asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information, if any, his Department has on the dangers to human health arising from the current levels of lead and zinc in Cardigan Bay.

I have no information to suggest that the levels of lead and zinc in Cardigan Bay constitutes any danger to human health. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food working party on the monitoring of foodstuffs for heavy metals reported in June 1972 that higher levels of lead were found in shellfish in some areas including Cardigan Bay than in shellfish generally. I have since had inquiries made with the medical officers of health in the Cardigan Bay area about the local consumption of shellfish from Cardigan Bay, but I understand this is not high and I am advised that there is no danger to health.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of farms in Wales are held by tenant farmers; and what percentage of these are individuals as opposed to corporate bodies.

The June 1972 census shows that 10,422— 30·6 per cent. —of the 34,021 holdings in Wales were wholly or mainly rented. Information about the numbers of tenanted farms held by individuals as opposed to corporate bodies is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many farms were there in Wales in 1972; and how this figure compares with 1962.

The June 1972 agricultural census shows that there were 34,021 holdings in Wales. The corresponding figure in June 1962 was 50,736 holdings, but account has to be taken of changes in the census in the intervening years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will ask the Welsh Council to study present methods of creating job opportunities in rural areas in Wales.

I am awaiting a report from the Welsh Council on matters affecting the economic development of Mid-Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will propose major reforms in the common agricultural policy of the EEC in the GATT international trade negotiations due to open later this year.

We are at present considering with our Community partners the position which the EEC will adopt towards these negotiations. Agricultural questions are likely to be an important element in the negotiations but it is too early to say what particular issues will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further representations he has received concerning workers' shares in the old Rolls-Royce company; and if he will make a statement.

We have received seven letters in recent weeks from holders of workers shares in Rolls-Royce Ltd., and all have been answered. I can add nothing to the reply which my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Gentleman on 13th November 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries, hitherto members of the Commonwealth Preference Area, have announced their intention of reducing or terminating preference for British exports in 1972 or 1974.

No timetable for reducing or terminating preferences for British exports has been formally announced by any country of the Commonwealth Preference Area, apart from the case of certain imports into Australia of a type not manufactured there.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the effect on United Kingdom exports annually of the curtailment of preferences for British goods by members of the Commonwealth Preference Area.

It would not be helpful to make an estimate in view of the number of imponderables involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give full details of the grants or other financial assistance which the Government will make available to an industrial firm which takes over the advance factory now readily available in the Denaby Main area.

Details of financial assistance available are set out in the official booklet "Incentives for Industry in the Assisted Areas" which has been distributed by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce regulations to ensure that import documents are required to show the type of asbestos being imported so that accurate figures of the import of blue asbestos may be obtained.

No: this would not be justified in current circumstances. Trade sources indicate that imports have declined in recent years and it is believed that there were no imports of blue asbestos in 1971 or 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to control prices charged to retail shops by wholesalers for the supply of goods.

Under the standstill wholesalers are not allowed to increase their cash margins on the goods they sell to retailers. Under the stage 2 price controls wholesalers will have to maintain their gross percentage margins at the level of a recent base period. They will also be subject to the profit margin control.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total amount spent by the Central Electricity Generating Board upon research and development of nuclear generation before 1962 and to the present date; and whether this sum is included in the board's estimate of the cost per unit of electricity generated for the various types of power stations.

This information is not readily available. I am, however, asking the Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek powers to protect traders against the activities of salesmen who sell space in so-called trade directories, and against those publishing concerns associated with these activities, who send out misleading documents which are capable of being accepted as normal commercial invoices when hi fact no formal orders exist.

Powers to protect traders against such practices are already available in the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971. But I must sound a warning that traders should always take care that they do not pay out money which they do not owe, and this is particularly the case with trade directories.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of anthracite is obtained by deep mining.

About 57 per cent. in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the decision of the European Court regarding the brewers De Haecht of Belgium, he will advise brewers in this country of the Community law regarding tied houses.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the right hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 12th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking and proposes to take to find a new occupier for the RCA factory at Brynmawr.

The factory is privately owned and of specialised design. My Department has suggested it as suitable to three firms enquiring for existing production space and will continue to bring it to the attention of other suitable firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the average price increase on soap arising from the increase he has recently approved.

The average is less than a halfpenny a tablet since no price has increased by more than that, and in some cases prices have not gone up.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in view of the need to protect consumers, whether he will publish the effect of voltage reductions on the life of electric lamps; and whether he is satisfied that the declaration of life hours being given on lamps at present is materially correct.

One of the effects of reducing the supply voltage to an electric lamp is to increase its life. Most electric lamps of conventional type are manufactured in accordance with British Standard specifications as stated in manufacturers' literature. I have no evidence which would suggest these specifications are not being met.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been received of unjustified price increases or price increases caused by the fall in value of the purchasing power of the £ sterling abroad in respect of imported food and other goods; and what action he is taking to limit such price increases.

431 of 5,900 complaints so far investigated by my Department have produced evidence of unjustified price increases. In all cases the firms concerned have been approached and have put down their prices.It is not possible to identify complaints specifically directed to the effects of floating the pound. The whole of the Government's prices policy is directed to limiting price increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to ban the imports from Mediterranean countries of birds pickled for use as foodstuffis in Great Britain.

Following representations made to the Department, we are investigating imports of pickled birds from Cyprus with a view to deciding whether there is a case for banning these imports. I have no information about any imports of such birds into Britain from other Mediterranean countries, and there were no imports of them from Cyprus in 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals are under consideration for improving access for jute manufacturers into the EEC from 1st January 1974.

In current negotiations with India the Community has proposed substantial reductions over the years 1973 to 1975 in the common external tariff and suspension of quantitative import restrictions, in return for export restraints by India. Similar arrangements are contemplated with Bangladesh.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications are currently before his Department for vacant Government advance factory space in Cornwall; how many factories are on offer; of what square footage they are; where they are situ- ated; and what, in each case, was the date from which they became fully available.

The only vacant factory is the West Penwith No. 2 of 5,950 sq ft situated at Hayle. It was completed in June 1972 and there are three applications currently under consideration. Two factories, each of 10,000 sq ft, are still to be built at Truro and Newquay, and three future factories were announced on 15th January by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industrial Development, to be built—one of 10,000 sq ft at Callington and two of 20,000 sq ft at Camborne and Penryn.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the United Kingdom gross national product is accounted for by the following groups of industry: (a) the 1–10 companies with largest output, (b) the 11–100 companies with next largest output, (c) the 101–200 companies with next largest output, and (d) the 201–500 companies with next largest output; and what proportion is accounted for by each of the nationalised industries.

This information is not easily available and to obtain it would cause disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the conferences and negotiations which he anticipates will be held in 1973 and 1974 and which will have a direct effect upon the trade relationship between developing countries on the one hand and the member countries of the European Economic Community, as a group, on the other, stating the dates and places in so far as these have already been fixed.

The negotiations for a convention to succeed the present Yaounde and Arusha Conventions and to give effect to Protocol 22 of the Treaty of Accession are expected to begin in August 1973. The location has not yet been determined.Negotiations for the renewal of the International Sugar Agreement will take place in Geneva in the summer of 1973. The International Coffee Conference will be meeting in April 1973 in London. The International Cocoa Conference will be meeting later this year to carry forward the work on the recently concluded International Cocoa Agreement.The negotiations of protocols, to take account of EEC enlargement, to the Agreements between the EEC and Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon and Malta, are now taking place in Brussels and are expected to be completed shortly.Preparations for bilateral negotiations with India are at an advanced stage. Certain other bilateral negotiations are expected between the EEC and developing countries, in the Commonwealth and elsewhere, for which no precise timetable has yet been established.More generally the forthcoming multilateral trade negotiations in the GATT and GATT discussions about textiles involve the EEC and the developing countries and so does the continuing programme of consultations on trade subjects under the aegis of the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with representatives of private manufacturing industry about the impact on their capacity to finance investment of the obligation to resist wage demands in excess of the provisions of phase 2 of the prices and incomes legislation.

The effect on investment of the phase 2 policy has been one of the matters discussed in the Government's consultations on the code.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number of persons employed in his Department who are engaged in investigations of price increases which are said to be due to the imposition of VAT.

Complaints about price increases in anticipation of the entry into force of VAT are, like other complaints about price increases during the standstill, primarily a matter for the Prices Unit, which has a strength of about 50.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number of cases of price increases considered or under consideration in his Department which are said to be due wholly or in part to the imposition of VAT.

Any such complaints are dealt with under the arrangements which have applied throughout the standstill, and it is not possible to isolate the number of complaints which have referred to anticipation of VAT.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the work at Spadeadam.

The current ELDO programme provides for work to continue, at a slightly lower level than at present, to the end of 1974 after which activities will be run down over a period of seven months.Plans for the transfer of static test facilities from the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Shoeburyness to the Spadeadam establishment are progressing and the first trials may take place in June/July 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which regulations governing flying procedures he proposes to implement in order to reduce noise levels in the north-east arc of the proposed new runway at Turnhouse Airport; and what representations he has received from the British Air Line Pilots Association on this matter.

Unless and until Edinburgh Airport is designated under Section 29 of the Civil Aviation Act 1971, responsibility for introducing measures to control aircraft noise at the airport rests with the airport authority and not with my right hon. Friend. In any case, noise abatement regulations would not be introduced without careful prior examination and consultation with others closely concerned, particularly the Civil Aviation Authority and airlines. A letter from the British Air Line Pilots Association has recently been received at official level seeking information and assurances on this subject; a reply is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the estimated costs to the taxpayer of the British Airports Authority's scheme for the new runway at Turnhouse Airport and the comparative cost of the alternative scheme proposed by the runway joint committee, taking into account the BAA public safety zone restriction at Newbridge.

During the course of the public inquiry into the development of Turnhouse the costs of the British Airports Authority's scheme including the new runway were estimated at £9·7 million at 1971 prices and those of the first alternative runway alignment at an extra £1·7 million to £2·75 million at 1971 prices. No detailed estimates have been made of the additional cost of the second alternative alignment to avoid significant restriction on industrial development at Newbridge but the reporter accepted it would cost more than the first alternative. The Government is contributing three-quarters of the capital cost of the airport development and would have had to bear the whole of the additional cost of an alternative runway alignment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, pending the report of the working group of the Noise Advisory Council, he is considering the introduction of interim measures to reduce where possible the disturbance associated with departure routes from Heathrow Airport.

Yes; with particular reference to the Burnham and Mole Valley routes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to arrange that the working group of the Noise Advisory Council now examining minimum noise route problems take oral evidence from Members of Parliament, local authorities and other representative bodies.

This is essentially a matter for the council but my right hon. Friend is aware that the working group is making arrangements accordingly and that it has already consulted some hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will initiate an inquiry into the failure of the British Steel Corporation to provide piping required by companies engaged in North Sea oil exploration and development.

No; I understand that the Corporation has experienced labour and technical difficulties in meeting the British Petroleum Company's requirements for the overland section of the pipeline serving the Forties Field but that the latter have been overcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further discussions he has had with representatives of the European Commission and of the British Steel Corporation regarding steel pricing after the end of the freeze; and if he will make a statement.

No reply has been sent to the European Commission's letter of 2nd February, but, as stated in Cmnd 5205 "The Programme for Controlling Inflation: The Second Stage", prices for coal and steel will be subject to our obligation as members of the European Coal and Steel Community.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many incidents of plain clothes patrols being involved in shooting incidents have been investigated since April 1972, and how many of these have occurred since January 1973.

Since April 1972, five shooting incidents involving plain clothes patrols have been investigated or are under investigation by the civil authorities. None of these has occurred since January 1973.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many British soldiers have been prosecuted for offences committed during their term of duty in Northern Ireland; and how many have been convicted.

Since 1st April 1972, 38 soldiers have been prosecuted for offences committed during their term of duty in Northern Ireland. Twenty-eight have been convicted. These figures include prosecutions for traffic accidents resulting in fatalities, but do not include other traffic offences, the figures for which are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the nature of the steps to be taken to prevent or delay the individual United Kingdom Rhodesian bond holder from obtaining redress in the United Kingdom, whether by petition of right or otherwise, in regard to the payment of dividends and redemptions defaulted upon since UDI.

Her Majesty's Government have not yet decided what action. if any, may be necessary or appropriate The matter is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will undertake that any further negotiations on the future of Rhodesia will only take place providing they are with representatives of all the people of the country.

We have made it clear that in our opinion it is now up to all Rhodesians, both European and Africans, to come together to try to find an acceptable solution between themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom will be separately represented and will be able to put forward its own views at the forthcoming conference to deal with the future of the International Sugar Agreement.

Although details of United Kingdom representation at this year's International Sugar Agreement Renegotiation Conference have yet to be finalised it is likely that the European Economic Community will be represented as a unit. Whatever arrangements are agreed, however, we shall ensure that the sugar interests of the United Kingdom are adequately covered.

asked the Secretary ot State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now issue the memorandum on the general effect of the draft Council direction No. 2018/72 (ES 141) dated 22nd February 1973, indicating the Departments concerned, the effect it will have on United Kingdom law, the policy implications, and the date when it is likely to be considered by the Council of Ministers.

Preparation of the memorandum is in hand. It will be placed in the Vote Office when it is ready, in accordance with the arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council on 13th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Ranger trawler fleet at North Shields.

I understand that negotiations for the sale of these vessels to British United Trawlers are at present going on. It is for the owners to decide how the fleet will be operated in future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now ratify the European Convention for the Protection of Animals during international transport.

Priority is being given to preparation of the subordinate legislation necessary to enable us to ratify this convention. This is likely to be most effective if all members of EEC ratify the convention simultaneously and that possibility is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the EEC Commission's initial proposals for 1973 farm prices to be published; and if a copy of these proposals will be made available to Parliament.

The Commission's initial proposals are expected to be published on or soon after 22nd March and copies of the proposals will be made available to Parliament.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the EEC intends to join the International Sugar Agreement.

The present International Sugar Agreement expires on 31st December 1973. The membership of the next agreement will depend on the outcome of the renegotiating Conference to be held later this year. At the UNCTAD conference held last year in Santiago, the EEC representative stated that the enlarged Community and its member States were ready to play an active part in the forthcoming negotiations for a new International Sugar Agreement in the most firm hope of joining it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the extent to which the price of agricultural land is being reflected in the prices of agricultural produce.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of refining raw cane sugar in Scotland.

The arrangements agreed in Brussels are designed to ensure the import into and refining in the United Kingdom of 1·7 million tons a year of raw cane sugar from the Commonwealth in 1973 and 1974. The detailed arrangements thereafter are still to be decided but the Government is committed to ensuring that 1·4 million tons a year of raw cane sugar from the developing members of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement continues to be imported and refined in the Community as a whole.My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industrial Development and I are in the course of discussions with the refining companies on what reorganisation of the industry might be needed to ensure that in the changing circumstances it is as efficient as possible. I cannot anticipate the conclusions of those discussions, but the particular factors favouring the continuance of sugar refining in Greenock will form an important part of the Government's consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current rate he is certifying for the redemption of rent charges under Section 191 of the Law of Property Act 1925; and what are the average legal charges paid by those redeeming through his department.

During the last four, weeks the purchase price has averaged 10·07 times the annual rent charge. The legal charge paid by an applicant is a matter to be agreed between him and the rentowner. The Department has no details of these payments.

Year					Gross Revenue Expenditure £ million	Proportion met from rates	Proportion met from Government Grants	Other Income
						%	%	%
1941–42	…	…	…	…	536	37	51	12
1951–52	…	…	…	…	842	39	42	19
1961–62	…	…	…	…	1,980	38	42	20
1971–72	…	…	…	…	6,270	29	42	29

Details for earlier years are not readily available. The proportion of gross expenditure met by domestic ratepayers in 1961–62 was 18 per cent. and in 1971–72 was 14 per cent. Figures for the earlier years mentioned above are not readily available. Procedures for the collection of financial information

Figures for previous rents and average rents determined by rent officers in 1972 are set out below:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) to what extent revenue from the rating system and, separately, from domestic rates has contributed a diminishing proportion of local government expenditure on the basis of 10 years' comparisons over the last 50 years;(2) what was the total of all local government expenditure in 1972–73 or in the latest year for which figures are available; and what was the percentage of all expenditure contributed by domestic ratepayers and by the central Government.

The gross revenue expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales and the proportion met from rates, grants and other income including housing rents were as follows:from local authorities were altered in 1969–70 and figures for 1971–72 are therefore not directly comparable with earlier years."Government Grants" in 1941–42 include reimbursement of costs of emergency services which accounted for about one-fifth of expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average price for a new house and a secondhand house in the Hull and North Humberside area at the latest available date, and for the preceding five years.

The average price of new dwellings in the Yorkshire and Humberside region mortgaged with building societies, was £5,430 in 1972, £4,400 in 1971, £3,990 in 1970 and £3,793 in 1969. Corresponding figures for secondhand dwellings were £4,564, £3,838, £3,432 and £3,230 respectively. Figures are not available for the Hull and North Humberside area separately nor are figures available for the region before 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the selling price of Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Leicestershire, to Messrs. Chryslers Limited takes into account the current price of good agricultural land.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his intention to abolish the printing and sale by Her Majesty's Stationery Office of the two-and-a-half inch Ordnance Survey map.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from my hon. Friend, the Member for Winchester (Rear-Admiral Morgan-Giles) on 15th March. The maps in question are published by the Ordnance Survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now state in cash terms what would have been broadly twice the gross value in 1956 of houses and flats whose average rents, exclusive of rates, were fixed by rent officers in 1972 at £242 in England and Wales and £347 in Greater London.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the report of the National Ports Councils inquiry into non-scheme ports, which he received on 31st January.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many drivers have failed the medical examination required for the heavy goods vehicle licence; and for what reasons.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the text of the European Community draft directive concerning the harmonisation of driving licences is now available in English.

No. I am, however, sending my hon. Friend a copy of a working translation prepared for departmental purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation requiring local authorities to offer alternative accommodation to owner-occupiers of limited means whose residential accommodation has been compulsorily acquired.

The Land Compensation Bill imposes a statutory rehousing obligation on authorities where suitable alternative accommodation on reasonable terms is not otherwise available and provides for "interest only" mortgages for owner-occupiers with limited incomes. Further, the well-maintained payments multiplier for unfit property was doubled in the Housing (Payments for well-maintained houses) Order 1972. In DOE Circular No. 103/72 local authorities were also urged to offer council houses for sale on beneficial terms and to give high priority for local authority mortgage loans to displaced persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities in greater London do not as a matter of course offer alternative accommodation to owner-occupiers of limited means whose residential accommodation has been compulsorily acquired.

For compulsory purchase of unfit houses all local authorities have a statutory duty to rehouse owner-occupiers. For other compulsory purchase, most London authorities are prepared, as a matter of course, to offer alternative accommodation for owner-occupiers of limited means, but the boroughs of Croy-don. Hammersmith, Harrow, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston and Westminster consider individual cases on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the M62 and M18 towards the city of Kingston upon Hull, giving the date on which each section is expected to be completed.

Subject to completion of statutory procedures and progress of

PERSONS PROCEEDED AGAINST IN ENGLAND AND WALES UNDER SECTION 1 OF THE ACCOMMODATION AGENCIES ACT 1953
Sex		Magistrates" Court		Number of charges	Result
1970
Male	…	Nottingham City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £10.
Male	…	Nottingham City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £8.
Male	…	Portsmouth City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £10.
Male	…	Nottingham City	…	1	Withdrawn/dismissed.
1971
Male	…	Wells Street	…	4	Found guilty on ail charges and fined £15. £15, £5 and £5 respectively.
Male	…	Liverpool City	…	1	Found guilty, conditional discharge.
Male	…	Birmingham City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £25.
Company	…	Southampton City	…	2	Found guilty and fined £10 on each charge.
Company	…	York City	…	8	Found guilty and fined £25 on each charge.
Company	…	Colchester Borough	…	13	Found guilty and fined £20 on each of the first 7 charges remaining charges withdrawn/dismissed.
Male	…	Dudley County Borough	…	1	Found guilty and fined £10.
Female	…	Bolton County Borough	…	1	Found guilty and fined £25.
Female	…	Birmingham City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £25.
Female	…	Birmingham City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £25.
Company	…	Birmingham City	…	1	Found guilty and fined £20.
Male	…	Colchester Borough	…	3	All charges withdrawn/dismissed.
Female	…	Newcastle upon Tyne City	…	2	Both charges withdrawn/dismissed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT in tabulated form full details of all prosecutions instituted under the Accommodation Agencies Act 1953, from 1970 up to the present time, giving details of the nature of the summonses, the number of offences alleged in each case, the names of the prosecutors and dependants, respectively, the courts in which such cases were heard, and the results of each such prosecution.

The table below gives details of numbers of prosecutions, numbers of alleged offences and the results of these prosecutions broken down by courts for the years 1970 and 1971. Details of the nature of the summonses and the names of the defendants are not available. Comparable figures for 1972 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the average amount spent per head on education of schoolchildren of 18 years and under in each of the past five years.

It is convenient to answer this Question in terms of expenditure per pupil in maintained primary and secondary schools. The figures including loan charges are as follows:

				Costs per pupil in maintained schools
Financial Years				Primary	Secondary
				£	£
1967–68	…	…	…	81	155
1968–69	…	…	…	84	161
1969–70	…	…	…	91	171
1970–71	…	…	…	102	188
1971–72	…	…	…	116	211

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average number of teeth filled per full-time dental officer in the school dental service in 1971; and what was the com- parable figure for the county of Staffordshire.

2,060 and 2,000 respectively; some allowance has been made for staffing fluctuations during the year and the work of dental auxiliaries is included.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of those who graduated from universities in 1971 have still not found permanent employment.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to this Question on 21st April 1972. The University Grants Committee collects such information only at the end of the year following graduation, and there is no procedure for up-dating this information for the 1971 graduates.-[Vol. 835, c. 173.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much she has allocated for modernisation to pre-1903 primary schools in each county in England since June 1970; and if she will publish a revised list showing the allocations, including the recently announced projects for 1974–75.

The figures given in answer to my hon. Friend's Question on 24th October 1972 included the allocations for 1974–75. I am sending further details to him.-[Vol. 843, c. 267–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stateless persons he has admitted to the United Kingdom on grounds of compassion this year from Africa and Ise-where.

Some 150 stateless husbands have arrived following the decision which my right hon. Friend announced on 22nd February, to admit for settlement about 300 men who had been expelled from Uganda and were then in Europe and whose wives and children were in this country. Other stateless persons admitted on compassionate grounds number less than 10.-[Vol. 851, c. 146–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of muggings in Liverpool reported since 1st January 1972 to 1st January 1973; and how these figures compare with the previous 12 months;(2) if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of reported mugging offences which have taken place within the area administered by the Liverpool and Bootle Police Authority from 1st January 1972 until the most recent convenient date.

There is no agreed definition of "mugging". The most relevant figures are those for offences of robbery or assualt with intent to rob. The number of such offences known to the Liverpool and Bootle Constabulary in 1972 was 976. The corresponding figure for 1971 was 567. Figures for Liverpool alone are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what criteria some mentally ill criminals receive aftercare following their release from hospital, whereas others do not; and whether he will endeavour to extend the after-care treatment available in such cases, in view of its proven success.

The discharge from hospital of patients detained under the special restrictions in Section 65 of the Mental Health Act 1959 is made subject to conditions requiring support and supervision wherever this appears necessary in the interests of the patient and for the protection of the public. For other offender patients after-care is, where possible, arranged on a voluntary basis and according to individual need. After-care is among the matters at present under review by the Committee on Mentally Abnormal Offenders under the chairmanship of Lord Butler of Saffron Walden, and any recommendations which the committee may make will be carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase recruitment into the Special Constabulary.

My right hon. Friend has urged police authorities and chief officers of police to take energetic measures to increase the effective strength of the Special Constabulary. He has in addition made arrangements centrally for advertisements in the national Press, which have begun to appear, and has asked chief officers of police to arrange concurrent publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were lodged with police forces in England and Wales in each of the five most recent years involving cheque frauds; how much was involved in these frauds; and in what percentage of cases offenders were identified and prosecuted.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have decided to issue poll cards for the county council elections in April; which have decided not to issue poll cards; and which have still to make a decision.

This information is not immediately available. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what statistical or survey advice he obtained on the likelihood of his letter of 23rd February 1973 to secretaries of certain probation and after-care committees providing him with information, rather than just views, on the extent to which social inquiry reports are obtained in the circumstances recommended by Circulars 188 and 189/1968, and on the obstacles to their wider use;(2) whether he will send a further letter to the secretaries of certain probation and after-care committees, supplementary to his letter of 23rd February 1973, making clear exactly what information he wishes to have in answer to paragraph 7(v) of his letter of 23rd February, and in what form;(3) whether he will send a further letter to the secretaries of selected probation and after-care committees, or to other appropriate persons, seeking information retrospectively, or in other suitable ways, on the extent of compliance, and reasons for non-compliance with Circulars 188 and 189/1968 in order to ensure that he has typical information uninfluenced by the prospective investigation proposed in his letter of 23rd February 1973 to secretaries of certain probation and aftercare committees;(4) Why, in his letter of 23rd February 1973 to secretaries of certain probation and after-care committees, he does not seek information on the total number of cases falling within the scope of Circulars 188 and 189/1968 in order to provide information about the extent to which social inquiry reports are obtained as promised in the answer of the Minister of State, Home Office to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead on 8th February 1973.-[Vol. 850, c.

The inquiry to which the right hon. Gentleman's Questions relate is not intended to be a statistical survey in controlled conditions; its object is to collect from local sources information relating generally to the functioning of the system of supply of social inquiry reports to magistrates' courts. While 1 accept that in the right hon. Gentleman's view a different kind of investigation would be desirable, I prefer for the present to await the outcome of the inquiry already put in train, and I see no need for a supplementary letter at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (I) whether, in deciding that for the time being he will not make rules under Section 57 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967, he took account of the possibility that a reason for non-compliance with Circulars 188 and 189/1968 may have been ignorance or forgetfulness in the courts as to their existence, or disagreement by the courts with their contents;(2) why he has not yet made any attempt to discover whether one obstacle to compliance with Circulars 188 and 189/1968 is forgetfulness or ignorance in the courts as to the existence of these circulars, or disagreement by the courts with the recommendations of these circulars; and whether it is now his intention to launch a retrospective investigation into this question which is not covered in his letter of 23rd February 1973.

In reaching his decision my right hon. Friend considered the situation as a whole. The inquiry which is being made gives those consulted a wide opportunity to comment on current practice and the reasons for it; I see no need for a "retrospective investigation".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, after the introduction of VAT, he will keep records in order to ascertain which works of art and antiques exported by registered persons with overseas subsidiaries are subsequently reimported into this country.

The exportation of most antiques and all works of art of a value over £4,000 is subject to the granting of an export licence by the Department of Trade and Industry. Most subsequent sales of such articles in the United Kingdom will be publicly reported.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to impose a 10 per cent. import tax in cases where a work of art or antique exported by a registered person with an overseas subsidiary is subsequently reimported into this country at a higher value.

This will be kept under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer from information available from international sources, what was the gross domestic product per head at factor cost in Canada for the most recent year for which information is available; and how this compares with the figure for the United Kingdom.

In 1971 gross domestic product per head at factor cost in Canada was £1,525. The comparable figure for the United Kingdom in 1971 was £854. The Canadian figure has been converted from Canadian dollars into sterling on the basis of average daily exchange rates in London but these do not necessarily reflect differences in international purchasing power.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the escape from the Maze Prison; whether it has been discovered how wire cutters were smuggled into the prison; whether he will take steps to intensify searching of visitors and parcels; and whether he will make a statement on the protection available for the local community living in the vicinity of the prison.

About 9 p.m. on Sunday 11th March 1973 two detainees were apprehended by Army patrols in the military area outside the perimeter of Maze Prison. Wire cutters were found beside them. A roll check in the compound from which the men had come established that a third detainee, William James Kelly, was missing. An intensive operation was mounted by the security forces, but this was hampered by the very heavy fog which had helped the escapers to avoid detection by the patrols and sentries within the prison and which persisted throughout the night.The escape, including the origin of the wire cutters, is at present being investigated by the police, Procedures for searching visitors and parcels are kept under review; it would not be in the public interest to reveal what action is contemplated at this stage.The security forces provide protection for the local community.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when it is

ANNEX
Regulations referred to the National Insurance Advisory Committee in draft since June 1970:
			Laid before Parliament
1.	Classification Amendment No. 2 Regulations 1970	…	19th November 1970
2.	Collection of Graduated Contributions Amendment Regulations 1970	…	7th December 1970
3.	Unemployment and Sickness Benefit Amendment Regulations 1970	…	27th May 1971
4.	Married Women Amendment Regulations 1971	…	20th April 1971
5.	Collection of Contributions Amendment Regulations 1971	…	25th June 1971
6.	General Benefit Amendment Regulations 1971	…	29th June 1971
7.	Classification Amendment Regulations 1971	…	4th November 1971
8.	Collection of Graduated Contributions Amendment Regulations 1971	…	6th January 1972
9.	Claims and Payments Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1971	…	17th February 1972
10.	Assessment of Graduated Contributions Amendment Regulations 1972	…	2nd March 1972
11.	General Benefit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 1971	…	22nd March 1972
12.	Earnings Related Benefit Amendment Regulations 1972	…	28th June 1972
13.	Non-participation-Benefits and Schemes Amendment Regulations 1972	…	17th July 1972
14.	Graduated Contributions Amendment Regulations 1973	…	Under
15.	Members of Forces Amendment Regulations 1973	…	consideration
16.	Collection of Contributions Regulations 1973	…	by N.I.A.C.

It is intended to publish the figures of live births occurring be-aween April 1969 and December 1972 analysed by birthplace of mother, for selected local authority areas, after the figures for 1972 become available about the middle of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what questions he has referred to the National Insurance Advisory Committee; and if he will publish its replies;(2) what questions he proposes to refer to the National Insurance Advisory Committee; and if he will publish its replies.

The table annexed shows the draft regulations referred to the National Insurance Advisory Committee since 1970. In accordance with Section 108 of the National Insurance Act 1965 the committee's reports are laid before Parliament together with the regulations. I have not referred to the committee any matters other than draft regulations. I have no specific proposals for further references to the National Insurance Advisory Committee at the present time, apart from draft regulations needed to give effect to our recently announced proposal to pay increases for dependants with national insurance benefits in full without deduction of dependency allowances paid with the basic war disablement pension.Following is the information: -

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will require the National Insurance Advisory Committee to study the effects for the national insurance scheme of the introduction of a system of positive tax credits or allowances and to make recommendations for reform; and if he will publish their replies.

No. The Government's proposals for a tax credit system, which would have a wide application to people in employment as well as to those drawing the main national insurance benefits, are being examined by a Select Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the comparable social security benefits and payments available to strikers and their dependants in each

	At 30th September 1970				At 30th September 1972
		Part-time staff		Total		Part-time staff		Total
Area	No. of whole Part-time staff	No.	Whole-time equivalent	Whole-time equivalent	No. of whole-time staff	No.	Whole-time equivalent	Whole-time equivalent
Administrative County of Essex	10	1,453	665	675	15	2,102	800	815
County Borough of Southend-on-Sea	23	240	100	123	11	286	143	154
England	574	61,170	27,071	29,645	2,598	72,142	32,587	35,184

The percentage increases in the whole-time equivalent totals between 1970 and 1972 are respectively as follows:

per cent.
Administrative County of Essex	21
County Borough of Southend-on-Sea	25
England	19

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the estimated gross earnings of a male manual worker in the ancillary hospital services; and how much of any such total is related to basic pay and overtime, respectively, in regard to how many basic working hours weekly.

Estimated average gross earnings are £27·90 per week of which basic pay for a 40-hour week is £20·31, overtime £2·97 and other payments are £4·62.

I regret that the information requested by my hon. Friend is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Some information in regard to payments of social assistance was given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Ralph Howell) on 13th June last.-[Vol. 838, c. 1231–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many home helps are employed in the county of Essex at the latest convenient time compared to the year 1970; and how the percentage change compares with the national movement in their provision.

The figures for the administrative county of Essex, for (he county borough of Southend-on-Sea and for England are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the average industrial earnings for the following years, 1945, 1950, 1964, 1970 and 1972, respectively.

Following is the information:

FULL-TIME MANUAL WORKERS: UNITED KINGDOM
		Average weekly earnings in manufacturing industry
		Men, 21 years and over	Women, 18 years and over
Date		£	£
July 1945	…	6·34	3·16
October 1950	…	7·83	4·14
October 1964	…	18·67	8·95
October 1970	…	28·91	13·98
October 1972	…	36·20	18·34

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the aggregate annual total of Industrial Training Board levies under the provisions of the Employment and Training Bill.

No reliable estimate can yet be made of the annual total of levies which may be raised by industrial training boards in 1974–75 and later years. The amount will depend upon the rates of levy which they may

					Average Gross weekly earnings excluding payments for overtime hours	Average basis hours
Industries					£
Gas Supply (MLH 601)	…	…	…	…	29·1	39·9
Coalmining (MLH 101)	…	…	…	…	30·9	37·2
Electricity Supply (MLH 602)	…	…	…	…	32·8	40·0
Railways (MLH 701)	…	…	…	…	25·5	39·8
Collective agreements
Dock workers NJC	…	…	…	…	41·1	37·2
NHS ancillary staff	…	…	…	…	23·4	40·0