asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable magistrates to award costs out of central funds to persons acquitted of summary offences.

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the Lord Chief Justice's recent direction to the courts that the costs of any defendant acquitted of an alleged offence shall be met from public funds or, in appropriate cases, by the prosecution, he will ensure that the terms of his direction shall take effect as from 1st January 1972.

The hon. Gentleman's Question does not accurately reflect the Lord Chief Justice's direction. But in any event my right hon. Friend does not have power to do what is asked, since decisions on whether or not to award costs are judicial ones.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders, attempted murders and cases of manslaughter were made known to the police in 1972; and by what percentage these figures exceeded or were less than the comparable figures for the year before the Bill to abolish capital punishment was introduced.

The latest corrected figure for murder in England and Wales in 1972 is 149. This figure is 22 per cent. higher that the corresponding figure for 1963 but 14 per cent. lower than in 1971.The figure for offences of murder recorded as known to the police at 31st December 1972 was 257, 68 per cent. higher than the corresponding figure for 1963, but in both years this figure does not take account of subsequent court proceedings or other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will supply the House on, say, a monthly basis with the number of illegal immigrants who have been detected and the number of these who have been deported.

I agree that information on this matter should be regularly provided and I propose to include in future in the statistics that are put in the Library of the House each quarter, and made available to the Press, figures for the number of illegal entrants detained and removed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the detection and deportation of illegal immigrants.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what I said in the debate on illegal immigrants on 26th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek additional powers in proposed legislation governing the control and use of liquid gas and other highly flammable liquids, with particular reference to carriage in private and commercial vehicles.

Under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 powers are already available to regulate the marking, construction and operation of vehicles used to convey inflammable liquids and liquefied gases by road. In addition, the Government propose, under forthcoming legislation, to introduce comprehensive controls over the manufacture, storage and use of such substances in all forms of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue an instruction to British High Commissions and request overseas Governments to advise immigrants seeking entry to Great Britain for computer training courses that before paying non-returnable deposits or course fees they should ascertain that entry is assured and that qualifications recognised by employers will be obtained through such courses.

My right hon. Friend and I shall consider with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether further guidance could helpfully be given to our posts overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the policy of recruiting mounted police women is being discontinued by the Metropolitan Police; and whether, in view of the policy of Her Majesty's Government being against discrimination on grounds of sex, he will ask the Commissioner for a report.

There has been no change of policy. The recent newspaper report suggesting there had been was without foundation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murderers released from prison in the last five years have killed again.

No murderers released from prisons in England and Wales in the last five years are known to have killed again.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with senior police officers regarding victims of domestic violence.

These consultations are being pressed forward urgently, but the problem raises difficult questions for the police and I would like to consider the results carefully before making any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his intention to publish a White Paper on firearms control in the autumn, prior to introducing legislation.

The publication of the Green Paper on the control of firearms has provided ample opportunity for comment on our provisional proposals, and I do not consider that there would be much advantage in presenting a White Paper when I have re-examined the proposals in the light of the comments and criticisms. I shall, however, keep in mind the possibility of making known the Government's conclusions before the introduction of legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations have been received from residents of Bedfordshire on his recent Green Paper "The Control of Firearms in Great Britain".

This information is not readily available. If the hon. Member will let me know for what purpose he wants it, I will consider whether the work involved in obtaining it would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he is giving or what other action he is taking with regard to the issue of new high-calibre rifles to police forces in England and Wales.

Following a review of the firearms available to the police for emergency use, police forces in England and Wales were invited in September last year to re-equip with a 7–62 mm rifle, based on an Army target rifle. The majority have decided to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now consider the desirability of banning the further use of plastic foam in furniture until a more fire-resistant product is available.

Pending the outcome of current research, I am not convinced that such a prohibition is either necessary or practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next proposes to visit the city of Manchester.

I have no plans at present to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of traffic wardens employed by the Metropolitan Police and by other police authorities hold current driving licences; and if he will indicate what percentage of those licences are clean or endorsed.

This information is not available for the Metropolitan Police and I should not feel justified in asking police authorities for other areas whether they have it. None of the prescribed functions of traffic wardens requires a driving licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to ensure that no person subject to police investigation shall be allowed to leave the country.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the involvement of his Department in the case of Mr. Jeremy Cartland.

A commission rogatoire was received from France for evidence to be taken before a magistrate in this country in connection with the proceedings then pending in France. This request was returned through the diplomatic channel for clarification. An application has also been received for my order authorising the medical referee to allow the cremation of the body of Mr. John Cartland. Apart from these approaches the Home Office has not been involved in the case. As the hon. Member will know the French Government have now decided not to ask for extradition in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions were given at Stansted airport, under his authority, to facilitate flight and transport arrangements for Mr. Howard Hughes on 28th June 1973.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement about additional London allowances to encourage recruitment of men and women to the Metropolitan Police.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. and learned Friend gave on 11th June to Questions by the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris).—[Vol. 857, c. 252–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to publish the consultative document on discrimination against women.

As soon as is consistent with proper consideration of the report of the Select Committee on the Anti-Discrimination (No. 2) Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances personal information in the possession of other Government Departments is supplied to his Department.

The main circumstances in which information from other Departments is supplied to the Home Office are as follows:1. The Home Office receives information about prisoners transferred to its care from the Scottish Home and Health Department, from the Ministry of Defence—following court martial—or from the Department of Health and Social Security—when patients are returned to prison from special hospitals.2. It receives information from the Department of Health and Social Security about offenders who are detained in institutions for which that Department is responsible—for example, to enable consideration to be given to their release.3. It receives information about immigrants from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from the DHSS and, with the taxpayer's prior consent, from the Inland Revenue. The information obtained may be about persons seeking entry to this country—for example on arrival at a port or on application being made overseas for an entry clearance—or about persons already in this country if there is suspicion of illegal entry or presence here.4. It receives information of the type usually required by an employer whenever a member or ex-member of the staff of another Department is being considered for employment in the Home Office.Additionally, information is sought from other Departments to identify drug addicts; to verify that an applicant for training as a probation officer is not known to have committed misconduct of a kind to render him unsuitable for appointment; and to assist in tracing the whereabouts of maintenance defaulters, where this is requested by a foreign Government with which the United Kingdom has a reciprocal enforcement agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an inquiry into medical treatment at Risley, in view of the death of Michael Biggs of Ellesmere Port.

The death of Michael Biggs, about which my noble Friend the Minister of State has already expressed our deep regret, has been investigated at the coroner's inquest and by an inquiry within the Home Office. If my hon. Friend will let me know of any other aspects of the medical arrangements at Risley that have caused him concern I will gladly have them investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the culling of baby seals in the Wash.

In the light of advice from the Natural Environment Research Council my right hon. Friend has issued licences, under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, to four persons, authorising each to kill, by shooting, up to 95 common seal pups in the period 10th-23rd July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the culling of seals in the Wash due to commence on 10th July.

In the light of advice from the Natural Environment Research Council, my right hon. Friend has issued licences, under the Conservation of Seals Act, 1970, to four persons, authorising each to kill, by shooting, up to 95 common seal pups in the period 10th-23rd July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what conditions police records are released for examination; and for what length of time they are available for inspection.

I am not sure what records the hon. Member has in mind. If he means criminal record files, these are confidential documents and are not released for inspection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will approve the application for an increase of 215 officers in the establishment of the Bristol Constabulary.

My right hon. Friend is considering this application in consultation with Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary and he has meanwhile authorised an increase in the number of constables so that there shall be no interference with recruitment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will recommend 10 the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police that in future local chief superintendents be authorised to reply to Members' letters rather than be instructed to send every-thing of this sort received to Scotland Yard for answer.

This is a matter for the Commissioner. He is not opposed to local commanders replying where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now issue instructions that the Kray twins must serve the remainder of their sentences in separate prisons.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many crimes certified firearms have been used in each of the last three years for which statistics are available.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Mr. David Price) on 19th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what passport is held by Mr. Herbert Chitepo, who recently visited London, and who is the head of ZANU.

I do not know what passport he now holds: it is not a United Kingdom one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to make provision for elections to the councils of the London boroughs to be postponed pending the reorganisation of local government elsewhere.

The Government hope this month to announce their decision on future electoral arrangements in London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will announce the length of the term of office for which councillors will be elected at the next London borough council elections and the frequency with which future elections will take place;(2) whether he will announce the date upon which the next London borough council elections will take place.

I expect an announcement on these matters, which were the subject of consultation earlier this year, to be made this month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make provision for the annual spring public holiday to be enjoyed in future at Whitsun.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of vacancies for police officers in the Metropolitan, West Midlands, Lancashire and Manchester and Salford police forces, respectively.

On 30th June 1973 the vacancies were: Metropolitan Police, 5,031; West Midlands Constabulary, 520; Lancashire Constabulary, 449; Manchester and Salford Police, 231.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were recruited by the Metropolitan Police Force in the year ended 30th June 1973; and what was the figure for wastage in the same period.

During the year ended 30th June 1973, 1,089 police officers were recruited into the Metropolitan Police and the wastage figure was 1,324.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of hours worked per week by police constables, sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors, respectively, in the Metropolitan police force in the last full year for which figures are available.

The last available figures for each rank separately are for the Metropolitan and City of London forces combined, and were prepared for a Police Council survey covering the month of June 1972. They are:

Rank	Average weekly hours worked
Constable	47·7
Detective Constable	59·3
Sergeant	47·6
Detective Sergeant	57·8
Station Sergeant	47·6
First Class Sergeant CID	59·5
Inspector	47·1
Detective Inspector	58·5
Chief Inspector	48·5
Detective Chief Inspector	59·0

A sample survey in the Metropolitan Police last December indicated that the average number of hours worked each week by police officers in the Metropolitan Police was 50·6.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to see that local authorities are given appropriate guidance concerning the position of the voluntary civil aid service in the new local government structure.

This guidance has already been given in Home Office Circular No. ES 1/1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the circulation of a film entitled "England whose England" to political clubs in Great Britain.

I am aware that concern has been expressed about this film but we have had no representations from members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of probationers recommended by the courts for probation and after- care hostels has subsequently been given prison sentences for other offences.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will investigate how and why it took one of his Ministers until 4th July to notify the hon. Member for West Ham, North that his letter of 12th June did not fall within his ministerial responsibilities and had been passed on to another Minister within the Department; and whether he will take action to prevent such happenings in the future.

The letter of 4th July was intended as a courtesy to the hon. Member to apologise to him for the fact that there would be a delay in replying to his letter of 12th June because the necessary inquiries into the matters he had raised were not yet complete. It informed him that a substantive reply would be sent to him as soon as possible and that it would be my noble Friend rather than my hon. and learned Friend, to whom the hon. Member had written, who would be replying on my behalf.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the rise in the price of agricultural land, and in particular the effect of this on owner-occupiers, he will seek powers to prevent the buying or holding of agricultural land by the institutions, as is the case in other European countries.

I would not consider that course to be desirable. Only one EEC member country operates such a restriction.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints have been received by his Department about food price increases during the period from November to the present date.

Between 6th November 1972 and 28th April 1973 my Department received about 16,500 complaints about food price increases. Since 29th April the Price Commission has been responsible for dealing with complaints about price increases.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, inasmuch as his Department affords financial assistance for the destruction of certain pests, such as coypus and grey squirrels, he will reconsider his decision to withdraw grant aid from rabbit clearance societies.

These are not grounds for contributing towards costs incurred by occupiers in the exercise of their proper responsibility for clearing rabbits from their land. There is no financial assistance for grey squirrel control, and measures to contain the coypu within its present limited area are recognised as a special case for the reasons explained in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rye (Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine) on 8th April 1971.—[Vol. 815, c. 303.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the estimated percentage increase in the rabbit population of Great Britain since the ending of grant aid to rabbit clearance societies.

No meaningful national estimates of this kind can be made. The rabbit population fluctuates both locally and seasonally depending on factors such as age distribution, incidence of the myxomatosis virus, climate during the breeding season, the inroads made by predators, and pest control activities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has agreed that, in the EEC negotiating mandate for the forthcoming GATT talks, the mechanisms of the common agricultural policy are not negotiable except for the few commodities where international commodity agreements may be possible.

The Community's overall approach to the coming GATT multilateral trade negotiations should be considered as a whole. The approach is consistent with the Community's agricultural objectives in the negotiations of further liberalising world trade and expanding it in stable world markets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the balance of payments.

Exports are doing very well, with export volume rising faster than the volume of imports. The trade deficit has been large because of the worsening in the terms of trade. The invisible account continues in substantial surplus.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to propose amendments to the Counter-Inflation Act.

None, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards EEC draft regulation R/2677/72 Add. 2; and if he will press for the United Kingdom Parliament to be given adequate power of supervision over the expenditure of moneys contributed by the United Kingdom.

The regulation has now been adopted and published in the OFFICIAL JOURNAL, Vol. 16, No. L116, dated 1st May 1973. As regards the second part of the Question, it has been made clear many times that primary responsibility for the control of Community expenditure rests with the institutions of the Community.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the major differences between the EEC draft General Financial Regulation R/2677/72 Add. 2 and the EEC draft financial regulation R/937/73.

R/2677/2 Add. 2 was an earlier translation, from the working French text, of the text that was finally agreed as R/ 937/ 73 in the various Community languages by the Jurist/Linguist Group.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an estimate of the costs and savings resulting from the tax credit scheme with the same breakdown as is given in the memorandum submitted by the Tax Credit Study Group to the Select Committee on 17th May and printed on page 413 of the minutes of evidence, assuming that the tax credits are on a "revenue-neutral" basis of £3–30 for a single person, £4–90 for a married couple and £165 for each child.

This information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such a scheme in any event would not achieve the social objectives of the tax credit scheme proposed in the Green Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what transfers were made, and what amounts were received, by the United Kingdom in respect of the EEC in May 1973.

In May 1973 the European Communities' sterling account with the Paymaster-General was credited with £20,629,183–17. Transfers from the account totalled £5,089,084–21, of which £1,089,084–21 was to the Consolidated Fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to announce his Department's future plans relating to mortgage interest rates, following the end of the subsidised period.

The bridging grant was limited to a period of three months. It will be for the building societies to announce the level of mortgage rates after the expiry of the grant.

asked the Chancellor of the Exquequer, of the £113 million contributed to invisibles in 1971, what was the total attributed to the work and professional services of architects, quantity surveyors, consulting engineers and management consultants; and what is his estimate for 1972.

The estimate of £113 million related to professional earnings overseas was prepared by the Committee on Invisible Exports from information supplied by a number of professional groups. An analysis in the committee's publication "Overseas Earnings of the British Professions" shows that some £56 million of the total was attributed to architects, chartered surveyors, consulting engineers and management consultants. The committee has no later information on a comparable basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of the £87 million contributed to invisibles in 1971, what was the total attributed to the operations of building and civil engineering contractors; and what is his estimate for 1972.

An article contributed by the Department of the Environment to the issue of Trade and Industry for 16th November 1972 puts the overseas earnings of United Kingdom building and civil engineering firms in the year ended 31st March 1972 at £54 million, some £10 million above the earnings of the preceding financial year. No later information is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total of personal disposable income for each quarter since January 1960; and what has been the percentage increase in real personal disposable income per head of the population between each of these successive quarters.

The latest available estimates are given in the following table:

	Total personal disposable income at current prices	Increase in real personal disposable income per head over preceding quarter
	£million	Per cent.
1960—
1st quarter	4,405	—
2nd quarter	4,542	+ 2·4
3rd quarter	4,602	+ 10
4th quarter	4,728	+ 2·0
1961—
1st quarter	4,767	− 0·1
2nd quarter	4,901	+ 1·6
3rd quarter	4,944	− 0·8
4th quarter	4,959	− 0·5
1962—
1st quarter	5,008	− 0·7
2nd quarter	5,075	Nil
3rd quarter	5,143	+ 0·8
4th quarter	5,249	+ 1·7
1963—
1st quarter	5,271	− 0·2
2nd quarter	5,381	+ 1·4
3rd quarter	5,528	+ 2·4
4th quarter	5606	+ 0·4
1964—
1st quarter	5,680	+ 0·6
2nd quarter	5,799	+ 0·4
3rd quarter	5,913	+ 0·9
4th quarter	6,017	+ 1·0
1965—
1st quarter	6,097	− 0·1
2nd quarter	6,184	− 0·6
3rd quarter	6,335	+ 1·5
4th quarter	6,440	+ 1·1
1966—
1st quarter	6,731	+ 3·6
2nd quarter	6,568	− 3·9
3rd quarter	6,599	− 0·8
4th quarter	6,668	+ 0·1
1967—
1st quarter	6,678	− 0·4
2nd quarter	6,906	+ 3·0
3rd quarter	7,069	+ 2·0
4th quarter	7,036	− 1·3
1968—
1st quarter	7,255	+ 1·7
2nd quarter	7,281	− 1·8
3rd quarter	7,421	+ 0·9
4th quarter	7,554	+ 0·2
1969—
1st quarter	7,696	+ 0·2
2nd quarter	7,710	− 1·0
3rd quarter	7,874	+ 1·0
4th quarter	7,993	+ 0·2
1970—
1st quarter	8,096	− 0·2
2nd quarter	8,464	+ 3·0
3rd quarter	8,709	+ 1·5
4th quarter	8,872	+ 0·3

	Total personal disposable income at current prices	Increase in real personal disposable income per head over preceding quarter
	£million	Per cent.
1971—
1st quarter	9,031	− 10
2nd quarter	9,374	+ 1·3
3rd quarter	9,675	+ 1·5
4th quarter	9,905	+ 1·8
1972—
1st quarter	10,054	− 0·3
2nd quarter	10,777	+ 5·8
3rd quarter	10,817	− 0·9
4th quarter	11,276	+ 2·6
1973—
1st quarter	11,475	− 0·1

Notes: The figures are based on seasonally adjusted data. The figures given in the right hand column are especially liable to revision and small fluctuations in them cannot be regarded as significant.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many ounces of gold were held in the official reserves of the United Kingdom at the end of the financial years 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, respectively.

Following is the information:

Date	Number of ounces (millions)
End March—
1969	42·162.
1970	41·957
1971	32·114
1972	21·430
1973	21·344

All figures rounded to the nearest thousand ounces.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the total value of annual investment in the United Kingdom by residents of the six original members of the EEC in 1970, 1971 and 1972, respectively;(2) what was the total value of, respectively, direct and portfolio investment by residents of the United Kingdom in the six original members of the E1EC in 1970, 1971 and 1972.

With the qualifications given in the answer to the right hon.

			£ million
Investment by the EEC in the United Kingdom and vice versa			1970	1971	1972
To United Kingdom—
direct (excluding oil and insurance)	…	…	51	33	35†
portfolio*	…	…	33	108	150
From United Kingdom—
direct (excluding oil)	…	…	71	244	200†
portfolio	…	…	22	50	250
* Including company issues abroad, not all of which may have been raised in the EEC.
† Provisional estimates.

Most of the outward investment was financed either by foreign currency borrowing or from reinvested profits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been received from the Supreme Council of the Sikhs in the United Kingdom and from other bodies and individuals about the difficulty of Sikhs who practise their religion, in wearing crash helmets; and whether he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg) on 18th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which cathedral cities in England have been granted neither parish council status nor district council status under the Local Government Act 1972; which county towns in England have been granted neither parish council status nor district council status under the Local Government Act 1972; and which existing local authorities in England, where the population accounts for more than one-fifth of the population of the relevant new district council, have been granted parish status under the Local Government Act 1972.

The information requested is set out below. It should be noted that the term "county town" has no local government application; the information on this point is based on the

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects a definitive footpath map to be available covering Bedfordshire.

It is expected that hearings in respect of the outstanding appeals relating to the draft map will be held before the end of this year. The provisional map will then be published, after which owners and occupiers of land affected may challenge the inclusion of paths in the map by application to the Crown court. When any such appeals have been resolved the definitive map will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has received from British Rail for approval of capital expenditure on either the construction or the electrification of railway routes running across country to eastern ports.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce regulations to extend MOT test requirements to invalid tricycles.

Invalid tricycles which weigh more than 6 cwt. and are more than three years old are subject to the MOT test. I am reviewing these requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the nature reserves in the North Riding of the county of York that are at present under the control or supervision of the Nature Conservancy.

I have been asked to reply.There is one national nature reserve under the supervision of the Nature Conservancy in the North Riding of the county of York. This is the Upper Teesdale Reserve which was set up in 1963 and involves 6,500 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is now the practice of Her Majesty's Government regarding the publication of policy statements by individual Departments prior to the consideration of such policies by the EEC Council of Ministers.

The practice is likely to vary according to the circumstances and merits of each case. The recommendations of the Select Committee on European Community Secondary Legislation may also have a bearing on the procedures to be adopted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will lodge a pretest with France over her assertion of jurisdiction on the high seas up to 48 miles beyond the 12-mile limit around the Mururoa Atoll.

No. The question whether the exclusion of shipping from an area of the high seas is lawful or not is one of the issues before the International Court of Justice in the current proceedings brought by Australia and by New Zealand against France.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches he has received from Commonwealth countries, not eligible for Associate status in the EEC, in respect of the undertakings contained in paragraph 119 of the White Paper on the European Communities published in July 1971; and what action he has taken in answer to any such requests.

The undertakings in paragraph 119 of Command 4715 were formally incorporated into the Joint Declaration of Intent on the Development of Trade Relations with Ceylon, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore annexed to the Treaty of Accession.We have been, and will remain, in close touch with the countries concerned on matters arising from the declaration. It is of course for the countries to approach the Community direct, and some have already done so.

asked the Minister of Slate for Defence for what reasons Service divers have been surveying the wrecks of scuttled German warships from the 1914–18 war; and the "Royal Oak" in Scapa Flow.

So far as HMS "Royal Oak" is concerned, the site has recently been surveyed by naval divers for the purpose of checking on the present state of the vessel. There has been no similar survey by Service divers on the wrecks of scuttled German warships from the 1914–18 war. An RAF Sub-Aqua Club in a private capacity has also recently carried out authorised diving on the site of HMS "Royal Oak" for the purpose of viewing the vessel, subject to stringent conditions that it is not to be disturbed in any way. I understand that this group has also dived on the wrecks of the German warships for the same purpose.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty's Forces were court martialled in the last 12 months period for which figures are available.

2,197 in the year ending 31st March 1973.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how much money is spent, each week, on the provision of food for soldiers below the rank of sergeant.

The ration scale is 43–4p per head per day for all ranks in all three Services. This represents wholesale prices. It does not include the cost of preparation and overheads, which is not separately recorded.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the estimated cost in this financial year of paying to widows of members of the Armed Forces their husbands' pay or pension, as appropriate, for the first three months of widowhood, as envisaged in the second stage of the Armed Forces pensions review; and what would be the estimated cost in this financial year if these regulations were to be applied to all those widowed during this year.

The estimated cost of continuing for the first three months of widowhood the pay or pension of a member of the Armed Forces who was serving on 31st March 1973 but who dies before 1st April 1974 is about £140,000. The total cost if this benefit were extended to widows whose husbands retired before 31st March 1973 and who are entitled to a pension under the Forces Family Pension Scheme would probably approach £ ½ million. The total extra cost of extending this benefit to widows of ex-Service men who are not entitled to widows' pensions under the Forces Family Pension Scheme would be very much greater.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the approximate cost of paying an attributable Forces family pension to all war widows on the same terms as apply to all those whose husbands give service on or after 31st March 1973.

If all war widows were given an attributable Forces family pension under the terms that apply to women whose husbands die attributably in service on or after 31st March 1973, the cost would be in the region of £100 million a year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the approximate cost of increasing the pensions of widows of Armed Forces pensioners from one-third of the husband's pension to one-half.

The additional cost would be likely to be about £5 million a year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the approximate cost of raising the pension income of all those attributably invalided from the Services to the minimum rates of Service attributable pension which will be applied to all those so invalided who give service on or after 31st March 1973.

It is not possible to estimate the cost of applying the new arrangements for attributable invaliding to Service men who have been invalided for attributable reasons in the past. If we applied the new Armed Forces occupational provisions to all war disablement pensioners receiving pensions from the Department of Health and Social Security the cost could well be in the region of £150 million a year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, in view of the present shortage of officers in certain arms and corps of the Army, he will consider the possibility of using the services of TAVR officers.

I have examined this possibility and I am pleased to say that it has been decided to introduce a pilot scheme under which up to 60 trained junior officers of the TAVR will be able to volunteer for short periods of full-time service with the Regular Army. They will be granted a special commission to be known as the Short Service Volunteer Commission. This will help to provide more junior officers for the Regular Army, as well as a steady supply of young TAVR officers with Regular Army experience.

asked the Minister of State for Defence, of the 811 acres currently being disposed of by the Property Services Agency in Bedfordshire, where is the land located, and what are the sizes of the separate holdings.

At RAF, Cardington, 214 acres, at RAF, Chicksands, 538 acres and at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, 59 acres.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will consider using obsolete naval tonnage for activities connected with offshore oil and gas industries where the current marine construction capability is primarily vested in foreign interests.

I have been asked to reply.Ministry of Defence tonnage which is obsolete but has evident civil commercial possibilities is offered for sale by the Ministry of Defence through my Department, which seeks the highest bid by means of competitive tender. If the hon. Member has any specific proposals for use of such tonnage in the marine construction field I hope he will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when last a Department of Education inspector examined the accommodation and teaching facilities at Islington borough's Gisburne reception centre at Watford.

This is not an establishment to which Her Majesty's inspector has right of entry; but education is provided there by a local education authority and Her Majesty's inspector visited it by invitation on 28th September 1970 along with representatives of the then Children's Department of the Home Office, whose responsibility in the matter now rests with the Department of Health and Social Security.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount is spent annually by local education authorities on adult education; and what amount is received by them in respect of student fees.

This information is not collected annually, but the Russell Committee on Adult Education estimated that in 1968–69 local education authorities in England and Wales incurred gross expenditure of £19–2 million with income of £3–2 million including £2–8 million from fees for non-vocational adult education. These figures excluded transfer payments between authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons have left school in the last year between their fifteenth and sixteenth birthdays; how many persons have left school in this age category between successive Septembers in each of the last 10 years; and in each case, including the current year, what percentage each of these figures is of the total in that 15 to 16 age group.

The following figures, which are for England and Wales, include some leavers who had not yet reached their fifteenth birthday when they left school. The population figures relate to those aged 15 at 1st January within the appropriate year, the nearest approximation to the academic year population aged 15 to 16 that is available.

Year							(1) Leavers aged under 16* ('000)	(2) Population aged 15 at 1st January ('000)	(1) as a percentage of (2)
1962–63	…	…	…	…	…	…	438·1	830	52·8
1963–64	…	…	…	…	…	…	401·0	749	53·5
1964–65	…	…	…	…	…	…	368·6	704	52·4
1965–66	…	…	…	…	…	…	343·0	673	51·0
1966–67	…	…	…	…	…	…	314·1	656	47·9
1967–68	…	…	…	…	…	…	305·5	651	46·9
1968–69	…	…	…	…	…	…	297·4	661	45·0
1969–70	…	…	…	…	…	…	286·0	655	43·7
1970–71	…	…	…	…	…	…	282·6	649	43·6
1971–72	…	…	…	…	…	…	293·4	696	42·1
* Leavers from all schools except special schools and independent schools not recognised as efficient.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish the times and manner in which each of the following groups were notified of her decision concerning Birmingham secondary reorganisation, namely the local education authority, Catholic schools, Conservative Members of Parliament, Labour Members of Parliament and the Press.

On 28th June an officer of my Department delivered the letters containing my decisions to the Chairman of Birmingham Education Committee at 3 p.m. and to the Secretary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocesan Schools Commission and to the Church of England Diocesan Director of Education at 3.05 p.m. Copies of the letters for the 13 Members of Parliament for Birmingham constituencies were delivered to the House of Commons just after 3.30 p.m. Copies of the letters were released to the Press at 4 p.m.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why it is her practice to notify Conservative Members of Parliament of changes in secondary reorganisation in their area prior to Labour Members of Parliament, the local education authority and other interested bodies.

It is not my practice. Where a Member of Parliament of whatever party has signified a constituency interest, I or my noble Friend the Under-Secretary inform the Member usually by letter after the official letter conveying my decision on a proposal under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944 has been despatched to the local education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of insured persons in employment in the mid-Northumberland employment exchanges area in each of the past 10 years; and if he will give the figures for males and females separately.

Estimates of the numbers employed in local areas are made for each mid-year and the most recent are for June 1971. Following is the available information:

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE AMBLE, ALNWICK, ASHINGTON, BEDLINGTON, BLYTH AND MORPETH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
	Males	(thousands) Females
1962	42·1	13·8
1963	41·0	13·9
1964	40·3	140
1965	39·1	14·7
1966	36·9	14·9
1967	34·6	150
1968	32·1	15·3
1969	29·6	15·3
1970	30·6	16·9
1971	31·4	16·7

The estimates are subject to sampling and other errors and no significance should be attached to small changes from one year to another.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of unemployed persons under the age of 18 years, male and female, in the mid-Northumberland employment exchange area.

On 11th June 1973 there were 67 boys and 40 girls unemployed in the area covered by the Alnwick, Amble, Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth and Morpeth employment exchanges.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unfilled vacancies are registered in the Cheadle, Staffordshire, employment area; and what was the comparable figure a year ago.

In the Cheadle employment exchange area there were 49 on 6th June, 1973 and 45 on 7th June, 1972. The statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.