asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now reached a decision on the objections to his proposal to raise the speed limit on the A4 trunk road through Chiswick.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the road link between Wrexham and the motorway network.

We are satisfied that our plans will provide effective communications between Wrexham and the rest of the trunk road network.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the state of the water supply in Great Britain following the recent relatively rain-free winter, with particular reference to precautionary measures that might be taken by the public now to minimise the need for drought orders later in the year.

Currently, of the 156 public supply undertakings in England three small undertakings are imposing some restrictions. Another 50 undertakings may need to take similar steps if dry weather continues.The supply situation varies from one area to another. It is best left to the individual undertakings to issue appeals to the public for economy in the use of water.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the amounts which have been spent in the last three years, and which it is expected will be spent in the next three years, upon work on or by the River Thames which is in the interests of the environment, leisure and amenity and of assistance to the economy.

I regret that this information is not available because of the many and divided responsibilities involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to ensure that the 99,370 houses found to be empty in greater London at the time of the 1971 census are brought into occupation to relieve homelessness and housing stress.

My right hon. and learned Friend will continue to urge local authorities in London to do everything possible to make the maximum use of empty dwellings in their ownership. In cases where private owners blatantly disregard requests to bring housing into use, authorities should consider making compulsory purchase orders. Applications for confirmation of such orders will be given most careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide financial aid towards the costs incurred by objectors wishing to prepare cases for public inquiries into proposed motorway or other major environmental construction projects.

No; but I am proposing to provide a much earlier opportunity for public participation in the planning of new motorway and trunk road proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now reconsider his decision to transfer the administration of the superannuation funds of the London boroughs to the Greater London Council.

No. I believe that this transfer will be in the best interests of the members of these funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the workings of the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act 1972; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Sample checks by my Department in November 1971 suggested that 80 per cent. of foreign vehicles were overweight. Checks following the introduction of the Act last August showed an immediate drop to 60 per cent. Checks in the last two months indicate a fall to 10–15 per cent. I expect it to fall further as enforcement effort continues.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now in a position to make a statement on his talks with motorway service operators on improving the standard of service in these areas.

No. The talks have not yet taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his discussions with the Building Societies Association about mortgage interest rates.

I have nothing to add to the statement made in this House on 5th April.—[Vol. 854, c. 621–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking during the present financial year to remove the traffic hazards on the A1 between Skellow and Scotch Corner.

We are improving Baldersby to Dishforth and closing gaps and providing safety fencing on the central reservation northwards from Catterick South roundabout. In addition we shall be resurfacing various lengths and making other minor improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the 12 members appointed to the Advisory Committee on Rent Rebates and Rent Allowances are council tenants; how many nominations he received from tenants' organisations; and how many of these nominees were appointed to the committee.

Three of the 12 members of the committee are council tenants. One London tenants' association suggested seven people for the committee. But I did not want the committee to be too large and to have appointed any of the people suggested would have distorted the balance of experience and geographical representation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent studies he has made concerning the pattern of air passengers' preferred method of travel to airports in Great Britain and in other countries; and whether he remains satisfied with earlier plans and financial estimates for road provision to serve the proposed Maplin airport in the light of those studies.

Our planning for surface access to Maplin is being based on the latest available information, including recent studies of passengers' methods of travel to existing airports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the total estimated cost of the proposed improvement of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation approved by him will be devoted to environmental improvement.

This proposed scheme is designed to facilitate freight carrying on the waterway. In so far as the improved waterway would divert traffic from roads and take on a more attractive appearance, there would be environmental benefits. These possibilities were fully taken into account before reaching our decision to seek more concrete evidence that the improved waterway would indeed attract the additional traffic necessary to give an economic return and realise such benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the maximum size and capacity of barges using the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation at the present time and the maximum size and capacity of vessels which could use this waterway if it is modernised in accordance with British Waterways Board proposals.

The section of the navigation proposed to be improved takes barges of up to 90 tons capacity. The improvement would enable barges of up to 700 tons to reach Mexborough and up to 350 tons to reach Tinsley.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations he has issued to improve the safety of vehicles since 22nd March 1972; and what further safety measures he has under consideration.

Vehicle safety regulations have been issued concerning the carriage of passengers in caravans, tyres, the use of horns, the power-to-weight ratio of lorries, petrol tanks and caravan speeds. A wide range of further measures is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to place on public view the twelfth century Purbeck marble fountain excavated from New Palace Yard.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to similar Questions from the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 28th February 1973 and my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Moate) on 20th March 1973—[Vol. 851, c. 363–5; Vol. 853, c. 55.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide sufficient funds to ensure the continuance beyond 30th June 1973 of Operation Eyesore in the greater Manchester and North-West areas of England.

I hope to announce my decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations he has received from organisations and individuals in the North West concerning the continuation of Operation Eyesore;(2) whether he will now announce his intentions with regard to the extension of Operation Eyesore in relation to industrial and urban areas.

I have received representations about the continuation of the Operation Eyesore scheme from a number of local authorities and other organisations in the North West, and also from a number of hon. Members representing constituencies in that area. I am considering all these representations in my current review of the scheme, and I hope to announce my decision very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the request by the Civic Trust for the North West that Operation Eyesore should continue after 30th June 1973, so that schemes already begun by that date can be completed and that the scheme should continue at least to April 1974, to coincide with the change-over of local government at that time.

I have noted the views of the Civic Trust for the North West and will take account of them, along with other views which have been expressed, in deciding whether to extend Operation Eyesore.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the price of the site of an average house in England and Wales, the South East and London in 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972, respectively.

The average price per plot of land for private housing in England and Wales is estimated to have been £840 in 1969, £920 in 1970, £1,050 in 1971 and £1,770 in 1972. Separate figures for regions are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his decision concerning proposals for improvements to deal with the traffic problems on the M34 between Winchester and Newbury.

Construction of the Whit-chureh-Litchfield bypass will start later this year. I intend to publish further proposals for the improvement of the A34 between Winchester and Newbury as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future of the one-inch-to-the-mile Ordnance Survey maps.

The one-inch map will be withdrawn from publication when the Ordnance Survey publishes new maps at 1:50,000 scale. It is expected that the new maps will be available early next year for the southern half of Great Britain and in 1976 for the northern half.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest position in regard to the supply of timber and bricks to the construction industry.

Supplies of timber and bricks are broadly in balance with demand; I have no evidence of any general shortages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will define the duties of the Minister with responsibility for sport.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Eldon Griffiths), takes a general interest in all matters appertaining to sport. In doing so he maintains close contact with the Chairman of the Sports Council, which has executive responsibility for promoting the provision of sporting facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what details he has received from East Suffolk, West Suffolk and Ipswich county borough regarding land available for housing in terms of paragraph 12 of Command Paper No. 5280; what density requirements have been generally applied by these authorities to estate schemes; and whether these correspond to his policy as to reasonable minimum densities referred to in paragraph 17 of Command Paper No. 5280.

Only local planning authorities in the South East and the West Midlands have been asked to send to the Department copies of information on land availability which they publish under circular 102/72. No details were accordingly required to be sent to the Department by the local planning authorities for the areas mentioned.Information for East Suffolk and part of West Suffolk has however now been published. I understand that Ipswich county borough will publish information by the end of the month; West Suffolk expects to publish information for the remainder of its area in the near future. Control over densities is primarily a matter for the local planning authorities, but I am sure they will have regard to the considerations outlined in the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number, size and scope of housing associations at present operating in East Suffolk, West Suffolk and Ipswich county borough, respectively, and of co-ownership schemes promoted by the Housing Corporation or otherwise.

Detailed information is not recorded by the Department, but the National Federation of Housing Societies and the Housing Corporation have provided the following information.In East Suffolk four associations have provided 283 dwellings for employees of particular firms and old people and a further 12 are under construction for general needs. One co-ownership scheme of 34 dwellings has been completed and another of 33 dwellings is under construction.In West Suffolk three associations have provided 65 dwellings for old people and general needs. There is one co-ownership scheme of 10 dwellings.In Ipswich 11 associations have provided 123 dwellings for old people, the blind and general needs, and a self-build group has built nine for its own use. Two co-ownership schemes totalling 85 dwellings have been completed and two more totalling 93 dwellings are under construction.The co-ownership groups were all promoted by associations borrowing part of their capital from the Housing Corporation and part from building societies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total cost to the Exchequer of subsidies granted under the mortgage option scheme in each of the past four years, with an estimate of the probable cost in the current year; and what proportion, in each instance, is attributable to Scotland.

The amounts of option mortgage subsidy in Great Britain were:

				£
1969–70	…	…	…	9,240,020
1970–71	…	…	…	13,025,966
1971–72	…	…	…	17,773,598
1972–73	…	…	…	27,973,130

The estimate for 1973–74 is £39 million. It is not possible to say how much of the subsidy is attributable to borrowers in Scotland because subsidy is paid to lenders in respect of their lending throughout Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of planning for the Beverley south-west bypass, giving expected date of start and completion.

Supplementary route investigations have been completed. Detailed preparations and statutory procedures will take about three years from now and construction a further two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware that the Government's counter-inflation measures in regard to the pegging of office rentals are being flouted on a large scale in London and elsewhere by the process of demanding key money; and what action he proposes to take to remedy the situation.

No. The Counter-Inflation (Business Rents) Order 1972, which provides for a standstill on the rents of business tenancies, requires any premium paid to a landlord to be taken into account in calculating the rent payable. Where a court finds a landlord guilty of accepting rent in excess of the permitted amount it can impose a substantial fine and order restitution to be made. If my hon. Friend knows of cases of this kind I shall be glad to have particulars of them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will recommend that, on all road signs which indicate the direction towards a motorway, the signpost shall also give the distance, in miles, to that motorway.

No. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of crash barriers on the central reservations have now been erected on the Ml motorway; what is the additional mileage to be built by the end of 1973; and what is the date when it is expected that the full length of this motorway will have crash barriers.

Approximately 70 miles. A further 75 miles is anticipated by a year from now, so completing the London-Sheffield length.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many fatal accidents there were per mile of motorway in Cheshire in each of the last five years.

The figure for 1972 is not immediately available. Following are the figures for 1968–71:

				Fatal accidents per mile of motorway in Cheshire
1968	…	…	…	0·20
1969	…	…	…	0·53
1970	…	…	…	0·29
1971	…	…	…	0·34

The wide variability in this accident rate is due to the relatively small numbers involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his proposals for the M54 motorway link between the M6 and Telford.

My right hon. Friend appreciates the urgency and hopes to announce his decision within the next three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will appoint a job finder for Scotland.

The Scottish Industrial Development Office, established last year by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Scottish Council and the regional development authorities, which now cover virtually the whole of Scotland, are all engaged on the attraction of industrial investment. I am not aware of any need to add to this number.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to reply to the Report of the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs made to the House in the last Session of Parliament; and whether he will make the reply by means of a Command Paper.

The Government intend to reply as soon as practicable to the many recommendations in this important report. The form of the reply has not yet been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his consultations and examination regarding the work of the Glasgow Rent Assessment Committee; and if he will make a statement.

Consideration is continuing, but consultations are not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions exist at present for public access to listed buildings; and whether he will consider extending the provision.

Most listed buildings are in private ownership and many are modest private dwellings to which it would be neither appropriate nor practicable to provide public access.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many category C listed buildings are currently undergoing re-evaluation;(2) if he will undertake a complete revaluation of all category C listed buildings.

The review of the lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest is a continuing process, carried out with the resources which can be provided. It is impossible to say at any time how many buildings of each category are being reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied with the protection afforded to category C listed buildings under existing legislation.

Category C buildings are not automatically protected by statute, because they are of local rather than national interest. A local planning authority however may protect such a building by serving a preservation notice which confers listed building status for up to six months, during which time the authority may ask me to include the building in the statutory list. And in a conservation area the authority may require its consent to be obtained before a category C building is demolished. I have no evidence that these provisions are not being effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inspectors his Department employs on a full-time basis on the re-evaluation of listed buildings.

There are three full-time historic buildings investigators, but none of them is engaged solely on the revision of lists.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the criteria used by the inspectors of his Department in grading listed buildings.

The booklet "Scotland's Historic Buildings: a guide to the legislation which protects them" sets out the broad criteria. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will establish an appeal procedure against a decision not to list a building.

No, but I am prepared to consider representations about a particular building, with the advice of the Historic Buildings Council where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what machinery exists for members of the public to suggest additions to the supplementary list of listed buildings.

Anybody may at any time suggest to my Department an addition to the statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants from his Department have applied for permission to take up employment in firms with which the Government have a relationship or where the prospective employers 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 withheld.

Permission to take up employment in industry has been sought by two serving officers and one retired officer in the last 10 years. On no occasion has this been withheld.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to counteract the loss of jobs as a result of the decision to phase out the regional employment premium within the next 18 months.

As has frequently been stated, the regional employment premium will be maintained at its present level until September 1974, the period for which it was originally introduced, and phased out thereafter. The rate and method of phasing out will be announced in due course in the light of circumstances at the time and after consultation with both sides of industry. Among the circumstances to be taken into account will be the prospective employment situation in the areas concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies the Scottish Office has undertaken of the implications for the Scottish oil and coal industries of the present proposals from the EEC Commission for a common energy policy.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply on this subject which he has received today from my hon. Friend the Minister for Industry, with whom I am closely in touch. I do not think that any special studies by my Department are called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dairy herds there are in Scotland; and how many of these are of more than 15 head.

At 4th June last year there were 8,192 holdings in Scotland with dairy cows. It is estimated that 4,850 holdings had more than 15 dairy cows each.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals the EEC Commission has put to the Council of Ministers for conversion of dairy-cow herds to beef production; what effect this would have on the Scottish farming community; and if he will make a statement about his policy on this matter.

The proposals provide for payments to dairy farmers who undertake to convert their herds from milk to beef production. They are aimed at the small-scale dairy producer, and for that reason I would not expect them to have much impact in Scotland where the bulk of the dairy herd is in efficient medium or large-scale units. The hon. Member should await the outcome of the current Council of Ministers' negotiations which include these conversion premia for milk herds.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of Government consultations on proposals to abolish feu duty.

Consultations are proceeding on all the proposals contained in the Green Paper on Land

					Number of pupils	Number of registered teachers*	Pupil teacher ratio
Primary
January 1971	…	…	…	…	627,700	22,497	27·9:1
January 1972	…	…	…	…	634,300	23,781	26·7:1
September 1972†	…	…	…	…	634,600	24,980	25·4:1
Secondary
January 1971	…	…	…	…	314,300	19,470	16·1:1
January 1972	…	…	…	…	324,400	20,748	15·6:1
September 1972†	…	…	…	…	340,800	22,463	15·2:1
* Including visiting teachers and full-time equivalent of part-time teachers.
† Figures for January 1973 not yet available.

asked the Prime Minister what was the total cost of the security and escort operations connected with the voyage of the "QE2" to Israel; how much of this cost is to be borne by British taxpayers and ratepayers; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.I am not aware of the total costs of the security and escort arrangements connected with this voyage, which are matters for Cunard.The costs incurred by my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence are dealt with in the replies given to other hon. Members' similar Questions today.Some additional expense was incurred by the police in the discharge of their normal responsibilities for the protection of individuals and property.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures showing the staffing situation in education authority primary and secondary schools in Scotland in the past three sessions.

The figures are as follows:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will ascertain from the Greater London Council and the Kent River Authority what progress has been made on the design of the flood barrier across Dartford Creek; what decisions have been taken about the type of barrier; and what the latest estimates are of starting and completion dates and cost.

An investigation into alternative designs of flood barrier for Dartford Creek has been completed by the engineering consultants to the Kent River Authority.There are three feasible possibilities: drop gates, a rising segmental gate, and rotating sector gates. The estimated cost, at mid-1972 prices, varies from about £2 million to £2¾ million according to type. Of the three types the Kent River Authority prefers the drop gate type and has invited observations from those authorities and other bodies with an interest. The contract is expected to be let in the second half of 1974, and the work completed before the Thames barrier becomes operational in 1978–79.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will ascertain from the Kent River Authority what progress has been made on the improvement of flood defences in the Darent Valley.

Flood alleviation schemes for Westerham and Chipstead have been approved for grant within the past year. The first is in progress. The second is scheduled to start later this year. Approval has also been given to preliminary investigations at Dartford and we are now considering outline proposals for the flood alleviation scheme there.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on the construction of the flood defences downstream of the Thames flood barrier and arising from it; what the latest estimates are of completion dates and of cost; and if he will make a statement.

Flood defences downstream of the Thames barrier are the responsibility of the Greater London Council and, further downstream, the Essex and Kent river authorities. The tentative estimate of cost, at mid-1972 prices, is of the order of £110 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on the Thames flood barrier and what the latest estimates are of starting and completion dates and of cost; and if he will make a statement.

The barrier site is already being cleared to allow the erection of control buildings and the provision of accommodation for contractors. Contracts for diversion dredging, main civil works, gates and machinery will be placed in sequence. The barrier is expected to be operational in time for the 1978–79 flood warning season.The latest estimate of cost is of the order of £55 million. This figure, based on mid-1972 prices, can however only be tentative at this stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total cost to Great Britain of the recent sale of 200,000 tons of Community butter to Russia.

The precise total has still to be determined. Our share will be limited to a ceiling of 8¾ per cent. for 1973.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the British representatives on the Management Committee who abstained from vot- ing on the issue of selling butter to the Russians were acting under direct Government instructions.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how each of the national delegates voted on the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products which advised the Common Market Commission on the dumped sales of butter to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The Commission does not disclose how each delegation votes. I have already made clear that the United Kingdom abstained.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the EEC Commission's proposal for an 8 per cent. increase in prices for beef in 1974–75, and on action proposed by the British Government in relation to this proposed increase.

Proposals for an increase in the guide price for the year 1973–74 are still under discussion. I will make a statement when decisions have been reached.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the prospects for free trade in ware potatoes within the European Economic Community; and what undertakings have been sought and given that the British main crop will continue to receive the existing plant health protection against Colorado beetle and bacterial ring-rot diseases prevalent on the Continent.

There is at present no common policy for potatoes. The Treaty of Accession provides, so long as this continues to be the case, that measures already forming part of a national market organisation at the date of accession may continue to operate. These measures normally include, in the case of the United Kingdom, a ban on imports of maincrop potatoes.Discussions within the Community on adapting a draft directive on the harmonisation of plant health frontier controls to meet the needs of the new member States are under way. In the meantime, our national plant health import controls will continue.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will appoint an investigating committee to consider the increase in the cost of instant coffee.

No. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the increased prices now being charged for instant coffee are within the terms of the prices standstill and reflect the sharp increase last summer in world coffee prices.

asked the Minister of State for Defence who authorised the use of Service personnel to travel on the "QE 2" on its voyage to Israel; what were the total numbers involved; what efforts were made by his Department to persuade the Cunard Company to cancel the voyage; and if he will make a statement.

Ministry of Defence security personnel have been authorised to travel on the "QE 2" by my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. For security reasons I cannot give details of the arrangements. The Ministry of Defence has not sought to persuade Cunard to cancel the voyage.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is cost to public funds of protecting the "QE2" while in Southampton and on its journey to Israel and back.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the cost of security precautions undertaken by the Department in connection with the cruise to Israel of the "QE2"; and who is paying for them.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the financial arrangements between his Department and Cunard for maritime protection for the "QE2" on her current voyage to and from Israel; and what will be the total cost to public funds.

Among the security precautions at Southampton and during the cruise of the "QE2" to and from Israel this month and next are some being taken by the Ministry of Defence, the cost of which will be recovered from Cunard. It would be contrary to the interests of security to give details since these might indicate the nature of the measures being taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement about the possible cancellation of the Easter exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens, following upon the prohibition of certain projects planned to take place there.

I understand that the Arts Council has decided not to proceed with an exhibition in the Royal Park outside the Serpentine Gallery though it had permission to do so provided it was confined to the East Lawn. The inside of the gallery is used mainly for exhibitions of works by contemporary artists, and is occupied without charge by the Arts Council of Great Britain under an agreement with the Department of the Environment which includes provisions intended to preserve the amenities of the Royal parks around the gallery. These are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my noble Friend concurs with the views he has reached in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the United Kingdom will deposit its formal ratification of the International Convention on Trade in Endangered Species which was signed on 3rd March.

The question of formal ratification will be considered after the Government have closely examined all the implications of implementing the convention. The text is meanwhile being printed as a Command Paper in preparation for its being laid before the House for the customary 21 sitting days. A copy has already been placed in the Library of the House for the information of Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information, from which teacher organisations, she has received concerning the rate of teacher turnover in London boroughs; and if she will publish the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

My right hon. Friend has been glad to see results of a study made by the Assistant Masters Association. I understand that the association would be willing to make copies available to inquirers. The National Union of Teachers and other teachers' associations have also provided certain figures but not on any systematic basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, with a view to harmonisation of methods, she will institute a review of the public financing of orchestras in EEC countries.

The financing of orchestras in Great Britain is kept under review by the Arts Council, which is also aware of arrangements abroad. My noble Friend doubts whether the harmonisation of methods is desirable if the circumstances are different.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants from his Department have applied for permission to take up employment in firms with which the Government have a relationship or where the prospective employers 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 withheld.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of employees employed in Government research are situated in Scotland.

No information is held centrally on numbers employed in research either by or on behalf of the Government. I am unable to say, therefore, how many of such people are situated in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what examination he has made of the working of the Industrial Relations Act as it affects relations between non-registered unions and employers; and if he will make a statement.

The working of the Act as a whole is kept under general review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many miners made redundant in South Ayrshire in the past two years have been retrained at the Irvine Centre; and of these how many have been found employment at their new skill.

Eight undertook training, of whom three successfully completed their courses and were placed in their training trades. Five did not complete their courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the job losses affecting males and females, respectively, in each employment exchange area in Ayrshire.

Information about job losses is not available but estimates of net changes in the numbers employed can be obtained by comparing employment estimates for the beginning and end of a period. Between June 1970 and June 1971, the latest date for which information is available, the number of males employed in all employment exchange areas in Ayrshire decreased by about 3,000. There was no significant change in the number of females employed. The estimates are subject to sampling and other errors and little significance can be attached to small variations in the figures for individual employment exchange areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table

UNIFIED VACANCIES FOR MALES PER HUNDRED MALES UNEMPLOYED
	Food, drink and tobacco	Metal manufacture	Metal Mechanical engineering	Electrical engineering	Vehicles	Chemicals and allied industries	Construction
March 1973
South East	56·1	99·1	176·0	155·5	101·3	77·2	65·8
East Anglia	27·8	44·2	154·4	90·2	65·1	82·0	67·2
South West	34·3	52·4	91·8	77·7	31·2	30·6	60·7
West Midlands	20·9	43·4	60·0	32·6	19·7	29·3	28·2
East Midlands	33·7	46·4	70·0	85·8	43·2	30·2	31·9
Yorkshire and Humberside	19·1	16·2	37·4	35·6	42·7	30·8	19·8
North West	8·3	14·5	27·7	17·3	25·2	13·6	10·9
North	12·0	7·9	19·8	15·9	32·7	15·1	16·0
Wales	14·4	12·4	28·9	22·2	16·5	16·1	12·0
Scotland	6·7	10·0	26·4	20·8	13·3	8·9	12·3
Northern Ireland	10·1	6·7	17·8	13·8	8·2	10·6	5·0
March 1972
South East	16·8	23·0	29·1	30·8	21 ·6	18·8	20·4
East Anglia	8·3	10·1	17·8	14·6	15·9	11·2	14·9
South West	8·2	3·5	17·8	16·0	13·3	9·0	15·3
West Midlands	6·2	5·2	8·8	8·7	4·3	8·3	6·9
East Midlands	6·3	5·4	15·0	14·9	10·7	9·6	10·8
Yorkshire and Humberside	5·6	2·9	8·6	12·2	9·4	10·3	6·0
North West	3·1	3·4	5·6	4·4	5·1	6·6	3·8
North	5·7	2·9	4·5	12·5	4·3	1·8	4·8
Wales	6·6	2·2	8·1	7·4	6·3	8·6	4·6
Scotland	1·9	2·2	2·4	5·8	1·4	1·9	2·0
Northern Ireland	3·5	7·8	3·5	5·3	3·2	1·2	2·8

The statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions took place for negligence causing an industrial accident in the areas covered by the Macclesfield Borough Council, Congleton Borough Council, Bollington Urban District Council and the Macclesfield Rural District Council in each of the last five years.

In these areas, during the period 1968–1972, three firms were prosecuted for contraventions of the Factories Act 1961, or regulations made under the Act, in association with accidents. Two prosecutions were in the area of the borough of Macclesfield, one

Following is the information:in 1969 and one in 1971; the other, in 1971, was in the area of Macclesfield rural district.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers unemployed in each of the employment areas in the Macclesfield parliamentary constituency in March 1973; what were the figures in March 1972; what percentages of the working population they represent; and how the percentage figures compare with the national percentage figures.

Following is the information:

	Number		Percentage rate
Employment	unemployed		of unemployment
exchange	March	March	March	March
area	1972	1973	1972	1973
Macclesfield	866	588	3·6	2·4
Congleton	245	175	3·1	2·2

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factories located in the borough of Macclesfield and the borough of Congleton, respectively, were inspected under the Factories Acts in each of the last three years.

The number of factories in the boroughs of Macclesfield and Congleton which received a general inspection under the Factories Act 1961 in the period 1970–1972 is as follows:

			1970	1971	1972
Macclesfield	…	…	61	59	50
Congleton	…	…	26	40	25

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits have been issued to Japanese subjects in each of the last five years; how many of these were for employment in catering; and whether he will analyse the total by types of employment.

The total number of permits issued was:

1968	…	…	…	…	489
1969	…	…	…	…	590
1970	…	…	…	…	698
1971	…	…	…	…	939
1972	…	…	…	…	1,080

The total is analysed as follows:

Industry and Commerce	…	…	1,900
Hotel and Catering	…	…	754
Entertainment	…	…	397
Resident Domestic Work	…	…	266
NursingM	…	…	25
Student Employees	…	…	454

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the annual numbers of people coming to the United Kingdom for work as domestic servants in the past five years.

The total number of permits issued was:

1968	…	…	…	…	10,003
1969	…	…	…	…	10,149
1970	…	…	…	…	9,723
1971	…	…	…	…	8,035
1972	…	…	…	…	7,979

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will in due course publish his comments to be sent to the United Nations Secretary-General on the recent United Nations report dealing with napalm.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rules govern the operation of the EEC Council of Ministers.

An unofficial English translation of the provisional rules of procedure of the Council of the European Economic Community has been placed in the Library of the House.These provisional rules were drafted prior to the Merger Treaty of 8th April 1965 creating a single Council of the European Communities. No separate rules have been adopted by the present, merged, council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the size of the staff engaged in trade and associated matters in the British Embassy in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sixteen, including five United Kingdom-based officers. There are also three United Kingdom-based and eight locally-engaged commercial staff in the British Consulate-General in Sao Paulo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many tea estates in Uganda remain in the control of British individuals and firms; how many have been acquired by the State; and in how many cases compensation has been paid.

Our information is that no tea estates in Uganda remain in British control. About 22 British estates were acquired by the State. No compensation has yet been paid. The Ugandan Government have undertaken to pay compensation when valuations have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Kenya Government for the release of funds belonging to British settlers who have left Kenya.

No formal representations have been made. We cannot challenge the exchange control regulations of an independent country, but the High Commission has supported appeals made by banks for the release of funds on compassionate grounds.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the average cost of issuing a £5 passport and a £10 passport, respectively.

The average cost of producing and issuing each £5 and £10 passport is estimated to be £2·41 and £2·75 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants from his Department have applied for permission to take up employment in firms with which the Government have a relationship or where the prospective employers 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 withheld.

Three; none.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet able to announce changes in the procedure for selection of probation officers for main grade B in the light of the representations of probation officers.

The arrangements for the "A" and "B" salary scales generally are to be examined afresh by the Joint Negotiating Committee for the Probation Service in the light of the long-term interests of the service. Meanwhile, the committee has recently advised probation and after-care committees that for the present the selection procedures should continue to be as promulgated by the committee last October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the construction of a maximum security institution to cater for serious offenders under the age of 17 years; and whether he will make a statement.

Offenders under the age of 17 who become the responsibility of the Prison Department are already detained in establishments with appropriate degrees of security. The provision of accommodation for offenders in this age group committed to the care of local authorities is the responsibility of those authorities under the guidance of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Social Services and for Wales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of investigations into back duty which have been deferred through pressure of work for each year since 1964.

No records are kept identifying cases deferred during a year because of pressure of work. The numbers of cases listed for inquiry, but not started, at the end of each year since 1964 have been:

At 31st December		Major cases	Minor cases	Total
1964	…	5,583	3,403	8,986
1965	…	6,897	5,588	12,485
1966	…	16,291	15,556	31,847
1967	…	26,397	38,232	64,629
1968	…	31,808	44,896	76,704
1969	…	31,163	48,060	79,223
1970	…	30,656	54,160	84,816
1971	…	24,473	47,580	72,053
1972	…	24,014	25,947	49,961

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenues are obtained from the excise duties on matches and mechanical lighters.

Customs and Excise duties on matches and mechanical lighters yielded £10·95 million in 1972–73, of which about £6 million represents excise on United Kingdom manufactures.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many ballot papers were printed for the border poll election in Northern Ireland; how many of these were actually issued to the various presiding officers; and how many unused papers were returned.

Approximately 2 million ballot papers were printed by returning officers for the border poll. More than half were allocated to polling stations, and the remainder kept as a reserve in case of emergency. No record was kept of the number of unused ballot papers. In accordance with the parliamentary election rules as applied to the border poll papers which were issued to polling stations but not used were sealed in packages at the close of the poll and are now deposited with the Clerk of the Crown.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will introduce legislation to prevent active members of the Provisional IRA from standing on any ticket in the local elections on 20th May.

No. Members of proscribed organisations remain subject to the criminal law whether or not they are candidates at elections.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, in conjunction with the building societies, he will propose a voluntary code to deal with problems arising under the house purchase scheme so as fairly to apportion, between the owner and the building society, the moneys received in relation to each house where the valuation is substantially less than the original purchase price; and whether he will consider legislation to deal with this problem.

This matter is at present being discussed with the Building Societies Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will include within the house purchase scheme householders who have moved their families to other premises but where one member of the household sleeps in the premises from time to time to protect the house from vandals.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, assisted by the Advisory Committee, and consulting where necessary the Ministry of Development, is responsible for determining whether individual applicants meet the criteria of the scheme. People in the situation described by my hon. Friend should apply in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of attacks on Protestant church property in Northern Ireland there have been since and including 1969.

The information is not available in that precise form, but between September 1968 and 15th April 1973, 68 protestant churches have been damaged, including five destroyed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to provide that in future the cost of medical examination of a person applying to adopt a child is borne by the National Health Service or the relevant local authority, and not by the applicant.

This was one of a number of matters considered by the Departmental Committee on the Adoption of Children, whose report the Government are studying carefully.