asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the present system of medical examinations being carried out for the licensing of pilots.

This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.

Is it not also a matter for the passengers and crew of the aircraft, some of whom may be our constituents? Are we not trying to use Tannochbrae medicine in the cockpit of a Boeing 747, and does my hon. Friend agree that we are not using the most sophisticated methods of medical examination? Is he, as the Minister responsible, allowing this state of affairs to continue?

Of course, my hon. Friend is correct in one respect. It is a matter of concern to the travelling public and to the crews, but the authority responsible for carrying out reviews of the method used is the Civil Aviation Authority. I have asked the chairman of the authority to consider as a matter of urgency whether any measures can be adopted which will deal with the situation that my hon. Friend has in mind.

Will my hon. Friend take note that he should not move from Tannochbrae medicine to panic brain medicine and that history shows that the success of medical examinations by the present methods has been very good over the last quarter of a century?

My hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Tebbit) has great expertise on this matter and he is correct. I think he will agree, however, that we must be constantly vigilant concerning this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the Government's plans for the future development of the British airframe industry.

Announcements on specific policy developments have been made as they have arisen. I have at present nothing further to add.

Will the Minister consider giving launching aid to the airframe industry, particularly to enable it to develop short-haul and vertical take-off aircraft? Is he aware that specialised Rolls-Royce design teams are leaving because of uncertainty in the industry?

I shall obviously consider any propositions that are put to me. At the moment there are two—the stretched Skyvan and the HS146. Until I receive propositions from the industry I cannot consider them.

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that every possible support will be given for the finding of alternative markets for the Rolls-Royce RB211 engine in a British airframe?

That is a matter for the manufacturers. I gather from conversations I have had that they are pursuing every outlet they can find.

Will the Minister say what finance the Government are giving to the development of short take-off and landing aircraft, particularly the HS146, and what importance they attach to this development?

At the moment the Government are not giving any support to the HS146 because the proposition has been put to them for consideration for support. We are now considering it and obviously an answer to the right hon. Gentleman's question will be more relevant when we have reached a decision on it.

Will the Minister explain therefore, if the Government are not at this stage financing the HS146, what short take-off and landing projects they are financing and to what extent they attach importance to this development?

The Government have not turned down any projects for short take-off aircraft. We have received one proposition from Hawker Siddeley—the HS146—which we are considering.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I have a later Question—No. 28—about the HS146. Is it in order for the Minister to give an answer to that Question before it is reached?

I hope that we shall reach the hon. Member's Question. Nothing has happened which is out of order.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which areas of the United Kingdom have been excluded from examination by the British Airports Authority in its search for a national policy for airports; on whose instructions; and why.

The Civil Aviation Authority, which under the Civil Aviation Act 1971 is the body responsible for this work, tells me that the answer is "None, Sir".

I thank my hon. Friend for the answer and also for his agreement to study the Severnside proposals. Will he first seek discussions in his Department and with the Canadian Ministry of Works about the similar decision to Maplin which is being taken in Canada? Does my hon. Friend agree that to make the decision to proceed with Maplin before the Civil Aviation Authority had a chance to produce a national airports policy would be similar to the Football Association telling Sir Alf Ramsey to select a football team but instrucing him what his forward line must be?

We had a thorough discussion on the whole subject of Maplin last week and the House gave the Government authority to proceed in that matter.

Will the Minister say when the Civil Aviation Authority expects to report on future development in airport expansion or on new developments in Yorkshire and Humberside? What assessment have the Government made of the adverse effects of Maplin on Northern Region airport development and expansion?

I am sure that the right hon. Member regrets that he did not take part in the Maplin debate when all these matters were thoroughly ventilated. The development of an airport in South-East England is necessary regardless of the growth we anticipate for the other regions in the country. The Civil Aviation Authority is proceeding as a matter of urgency with its studies and I hope to hear from it in the not too distant future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints about price rises have been received by his Department since the beginning of the freeze.

My Department had received 8,800 complaints by the end of last week.

Is not that a staggering figure? Is it not becoming more and more apparent that the only people who believe that the price freeze is working are Ministers—and nobody is likely to believe them? In how many of the 8,000 instances has action been taken?

The significant fact is that of the inquiries and calls that come to my Department, only one-sixth are complaints. The great majority are inquiries for guidance about how to apply the standstill. A large proportion of the complaints—about half—do not relate to the standstill. Of those which have been or are being investigated, which is about 4,800, almost 3,500 have been found not to be substantiated. Investigations have been completed in about 300 cases. In all those cases the prices have been reduced. That fact in itself underlines the high level of support we are receiving from industry, trade and commerce in the standstill.

In the light of election promises, how can Ministers live with their consciences when, because of the increase in meat prices, we read of experiments in the use of synthetic meats for school meals and when we read in the Sunday Mirror yesterday of an increase in the sale of horse meat for human consumption? What pride is left to a pensioner when he is told that the cheap cuts of meat——

Order. The Question relates to complaints on price rises. The hon. Gentleman cannot make a political speech.

I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, but I am speaking of the consequences of the very rises in price to which my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price) referred. The point I was trying to make was that meat has become so dear that the pensioner has to ask for scraps for his Sunday lunch. How does the Minister explain this and how does he make it compatible with his so-called promises at election time?

The hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well the position with regard to food prices, which does not arise from the Question. In any event, pensions have been raised under the present Government and are being raised annually. They have so far been raised by 35 per cent., at least 10 per cent. ahead of the rise in food prices, since we came to office.

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman feel that the Government are happy about the success of their measures? Can they tell the housewife that things are as they should be, or are prices still far too high?

The hon. Gentleman knows that with non-food prices the standstill has achieved almost complete success. He also knows that for food prices the position remains exactly as it was when his Government introduced a similar standstill: that there is a limit to the extent to which any Government can regulate the impact of world prices on food prices. What we can do and have done is to take measures to help the lower-paid and other people dependent on social security benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department intends to take with regard to those retailers, manufacturers or vendors who, in breach of the Counter-Inflation (Temporary Provisions) Act, are imposing hidden price rises by providing a reduced quantity for the same price.

We have received very few complaints and none has been substantiated on investigation.

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that if he were to buy a bar of Cadbury's chocolate called "Laughs", the laugh would be on him since he could buy the same bar in a plain wrapper for the same price but weighing more? Is he further aware that it is not uncommon for quantities and weights to fluctuate in those goods for which there is no requirement to give actual weight or quantity, which constitutes a hidden price rise which is almost undetectable to the consumer?

I am not aware of that case but I have examined those which have been drawn to my attention, including one other which my hon. Friend herself has raised with me. We should regard a reduction in quantity not accompanied by a corresponding reduction in price as a contravention of the standstill.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman inquire into the affairs of traders and manufacturers who are conducting massive advertising campaigns telling people to buy their goods at value added tax prices when in many cases, on the basis of the assurance given to the House last year by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the price of these goods should be reduced given a 10 per cent. or lower rate of VAT?

Those cases which have been drawn to my attention have been investigated because the point made by the hon. Gentleman is entirely valid.

Will my right hon. and learned Friend also accept that whoever may be responsible for inflation and price rises—and there are many candidates for the blame—it is not in the main the fault of retailers? Would my right hon. and learned Friend prefer, on the contrary, to pay tribute to the 90 per cent. of retailers who have behaved reasonably and moderately? In this context, in my constituency there has been only one complaint about a firm, and that concerned undercharging. I have not had a single complaint of anyone overcharging.

I willingly endorse what my hon. Friend has said. I have already paid tribute to the way manufacturing industry and the retail trades are supporting the provisions of the standstill. They are anxious to discover what they are allowed and not allowed to do and to remedy any matters drawn to their attention which have gone wrong.

Some unscrupulous firms are seeking a way round the standstill and the situation will be worse when value added tax is introduced. Unit pricing would be a useful check for housewives. Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman introduce legislation to enforce unit pricing'? If he does, we will co-operate in getting it on to the Statute Book as quickly as possible.

Unit pricing has some value in certain cases but if applied across the board it might easily itself add to the costs of commodities to purchasers. The question of unit pricing is already before the House in the Private Member's Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Cormack) and in the form of an amendment to be discussed on the Fair Trading Bill. It will be fully discussed, therefore, in one or other of those forums. Although it has some value, which I have in mind, it cannot be regarded as the panacea in shopping.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amount will he spent from the EEC budget on development areas in the United Kingdom in 1973; and if he will make a statement as to which industries now facing severe competition from EEC countries will he helped.

It was agreed at the October summit that a new Regional Development Fund, to be financed from the Community's own resources, should be set up by the end of 1973. The Community's existing arrange- ments for assisting regional development are not financed from the budget.

Was not it agreed that the amount of the Community budget for the purpose would be only 2 per cent., which is very small? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many industries in this country, from shoes and textiles to the steel industry, will be in a very difficult situation once EEC competition really begins? Is he aware that in the West Midlands, for example, thousands of steelworkers will become redundant during the next decade? Does he not think that he should try to get a better bargain than it appears we shall get?

As to steel jobs, the steel industry considers that entry into the Community will be of benefit to it and not detrimental. I stated in my reply that the finance to assist regional development did not come out of the budget. For example, for steelworkers in particular the finance comes out the budget of the Coal and Steel Community and not the budget of the Community itself.

How much would my right hon. Friend like to get back from the Community for regional development?

As much as possible.

Can the Secretary of State be a bit more explicit? We want to know what he is asking for. The House is entitled to know what he thinks is necessary so that hon. Members may compare it with what he gets. Can the right hon. Gentleman satisfy the House that the definition of assisted areas which is accepted in this country will be acceptable for the purposes of receiving money under the European Regional Development Fund?

The reason why no decision is being made until the end of 1973 is that we want to analyse the total European problem. The Government will then decide what they consider to be correct for this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to mitigate the damage to the income of composers and others caused by the practice of home recording in breach of copyright.

I am aware of this problem which is one appropriate for consideration by the committee which I have it in mind to appoint to look into our law of copyright generally.

When does the right hon. and learned Gentleman propose to set up the committee? In view of the thousands of cases of breach of copyright now occurring daily through home recording, making a laughing stock of the Copyright Act, will he recommend for the committee's consideration the German system, now supported by the British Copyright Council and broadcasting organisations here, whereby manufacturers of recording equipment pay up to 5 per cent. into a fund for distribution among copyright owners?

I am aware of the problem, but the hon. Gentleman will be aware of the difficulty of policing any effective remedy. In that context the German system will no doubt be something that the committee will want to look into. I shall tell the House as soon as I am in a position to answer the hon. Gentleman's question about the date of the committee's appointment.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman refer to the committee the question of public lending right and authors as well?

That matter has been under review by my right hon. and noble Friend the Paymaster-General. It is not clear whether it would still be appropriate for reference to the committee but I shall bear the hon. Gentleman's point in mind.

Is not it impractical to think of any method of effectively controlling home recording, especially in view of the grossly exorbitant price of gramophone records?

The hon. Gentleman's point about the impracticability of control is the one I mentioned in my first supplementary answer. It is because of that impracticability that the German law which deals with the matter in another way is clearly something that the committee will want to look into.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the fully automatic noise monitoring system at Heathrow airport promised to be completed by the summer of 1968 was not completed; when it will be operational; and if it will monitor approach as well as departure noise.

The system was not scheduled to be completed by the summer of 1968; it is expected to become fully operational by June 1973 and will be used only to monitor take-off noise.

The hon. Gentleman's answer lacks his usual accuracy, as the Kew Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise was promised that the system would be developed in 1968. However, now that it is to be developed at long last, will the hon. Gentleman reconsider the question of approach monitoring? Is he aware that it takes place at Frankfurt, Zurich, Los Angeles and one or two other places? As the problem of Heathrow is mainly an approach problem, it would be useful for him to consider that. As the system is now to be introduced, will he consider whether approach monitoring should be incorporated in it?

I assure the hon. Gentleman that my answer was accurate. It was the trial system that was promised to be in operation in 1968, and it was in operation in 1969. As a result of that, we are now proceeding to the installation of a full system, which is hoped to be in operation in 1973.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation compelling manufacturers to label all goods with the date of manufacture.

I do not consider that general legislation is needed. But my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food hopes shortly to announce the Government's decision on the recommendations of the Food Standards Committee about the date marking of certain foodstuffs.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that I have in my possession evidence of a case in Manchester in which Fisher-Bendix marketed as new a washing machine that was five years old, thus causing intolerable inconvenience and expense to the customer? Fisher-Bendix has been disgracefully unhelpful about the matter. Should not the public be protected from such fraudulent and swindling activities with manufactured goods as well as foodstuffs?

I am not prepared to comment on the case which the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. There has not yet been forthcoming any evidence to suggest that date marking of manufactured goods is something for which there is a general need. If it was shown that particular cases required such treatment across the board, I would be prepared to look at them.

It not this taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Will my right hon. and learned Friend tell me what conceivable advantage would ensue to me if I were to know the date of manufacture of a kettle or a sweater?

That is precisely the point that I had in mind. There has not yet been shown to be any general need for date marking of manufactured goods.

How does the right hon. and learned Gentleman explain that the Sunday papers were able to announce yesterday the Government's intentions about date marking before the House has been told about those intentions? As foodstuffs are not currently date marked, how will the Government ensure that the prices of old stocks of canned meat are not inflated by as much as 30 per cent. in the next few weeks when the EEC levies come into force?

No doubt these points are matters which my right hon. Friend will have in mind when he announces the Government's decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many factories on the Park Royal Industrial Estate are still vacant following closures; what is the total amount of space available; and what action he proposes to take to encourage skilled industries to settle in this area.

Factories in the estate belong to a number of owners and the information requested is not readily available. The incentives to encourage industrial expansion on a countrywide basis have been provided by the Government in the measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer last March.

May I inform the hon. Gentleman that there are wide open spaces in an area which used to be the workshop of the world? Will he seriously consult the Department of the Environment and the Department of Employment to change the situation, which is having a terrible effect socially in my constituency? We find that what was a skilled area with a multiple number of trades within it is becoming a derelict area of warehouses.

Whilst I will always discuss these matters with the Department of the Environment, I must put the matter into perspective by asking the hon. Gentleman to remember that the unemployment rate for the London area is one of the lowest in the country; it is half the national rate. The loss of jobs in manufacturing industry has been partly set off by increased employment in the service industry in the area.

This is becoming a problem in other estates in London where firms are closing down. It is all very well to say that there is plenty of employment, but when a man has been employed for 20 or 30 years in a particular job it is much more difficult for him to change than the Minister thinks. I agree about the unemployment figure.

The hon. Gentleman must accept that there are areas in the country with very much graver problems than the London area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to make a further statement about the productive capacity of the British Steel Corporation.

I have already announced a 10-year strategy for the modernisation and expansion of BSC's productive capacity. Further details are contained in the White Paper on the strategy published on 8th February, Cmnd. 5226.

Has the right hon. Gentleman noted the fine productivity record of Shelton Steelworks with existing inadequate equipment? Is he aware that if electric are furnaces were installed the investment of £4 million that is required would be repaid within a year and the existing profits would be doubled to £5 million a year?

There is no intention in the immediate future for closure of Shelton to take place. The British Steel Corporation has pursued a policy of giving all the financial facts which result in its decisions being given to those concerned. I am sure that if and when a closure comes, as far as Shelton is concerned this will be provided.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that productivity investment depends on demand and relative prices and that to have too high a productivity capacity which the market cannot warrant would not be in the interests of the steel industry?

There is a need in any strategy for flexibility, and I believe that in the strategy approved by the Government there is that flexibility. We must have modern steel plants that can compete with our major overseas competitors.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is certain that a steel-producing mini-plant will be provided at Irlam, Bilston or Shelton? Will he further tell us what length of life that steel-producing plant is expected to have?

That is a separate question. I do not know the details of the answer. I will write to the hon. Gentle- man or he can put a Question on the Order Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in wage costs in the hairdressing industry resulting from the implementation of the wage council award on 1st January 1973; and to what extent he has authorised hairdressers to recover these additions to costs during the period of the standstill.

The percentage increase, if any, will vary from employer to employer, according to the proportion of staff previously paid less than the new minimum rates and their grades. Employers unable to absorb in full increased wage costs directly resulting from this have been permitted to raise their prices so as to recoup not more than 50 per cent. of them from 1st February 1973.

I am grateful to my right hon. and learned Friend for that reply. However, can he lift the corner of the veil which hides the deliberations of his Department when deciding in any given case what is the appropriate proportion of unavoidable cost increases which may be passed on? Why is 50 per cent. right for hairdressers and 70 per cent., for instance, right for people who face unavoidable increases in the cost of raw materials? Lastly, what is the court of appeal?

The appropriate factor depends upon the circumstances in each case. In relation to certain raw materials costs, which have risen very substantially and which form a high proportion of the total cost of the product, the figures of the kind my hon. Friend mentioned have been permitted. For hairdressing, the figure was decided upon in the light of the very substantial proportion that wages represent in hairdressing costs and the low profitability of many of the firms in this service trade, which has a very large number of operators in it.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that when selective employment tax was introduced all hairdressers substantially increased their prices? What evidence has he that when SET was halved last year there was an equivalent reduction in prices?

The evidence of the many individual cases, together with the general submissions considered by my Department and by myself personally, which showed very clearly the facts underlying the circumstances of this trade.

What about the court of appeal?

I take my hon. Friend's point. Many of the decisions are taken in the light of guidelines laid down by myself, but in particular cases representations are made to me personally.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what options and what orders have now been placed for the Concorde aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

BOAC and Air France have signed orders for five and four aircraft respectively. Iranair have signed a letter of intent to purchase two aircraft and the Chinese national airline has signed a preliminary purchasing agreement for three aircraft. In addition there are 33 options held by 10 airlines. Details were given in my written reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 1st February.—[Vol. 849, c. 468–9.]

Will the Minister be a little more forthcoming on some of the points which may have a bearing on Concorde's future? Can he say how soon we may expect the confirmation of options from Japan Airlines and Qantas? Secondly, will he tell us about the prospect of landing rights for Concorde in the United States? Thirdly, will he comment on the prospects of a commercial agreement with the USSR to bring about a supersonic corridor via Russia to the Far East?

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there is an opportunity to debate these matters on Report stage of the Concorde Aircraft Bill on Thursday of this week. As the questions put to me are detailed and require long answers, perhaps that might be a more appropriate time to deal with the matter.

Will my hon. Friend tell the House how the recent tests in South Africa with the new aircraft have gone and whether the newer engines are achieving the lower noise levels for which we all hope?

I have no information from South Africa about the tests but by Thursday I will endeavour to answer my hon. Friend's question. The noise levels of the recent preproduction model flying from Toulouse have not yet been checked because the aircraft has not proceeded to that stage in its programme.

The hon. Gentleman's answer might have been a little more convincing in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Mr. Bishop) if in the last debate he had answered the questions that he said he would answer. It is of little value to us to be given the answers in Thursday's debate. Will the hon. Gentleman let us know what is happening as a result of the discussions with Japan Airlines and Qantas, and not just content himself with being a spokesman only for the aircraft industry?

I am happy to give the hon. Gentleman the answer that Japan Airlines' option expires at the end of this month, as is generally known since it has been widely commented on in the Press. Qantas's option expires towards the middle of the year. The United States administration recently published its latest regulations dealing with aircraft flying within America. They do not cover the question of international flights. I have always taken the view that as there will always be far more aircraft with the noise attributes of Con corde—such as the DC8, the VC10 and the Boeing 707—using American airports, Concorde will not provide any problem that is not already in existence in far larger numbers of cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the loan of up to £350 million to the British Aircraft Corporation for the production of Concorde aircraft will permit manufacture of 30 Concorde aircraft, as proposed by the French Government under its loan to Aerospatiale.

The Concorde Aircraft Bill provides for an initial limit of £250 million on loans to be made both to BAC and to Rolls-Royce (1971) for Concorde production. This sum is estimated to be sufficient to manufacture more than 30 Concordes. The Bill also provides for the limit to be extended to £350 million but after affirmative resolution of the House.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware how irritating it is to many of us who are supporters of the Concorde project that information is made freely available to the French Chamber of Deputies but is not available to the House of Commons? Will he be more forthcoming in the debate on Thursday?

I am sure the hon. Member will be aware that I made available a very large amount of information to the Standing Committee on the Concorde Aircraft Bill. I have followed very-closely the policy of all Ministers responsible for this project not only in connection with Concorde but with other funding operations by the Government towards civil aerospace projects.

Is my hon. Friend aware that he is to be warmly congratulated on his determination to press ahead with this aircraft after 10 years' successful testing, and will he take note that many of us hope that this time the lessons of the Viscount, the Comet, the TSR2 and the VC10 will not be lost?

Certainly we have made it clear that we shall give every support to the manufacturers in their sales campaign for this aircraft.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the very grave dearth in orders which have been placed for the crucially important carbide brakes, and that this will mean that many men will be standing about idle while the costs escalate and no production orders can be fulfilled for at least another year? What does he say about that?

I have kept in touch on the question of brakes for Concorde. That matter is not part of this specific Question, but I assure the hon. Member that I am aware of his anxiety and that of British industry about this matter and that I will continue to keep an eye on it.

Can the Minister assure the House that he has reached full agreement with the French Government on the phasing of production orders beyond those which have already been authorised?

No. I have not reached agreement because I have not sought agreement. We obviously have to deal with production orders in the light of sales circumstances at the time, and one cannot deal with this in advance of events. When I say I have not reached agreement no alarmist conclusions should be drawn from that. It is simply that it has not seemed appropriate to seek agreement at this time. We have authorised full production of 16 models and placed advance purchase orders for the materials for a further six.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new jobs have been created in the area known as the South Yorkshire intermediate district since the 18th June 1970; and how these figures compare with the number of jobs declared redundant over the same period.

It is not possible to make a meaningful comparison. Applicants for IDCs estimated that 8,700 new jobs would be created when their projects were complete and fully manned. But this figure excludes the services sector, which in 1971 provided 38 per cent. of total employment. The number of redundancies recorded by the Department of Employment for the Yorkshire coalfield intermediate area, excluding Worksop employment exchange area, from 1st July 1970 to 31st December 1972 was 8,900, including the services sector.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that people who are unemployed in large parts of the South Yorkshire area are getting bored to death with the inactivity of the Government in supplying them with jobs? When will the Department find a tenant for the advance factory at Mexborough? Cannot we have something done about the infrastructure in that area, making it attractive and thus getting more jobs and reducing the unemployment, which is twice the national average?

The question of infrastructure is for the Department of the Environment. I cannot now deal with the detailed case mentioned by the hon. Gentleman but I am sure that the people in that area are aware that redundancies were down by one-third last year while unemployment has fallen by 1·3 per cent. The trend is in the right direction.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is now in a position to explain the attitude which Her Majesty's Government will take towards the forthcoming GATT negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policies the Government intend to put forward in the international negotiations on trade and tariffs due to open in September.

The United Kingdom will pursue, in concert with its partners in the enlarged Community, the objectives adopted by the October 1972 summit meeting of encouraging the development of international trade on the basis of progressive liberalisation.

Can we have an assurance that, before the Government adopt a common policy towards the Common Market approach to these negotiations, the House will have an opportunity to express its views and tell the Government what it thinks they ought to be doing? Will the Department lift another corner of another of its seven veils and assure us that they will press for the reduction of the common external tariff?

The liberalisation of international trade has been the policy of successive Governments in this country over a period of years. It has now been adopted by the Common Market as its approach to these trade negotiations. If the House wants to discuss the decisions made at the summit conference, approaches can be made through the usual channels.

Are there to be any specifically British proposals in these extremely important negotiations, or do the Government no longer regard themselves as the Government of an independent country?

When the right lion. Gentleman was President of the Board of Trade and became involved in a number of detailed negotiations for liberalising trade, he did not bring to the House every liberalising measure he had in mind.

This is the second time today that the right hon. Gentleman has said that he cannot reveal the stance of the Government before the Community discusses the matter. First, it was regional policy. Do we take it, therefore, that he regards himself as being unable to make statements to the House about the British Government's policy until the EEC has in every case reached a view?

I wish the right hon. Gentleman would listen to the answers. I made clear the policy of the Government which was agreed at the summit conference last October.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Her Majesty's Government share the objective of the United State Government to secure the elimination of all barriers to international trade; and if he can yet make a statement about the British position in the forthcoming multilateral trade negotiations.

Such an objective has not been put forward by the United States Government.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the present currency crisis adds even more to the urgency for requiring reductions in agricultural and industrial protectionism and that these views have been expressed in the past by the United States administration? Even if that is not the case, would it not be helpful for the success of the GATT talks in the autumn if the British Government were to give more public support and an enthusiastic commitment to securing a reduction in tariffs, especially industrial tariffs, as soon as possible?

I recently had talks in Washington with the United States Government about this. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had talks with the President on this topic. We very much urged on the United States Government the belief expressed at the European summit that it was vital for world trade that there should be a liberalisation on both sides.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman at least say that the British Government will at once propose drastic liberalisation of the common agricultural policy in these negotiations?

This is a matter for detailed negotiation on both sides. We have agreed to the common agricultural policy as it is. Agricultural products will certainly be among the items discussed but not the policy, which is an agreed policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications he has received from the Commission of the European Economic Communities concerning aid to the British computer industry.

None, Sir.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is concern in North Staffordshire that there should be no reduction, because of the Common Market, in Government aid to ICL? Is he further aware that there is concern that the Government should increase their aid to the computer industry generally?

We have no reason to believe that our support policy conflicts with Community rules. The French and Germans give considerable financial support to their computer industries. Discussions are continuing with ICL about its longer-term needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms operating package tours at home and abroad have applied to him to increase their prices for the 1973 season; and what replies he has sent.

Problems affecting package tour operators have been dealt with through the Association of British Travel Agents. We have agreed that operators may levy surcharges on package holidays abroad only so far as necessary to reflect currency fluctuations and cost increases in individual countries beyond their ability to control. The association has also approached my Department about other increases for the 1973–74 season and its views are being considered.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that nearly all the holiday firms have very substantially increased their prices for the 1973 season? Did he read the article in yesterday's Sunday Times on this point? Is he further aware that many firms, including Butlin's, are sending out invoices with the full 10 per cent. value added tax charged on them?

The answer I gave is that the only agreement which the Government have made is on overseas holidays, because of currency changes. As far as home holidays are concerned, travel firms are in precisely the same position as the rest of industry. Deals not concluded before the Government standstill come under the counter-inflation policy.

Is my hon. Friend aware that any increases which have taken place are almost entirely due to the floating £, which made them necessary, and that these holidays are still the cheapest bargain available? Is he further aware that many of these companies are losing money?

I note what my hon. Friend says. It was precisely on that ground that my original reply was given.

Will the hon. Gentleman take this point seriously? Is he aware—he probably is not—that I have had complaints over the weekend from constituents who say that they are now no longer able to take the same holiday they went on last year because of increased charges, some of which are called "general increases", while in addition they have already been charged the 10 per cent. increase for value added tax? Will the hon. Gentleman look into this?

If the hon. Gentleman will give me details of the cases he has in mind I will do so. What I want to make clear, as I have done on a number of occasions, is that any excuses for increased charges over and above the VAT figure of 7 per cent. or in some cases 10 per cent. are wholly unjustified on VAT grounds. In other respects the industry is in precisely the same position as other industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of United Kingdom exports was produced by the nationalised industries in each of the past five years.

Direct exports by the nationalised industries have accounted for about 3 per cent. of United Kingdom exports in each of the past five years.

Is not that a very small proportion and does it not illustrate the dependence of our economy upon private industries to secure our livelihood abroad? Will the Government therefore limit the endless outpouring of capital into these monopolistic State gods?

While I accept that exports must rely considerably on private enterprise I do not think we should underestimate the fact that many nationalised industries are unable to export the product they produce. Electricity, for example, is not available for export. In the figures I have given I referred specifically to direct exports which do not take account of the amount of steel which will be exported indirectly.

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the nationalised industries could contribute to the export trade, particularly through consultancy services, if they were allowed to do so by the present administration?

I do not believe that there is any restriction by the Government which would stop any aspect of export trade on the part of the nationalised industries, even that referred to by the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he referred the bid by Tarmac for Wolsely-Hughes to the Monopolies Commission.

Because the bid was within the scope of the Monopolies and Mergers Act 1965, and I considered a full investigation to be justified.

While I appreciate that this bid, like many bids, was opposed by employees and management, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he would not agree that some uncertainty has been caused by the Government's attitude towards conglomerate mergers? Will he give an assurance that conglomerate mergers are not necessarily regarded as undesirable and that opposed bids will not in future be referred simply because they are made by diversifying companies?

The reason why this bid was referred was not purely that it was an opposed bid. The Government had previously made it clear that we would be using the existing referral power rather more in the future than in the past. A number of arguments were put forward and it struck us as being worthy of a reference to the commission.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of us are more likely to ask him why he has not referred a matter to the Monopolies Commission rather than to ask him why he has done so? Is he aware that we congratulate him on this reference? Is he further aware that reference alone is not enough? A number of Monopolies Commission reports say that although circumstances in an industry are not now against the public interest they may become so if certain things happen. What process does the right hon. Gentleman have for ensuring that the Department keeps an eye on the changing affairs within an industry?

One of the advantages of making more references to the commission is that it will build up a considerable amount of information about such mergers and about their effects, economic and social and in every other way. This will enable us to develop long-term strategy.

If an increased number of such bids are to be referred to the Monopolies Commission, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether there is not a case for decisions to be speeded up so that those in industry and the City can get on with the mergers and takeovers where they are regarded as desirable?

Yes. That is desirable. There is a problem of the key staff and the qualifications of the staff involved. It would be my objective to try and speed up decisions.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Monopolies Commission should be inquiring into the activities of the building societies?

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received a letter from the Chairman of the North East Region of Consumer Groups on the subject of drained weight; and what reply he has sent.

Yes. In the reply which I sent I explained the considerable problems involved in the loss of moisture by different fruits and why it is not possible to act quickly on the Consumer Groups' request for a drained weight marking on canned goods.

Notwithstanding the stone-walling nature of the letter, which is equalled only by the stone-walling nature of that answer, may I ask the Minister to give urgent consideration to the introduction of legislation requiring the drained weight of foods packed in liquids to be displayed on the cans?

Anyone who describes my reply as "stone-walling" does not understand the problem involved. The hon. Gentleman obviously does not realise that much of the tinned fruit which is consumed here is imported. Any regulations imposed might have a deleterious effect on the consumer.

Would my hon. Friend agree that this might well be a problem which could be resolved by the Director General of Fair Trading who will come into being under the Fair Trading Bill? Will my hon. Friend also take note of my experience recently when I bought a dubious brand of grapefruit only to find that the so-called segments were tiny pieces and that most of the contents of the can was juice? The fact that I bought it in the line of duty at a Conservative bazaar did not lessen my annoyance.

My hon. Friend will realise that the source of her purchase has nothing to do with the answer which I give to her. We realise that there is a problem. No one is suggesting other than that. The Government are looking at this. As I said in my letter, it is not a matter of stone-walling. We are concerned to ensure that we overcome the problem if we can. My hon. Friend is right that the Director General will be able to deal with this matter, when he is in office, after the Fair Trading Bill has become law.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the report by the North East Region of Consumer Groups liquid content as high as 67 per cent. is shown for some canned fruits and as high as 57 per cent. for some canned vegetables? How will the Government ensure that canners do not evade the freeze in the next few months simply by further increasing, if possible, the liquid content in canned goods?

It is not only the North East Region of Consumer Groups which has been in touch with the Ministry. A number of other consumer groups are concerned. This is a real problem. We are not trying in any way to sidestep it. The belief that it can be cured quickly and easily stems from a misunderstanding of the depth of the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes have taken place in tariffs upon United Kingdom exports to Australia since 1st January 1973.

None, Sir.

In the course of this year there will be a number of changes which have been proposed and announced and they will have the result of diversifying trade to our disadvantage and the advantage of the Japanese. One example of that is that they are now buying beef produced in Australia, which we could have had, and which is now available to Japanese housewives at 39p lb.

I think my hon. Friend will agree that the trade figures between Australia, Japan and Britain during the last 10 to 15 years show that throughout the whole of this period there has been a substantial switch of trade from Britain to Japan.

But if the Secretary of State says "None" in answer to this Question is he aware that he is quite wrong? A number of tariffs were imposed by Australia on British exports on 1st February.

I apologise if I am wrong. My information is that none has been imposed at the present time, but if I am wrong I apologise.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what answer he has given to submissions by Hawker Siddeley Aviation for financial assistance to launch the HS146 airliner; and if he will make a statement.

I have the company's request under consideration and hope to make a decision shortly.

My hon. Friend must be aware that the company concerned is only asking the Government to match the money that it itself intends to put into the project. Is he aware of the industry's present extreme concern at having no new civil aircraft project on the stocks except Concorde? How can we keep up our export record without a project like HS146?

Perhaps I may be allowed to pay tribute to the remarkable export record which the British aerospace industry has had in the past 12 months. I am fully aware of the points that my hon. Friend has put to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will enter into consultations with the Central Electricity Generating Board on the subject of the provision of future generating capacity, with a view to his making an early statement in the House.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry will continue with me to maintain our normal close contacts with the electricity supply industry on this question.

I would ask the Minister to bear in mind that he has not answered that part of my Question which requests that the House be kept informed on this matter, but given the continuing and commendable increase in productivity, and the accepted and real need for a viable coal industry to be maintained in this country, does he agree that it is reasonable that the question of future coal-fired generation capacity should be fully discussed and favourably viewed?

If at any time I thought the House not fully informed by parliamentary question and answer and debate I would be willing to make a statement, but I think adequate opportunity has been given for full discussion of the viability of the coal industry generally on the Bill which is now before the House, and during its Committee stage, which has just concluded.

Can the Minister be more specific? For example, in spite of today's Press reports that the Central Electricity Generating Board will not now go ahead with Drax B, can he confirm that this will go ahead as announced by the last Government on 29th October 1969? When it does, will this at least be coal-fired?

I have to say to the hon. Gentleman that no proposals have been made to me or my right hon. and hon. Friends by the Central Electricity Generating Board for the construction of Drax B power station. When proposals are put to me we will, of course, make our assessment and an announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will investigate the recent allegations of increased charges by car hire firms over the Christmas holiday period.

It is the normal practice of the car hire trade to increase charges at Christmas to cover the cost of higher wages paid to staff for working during a public holiday. Firms were not infringing the prices standstill if their charges did not exceed those made during the Christmas period in 1971, and I see no reason to order any special investigation.

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that some of the information I have sent him shows that car hire firms doubled their charges over Christmas? Even if cabbies require more money when working on Christmas Day can he tell the House how cars depreciate twice as fast on Christmas Day as on any other day? Is not this an example of prices going up whilst wages are held down?

The pattern to which the hon. Member referred is no different from that on previous Christmas occasions, because firms have to pay their staffs double and even treble the normal rates at such periods.

Is it not rather odd that the Labour Party on more than one occasion at this Question Time has been opposed to increases in prices while opposing the prices and incomes policy?

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the BoozAllen report on shipbuilding.

The Booz-Allen report on the shipbuilding industry was received on 1st February 1973.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is much interest on both sides of the House in this report, and will he make it available to hon. Members before he reaches any firm decisions on it?

The report contains information given in confidence by commercial concerns, so one would have to study the report before doing so, but I inform my hon. Friend that, in terms of the atmosphere of the industry in general, orders for shipbuilding in the fourth quarter of last year were the best for four years, and probably at the moment outstanding orders in British yards are in value the highest they have ever been in history.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will amend the Bankruptcy Rules 1952 to provide that any person sought to be made the subject of a question in the course of public examination should be given due notice.

the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to amend Section 15 of the Bankruptcy Act 1914 so as to provide for the attendance or representation of interested or affected persons at the public examination of a debtor.

As my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor said in another place last week, proposals for amendments to the Bankruptcy Rules are under consideration.

While I accept that events have to some extent outdistanced the Question, may I ask whether the right hon. and learned Gentleman agrees that the proper way to protect public men against irresponsible allegations is by means of tighter procedures and rules? Is it not rather unfair to expect individual advocates to conceal allegations which are in their instructions and which are relevant to their clients' cases?

I do not wish to comment on any particular case, but it is important to keep this matter in perspective and to realise that the rules which apply to bankruptcy proceedings are not much different from those which apply to other court proceedings. The hon. and learned Gentleman will appreciate the difficulties of accepting to any significant extent the proposals implied in his Question.

None the less, does the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that it would be very damaging and very dangerous if the public were to think that men in public life were to enjoy a protection which the ordinary private citizen was not given? This is a matter of free expression. Will the Minister take that seriously also?

This is a point which my noble Friend has very much in mind. Any changes which were to be made in the rules in this or in any other area would be changes of general application not conferring any special privilege on any special class of persons but reacting to the needs which arise from irresponsible allegations made in a whole host of court proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give estimates expressed in percentages of the likely proportion of the British contribution to an EEC regional fund and of the British share of the total disbursement from such a fund.

Decisions on the Regional Development Fund will not be taken until later this year and it is therefore impossible to predict United Kingdom receipts from it. Our contribution to its costs will be the same as our share of the Community budget as a whole.

Is my right hon. Friend saying that the regional fund will be wholly financed from the common agricultural fund and that he does not expect any further contribution towards the regional fund from member States?

There certainly could be further contributions from the member States, but the contributions from member States in whatever form will be in the same proportion as at present.

In the definition of EEC regions, and particularly the definition which will come out this year of "central area", will the Government insist that all the present assisted areas in Britain will be excluded from the central area and thereby continue to receive preferential aid?

The Government must decide their position after analysing the total European position.