asked the Secretary of State for Employment by what percentage the number of places available at Government training centres is expected to increase over the next 12 months.

The number of places available at Government training centres is expected to increase by about 28 per cent. during the next 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by what percentage the number of Government training centre places is expected to increase in the Midlands over the next 12 months.

The number of places in Government training centres in the Department's Midlands Region is planned to increase by 46 per cent. during the next 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress his Department is making in the recruitment of instructors for Government training centres.

Since 1st February 1972, when the expansion programme was announced, 490 instructors have been recruited. Some 400 more will be needed in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action is being taken to increase the training facilities for all categories of skilled building trade workers.

Increased training facilities for the construction trades are being provided in Government training centres, colleges of further education and employers' establishments as part of the general expansion of vocational training following the introduction of the Training Opportunities Scheme. In GTCs alone 780 additional places are being provided this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many strikes have taken place since February 1972; and of this total how many have resulted from a failure to agree in an industrial dispute between employees and employers.

There were 2,270 stoppages of work due to industrial disputes connected with terms and conditions of employment in the 11 months ended 31st December 1972. In the great majority the employer will have been a party, but a precise answer to the second part of the Question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the operation of the Industrial Relations Act in respect of its effect on working days lost through industrial disputes during 1972; and if he will make a statement.

Of the working days lost the vast majority were lost in stoppages in no way connected with the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what rôle he expects the Manpower Services Commission to play in improving industrial relations training.

The Manpower Services Commission acting through the Training Services Agency will exercise overall responsibility for co-ordinating and stimulating training activities in any particular field. It will therefore, as my right hon. Friend said on 13th December 1972, be the right body to take on the task of securing better industrial relations training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the total of personnel to be employed by the proposed Manpower Commission and whence they will be recruited.

As far as I can see at present the Manpower Services Commission, together with the Employment Service Agency and Training Services Agency, will employ about 17,500 non-industrial and 1,800 industrial staff, the great majority of whom will come from the present staff of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has now completed his consultations on the Robens Report on Safety and Health at work; and if he will make a statement.

No. The consultations are still proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in his review, he will consider the possibility of codifying the law on picketing so that all concerned may be fully aware of what is permitted and what is not.

I will keep my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what assistance his Department intends to give to those employees made redundant at Alexander Cowen and Sons Paper Mill, Penicuik.

Our local officers have made arrangements for a job team to visit the firm to interview those becoming redundant about other jobs and training opportunities. Employers in the area are being specially canvassed for suitable vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the redundant workers from Ranco Motors, Tannochside, have found new employment; and when he expects them all to be re-employed.

My Department's information is that 40 of these redundant workers have so far found other jobs. I am hopeful that with the improving employment situation in the area most of those at present registered as unemployed will find new employment before very long.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take further steps to encourage firms to notify job vacancies; and if he will make a statement.

We are pressing ahead with modernisation of the employment services and I am convinced that this will provide the basis for an increased flow of notified vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will instigate a broad-based inquiry into industrial relations in the hosiery and knitwear industry.

I made a reference to the Commission on Industrial Relations on 25th January concerning all the factories of Mansfield Hosiery Mills Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will consider proposing changes in the Industrial Relations Act to give protection from unfair dismissal to employees who have worked for less than 104 continuous weeks for one employer.

In accordance with the undertaking given to Parliament during the passage of the Act, my right hon. Friend is keeping this matter under review with the aim of reducing the qualifying period as soon as it is practicable to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed Chinese waiters are at present listed in the records of the local employment exchange in Ipswich, and known to be seeking employment.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his future plans for the inclusion of careers advisory services within his Department's offices.

The employment service already provides careers advice for people aged 18 and over through its occupational guidance and other advisory services. In certain areas where my Department operates the youth employment service, its careers officers give careers advice to young people at school or under age 18.I would refer the hon. Member to previous replies about the announcement of Government plans for the future organisation of the youth employment service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if a meeting has now been arranged between conciliation officers of his Department and the management and trade unions involved in the two-and-a-half years old industrial dispute at Fine Tubes, Plymouth.

The parties know that if at any time a meeting of the kind suggested is likely to prove helpful my officers are ready to arrange it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now state how much unemployment is anticipated resulting from the closure of the Royal Radar Establishment at Per-shore airfield, Worcestershire; and what assessment has been made, during the forthcoming five years, of re-employment available to those displaced.

I understand from my right hon. and noble Friend that the future of this establishment depends upon decisions that have not yet been made but which will not now be long delayed. In the circumstances it would be wrong of me to speculate publicly about the employment prospects of the employees in the establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware of the unsatisfactory working conditions in the Rochdale main employment ex- change; and if he will pay an early visit to Rochdale to see these for himself.

My Department and the Department of the Environment, which is responsible for all our accommodation requirements, are fully aware of conditions in Rochdale exchange. For many years we have sought, with little success, suitable alternative accommodation within the town centre. The search for alternative accommodation continues and we intend to provide a new job centre in the town centre as soon as the local authority development plans are implemented. Meanwhile conditions will be improved by adapatations to the existing building and the erection of a temporary building to house some of the employment services by May 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints of alleged infringement of trade union membership, &c., under Section 5 of the Industrial Relations Act 1971, have been made since 28th February 1972; and of those where inquiries have been completed, how many complaints have been upheld.

In the period from 28th February to 29th December 1972 the industrial tribunals referred 350 complaints of alleged infringement of rights under Section 5 of the Industrial Relations Act to conciliation officers of my Department. Fifteen of these were settled by coniciliation and 61 were withdrawn.Of the 32 complaints heard and determined by the tribunals up to 25th August 1972, eight were upheld.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the total number of registered blind and of registered disabled employed in the South-East Region and the percentage of the total number of employed in the region which this represents, together with details of the total number of personnel employed by his Department in the region in assisting with the placing of registered blind and disabled.

I regret that the information requested in the first two parts of the Question is not available as statistics about the number of registered disabled people in employment cover only those firms with statutory obligations to employ a quota of such people. As to the third part of the Question, 166 disablement resettlement officers and blind persons resettlement officers are located in my Department's two regions in the South East.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish details of the number of registered blind and disabled at present unemployed in the South-East Region and of the length of time for which they have been unemployed; whether he will undertake a special study of the employment prospects for more severely disabled as compared with prospects for less severely disabled; and whether he will make a statement.

The total number of registered disabled people, including blind people, unemployed in my Department's London and South Eastern and Eastern and Southern regions on 11th December 1972 was 9,588 and 6,933 respectively.The following table gives an analysis of unemployment by duration on 10th

					Registered Disabled Persons
Year (April) (1)					Number Registered (2)	Number Unemployed (3)	Percentage Unemployed (4)	National unemployment rate for all worker (5)
1963	…	…	…	…	653,362	62,415	9·6	2·5
1964	…	…	…	…	655,878	56,104	8·6	1·7
1965	…	…	…	…	658,925	48,318	7·4	1·4
1966	…	…	…	…	654,483	45,192	6·9	1·3
1967	…	…	…	…	655,379	58,048	8·9	2·3
1968	…	…	…	…	654,788	65,350	10·0	2·4
1969	…	…	…	…	645,545	68,586	10·6	2·4
1970	…	…	…	…	634,336	72,116	11·4	2·6
1971	…	…	…	…	620,691	80,172	12·6	3·2
1972	…	…	…	…	610,107	91,063	14·9	4·1

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for each of the last 10 years of the number of firms with over 20 workers, the percentage of such firms who do not fulfil their 3 per cent. quota of disabled workers, the number of such firms not fulfilling their 3 per cent. quota, and the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for each of the last 10 years for, respectively, the number of disabled persons who have registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, the number of registered disabled people who are unemployed, the percentage of registered disabled people who have been unemployed, and the national average unemployment figure for all workers.

The information required is as follows:—number of additional jobs that would have been available for registered disabled persons if these firms had fulfilled their quota.

The information required in the first parts of the Question is given in the table below for the years 1964–72, inclusive. No comparable figures are available for 1963. I regret

Year (1)					Number of firms with 20 or more workers(2)	Percentage of firms in column (2) which do not fulfil their 3 per cent. quota of registered disabled persons (3)	Number of firms in column (2) which do not fulfil the 3 per cent. quota of registered disabled persons (4)
1964	…	…	…	…	64,760	45·2	29,271
1965	…	…	…	…	66,361	46·8	31,038
1966	…	…	…	…	65,576	48·3	31,661
1967	…	…	…	…	65,332	52·3	34,176
1968	…	…	…	…	63,903	53·7	34,319
1969	…	…	…	…	63,254	55·5	35,102
1970	…	…	…	…	63,564	57·3	36,396
1971	…	…	…	…	62,537	58·2	36,382
1972	…	…	…	…	60,179	57·8	34,794

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, the number of firms with over 20 workers not fulfilling their 3 per cent. quota who were issued with permits enabling them to employ non-disabled people when vacancies arose, and the number of such firms not employing 3 per cent. disabled who were not issued with permits enabling them to employ non-disabled people when vacancies arose.

This information is given in the following table. Figures are not available for the year 1963.

Year		Number of firms not fulfilling their 3 per cent, quota which were issued with permits to engage persons not registered as disabled	Number of firms not fulfilling their 3 per cent, quota which were not issued with permits to engage persons not registered as disabled
1963	…	—	—
1964	…	15,479	13,792
1965	…	18,510	12,528
1966	…	19,662	11,999
1967	…	21,228	12,948
1968	…	21,021	13,298
1969	…	20,647	14,455
1970	…	22,150	14,246
1971	…	21,534	14,848
1972	…	25,875	8,919

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the number of firms who were prosecuted in the last 10 years for not complying with the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act.

One; but there is a further case pending in a magistrates' court.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he is satisfied with

The operation of the quota scheme under the Disabled Persons (Empoyment) Act 1944, and the possibility of levies or subsidies on the lines suggested in the hon. Member's other two Questions, are being examined as part of my Department's current review of its policies and services for disabled people; and my right hon. Friend will shortly be consulting the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled and other bodies concerned on whether any changes in the present arrangements are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, the total cost of the Government subsidy for sheltered workshops, the average cost per severely disabled worker, and the average earnings of male disabled workers in sheltered industry.

I regret that it is not possible to add to the information given in my reply to the hon. Member of 18th May 1972 as the figures for the financial year 1972–73 are not yet available.—[Vol. 837, c. 175–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people who are only capable of sheltered employment are at present unemployed; and what percentage this number is of the total number of registered disabled.

The number of registered disabled people considered unlikely to be capable of employment except under sheltered conditions who were unemployed as at 11th December 1972, the latest date available, was 12,239. They represented 2 per cent. of the total number of registered disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the numbers of people who are disabled or very severely disabled who are not registered.

No precise estimate is possible. But there is evidence to suggest that there may be as many unregistered, but registrable, disabled people in employment as there are registered disabled people in employment; and that about one-quarter of unemployed disabled people known to the Department are not registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many shipyards in Scotland employ their full legal quota of registered disabled; and what steps he has taken to ensure that employers obey the law in this respect.

I regret that information on the first point is not available, as the relevant statistics are not analysed according to industry. On the second point, as I said in a Written Answer to the hon. Member on 5th December 1972, our disablement resettlement officers are always concerned to ensure that employees should comply with the law. Moreover, procedures for enforcement have been improved and since September 1971 authorised inspectors examine the records of a random sample of all employers with a quota obligation.My Department has recently concluded, as part of a general review of its policies and services to help disabled people, a review of the operation of the quota scheme. My right hon. Friend intends shortly to consult the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled and others concerned on whether any changes are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, the number of firms employing over 20 people who do not employ any new workers.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the average earnings of males in open industry for the last 10 years.

The average gross weekly earnings of full-time manual men, aged 21 and over, in the industries and services covered by my Department's regular inquiries in October 1962 to 1971 were:

October 1962	…	…	…	£15·86
October 1963	…	…	…	£16·75
October 1964	…	…	…	£18·11
October 1965	…	…	…	£19·59
October 1966	…	…	…	£20·30
October 1967	…	…	…	£21·38
October 1968	…	…	…	£23·00
October 1969	…	…	…	£24·83
October 1970	…	…	…	£28·05
October 1971	…	…	…	£30·93

The figure for October 1972 will become available in February.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he now has for amendments to the Industrial Relations Act.

As I told my hon. Friend on 5th December, I have no immediate plans for amending the Act but I am fully prepared to discuss with unions, employers or any other responsible bodies constructive proposals for improving its operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what employment prospects he expects to arise in North-East Scotland from exploitation of North Sea oil.

Schemes now under way will expand employment on oil projects in the North-East Scotland Planning Region from 1,400 to 4,500 over three or four years. These figures could increase considerably as new schemes arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much beef was exported for the current months taken up to the latest available date and how this compares with each of the preceding six months.

The following table shows total United Kingdom exports of beef in the seven months to December 1972, the latest available month:

					('000 tons)
June	…	…	…	…	6·3
July	…	…	…	…	6·7
August	…	…	…	…	5·2
September	…	…	…	…	6·7
October	…	…	…	…	6·6
November	…	…	…	…	7·0
December	…	…	…	…	5·6

Source: H.M. Customs figures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to see that fruit importers do not make unfair profits from the storage of apples brought into the United Kingdom in larger quantities than usual before the introduction of compensatory levies and then sold at a price inflated by these levies, yet without having paid them.

The White Paper "A Programme for Controlling Inflation: the First Stage" (Cmnd. 5125) makes it clear that distributors should not increase their cash margins during the standstill; and this requirement applies to all handling imported fruit. The powers of the Counter-Inflation (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 are available if necessary for the enforcement of this requirement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the factual details on the price of apples resulting from Great Britain's entry into the Common Market as given in the communication he sent to the hon. Member for West Ham, North dated 24th January 1973.

The following is the text of the letter I sent to the hon. Member for West Ham, North on 24th January in reply to his request for information about the position of Commonwealth apples at the end of the transitional period:

"As you will know the Six have a surplus of apples and their producer prices have been appreciably lower than ours. Leaving other factors aside therefore the general level of apple prices should be lower after the transitional period than it has been in recent years, at least from August to about April-May, when European apples are available. Imports from outside the Community will then have to pay the common customs tariff, but should not normally face any other barriers. The common customs tariff on apples is:

1st January to 31st March	10 per cent.
1st April to 31st July	8 per cent.
1st August to 31st December	14 per cent.

Canada is now only a minor supplier but she has managed to maintain a small premium market for red apples under the quota system, notwithstanding the availability of cheaper European apples, and there seems no reason why she should not maintain a small premium market.Our traditional southern hemisphere suppliers (South Africa New Zealand and Australia) face greater competition than in the past when quotas applied from stored European fruit in the spring and possibly from South American apples. At the same time the British consumer has been used to paying a premium for fresh southern hemisphere apples in the spring and early summer and one would expect our traditional suppliers to build on this. Additionally there is scope for increasing the consumption of fruit in this country, both because of population increase and if the general level of apple prices is lower compared with other foods than in the past."

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will introduce licensing, inspections, a code of practice and any other restrictions necessary to control the use under Section 19 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1972 of the poison warfarin in the areas of Yorkshire where the grey and red squirrels overlap.

My right hon. Friend hopes soon to lay a draft order before Parliament permitting the controlled use of warfarin against grey squirrels in counties where there are no viable populations of red squirrels which might be put at risk. A recent survey showed that grey squirrels are now found throughout Yorkshire while red squirrels have disappeared except in one or two isolated places. It is not proposed to introduce a licensing system but there will be a strict code of practice designed to prevent risks to other wildlife where warfarin is used.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with organisations representative of livestock and producer auctioneers about the EEC regulation for the encouragement of producer groups.

This regulation is in draft. The main points were discussed with the Secretary of the Livestock Auctioneers Market Committee for England and Wales in July. We shall keep organisations representative of auctioneers in touch with significant developments and will welcome their views.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conversion rate is to be used by the Intervention Board when converting the European Communities' unit of account into sterling.

The Intervention Board will use the "reference rate", which the Council of Ministers agreed and which is equivalent to £ = £2·1644 units of account—$2·3499.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the effect of the EEC directive on poultry, particularly with regard to Christmas turkeys; and what reply has he sent.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 24th January.—[Vol. 849, c. 177.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends making any changes in the composition of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committtee.

Yes. I am happy to inform the House that Professor F. R. Bell, Professor of Experimental Veterinary Medicine and Head of the Department of Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, has accepted appointment to the committee in place of Col. P. Stories-Pugh who is unable for personal reasons to continue to serve.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement regarding the progress of Government policies towards full employment.

Yes. The fall in the seasonally adjusted total of unemployed in Great Britain since March 1972 is 173,000. This is a direct result of the Government's policies for growth.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing estimated revenue, by those categories given in Table 5 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1972–73 plus VAT, for each year from 1972–73 to 1976–77, assuming no changes in taxation beyond those already announced, and an average annual rate of inflation equal to that experienced in the last five years.

It is not possible to make any useful estimates of the revenue for future years on the basis asked for by the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a man with a wife and two children under 11 years of age whose weekly wage is £30 a week has £2·15 more spending power in the first weeks of unemployment than when at work and that this can occur for 14 weeks per year; and what steps he will take to rectify this situation prior to the introduction of a tax credit system.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on a similar Question on 24th January.

asked the Chancellor of of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of loss of revenue if the first £200, £250, £300 and £400 of taxable income were to be charged at 25 per cent.; and what proportion of this loss would be attributed to those with incomes of less than £2,000.

pursuant to his reply, OFFICIAL REPORT 29th January, Vol. 849, c. 315, provided the following information:On the assumption that the reduced rate band also applied to wife's earnings

						Estimated Revenue if rates:
Band of taxable income £ per annum					Estimated Revenue £ million	increased by 5 points	increased by 10 points	decreased by 5 points
3,000–3,500	…	…	…	…	80	93	107	67
3,500–1,000	…	…	…	…	62	72	82	52
4,000–4,500	…	…	…	…	50	58	67	42
4,500–5,000	…	…	…	…	40	47	53	33

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the termination of the European Monetary Agreement.

The European Monetary Agreement, which came into force at the end of 1958, was designed to provide a framework for monetary co-operation in Europe during the period of transition to full convertibility of currencies. It had outlived its usefulness and was terminated by agreement on 31st December 1972. The European Fund has been liquidated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of revenue to be raised in income tax in the bands £3,000 to £3,500, £3,500 to £4,000, £4,000 to £4,500 and £4,500 to £5,000; and what these amounts would be if the income tax rate were to be increased by 5 per cent. or 10 per cent. or reduced by 5 per cent.

pursuant to his reply, OFFICIAL REPORT 29th January, Vol. 849, c. 315, provided the following information:On the basis of a 30 per cent unified rate and 1972–73 levels of income, the figures are:An agreement among central banks, to be reviewed after three years, provides for the continuation of the system of mutual exchange guarantees which was a feature of the EMA. These guarantees apply to very limited amounts of currencies of participating countries held by central banks as working balances.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many advance factories have been provided in the Yorkshire and Humberside region; and how many were let on 1st January 1973.

Four have been completed of which two have been let. One is under construction. A further eight have been authorised in the new advance factory programme announced on 15th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will remove all import duties, levies or other restrictions on imports of meat and undertake not to impose any during 1973.

I explained the position on beef, veal, mutton and lamb in my reply on 26th January to the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris). The existing import duties on pork and bacon will cease on our adoption of the Community's pigmeat regulations under which imports from third countries will he subject to levies. Existing quantitative restrictions on the importation of bacon will be removed at the same time.—[Vol. 849, c. 254.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the present situation concerning Sealand Hovercraft Ltd.

Since January 1971 Sealand Hovercraft Ltd. has occupied a DTI advance factory at Millom. The company was allowed a five-year rent-free period for the factory which it is still enjoying. It also applied for an operational grant. As the company was aware, such grants can only be made following a favourable recommendation from the Local Employment Act Financial Advisory Committee which has to be satisfied about the prospects of viability of the undertaking seeking assistance. The company has not so far been able to satisfy the committee on this, although it has been given every opportunity to establish its case.Since October 1972 as a result of financial difficulties the company has made a number of requests to the Department for assistance of various kinds. The DTI arranged accelerated payment of a training grant. A prototype investment grant has also been paid. The Department also offered to provide financial assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 if it could be demonstrated that the company and the hovercraft it manufactures could have a viable future. The company was unable to satisfy the Department on this question but in December a consortium of businessmen offered to provide funds which, with financial support from DTI, would allow the company's operations to continue to provide employment in Millom.As the company has stated, the consortium's proposal required arrangements to be made for the existing bank overdraft to be paid off by the current shareholders, who are the directors of Sealand. The additional funds being provided could then be used to pay other creditors and for future operations. The directors of Sealand now state that they are unable to clear the debt to their bank and thus the consortium has not been able to make progress with its proposal.The Department remains ready to consider financial support for any proposal, whether from the consortium or from other interests, which seems likely to ensure a viable future for production at Millom and to benefit the employment position in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what investigations under the Companies Act his Department has made of the English and Continental Property Company and its links with Crown Agents; and if he will make a statement.

None. If the hon. Member considers that he has any evidence which would justify an investigation under the Companies Acts, doubtless he will let me have it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in the air traffic negotiations with the Chinese People's Republic with a view to establishing air links between Heathrow, London, and Peking; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have handed over a draft for an air services agreement to the Government of the Chinese People's Republic. The Chinese are considering our draft. We look forward to making rapid progress in the negotiations when the Chinese are ready, and are maintaining contact to prepare for negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the manner in which the Excess Group of insurance companies was taken over by International Telecommunications and Tabulators of America.

I do not object to the offer by International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation which remains open until 7th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those insurance companies which are engaged in the hospitalisation and benefits in the event of illness business.

The information requested is not readily available since insurance against the risks of hospitalisation and illness is not a separately defined class of insurance business. A few insurers advertise nationally insurance against hospitalisation, and a number of provident associations and hospital contributory schemes with limited authorisations under the Insurance Companies Acts engage in this business. Many insurers provide other forms of insurance against illness.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the actuarial basis upon which the growth of companies engaged in the hospitalisation and benefits whilst sick or bedridden business is based; and if he will carry out an inquiry into this field of activity.

Hospitalisation and other ill health insurance carried on by insurance companies is supervised by the Department of Trade and Industry under the Insurance Companies Acts as ordinary long-term insurance or as personal accident insurance, according to the nature of the contract. In the former case an actuarial assessment is made by the Government Actuary's Department. I do not consider that this business calls for any special treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many motor insurance companies have gone into liquidation or ceased trading since the collapse of the Vehicle and General Company; and if he will name them in the OFFICIAL REPORT together with the number of policyholders for each company.

The companies are listed below. The number of policyholders is not recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that a large multiple chemist has announced price cuts in some 34 items; and whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether or not all firms supplying these items could and should not reduce their prices by equal amounts.

I welcome these lower prices which apply to a number of own brand foods and toiletries. I would, of course, welcome price reductions by other firms which similarly feel able to pass on in advance some of the benefits which will flow from the abolition of SET.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has given consideration to the introduction of legislation requiring more comprehensive disclosures of proposed development plans in the local region likely to be effected by such plans, including plans made by nationalised industries.

I have been asked to reply.I made a full statement in the debate on the Adjournment yesterday about the Government's intentions with regard to publicity for development proposals. Questions about the requirement for publicity where consent for the development has to be given by the responsible Ministers should of course be addressed to the Minister concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has received from the Confederation of British Industry regarding the reform of the law relating to picketing in industrial disputes; and what reply he has sent.

The Confederation of British Industry has proposed certain restrictions on the right to picket, and these proposals are being taken into account in the Government's review of the law on picketing. A statement will be made soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received about licensing reform since publication of the Erroll Report.

About 200.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether any survey has been carried out by his Department on the wishes of people in respect of longer drinking hours; and, if so, whether he will publish the results;

These matters were included in the survey the findings of which are summarised in Appendix I of the Erroll Committee's report (Cmnd. 5154). The full survey report has not yet been received. It is expected to be published later this year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) how many Civil Service jobs are expected to be created by the Government in Wales in 1973 in consequence of dispersal policies;(2) how many jobs are expected to be created in Wales in 1973 by way of Government dispersal policies.

The Government's dispersal policy covers London-based headquarters work of the Civil Service and of bodies wholly or partly financed from public funds, but excludes public corporations. Some 2,140 Civil Service posts will be dispersed to Wales over the next few years and 5,640 posts will be established as a result of the policy of locating new Government organisations outside London wherever possible.It is not possible to give a precise figure for the number to be located in Wales during 1973 but it will probably be in the region of 250. In addition Wales is being considered as a possible receiving location for work which will be dispersed from London as a result of the current review, led by Sir Henry Hardman whose recommendations are likely to be presented to Ministers soon.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when the Nugent Report on the release of Defence Department lands is expected to be published.

The Nugent Committee is now in the final stages of its review of defence land holdings and is expected to submit its report in the near future. A decisison will be taken thereafter about publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will introduce legislation to prevent bus companies with contracts for transporting children to school from levying fines for charges for replacing bus passes lost by young children.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether any national or local museum has applied to her for assistance towards purchasing any object from the Pitt Rivers collections; what are the names of any such museums; and what are the objects they wished to acquire;(2) if she will consider assisting by financial grant in the purchase of all or some of the British archaeological contents of the Pitt Rivers collection;(3) if she will consider purchasing all or some of the British archaeological contents of the Pitt Rivers collection.

The national museums and galleries are free to use their grant-in-aid for purchases, totalling £2 million a year, at their discretion. The Victoria and Albert and Royal Scottish Museums also administer funds to assist local museums in similar purchases. No national or local museum has applied to by noble Friend for additional assistance to purchase any of the items in the Pitt Rivers collections. If such an approach were made it would be considered on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will seek powers to set up a national register of objects of historic and/or artistic importance in private collections in Great Britain.

No register of objects in private collections could be complete without some form of compulsory survey. I am satisfied that any advantages which might flow from such an operation, which would be extremely expensive, would be outweighed by the inconvenience and loss of privacy for the individual owner, by complications relating to the transfer of objects, and by the very great difficulty in seeking to define what are objects of historic or artistic importance. The national museums and galleries keep track of important objects in their specialist fields which are in private ownership.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science from the information now available to her relating to the expenditure on Fanfare for Europe, how much went on expenses and salaries; and whether any further events are to be held.

Expenditure on salaries and expenses connected with the organisation of Fanfare for Europe is expected to be about £21,000. There is one even still to take place: the Anglo-French month being organised by the Institute of Contemporary Art in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of hon. Members who have served on the Medical Research Council since 1959, together with the dates of their service.

Since 1959 the following Members of this House have served on the Medical Research Council,

Mr. Richard Fort	May 1959.
Sir Hugh Linstead	October 1959-October 1964.
Mr. Austen Albu	December 1964-March 1965.
Mr. Arthur Blenkinsop	April 1965-July 1967.
Mr. David Marquand	April 1968-April 1969.
Mr. Laurie Pavitt	July 1969-September 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements are proposed for ensuring the continued support for the arts.

The Arts Council will receive, within the resources announced in the White Paper on public expenditure (Cmnd. 5178) and subject to Parliamentary approval, £17·388 million in the next financial year compared with £13·67 million in the current year. Corresponding figures for the British Film Institute are £1·36 million as against £0·94 million. It is also proposed that the crafts should receive £332,000 as against £200,000.Within the grants for the arts £1 million has been provided in 1973–74 for the further encouragement of the arts in the regions and in Scotland and Wales, with special reference to the assisted areas. A similar sum will be provided for 1974–75. My noble Friend is considering with the Arts Council and the British Film Institute how best to use these additional resources in conjunction with other regional programmes dealing with the environment and the social services.The acquisition grant administered by the Victoria and Albert Museum to assist purchases by local collections will, subject to Parliamentary approval, be increased to £400,000. The similar grant administered by the Royal Scottish Museum will be increased to £25,000.My noble Friend announced on 15th January that £30,000 of the Victoria and Albert Museum grant will be available to help the purchase of documents of all kinds, including photographs.A new fund of £150,000 in 1973–74 administered by the Science Museum will be used to assist the purchase, and where desirable the transport, restoration, and erection, of scientific and technological material by museums in the provinces. The Royal Scottish Museum will administer a similar fund of £25,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the revised estimate of the cost of the new National Railway Museum at York.

I have been asked to reply.£1·25 million, without taking into account receipts from disposal of the Clapham site, which cannot yet be estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will receive a deputation from the Walsall Borough Council regarding the effect of rating revaluation.

A number of local authorities have asked Ministers to receive deputations about the revaluation for rates, and the Association of Municipal Corporations has also requested a meeting with the Prime Minister. The request from Walsall as from all other local authorities is being considered in this wider context.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will confirm that the proposals to improve the A66 trunk road from Penrith to West Cumberland will now proceed as planned, in full and without further delay; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Subject to letting of the contract, work should start on the first section of the route in late summer or early autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the acreage of land, on a regional basis, on which outline planning permission was given for housing on a date before 1st July 1972 but on which development has not yet commenced.

Complete information in the form requested is not available. However, it is estimated that in the South East in mid-1972 there were about 25,000 acres of undeveloped land with either outline or detailed planning permission for housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now reduce the present 40 mph speed limit on the A3 at Putney to 30 mph.

No. My right hon. and learned Friend will wait for the Greater London Council's recommendation on the speed limit appropriate for this road.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities with particular slum problems have been contacted by him and asked to review their slum clearance programme and accelerate it; whether it was by letter or circular; if the circular has been published; and when he expects the results of his review.

The Department's circular 50/72 was sent to all local authorities in England inviting them to join a drive to ensure that within 10 years no one should have to live in an unfit or substandard house. Authorities were asked to ascertain the age, condition and tenure of their existing housing stock, to review their present plans and to draw up a strategy for dealing with the problem within 10 years. The circular was published on 25th May 1972.The reports received from authorities, together with the results of other recent studies, will form the basis of a comprehensive review of the policy on older housing. The review will be completed as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to publish the report from the Channel Tunnel sponsors which he received last spring;(2) when he expects to publish a report on the economic feasibility of a Channel Tunnel; and if it will include a full cost-benefit appraisal.

The results of the current work, which includes a transport cost/ benefit study, will be made available before any decision is taken whether to proceed to construction of a tunnel; this is unlikely to be before the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many senior civil servants have left his Department who had worked on the Channel Tunnel project; and how many of them found employment with private bodies sponsoring a Channel Tunnel project.

Two have left the Department. One of them since he left has with departmental permission undertaken part-time lecturing work for the British Channel Tunnel Company.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, for the local government areas of Nottinghamshire County

	Nottinghamshire County Council	Newark B.C.	Newark R.D.C.	Southwell R.D.C.
	£	£	£	£
Rate Support Grant—
First Estimate 1973–74
Needs	31,610,492	—	—	—
Resources	5,275,426	62,558	46,835	198,194
Domestic	—	64,415	52,063	182,798
	36,885,918	126,973	98,898	380,992
Second Estimate 1972–73
Needs	28,141,289	—	—	—
Resources	4,808,533	81,310	73,720	188,945
Domestic	—	52,742	33,222	100,364
	32,949,822	134,052	106,942	289,309
Rate Poundage 1922–73	56·24p*	88·50p	80·0p	80·50p
Total Rateable Value 1st April 1972	26,204,814	998,897	489,623	1,891,640
* General County Precept.

Provisional estimates of rateable values as at 1st December 1972 in respect of 1973–74 are as follows:

		£
Nottinghamshire CC	…	67,610,331
Newark BC	…	2,765,947
Newark RDC	…	1,735,606
Southwell RDC	…	4,931,220

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many accidents involving heavy lorries and container lorries occurred in Leighton Buzzard in 1972;(2) how many accidents involving heavy lorries and container lorries occurred in Dunstable in 1972.

Road accident statistics for local areas are a matter for the local authority.

The latest estimates of rate support grants, the rate poundages for 1972–73 and rateable values as at 1st April 1972 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average sale price of a new two-bedroom house, nationally and in the North-West, respectively, in June 1970 and for the latest available date.