asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes in sugar consumption in the United Kingdom he expects after 1st June 1973.

Little or none.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now ban the use of dieldrin as a seed dressing, in view of its continuing danger to birds and wildlife.

Persistent pesticides of this kind are withdrawn when satisfactory alternatives become available. As yet there is no such alternative to dieldrin as a seed dressing. Meantime the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals prescribes—and keeps under review—the precautions needed to safeguard wildlife.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the effect on the cost of living in the United Kingdom, in 1973 and over the whole of the transitional period, of the implementation of the common agricultural policy.

On the basis of the estimate about food prices which my predecessor gave to the House on 11th April, the total increase would be about 3 per cent. over the whole of the transitional period. I would expect the increase in 1973 to be slightly less than ½ per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further falls in food consumption in the United Kingdom he expects to follow the operation of the common agricultural policy.

There is no evidence that our overall food consumption is falling, nor do I expect it to be significantly affected by the common agricultural policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of discussions held with Denmark and Eire on the EEC common agricultural policy prior to talks with the Council of Agricultural Ministers in Brussels.

No formal discussions were held in connection with the recent Council meeting. But I can assure the hon. Member that we shall continue to consult our Community partners, including Denmark and the Irish Republic, whenever necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the retail price index for fresh foods has risen since 6th November 1972.

There is no retail price index for fresh foods as such. However, the following table shows the percentage increase in the main sub-groups of the food index between 13th November 1972 and 15th December 1972, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which foodstuffs had the highest percentage increase in price during the period June 1970 to date; and what is that percentage increase.

On the basis of the average prices collected for the purposes of the Department of Employment's General Index of Retail Prices, the highest percentage food price increase between 16th June 1970 and 12th December 1972, the latest date for which information is available, was for Cheddar-type cheese, the rise in which amounted to 74·9 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many breaches of the prices standstill have occurred; how many companies have had their prices reduced as a result of discussion with him; and what are the names of the products and companies involved.

There have been 646 instances in which prices of food and drink have been reduced following an investigation by my Department's Prices Unit. These all concerned prices charged in restaurants, bars and retail shops. In every case the overcharging was found to

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the increase in the price of bacon and eggs in the last two months.

There has been no change in first-hand prices of bacon produced in the United Kingdom, but those of imported bacon have risen by amounts ranging from £65 to £93 a ton and these increases have been partly reflected in the prices of bacon in the shops. Egg prices have increased by about 1p to

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of rising food prices, he will ask the Intervention Board to suspend its operations in the United Kingdom forthwith.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the retail price of beef in the United Kingdom on 1st January 1971, 1972 and 1973.

The following table shows the average retail price of various beef cuts in the United Kingdom on 19th January 1971, 18th January 1972 and 12th December 1972, the latest date for which information is available:2p per dozen at both first-hand and retail levels.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increases ocurred during 1972 in the price of fish-meal, soya, offal, maize, barley and wheat; and what effect he expects these price increases will have upon the cost of eggs in 1973.

The following table gives the information on ingredient prices. It is not possible to predict the effect of production cost increases on

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has agreed for the second successive month to an increase in the price per pound of frozen chicken; and if he will make a statement.

Poultry meat prices are not subject to the standstill. We are however keeping in touch with the trade and are satisfied that the price increases made recently by retailers are in line with the higher prices they have had to pay to obtain supplies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the net producer price for milk in December 1970, 1971 and 1972.

The weighted average of the prices, including premiums. paid to wholesale producers in England and Wales was as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for increases in foodstuffs prices he has agreed to since the commencement of the freeze.

My right hon. Friend has given consent for price increases involving four foods or groups of products sold generally to consumers: seven intermediate products which do not affect retail prices directly; and 13 specialised products of minor significance to food consumption in general.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give a special grant per chain to farmers who have their fences cut and laid by hand.

No, I do not consider that I could justify this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will confirm that, as a result of the agreement in Brussels in November on compensatory amounts for dairy products, increased home production of liquid milk and dairy products will continue to be encouraged.

Yes. From 1st February there are guaranteed minimum prices for milk products, effective safeguards—in the form of import levies—for our liquid milk market and more effective protection than in the past against competition from world surpluses of milk products. These are substantial benefits which will encourage increased production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will propose to the Council of Ministers of the EEC the abandonment of import levies on foodstuffs imported into the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the interests of price stability in the United Kingdom, he will propose to the Council of Ministers of the EEC the abandonment of all import restrictions on foodstuffs as long as world shortage of cereals continues.

Such a proposal would be contrary to the terms of the common agricultural policy which we have accepted.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in the light of the provisions of the Treaty of Accession which relate to this question, what further proposals he is making to the EEC for the protection of the United Kingdom inshore fishing industry.

None. The provisions of the treaty represent the satisfactory outcome of the negotiations on access to our limits. Protection by means of conservation regulations and enforcement remain national responsibilities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the facilities at the New Covent Garden Market will be adequate to handle the food produce which will be on offer.

The Covent Garden Market Authority has designed the wholesale market now under construction at Nine Elms to cater for the expected volume of trade in horticultural produce. We are confident that these plans are well founded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the availability of snoek for British domestic consumption.

The world production of snoek is only about 11,000 tons and, so far as we have been able to ascertain, is nearly all consumed in the producing countries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what, from international sources available to him, have been the increases, adjusted for changes in exchange rates between the dollar and other currencies, from June 1970 to the latest available month, in in world food prices and in retail food prices in France, West Germany and Italy, and in the average of retail food prices in those three countries respectively.

Food export prices of primary producing countries, as recorded by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, rose by 30 per cent. between June 1970 and December 1972; over the same period retail food prices in France, West Germany and Italy rose by 19 per cent., 14 per cent. and 16 per cent. respectively. It is not possible to make meaningful adjustments to these indices to take account of changes in exchange rates in relation to the dollar.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes in bacon consumption in the United Kingdom he expects after 1st June 1973.

I would expect any change to be quite small.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will advocate within the EEC that there ought to be a co-ordinating regulation or directive designed to ensure that there is adequate aid available for hill farming areas throughout the Common Market so that a reasonable level of output is maintained and the environment protected.

The Commission is already working on proposals for a draft directive on assistance to mountainous and other difficult agricultural areas. We are closely in touch with it on this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a progress report upon the activities of the tug "Statesman" now within Icelandic waters; and, on the basis of this, whether he is making any decision to send other tugs to support it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further plans he has for chartering tugs and similar vessels for operations within the 12 to 50-mile limit off Iceland.

The "Statesman I" has not yet had experience in helping trawlers to defend themselves against gunboats; but trials on the grounds have been sufficiently encouraging to warrant sending another vessel and I continue to keep the situation under review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, having regard to the incidence of prosecutions and convictions for foodstuffs which are contaminated or otherwise injurious to health, he is satisfied as to the adequacy of the statutory penalties specified in Section 106 of the Food and Drugs Act 1955; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friends and I have no reason to suppose that the level of fines, including those for continuing offences, and the possibility of three months' imprisonment are inadequate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the future of British agricultural marketing boards in the EEC.

I expect the essential marketing functions of the boards to continue but there will naturally have to be some changes in the guarantee functions of the boards concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average price of compound feeding stuffs used by dairy farmers in October and November 1972 and January 1973; and if he will make a statement.

The average price per ton for compound dairy feeds in October 1972 was £43·05; in November £43·93; and in January 1973, £48·46.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now announce his decision regarding the application by the Stanswood Bay oystermen for a several order.

Yes. I have already informed the applicants and the objectors that I have accepted the recommendation of the inspector who carried out a public inquiry. This was that the application as subsequently amended by the applicants should be approved. I have also told them that the necessary order will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now prohibit the use of whale products; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot make a statement on this matter today, but I propose to do so shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether he will make a statement about the membership of the White Fish Authority.

Mr. C. I. Meek, CMG, has agreed to accept appointment as chairman in succession to Sir Charles Hardie, CBE, who will be retiring on 28th February. Mr. Meek will continue to exercise his present responsibilities as chief executive of the authority. The membership of the authority and of its Committee for Scotland and Northern Ireland is also being reviewed and a further announcement will be made before long.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that the deportation order against Mr. George Kyriacou, of Hendon, the Cypriot husband of a British passport holder, will not be implemented until the hon. Member for Hendon, North has completed his investigations into all the circumstances of his constituent's case.

My right hon. Friend is willing to consider further representations but it would be wrong to suspend action for more than a short time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce a Bill to make statutory rules relating to the interrogation of suspects by the police; and whether he will make a statement.

The existing guidance on this matter, contained in the Judges' Rules and Administrative Directions to the police, will be considered in connection with the Criminal Law Revision Committee's report on the law relating to evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will reconsider his decision to deport Miss Marlene Lotts, a South African national, in view of the fact that her 10-year-old daughter is a British citizen and would have to register as a coloured person and give up her British citizenship under South African law if she were deported.

My right hon. Friend has taken no decision to deport Miss Lotts. She was admitted on 25th September 1972 as a visitor and her subsequent application for permanent residence has been refused by the Home Office. She has notified her intention to appeal and it would not be proper for me to comment on her case at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action, following the inquiries by the Home Office, leading to the withdrawal from sale of soap containing a dangerous quantity of hexachlorophane by one cut-price store proprietor, to safeguard against similar dangers in other stores disposing of surplus toiletries withdrawn from general distribution by the manufacturers.

I would prefer to await the outcome of the consultations to which I referred in replying to a Question by the hon. Member on 1st February.—[Vol. 849, c. 426.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken concerning the report of the loss of weight and poor condition of the prisoner in Chelmsford Prison, a letter from whose wife has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Ilford, North.

The prisoner is now under observation in the prison hospital. My noble Friend the Minister of State is writing to let my hon. Friend have further details.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total cost incurred in respect of the Asians expelled from Uganda; and if he will compare this with the amount of help given to British nationals expelled from Uganda.

Final figures for the costs of the reception and resettlement of United Kingdom passport holders expelled from Uganda cannot yet be calculated: but revised Supplementary Estimates now laid before Parliament include £5·5 million for the Uganda Resettlement Board for the financial year 1972–73. No separate figures are kept which relate to the ethnic origin of those involved. We have also contributed £250,000 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees towards the costs of resettling stateless Asians expelled from Uganda.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the official figures for reported rape cases in the London area for the last six months of 1971 and the estimated figures for the same period in 1972.

The statistics are collected cumulatively throughout the year and do not permit figures to be given for the second half of the year. I am sending my hon. Friend a fuller explanation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to publish the report of the Royal Commission on the Constitution.

The Commission hopes to report in the early summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his practice in relation to deportation of parents who have children of British nationality under the age of 18 years.

Each case is very carefully considered in the light of all the relevant circumstances, and a decision is then taken on the basis of the immigration rules (Part B of HC 80 or 82).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the consultative document which he is sending to a number of probation and after-care committees about the extent to which social inquiry reports are obtained; whether he will list the committees to which the document is being sent; and if he will state the date on which it is being issued.

I expect that this consultative document will be sent out by the end of the month. I will place a copy in the Library when it is issued together with a list of the committees to which it is sent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what proportion of cases, in the inner London area and elsewhere separately, the November 1970 sample of offenders showed that a social inquiry report was considered by magistrates before imposing a sentence of detention in a detention centre on offenders aged 17 years and over.

Social inquiry reports were obtained by magistrates' courts in the inner London area in 94 per cent. of such cases in the November 1970 sample. Outside this area the figure was 82 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will state for 1970, and for any subsequent year for which the information is available, the number of men and women separately sentenced by magistrates to immediate imprisonment in the inner London area, by each court and in total;(2) whether he will state for 1970, and for any subsequent year for which the information is available, the number of men and women separately sentenced by magistrates to suspended imprisonment in the inner London area, by each court and in total.

I am arranging to obtain the information and will write to the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, to allay the anxieties of neighbouring residents, he will instruct the responsible officials at Middlewood Hospital, Sheffield, not to allow out on parole, unless accompanied by an effective escort, mental patients transferred there by his Department who have been convicted of murder or other serious crimes of violence.

Patients detained subject to the special restrictions in Section 65 of the Mental Health Act 1959 may not be allowed out of hospital without my right hon. Friend's consent. Discretion to grant leave of absence is given to the responsible medical officer only when my right hon. Friend considers in the light of medical advice that it is safe to do so, and on condition that the responsible medical officer must, on each occasion that leave is granted, be satisfied that it is not likely to entail any risk for the patient or to others. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the responsible hospital consultants are aware of the need for making such arrangements as may be necessary in the interests of the patient and of the public, including the provision of an escort where this is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for probation and after-care committee areas, the establishment of probation officers, the numbers by which they are now under establishment and the numbers by which the establishment is being raised.

On 31st December 1972, 3,939 established officers of all grades were in post and it is estimated that about 250 main grade posts were then vacant. The Government's intention is that up to 5,000 whole-time probation officers should be in post by the end of 1975. My right hon. Friend's approval is not required for the creation of main grade officer posts and I regret that exact establishment figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many proceedings relating to pornographic offences as a result of Customs and Excise seizures took place in 1972; and with what result.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will take steps to publish the Government White Paper on the future constitutional arrangements for Ulster before the people of the Province are asked to vote on the question of the border between Eire and Ulster.

I cannot yet say when the White Paper will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to amend the Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) which, operated in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Protection of Work Act, prevents an unemployed person who does not have a 10-year residence qualification from receiving benefit without a work permit, irrespective of special circumstances.

Social security legislation in Northern Ireland at present requires, as a condition of unemployment benefit, residence of five years in the United Kingdom immediately before the period for which benefit is claimed. However, the Social Security Bill, which is now before Parliament and which will extend to Northern Ireland, does not include any corresponding condition.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for postal votes have been received from persons resident in Northern Ireland and in the United Kingdom and members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces abroad to enable them to record their votes in the proposed border poll.

Approximately 160,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many murders have been committed in Belfast by shooting from motor cars; and how many of the murderers have subsequently been arrested and charged.

Between 1st January 1972 and 31st January 1973, 18 people are known to have been killed in Belfast by shots fired from motor cars or motor cycles. Six persons have been charged in three of the cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the population of Northern Ireland has been rehoused since 1963 in accommodation provided with sufficiently commodious storage for coal that they could take advantage of a scheme for different prices for coal in summer and winter.

The information requested is not readily available. Only a small percentage of the houses constructed since 1963 were built with a large coal store.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further consideration has been given to the problems relating to persons who fail to answer bail; and if he will make a statement.

The police continue their efforts to collect recognisances where courts have ordered that they may be estreated, and to apprehend those who have failed to answer bail. In the longer term this problem may be alleviated by the implementation of recommendations in the Diplock Report relating to bail for offences committed by terrorists. The Government have accepted the recommendations in principle and are preparing legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the amount of money lost in Northern Ireland as the result of the strike there on Wednesday 7th February 1973.

It is difficult to establish an authoritative figure but it is estimated that the cost to net output was of the order of £2½ million. The real loss could be reduced by overtime working.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many working days were lost in Northern Ireland as the result of the strike there on Wednesday 7th February 1973.

The precise number of people absent from work is not known. The effects of the strike were felt mainly in the greater Belfast area, where some 230,000 working days were probably lost. Overall, it is estimated that service industry operated at 50 per cent. effectiveness and manufacturing industry at 25 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that some public companies are charging excessive interest rates on second mortgages; and whether, in support of the Government's counter-inflationary measures, he will, either in his forthcoming budget or by special legislation, seek to control the amounts of such interest charged.

The application of profits control to financial institutions under the second stage of the counter-inflation programme is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will investigate under the Companies Act the activities of K. and H. Mortgage Brokers, operated by D. Hilditch, of 5 Frank Road, Doncaster, and B. E. Keen, of 37 Auckland Road, Doncaster, in view of correspondence sent to him relating to Mr. Brooks, of Priorwell Road, Worksop, and the loss of his £135 savings.

I share the hon. Member's concern about this case but I have no powers to investigate the firm's activities. All the proposals made by the Committee on Consumer Credit—including those relating to licensing of consumer credit grantors and intermediaries in their transactions—are being considered. The intention is to introduce consumer credit legislation without avoidable delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been applied for, for the export of objects from the Pitt Rivers collection.

Records of applications for export licences would not disclose the number of objects originating from a particular collection.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what objects, including paintings, from the Pitt Rivers collection were granted export licences on application.

It is contrary to normal practice to disclose information about individual export licences.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what objects, including paintings, from the Pitt Rivers collection have been refused export licences.

It is contrary to normal practice to disclose information about refusals of individual export licences. However, information about refusals of export licences for works of art and antiques is available from the annual reports of the Reviewing Committee on the Exports of Works of Art. As far as I know, none of the objects for which licences have been refused came from the Pitt Rivers collection.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received the report of his inspector who attended the Liberian inquiry into the collision of the "Royston Grange"; and if he intends to hold a British inquiry.

Yes, but I have decided to await the transcript of the proceedings and the findings before deciding whether to hold our own formal investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the tariffs imposed by Australia on British exports on 1st February 1973.

The right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) suggested to the House that the Australians had imposed a number of tariffs on 1st February 1973. I have checked again on this suggestion and can confirm that my original answer was correct and that no tariffs have been imposed by Australia on British exports either on 1st February 1973 or otherwise during this year.—[Vol. 850, c. 976.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to stimulate trade with Algeria; and how British exports to that market compare with those to Saudi Arabia, the Trucial States, Qatar and Iran.

The full range of official export services offered by the British Overseas Trade Board is available to British firms exporting to Algeria. My Department built a pavilion for use at the Algiers International Trade Fair in 1971 which we are still using. My Department is arranging visits to the United Kingdom this year for the heads of three major Algerian State trading corporations. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State is to address a seminar on Algeria on 13th March organised by the London Chamber of Commerce. These and other measures are being taken in co-operation with the Committee for Middle East Trade and other organisations.The Algerian Minister for Commerce has accepted my invitation to visit the United Kingdom later this year. British exports to Algeria in 1972 amounted to £34 million compared with £45 million to Saudi Arbia, £13 million to Qatar, £117 million to Iran, and £31 million to the United Arab Emirates.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to introduce legislation to amend the Patent Act 1949 to bring it into line with the recommendations of the Banks Committee.

I hope to introduce this legislation as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research is being conducted by the four laboratories of Euratom that is already duplicated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority facilities in the United Kingdom; and what benefit he estimates it will secure from its contribution towards the £65 million made available to the EEC programme.

Very little of the research carried out at the Ispra, Petten, Karlsruhe and Geel laboratories of Euratom duplicates that carried out in UKAEA establishments. Decisions taken at the meeting of the Council of Ministers in Brussels on 5th-6th February, at which I represented the United Kingdom, ensured that future work in the Euratom laboratories would be largely complementary to that of the UKAEA.Although the benefits cannot be evaluated precisely, the United Kingdom will benefit from the collaborative work carried out, particularly on subjects concerned with safety and regulatory matters such as reactor safety, nuclear standards and fundamental research.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new chairmen of electricity and gas consumers' consultative councils have been appointed in the period from 1970 to 1973; and how many of these have had experience, in a professional or honorary connection, of the co-operative movement.

Nine chairmen have been appointed, of whom none, as far as is known, has had this experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new members of electricity and gas consumers' consultative councils have been appointed in the period from 1970 to 1973; and how many of these have had experience, in a professional or honorary capacity, of the co-operative movement.

There were 246 members appointed of whom six, as far as is known, have had this experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the purpose of the official visit of the Minister for Industry to the United States of America; and why he is to be accompanied by the Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations.

I have no firm plans for such a visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new square feet of factory space have been approved in each of the last 12 months in each planning region of the United Kingdom.

The available information is as follows. The figures are not, however, comparable because in July industrial development certificate control was abolished in the development and special development areas and the exemption limits, below which IDCs are not required, were raised to 10,000 sq. ft. in the South East and 15,000 sq. ft. elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the money available under the Coal Industry Bill for payment to the National Coal Board is intended to appear in the accounts of existing individual collieries.

I am discussing with the board how its published accounts can best show the use made of these moneys, but individual colliery accounts are a matter for the board and are not published.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that the prices of Simca cars in Great Britain are proposed to be increased by 3·9 per cent.; and what action he has taken, or intends taking, to prevent this price increase in view of the Government's declared policy to control prices.

I am aware that Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd. announced on 9th February that, owing to movements in exchange rates, the prices of Simca models manufactured by Chrysler France and sold on the United Kingdom market would be increased by an average of 3·9 per cent. from 10th February. These are imported goods and it is not possible to freeze their prices in the same way as goods manufactured in this country. The company has been told that it is not permitted to increase its cash margin on resale.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any application has been received for an export licence in respect of La Tour's "The Beggars Brawl"; and if he will make a statement.

Applications for export licences for works of art are dealt with in accordance with established administrative procedures, and it is contrary to normal practice to disclose information about individual applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now update the estimated de- velopment costs of Concorde, which were last given to the House in March 1972.

We and our French colleagues are together reassessing the development programme, and I shall inform the House of the revised estimate as soon as this appraisal is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will state, following representations by the British Secondary Metals Association as regards stainless steel and nickel alloys, what is and what is not exportable to countries in the EEC;(2) what representations he has received from the British Secondary Metals Association concerning the rules about export of stainless steel and nickel alloy scrap to countries in the EEC.

The British Secondary Metals Association has represented that alloy steel scrap, like non-ferrous scrap, should be freely exportable to the Community. Having regard to the current supply situation, I replied on 13th February that, in accordance with the Treaty of Accession, the Government had decided to retain some export restrictions for the time being. Detailed advice was given of the circumstances in which exports of certain types of alloy steel scrap would be allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he can now give an estimate of the future level of all scheduled and chartered international air traffic, respectively, at United Kingdom airports, referred to in paragraph 4.7.1. of Volume VIII of the Papers and Proceedings of the Commission on the Third London Airport, giving upper and lower estimates of passenger and air-traffic movements and the date at which such estimates were first made.

These figures are not available in the form requested. I have given some detailed information in reply to the hon. Member's previous Question and suggest that if he requires further details he may care to approach the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, who advises me on traffic forecasts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the tables showing the future demand for passenger and air-traffic movement on international flights, other than those to and from Eire, that form the basis of his case that a third London airport will be required by the early 1980s.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received the information sent to him by Mr. P. Briercliffe of being charged £1·75 for a textbook of 230 pages in a flexicover; and whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether or not the firm supplying this article has been breaking the Government's price freeze.

I have received the hon. Member's letter of 12th February enclosing one from Mr. Briercliffe. The matter is being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek power to ensure that retirement pensioners are not exploited by being sold items by means of cash loans which they cannot afford but which they cannot withdraw from.

The consumer credit legislation which I am now preparing will provide a "cooling-off" period for all loan agreements signed away from trade

The need for a third London airport by the early 1980s rests on the future demand for air services in the South East from all sources, domestic and international. The Civil Aviation Authority advises me on demand forecasts. The traffic forecasts shown below refer to total demand at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend.premises. I also propose to make sellers of goods the agents of the lender who is providing the finance for the sale and to introduce a licensing system.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the £1 a week increase awarded to British airlines cabin staff in January comes within the scope of the pay freeze legislation.

The increases payable with effect from 1st January 1973 to cabin staff employed by British Airways Group airlines were permitted under the provisions of paragraph 12 of the White Paper "A Programme for Controlling Inflation: The First Stage" (Cmnd. 5125). This made it clear that the standstill does not apply to increases in earnings resulting directly from extra effort or output under existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why Her Majesty's Government have not allowed gas manual workers to negotiate increases of £1 per week.

The British Gas Corporation, like all other employers, is subject to the overall limit on pay increases during stage 2 of the counter-inflation measures set out in Cmnd. 5205. Consistent with this, the corporation has offered its manual workers increases on basic rates of £2·24 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much foreign tourists spent in Great Britain during each of the past five years.

Figures for the United Kingdom for years up to 1971 and for the first three quarters of 1972 are published in "Economic Trends" for December 1972, under the heading "Travel credits" in Table 2 of the article on the balance of payments.

asked the Lord President of the Council what authority has been given by the Services Committee to authorise the parking of Members' motor cars in Speaker's Court; why such ruling has been confined to the motor cars belonging to Privy Councillors; what announcement has been made to Members of the House of Commons; and what further action he proposes to take.

The parking of motor cars in Speaker's Court is a matter wholly within the discretion of Mr. Speaker.

asked the Lord President of the Council what action he has taken or intends taking to see that the verbatim record of the proceedings of the European Assembly is made available to hon. Members in English, within a few days of the proceedings.

The production of the verbatim record of proceedings in English is the responsibility of the European Parliament. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that the annex to the Official Journal, in which the English version is published, will be made available to hon. Members as quickly as possible after publication.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed statement giving, without revealing identities, the claims for expenses, or moneys due or paid to each of the delegates to the recent European Assembly; and what were the total costs involved including travel and costs for civil servants who accompanied this delegation.

With regard to the expenses of Members attending the European Parliament, I would refer the hon. Member to the written reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 8th February. Certain civil servants were present at Strasbourg on that occasion but did not accompany the delegation.—[Vol. 850, c. 171.]

asked the Lord President of the Council if, in the interests of the health and well-being of Members, he will oppose any move to permit smoking in the Chamber of the House of Commons.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the written reply which I gave to the right hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 8th February.—[Vol. 850, c. 186.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools there are in Scotland built on the CLASP system; and if he will make a statement on the safety of this system.

About 60 schools or extensions to schools have been built in the CLASP system and 10 school hostels. Buildings in this system, in common with all other school buildings in Scotland, are subject to the building standards regulations in force at the time of building. These regulations make comprehensive provision for safety, including requirements in regard to structural fire precautions and means of escape from fire.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received about the working of the new subsidy arrangements for local authority housebuilding; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secondary schools had pupil-teacher ratios in excess of 18–1, 20–1 and 25–1 in each of the last four years.

The figures below are for January in each year: