessary, under the powers of Part III of the Public Health Act, 1936, relating to statutory nuisance.