asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Greek Government in respect of the alleged death while in police custody of a British citizen in Greece in respect of whose death a police officer has now been convicted.

It is not clear to me to what the hon. Gentleman refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made for the adherence of the United Kingdom to the Treaty of Association between the EEC and Greece.

As I have already told the House a protocol to adapt the association agreement between the EEC and Greece in the light of the circumstances of enlargement of the Community is still under negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the nature and purpose of his discussions on Gibraltar with the Spanish Foreign Secretary.

Discussions are now in progress. We are covering a range of questions of mutual concern, and are meeting again later this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make the benefiting of poor people an explicit criterion for project aid in United Kingdom aid programmes.

In assessing projects to be supported with aid, I take account as far as possible of the need to create new jobs and to spread benefits to the poorer areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the progress of the preparatory talks at Helsinki for a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The fourth session of talks began on 25th April. On the basis of the work done in the long and useful third session we hope it will be possible to complete the preparatory work in time for the conference itself to take place in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the fact that the Roman Catholic Church and the majority of Protestant and Orthodox Churches have now declared in favour of a fixed Easter, whether he will raise the matter at the United Nations to get action taken to implement this.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what considerations Her Majesty's Government take into account in deciding whether or not to develop trade and other friendly relations with other countries.

Her Majesty's Government aid to develop trade with other countries to our common economic advantage. We seek to promote friendly relations generally, to the extent that other countries' policies are compatible with our basic interests and purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the minutes of the proceedings of the EEC Council cannot be made available to the British Parliament.

The proceedings of the Council are normally regarded as confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his discussions with the Spanish Foreign Secretary will include the question of the possible entry of Spain into the Common Market.

There are no proposals for Spain's entry into the EEC at present. The question of her relations with the EEC will probably be covered in the discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information held by his Department concerning the number of persons detained without trial in Rhodesia.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 2nd March gave the figure as approximately 90. It seems likely that lately this figure has increased and current estimates in the newspapers have been rather higher. I am doing my best to obtain accurate information.—[Vol. 851, c. 474.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to investigate the state of safety of mill chimneys of derelict industrial buildings in the West Riding.

No. Under the Public Health Acts, local authorities have powers to apply for court orders requiring owners of dangerous buildings or structures to render them safe by demolition or other action. Investigation, therefore, is a matter for individual authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that foxhounds do not invade the motorways.

I have discussed this question with the Chairman of the Masters of Fox Hounds Association and am satisfied that the association is conscious of the dangers and the need to keep hounds well away from motorways.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ask each local authority in England and Wales to inform him by 1st July 1973 what specific projects they, and any other organisations within their areas, have undertaken in the first six months of Plant a Tree Year.

I think that this would place an unreasonable burden on local authorities. But I shall be glad to receive reports on all Tree Planting Year activities with a view to publication of a further newsletter later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is being undertaken by his Department into thermal insulation to combat the high energy costs which are proving too expensive for many tenants in blocks of flats to maintain an acceptable thermal environment; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is preparing advice on the optimum economic levels of thermal insulation for various types of new housebuilding, in order that the total capital and running costs of house heating can be minimised. The local authority associations will be consulted on the advice before it is issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the progress made in increasing the supply of houses for sale and land for development, and on the effect in stabilising and reducing land prices.

In 1972 starts were made in the private sector on 227,000 dwellings as compared with 165,000 in 1970, and large amounts of land were released for future building. In the first nine months of the year planning permissions were granted in the South-East for nearly 60 per cent. more private dwellings than in the same period of 1970. I am confident that the measures we have already taken, together with those announced in the recent White Paper, will lead to a stabilising of land price trends.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce amending legislation to remove the effect of section 5(1) of the Housing Act 1969 upon the administration of the house improvement scheme.

In the course of my review of policy affecting older housing. I am looking closely at the whole of existing legislation on grants to see whether any changes are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the deterioration in appearance of the corner shop on the Bridge Street site whether he will take steps to see that the appearance of the shops and buildings which are becoming empty on the site are maintained, as this area is a focal point for British and foreign tourists.

I note my hon. Friend's views, but the corner shop to which he refers is not at present in Government ownership. Any action on the rest of the site must depend on the House's decision on the new parliamentary building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussion he has had with the London Borough Association and the Greater London Council regarding an increase in the allocation of municipal accommodation for newly married couples.

None on this subject. Local authorities are urged to give priority of allocation to those people most in need.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any further statement to make on the Kielder Reservoir project.

My right hon. and learned Friend can make no further statement until he has received and considered the report of the inquiry into this project, which will reopen in June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of houses started in the public sector of the United Kingdom in the first quarter of this year and the corresponding number of each of the three preceding years; and if he will take steps to stop the decline.

The figures are as follows:

1970	…	…	…	…	30,400
1971	…	…	…	…	31,500
1972	…	…	…	…	31,500
1973	…	…	…	…	27,300

Local authority house building is not restricted on capital investment grounds; and I am most anxious that any local authority which has a need to build should press ahead with its schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those organisations which have written to him concerning the proposed improvement of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation.

Since September 1971 letters have been received from the following organisations, and a number of private firms:

• Aldwick-le-Street UDC.
• Barge & Canal Development Association.
• British Steel Corporation.
• Committee for Environmental Conservation.
• Doncaster BC.
• Doncaster & District Development Council.
• Inland Waterways Association.
• Mexborough UDC.
• National Association of Inland Waterway Carriers.
• Rotherham Area Development Council.
• Rotherham & District Trades Council.
• Rotherham BC.
• Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.
• Wath upon Dearne UDC.
• Yorkshire County Federation of Women's Institutes.
• Yorkshire & Humberside Economic Planning Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the use of North Sea oil for the distillation of water from the sea, thereby conserving fresh water resources.

So long as demand can be met at much lower cost by conserving rainfall, desalination is unlikely to make a significant contribution to water resources in England and Wales. This is evident from the research and experimental work upon desalination processes, and from the studies made by the Water Resources Board of the likely demand for water up to the end of the century and how this could be met.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have sought exemptions from the housing cost yardstick in the six months ending 31st March 1973 in order to meet local market conditions affecting building costs.

Exemptions from the housing cost yardstick are not given. The allowances made, where necessary, to meet local market conditions are part of the more flexible yardstick arrangements which were introduced last November. A yardstick, including a market allowance if appropriate, is determined for each housing scheme; up to the end of March 363 local authorities accepting tenders for housing schemes had benefited from such allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority houses and how many private houses were built in the Leek urban district in 1971 and in 1972.

The figures are:

			1971	1972
Private sector	…	…	43	32
Local authority	…	…	Nil	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Clerk of Benfleet Urban District Council has not yet received an ackowledgement of his letter of 10th April 1973 on the subject of rates.

My office has spoken to my hon. Friend and I will shortly be in communication with the clerk of the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether before deciding to authorise a second oil refinery on Canvey Island he consulted the relevant fire authorities about this addition to other industrial fire risks in that locality; and with what result.

No. The developers will need to satisfy the licensing authority under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 at a later stage as to the fire safety measures. My decision does not prejudice the exercise of those powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek a meeting with the chairmen of housing committees of Inner London borough councils to discuss with them plans to protect tenants from eviction from furnished tenancies.

I will gladly consider any new proposals which the hon. Member or the chairmen of housing committees of Inner London borough councils may care to send me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to extend the present limit of security of tenure for furnished tenancies; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to ensure that people living in furnished tenancies are made fully aware of their legal rights in being able to take their case for security of tenure to a county court.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar question from the hon. Member for Kensington, North (Mr. Douglas-Mann) on 24th January 1973.—[Vol. 849, c. 157.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount of money spent by his Department in each of the last three years to give publicity on the rights of tenants living in furnished tenancies.

The rights of furnished tenants were not publicised separately during the past years. Expenditure on publicity for the rights of all tenants in each of the last three years was as follows (figures to the nearest £1,000):

		Advertising	Publications
1970–71	…	£42,000	£7,000
1971–72	…	£53,000	£12,000
1972–73	…	£683,000	£4,000

It is estimated that during 1973–74 £104,000 will be spent on publicity specifically directed to the rights of furnished tenants.

Bridge	Road					County		Estimated opening date free of restriction
(a) D.O.E. Bridges
Kirkless Viaduct	…	…	M62	…	…	West Riding	…	June/July 1973
Avonmouth	…	…	M5	…	…	Gloucester	…	September 1974
Altofts	…	…	M62	…	…	West Riding	…	July 1974
Ryton Flyover	…	…	A423	…	…	Warwick	…	July 1974
Hylton	…	…	A108	…	…	Durham	…	June 1974
Lyne Lane	…	…	Over M3	…	…	Surrey	…	June 1973
Laleham Road	…	…	B376 over M3	…	…	Surrey	…	November 1973
Windmill Road	…	…	A244 over M3	…	…	Surrey	…	February 1974
Riverton Road	…	…	Over M5	…	…	Somerset	…	May 1973
Huntsworth Viaduct	…	…	M5	…	…	Somerset	…	June 1974
Huntsworth Lodge	…	…	Over M5	…	…	Somerset	…	June 1973
Sharston, B16	…	…	A34—M63 (Slip Road)		…	Cheshire	…	January 1974
Sharston, B8	…	…	M56	…	…	Cheshire	…	January 1974
Sharston, B9	…	…	M63	…	…	Cheshire	…	August 1974
Sharston, B12	…	…	A34—M63 (Slip Road)		…	Cheshire	…	August 1974
Overbridge Westgate	…	…	A40	…	…	Gloucester	…	December 1973
Mardle Viaduct	…	…	A38	…	…	Devon	…	April 1974
River Avon	…	…	A38	…	…	Devon	…	July 1974
Merslham Interchange 14A	…	…	M23 over M25	…	…	Surrey	…	April 1974
Tees Bridge	…	…	A19	…	…	North Riding	…	May 1975

(b) Local Authority Bridges
Newhaven Swing Bridge	…	A259	…	…	…	East Sussex	…	August 1974
Ashworth Road	…	A652	…	…	…	West Riding	…	April 1974
Bidston Station	…	A554	…	…	…	Cheshire	…	March 1974
Docks Link Bridge	…	A5139	…	…	…	Cheshire	…	August 1973
Docks Link Slip Road North	…	Off M53	…	…	…	Cheshire	…	August 1973
Docks Link Slip Road South	…	Off M53	…	…	…	Cheshire	…	August 1973

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of cases heard by rent tribunals in the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

The number of cases heard in the Greater London area is as follows:

1970	…	…	…	9,492
1971	…	…	…	9,733
1972	…	…	…	12,965

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of cases, borough by

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list box girder bridges and viaducts which have been closed or not yet opened to public use, and indicate when he expects each to be open without restriction.

No steel box girder bridges or viaducts have been closed to public use.Steel box girder bridges and viaducts in the course of construction are listed below together with the estimated date of unrestricted opening.borough, in the Greater London area heard by rent tribunals in which the rent has been decreased, or increased, in each of the last three years.

The information is not available borough by borough, but for the whole of the Greater London area is as follows:

		Number of cases in which rent was
		(a) Decreased	(b) Increased
1970	…	3,036	423
1971	…	2,880	682
1972	…	3,457	774

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of cases heard by rent tribunals in the Greater London area during the last three years in which the full limit of six months' security of tenure has been given.

The information is not available in the form requested. Under Section 77 of the Rent Act 1968, six months' security was, however, available to tenants on subsequent issue of a notice to quit in the following number of cases heard:

1970	…	…	…	…	1,780
1971	…	…	…	…	1,852
1972	…	…	…	…	2,085

and, in addition, security was granted by rent tribunals under Section 78 in the following number of cases heard:

1970	…	…	…	…	3,780
1971	…	…	…	…	3,824
1972	…	…	…	…	5,874

The period granted in each case is not known, but on first applications was 3·5 months on average.In all these cases, the rent tribunal may further extend the periods of security on reapplication, and the average security granted on a second application was 2·6 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will establish a rent tribunal office in the London borough of Wandsworth, in view of the difficulties many residents find in travelling to the office which at present covers the borough, and which is at present in the London borough of Croydon.

Neither the tribunal nor the London Rent Assessment Panel has received representations on this point, but if the hon. Member cares to let me have any details I will gladly invite the tribunal to consider the possibility of holding some hearings in Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants have been made each year by the Government since 1970 towards the cost of operating rural bus services, and what estimate he has made of the effectiveness of the grants in implementing the Jacks Committee report of 1961.

As the Jack Committee recommended, the initial responsibility for determining the level of financial assistance for rural bus services rests with local authorities. Where such assistance is given the Exchequer pays half under Section 34 of the Transport Act 1968.Since 1970 total Exchequer contributions have been:

		1970–71	1971–72	1972–73
		£000	£000	£000
England	…	11·4	272·3	487· 0
Scotland	…	0·2	74·0	281·4
Wales	…	1·3	52·5	102·9
Total	…	12·9	398·8	871·3

Rural bus services also benefit from fuel duty rebate and new bus grant.The 1971 pilot studies of rural transport in Devon and West Suffolk confirmed the need for financial support under Section 34 and the Government will continue to encourage the use of these provisions by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the fact that the Green Paper on the Channel Tunnel project was published before the results of the consultants' financial studies were known, what plans he has to publish further information.

The results of the Channel Tunnel studies which are now beginning to emerge will be made available to Parliament as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the British Waterways Board since it was made responsible under Section 117 of the Transport Act 1968 for bringing substandard public road bridges in its ownership to the required strength.

Of the 518 such bridges found to be substandard, 209 have been strengthened as necessary and work on 309 has still to be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Local Government (Retirement of Chief Officers) Regulations will be laid before Parliament.

Within the next couple of months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the average period taken from the date of initial application for permission to develop a marina and the date of final approval.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of marina planning applications has been the subject of appeals at county and national level, respectively, within the last five years for which complete information is available.

Information in the form requested is not available; during the three years 1970–72, eight appeals described as relating to marinas were decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total labour force is employed in (a) public sector corporations both industrial and utility, (b) the Civil Service, and (c) local government administration.

I have been asked to reply.The percentages of the total employed labour force in the three sectors specified are as follows:

(A) Public sector corporations both industrial and utility (excluding NHS)	7·8%
(B) Civil Service industrial and non-industrial	3·0%
(C) Local Government (administrative and other employees)	10·7%

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many women were in full-time employment in the United Kingdom on 1st January in each of the past 10 years; and what proportions of female population of working ages these figures represented.

The employment statistics do not separately distinguish full-time and part-time employment. However, the 1966 Census of Population shows that in April of that year there were about 5·5 million females of working age in full-time employment in Great Britain, representing about 36 per cent. of the total population of women in these age groups. Corresponding figures from the 1971 Census of Population are not yet available. Between June 1962 and June 1972 the total number of females in employment in Great Britain increased from 8,444,000 to 8,811,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial accidents there were in the Kidsgrove urban district in each of the past five years.

The numbers of industrial accidents occurring in Kidsgrove urban district which have been notified to Her Majesty's Inspectorate during the last five years are:

1968	…	…	…	…	…	100
1969	…	…	…	…	…	76
1970	…	…	…	…	…	80
1971	…	…	…	…	…	47
1972	…	…	…	…	…	76

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the total number of male and female redundancies notified to his Department in the first quarter of 1973 in each planning region of the United Kingdom; and if he will show how this compares with the same period in each of the past five years.

Following is the information relating to Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factories were visited in Coventry under the provisions of the Factory Acts during the most recent year for which figures are available.

350 factories in the county borough of Coventry were visited during 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factories were inspected under the Factories Act in Leek urban district in each of the past five years.

The number of factories in the area of the Leek urban district which received a general inspection under the Factories Act 1961 in the period 1968–72 is as follows:

1968	…	…	…	…	…	25
1969	…	…	…	…	…	36
1970	…	…	…	…	…	52
1971	…	…	…	…	…	38
1972	…	…	…	…	…	13

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give particulars of the pay settlement achieved in phase 2 with formerly striking public employees, including civil servants.

There have been four such settlements reached in the public sector with employees who had taken industrial action. The main features are:

1. School Teachers in England and Wales have agreed to a flat rate increase of £127 for assistant teachers and increases ranging from £135 to £170 per annum for deputy and head teachers.

2. Hospital workers have agreed to increases of £2 for men and £1·80 for women from 14th March. A further step of 80p towards equal pay will also be paid.

3. Non-industrial civil servants have settled subject to the approval of the Pay Board for increases ranging from £2·15 to £4.

4. Gasworkers will receive 5p an hour increase in the standard hourly rates of adult workers. The increase in earnings resulting from this will be paid as a flat weekly supplement of £2·80.

All these settlements date from 1st April and are within the stage 2 limits and except where stated date from 1st April.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of applications to the Professional and Executive Register of his Department at Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, during each quarter of 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 to the latest convenient date; how many applicants were placed in suitable employment via the register during the same periods; and if he will make a statement.

Following is the information requested:

Quarterly Period		Number of Applications	Number of Persons Placed
1970—March	…	944	268
June	…	1,058	261
September	…	1,209	273
December	…	1,530	326
1971—March	…	1,096	240
June	…	1,404	275
September	…	1,325	234
December	…	1,342	323
1972—March	…	1,259	307
June	…	1,088	230
September	…	1,271	172
December	…	1,638	172
1973—March	…	1,201	170

The success rate in recent months is below the target set for the re-styled service which did not become fully operative until 1st March 1973.

asked the Minister of Agricuture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make arrangements for the retesting of the London flood warning sirens.

Yes. The sirens will be sounded at an undisclosed time between 10.00 hours and 16.00 hours on 23rd or 24th May. The signal will be six 30-second blasts with 15-second intervals.Advance publicity will be arranged in co-operation with the Press, radio and television.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will press for the EEC Council to take over responsibility for deciding on the disposal of surplus food stocks when a substantial cost to EEC funds is involved.

I see no advantage in seeking to alter the present arrangements on this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if EEC Management Committees can prevent the Commission disposing of surplus food stocks in a particular way.

If a management committee by a qualified majority votes against a proposal of the Commission, the matter must be referred to the Council of Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes have been made in the profit margin allowed to sugar refiners in the trading agreements recently made with our trading partners.

There are no agreements determining sugar refiners' profit margins as such. The margins available to cover the whole operation of processing sugar beet into white sugar and raw sugar into white sugar have, since 1st February, been determined by the prices fixed for the United Kingdom under Article 51(3) and Protocol 17 of the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities. So far as the period up to 30th June is concerned, there has been no substantial change in the beet processing margin. The margin for the refining of raw sugar, however, has been reduced and, as I informed the House in a statement on 28th March, I am taking action to rectify the situation as it affects port refiners in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what payments have been made by the Intervention Board for the denaturing of wheat since the board was set up.

About £900,000 during the period from February to April 1973.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of wheat was denatured in 1972; and what proportion this represented of home-produced wheat.

In 1972 approximately two million tons of wheat were incorporated into compound animal feeding stuffs, a process eligible for a denaturing premium under the common agricultural policy. Of this, 71 per cent. was home-grown. So far as is known, no home-grown wheat was denatured by adding fish-oil or dye, but 886,024 tons of of such wheat was imported, mainly from the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the final agreement of the Community Council of Agricultural Ministers for farm prices during the prospective year compares with the original proposals of the Commission, which on the basis of weighted averages suggested a 5·3 per cent. increase, subsequently increasing to 5·8 per cent. after taking account of the projected autumn charge in the price of milk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he estimates to have been the average increases in EEC agricultural prices agreed by the Agricultural Ministers.

The following table sets out the changes agreed for each commodity in comparison with the Commission's original proposals and gives the new levels of the common prices for 1973–74. These figures are based on the Council's announcement and are subject to detailed checking and possibly minor corrections. Most of the prices will not, of course, apply in the United Kingdom, where they will be reduced to take account of the transitional arrangements, including the 10 per cent. reduction in the price move permitted under Article 52 of the Act of Accession.No attempt has been made to aggregate the effects of the price increases since they vary both between commodities and between member States.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the total cost to Great Britain of the recent sale of 200,000 tons of Community butter to Russia has yet been determined; and what has caused the delay in determination.

The cost to the United Kingdom cannot be determined yet, because the Commission will not be able to calculate the final cost to the Community of this sale until a later stage in the transaction.

asked the Prime Minister what reply he has given to the petition he received from 1,350,000 people against public indecency.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 8th May 1973; Vol. 856, c. 81], circulated the following letter:10 Downing StreetWhitehall8 May 1973Dear Mrs. WhitehouseThank you for the letter of 17 April signed by you and others, which you handed in when you and your deputation presented at 10 Downing Street the Nationwide Petition for Public Decency, sponsored by the National Viewers and Listeners' Association with the support of the Nationwide Festival of Light.My colleagues and I are well aware of the widespread concern about the assault on the traditional standards of decency, and the growing availability of indecent and pornographic material. Representatives of the sponsors of the petition have already had an opportunity of discussing some aspects of it with the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications.There are as you know special safeguards for broadcasting which the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications has already mentioned to you. We agree that there should be the highest possible standards in broadcasting and this is one reason why the Minister is discussing with the Chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Broadcasting Authority ways in which viewers' interests could best be represented.We believe that in some other respects the existing law is inadequate and requires some strengthening as soon as the opportunity offers. This is, however, a difficult area for Government action, bearing in mind the need to balance legitimate freedom of expression with the protection of the public from unwarrantable assaults on their own sense of reticence and decency. In referring to the "obscenity" law, your resolution appears to be directed at all the provisions which touch upon the control of pornography and indecent displays and it is in this wider sense that I have interpreted it.The Obscene Publications Acts, as such, make it an offence to publish, or to possess for publication for gain, material which has a tendency to deprave and corrupt those who are likely to read, see or hear it.Under these provisions 211 persons were proceeded against in 1971, of whom 196 were found guilty; and in 1972, in London alone, over 1 million items were seized by the police and destroyed. The Government is not convinced that amendment of these Acts, which apply to a wide range of situations in which material may be published, and often to purely private transactions, would be useful in meeting the real causes of public concern.Other provisions deal with the public display of offensive material, and for this the test is the wider one of simple indecency. The effect of these is to prohibit the public exhibition of indecent material in a manner that makes it visible to passers-by. These latter provisions are antiquated and, in the Government's view, considerably less effective now than they might be. The Home Secretary has already stated publicly that he takes very seriously the question of the public display of offensive material in the street, on bookstalls, outside cinemas and in similar places. He is currently considering how to strengthen and rationalise the law in this area and to bring it up to date to suit modern conditions. I hope that this new legislation may be introduced as soon as the Parliamentary timetable permits.You will have an opportunity to discuss the general issues at your forthcoming meeting with the Home Secretary. This is a complex subject and I believe that the issues can more easily be explored through discussion than correspondence. The support you have received amply demonstrates the concern which the Government knows is shared by many about this subject, and we shall continue to give close attention to it.Yours sincerely,EDWARD HEATH.Mrs. M. Whitehouse.