asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made on recruiting home helps.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. McCrindle) on 6th March.—[Vol. 852. c. 69–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in spreading standards of treatment in the fields of rheumatism, arthritis and other similar diseases.

I am in the process of designating a number of centres to demonstrate both locally and nationally what can be done in favourable circumstances to treat and rehabilitate particular groups of patients, including those suffering from rheumatism and arthritis. The first two of these demonstration centres are the Derby Royal Infirmary and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in areas of high unemployment where it is virtually impossible for disabled persons to find jobs which would enable them to qualify for invalid cars, he will dispense with the employment condition laid down and provide invalid transport for such persons.

No. Vehicles are supplied to the less seriously disabled solely in order that they may get to their jobs

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider the age limitation on cervical cancer screening in the light of new evidence on the importance of making screening services available to younger women.

There is no age limit. Our policy is to make cervical cytology screen- ing available to all women, with special priority for those at greatest risk. On the advice of the Committee on Gynaecological Cytology, we have recently extended the priority group for routine screening to include women under the age of 35 who have had three or more pregnancies. The committee has the situation under regular review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the inadequacy of the new three-wheel invalid carriage, the P70.

Model 70 has been well received and even its severest critics have recognised that it has improved features that represent a significant advance over its predecessors. As one would expect of a new design, there have been some mechanical teething troubles which have been largely overcome by design modifications. Our engineers are considering with the manufacturers what further improvements should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now in a position to make a statement following the Foster Report on Scientology.

No, I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount of supplementary benefit paid out in 1972 to families of men in prison.

It is estimated that payments amounted to approximately £3½ million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the aggregate cost to the supplementary Benefits Commission of supplementary benefit paid to those involved in industrial disputes and their dependants, including any sums paid out after resumption of work and not subsequently recovered, since the initiation of his department's inquiry into the payment of benefit in industrial disputes.

Approximately £3 million by 24th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further consideration has been given to the possibility of increasing the death grant payment.

The level of the death grant was considered when this year's review of National Insurance benefits was carried out but it was decided as a matter of priorities to improve retirement pensions and other weekly benefits as much as possible rather than to increase the death grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in order to assess the availability of dental treatment in this country, whether he will take steps to find out what is the proportion of dentists to population in the USA and Western European countries which compares with the figure of 3,600 people per dentist in England and Wales.

Although the United States of America and some Western European countries have a higher ratio of dentists to population than the United Kingdom, such ratios are not, in my view, a reliable guide to the volume or range of dental services provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that a weekly benefit equal in amount to the unemployment benefit be paid, as of right, to single persons who have been obliged to give up employment to care for infirm and dependent relatives.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. Lena Jeger) and my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Woodhouse) on 30th March.—[Vol. 853, c. 422–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will appoint a disablement commissioner to ensure that progress is made with the implementation of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

No. Substantial progress is being made in implementing the Act and I do not consider that an appointment of the kind suggested would facilitate that progress.

asked the Secretary of Social Services if he can yet give the date in the summer when he expects to receive the Lane Committee report on abortion.

No. The committee is still deliberating.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that British citizens who have been in the service of the Crown for 20 years or more and whose ancestors have also served the Crown are not deprived of the over-eighties pension because they live in Ireland.

An over-eighties pension is payable in the Republic of Ireland at the rate current in this country and since 1st April the European Economic Community Social Security Regulations allow residence in the Republic to count towards satisfying the condition relating to past residence in the United Kingdom. I do not think it would be right to relax the requirement that, to qualify for an over eighties pension, a person must ordinarily reside in Great Britain at the time he claims.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce amending legislation to deal with the increasing problems of illegal and unsatisfactory child minding.

No. The relevant legislation was very substantially strengthened in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he expects to make an early announcement on his Department's study of a national disability payment for registered disabled persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now in a position to make a statement concerning the establishment of a disability income in general, and a disabled housewife's pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group; and what reply he has sent.

I would refer the hon. Members to my reply earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain) and The Wrekin (Dr. Trafford).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make representations to the EEC for the Social Security Regulations to be amended so as to provide that self-employed persons and their families, moving between member States of the Community, shall be entitled to medical treatment during a temporary stay in another EEC country on the same terms as insured nationals of the country concerned.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 4th May—[Vol. 855, c. 367.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take on the recommendations contained in the Briggs Report; and if he will make a statement.

Consultations on the report's recommendations, which my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, and Wales and I initiated are still proceeding. Decisions will be reached as soon as possible after consultations are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost of providing disposable syringes and needles to diabetics under the National Health Service.

An estimated £2 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will instruct his officials in future to take the relevant information from applicants for pensions without sending personal documents away with the resultant danger of loss.

It is usually convenient, both for the claimant and the Department, for a pension claim to be dealt with by post, but a claimant who does not wish to post personal documents may present them for inspection at any local office. If a birth or marriage certificate is lost in the Department it is normally replaced. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will let me have particulars, I should be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many times, since the inception of the national assistance scheme in 1948, the "disregards" have been reviewed, or increased; what plans he has for a further review; and if he will make a statement.

Twice, in 1959 and 1966. As regards a further review I would refer the hon. Member to my remarks during the Second Reading debate on the National Insurance and Supplementary Benefit Bill.—[Vol 855, c. 858.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the recent cases of suspected smallpox, if he will strengthen health controls on people coming into Great Britain from areas affected by the disease.

All travellers arriving from areas where smallpox is endemic or where the disease is temporarily present must produce valid international certificates of vaccination or be placed under surveillance or in isolation. The requirements are in accordance with the international health regulations of the World Health Organisation and with arrangements for the co-ordination of measures to control the disease which have been agreed with a number of European countries under the Council of Europe (Partial Agreement). The working of the control measures is kept under close consideration, but I am not aware of any evidence that the present arrangements are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will provide that every parent who wishes to have his child vaccinated against smallpox may do so on request.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him of 13th November 1972, and to my letter of 13th December, to which I have nothing to add.— [Vol. 846, c. 49–50.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of retired people in the United Kingdom in receipt of a heating allowance of 30p, 60p, or 90p, per week.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 26th February. I regret that more up-to-date information is not yet available.—[Vol. 851, c. 303–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the amount of public money so far spent on publicity in national newspapers of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 21st December last.—[Vol. 848, c. 451–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now remove the bar against payment of war widows' pensions to those widows where marriage took place after the termination of the husband's First World War service and whose husbands subsequently died before 3rd September 1939.

I am glad to be able to tell my hon. Friend that it has been decided to amend the Royal Warrant and the corresponding Service Instruments to remove this anomaly. War widows' pensions will become payable to such widows, with effect from 1st October this year, on the same basis as to those whose husbands died on or after 3rd September 1939. We shall be getting in touch with the ex-service organisations to enlist their help in seeking out possible claimants.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons were unemployed, and what was the percentage, in Sunderland at the latest available date.

On 10th April 1973, 749 registered disabled people, or 23·9 per cent, of the total register, were unemployed in Sunderland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated percentage increase in labour costs for shipowners implicit in the proposed pay increase of 8·8 per cent, and proposed adjustment in overtime rates and holiday entitlement which have recently been negotiated by the National Union of Seamen.

I understand that the offer, which would add 8· per cent, to average earnings, affects over 300 companies. Each has differing overall labour costs, and no meaningful estimate for the industry can be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the future increase in demand for building labour in London; and what trades will be involved.

It is not possible to give a precise estimate but there is every reason to suppose that demand will remain high for some time ahead in most of the main construction trades.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what suggestions for amending the Industrial Relations Act he has received from individual trade unions.

The National Association of Local Government Officers has made suggestions concerning the rights of unregistered unions, the guiding principles for organisations of workers and the right of access to the Industrial Court. The National Union of Bank Employees has made suggestions concerning the criteria for the registration of unions and a number of technical matters designed to improve the operation of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will use his powers under the Equal Pay Act to fix women's rates of pay before the end of 1973 at some high interim level towards full correspondence with the relevant men's rates, at least in cases like those of British Rail female crossing keepers, some of whom receive £12·15 for a 132-hour week.

The Government announced their decision not to introduce an order under Section 9(2) of the Equal Pay Act in the January White Paper on Counter-Inflation Policy (Cmnd. 5205). I understand that negotiations are in progress between British Rail and the unions about reducing differentials between men and women performing crossing keeper duties by one-third in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has yet reached a decision on the future of the Electricity Supply Industry Training Board.

As required by the Industrial Training Act 1964, my right hon. Friend has consulted the board and the relevant organisations regarding his proposals to wind up the Electricity Supply Industry Training Board with a view to its training functions being transferred to a body within the framework of the industry's joint consultative machinery. Broad support in principle has been given to this proposal. My right hon. Friend has therefore decided to initiate action to wind up the board. He intends, however, not to make the necessary revocation order until current discussions about the detailed arrangements for establishing the new industry body have been completed so that arrangements can be made for the satisfactory transfer of the board's training functions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the progress made in the provision of sheltered housing for the elderly since 1970.

Separate figures of sheltered housing are not available. But since 1970 almost one-third of all new house building by local authorities, new town corporations and housing associations consisted of one-bedroom accommodation, most of which is likely to have been intended for occupation by old people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what limit there is as to the price a borough council can pay to purchase an empty property within its borough; and if he will make a statement as to the financial help his Department can give to such a purchase.

Loan approval is normally available to a local authority for the purchase of existing buildings, provided the price does not exceed the amount certified by the district valuer.Subject to that proviso, the annual loan charges on the capital cost of existing dwellings purchased under Part V of the Housing Act 1957 for addition to an authority's housing stock are reckonable expenditure for rising costs subsidy under the Housing Finance Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the London Boroughs' Association and the Greater London Council regarding the nature of single people who are homeless; and if he will make a statement on his plans for the building of hostels.

Our discussions have not isolated the specific question of the number of single people homeless in London: no reliable estimate would be possible.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Social Services and I have invited the London Boroughs' Association and the GLC to discuss with us, the proposal for single homeless people in the Working Party Report on London Homelessness, as soon as they have considered them.The Government's recent White Paper announced new proposals for a grant for accommodation for single people. Details will shortly be worked out in consultation with local authorities and voluntary bodies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether radioactive or toxic waste is transported from other areas and dumped in Warwickshire, including Coventry; and what are the quantities involved in annual terms.

No authorisations have been issued by my Department under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 for the disposal of radioactive waste arising in other areas for burial in Warwickshire, including Coventry. Other types of waste arising outside the area are known to be disposed of to land in Warwickshire through the operation of the notification procedure under the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act which came into operation on 3rd August 1972. Section 5(4) of the Act places a duty on local authorities to keep records relating to the description and quantities of notifiable wastes which are deposited from time to time in their area and the places where such waste is deposited. Such records are not maintained centrally. Movement across county boundaries is part of a national pattern which reflects commercial arrangements, the uneven distribution of sites suitable for industrial wastes and a greater readiness of some local authorities to accept such waste. The intention in due course to introduce legislation to provide for greater co-ordination of and control over waste disposal facilities has already been announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations he has had from interested parties regarding the signposting of routes between Bolton and Manchester Airport, and in particular of that part of the route between the airport and the Manchester Southern Cemetery; and what replies he has sent;(2) if he will arrange for an investigation into signposting of the route from Manchester Airport to Bolton, particularly in the vicinity of the airport; and in particular if he will improve the standard of the first sign appearing on the route at Manchester Southern Cemetery.

None. This is, however, being investigated by the responsible local authorities through the SELNEC Highway Engineering Committee on which my Department is represented.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in respect of the committees and working parties detailed in his answer of 30th April (OFFICIAL REPORT, column 240), he will indicate the number of men and women, respectively, on each body.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those trunk and principal road schemes, giving the estimated cost of each, which were added to the forward programme

The following schemes have been added to the firm roads programme in England during the six months ended 31st March 1973:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconsider his refusal to grant permission to Penryn Borough Council to raise funds for the provision of roads and services to the town's new industrial estate to assist in the provision of jobs in an area of high local unemployment; and if he will instruct his regional officers to re-examine the application.

An annual borrowing allocation is made to Cornwall for its local schemes including the provision of industrial estates. For the current year the allocation is £2,386,000 and it is for the county council and the district councils jointly to determine how this should be utilised. I understand that arrangements have now been made for cost of these roads and services to be met from resources available locally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents have occurred in the High Street of Clap-ham, Bedfordshire (A6) in the past 12 months; and what steps the Ministry are taking to avoid them.

Seven accidents involving personal injury in 1972. Consideration is being given to the siting of a pelican crossing in the High Street.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the new regulations relating to the speed of caravans being towed can be adequately enforced.

Yes, the problem of enforcement has not been materially influenced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of apprenticed bricklayers at the latest available date compared with the number in 1966.

The number of apprenticed bricklayers registered with the National Joint Council for the Building Industry, in Great Britain, was 4,120 in December 1972 compared with 8,245 in December 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of apprenticed carpenters at the latest available date compared with the number in 1966.

The number of apprenticed carpenters and joiners registered with the National Joint Council for the Building Industry, in Great Britain, was 13,364 in December 1972 compared with 22,658 in December 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the result of the public inquiry of July 1972 into the route of the South Western Urban Motorway through South Leeds and its effect on the Mathew Murray School, Holbeck, will be published.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to announce his decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what improvement or discretionary grants have been made to the National Coal Board.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a "direction" by a divisional road engineer, or other officer of his Department, to a local planning authority to refuse a planning permission is advisory or mandatory; and whether a planning authority is at liberty to grant a planning application notwithstanding such a "direction".

Under Article 10 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1973, the Secretary of State may give directions restricting the grant of permission by a local planning authority, either indefinitely or during such periods as may be specified in the directions. Planning authorities are required, by the order, to deal with applications in a way which gives effect to the terms of any direction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a breakdown for his estimate that local authorities lose up to £120 million a year in rates because theiy fail to levy rates on empty property; if he will indicate how much he estimates is lost a year by each of the largest 100 rating authorities; and what proportion each of these sums is of their current rate revenue in each case.

In giving to the House on 20th March an estimate of £130 million, I made use of the figures given in the Rating and Valuation Association Press release, namely that on information then available, 59 rating authorities—out of the total of some 1,400—expected a total yield from empty property rating in 1973–74 of £5¼ million. —[Vol. 853, c. 278.] Other statistics, compiled by the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants for the year 1971–72 for 68 authorities, showed a yield of £6·8 million from empty property rating, the total rate revenue of those 68 authorities in that year being £539·9 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) in view of the continuing delay in issuing provisional driving licences at the Swansea office of his Department, what acton he now proposes;(2) whether he is aware that Andrew Michael, a constituent of the hon. Member for Basingstoke, applied for a provisional driving licence on 6th March and the licence had not been issued through the Central Licensing Department at Swansea by 22nd April, and what steps he is taking to deal with this case.

Current applications for first provisional driving licences are normally being cleared within 10 working days. Most of the earlier applications delayed following industrial action at the centre have now been dealt with. Special action is being taken to deal with the remainder as quickly as possible. Mr. Andrew Michael's licence is being posted to him this week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he overturned the agreement reached by the four existing local authorities who will compose the new Devon No. 4 District Council as to the name which they would adopt for the new second-tier authority.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England, as required by the Local Government Act 1972, made proposals to my right hon. and learned Friend for naming the districts of the non-metropolitan counties, including a name for the district denoted as Devon No. 4. My right hon. and learned Friend, having considered the proposals, gave effect to them without modifications, by order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many compulsory purchase order applications were submitted by the Liverpool City Council in the years 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 to the most recent convenient date.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for compulsory purchase orders for the city of Liverpool were confirmed in the years 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and to the most recent convenient date.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many compulsory purchase order applications by the Liverpool City Council were still outstanding up to the most recent convenient date.

There are at present 20 applications outstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value of the furnished residence, fuel and light supplied to the Prime Minister as part of the remuneration of his office.

No rental or market value can be assessed for the Prime Minister's residence, which forms part of a historic building, the majority of which is used for official purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will visit Southern Rhodesia.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is delaying the exchange of diplomatic recognition between the United Kingdom and Albania.

We have made it clear to the Albanian authorities that we should be glad to find a way round the well-known obstacles that have prevented the restoration of diplomatic relations for so long. In the Albanian view, however, the question of diplomatic relations is linked with the long-standing problem of the gold formerly belonging to the pre-war National Bank of Albania. The solution to this latter problem does not depend upon us alone.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following the nationalisation of general insurance in India, whether compensation has been paid to the British companies divested of their assets; and whether provision has been made for the repatriation of funds.

Ownership of general insurance companies in India passed to the General Insurance Corporation of India on the 2nd January 1973 by virtue of the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act 1972. This Act specified the amount of compensation payable to the owners of the companies, such compensation to be payable by 31st March 1973.The British insurers were dissatisfied with the amounts of compensation payable for the acquisition of their Indian businesses, and also with the scale of tax on these amounts proposed by the Indian authorities. Representations in support of the British insurers on both these issues have been made on various occasions to the Government of India.A final decision on the tax position has not yet been received from the Indian Central Board of Direct Taxes, though the date set for payment of compensation has passed. The British companies concerned have, in the meantime, agreed that payment be deferred until the end of June 1973 on the understanding that interest will be payable from 31st March 1973 on the amounts to be paid as compensation and that this accommodation on their part will lead to prompt repatriation of all amounts due.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that all persons employed by his Department who are entitled to hold United Kingdom passports use only those passports in connection with official business in foreign countries.

We have no evidence that officers employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who are entitled to hold United Kingdom passports use any other type of travel document when on official business in foreign countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the pits and the coal faces which do not meet the interim gravimetric standards at the latest convenient date.

I am pleased that the proportion of faces which fail to meet the interim gravimetric standard has been reduced from over 30 per cent, when the standard was first introduced on 1st April 1970 to 7·7 per cent, at 31st March 1973. The composition of the list changes from month to month due to varying geological conditions at individual mines, and I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to the hon. Member with an up-to-date list and other relevant information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the anticipated commencement date for the construction of the announced 20,000 square foot advance factory in the borough of Penryn; and if he is satisfied that this and other factories created, attracted and encouraged by his Department and the town will be adequately covered in the provision of roads and other services to the industrial estate.

A suitable site has not yet been acquired but it is intended to have the factory completed by early 1975 if possible. Discussions are at present taking place between the Departments and authorities concerned to ensure that satisfactory arrangements for services will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will introduce legislation to permit the private sector to compete with the nationalised industries on equal terms within their own sectors;

Competition already exists in those sectors of the nationalised industries within my responsibility where it is appropriate and practicable. I have no proposals for altering the position where their activities are conducted as statutory monopolies or are subject to special statutory regulation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation he has made of the use of colliery shale for aluminium production in the United Kingdom, with the prospect of potash as a by-product.

Appraisals made so far have not indicated the possibility of any economically viable processes for the extraction of aluminium from colliery shale either with or without potash as a by-product.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he now proposes to take in view of the representations made by the Fire Officers' Committee upon the findings of the Monopoly Commission's report on the supply of fire insurance.

I am still considering the views of the insurance industry, including the Fire Offices Committee, and of other interested parties on the implementation of the commission's main recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is working towards a European solution of the marketing problems of the computer industry; and to what extent he supports the negotiations at present being conducted between International Computers Ltd. and Nixdorf AG.

Marketing issues are primarily for the computer industry itself to resolve on commercial grounds. As regard International Computers Ltd., the Government's view is that cooperation with other European computer companies, on the right commercial terms, is desirable. If the company concludes that there are prospects for a worthwhile association with Nixdorf AG, the Government will do what they appropriately can to facilitate such an association.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any of the pre-lst January 1973 EEC trade agreements to which the United Kingdom must adhere contain arrangements for reverse trading preferences.

The agreements with Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Spain, Israel, Malta and Tunisia require reciprocity from the countries concerned in the trade field, though preferential treatment as such is only required in the case of the last four countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how much assistance has been provided to date to firms in Wales under the Industry Act; and how many firms were involved;(2) how much financial assistance has been given to firms and projects in the service sector in Wales under the Industry Act.

Up to 31st March 1973 payments of regional development grants in Wales amounted to £904,972. By the end of April offers of regional selective assistance amounting to £2·4 million had been made to 24 firms in Wales. A further 76 applications amounting to £21 million are under consideration. Though regional selective assistance may be provided for mobile service industry projects no application has so far been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms on Merseyside have received assistance under the Industry Act 1972 and to what value; and what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs created.

Apart from the assistance already announced for Cammell Laird Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. and Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, three companies have been offered regional selective assistance comprising loans of £886,000, and interest relief grants of £6,000. The new jobs involved are 132. Twenty-two applications involving 809 new jobs are under consideration. Further job opportunities arise from payments of regional development grants, though these are not linked to employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of imports into Great Britain from South Africa in 1960, 1965, 1970 and the most recent year for which figures are available.

Information for I960 is given in Table 270 of the 1969 issue and for 1965 and 1970 in Table 285 of the 1972 issue of the Annual Abstract of Statistics, and for 1972 in Table II of the December 1972 issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of British exports to Hong Kong in 1960, 1965, 1970 and the most recent year for which figures are available.

£41·7 million in 1960, including re-exports. Information for 1965 and 1970 is given in Table 286 of the Annual Abstract of Statistics for 1972, and for 1972 in Table V of the December 1972 issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

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

Figures of United Kingdom imports of textiles (Division 65) for 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971 are given in Table 283 of the 1972 Annual Abstract of Statistics and for 1972 in Table II of the December 1972 issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the United Kingdom's exports went to the European Free Trade Area in 1964, 1970 and 1972, respectively.

Fourteen, 16 and 16 respectively, taking the composition of EFTA prior to 31st December 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what method of valuation for stocks, and so on, his Department requires of firms taking part in its regular statistical inquiries.

To minimise the burden of form-filling, my Department accepts statistics of stocks based on firms' own methods of valuation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the number of houses owned or leased by the National Coal Board.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board and I am asking the Chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the method of reimbursing local authorities for the services rendered by weights and measures inspectors and their staff in the implementation of the Counter-Inflation Act 1973.

I am still in correspondence with local authority associations about the reimbursement of additional expenditure incurred by weights and measures authorities attributable to the Counter-Inflation Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further consideration he has given about leaving the executive function and control of weights and measures inspectors with local authorities following the Counter-Inflation Act 1973; and if he will make a statement.

Following the assumption by the Price Commission of statutory responsibility for price control on 29th April, I am considering the position of weights and measures inspectors in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received, and from what bodies, concerning the rôle of weights and measures inspectors in the implementation of the Counter-Inflation Act 1973.

Consultations were held with the local authority associations and other interested parties before the arrangements were finalised. Some 15 local authorities wrote to me independently expressing reservations about the procedure, while accepting the need to provide a comprehensive and consistent source of advice and assistance to the consumer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many universities and polytechnics have industrial liaison officers at present; and if he will list these in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

At the present time 59 universities, polytechnics and colleges of technology have industrial liaison centres attached to them, employing 65 industrial liaison officers. They are listed below, and those where two industrial liaison officers are employed are marked A:Eastern Region:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total cost borne by his Department of salaries and other expenses arising from the appointments of industrial liaison officers in universities and polytechnics.

The estimated costs paid by the Department in grants to colleges for the industrial liaison centre service and for training of industrial liaison officers in 1972–73 were £272,000. In addition, some costs were incurred by the Department in managing the service, but these are not separately recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he is withdrawing his support for industrial liaison officers in universities and polytechnics from July next.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Tilney) on 9th August 1972, in which I said that I had decided to follow the advice of the Bolton Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms (Cmnd. 4811) and terminate the Department's financial support for the industrial liaison centre service at the end of July 1973.—[Vol. 842, c. 462–63.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many liaison offices in universities and polytechnics will close and how many liaison officers will become redundant as a result of his decision to withdraw support; and if he will list these in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Not all colleges and universities involved in the industrial liaison centre service have yet decided the future of their offices and the industrial liaison officers concerned, after 31st July 1973. At present it is known that 25 centres will close and that 10 industrial liaison officers have not been offered acceptable alternative employment by the college or local authority. The colleges concerned are shown in the list below:

• North East Essex Technical College, Colchester.
• Luton College of Technology.
• Oxford Polytechnic.
• The Slough College of Technology.
• Watford College of Technology.
• Northampton College of Technology.
• Croydon Technical College.
• The City University.
• Kingston Polytechnic.
• Poole Technical College.
• Portsmouth Polytechnic.
• Southampton College of Technology.
• Waltham Forest Technical College.
• The Polytechnic of Central London.
• Bolton Institute of Technology.
• University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.
• Oldham College of Technology.
• Wigan and District Mining and Technical College.
• University of Strathclyde.
• Swansea College of Technology.
• City of Birmingham Polytechnic.
• North Staffordshire Polytechnic, Stoke-on-Trent.
• Wolverhampton Polytechnic.
• Worcester Technical College.
• Grimsby College of Technology.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage rise in the price of imported iron ore between 1965 and 1970 and between 1970 and 1973, respectively.

The average price of iron ore and concentrates rose by 15·9 per cent. between 1965 and 1970 and by 15·6 per cent. between 1970 and 1972.The rise between the first two months of 1972 and the corresponding period of 1973 was 6·2 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received a report from the Civil Aviation Authority on its recent study of air traffic forecasts and airports capacity in the London area; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement that I made earlier today.

asked the Prime Minister what proposals he has to meet the new leader of the Greater London Council.

None at present.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Australian Prime Minister.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the right hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Peart) on 1st May.