asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what steps are being taken by the British Broadcasting Corporation to begin stereophonic radio transmissions in the borders in Scotland.

The BBC is installing a national stereo network which is expected to reach Glasgow in 1974 and will be extended to the borders as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what is the percentage of households with telephones in Great Britain; and how these figures compare with those of other advanced industrial nations, from information available from international sources.

Just over 40 per cent. Exactly comparable figures for other countries are not available. In terms of telephones per 1,000 population, the United Kingdom is ahead of five of the present EEC countries but behind North America and Sweden.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1) whether he is satisfied that there will be adequate transmission powers for future broadcasting services in the very high frequency band, with particular reference to rural areas, bearing in mind recommendation 14 of the Administrative Radio Conference of the International Telecommunications Union at Geneva in 1959; and if he will make a statement;(2) when he proposes to remove nonpublic broadcasting services from the very high frequency band II at frequencies above 97 MHz up to 104 MHz.

An administrative radio conference competent to act on recom mendation 14 is unlikely to be convened in the near future. The current international radio regulations allocate the 100–108 MHz frequency band to fixed or mobile services over the whole of USSR and Europe with the exception of nine European countries, not including the United Kingdom, where the band is allocated in part to broadcasting. The regulations allocate the band 95–100 MHz in the United Kingdom equally to broadcasting and to fixed and land mobile services. The 97·6–100 MHz band is assigned within the United Kingdom to police and fire services, which have occupied the band for many years. There can be no question of removing these essential services until suitable alternative frequencies can be found for them and arrangements have been made for the transition. These are matters under study, but there is sufficient frequency space already available in this part of the spectrum to meet all foreseen broadcasting needs in the meantime.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1) how many postmen were medically retired in each of the years 1969, 1970, 1971 and to date in 1972 because they were suffering from respiratory diseases other than bronchitis;(2) how many postmen have been medically retired in each of the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and to date in 1972, because they were suffering from coronary disease and angina;(3) how many postmen have been medically retired in each of the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and to date in 1972, because they were suffering from diseases of the bones;(4) how many postmen were medically retired in the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and to date in 1972, because they were suffering from bronchitis;(5) how many postmen were medically retired in each of the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and to date in 1972, because they were suffering from mental, psycho-neurotic and personality disorders.

The Post Office tells me that the information requested is as follows:—

	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72
Bronchitis	96	75	77
Rate per 1,000 employed	1·152	0·840	0·856
Other than Bronchitis	23	12	12
Rate	0·276	0·134	0·156
Coronary and Angina	112	104	98
Rate	1·343	1·165	1·090
Diseases of bones and organs of movement	258	167	156
Rate	3·095	1·871	1·735
Mental, etc	95	71	70
Rate	1·140	0·796	0·778

Detail of this kind is a matter for the Post Office to which the hon. Gentleman should address any similar questions.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give an assurance that all civil servants who are away from home on Government business for one night can only claim one expense for such visit.

Yes.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to provide future generations of senior specialists with early training and experience in administration.

In January 1973 the first group of selected scientists, technologists and professional staff will attend a three months' training course in general administration at the Civil Service College. They will then have two years' experience of administrative work, usually at their headquarters, to broaden their outlook.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, of the £19,391,000 spent by Her Majesty's Government on Press advertising between 18th June 1970 and 11th December 1972, what was the average cost per column inch; and how this compares with the average cost per column inch of the expenditure of £14,885,000 on Press advertising during the equivalent period prior to 18th June 1970.

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

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will tabulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the numbers of Statutory Instruments issued by each Department of State in this Session.

The following table shows by Departments the number of Statutory Instruments registered from the beginning of the Session, 31st October 1972, to 15th December 1972.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ministry of	40
Cabinet Office	1
Civil Service Department	10
Customs and Excise	2
Defence, Ministry of	4
Education and Science, Department of	4
Employment, Department of	9
Environment, Department of the	97
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	4
Forestry Commission	1
Health and Social Security, Department of	6
Home Office	38
Inland Revenue, Board of	3
Lord Chancellor's Department	11
Scottish Office	39
Trade and Industry, Department of	44
Treasury	17
Welsh Office	13

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, for what reasons his Department has refused the request of the Linlithgow Rugby Club to play for one season on the Peel of Linlithgow Palace; and if he will make a statement.

Because it did not seem possible for a suitable area to be set aside for rugby or any other organised game without interfering unduly with the enjoyment of the Peel by the general public.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many major road accidents fire appliances have been involved in while on the way to emergencies this year to the latest available date; and if he will publish figures for the period 1960 to 1971.

This information is not maintained centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new fire appliances were purchased by Scottish fire authorities this year; and if he will state the cost of each and the number of these which have fibre class cabs.

Fire authorities are as usual being asked to provide information about purchases of new fire appliances during 1972 for the purposes of the report of Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services. Information on the other points in the Question is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many housing submissions have been made by local authorities in the South Angus constituency in each of the first three quarters of 1972; what is the comparable figure for the corresponding three quarters in each of the past five years; and how these figures compare with the average for Scotland.

The number of houses for which proposals were submitted by local authorities in the South Angus constituency in each of the first three quarters of the six years from 1967 are as follows:

	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
1st Quarter	441	54	5	63	208	—
2nd Quarter	85	85	—	55	160	—
3rd Quarter	104	515	6	112	131	—
Totals	630	654	11	230	499	—

Figures of houses submitted for approval by all local authorities in Scotland in each quarter from January 1970 were given in my reply to the hon. Member on 13th December. Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the application of Coatbridge Town Council for recreational facilities at Sikeside; and if he will give details of the amenities proposed, estimated cost and the grant involved.

Coatbridge Town Council wishes to provide, at an estimated cost of £168,000, a neighbourhood park at Sikeside, including football pitches, children's play areas, changing rooms, toilets and a park keeper's cottage and I am now considering its application for borrowing consent. I have no power to make ad hoc grants to town councils for recreation facilities but I am considering the council's application for a grant towards the cost of improving the amenities of the residential area at Sikeside.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the extra cost to ratepayers in Saltcoats which has been incurred by the failure of the town council to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Failure by Saltcoats Town Council to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 could cost ratepayers the equivalent of a rate of at least 13p in the £.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what reports he has received from the auditors of the Dundee local authority about the failure of the authority to observe the law concerning its housing revenue account income;(2) what report he has received from the auditors of the Dundee local authority concerning alleged illegal expenditure by the authority in connection with the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

None. It is open to any ratepayer to draw the attention of the auditor to any alleged breach of the law by the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the extra cost to ratepayers in Dundee which has been incurred by the failure of the local authority to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 in full.

I estimate that failure by Dundee Corporation to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 in full from 1st October 1972 could cost ratepayers the equivalent of a rate of at least 4p in the £.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the extra cost to ratepayers in Kilmarnock which has been incurred by the failure of the local authority to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Failure by Kilmarnock Town Council to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 could cost ratepayers the equivalent of a rate of at least lop in the £.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what report he has received from the auditors of the Kilmarnock local authority concerning alleged illegal expenditure by the authority in connection with the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;(2) what reports he has received from the auditors of the Kilmarnock local authority about the failure of the authority to observe the law concerning its housing revenue account income.

None. It is open to any ratepayer to draw the attention of the auditor to any alleged breach of the law by the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of families in homeless families hostels or rehoused by local authorities in 1971–72 whose previous accommodation had been in furnished dwellings.

I have consulted my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment but regret that there is no information available on which to base an estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date he received a copy of the Grief Report, sent to him by the National Campaign for the Homeless; and what action he intends taking in connection with this request.

I received a copy of the report on 6th December and am sending the hon. Member a copy of the letter I sent to Shelter on 13th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many national insurance retirement pensioners and National Insurance widows over 60 years of age receive supplementary benefits, respectively, of £0·50 or less, £0·51-£0·75, £0·76-£1·00, £1·01-£1·25, £1·26-£1·50, £1·51-£2·00, £2·01-£2·50, £2·51-£3·00, £3·01-£4·00, £4·01-£5·00, £5·01 or more; and in each case how these are divided between households containing one person and those containing two or more persons.

The following table gives the numbers of national insurance retirement pensioners and national insurance widows over pensionable age receiving supplementary pensions of amounts in the ranges specified at November 1971, the latest date for which figures are available.

Ranges	National Insurance Retirement Pensioners (including Recipients of Old Person's Pensions)	National Insurance Widows over 60
	Thousands	Thousands
Up to £0·50	85	1
£0·51–£0·75	93	2
£0·76–£1·00	150	3
£1·01–£1·25	141	3
£1·26–£1·50	146	3
£1·51–£2·00	256	8
£2·01–£2·50	257	7
£2·51–£3·00	201	6
£3·01–£4·00	259	8
£4·01–£5·00	112	2
Over £5·0	73	2
	1,772	44

No information is available relating the size of the household to the amount of supplementary benefit in payment, but Table 117 of the Department's Annual Report for 1971 contains a broad indication of the household categories of these supplementary pensioners at November 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the size of the present waiting lists for wheelchairs in each local authority area; and What is the average length of delay before final supply.

Information is not available in this form. About 60 per cent. of requests for wheelchairs are for standard models and are satisfied within seven days: a further 35 per cent. call for non-standard variants and are supplied within four weeks. The remainder normally take from eight to 12 weeks to deliver because they are individually tailored and handmade but, in the majority of such cases, it is possible to supply a chair from stock for temporary use. If the hon. Member has in mind a case of particular difficulty I shall be glad to make further inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will order an inquiry as to the reasons why Mr. Albert Alloway of 81 Coteford Street, London, S.W.17, has been refused a constant attendance allowance.

No. Decisions have been given by medical practitioners, appointed in accordance with the National Insurance Act 1970 by the Attendance Allowance Board, first in connection with the claim and secondly following an application for review, that the medical requirements for the attendance allowance are not satisfied. Mr. Alloway's mother has recently applied to a National Insurance Commissioner for leave to appeal on a question of law and the papers are being sent to the commissioner's office.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service dentists are currently engaged in preventive work; how much of their time is spent in specifically preventive treatment; and what is calculated to be the saving to the National Health Service as a result.

Although with few exceptions all dentists actively concerned with the treatment of patients undertake preventive work detailed information about the time spent in this way and estimates of consequential savings to the National Health Service are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for consultations with the teaching profession in Wales concerning policies outlined in the White Paper of 1972.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and I are at present engaged in consultations with the local education authorities and teacher associations and the Churches on implementation of the programme for nursery education. Consultation on other areas of the White Paper will be undertaken as necessary at the appropriate stages.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authority purchase-built, separate nursery schools were opened in 1970, 1971 and to the latest date in 1972.

None in 1970. Three in 1971 and one in 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of local education authority purpose-built, separate nursery schools that will be opened in 1973.

Thirty-five nursery schools are due to be opened in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many nursery schools, separate from infant and primary schools, there are in Wales.

In January 1972, the latest date for which information is available, there were 47 nursery schools in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many children under five years of age were in infant classes in Wales and in each county in Wales respectively, in January 1971 and at the latest date.

In January 1971 the number of children under five in maintained infant and junior schools in Wales was 27,783 full-time and 960 part-time. In January 1972, the latest date available, the number of children under five in maintained infant and junior

NUMBER OF UNDER FIVES IN MAINTAINED INFANT AND JUNIOR SCHOOLS
			January 1971		January 1972
			Full-time	Part-time	Full-time	Part-time
COUNTY:
Anglesey	…	…	404	—	419	—
Breconshire	…	…	927	—	964	—
Caernarvonshire	…	…	1,592	—	1,617	—
Cardiganshire	…	…	629	7	577	4
Carmarthenshire	…	…	1,862	1	1,763	—
Denbighshire	…	…	1,944	—	2,069	5
Flintshire	…	…	2,290	1	2,383	21
Glamorgan	…	…	9,263	172	9,557	171
Merioneth	…	…	403	—	408	2
Monmouthshire	…	…	3,720	83	3,945	105
Montgomeryshire	…	…	353	—	412	2
Pembrokeshire	…	…	620	50	919	78
Radnorshire	…	…	130	2	161	2
County Total	…	…	24,137	316	25,194	390
COUNTY BOROUGH:
Cardiff	…	…	1,176	52	1,487	175
Merthyr	…	…	292	130	280	185
Newport	…	…	907	462	968	585
Swansea	…	…	1,271	—	1,294	—
County Borough Total		…	3,646	644	4,029	945
WALES TOTAL	…	…	27,783	960	29,223	1,335

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified teachers of the under-fives there are in Wales.

This information is not available in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the numbers required to teach under-fives in Wales in 1977.

I estimate that by 1977 over 300 additional teachers will be required to teach the under-fives in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many pre-1903 primary schools there are in Wales.

The most recent returns from local education authorities indicate that there are more than 900 pre-1903 primary schools in Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how large a surplus of potatoes he expects to result from his decision to increase the target acreage in 1973; and what price supports are available to growers in the event of a surplus.

The decision was taken in order to ensure, as far as this is possible, that home production will be sufficient to meet demand. The level of price support in the event of a surplus depends largely upon the result of the annual Price Review and this I cannot anticipate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the percentage rise in the price of ingredients for an average ration for dairy cows in 1972 compared with 1971.

The information is not yet available. I shall be writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reply he has sent to the Birmingham Health Committee's report on poultry injected with polyphosphate and water; and if he will make a statement.

I have not received this report. I made a statement on 7th December in reply to the hon. Member's Questions.—[Vol. 847, c. 505.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the difference in the price of butter per ton between the European Economic Community and the United Kingdom for 1973.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 18th December 1972 to my hon. Friend the Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder).—[Vol. 848, c. 297–8.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the present system of subsidy on agricultural lime conforms with the European Economic Community regulations.

Various general aids are still to be considered. Whether the United Kingdom agricultural lime subsidy conforms with EEC regulations will be a matter for discussion within the enlarged Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his meeting with the European Economic Community on sugar.

Discussions on the arrangements for sugar when we adopt the common agricultural policy were continued on 18th-19th December but not concluded. The House will be informed as soon as decisions have been reached.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will be continuing the Agricultural and Horticultural Advisory Councils, in view of the fact that advisory boards for research and development are shortly to be set up.

The new boards will remove the need for the Councils' advisory functions related to the Ministry's research and development work. There will nevertheless remain a need for an advisory body to which I can remit for advice such matters as I choose, or are so remitted by the Ministry on my behalf. I therefore propose early in the New Year to set up for this purpose a single small council and to bring to an end the two existing bodies.I am glad to say that Sir Nigel Strutt, Chairman of the Agricultural Advisory Council, has agreed to serve as Chairman of the new council. Sir Emrys Jones, Director-General of the Ministry's Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, will act as vice-chairman.I should like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the present councils for the valuable services they have so readily rendered during the past three-and-a-half years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the British Steel Corporation's plan for the steel industry.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the percentage by pairage and value by which the import of footwear has increased from India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore for the months of January to September 1972 in comparison with the same period for 1971.

Following is the information:

United Kingdom Imports of Footwear*
Percentage increases January-September 1972 compared with January-September 1971.
	Pairage	Value (cif)
India	20	23
Pakistan	122	117
Singapore	296	297
*Division 85 less gaiters, spats, etc.

Imports from Malaysia in January-September 1971 were negligible. Footwear imports from Malaysia for the periods shown above rose from 31,000 to 2,050,000 pairs and from £5,456 to £453,491 in value.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what will be the annual cost to public funds of subsidies to cover losses incurred by the National Coal Board as a result of special agreements with the electricity generating boards to burn extra coal; and if he will break down this global figure by reference to individual coalfields.

The negotiations for these agreements are not yet concluded and I cannot therefore estimate the cost next year. The cost in subsequent years will depend on the progress and performance of the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what will be the annual cost to the Exchequer of the special regional grant to enable the National Coal Board to preserve jobs in areas of high unemployment; and if he will break down this global figure by reference to individual coalfields.

The £210 million mentioned in Clause 9 of the Bill is a maximum as the grants to the NCB will be fixed annually in the light of its prospects and performances. The grant will not be broken down by coalfields.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates have been granted in the last five years in the greater London area and the London Borough of Hillingdon, respectively; and what square footage these figures represent.

IDC approvals—and the corresponding areas in square feet—in each of the last five years for the GLC area are:

	Number	Area '000 sq. ft
1967	494	7,723
1968	448	6,136
1969	571	9,226
1970	448	5,856
1971	261	5,997
1972 (January to October)	206	5,297

Comparable figures are not available for the London Borough of Hillingdon, but those for the Ruislip, Hayes, Southall, Uxbridge and Feltham employment exchange areas are:

	Number	Area '000 sq. ft.
1967	49	1,476
1968	41	694
1969	71	1,069
1970	51	1,195
1971	25	539
1972 (January to October)	24	451
NOTE: The exemption limit below which IDCs are not required was raised in December 1970 from 3,000 sq. ft. to 5,000 sq. ft. and in July 1972 to 10,000 sq. ft.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the report on the hovercraft casualty in the Solent on 4th March 1972 is now available; and if he will make a statement.

The report has now been submitted to me.The casualty occurred on 4th March 1972 when the craft overturned whilst crossing from Ryde to Southsea, about a quarter of a mile short of its destination. Twenty-two of 27 persons on board were saved, four were drowned and one is still missing, presumed drowned. The craft became a total loss: this was the first accident to a commercially operated hovercraft involving loss of life.The main conclusion is that the casualty was due to an unusual combination of circumstances. A strong beam wind against an adverse tide combined to produce a dangerous beam sea in the area of the approach to Southsea. As the craft entered this area, the captain had difficulty in holding his track. He had therefore to counteract the tendency of the craft to drift downwind and at the same time to decelerate ready for transition on to the landing pad at Southsea. The operating technique adopted to cope with these difficult conditions led to low skirt inflation. Model tests have since shown that these conditions can cause this type of craft to capsize.It is now clear that other methods could have been used to bring the craft safely to shore but at the time of the accident the captain of the craft had no reason to know that the operating technique used was dangerous in these sea conditions. The investigating officer concluded that neither the captain, the operating company nor the manufacturer could be blamed for what happened. I accept this conclusion.Various actions have been taken since the casualty occurred. First, all hovercraft operating in commercial service now have mandatory upper wind and sea limits in which they may set off, prescribed in an operating permit issued under new legislation which came into operation in June this year. At the time of the casualty such limits were issued for the guidance of operating crews; but the decision whether it was safe to operate a craft in particular conditions was left to the captain's discretion and I am satisfied that in this case he acted responsibly.Secondly, the manufacturers have laid down safe operating techniques for the craft in conditions similar to that in which the casualty occurred; and the operator's manual is being similarly revised. Thirdly, captains of hovercraft are now required to wear a seat belt. At the time of the accident, this was not a requirement and the captain of the craft fell from his seat and was mildly concussed. Fortunately this did not have any serious consequences, but it might have done.An important recommendation is that the National Physical Laboratory should carry out further work on the stability of hovercraft generally to enable more precise limits of capability in various operational circumstances to be established; this is being urgently considered and some preliminary experimental work is already being undertaken.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many representations he has received in 1972 from residents of Mid-and South-West ^*Wales concerning the effect of low flying by military aircraft; and what replies he has sent.

So far this year 100 letters have been received in the Ministry of Defence. The replies have generally contained an explanation of the need for low-flying training, a description of the measures taken to limit the disturbance caused to the public and, where a specific incident has been mentioned, a summary of the results of the investigation which has been undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pre-1903 primary and secondary schools are still in use in England and Wales; and what is her estimate of the number of children attending them.

The figures relating to January 1971 for primary schools in England and Wales are below. The complete figures for secondary schools are not available. Responsibility for primary and secondary education in Wales is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Number of primary schools*	Number of pupils in these schools (to nearest 100 January 1971)
7,418	1,281,900
*Schools as at January 1971 requiring improvement or replacement, but excluding schools to be improved/replaced in 1971–72 on earlier programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving details of the major school building programme similar to the one published in the August 1971 issue of the Department of Education's Reports on Education, but including the latest available forecasts of future spending and giving all figures at 1972 constant prices.

MAJOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMMES
Including allocations for raising the School Leaving Age (England and Wales, Authorised Starts in £m., at constant 1972 prices)
Programme Year		Basic Needs			Improvements/Replacements
		Primary	Secondary	Total	Primary	Secondary	Total	RSLA	Total
1965–66	…	40·2	40·4	80·6	9·7	38·5	48·2	—	128·8
1966–67	…	39·8	35·2	75·0	12·2	33·7	45·9	—	120·9
1967–68	…	52·6	57·0	109·6	16·4	15·1	31·5	—	141·1
1968–69	…	36·0	51·7	87·7	8·6	10·0	18·6	—	106·3
1969–70	…	45·4	76·5	121·9	16·7	13·2	29·9	—	151·8
1970–71	…	49·4	85·7	135·1	13·2	2·3	15·5	35·7	186·3
1971–72	…	46·6	89·7	136·3	19·0	2·9	21·9	50·0	208·2
1972–73	…	30·9	63·3	94·2	50·0	—	50·0	61·5	205·7
1973–74	…	23·6	82·2	105·8	53·5	—	53·5	—	159·3
1974–75	…	22·0*	65·2*	87·2	48·5†	—	48·5	—	135·7
* Provisional breakdown.
† £5m. of the resources available for primary improvements have been allocated to minor projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of primary classes contained more than 40 pupils in January 1970 and in January 1972.

In England and Wales, 6·6 and 2·5 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the pupil/teacher ratio in primary and secondary schools in each of the past five years.

The information is as follows:

	Maintained schools
	Primary	Secondary	All
January:
1968	27·9	18·1	23·1
1969	27·7	17·9	22·9
1970	27·4	17·8	22·7
1971	26·9	17·9	22·6
1972	26·1	17·6	77·0

NOTE: The ratios for 1968–70 are based on all teaching staff. Those for 1971 and 1972 are based on qualified teachers only.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are attending primary and secondary schools whose teachers are receiving special increments under the education priority area programme.

Responsibility for primary and secondary education in Wales is a matter for my right hon. And learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. Following is the information for England and Wales:

This information is not available, but there were about 136,000 in the schools that were originally recognised in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the pupil/teacher ratio of schools where teachers receive special increments under the education priority area programme compares with the average pupil/teacher ratio for England and Wales.

This information is not collected.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will publish the names of those colleges of education scheduled for closure as a result of the published plans to restrict output in colleges of education: and if she will make a statement;(2) which Welsh colleges of education are scheduled for closure under the Government's White Paper on Education; and if she will make a statement.

No decisions on closures have been taken. The future rôle of individual colleges of education will need to be considered in relation to provision for higher education as a whole in each area, and my right hon. Friend will be consulting the maintaining authorities and other providing bodies in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans she has for recurrent education in the next decade; how much she proposes to spend on developing this sector in that period; and if she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend wishes to see a continued expansion of opportunities for recurrent education which have long been provided in the system of further and higher education, and in adult education. It is not practicable, because of the considerable range and diversity of activities in this field, to give an estimate of the expenditure involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether permission has been given to any firm in Plymouth to employ women from the Philippines.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many girls from the Philippines are in the United Kingdom working as domestics for public and private employers.

Work permits issued since 1970 for workers from the Philippines, mainly women, for domestic employment in hospitals, schools and similar institutions and in private households have totalled:

1970	101
1971	446
1972 (January-September)	1,011

All but a small minority of those permits are taken up. However, there is no accurate information on the number of Philippine domestics actually working in the United Kingdom at any one time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the value of assets left in Uganda by citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies expelled by President Amin; and whether he will make a statement.

We have as yet no accurate information about the total value of these assets. I am however inviting heads of families who as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies have been expelled from Uganda to put on record at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the details of the property they have left in Uganda. Forms for this purpose will be made available through the Uganda Resettlement Board to those now in resettlement camps in this country, and by the Uganda Property Records Section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Charles House, 5–11 Lower Regent Street, SW1Y 4LU, on request, to those resident elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who have settled abroad since they were forced to leave Uganda are similarly invited to provide details of their assets. Forms will be available, on request, from the British Missions in the countries where they now live.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what practice Her Majesty's Government proposes to follow in regard to the publication of foreign language texts of multilateral treaties to which the United Kingdom is a party or of European Community treaties.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office "Treaty Series" of Command Papers is the published record of the texts of all treaties to which the United Kingdom has become a party. It has hitherto been the practice to publish such treaties in all the languages in which they were signed. Her Majesty's Government have now decided on grounds of economy that with effect from 1st January 1973 the texts of multilateral treaties to which the United Kingdom is a party will be published in the Treaty Series in the English language only.Foreign language texts of multilateral treaties will normally be available in the United Nations Treaty Series which is obtainable through Her Majesty's Stationery Office or in other publications sponsored by international organisations. They may of course also be obtained from the Government or international organisation acting as depository for a particular treaty. Should a particular foreign language text be required urgently the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be able to make a copy of the text in question available at short notice. That Department will also, if necessary, be able to certify foreign language texts for legal purposes.The decision to publish only English texts will also apply generally to treaties entered into by or within the framework of the European Communities. The English texts of Community treaties to which the United Kingdom is a party will be published in the Treaty Series, while the English texts of treaties which are entered into by the Community acting without the member States as cosignatories will appear in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Miscellaneous Series of Command Papers. Foreign language versions of these treaties can be obtained from the Publications Office of the European Communities, and arrangements have been made for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, as agents for Community publications in this country, to make them available on request. Texts urgently required can be made available by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at short notice, and if necessary be certified by it for legal purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the names of the three advisers who will consider representations from persons required to leave the country on security or political grounds but having no statutory right of appeal under the Immigration Act 1971.

The Chairman will be Sir Derek Hilton and the other members will be Sir Richard Hayward and Sir Clifford Jarrett. I am grateful to them for agreeing to undertake this work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new schemes have been approved under the latest phase of the urban programme; and if he will make a statement.

729 new schemes have been approved in this latest phase for England and Wales. The amount of expenditure available for this phase has been increased by £1·8 million to £4·5 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the entry of the United Kingdom into the Common Market, Section 482 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1972, in so far as it prohibits the transfer abroad of the trade or business of a company resident in the United Kingdom, will continue to operate after 1st January 1973 in respect of transfers to other European Economic Community countries.

Treasury consent under Section 482 will continue to be required for such transfers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to exempt from tax Christmas presents of toys and games sent by relatives in Commonwealth countries to children in the United Kingdom.

Duty and purchase tax are not charged at present on such gifts of moderate value sent by post.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for advertisements to be placed which will illustrate both ranges of goods and services which are zero-rated or exempt from value added tax and those which will bear a lower rate of tax as a result of the ending of purchase tax, so that the public may be better informed to query any price rises supposedly due to the introduction of value added tax.

I am grateful for the hon. Member's suggestion. As my hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury mentioned in the debate on 5th December, we shall be providing information nearer the date of the introduction of VAT about the effects of the changeover on many of the everyday goods and services bought by ordinary people.—[Vol. 847, c. 1231.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the yield from value added tax in 1973–74 consequent upon the various changes he has made.

The estimate of the yield of value added tax in 1973–74 will be published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not seek to arrange to meet the Council of Ministers in Brussels to discuss the ending of the floating of the £ sterling and fixing its parity before Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 15th December.—[Vol. 848, c. 244.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what works of art he has recently accepted in lieu of estate duty under the provisions of Section 34 of the Finance Act 1956.

I am glad to announce that the paiting "St. Anthony of Padua" by Murillo which is considered to be preeminent for its aesthetic merit has been so accepted. The total cost to the National Land Fund, after allowing for exemption from estate duty and capital gains tax, is £35,000.My noble Friend the Paymaster-General, after taking advice from the Standing Commission, will in due course announce the decision on the destination of this painting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to issue a special coin to commemorate Great Britain's accession to the European Communities on 1st January 1973.

Yes. Her Majesty The Queen has today made a Proclamation under the Coinage Act 1971 determining designs for a 50p coin to be issued to commemorate this occasion. Examples will be placed in the Library after the Christmas Recess. Meantime photographs of the design will be on display in the Library.It is proposed to strike two versions. both in cupro-nickel. One will be of ordinary coinage standard and will be issued through the banks to meet demand for 50p coins required for normal circulation. The other will be a proof coin individually packed as a collectors' item in presentation cases bearing a Fanfare for Europe emblem and sold by the Royal Mint Numismatic Bureau in Edinburgh. Information on how to obtain these proof coins will be announced in the Press in the New Year. Neither version will be available until several weeks into the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the reasons for transferring political prisoners from Belfast prison to the Maze prison; what medical and educational facilities will be provided at the Maze prison; and if he will make a statement.

Prisoners were transferred between Her Majesty's Prison, Belfast, and Her Majesty's Prison, Maze, on 10th December 1972 in order to make the best use of accommodation in both places. Her Majesty's Prison, Maze, has two hospital units, each of which can accommodate up to 10 patients, and a full-time medical officer. Advice and assistance is available to any prisoner who wishes to further his education, and facilities for study are provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is aware that 10 men on hunger strike in Crumlin Road prison for 30 days have been moved to the Maze prison; if he is satisfied that these men are receiving proper medical attention; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. These 10 prisoners are taking food at Her Majesty's Prison, Maze.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of rates outstanding in relation to the rent and rates strike.

The tenants of public housing authorities pay a weekly sum to the housing authority which includes rent and rates. The latest available figure for the amount still outstanding from these tenants attributable to the campaign of civil disobedience is £1·1 million. Up-to-date information about the rates outstanding from owner-occupiers is not readily available; but at 31st March 1972 the amount of rates outstanding from owner-occupiers and attributable to the civil disobedience campaign was estimated to be £800,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what educational facilities are granted to long-term prisoners in gaols in Northern Ireland.

Advice and assistance are available to any long-term prisoner who wishes to further his education. Correspondence courses are available in a wide variety of academic, professional and industrial subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the rules of procedure governing the granting of compassionate parole in gaols in Northern Ireland.

Compassionate leave may be granted to any convicted prisoner when there is a good enough reason. Each application is considered with care on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the rules of procedure governing the granting of home parole and conjugal parole in gaols in Northern Ireland.

Home leave may be granted to prisoners as follows:—

PRISONERS SERVING THEIR FIRST SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT
Sentence	Home leave
Six to 12 months	Two days.
More than one year and up to two years.	Four days in two periods of two days each.
More than two years and less than three years.	Five days in two separate periods of two days and three days.
Three years and over	Seven days in three separate periods of two days, two days and three days.

PRISONERS SERVING SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT SENTENCES OF IMPRISONMENT
Sentence	Home leave
Three years and over	Four days in two separate periods of two days each.

There is no specific grant of conjugal home leave as such.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what transfer of functions has been effected under the Housing Executive Act (No. 5) Order (Northern Ireland) 1972.

This order provides that from 2nd October 1972 a number of local authorities ceased to exercise the housing functions which they had been carrying out as agents of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The local authorities concerned are: Newtownards Borough Council; Lisburn Borough Council; Lisburn Rural District Council; Antrim Rural District Council; Castlereagh Rural District Council; Hillsborough Rural District Council; and North Down Rural District Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to combat the shortage of pigs available to bacon factories in Northern Ireland resulting from the large number of suckers and stores now going to the Republic of Ireland.

Cross-border traffic in young pigs depends on price differences in finished pigs between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Movement of pigs below bacon weight (170 lb. liveweight) is not contrary to any Northern Ireland legislation.Over the past year prices of finished pigs have at times been substantially higher in the Republic than in Northern Ireland, so there has been a tendency for young pigs to be sent to the Republic, though the incentive has been reduced in recent weeks as the price gap has narrowed.After the adoption of the common agricultural policy price relationships will be greatly influenced by the compensatory amounts on pigmeat between the Republic and the United Kingdom. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is fully conscious of the importance to Northern Ireland pig raisers of a level of compensatory amounts which does not lead to trade distortions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions have been held with bodies representing anglers about the proposals for the reorganisation of water services.

I have had very useful meetings with the National Anglers' Council and the Anglers' Co-operative Association. As a result we have agreed to retain unchanged the common law right to seek damages. This has been warmly warmly welcomed by the anglers. I will send my hon. Friend copies of my recent correspondence with the ACA.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a White Paper setting out such evidence that exists indicating the degree of land hoarding by developers which now obtains.

I have no firm evidence that land with planning permission is being hoarded by developers but I am just about to commission a consultants' study of the reasons for delays in developing such land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, through the London Housing Action Group, he will ascertain and inform the House of the number of houses in the greater London area in the ownership of local authorities which are now empty; and how many have been empty for three months or more.

I am satisfied that local authorities in greater London manage their housing stock so as to achieve the minimum number of empty properties compatible with a proper exercise of their responsibilities, I do not think, therefore, that an inquiry by the Action Group is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an assurance that the green belt in the constituency of East Surrey, particularly Warlingham, will not be used for development.

The control of development is primarily the responsibility of the local planning authorities. When a planning application comes before my right hon. and learned Friend he considers it on its merits, taking account of all relevant planning issues including the need to preserve the green belt.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to devise procedures enabling public opinion to be consulted prior to the announcement of decisions on the lines of new motorways, following his recent undertaking to give urgent consideration to these matters.

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State told the House on 7th December, my right hon. and learned Friend intends to publish in the near future a consultation paper outlining proposals for extending public consultation and participation in choosing the line to be prepared for publication under the Highways Acts.—[Vol. 847, c. 1634–42.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has consulted the Freight Integration Council over the future size of the railway network.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the statistics given on pages 82 and 83 of the Report "The Reshaping of British Railways" Part 1.

No. These statistics were produced by British Railways for specific purposes almost 10 years ago and are not necessarily relevant to its present needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the statistics for the number and average earnings of British Railways staff given in Appendix E of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report No. 8.

No. Statistics are available in the annual report of the British Railways Board and the Department of Employment Gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the statistics for the actual allocation of British Railways' revenue and expenses given on page 63 of Command Paper No. 3439.

No. These forecasts were produced by the Railways Board for the specific purposes of the Joint Steering Group on Railway Policy in 1967. British Rail provides full financial and statistical information on current performance in its annual report and accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he will not introduce legislation to empower himself to control all means of road and rail transport.

This would be going much too far.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take the initiative in getting Temple Bar re-erected in St. James's Park.

I should raise no objection to any generally acceptable and financially viable scheme for moving this scheduled monument to a suitable site in London, but the St. James's Park site is only one of a number of suggested sites.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve the A509 from Wellingborough to Newport Pagnell.

None. This is a principal road for which Northants and Buckinghamshire County Councils are the responsible highway authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list all those parts of the A27 in the Arundel and Shoreham constituency which are accident danger points; and if he will take action to improve safety on each one.

The accident rate on this length of the A27 trunk road is no higher than on comparable roads elsewhere. I am writing to my hon. Friend about those parts of the road which have the greatest concentration of accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken by his Department designed to prevent the adverse effects of herbicides and other noxious substances in killing off wild life and flowers on grass verges and hedgerows; and if he will make a statement.

It is my Department's policy to protect and preserve wild life and flowers in verges and hedgerows adjoining motorways and trunk roads, in so far as this does not conflict with road safety. Strict limits are imposed on the use of selective week killers and growth inhibitors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the hon. Member for Petersfield may expect a reply to her letter to him on 8th November which drew his attention to his Department's promise to write to the hon. Member six months earlier on the matter of the A37 and his total failure to do so.

I have written to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has sent to local authorities with regard to the receipt of the retirement pensioners' supplementary allowance of £10 by residents of local authority residential homes for retired people.

None. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security on 18th December in answer to a similar Question.—[Vol. 848, c. 289.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the draft orders relating to the route of the Bexhill bypass; and if he is yet able to give a date of the start of the work.

Preparation of a design minimising the effect of the scheme on the surrounding area has taken longer than anticipated. As a result draft orders cannot be published before next summer, with a view to work starting on the bypass before the end of 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what requirement will be placed on metropolitan counties and metropolitan districts to provide sites under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 and the Local Government Act 1972.

By virtue of Section 190 of the Local Government Act 1972 metropolitan county councils will have a duty under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to provide adequate accommodation for gipsies residing in or resorting to their areas, but this duty will be limited to providing accommodation for not more than 15 caravans at a time in each metropolitan district. This duty will not extend to the provision of accommodation in the areas of any present county borough councils which are granted exemption before 1st April 1974.Metropolitan district councils will have no duty to provide accommodation for gipsies, but they will have a duty to manage sites provided by metropolitan county councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are, to his knowledge, refusing to operate those sections of the Housing Act 1969 relating to discretionary grants as a means of discriminating against improvements in older houses by certain persons or bodies.

The most recent count shows that less than 2 per cent. of local authorities do not make discretionary grants, but this information is some months out of date. A very small minority of local authorities do not make discretionary grants but I cannot state a figure. The numbers of these grants approved by individual local authorities is shown in "Local Housing Statistics", published quarterly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware that certain local authorities have announced their intention of refusing to allow standard grants to particular groups of persons, even where the statutory requirements are met; and what steps he is proposing to take to remedy this situation.

I have no evidence that local authorities are refusing to make standard grants, and I would be grateful for any information that my hon. Friend can send me on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Minister of Transport Industries last arranged to visit Huddersfield to study traffic congestion in the town; and if he will give details of the proposed itinerary, and state at whose invitation the visit was arranged.

No arrangements were or ever have been made for me to visit Huddersfield officially to study traffic congestion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to use the paved area surrounding his Department's office in Marsham Street, London S.W.1, for car parking or otherwise to improve it.

My right hon. and learned Friend and I recognise that the present arrangements are not satisfactory, and we are already considering ways in which the building might be improved.