asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to take part in the discussions on the future of the regional employment premium.

The Scottish economic planning department is associated with the discussions which are currently taking place between departmental officials and the CBI and TUC on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the anomalies which arise in respect of social work students' grants, and if he will consult the appropriate bodies with a view to rationalising the situation.

I am considering a memorandum on this subject by some social work students in Glasgow University, but I am not yet able to say whether it will call for consultation with other bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police officers are now required to bring the force up to strength in Glasgow.

The number of vacancies for police officers in Glasgow City Police at 31st March 1973 was 336.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the terms of reference and explain the methods of working of the Oil Council; and if he will make a statement.

The remit of the Oil Development Council for Scotland is

"to advise the Government on all aspects of oil development which affect Scotland".

The method by which the council will work will be for the council to decide, and it is to discuss it at their meeting on Friday.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in appointing those members of his Advisory Council on North Sea Oil Development who were judged to possess special interest in environmental questions, he consulted the Nature Conservancy.

No. Members of the council were appointed as individuals, not as representatives of specific bodies, such as the Nature Conservancy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will consider dealing with the capital investment necessary for the Tweedbank Primary School as a special case to be funded in addition to the recently announced allocation for school buildings in Roxburgh during 1974–75;(2) whether he will consider making capital available to Roxburgh County Council as part of its capital investment programme in 1974–75 to enable it to carry out its programme in such projects as Yetholim Primary School replacement, St. Boswell's Primary School extension, Jedburgh Howden Bush Primary School phase 2 and Keko New Primary School.

Roxburgh Education Authority has asked for a meeting with my Department on these matters and before considering them I should like to have the authority's views.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider making extra capital available to county education authorities to enable them to undertake permanent projects in special cases where they would otherwise be forced to resort to building temporary accommodation.

Requests by education authorities for additional capital investment are considered individually on their merits and I cannot give any general undertaking about special cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider making a special capital investment grant available to enable county education authorities to build the additional accommodation necessary to comply with improved staffing standards.

Allocations under the primary school improvement programme introduced in 1972–73 have regard to the need for additional accommodation for the introduction of improved staffing standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of housing authorities who have so far failed to build any houses to cater for the needs of the disabled.

Information about the provision of houses for the disabled has been requested from Scottish local authorities, but returns are not yet complete. Since the coming into force of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which imposed on local authorities an obligation to consider the housing needs of disabled people, the following 17 authorities have submitted to me schemes which include the provision of houses for the disabled:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if employing authorities have discretion on the placement of student pharmacy technicians within the present salary scales.

No; entry is at the appropriate age point.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what qualifications are required for employment as a student pharmacy technician in the Scottish Health Service; and what qualifications are required far advancement to technician status.

These qualifications are set out in the relevant Whitley Council circular, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what in-service training arrangements exist at present for people employed as student technicians at hospital group pharmacies which enable them to advance quickly to technician status.

In Scotland there are two courses available on a day-release basis leading to qualifications under a Whitley Council agreement for entry as basic grade pharmacy technicians. One lasts for two years and leads to the Certificate for Pharmacy Technicians of the Scottish Association for National Certificates and Diplomas; the other lasts for three years and leads to the certificate in Course No. 738 of the City and Guilds of London Institute.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many hospital group pharmacies have been established in Scotland; how many beds are serviced by each; and if he will state the technicians by grade working in each group pharmacy;(2) if he will list the hospital group pharmacies together with their recommended establishment.

Hospital boards are at present engaged in implementing the recommendations of the report of the Working Party on the Hospital Pharmaceutical Service—the Noel Hall Report—which recommended that hospital pharmaceutical services should be organised on an area basis. The information requested will not be available until boards have completed their reorganisation plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide additional funds to the Scottish Sports Council.

The amount of grant-in-aid payable annually to the Scottish Sports Council is assessed in the light of public expenditure considerations and of the council's estimates. I have already offered the council £870,000 for 1973–74, an increase of £340,000 over the offer of £530,000 made for 1972–73. When the council submits later in the year, an estimate of its requirements for 1974–75, I shall consider the level of grant-in-aid appropriate for that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he can now state plans for development in St. Helena.

No. The development adviser who has been in St. Helena since 3rd March hopes to return to London on 1st August to present his proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will represent the United Kingdom at the forthcoming conference on European security and co-operation; and if such representative will be empowered to express at all times the point of view of Her Majesty's Government.

My right hon. Friend will be representing Her Majesty's Government at the first stage of the conference beginning in Helsinki on 3rd July. I will accompany him as his deputy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the extent of British investment in Ghana at the present time and the amount of aid being provided to Ghana in 1973.

British aid to Ghana in 1973 is expected to be about £1,600,000. Most of this is expenditure on the continuing technical assistance programme, but it also includes some disbursements of financial aid up to 31st March 1973 arising from a past loan agreement, which lapsed on that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to assist the international aid operations in the drought areas of West Africa.

I have at present nothing to add to the reply I gave to a Private Notice Question by the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 20th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of the fact that the process of law-making in the Common Market is done in secret, he will formulate proposals for open law-making procedures in the Common Market.

The Government will continue to ensure that the House is informed of all proposals for Council instruments as soon as they are put forward. But the proceedings of the Council must normally be regarded as confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state his objectives in the EEC sugar negotiations; and if he will state what progress he has made towards the objectives to date and how soon he hopes to finalise the agreement.

I have been asked to reply.I assume the hon. Member is referring to the negotiations about imports of sugar which the Community will have under Part III of Protocol 22 of the Treaty of Accession. The Government's objective is to ensure that, after 1974, the developing Commonwealth countries will be able to send to the enlarged Community, on fair terms, the same quantities of sugar as they at present send to this country under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement. It is too early to predict when the negotiations will be concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will arrange for St. James's Palace to be cleaned in the near future.

I hope to start in mid-1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to prohibit the use on the public highway of any vehicle which has been put together by using parts reclaimed from another vehicle which has been taken out of registration.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to proposals put forward by the Winchester city council planning committee concerning modifications to the route of the new M3 motorway and the Winchester bypass in the vicinity of St. Catherine's Hill, Winchester.

The Department has been asked to evaluate alternative proposals for the motorway and trunk road in the St. Catherine's Hill area suggested in a report by the city's director of technical services which is under consideration by the city council. Arrangements have been made for a discussion with the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has completed his studies of the steps needed to give tenants the right to challenge service charges proposed by landlords; and if he will now make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Brentford and Chiswick (Mr. Barnes) on 20th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now completed his study of the likely effect of the construction of a Channel Tunnel on the future development and prosperity of the port and town of Newhaven; and if he will make a statement.

The study of the likely diversion of freight and passenger traffic from ports including Newhaven has been completed. The results are set out in the recently published report "The Channel Tunnel: A United Kingdom transport cost benefit study".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now received all reports, both French and British, of studies undertaken of the financial, technical and cost benefit implications of the Channel Tunnel.

I have received the main results of the joint technical, economic and financial studies; the full report with its bulky technical and economic appendices will be available at the end of this week. The report of the cost benefit study was placed in the Vote Office on 13th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that, when good agricultural land is required for new reservoirs, only the minimum acreage is acquired in all cases.

The powers of river authorities and water undertakings are restricted to the acquisition of land required for the carrying out of their statutory functions. An authority which seeks compulsory powers to acquire land for a new reservoir or for other works must, of course, satisfy my right hon. and learned Friend that the extent of the proposed acquisition is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now state the commencement date for the Broadway inner ring road, to give relief to through traffic on the A41, Oxford to Worcester; what estimate he has received from the Worcestershire county council for the construction of this road; and whether, in view of the increase in vehicular traffic through Broadway, he will schedule for completion by 1976, and construction 1974–76.

Worcestershire county council has recently submited a proposal for this scheme to be included in the firm road programme. The current estimate of the cost of the scheme is just under £1 million. Until a decision is reached it is not possible to forecast when work will start.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide heavier fines for parking offenders who fail to comply with the fixed penalty procedure.

I am considering this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes, if any, will be necessary for completion dates for the North Devon spur link and the Barnstaple eastern relief road, following the economy measures announced by the Chancellor on 21st May, 1973.

As neither scheme is in the firm programme it is too soon to say.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the latest available estimate of the payment of rent rebates to council house tenants under the Housing Finance Act, expressed as a percentage of all such tenants;(2) what is the latest available estimate of the payment of rent rebates to private tenants under the Housing Finance Act, expressed as a percentage of all such tenants.

Preliminary reports indicate that about one-third of council tenants are receiving rent rebates. Information on rent allowances granted to private tenants is not yet available from enough local authorities to enable any reliable estimate to be given. The initial rate of take-up of rent allowances has been slow, but it is steadily improving.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority houses and how many private houses were built in Biddulph urban district in 1972; and what were the comparable figures for 1970.

The number of dwellings reported completed were:

	Local authority	Private
1970	24	222
1972	3	333

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost of building a two-bedroom and a three-bedroom council house in Staffordshire.

In tenders approved for local authorities in the West Midlands region during the first three quarters of 1972, the estimated average price for construction was £4,220 for a two-storey four-person house, and £4,420 for a two-storey five-person house.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take following the discovery of improper copying of documents at the public inquiry into the Westerham Interchange Scheme; what disciplinary action has been taken or is contemplated against those responsible; and what is the estimated loss to public funds as a result of the cancellation of the inquiry.

I am satisfied that the copying of the documents was carried out in good faith and in order to help objectors, but because I am anxious to ensure that inquiries for which I am responsible should be seen to be fair I decided to withdraw certain of my proposals. No disciplinary action has been taken or is contemplated. I am not yet in a position to say what loss to public funds will be incurred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to reintroduce the Westerham Interchange Scheme following its withdrawal from a public inquiry; and, if so, whether he intends to proceed by a further public inquiry or otherwise.

I will make an early announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how soon he expects the M4 road link to London-Heathrow Airport to be saturated by traffic; and what discussions he is having about alternative access routes to meet the passenger demand of the 1980s.

The M4 is already congested at some points between central London and Heathrow during peak hours. A new rail link on the Piccadilly Tube line to Heathrow is under construction and is expected to reach completion in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to obtain and publish information as to the provision made by local authorities for special housing for the disabled in their building programmes.

Between 29th August 1970, the date on which Section 3 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 came into force, and 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 when he plans to clear the river block of Somerset House of its present users for an extension of the projected British theatre museum.

I have already announced that the Fine Rooms and some other rooms in the north block are to be put at the disposal of the Victoria and Albert Museum to use as part of a theatre museum. There are no plans to extend this to other parts of Somerset House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many square feet of floor space are occupied by the premises on the proposed site for the parliamentary buildings.

246,264 sq. ft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many square feet of premises on the proposed site for the parliamentary buildings are occupied by Government Departments and members, officers and staff of the House of Commons.

91,000 sq. ft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the increase in growth in demand for second homes, he will consider what action is needed to discourage, encourage or steer this growth; and if he will issue early guidance to local authorities as to the implications of built and caravan second homes and the relevant use of planning, housing, improvement grants and other powers.

These issues are raised in an appraisal published recently by the Countryside Commission, "Second Homes in England and Wales". The report is now being studied. My hon. Friend will have noted from the recent White Paper "Better Homes: The Next Priorities" (Cmnd. 5339) that we propose to proscribe the payment of any form of grant towards the cost of improving second homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue a guide to contractors engaged in road works as to the marking and lighting of actually or potentially dangerous obstructions.

Such a guide is at present being printed and will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average waiting period in each traffic area in the United Kingdom for applicants wishing to take their driving test on the next available date; and what are the comparable figures for June 1972.

The information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the traffic lights at the junction of the A27 and Nutburn Road in the parish of North Baddesley in the county of Hampshire, the establishment of which he approved last year, will be installed and operative.

This is now a matter for the Hampshire County Council. Grant was issued for the scheme by my Department on 19th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many mobile homes have been constructed in East Suffolk in each year since 1968; and if he is satisfied with this rate of building.

The returns made to my right hon. and learned Friend by county councils and county borough councils relate to land availability and to the construction of permanent homes. I understand that the East Suffolk county council has no figures of planning applications granted and taken up for mobile homes. It has, however, set up a working party to study what contribution mobile homes might make to dealing with shortage of housing.In general, the Department's new guidelines, which are at present the subject of consultation with local authority associations, ask that mobile homes should be considered as a useful contribution to the provision of housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what salary, fees or allowances are paid to the members of the Water Services Staff Commission; and what is his estimate of their commitment of time relative to full-time employment.

The Staff Commission cannot be appointed until the Water Bill becomes law. The Water Services Staff Advisory Committee has been appointed in the meantime and an annual salary of £3,600 is payable to the chairman and £1,800 to the members, all on the basis of a two-day week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider introducing stronger legislation to prevent the dropping of litter and the dumping of rubbish in public places in urban and rural areas, and if he will make a statement.

The Dangerous Litter Act 1971 increased very substantially the maximum penalty for an offence under the Litter Act 1958. The 1971 Act directs the court in fixing penalties on conviction to have regard to the nature of the litter and any resultant risk of injury to persons or animals or of damage to property. The Government have no immediate proposals to increase the present maximum fine of £100.Reduction in litter dropping requires a change in public attitude as well as enforcement of the law and an appreciation of the seriousness of an offence by the courts. Reduction in the quantity of dumped rubbish depends on a real assessment by local authorities of the needs of the community in the light of the powers and duties which they have for the provision of suitable sites for disposal under the Civic Amenities Act 1967 and the operation of special collection services for bulky household refuse.The legislation in the field of waste disposal which is currently being prepared will consolidate and strengthen the powers and duties of local authorities in this field.The financial support given by the Government to the Keep Britain Tidy Group has recently been increased and the group has set up regional organisations so that its field of operation can be widened and intensified at a more local level.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware that children as well as adults suffer severely as a result of heavy traffic noise on motorways through urban areas; if he will now reconsider his decision not to have retrospective legislation for noise insulation of houses which do not now qualify for sound insulation; what representations he has received from the Eccles Corporation to discuss this matter; and if he will make a statement.

The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is "Yes". For the rest, my right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations from the Eccles Corporation on the subject since his letter of 2nd April to the hon. Member. As he then explained, the proposed regulations, under which insulation could be provided against traffic noise from new roads opened on or after 17th October 1969 would be the subject of affirmative resolution by both Houses. It is expected that these regulations will be laid before the Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now make a statement on the most recent information he has received about the consequences of pit closures in Scotland.

I understand from the National Coal Board that Dollar colliery closed in May and that Auchencruive and Easton collieries will close on 13th July because of exhaustion of coal. Production at Maxwell colliery ceased for a period earlier this month because of a "heating" but has since been resumed on a reduced scale. The future of this colliery is being considered by the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new jobs arising from the establishment of new industries have been created in the new West Derbyshire district council area since 1st January 1973.

Precise information is not available because industrial development certificates are not required for projects below 15,000 sq. ft. or for service industry projects. Unemployment in the area is well below the national average and the total number of vacancies exceeds the total number of unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he can now make a statement on the negotiations between the receiver and Rolls-Royce (1971) Ltd. on the price to be paid by the latter for the assets they acquired from Rolls-Royce Ltd.

Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited and the receiver and joint liquidators of Rolls-Royce Limited are today announcing that a settlement has been reached covering the price to be paid for the gas turbine business acquired by Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited under the heads of agreement dated 17th March 1971. The settlement, to which the Government are a party, incorporates the resolution of a large number of other claims and ancillary matters outstanding between the receiver and joint liquidators on the one hand and Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited and the Government on the other.The settlement provides for the payment to the receiver of an overall consideration of £87½ million, of which £30 million has already been paid on account of assets and undertakings transferred. Interest will be payable on the balance, and the sums due reduced by the sterling equivalent of $21 million in respect of advance payments on the RB211 will be paid to the receiver by Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited on or before 23rd July. I am placing a copy of the agreement with minor omissions for reasons of commercial confidentiality in the Library.The settlement has been notified to Mr. W. E. Parker, CBE, FCA, the independent expert appointed to determine the price payable under the heads of agreement, and also to Mr. Justice Bagnall, to whom certain points of law were referred at the beginning of the hearing. The expert has made the following statement to the parties:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificates were granted in the Leek urban district in 1972; and how this figure compares with the figure for 1970.

Four in 1972 and four in 1970. The figures are not comparable because the exemption limit was raised in December 1970 and July 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent the United Kingdom is helping to formulate a Community strategy for the procurement of enriched uranium.

The Council of Ministers on 22nd–23rd May set up a Permanent Committee on Uranium Enrichment to advise on a Community policy in this field. The United Kingdom has three representatives on this Committee from DTI, CEGB and BNFL. It is to prepare a report by the end of October 1973 which the Council of Ministers will consider before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has yet had discussions with the EEC Commissioners for regional policy about the regional employment premium.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in the use of nuclear heat for steelmaking in the United Kingdom; and to what extent British research compares with that in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The British Steel Corporation, in collaboration with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the OECD Dragon project, has, for some time, been examining the possible long-term application of very high temperature nuclear technology for steelmaking. The corporation is now playing a leading rôle in exploring the prospects for European collaboration and has been instrumental in drawing together international interests in steelmaking and nuclear plant manufacture to further this technology. The relevant research in the Federal Republic of Germany on this nuclear technology forms part of their general programme on high temperature reactors for electricity generation but there is in addition a high-temperature research facility using helium.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the liquidation of Williams Harvey and Company earlier this month, the prospects of maintaining production and employment in the tin smelter at Kirkby, near Liverpool, the circumstances of the takeover bid for Consolidated Tin Smelters Ltd. in 1972, the activities in all these respects of an overseas controlling company namely Patino NV; and whether he will now reverse his Department's decision rejecting a proposal for an inquiry under the Companies Act 1948.

Consolidated Tin Smelters Ltd. anounced on 8th June that in view of heavy and continuing losses its wholly-owned subsidiary Williams Harvey and Company Ltd. would go into a creditors' voluntary liquidation. The business is now operating under the control of the liquidator. I understand that he is looking carefully into the possibility of keeping the smelters operating. My Department is keeping in close touch with developments. On the basis of the evidence currently available to me, I can see no grounds for investigating these companies under the powers conferred on me by the Companies Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now sanction the construction of another advance factory at Mosshill industrial estate; and if he will make a statement about his plans for the expansion of this estate.

I have no immediate plans for this estate but the possibility of further building there will of course be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware that children as well as adults suffer adverse effects from aircraft noise; what steps his Department now proposes to take to reduce the noise level and inconvenience from aircraft flying over urban areas; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The nature of the problem of aircraft noise and the steps being taken to tackle it are described in the Department's recently published booklet "Action Against Aircraft Noise: Progress Report 1973", copies of which were sent to all right hon. and hon. Members; but the study, and implementation of noise abatement measures, is a continuing process, and if the hon. Member has any suggestions to put forward, I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the quantity of steel required for lining the projected Channel Tunnel, further for laying the rail track and associated works; and whether the United Kingdom industry and market is in a position to meet it.

Present indications are that the United Kingdom share of the project may require up to 100,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel, 20,000 tonnes of rails and 20,000 tonnes of steel for rolling stock. These quantities should be well within the capacity of the steel industry to supply over the period required.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) given an electric furnace of similar size in the United Kingdom and other Common Market countries, if he will state the price paid per unit to the supplier for electric power in the United Kingdom, Western Germany, France, Italy and Benelux.(2) given a chlorine plant of similar size in the United Kingdom and other Common Market countries, if he will state the price paid per unit to the supplier for electric power in the United Kingdom, Western Germany, France, Italy and Benelux.

Electricity charges to large users of this character are generally the subject of special agreements based on the individual requirements of the consumers concerned, which vary considerably, and details are not published.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the Government's reaction to the EEC Commission's request that the second cut of 20 per cent. in tariffs between the Nine should be advanced from 1st January 1974 to 1st July 1973.

We welcome the inclusion of this proposal on the agenda for the discussion at the meeting of the Council (Finance Ministers), which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be attending in Luxembourg tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy towards the suggestion of Mr. John Brass of the National Coal Board that pit tip material should be used for the foundations of Maplin Airport; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.I have arranged to meet representatives of the National Coal Board's minestone executive to discuss its suggestion.

asked the Attorney-General if he is now in a position to make a statement relating to the recommendations of the Law Commission concerning gazumping.

The Law Commision hopes to publish its working paper on this subject next month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to ensure more effective control of sauna bath establishments offering massage facilities.

Some local authorities have taken powers for the control of these establishments. If the hon. Member has information suggesting that more is required, and will send it to me, I shall consider it carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the shortage of manpower to which the Metropolitan Police Commissioner referred in his report for the year 1972, Command Paper No. 5331, what plans he has for boosting recruitment or reducing the high rate of premature retirement.

The commissioner has launched a new recruitment publicity campaign; and the central publicity cam- paign, from which the Metropolitan Police benefits substantially, will continue at its present high level. Liaison with schools and other educational institutions will be further developed, with other appropriate activities. The commissioner is also carrying out a detailed examination of the causes of wastage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend the deadline by which he has asked for comments on the Green Paper on the control of firearms in Great Britain beyond 30th June.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for The High Peak (Mr. Le Marchant) on 22nd June.

asked the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, in view of the lack of recreational facilities for children in deprived areas, if he will increase the money available under the urban aid programme.

Recreational facilities were among the projects funded from additional expenditure of £1·8 million approved under the urban programme last year. My right hon. Friend expects to approve more projects of this kind under the current phase of the programme, for which applications are due by 2nd July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the EEC directive on non-medicinal additives to feeding stuffs has to be implemented; and when the appropriate United Kingdom statutory instrument is to be published.

Since Directive 70/524 was included in the Treaty of Accession with an operative date of 1st July 1973 for the United Kingdom, there have been discussions in the Community institutions about its provisions and an amending Directive 73/103 was adopted on 28th April last. A statutory instrument implementing the provisions of these directives relating to non-medicinal additives in animal feeding stuffs will be laid before Parliament very shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the statutory agricultural marketing boards consequent upon entry into the EEC.

I have nothing to add to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member on 15th February 1973.—[Vol. 850, c. 387–8.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Her Majesty's Government regard the system of export restitutions as a basic principle of the EEC common agricultural policy and therefore not to be considered at the forthcoming review of the CAP.

The basic principles of the common agricultural policy relate to free trade within a common market, community preference and community financing of common actions. Export restitutions are part of the mechanism of the CAP.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the reports of the working party on the monitoring of foodstuffs for heavy metals on mercury in food (supplementary) and cadmium in food; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received these reports, which are being published today, and copies are being placed in the Library and the Vote Office.The reports have been submitted to the Toxicity Sub-Committee of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Chemicals in Food and the Environment and the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee, whose advice is published in appendices to the reports.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many naval vessels have been used and are being used in the Icelandic dispute; and what is the estimated cost to date of this operation.

I have been asked to reply.Since 19th May a presence of three frigates has been maintained for fishery protection duties in the disputed waters around Iceland. A total of 10 frigates has been involved in maintaining this presence. It is not possible to identify the extra costs involved in this operation compared with the costs of the duties on which the ships might otherwise have been engaged.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many statutory instruments which implement or arise from United Kingdom obligations as a member of the EEC have been made by Ministers and laid before the House since 1st January.

Up to 25th June 1973 there have been 35 instruments laid, including those laid in draft.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many persons have been recruited into each of the Armed Services in Northern Ireland during each of the last three years.

Following is the information:

	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73
Royal Navy and Royal Marines	211	386	245
Army	564	683	637
Royal Air Force	324	216	80*
Total	1,099	1,285	962
* Royal Air Force recruiting targets were much lower in 1972–73.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many of the 188 soldiers killed in Northern Ireland since the present troubles started died from bullet wounds in the head, and how many from bullet wounds in the chest; and how many of the Servicemen who have been wounded by bullets have received head injuries and how many chest injuries.

I will write to my hon. Friend giving him the information as soon as it is available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the present strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment; and by how many its size has altered since March 1973.

The strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment on 20th June 1973 was

STOPPAGES OF WORK OCCURRING BECAUSE OF REDUNDANCIES: UNITED KINGDOM
000's
			Stoppages beginning in year	As percentage of all stoppages	Working days lost through these stoppages*	As percentage of all working days lost through stoppages
1960	…	…	47	1·7	131·4	4·3
1961	…	…	70	2·6	148·2	4·9
1962	…	…	103	4·2	520·6	9·0
1963	…	…	70	3·4	41·1	2·1
1964	…	…	54	2·1	101·9	5·0
1965	…	…	56	2·4	60·8	2·1
1966	…	…	53	2·7	111·7	4·7
1967	…	…	53	2·5	31·7	1·1
1968	…	…	47	2·0	56·4	1·2
1969	…	…	68	2·2	102·7	1·5
1970	…	…	112	2·9	254·1	2·3
* Includes days lost in the following year where stoppages have continued into that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the accident through overturning of a three-wheel invalid carriage driven by the pioneer of the vehicle on the A127 at Leigh-on-Sea, whether he will institute an inquiry to ascertain whether existing type and modified models are safe for the disabled to drive; and what adjustments should be introduced to the design of the car in the interests of safety of the disabled and other road users.

I have been asked to reply.No. Properly maintained and driven with due regard to the prevailing weather conditions, invalid three-wheelers supplied by my Department are as safe as other light vehicles and their accident record is good. Preliminary reports contain no evidence that the recent accident to which my hon. Friend refers was due to defects in the vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many strikes occurred because of redundancies; what was the total number of working days lost because of these strikes; and what proportion they are of the total strikes and losses of working days for each of the years from 1960 to 1970.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many strikes occurred because of unfair dismissals; what was the total number of working days involved; and what proportion they were in each case of all strikes for each of the years of the most recent five year period.

I regret that this information is not available.The more detailed system of classifying stoppages by cause introduced from the beginning of this year identifies the combined category "dismissal and other disciplinary measures" and this accounted for 12 per cent. by number of all stoppages in the first five months of 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to publish consultative proposals for legislation to implement the recommendations of the Robens Report on Safety and Health at Work.

A document setting out the Government's detailed proposals for a safety and health at work Bill is being published today, and copies are available in the Vote Office. These proposals are being circulated to the CBI, TUC, local authorities and other interested organisations for consideration.

asked the Lord President of the Council what consultations have taken place with the staff regarding the plans for the new parliamentary building, and with what result.

Limited consultations with staff took place during the preliminary work on planning a new parliamentary building. Further comprehensive consultation will be undertaken resulting from the decision of this House to proceed in due course with the Spence and Webster building.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will ask the Services Committee to consider the provision of an occupational health service for persons, including Members, working in the Houses of Parliament.

The Services Committee examined this matter during the Session before last and concluded that no change in the existing medical arrangements within this House was needed. The matter is, of course, kept constantly under review but I am not aware of any general wish among Members to alter this decision.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will list the conference facilities available in Westminster and Whitehall under the control of Her Majesty's Government which are suitable for the holding of meetings of European Economic Community institutions, with full multi-lingual interpreter facilities installed.

I have been asked to reply.Only Riverwalk House, Millbank has these facilities. Lancaster House can be used although interpretation facilities are not permanently installed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any further statement to make about the pay and the conditions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

The pay and conditions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary are the same as those applicable to forces in Great Britain.My hon. Friend will know that a claim by the RUC Federation for a special allowance in recognition of the arduous nature of RUC duties in the present emergency in Northern Ireland was rejected by the Police Council. My hon. Friend will also have noted that at a recent meeting with a deputation from the Police Council I said that I was prepared to consider, after stage 2 of the Government's pay policy, any proposals put forward by the Police Council for special recognition of the particular circumstances in which the Royal Ulster Constabulary operates at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the number of terrorist incidents reported in April, May and to the most recent date in June 1973; and if he will give comparable figures for 1972.(2) if he will give the official definition of "an incident" as used by the security forces in Northern Ireland.

The figures relating to terrorist incidents are:

	1973	1972
April	749	959
May	770	831
June (1st to 24th)	612	694

There is no official definition of an incident but the term includes any significant occurrence affecting the security situation in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will undertake a review of Belfast city centre security, in the light of the explosion inside the security area on Friday 15th June.

Security measures in Belfast city centre are kept under continual review.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, in view of the increasing numbers of persons convicted of offences and of those in detention, he is satisfied with the security arrangements in the Northern Ireland prisons; and whether he will make a statement.

Security arrangements in the Northern Ireland prisons are kept under constant review. It would not be in the public interest to give details.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what per- centage of those employed by the Government in Northern Ireland are registered disabled persons.

The percentage of registered disabled Northern Ireland civil servants on 1st January, 1973 was 2 per cent. The figure for registered disabled United Kingdom civil servants serving in Northern Ireland is not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his intention that the certificates required under paragraph 5 of Customs and Excise notice No. 712 in respect of sales of works of art and antiques are to be shown on both the original and the copy sales invoice, bearing in mind the wording of that paragraph.

Only the copy invoice retained by the seller need bear the certificate. The seller must also have an invoice covering his acquisition of the article; if he prepared that invoice himself, it must bear the required certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many consultants used the facilities of the North Staffordshire Maternity Unit for private cases in the year 1970–71, 1971–72 and 1972–73 respectively; and how many private cases were admitted in each of those years.

The latest available information is for the calendar years 1970, 1971 and 1972 and is as follows:—

	Cases	Consultants
1970	-	-
1971	1	1
1972	2	1

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of geriatric patients in North Staffordshire and the number of beds available for their accommodation.

There are at present 649 staffed beds in use for geriatric patients in the North Staffordshire Hospital Group. Numbers on waiting lists fluctuate; at 31st March 1973 there were 305 patients on the list. Building work now in progress at the City General Hospital, Stoke, is designed to provide a further 84 geriatric beds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the decisions of Mr. Justice Graham in the case of Smith Kline & French Laboratories v. Sterling-Winthrop Group, he will now take action under the Medicines Act to ensure that dangerous drugs are marked in some particular way so as to distinguish them clearly.

All medicines may in certain circumstances be harmful. I see no advantage, therefore, in introducing colour requirements solely to distinguish "dangerous" medicines as a class from others. Section 88 of the Medicines Act, to which the learned judge referred, is concerned with marks that are distinctive of the medicinal product, whereas the legal action related to their use so as to be distinctive of the trader whose products they are.Until a full transcript of the judgment is available it is not possible to appreciate fully the learned judge's observations as to the possible relevance of this section to passing-off actions.

SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED FROM LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IN WALES FOR THE PROVISION OF NURSERY SCHOOLS AND CLASSES IN THE PERIOD 1974–76
		Nursery classes to be provided by
Local Education Authority		adaptation of existing premises	extensions to existing premises	Nursery Schools	Full-time equivalent places	Cost£
Anglesey	…	14	12	—	387	87,700
Breconshire	…	24	20	2	981	324,800
Caernarvonshire	…	—	13	—	340	121,000
Cardiganshire	…	5	16	—	470	184,000
Carmarthenshire	…	—	28	1	615	288,000
Denbighshire	…	—	26	—	660	249,600
Flintshire	…	6	35	5	1,450	623,900
Glamorgan	…	16	31	5	1,972	885,000
Merioneth	…	—	9	—	227	80,300
Monmouthshire	…	24	24	3	2,855	426,000
Montgomeryshire	…	—	10	—	205	87,400
Pembrokeshire	…	—	16	1	520	200,500
Radnorshire	…	2	—	—	60	18,300
Cardiff	…	10	5	2	670	248,700
Merthyr	…	—	2	1	136	59,000
Newport	…	2	10	1	420	149,700
Swansea	…	7	17	6	1,020	352,500

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the conclusions of the British Standards Institution regarding the provision of child-resistant containers, he will now introduce legislation requiring poisonous medicines to be sold only in such containers.

The conclusions of the British Standards Institution provide only drafts for the development of tests for child-resistant containers. It is still premature to consider the introduction of legislation. The Medicines Commission recently decided to set up a working party to consider matters concerned with the presentation of medicines in so far as they might affect the safety of children and this will include consideration of the British Standards Institution's drafts.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the bids for nursery schools in classes for each local education authority in Wales, under the terms of Circular 2/73.

Bids for a total of 10,400 full-time equivalent nursery places have been submitted. The following table gives details of the bids from each local education authority:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has had any discussions with the Welsh Council about the future of the regional employment premiums; and what effect he anticipates it will have on the economy of Wales if it is withdrawn.

The council has already given me its views on the future of the premium. The effects of the phasing out of the premium will depend on the range of other regional measures in operation at the time.