asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much skimmed milk has been dumped in the sea during the past 12 months; what are the corresponding figures for the three preceding years; what recent price changes have taken place in the price of skimmed milk powder; and if he will make a statement.

Supplies of skim have increased substantially in recent years. The industry has expanded its capacity to handle them, but at the height of the spring flush of production, when the total quantity to be handled can be about 100 per cent. more than in the trough period, there has been some wastage amounting to about 0·3 per cent., 0·3 per cent., and 0·8 per cent. in the years 1970, 1971 and 1972 respectively. A provisional figure

Country				General butter subsidy	Social butter subsidy	VAT rate Per cent.
France	…	…	…	*	*	7
Germany	…	…	…	*	1·20 DM per 250 g	5·5
Italy	…	…	…	*	*	1
Netherlands	…	…	…	*	*	4
Belgium	…	…	…	*	*	6
Luxembourg	…	…	…	*	*	5
Denmark	…	…	…	*	*	15
Ireland	…	…	…	*	ߤ	5·26
						(Zero from September)
United Kingdom	…	…	…	£46·94 per ton (just over 2p per lb.)	‡	Zero

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the annual consumption of wheat in the United Kingdom for all purposes; whether there is a surplus; and if so what is its size and purpose.

Total consumption of wheat in the United Kingdom in the year July 1972 to June 1973 is forecast to be just under 9 million tons. There is unlikely to be any surplus from the 1972 United Kingdom wheat crop of some 4¾ million tons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing individually the rate of value added tax and the Common Market subsidies applied to butter in each of the EEC countries.

The information for 1973 is as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent his stated policy to press for an extension of production grants has been affected by the announced reduction of £25 million in these grants.

As I have made clear, there is in my view a place within the framework of the common agricultural policy for direct aids to producers as an alternative to end-price support. This view is not affected in any way by decisions in relation to our own national production grants, which remain subject to review from time to time in the light of changing circumstances

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

The reductions will relate to the current production grants for the benefit of agriculture for the year 1974–75; they therefore do not affect deficiency payments or the capital grants. The precise areas where the reductions will be made will be the subject of discussion and decision at the time of the next annual review. No consequential savings in the agricultural Votes (Class V) will take place in the current year; savings in 1974–75 will be about £25 million. For the effect on the Votes of the policy on Civil Service manpower announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to his Question to the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date his Department received an application from Associated British Foods Ltd. for an increase in the price of bread; and what action he has taken to ensure that this application is processed within the due time laid down by law.

This firm was in touch with my Department during the standstill about the price of bread but no approval for an increase was given. Since 29th April, the Price Commission is responsible for administering the price code.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of maintaining the four tugs used to show the British presence in waters around Iceland till 19th May.

Three tugs have been chartered to assist British trawlers in countering harassment by Icelandic gunboats. The total cost of chartering these tugs as at 19th May is £249,598.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expeniture retrenchment announced on 21st May, and indicate the total savings expected from the current and prospective year.

Savings in respect of my responsibilities and those of my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor are limited to manpower, on which I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given him today by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Civil Service Department.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the numbers of industrial and non-industrial civil servants in May 1973 expressed as a percentage of those same figures for June 1970.

On 1st April 1973 the figures expressed as percentages of those for 1st July 1970 were non-industrials 103 per cent. and industrials 91·9 per cent., total 99·8 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

There are no projects on the Civil Service Department Vote which are directly affected as such; although there will be some saving from the policy of continuing to contain the growth of Civil Service manpower announced my my right hon. Friend on Monday. The overall effect of this policy on all Departments' Votes will be a saving of some £15 million on the published Estimates for 1973–74 and £20 million in 1974–75. It is too early to say what the effect of this will be on my—or any other—individual Department's Vote, because the differing requirements of Departments will mean that, within the constraint of the overal policy, application in individual cases will have to be flexible.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why purchasers of Stationery Office publications in Leicester and Leicestershire have to wait up to four months for their orders to be met.

I regret that there are still heavy delays in supplying Her Majesty's Stationery Office publications to customers in Leicestershire and other parts of the country due to the aftermath of a strike which closed Her Majesty's Stationery Office's London trade and mail order department earlier this year. Her Majesty's Stationery Office is making every effort to restore its normal service.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

The defence saving of £50 million—at 1972 prices—included in my right hon. Friend's statement will all fall on the defence budget for 1974–75. Details of the measures to be implemented are being worked out, and it is too early, therefore, to say how the saving will he allocated by Votes or to give the implications for 1973–74. The measures will, however, involve economies in and deferments of expenditure on manpower and on the equipment and works programmes.I would also refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to his Question to the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he has yet received a report from the Jarrett Committee; and if lie will make a statement.

The report of the Defence Medical Services Inquiry Committee was presented to me yesterday by Sir Clifford Jarrett, and its recommendations are being considered in consultation with those concerned. In furtherance of this process of consultation and consideration the report will be published as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how long the officers' and airmen's married quarters at RAF, West Mailing, are to be occupied by RAF personnel; and what use is to be made of them after they have been vacated.

By 1st August 1973, 139 of the RAF married quarters at West Mailing will have been transferred to the Home Office. Eleven will also have been transferred to the Army which will need them for at least three years. The remaining 20 married quarters will continue to be used by RAF officers serving at the Ministry of Defence. When these quarters are no longer required by the Services they will, if they are not required by the Home Office, be transferred to the property services agency of the Department of the Environment for disposal.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the monthly cost of maintaining the Royal Navy ships in waters around Iceland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, East (Mr. Laurance Reed) on Thursday 24th May. It is not possible to identify the extra costs involved in this operation compared with the costs of the duies on which the ships might otherwise have been engaged.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether iodine 131 in a radioactive cloud will affect the quality of milk or the consumers thereof at a point of some 2,000 miles from the point of a nuclear explosion made above ground.

I have been asked to reply.Iodine 131 arising from an atmospheric nuclear explosion will be detectable in milk 2,000 miles from the point of detonation for a limited time. It is unlikely that the amounts present at this distance will affect the quality of the milk or its suitability for human consumption.

asked the Minister of State for Defence within what distance from the point of a nuclear explosion in the atmosphere iodine 131 will affect the quality of milk such that it is detrimental for human consumption.

I have been asked to reply.Milk contamination by iodine 131 following a nuclear explosion above ground will be affected by many factors including the physical parameters of the explosion, the meteorological conditions at the time and the characteristics of the pastures subject to fall-out. Previous experience of such nuclear tests indicates that iodine 131 can be detected in milk produced from pastures at large distances from the detonation. Although fall-out criteria from a single detonation have not been studied

asked the Minister of State for Defence at what distance from the point of a nuclear explosion above ground the radionuclides strontium 90 and caesium 137 will affect human bone and muscle tissue, respectively.

I have been asked to reply.The contamination of food especially milk by Sr-90 and milk and meat by Cs-137 following a nuclear explosion in the atmosphere will be affected by many factors, including the physical parameters of the explosion, meteorological condi- tions and the characteristics of the agricultural environment. Levels of Sr-90 and Cs-137 already present in human bone and muscle tissue will be increased to some extent when food affected by fall-out is consumed. Previous experience of nuclear tests indicates that the increased levels in milk and meat can be detected at large distances from the point of detonation. The Medical Research Council reviewed in 1964 and 1966 the risks associated with Sr-90 and Cs-137 in human bone and muscle tissue in the United Kingdom following periods of large-scale nuclear weapon testing in the atmosphere. It is unlikely that the risks following the detonation of a single nuclear weapon in the atmosphere would approach those assessed by the Medical Research Council in the above studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what she estimates would be the cost to the Exchequer if teachers' remuneration was approximately the same as that paid in the Federal Republic and France.

Comparisons of this kind involve all kinds of difficulties, of comparability and of method, but, using the comparisons and salaries in the recent report "The Schoolmaster in the EEC", sponsored by the National Association of Schoolmasters, which relates to secondary school teachers only, it is estimated that the 1972–73 salary bill for all full-time primary and secondary school teachers in maintained schools of £792 million would be increased by about £580 million on Federal Republic rates and about £300 million on French rates. The figures do not take account of the differential cost of living or social security benefits. The Exchequer would bear about 60 per cent. through rate support grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on her Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

No projects which fall on my Votes have been affected by the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 21st May. For the effect on my Votes of the policy on civil service manpower announced in the statement I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to his question to the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will provide public funds for acquiring the British Piano Museum and moving it from Brentford High Street to other premises.

My noble Friend the Paymaster-General is unable to provide additional public funds for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current unemployment rates in percentage terms in the Mid-Wales counties of Montgomeryshire, Merionethshire, Cardiganshire, Breconshire and Radnorshire, respectively.

Following is the information:

	Percentage rate of unemployment on 14th May 1973
Montgomeryshire	2·4
Merionethshire	6#·3
Cardiganshire	4·4
Breconshire	3·6
Radnorshire	3·7

The figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current waiting list for all courses at Government training centres in Wales; whether further applications have been suspended for any courses; and if he will make a statement.

On 14th May 1973 the waiting lists for courses and Government Training Centres in Wales were as follows:

Course	Number on Waiting List
Bricklaying	151
Carpentry and joinery	115
Contractors' plant—repair and maintenance	15
Electrical installation and maintenance	23
Heating and ventilating fitting	23
House painting and decorating	16
Plastering	25
Plumbing	21
Woodcutting machining	2
Automatic lathe setting	None
Boring—setting/machining	2
Capstan setting/operating	1
Centre lathe turning	6
Draughtsmanship	None
Electronic wiring and circuit testing	23
Engineering inspection	None
Fitting—general	1
Fitting—machine tool maintenance	5
Fitting — pneumatics and hydraulics	None
Instrument maintenance	15
Sheet and plate metal fabrication/welding	None
Toolmaking — fitting and machining	6
Welding—electric arc	139
Heavy vehicle—repair and maintenance	29
Motor vehicle—body repair	1
Motor vehicle—repair and maintenance	52
Motor vehicle—spray painting	2
Radio, television and electronics servicing	48
Storekeeping	5

Because of the lengthy waiting lists recruitment has been temporarily suspended to classes in bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, heating and ventilating fitting, house painting and decorating, plastering and plumbing, and at some centres to classes in electric welding, radio, TV and electronics servicing and electronic wiring and circuit testing.Additional classes in some of the trades for which there are substantial waiting lists have already been planned for the extension to Cardiff GTC which will open in August 1973. A new GTC is planned for Newport and the GTC at Wrexham is being extended.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males and females, respectively, are unemployed in Newcastle, Staffordshire; how many of these are young people; how many are skilled; and what were the previous occupations of those unemployed.

On 9th April 1973 there were 980 males and 226 females unemployed in the Newcastle-under-Lyme employment exchange area. The figures include 15 boys and 14 girls under 18 years of age and 274 adult students seeking temporary vacation employment. The occupational analysis of the unemployed

UNEMPLOYED IN NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME IN MARCH 1973
Occupational Group	Men	Women
Managerial (general management)	2	—
Professional and related supporting management and administration	4	2
Professional and related in education, welfare and health	9	7
Literary, artistic and sports	2	1
Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields	11	—
Managerial (excluding general management)	6	—
Clerical and related	108	35
Selling	21	10
Security and protective service	3	—
Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal service	11	19
Farming, fishing and related	2	1
Materials processing (excluding metal)	4	—
Making and repairing (excluding metal and electrical)	6	1
Processing, making, repairing and related (metal and electrical)	41	—
Painting, repetitive assembling, product inspecting, packaging and related	13	3
Construction, mining and related not identified elsewhere	22	—
Transport operating, materials moving and storing and related	54	—
Miscellaneous (including general labourers)	510	30
Total: all occupations	829	109

There were no adult students registered for vacation employment in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

In 1973–74 there will be no saving. In 1974–75 there will be a net saving on training expenditure of £20 million which takes into account additional expenditure on the training opportunities scheme and savings made by deferring by eight months the Government's intention to pay for certain aspects of industrial training: that is, principally, for the administrative expenses and key training activities of industrial training boards, but also for the promotion of adequate training in sectors of employment not covered by the boards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how the Government's plans have advanced for providing a motorway link between the Midlands and eastern ports of Ipswich, Felixstowe and Harwich; and what is the projected timetable;(2) whether a redesigned A45 or new motorway to eastern ports will pass through Bedfordshire.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 24th January.—[Vol. 849, c. 163–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what size of vessel will be accommodated at the projected port at Maplin by 1980; and what additional tonnage he expects will be included at a later date through dredging.

I understand the Port of London Authority is considering proposals for tankers up to 350,000 tons dwt initially, and 500,000 tons dwt eventually.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the precise nature, extent and cost of dredging, reclamation and other work already being carried out on the Maplin Sands, apart from the removal of explosives and shells; and what is the statutory provision for such work and such expenditure.

Work which has been or is being carried out on the Maplin Sands consists of geophysical investigations, hydrographic and site surveys, and the construction of a survey tower and of a trial protective bank. This work will cost about £600,000. The statutory provisions are the Acts establishing the functions of the Secretary of State, and the Appropriation Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of housing provision for severely handicapped people since the coming into effect of Section 3 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

Up to the end of March this year 274 local authorities had notified the Department of proposals for the construction of 1,159 dwellings for disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of road accidents are estimated to be caused by defects in vehicles.

About 4 per cent. of motor vehicles involved in injury accidents in 1971 were reported as having defects which had a bearing on the cause or outcome of the accident.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give some examples of the variations in the items checked in compulsory testing of private vehicles in Western countries.

In Great Britain the car test covers brakes, steering, tyres, headlights, side lights and reflectors and safety belts. Examples of additional items tested in Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden, and Maryland (USA) are:

• anti-theft device^*
• battery^*
• body alignment^*
• bumpers^*
• dashboard lights
• direction indicators
• door handles and latches^*
• engine^*
• exhaust system
• fuel tank
• horn
• licence plate lamps
• mirror
• noise^*
• milometer^*
• shock-absorbers
• speedometer
• stop lights
• trailer coupling (where applicable)^*
• tools and prescribed accessories^*
• wheel balance^*
• windscreen wipers
• wings and bonnet^*
• ^*Not in all four states.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps designed to improve the standard of carrying out of compulsory tests on private vehicles as a means of reducing road accidents; and if he will make a statement on what has been done in this regard in the recent past.

Tests of heavy vehicles are carried out by my Department's vehicle examiners to a high standard. I am examining with the organisations concerned ways of getting more uniform standards for the MOT test of private cars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many personal injury accidents on motorways in 1971 and 1972, respectively, were precided by one vehicle sustaining a burst tyre; in how many of these only one vehicle was involved; if steps were taken to discover the reasons for the bursts; and what prosecutions followed.

The information is not available in the form requested but research carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, covering the years 1968 to 1970, indicates that about 1 in 6 of all personal injury accidents on motorways is preceded by tyre failure in one of the vehicles involved. (Net 80 per cent. of the accidents preceded by a burst tyre involved only a single vehicle.No information is available about prosecutions following this type of motorway accident, but there were 99.210 prosecutions for defective tyres on all types of road in England and Wales in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he last authorised an inspection of Nun-head Cemetery under Section 8 of the Burial Act 1855;(2) what representations he has received on the condition of Nunhead Cemetery;(3) what action he has taken to require the owners of Nunhead Cemetery to keep the cemetery in good condition and repair.

The condition of this cemetery has been brought to my notice by the Southwark London Borough Council, the right hon. Members for Bermondsey, Dulwich, and others, and I understand that the council is considering possible solutions to the problem. I am well aware of the neglected state of this cemetery and a visit by an inspector of the Department is not necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the project for the British Library will be affected by the cuts in expenditure on public building projects during the year 1974–75.

The effect of my right hon. Friend's measures would be to defer by about a year the date at which this project would otherwise begin.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will initiate a publicity campaign to warn drivers of the danger of driving vehicles on the road which are defective in any way, and to draw their attention to the increasing number of convictions for offences under the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations.

There will be national poster publicity on care of tyres later this year as part of the continuing publicity campaign on road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the design capacity of the ore port of Immingham; and why, when the ss "Viva", 63,000 tons, desired to berth there recently, she was unable to do so.

This is a matter for the British Transport Docks Board. I have asked the chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is yet in a position to make an announcement about the proposed M54.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend on 18th April.—[Vol. 855, c. 119.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now take steps to increase the speed limit on motorways to 80 mph.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of vehicles which will require the fitting of tachographs under EEC rules.

Nearly 700,000 by 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has received as to the number of vehicles to which a tachograph can he fitted on any one day by calibration stations set up for the purpose.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given to the industry as to the design of tachograph acceptable under EEC rules.

The industry is fully aware of the EEC requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many corporation houses were built in each county borough with populations of between

DWELLINGS COMPLETED FOR CERTAIN COUNTY BOROUGHS IN 1972
				Number of bedrooms
			1	2	3	4 or more	All
Huddersfield	…	…	130	9	10	—	149
York	…	…	43	6	—	—	49
Birkenhead	…	…	—	34	160	19	213
Stockport	…	…	28	—	—	—	28
Blackburn	…	…	10	56	87	—	153
Blackpool	…	…	272	57	7	—	336
Bolton	…	…	118	82	63	13	276
Oldham	…	…	123	58	15	—	196
St. Helens	…	…	156	27	560	39	782
Salford	…	…	338	326	282	42	988
Northampton	…	…	48	6	7	1	62
Dudley	…	…	30	—	26	—	56
Walsall	…	…	101	90	204	—	395
West Bromwich	…	…	148	67	—	—	215
Solihull	…	…	—	—	—	—	—
Warley	…	…	147	66	305	—	518
Norwich	…	…	149	456	9	—	614
Ipswich	…	…	—	—	—	—	—
Luton	…	…	76	132	71	18	297
Southend	…	…	157	98	145	2	402
Brighton	…	…	6	—	51	—	57
Reading	…	…	6	—	8	—	14
Bournemouth	…	…	42	4	—	—	46
Oxford	…	…	—	58	19	2	79
Torbay	…	…	20	51	7	—	78
Swansea	…	…	—	77	—	—	77
Newport	…	…	22	6	8	2	38

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the actual census figures for A30–A303 in 1972 referred to in his previous answer to the hon. Member for Bridgwater; and what recent comparative figures are available for the same sections of A30–A303.

At a typical point on the A303, three-quarters of a mile north-east of the junction with the A307, the average August flow recorded in 1972 was 8,931

The detailed information requested is attached.As to the last part of the Question, the Government have not restricted council house building on capital investment grounds and we have provided subsidies in the Housing Finance Act which allow authorities to build the houses they believe to be needed without thereby increasing the rents of their tenants or placing intolerable burdens on their ratepayers.vehicles. Further counts will be taken this year on A303, A30 and M4.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give further consideration to the question of improvement grants, with particular reference to ensuring that grants are made to houses in good state of repair, even though the expected life may be less than 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

In the course of my current comprehensive review of policy on older housing I am looking at the whole of the existing grants scheme to see whether any changes are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the amount of that part of the £15 million he proposes to make in cuts in public building projects and improvements that will be involved in not proceeding with the new parliamentary building in this or the next financial year.

The savings of £15 million referred to by my right hon. and learned Friend excluded the cost of the new parliamentary building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any estimate of the increase in the cost of the new parliamentary building as a result of delaying the commencement of work on it until the 1975–76 financial year.

No. Whether there will be an increase will depend on future movements in building costs and other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any estimate of the maintenance costs of those buildings recently acquired on the site of the new parliamentary building in the remainder of this and the next financial year including any repairs to those properties that may be necessary.

Repair and maintenance costs may be affected by unforeseen factors but, on recent experience, I estimate the cost of maintaining these buildings at roughly £10,000 per annum over the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for confirmation of compulsory purchase orders are currently being considered in the Department of the Environment; approximately how many dwellings are covered by them; and what is the average length of time taken by the Department to decide whether to confirm or not.

The figures for compulsory purchase orders made under the Housing Act 1957 are as follows:

Part III orders at present under consideration.	643
Approximate number of unfit dwellings.	30,000
Approximate number of other dwellings.	3,000
Part V orders at present under consideration.	234
Number of dwellings	Not readily available
Average time taken to decide unopposed orders.	15 weeks
Average time taken to decide opposed orders, necessitating a public local inquiry.	41 weeks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek power to limit the number of motoring tuition schools which may operate in any one area.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those areas on each bank of the River Thames that have been declared as statutory conservation areas together with the limits of each area and the names of the existing and future local authority areas in which they are situated; and if in due course he will make available a map showing these areas.

This information is not readily available and to obtain it would involve a disproportionate cost, since there are already more than 55 such conservation areas. It is, however, my intention to make available in due course maps showing the conservation areas on each bank of the River Thames.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

The total reductions in programmes for which my Department is responsible are expected to amount to some £185 million in 1974–75 and £10–20 million in the current year. Expenditure in 1974–75 by central and local government on road new construction in England should be reduced by about £45 million, on motorways and trunk road maintenance by some £9 million, and on maintenance of local authority roads by about £31 million. (These and the other figures below are at 1972 prices). As a result, Voted expenditure (including specific grants on the above) is likely to be reduced by about £40 million in 1974–75. There will be small reductions in 1973–74. It is too early to specify the projects affected.A circular will shortly be sent to local authorities indicating the savings which the Government would expect to be achieved on their expenditure. The distribution between programmes will largely be for local authorities to decide. On current expenditure, the Government envisage overall savings in England and Wales on education, personal social services and others in addition to road maintenance already mentioned. The total reduction should amount to something over £70 million in 1974–75. The effect on my Department's Votes will depend largely on the rate of grant determined in this year's rate support grant settlement.I envisage making reductions on local authority miscellaneous capital expenditure in England of about £75 million in 1974–75 by withholding approvals for key sector projects and by reducing the total sums available for locally determined schemes. Consequential savings in 1973–74 might amount to about £10 million.A reduction of about £5 million in my Department's Voted expenditure in 1974–75 will be made by deferring expenditure on the acquisition of land adjacent to the Royal Mint site in London, the redevelopment of Richmond Terrace, a new building at Vauxhall Bridgefoot and on maintenance and minor improvements of public buildings. Reductions in programmes for which other Ministers are responsible will produce further savings on accommodation Votes. No expenditure will be incurred on the proposed new parliamentary building this year or in 1974–75.My Department will be discussing with the nationalised transport industries the distribution of the cuts in their investment programmes in 1974–75 to produce a total approaching £10 million.For the effect on my Votes of the policy on Civil Service manpower announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to his question to the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to reduce disturbance from traffic noise on the A2 Dartford diversion; how successful they have been; and what further steps he is considering.

A letter has been sent to my hon. Friend indicating that a study is under way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the Government's plans to cut back public expenditure will have on approved road proposals for the development areas.

It is too early to say, but in determining which schemes should be deferred special consideration will of course be given to the needs of the development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the Government's plans to cut back public expenditure will have on approved road proposals for Cumberland.

I am examining the relative priority of schemes. It is too early to say which individual schemes will need to be deferred. All existing contracts will be continued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the retirement regulations for chief officers and deputies of existing local authorities will be issued; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Ron Lewis) on 9th May. —[Vol. 856, c. 113.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will cancel the proposed Bromsgrove section of the M42 motorway in consequence of the cut of £100 million in the road-building programme.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the addresses of the 10 empty properties owned by his Department in the London Borough of Sutton; and how long each has been empty.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his decision on the application for planning permission to build the proposed London International Exhibition Centre at Northolt.

This proposal raises extremely complex issues and consideration of the report of the inquiry is not yet completed. I shall issue my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department is preparing for taking over the management and letting of large empty office blocks in central London.

As I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. Lena Jeger) on 19th April, I am keeping the situation under review.—[Vol. 855, c.176.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the names of the Committee of the Sports Council who decide on the allocation of funds; and whether they publish an annual report of their recommendations.

This is a matter of the Sports Council's internal functioning, but I am asking the chairman of the council to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a decision has yet been made on the continued operation of the team producing the strategic plan for the North-West as suggested by the Steering Committee of Clerks and Planning Officers last September.

I hope that a decision on this possible extension—which involves the local planning authorities, the Economic Planning Council and the Department of the Environment—will be reached shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there was consultation with Islington Borough Council before houses in the ownership of the council at and near 50 Barnsbury Road were listed by the Department of the Environment as properties of architectural interest.

No. The normal procedures for listing do not involve consultation with the local authority, since the listing of buildings is done purely on grounds of special architectural or historic interest, assessed in accordance with national standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures in his possession relating to the sale of council houses to sitting tenants; and if he will send a circular to local authorities reminding them of his policy that more tenants should be given the opportunity to buy their own homes.

In 1972, 45.000 council dwellings were sold in England and Wales by 621 local authorites, compared with 6,000 by 244 authorities in 1970. Local authorities reported 13,900 sales in the first quarter of 1973. The importance which the Government attach to this means of extending home ownership was again stressed in paragraph 21 of the recent White Paper "Widening the Choice: The Next Steps in Housing" (Cmnd. 5280).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken under the provisions of the Counter-Inflation Act to control the assignment of business leases at a premium; and how the permitted figure is reached.

The Counter-Inflation (Business Rents) Order 1973 does not relate to payments made for the sale of a lease from one tenant to another.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends taking to clear up estuaries and coastal waters, following the Third Report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.

A joint Circular issued by the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office on 6th December 1972 has drawn the attention of the local authorities and river authorities to certain recommendations for administrative action in the Third Report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.My right hon and learned Friend will be introducing an Environmental Protection Bill at the earliest legislative opportunity, which will include provision for the control of all discharges to estuaries and the sea.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce heavier penalties for the overloading of lorries.

I shall consider this when a suitable opportunity for legislation arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to announce the date of the publication of the planned route for the proposed Aire Valley motorway.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the recent statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will affect the plans for the proposed Aire Valley motorway.

I am not yet able to say.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to increase the penalties for vehicles emitting unacceptable levels of smoke.

I am considering whether the existing legislation needs to be strengthened.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of 21st May which fall on his Vote, and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

No projects falling on Foreign and Commonwealth Votes are affected. As to the effect of the policy on Civil Service manpower announced in my right hon. Friend's statement, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to his Question to the Minister for the Civil Service.

Jenkins asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons the European Economic Community employs on research for all purposes; and how many persons are employed to administer the common agricultural policy.

The staff employed on the joint research programmes of Euratom (Joint Research Centre) totals about 1,950 but this is expected to reduce to a maximum of 1,435 over the 4-year programme for 1973–76 agreed at the Council of Ministers (Euratom) meeting of 5th February.The administration of the common agricultural policy is the responsibility of Commission Directorate General VI (Agriculture). Detailed figures for the total staffs of the directorates general are not available, but those in the three senior grades, when details were last published, were 38.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the 1972 Annual Report and Accounts of the Commonwealth Development Corporation will be published.

I understand that the corporation proposes to publish the report and accounts on 5th June. I will arrange for copies to be available in the Library of the House on the same day, and for the report and accounts to be laid formally on 11th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he intends to make in response to the appeal by M. Pierre Lardinois, EEC Commissioner for Agriculture, to provide transport aircraft to ferry food supplies to areas of severe drought in Africa.

I have received the appeal which M. Lardinois made to the European Parliament on 11th May for the provision of aircraft to carry food supplies to areas in Sahelian Africa. I have not yet had any indication of the types of aircraft required and the specific purposes for which they would be used. Until I know this, I cannot decide whether a response to the appeal for aircraft would be the best contribution we could make from our resources. I announced in a written reply yesterday that Her Majesty's Government have reacted swiftly to the relief effort being organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and are also taking part in the efforts organised by the European Community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis injuries resulting from offences in which firearms were used were categorised as serious or slight in Table 6 of the Consultative Document "The Control of Firearms in Great Britain" Cmnd. Paper No. 5297.

A serious injury was defined for this purpose as one requiring hospital treatment or causing the victim to be away from work or school.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of deaths and what proportion of serious injuries in offences in which firearms were used since 1st January 1969 arose from the use of imitation and supposed guns.

The following is the information up to the end of 1971:

NUMBER OF OFFENCES IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN WHICH A FIREARM WAS USED CAUSING FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY
	Total number of offence	Number of offences in which an imitation or supposed firearm was used
1969
Fatal injury	26	—
Serious injury	141	1
1970
Fatal injury	29	—
Serious injury	132	1
1971
Fatal injury	38	—
Serious injury	119	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the rate of subsequent convictions for robberies, since 1st January 1969, in which imitation and supposed firearms, long-barrelled shotguns, sawn-off shotguns, pistols and air weapons were used, respectively.

This information is not collected, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase in the proportion of offences, since 1967 to the latest available date, in which air weapons were used

OFFENCES IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN WHICH A FIREARM WAS USED
						Percentage in which the firearm was:
					Total number of offences	an air weapon	a supposed or imitation firearm
						Per cent	Per cent
1967	…	…	…	…	792	40·2	7·2
1968	…	…	…	…	878	37·8	8·2
1969	…	…	…	…	1,308	45·2	8·7
1970	…	…	…	…	1,359	49·4	8·8
1971	…	…	…	…	1,735	51·2	8·1

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, other than the guilty person, have been seriously injured, and how many have been killed, in those offences in which air weapons were used and in those in which imitation weapons were used from January 1969 to the latest available date.

The information is not readily available in the form requested.The following table shows the numbers of offences in England and Wales in 1969 –71 in which air weapons or imitation firearms were used and in which a person or persons other than the alleged offender were seriously injured. None was killed.

	Air weapon	Imitation firearms
1969	72	1
1970	80	—
1971	67	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give figures for the number of cases known to the police in 1972 under the following heads: all crimes, all offences, murder, attempted murder, and manslaughter; and by what percentage these particular figures exceed or are less than the comparable figures for 1963.

Figures for offences of murder, attempted murder and manslaughter known to the police in 1972 are not yet available. The provisional total number of offences recorded as

The following are the annual figures:known to the police in England and Wales in 1972 was 1,361,962. As a result of changes in legislation and recording practice no exactly comparable figure for 1963 is available. It is estimated, however, that the percentage increase between 1963 and 1972, after making due allowance for these changes, was approximately 85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote, and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

The estimated total saving in the law and order programme for England and Wales—in public expenditure terms—will be about £7·3 million in 1974–75 from deferment of some courts, police, fire and prison building projects; and £5·0 million of current expenditure. The details will be considered with the local authority associations in the context of the rate support grant discussions. The estimated savings this year are of the order of £1·5 million capital. (The estimated total savings in terms of Vote borne expenditure will be about £8·0 million in 1974–75 and about £1·0 million this year.) For the effect on my Votes of the policy on civil service manpower announced in the Chancellor's statement I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to his Question to the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the discharged prisoner's grant; and, as part of such a review, if he will seek to ascertain the minimum weekly cost for a single room in London, Birmingham and Liverpool.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames on 29th March. The cost of single accommodation will be taken into account in reviewing the assistance given to homeless prisoners on discharge.—[Vol. 853, c. 1505.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he consulted the Arms and Armour Society before publishing the Green Paper on Firearms Control.

No. But the purpose of publishing the Green Paper is to provide an opportunity for all interested bodies to make their views known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations his Department had with those interested in historic arms before the proposals in the Green Paper on Firearms Control were published.

The working party on whose report the Green Paper is based received and considered a memorandum submitted by the Imperial War Museum.Publication of the Green Paper provides an opportunity for all interested persons and bodies to comment on the Government's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the effect of the proposals in the Green Paper on Firearms Control on the national stock of historic firearms.

Representations have been received on this aspect of the Government's proposals from two private individuals and from the Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will extend from six weeks to six months the period allowed for discussion and consultation on the proposals contained in the Green Paper on Firearms Control.

No, because the need for improved controls over firearms is urgent and my right hon. Friend wants to be in a position to introduce legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the proposals in the Green Paper on Firearms Control in so far as they affect the private collector of firearms.

So far four letters have been received from members of the public, and two from hon. Members on behalf of constituents. Five of these letters were opposed to the proposal in the Green Paper that new collections of firearms should not be established and that existing ones should not be extended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been prosecuted in recent months for placing skips on the roadways of Wembley without a licence, and how many for failing to have skips lighted at night.

I am obtaining the available information and shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to place in the Library the first quarterly immigration return for 1973.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to publish these figures during the first week of June and will at the same time place a copy in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what directions he has given in respect of the application of Mrs. Malik for an entry certificate.

I have writen to my hon. Friend informing him of my right hon. Friend's decision in this case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to public funds of taking a 25 per cent. interest in the first 25 of the 100 leading British companies as listed in The Times List of Industries.

Based on current market valuation, the cost would be about £2,900 million. This figure omits British Petroleum, in which the Government already have an interest greater than 25 per cent., and four non-quoted companies. The next five companies in the Times list have been included to bring the total number of 25.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average length of time between applications for repayment of national savings certificates and actual repayment.

Most repayment authorities are posted within six or seven working days—including Saturdays—of the receipt of the application.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the minimum length of time quoted for repayment of national savings certificates.

To allow time for the repayment processes all holders are advised to give at least eight clear working days' notice when they require repayment. In practice, repayments are dealt with as quickly as possible and, in normal circumstances, most of them well within this period. Irrespective of the length of notice given, every effort is made to meet the wishes of a holder who asks for repayment urgently.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average number of national savings certificates repaid daily; and to how many people.

Statistics of repayments are not kept in this form but during the month of April 1973 an average of 6,600 repayment authorities were issued daily in respect of some 52,000 national savings certificates.

asked the Chancellor cellor of the Exchequer how many staff are engaged on repayment of national savings certificates.

Some 850 staff are employed on repayments and other processes associated with the work, including correspondence and post payment accounting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that letters addressed to the Controller of the Superannuation Fund's office since 16th January 1973 are dealt with.

If my hon. Friend will send me details of the case he has in mind, I will make inquiries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total net weekly income of a man with a wife and three children under 11, assuming a weekly wage of £15, £20, £25, £30 and £35, respectively, and that the previous year's pay was the same allowing for tax repayments and welfare benefits, for a week's work after 39 weeks of work at the appropriate rate, when unemployment after 39 weeks of employment and when qualifying for earnings-related supplement; and how many weeks of the year the take-home pay when out of work could exceed the take-home pay when at work.