asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff there are in his offices in South Africa; and what plans he has for increasing the number.

There are 73 United Kingdom-based staff and 153 locally-engaged staff employed in our posts in South Africa. I have no plans to increase this number.The following table gives details of salary scales of locally-engaged staff in South Africa. A direct comparison between these and rates paid in the United Kingdom would not, I believe, be meaningful.

SALARIES PAID TO LOCALLY-ENGAGED STAFF IN SOUTH AFRICA
Local Grade		Monthly Salary Scale (Rand)
Senior Commercial Officer	…	R480–680
LEI	…	R370–520
LEII	…	R280–430
LEIII	…	R175–295
LEIV	…	R140–220
LEV(a)	…	R100–164
LEV(b)	…	R87–132
LEV(c)	…	R85–100

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on talks held with sugar-producing Commonwealth countries arising from the talks on sugar prices and other related matters with a view to the attraction of new forms of development aid.

The communiqué issued at the end of the conference was published in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 30th March. I should add that in no recent discussions of either the short-term or the longer-term prospects for Commonwealth sugar has the need emerged to consider new forms of development aid for developing Commonwealth sugar-producing countries.—[Vol. 853, c. 413–14.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what administrative changes he intends to make in the Turks and Caicos Islands; what arrangements he intends to make for the position of Governor, when the Bahamas obtain their independence this summer; and if he will make a statement.

The Turks and Caicos Island (Constitution) (Amendment) Order in Council 1973 was made on 29th March and laid before Parliament on 4th April. It terminates the appointment of the Governor of the Bahamas as Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands and provides for a separate post of Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands. It also provides for a separate Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. These changes will come into force on 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now take further initiatives to assist the parties involved to repatriate Pakistani prisoners of war detained in India in accordance with the relevant resolution of the United Nations General Assembly of 29th November 1972.

Her Majesty's Government wish to see the early return of the Pakistani prisoners of war. But we cannot ignore the background to the present situation, nor the efforts that the countries themselves are making to reach a political settlement. We hope that this can soon be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards the proposals made in the recent statement by Mr. Alexander Ishkov, USSR Minister of Fisheries, in regard to the use and conservation of world fish resources, a copy of which is in his possession; and if he will make a statement.

I welcome the statement by the Soviet Minister of Fisheries reported by Tass on 12th March. In particular I fully endorse his insistence that the problems of conserving fish stocks and regulating fisheries on the high seas must be solved by international agreement, and that unilateral measures can only be ineffective.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that United Kingdom aid to Zambia is devoted to purposes other than the rerouting of her trade with the outside world, in view of his efforts for a settlement with Rhodesia.

The purpose of our aid to Zambia is to assist the development of its economy and resources to the greatest benefit of its people. I am now discussing with the Zambians the best use that can be made, in the light of development needs, of the loan of £1 million for transport equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding aid and technical assistance to Somalia.

We are providing to Somalia in 1973–74 technical assistance of about £100,000. About half of this trains Somalis in Britain. A grant of £54,000 in 1973–74 will help Somalia to fulfil its pension obligations to officers of the former British Somaliland Protectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he makes of the size of the British contribution to the European Development Fund; and to what extent this will be affected by the Commission's proposal that the fund shall be financed out of the Community's budget.

The size of any future European Development Fund will mainly depend on the number and size of its beneficiaries, which will be known only after the negotiations which begin on 1st August. I therefore cannot yet estimate the size of the British contribution. The Commission's proposal on financing would mean that Britain's contribution to the fund's disbursements would be related to its overall annual budgetary contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has yet decided to accept the placing of the population institute in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The United Nations is giving further consideration to the question of establishing a world population institute. If it decides to do so, the choice of location will be affected by the functions required of such an institute.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any requests for assistance to mitigate the effects of drought in Maharashtra state in India; and what action he proposes.

I have had no such requests, but the Government of India have asked for £250,000 from our regular aid programme to be made available for drilling rigs to provide water in the drought-affected state of Mysore. This has been done.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the result of the visit of the President of the Sudan.

My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary had cordial discussions with President Nimeri on ways to develop the relationship between our two countries. They discussed British participation in the Sudan's development plans and the rôle of the enlarged European Economic Community in world trade, and exchanged views on the Middle East and Africa. The Sudanese reached agreement on compensation with the majority of those British firms whose assets were nationalised in 1970, and I have every hope that the remaining few, who are still negotiating, will reach a settlement very soon. Now that compensation is largely settled we have been able to announce a programme of capital aid and technical assistance to the Sudan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the level of planned expenditure on the overseas aid programme in 1971–72 and 1972–73, respectively; what was the actual level of expenditure in 1971–72; and what is his latest estimate for actual expenditure in 1972–73.

The figures are:

	£ millions cash
	1971–72	1972–73
Net Aid Programme:
from Cmnd. 4829	214·1	—
from Cmnd. 5178	—	245·2
Bangladesh Relief Expenditure	10·0	10·0
Amortisation Receipts	34·9	30·0✶
Total	259·0	285·2
Actual Expenditure	262·1
Provisional Estimate of Expenditure		282·5
✶ Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officers of the Overseas Development Administration were serving overseas on 31st December 1971 and at the latest date; and what were their ranks, functions and locations.

On 31st December 1971 there were 132 staff of my Department serving abroad in 41 different countries. On 31st March 1973 there were 167 staff in 45 countries. The following were the main categories:

	31st December 1971	31st March 1973
Staff in Diplomatic Missions, Development Division, etc.:
Assistant secretaries	5	8
Principals	8	8
Other administration staff	15	26
Advisory staff at SPSO level and below	13	23
Staff of Scientific and Technical Units:
Land survey grades	49	46
Scientific grades	37	50
Other Staff on secondment to Overseas Governments:
Economists	2	1
Statisticians	3	5

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the proposals recently put forward by the Commission of the European Community for the forthcoming GATT negotiations.

No. Publication of any such proposals is a matter for the Commission or Council of Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what date it is expected sufficient improvement will be made to ensure that the A57 will be made a less dangerous road in the Rotherham and Kiveton Park Rural Districts.

Todwick crossroads and South Anston crossroads have been improved. The Aughton Lane junction will be improved this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the names of the existing local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humberside region which have applied for the granting of parish council status, commencing on 1st April 1974, and the approximate date when he intends to publish his decision on these applications.

Proposals for successor parish councils are made to the Local Government Boundary Commission, and I have no information on them at this stage. My right hon. and learned Friend has asked the commission to make its recommendations by about the end of May, and hopes to be able during the course of June to publish its report and his decision on it and lay the necessary order before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land in Warwickshire have been acquired for motorway and trunk road building during the past five years.

Of the order of 1,500 acres. A precise figure cannot readily be produced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of derelict land within East Suffolk were restored in each of the past three years.

The following information for the administrative county is taken from the annual surveys of derelict land carried out by the local planning authority. The 1972 figure is not yet available.

Year					Acreage of derelict land restored
1969	…	…	…	…	5
1970	…	…	…	…	5
1971	…	…	…	…	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for celebrating World Environment Year.

On the occasion of the first World Environment Day, which falls on Tuesday 5th June, I hope to give the opening address at an important congress at Earls Court on pollution control. Government Departments will take part in the exhibition associated with the congress and will also publish the first in a series of wall charts for use in environmental education in schools. I hope very much that other non-Government bodies will arrange activities to mark this important occasion. I hope, too, that a booklet about pollution control in Britain will be published to coincide with World Environment Day. Our programme will, I believe, help stimulate and deepen public awareness of the environmental issues highlighted at the Stockholm conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the net cost of postponing council rent increases due in April for three months.

No additional cost would arise from such a postponement in the case of tenants receiving supplementary benefit. For the fewer than 2 million other tenants of authorities in England and Wales which were due to increase rents this April, the net loss to the housing revenue accounts of those authorities would be £10 million to £12 million. The April rent increase has in effect been postponed by four weeks because tenants will not pay it until after the end of the standstill period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the revenue raised from the sale of 2½ inch Ordnance Survey maps in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Detailed revenue information is not available. However, the estimated sales revenue—that is, after deduction of discount allowed to retailers—in respect of the 2,020 sheets of the 1:25,000 series is as follows:

					£000's
1962–63	…	…	…	…	32
1963–64	…	…	…	…	36
1964–65	…	…	…	…	43
1965–66	…	…	…	…	56
1966–67	…	…	…	…	54
1967–68	…	…	…	…	53
1968–69	…	…	…	…	63
1969–70	…	…	…	…	64
1970–71	…	…	…	…	60
1971–72	…	…	…	…	100

In spite of the continuing rise in revenue, the costs of production have risen even faster and revenue has not covered the cost of this series.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will initiate a further campaign to alert drivers to the dangers of drinking before driving and the law relating to the breathalyser and its consequences for those who break it under the Road Safety Act 1967.

There was a campaign on this subject just before Christmas; I am considering what further publicity there should be in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of British Rail's route network is in receipt of social needs subsidy; and if he will list, region by region, the amount of financial support being provided by his Department to British Rail.

Grants are made for loss-making passenger services and not for the route network. In 1972 they were as follows:

	£
Eastern Region	✶14·143 million
London Midland Region	†1·925 million
Scottish Region	12·245 million
Southern Region	13·150million
Western Region	7·239million
✶ Plus 90 per cent. of the Passenger Transport Executive contribution, which is £1·190 million.
† Plus 90 per cent of the Passenger Transport Executive contribution, which is £7·125 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to remove from local authorities the financial responsibility for coast protection and sea defences work.

The present statutory arrangement under which coastal local authorities undertake coast protection works, with financial assistance from the Exchequer, is operated in a way which strikes a reasonable balance between local and national interests in protecting valuable land and property from the effects of coast erosion.My right hon. and learned Friend sees no reason to introduce any changes in this arrangement which ensures that no local authority has to bear an unreasonable burden for essential coast protection work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects that M11 contracts numbers 1, 2 and 4, respectively, will be let.

The section of contract 4 between Bishop's Stortford and Quendon should be let later this year. The re- mainder of that contract must await determination of the route of the proposed Cambridge western bypass. The letting of contracts 1 and 2 is related to the report of the Layfield Panel on the Greater London Development Plan which is now being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance or advice his Department has offered local authorities on the procedure that should be adopted when land or holdings surplus to their requirements are to be sold; and what procedure he has advised them to adopt.

Ministry of Housing and Local Government circular 57/66 advises local authorities to check, before offering surplus land on the open market, whether any other local authority with jurisdiction in the area wants the land and to consider any approach from a former owner who wishes to repurchase. If the land is not sold to a local authority or the former owner, Government Departments and, where appropriate, nationalised industries and port authorities are notified about it. If these arrangements do not result in a sale the authority is free to sell the land elsewhere.In the case of housing land, Department of the Environment circular 10/70 urged local authorities to sell for private housing development land which is surplus to their own foreseeable housing needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether radioactive waste is transported from other areas and dumped in West Cumberland; and if so what are the quantities involved in annual terms.

Radioactive waste transported from outside Cumberland and safely buried at the British Nuclear Fuels Limited site at Drigg for the last three years is as follows: —

Year					Cubic Metres
1970	…	…	…	…	1,821
1971	…	…	…	…	1,913
1972	…	…	…	…	2,370

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities in County Durham have made representations to him about the fact that the housing cost yardstick plus market allowance for council house building projects is inadequate to meet the lowest received tender, thus bringing to a halt the building of council houses in areas of great need; and what replies he has sent.

Since the beginning of the year, nine local authorities in County Durham have made representations about the yardstick in relation to particular schemes. Agreement has been reached or negotiations are proceeding on all but two of the schemes concerned to enable them to go ahead without delay. It would not be in the interests of the authorities concerned to name them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount has already been spent on purchasing property on the site of the new parliamentary building.

About £4,500,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government own the Norman Shaw North building of New Scotland Yard; if they recently acquired it how much they paid for it; and what is its estimated market value.

The purchase of the Norman Shaw building by the Government from the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District was completed in March 1967 on figures agreed some time previously. The purchase formed part of a larger transaction and the amount apportioned to the Norman Shaw North building was £1·3 million. The unique character of this building makes it impossible to state an opinion of market value with any degree of certainty, but a preliminary estimate of its value in its present condition is of the order of £3·5 million to £4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate has been made of the cost of repairs and alterations to, and modernisation of, the Norman Shaw North building for use by Members, including the costs of high-speed lifts and travelators necessary to make it possible for Members to get to the Chamber of the House of Commons within six minutes.

The total estimated cost of repairs and alterations to, and modernisation of, the Norman Shaw North building for use by Members, including the provision of high-speed lifts, is about £1,940,000. In addition to building and engineering work, this includes £330,000 for furniture and fittings, £200,000 for a new subway under Bridge Street and a token £250,000 for fees. It would be possible when the lifts are installed for Members to reach the Chamber within six minutes, but this would be a minimum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of relocating the existing Cannon Row Police Station.

The estimated cost of adapting the Norman Shaw North building for police purposes is £3 million at end—1972 prices. No estimate of the cost of other possible solutions is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the construction works, fittings and furnishings of the new accommodation for Members above the Tea Room; and what is the total cost per square foot.

£296,000, or about £31 a square foot. This excludes departmental staff and consultants' fees of approximately £44,000, which would take the cost to about £36 a square foot.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of maintenance and repairs to the Bridge Street buildings on the site of the new parliamentary building if they were retained.

The minimum cost of bringing these buildings into occupational order is about £1·5 million. This figure does not allow for any improvements, nor is any estimate of annual maintenance costs available at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the annual maintenance costs of all accommodation outside the Palace of Westminster used by Members, officials and staff of the House of Commons.

About £12,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount spent on alterations, extensions and improvements to all buildings housing Members, officials and other staff outside the Palace of Westminster in each of the last five years.

The figures are as follows:

Year					£
1968–69	…	…	…	…	1,125
1969–70	…	…	…	…	24,100
1970–71	…	…	…	…	8,000
1971–72	…	…	…	…	400
1972–73	…	…	…	…	5,200

This excludes the £68,000 spent on making 3 Dean's Yard available for Members by the end of 1972 as requested by the Services Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current estimated cost of raising Bridge Street and providing a travelator link under it for use by Members to gain access to the Palace of Westminster from north of Bridge Street.

The Greater London Council, which would carry out the Bridge Street work, has not yet furnished an estimate, but a token £500,000 has been included in our figures. A travelator would cost about £420,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he now estimates to be the cost to the Treasury of subsidies paid under the mortgage option scheme for the year 1972–73.

In 1972–73 the amount of option mortgage subsidy was £28 million in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he estimates to be the cost to the Treasury of the respective subsidies paid to local authorities under the Housing Finance Act 1972 for the year 1972–73.

Local authorities have not yet made returns following the end of the financial year, but the estimated out-turn for subsidies under the Act to local authorities in England and Wales for 1972–73 is as follows:

		£ Million
Residual subsidy	…	87
Transition subsidy	…	7
Operational deficit subsidy	…	7
Rising costs subsidy	…	62
Rent rebate subsidy	…	61
Rent allowance subsidy	…	5
Slum clearance subsidy	…	4
Others	…	1
Total	…	234

In addition, supplementary benefit paid towards rent is estimated to amount to about £130 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the rate of fatal accidents per thousand drivers for four-wheel vehicles and two-wheel vehicles, respectively, in each country of the European Community.

This information is not available in the form requested, but following are estimates of road deaths per 10,000 vehicles among users of cars and motor-cycles.

DEATHS PER 10,000 VEHICLES IN 1971
Country	Drivers and passengers of cars✶	Riders and passengers of motor cycles†
Belgium‡	7·46	7·34
Denmark‡	4·12	4·36
Federal Republic of Germany	6·07	12·20
France‡	6·36	6·38
Great Britain	2·63	6·05
Irish Republic	4·55	13·37
Italy	3·81	5·59
Netherlands	4·61	3·24
Figures for Luxembourg are not available.
✶ Includes taxis.
†Includes scooters and mopeds.
‡1970 figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has, and what inquiries it has received, for using Twatt or Skaebrae aerodromes.

None; but I understand that the Civil Aviation Authority, which is responsible for advising on aerodrome development, has received a tentative inquiry from a private firm about development of these sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a detailed breakdown of the £101·6 million to be spent on housing in the year 1973–74.

I would refer the hon. Member to pages 78 to 81 of the Supply Estimates 1973–74, Class VI, Environmental Services, published on 14th February 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made in the development of courses and facilities in schools and further education colleges for pupils remaining at school as a result of the raising of the school leaving age.

Education authorities, which are primarily responsible for the development of courses and the provision of facilities in schools and further education colleges, have been active both in planning new courses and preparing teachers for them. My Department has given, and continues to give, much guidance about suitable curricula, including papers published on the recommendation of the Consultative Committee on the Curriculum. Much has already been done to give pupils a worthwhile education during their additional year at school and development work is continuing. Additional accommodation and facilities have been and are being provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs were obtained for Scotland by Mr. Gilhooley; and if he will make a statement.

The Committee for European Investment in Scotland, by which Mr. Gilhooley was employed until recently, has been associated with a number of projects which it estimates should provide several hundred jobs in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings he expects to have in 1973 with the Regional Commissioner of the EEC.

My noble Friend the Minister of State has already had one meeting this year and has another arranged for July in Edinburgh. Other meetings with my noble Friend or with myself will be arranged as seems required or desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many boys will leave school in Scotland in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The numbers as at present estimated are as follows:

1973	…	…	…	…	25,700✶
1974	…	…	…	…	42,200
1975	…	…	…	…	42,800
1976	…	…	…	…	43,500
✶This is the year in which the raising of the school leaving age will affect the numbers leaving.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the progress of the Auchinleck Health Centre, and state the expected completion date.

Tenders have been invited for this centre. There is a 90-day period for acceptance; and construction work, once started, is expected to take about six months; a firm completion date cannot yet be given.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to investigate the loss of £50 million of EEC budget funds in a recent year; and if he is satisfied that future British taxpayers' money handed to the EEC will not disappear in a similar way.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of payments due to the EEC budget from the British Exchequer, what action he intends to prevent a repetition of the disappearance of £50 million of EEC budget funds in 1970.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer given to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Deakins) yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present total of the National Debt; and, from information available from international sources, how this compares on a per capita basis with the equivalent figures for the other member countries of the European Economic Community.

The amount of the United Kingdom National Debt outstanding at 31st March 1973 was some £37,000 million—provisional—equivalent to £670 per head. This total is in nominal terms and includes substantial United Kingdom official holdings. The table below gives the sterling equivalents per head for the original six EEC countries at the end of March 1972, calculated at the market exchange rates at that date.

National debt per head
					£
Belgium	…	…	…	…	610
France	…	…	…	…	140
Germany	…	…	…	…	180
Italy	…	…	…	…	140
Netherlands	…	…	…	…	320

Great caution is needed in interpreting these figures as their comparability with that for the United Kingdom is affected by definitional differences and by differences in the pattern of financing of local authorities and public trading enterprises. The figures for the six countries are as published in "EEC General Statistics"; comparable figures for the Irish Republic and Denmark are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the results of the switchover to VAT; and if he will make a statement.

Reports show that the vast majority of traders have co-operated efficiently and fairly in getting VAT successfully launched.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements have been made to make immigrant traders aware of the implications of VAT.

The special arrangements to explain VAT to immigrant traders include advertisements in publications read by immigrants, talks given by Customs and Excise staff with interpreters present, and the distribution of leaflets in several immigrant languages through local VAT offices and community relations councils. Customs and Excise staff who speak immigrant languages have also visited individual traders to help explain the tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the publicity campaign on the introduction of VAT; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The guide to the VAT price changes, published widely in the national Press and available in leaflet form from post offices, has given the public the information they needed about the tax changes. Other advertisements are designed to answer particular questions of general interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he now estimates to be the total cost to the Treasury of tax relief on mortgage interest paid by house purchasers for the year 1972–73.

For 1971–72, the latest year for which figures are available, about £340 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has studied proposals from the United Nations Association and others to replace aid to underdeveloped countries by a wider admission of cheap goods produced by such countries and direct the funds saved to the declining industries in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of proposals of this nature but am not in agreement with them. We accept the case for assisting the developing countries to increase their exports, but this in no way replaces their need for official development assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the current shortage, he will remove the import duty on tomatoes.

I understand that the exceptional shortage is not expected to last long, as the home crop is just coming on to the market. I am not persuaded that removing the duty would significantly increase supplies, but I am watching developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government accept the International Labour Organisation Recommendation 109 concerning wages, hours of work on board ship and manning; and if he will instruct British shipping companies to observe the recommendations.

Recommendation 109 was accepted subject to reservations in a White Paper published in 1959—Cmnd. 886. The Merchant Shipping Acts give powers for the regulation of safe manning and the limitation of hours of work related to occupational safety. They do not, however, include powers to prescribe wage rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what judicial procedure is available to seamen employed on British ships to recover the difference between what they are paid by British shipowners and the International Labour Organisation Recommendation 109 minimum rate of £48 per month in line with 3(b) of that recommendation.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he refused the Institution of Heating and Ventilating Engineers consent to change its name to the Institution of Building Services Engineers; and if he will make a statement.

The institution's request to the Registrar of Companies to change its name was rejected in April 1971 after careful consideration. This was because there were a number of other institutions registered as companies concerned with building services. The proposed title was considered to be too wide ranging having regard to the Institution of Heating and Ventilating Engineers' activities at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he supports the application of the Institution of Heating and Ventilating Engineers for a Royal charter; and if not, why not.

The need for a strong building services organisation is recognised by the Government. I am aware, too, of the concern that this institution, in company with other engineering institutions which are not constituent members of the CEI, has about exclusion of its members from the chartered engineer register. Urgent discussions are now in train to resolve these difficult problems and all possible means of resolution are being considered. The granting of a Royal charter is one possibility but by no means the only one.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of imports of pottery into Great Britain in each of the past five years.

Information for 1968 to 1971 is given in Volume I of the Annual Statement of Trade for these years and for 1972 in the December 1972 issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he accepts the conclusion of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries that the provision of employment for redundant steelworkers must be a Government responsibility; how he will discharge this responsibility in respect of Shelton; and whether he will make a statement.

The White Paper on the British Steel Corporation's investment strategy made it clear that the Government would pursue policies designed to tackle the problems posed by plant closures in the steel industry. In particular, our aim is to sustain a high rate of economic growth so that new jobs will be generated to replace those lost by closures. In the case of Shelton, the West Midlands Economic Planning Board is currently considering the likely consequences of the closure.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken on the report of the Monopolies Commission on chlordiazepoxide and diazepam.

I expect to make a statement on the report when it is published later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any land is available for further industrial development on the Windscale, Calder Hall site in West Cumberland.

Any land not already developed is reserved for future use, but this is subject to the approval of my right hon. Friend by virtue of the nuclear site licence, as well as normal planning permission.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in rinding a suitable tenant for the advance factory at Moss-hill.

We are continuing to make every effort to find a suitable occupant as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings he expects to have in 1973 with the EEC Commissioner for Regional Policy.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industrial Development has had two meetings with the Commissioner for Regional Policy so far this year. Further meetings will be arranged as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the last date for applications for building grant under Section 3 of the Local Employment Act 1972 where a contract was entered into before 22nd March 1972.

I have decided that grant shall not be made in respect of buildings to which paragraph 3(3)(c) of Schedule 2 to the Industry Act 1972 applies, unless the application is received by my Department before 1st October 1973.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what schemes are at present provided for grant aid under Section 104(4) of the Agriculture Act 1970; how much was spent on these schemes in 1971–72; what grant was paid in respect of 1971–72; what grant is to be expected in relation to 1972–73; and what grant is estimated for 1973–74.

The total amount paid under Section 104(4) of the Agriculture Act 1970 for agricultural training in Northern Ireland in 1971–72, including provision for administrative costs, was £22,080 and in 1972–73 about £25,000. Provision has been made for expenditure of up to £50,000 in 1973–74. I understand that the current scheme covers the training of new entrants, practical training provided as part of sandwich courses, and short courses for existing workers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints about price increases have been submitted to his Department since the freeze; how many of these price increases have been allowed to stand, and how many have been turned down; and if he will make a statement.

Up to 7th April my Department had received 15,523 complaints about food price increases. Of these 12,702 have so far been investigated with the following results:

Those where price rise took place before 6th November or where investigation showed no price rise	3,527
Those involving fresh or imported foods subject to fluctuations arising from external or seasonal causes	2,562
Those involving the cessation of special offers or increases authorised by my right hon. Friend	5,415
Those where as a result of the complaint or investigation a price reduction has been made	1,198

These figures show that the requirements of the first stage of the Government's counter-inflation programme have been fully accepted by the food trades. In the relatively small number of cases where there has been a breach in the requirements, traders have readily cooperated in bringing their prices down.

asked the Attorney-General when he hopes to be able to issue a statement on the report of Lord Justice Edmund Davies on the use of the Welsh language in courts in Wales.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is studying the advice he received from Lord Justice Edmund Davies following his informal inquiry into the working of the Welsh Language Act in the courts in Wales. My noble Friend hopes to be in a position to make a statement shortly.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give consideration to the placing of an HMSO bookshop and mail order department in Liverpool.

There is insufficient demand at present for Government publications in the Liverpool area to warrant the opening there of an HMSO bookshop and mail order department.

asked the Prime Minister how many civil servants have applied for permission to take up employment in firms with which the Government have a relationship or where firms might obtain an unfair advantage from knowledge obtained during their service, over the past 10 years; and on how many occasions such approval has been refused.

I have been asked to reply.Where the rules require civil servants to obtain permission, it is given by their Departments and only certain cases are referred to the Civil Service Department. As it is not the practice to record centrally cases in the field of conduct which are handled by Departments within their own discretion, I cannot give a total figure of applications for permission and it is not possible to say on how many occasions approval has been refused by each Department. There have been some 80 references to the CSD since it was set up in 1968, and after careful examination permission was given in each case. There have been two cases in the CSD itself since 1968 and in both permission was given.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will state for the years 1970, 1971, 1972 and for that period of 1973 for which figures are available, the number of cases for the United Kingdom and Cornwall in which the Claims Commission has accepted responsibility for liability for loss or damage to farm livestock, and agriculture and horticultural crops and buildings, resulting from the activities of military aircraft flying over approved low-flying training areas.

The numbers of cases in which the Claims Commission made ex gratia payments are as follows:

		United Kingdom	Cornwall
1970	…	62	2
1971	…	106	3
1972	…	61	2
1973 to date	…	5	2

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will state the areas in square miles for both the United Kingdom and Cornwall which at the present time are approved for low-flying training purposes for military aircraft.

Military aircraft are permitted to carry out low-level training over aprpoximately one-third and a little less than one-half of the land areas of Cornwall and the United Kingdom respectively.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will state for the years 1970, 1971, 1972 and for that period of 1973 for which figures are available, the number of representations that his Department has received both from Members of Parliament and from members of the public direct, concerning complaints and other adverse effects resulting from the activities of military aircraft flying over approved low-flying training areas located in both the United Kingdom and Cornwall.

The figures requested are as follows:

		Representations received
		from MPs		from the general public
		United Kingdom	Cornwall	United Kingdom	Cornwall
1970	…	110	4	586	†
1971	…	140	3	917	5
1972	…	109	1	896	6
1973✶	…	33	1	261	9
✶ To 10th April 1973.
† Separate statistics not now available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will state for the years 1970, 1971, 1972 and for that period of 1973 for which figures are available, the number of accidents that have occurred involving loss of life to either military personnel or civilians, injury to either military personnel or civilians, and damage to property, both public and privately owned, resulting from the activities of military aircraft flying over approved low-flying training areas located

Projects						Approved cost
						£
St. Vincent's RC Primary—Nursery class (30 places)	…	…	…	…	…	13,893
Gill Moss RC Primary—Two nursery classes (60 places)	…	…	…	…	…	26,536
St. Anne's RC Primary—Two nursery classes (60 places)	…	…	…	…	…	26,286
English Language Liaison Group—Community worker	…	…	…	…	…	2,183
Supervisor of play schemes	…	…	…	…	…	2,000
Toxteth Boys Club—Extension of facilities	…	…	…	…	…	12,000
Walton Church Youth Centre—Provision of games area	…	…	…	…	…	6,600
Princes Park Methodist Youth Centre—Extensions	…	…	…	…	…	10,000

The numbers of accidents involving aircraft engaged in low-level training are as follows:

		Total for United Kingdom	Cornwall
1970	…	1	—
1971	…	2	—
1972	…	3	1
1973(to date)	…	1	1

No civilians were killed or injured as a result of these accidents. Damage was caused to property on six of these occasions including two in Cornwall.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many applications she has received under the urban aid programme, phase 7, from Liverpool; how many she has approved; and how many she has refused;(2)what is the total amount of money to be spent on educational projects under the urban aid programme, phase 7, in Liverpool;(3)if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the educational projects which will receive support under the urban aid programme, phase 7, in Liverpool.

Sixteen educational projects included in Liverpool's submissions to the Home Office under phase 7 were referred to my right hon. Friend for consideration and eight of these schemes with a total value of £99,498 were approved. The projects concerned and the amounts allocated are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the current annual rate of increase in retail prices; and what was the annual rate of increase in retail prices in October 1972.

The General Index of Retail Prices, excluding the effect of seasonal food price increases, rose at an annual rate of 7·8 per cent. in the six months ended mid-February 1973. The corresponding rate for the six months ended mid-October 1972 was 8·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many youths of 15 and 16 years of age were employed by the steel industry in Wales in the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972, respectively.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers unemployed in each of the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency in March 1973; what percentages of the working population they represent; and how the percentage figures compare with the national percentage figure.

Following is the information for 12th March 1973:

Employment Exchange area		Number unemployed	Percentage rate of unemployment✶
Leek	…	213	1·7
Cheadle	…	184	Rate not available—see footnote.
Biddulph	…	146
Kidsgrove	…	331

The rate of unemployment for Great Britain Was 3·0 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions there were for negligence causing an industrial accident in the Biddulph urban district in each of the past 10 years.

In the area of Biddulph urban district during the period 1963–72 two firms were prosecuted for contraventions of the Factories Act 1961, or regulations made under the Act, associated with accidents. One prosecution was in 1968 and the other in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in how many cases in 1972 trade unions and employers, respectively or together, applied for the conciliation services of his Department to assist in settling industrial disputes.

Of the 716 disputes in which my officials conciliated in 1972, trade unions requested their assistance in 439, employers in 100 and trade unions and employers jointly in a further 145.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated value in the final year of its application of the brucellosis grant to Northern Ireland beef farmers.

The value of incentive payments for the eradication of brucellosis paid during the year 1972–73 to Northern Ireland beef farmers under the Brucellosis (Beef Incentives) Payments Scheme 1972 was approximately £1·6 million.Since the scheme defines the qualifying period as ending two years after its introduction or on 31st March 1973, whichever is the later, a small number of farmers will still be eligible for incentive payments. It is estimated that the value of such payments in the year 1973–74 will be £115,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tenants of public authority housing are at present escaping payment of rent.

4,750, at the beginning of March 1973. In 1,250 cases, action is pending to make allocations from social security benefits towards current rent and arrears.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made towards providing insurance for nurses and medical staff whilst

			1972	1971	1970
			(figures to the nearest acre)
Region
Newcastle	…	…	104	2	85
Leeds	…	…	89	683	327
Sheffield	…	…	50	14	95
East Anglia	…	…	2	2	2
North West Metropolitan	…	…	27	72	65
North East Metropolitan	…	…	18	11	2
South East Metropolitan	…	…	93	113	10
South West Metropolitan	…	…	277	152	46
Oxford	…	…	15	42	5
South Western	…	…	22	143	21
Birmingham	…	…	176	64	68
Manchester	…	…	6	25	224
Liverpool	…	…	19	18	18
Wessex	…	…	6	33	33
London Boards of Governors	…	…	5	24	12
England	…	…	909	1,398	1,013
Wales	…	…	5	6	25
			914	1,404	1,038

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what number and what proportion of retirement pensioners have total incomes from all sources of (a) on and below the supplementary benefits level, (b) below two-thirds of national average earnings, (c) above the same as national average earnings and (d) over national average earnings, respectively.

It is estimated that at the end of 1971 about 80 per cent. of married couple pensioners—1,350,000 couples— and about 95 per cent. of single pensioners—3,500,000—had gross weekly incomes of less than £20. Average weekly earnings of male manual workers in October 1971 were £30·93. I regret that information is not available on which

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 3rd April to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Cyril Smith).—[Vol. 854, c. 47.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many acres of land were sold in 1972 by the various regional hospital authorities in England and Wales; and how this compares with 1970 and 1971.

The information is as follows:reliable estimates can be made about the numbers or proportion of retirement pensioners falling into the other categories listed by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children are in the care of local authorities in the greater London area primarily by reason of the lack of adequate housing for their parents.

The most recent information available centrally is that in the 12 months ending 31st March 1972 local authorities in greater London recorded family homelessness or unsatisfactory home conditions as the circumstances of reception into care in 1,166 caces.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of a retrospective award of pension to widows of 1914–18 war pensioners whose death before 1939 was directly attributable to war service.

The great majority of widows whose husbands died as a result of service in the 1914 war have received war widow's pension since the husband's death, irrespective of the date when this occurred. There is no register of those few widows who were not eligible for pension, and accordingly it is impossible to estimate the cost of awarding them pensions retrospectively from the dates when their husbands died.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to introduce grants to enable parents to visit children in hospital.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind assistance with the expense of travelling to and from hospital. Arrangements already exist for giving help in cases of hardship and I do not think I would be justified in extending them. I shall shortly be sending a circular to hospital authorities and to a number of voluntary organisations to encourage a greater use of voluntary help in providing transport for visitors to patients in hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the dentist/patient ratio in the area covered by the Leek parliamentary constituency; if he is satisfied that the emergency dentist service in that area is working satisfactorily; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend on 11th May last.—[Vol. 836 c. 436.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of drugs prescribed under the National

The costs of drugs dispensed under the National Health Service by chemists, drug stores and appliance contractors in the Staffordshire Executive Council area were:

					£ million
1968	…	…	…	…	1·157
1969	…	…	…	…	1·269
1970	…	…	…	…	1·421
1971	…	…	…	…	1·600
1972	…	…	…	…	1·821

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to improve public education in the subject of foodstuffs which are combative or contributory to tooth decay, especially among children.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Paritt) on 23rd January. Since then my chief medical and dental officers have written to principal school medical and dental officers asking them to draw the attention of local education authorities to the benefits of fluoridation of public water supplies and the adverse effect on dental and general health of eating sticky carbohydrate foods between meals.—[Vol. 849, cc. 84–85.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what figures would appear in Schedule 18 to the Social Security Bill for men and women aged 22 and 59 years (1) if men and women both retired at age 65 years, men's contributions continued to pay for widow's benefits and women's contributions continued to pay for longer female lives; and (2) if men and women both retired at age 65 years, and widow's benefits and longer female lives were paid for by all contributions, irrespective of sex.

If the retirement age for women were 65 instead of 60 the rates of pension for each £1 of contributions at ages 22 and 59 would be 0·839 and 0·202 pence per week respectively. If a single scale were to apply to both men and women the rates would lie between these values and the corresponding values for men shown in Schedule 18, the actual rates depending upon the assumptions made in regard to the proportions of the total contributions paid at each age by men and women respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the concern and hardship which will be caused by the closing of the Old Trafford Limb-Fitting Centre and of the expense and travelling time involved in the closure of this centre; and if he will reconsider his decision.

The closure of Warwick Road was not a matter in which my right hon. Friend had any discretion as the whole site is to be redeveloped. The new centre, which will be closely associated with appropriate hospital facilities, will provide a better service for patients. The Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre staff will help and advise patients for whom the move presents problems.