asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the efficacy of the Government grant of £4·8 million to Norton Villiers Triumph in the promotion of British motor cycle exports.

I remain of the view that the creation of Norton Villiers Triumph Limited, in which the Government have invested £4·872 million, provides the best chance of creating a strong and competitive motor cycle industry in this country and therefore of maintaining and expanding exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take action designed to maintain the Triumph motor cycle works at Meriden as a viable unit in the interests of employment and exports, and in the light of the £4·8 million loan of public money to the Norton Villiers Triumph Company.

No. If Norton Villiers Triumph Ltd. is to be strong and competitive—and this was the objective of the Government's investment of £4·872 million—it is necessary for the company to rationalise its production of motor cycles. It is for the company to decide how and where its plans should be put into effect, and I have no reason to question its decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his talks with French and West German Transport Ministers on the future of the European aircraft industry.

I met M. Guena, the French Minister for Transport, and Dr. Friderichs, the German Minister for the Economy, in Paris on 29th October for an informal and confidential exchange of views on the opportunities open to the European aircraft industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is yet able to assess the response to his appeal for voluntary savings by consumers of petrol and oil.

It is not yet possible to make an assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has had with the British Steel Corporation about the future of the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

An agreed strategy for the development of the British Steel Corporation was published in the White Paper (Cmnd. 5226) in February 1973. I and my right hon. Friends are in regular consultation with the corporation on problems arising in the implementation of that strategy.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the light of national and international steel shortages, he proposes alterations in the Government's steel strategy as outlined in the 1973 White Paper.

The British Steel Corporation's development strategy, as outlined in the White Paper (Cmnd. 5226), provides for a continuing planning process with flexibility to meet market and other changes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the details of the EEC's latest policy as it applies to re-adoption assistance which eases the personal and financial problems of those who are made redundant in the steel industry; what discussions he has had with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Article 56 of the Treaty of Paris sets out the general conditions under which aid from Community funds can be provided to help redundant and redeployed steelworkers and specifies the forms of benefit which may be paid. As stated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Normanton) on 2nd November.—[Vol. 863, c. 39.]—the Government have concluded an agreement with the European Commission under which such help will be afforded to steelworkers in the United Kingdom who qualify under Article 56 and regulations enabling these benefits to be paid will be laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Her Majesty's Government have plans for denationalising Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited; and if he will make a statement.

The Government intend to seek the introduction of private capital into Rolls-Royce (1971) Ltd. as soon as circumstances permit, but do not expect this to be in the immediate future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimates he has made of probable coal production during the six months from the beginning of October 1973.

It is too early to say what effect the overtime ban will have on the NCB estimates which were given in answering the hon. Member on 22nd October.—[Vol. 861, c. 683–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on his discussions with the Council of Engineering Institutions about the registration of engineers.

I have agreed with the Council of Engineering Institutions that, in the context of EEC, mutual recognition will need to be extended to suitably qualified engineers, whether they are in membership of institutions inside or outside the CEI. There is still one major issue to be resolved and I shall be continuing discussions to that end.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of domestically produced fuel resources; and if he will make a statement.

Figures for United Kingdom resources of oil and gas are contained in the report "Production and reserves of oil and gas on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf", presented to Parliament in May. The NCB estimates reserves of economically workable coal accessible to currently working collieries at about 4,000 million tons, with further reserves amounting to some 12,000 million tons. It is estimated that by 1980 we could be producing more than three-quarters of our energy requirements from domestic resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the fuel supply position in the United Kingdom.

I would refer the hon. Member to my statement earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reply he has sent to the hon. Member for Bothwell to the letter sent to him about the closure of Wheway Watson Limited's factory at Bellshill.

I have today replied to the hon. Member explaining the rules under which redundancy payments are made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will initiate talks with the advertising industry designed to limit the amount of advertising material delivered to private residences.

No. This was examined last year by the Younger Committee on Privacy, which concluded that legislation in the field was unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help has been given by his Department to regional chambers of commerce in fact-finding and trade missions to EEC countries.

With the help of the British Overseas Trade Board, the London and Birmingham chambers are each organising one mission of small firms new to exporting.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received, or is led to expect, in support of the proposition that deposits of petroleum under British territorial waters should be regarded as British rather than European.

I have received no such representations in relation to territorial waters. As far as I know there are no disputes that deposits of petroleum under such waters are national assets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of home fuel consumption he estimates would be saved in the winter months from December onwards by reverting to summer time.

I do not consider that there would be any significant effect on the overall level of fuel consumption by the adoption of British Summer Time during the winter months, as I am advised by the Electricity Council that the total number of units consumed in a typical 24-hour period is substantially the same irrespective of the time system in operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will arrange to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT regular lists of price increases approved by the Price Commission.

As I told the House on 17th October, publication of price increases is the responsibility in stage 3 of the firms which implement them. The commission will continue to give information in its quarterly report about Category I notifications and what has happened to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will widen his company law reform proposals to include areas of company jurisdiction not covered in the recent White Paper such as insider dealings by financial journalists and further safeguards relating to take-overs of City discount houses.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the detailed proposals in the forthcoming Companies Bill. As to the take-overs, discount houses are subject to the same rules and safeguards as other bodies, and I see no reason to extend them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent communication he has had with the management of the British Steel Corporation, and the European Commission, respectively, regarding the pricing policies of the corporation; and if he will make a statement.

The corporation's pricing policy is its own responsibility, although prices have been among the topics covered by the discussions which the corporation has with the Government on matters of mutual concern. I have not discussed the corporation's pricing policy with the European Commission, but the Commission was informed in advance of the increases decided upon by the corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase United Kingdom oil refining capacity, in view of the world oil crisis and the first commercial production of North Sea oil next year; and if he will make a statement.

United Kingdom refining capacity has been increased by 18 million tons during 1973, and is higher than our normal consumption. It is the Government's policy to encourage home refinery capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek powers to enable him to prevent pressure by oil companies on managers or tenants of petrol stations in relation to the products they sell; and if he will make a statement.

Following the Monopolies Commission's Report on the supply of petrol to retailers, the oil companies gave undertakings about the free choice of products, other than petrol, in garages which they owned and leased or which they supplied with petrol under a solus agreement. The Director General of Fair Trading intends shortly to review those undertakings and will be opening discussions with the oil companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimates he has made of the manpower requirements for his proposed consumer advice centres and of the number of centres needed to meet his objectives; what training facilities are being made available to service the centres; and what financial support he will provide in the form of grants or loans to encourage local authorities to implement his policies.

I am considering these matters in the light of consultations with the bodies concerned with the provision of consumer advice and the discussions I shall be having shortly with them and with local authority representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding his Department's proposal to delegate statutory surveys and other matters affecting safety at sea to Lloyd's Register of Shipping; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) on 12th November 1973.—[Vol. 864, c. 13.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many collieries have been closed by the National Coal Board since June 1970; and if he will compare this figure with closures during the preceding seven years.

29 collieries have closed since June 1970. In the years ended June 1964 to 1970 the numbers of closures were 28, 44, 50, 41, 63, 44 and 16 respectively, a total of 286.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Japanese ball-bearing industry representatives or with Japanese Ministers regarding the establishment of Japanese ball-bearing manufacturing facilities in Great Britain; whether it is his policy to give financial or other aid; and if he will make a statement.

A Japanese company considering the manufacture of ball-bearings in Western Europe has consulted my Department about the possibility of setting up a plant in the United Kingdom. The hope was expressed to the company that, subject to certain assurances, the project would come to the United Kingdom. If this proves to be the company's decision, and if it is located in one of the assisted areas, the project would qualify for the appropriate aid under the Industry Act in the same way as would any similar investment whether British or foreign.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will exercise his investigatory powers to examine the voluntary liquidation of Communicare; the incorporation of Communicare Fine Arts, some directors of which were formerly directors of the company in liquidation; and any liquidated companies engaged in the sale of hearing aids in which these same directors served, following the information sent to him by the hon. Member for Willesden, West.

There are at present no grounds on which the Department ought to exercise its investigatory powers under the Companies Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will pay an official visit to Blackburn.

I much regret that I had to cancel my plans to visit Blackburn last week. Fortunately my noble Friend the Minister without Portfolio was able to go in my place and he has given me an account of the occasion. I have not yet made further plans to visit Blackburn.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the grant of £900,000 made to Oxley Industries Ltd. to acquire a Liverpool printing works was publicly offered to all other potential purchasers; and if he will make a statement.

The liquidator of a Liverpool printing and bookbinding company has made arrangements with Oxley to enable employment to continue. As part of these arrangements, which include substantial backing from the private sector, a loan of £450,000 is being made available under the Industry Act 1972. The company's management, the liquidator and all concerned were aware that any firm which was interested in acquiring the business would be considered for help under the Industry Act. Without this assistance some 300 jobs would have been lost in an area where the unemployment rate exceeds 5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of electricity generating stations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is oil-fired and what percentage coal-fired; and how many are dual-purpose or capable of being adapted from oil-burning to coal-burning and what would be the cost of such conversion.

Some 64 per cent. of publicly owned generating in the United Kingdom is coal-fired and 20 per cent. is oil-fired. Of the remainder one station—Kingsnorth—is dual-fired on coal/oil and two stations—Hams Hall C and West Thurrock—are dual-fired on gas/coal. These dual-fired stations amount to only 5 per cent. of the total capacity.For technical reasons, stations built to burn oil cannot be converted to coal firing. Where coal-fired stations have been converted to burn oil the practicability and cost of readapting them to burn coal depends on a large number of different factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the latest estimates of the date when North Sea oil will begin to flow to Scotland in convenient quantities; and what is the latest estimate of the reserves in the British sector of the North Sea.

The first North Sea oil to be landed in Scotland by pipeline is expected in the spring of 1975. Recoverable reserves of the fields now considered to be commercial are estimated to be about 800 million tons. If further appraisal drilling confirms that other finds already reported are commercial the figure could be higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Mines and Quarries Acts of 1954 and 1969 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(2) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Gasworks (Clauses) Act 1849 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(3) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Requisition of Land and War Works Act 1948 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(4) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Pipe-lines Act 1962 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(5) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Iron and Steel Act 1967 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(6) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Boiler Explosion Act 1882 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary.

The Iron and Steel Act 1967 no longer affords powers of entry to my agents and the powers originally contained in the Gasworks (Clauses) Act 1846 have been subsumed into the Gas Act 1972. This matter has been closely reviewed and I am satisfied that the powers of entry afforded by statute to my officers are necessary for the public interest and for public safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will convene a conference of manufacturers to discuss how the packaging of goods can be reduced and ways and means of treating discarded packaging with a view to recovering some of the dwindling resources of basic raw materials.

Questions relating to the packaging of goods and to the recycling of discarded packaging materials are being considered by my Department and the Department of the Environment. The Government have been associated with studies by the industries concerned into the use and disposal of metal, plastics and glass containers; and we are in close touch with the users, collectors and local authorities so far as paper and board are concerned. I do not think at present that a conference along the lines suggested is necessary, but I will bear the suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what royalties are payable to the Atomic Energy Authority.

Royalties are payable to the Atomic Energy Authority in respect of two Magnox power stations built overseas. A levy is also charged on fuel supplied for the Magnox power stations built for the United Kingdom electricity generating boards, for the two overseas stations and for the stations at Calder Hall and Chapelcross owned by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. In addition the authority receives payments in respect of patents and licences arising from its research and development activities. The total value of royalties received in 1972–73 was £721,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has completed its preliminary inquiry into the explosion on board the barge "Humber Mariner" on the River Hull; and if he will make a statement on its conclusions.

Yes. The explosion was due to the ignition of an explosive mixture of petroleum vapour and air in the engine room. The extent of the damage and the death of the only witness made it impossible to say with certainty how the petroleum vapour came to be present or by what source it was ignited, and I do not therefore propose to order a formal investigation. This tragic occurrence emphasises the need for the utmost care in ensuring that petroleum vapour is not allowed to accumulate in a confined space where it may be exposed to sparks or other naked lights.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the cost of clearing up the spillage of oil from the Liberian tanker "Conoco Britannia" in the Humber; who paid the cost; and how much was recovered from the oil company concerned.

About £27,000, of which £23,500 was incurred by my Department and £3,500 by local authorities. The insurers of the vessel have been notified, in accordance with the Tanker Owners' Voluntary Agreement concerning Liability for Oil Pollution, of our intention to claim reimbursement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state on what date the trade figures will next be published.

The trade figures for November will be published on 13th December 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an inquiry into the safety standards of the Moskvich car, in view of the defects listed in the recent report of the Consumers Association, a copy of which has been sent to him.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what rate of return in public capital expenditure he anticipates from the Maplin airport, the Maplin seaport and the Channel Tunnel.

The rate of return on the Maplin airport will depend on the level of airport charges, and it is too early to say what this level will be. Detailed proposals for the Maplin seaport have not yet been submitted to me by the Port of London Authority. Major public expenditure on the Channel Tunnel itself would arise only if the guarantees to fixed interest investors were called, which is not expected to happen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the availability of building resources, especially the labour force, in South-East England for undertaking the Maplin and Channel Tunnel projects;(2) if he is satisfied that the demand for building labour in connection with the Maplin and Channel Tunnel projects will have no adverse impact on the house-building programmes of local authorities in London and the South-East.

The peak requirement for labour on the Maplin and Channel Tunnel projects together—including housing in the Maplin New Town—is expected to be about 12,000 at the end of the decade. This is equivalent to about 4 per cent. of the total construction labour force currently working in the South-East. The construction industries are capable of the organisation necessary to meet a requirement of this order which does not in any case represent a net addition to demand on construction resources compared with what would otherwise arise in providing alternative facilities. There is no reason why local authority housebuilding programmes should be significantly affected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many driving test instructors are employed in the West Midlands traffic area.

There are 94 examiners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what should be the full complement of driving test examiners in the county of Leicestershire and in Hinckley; how far short present numbers fall; and what has been the rate of recruitment during 1973 in these two areas.

Seventeen and three respectively. The current vacancies are two and one; two candidates have accepted appointment and another is likely to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of candidates pass their driving test at the first attempt; and how that compares with the corresponding figure for 1963.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what requests he has receved from the London borough of Wandsworth on the provision of a rent tribunal office in the borough; and if he will make a statement.

The London Borough of Wandsworth asked me to consider setting up a rent tribunal for the area, which lies in the Croydon and South-West London Rent Tribunal district.Though applications to the Croydon and South-West London Tribunal have over the last few years increased, the number from Wandsworth has increased more slowly. In view of this, and of the availability of rent tribunal forms and advice on furnished tenancy problems at the recently established Housing Advice Centre at Wandsworth Town Hall and at the Citizens' Advice Bureau, I do not consider that the cost of setting up a separate tribunal there would be justified. The President of the London Rent Assessment Panel is, however, at my right hon. and learned Friend's suggestion, looking into the practicability of the Tribunal's holding regular hearings in Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware of the risk of accidents as a result of road work to pedestrians crossing the trunk roads in the area of East Lancashire and Worsley Road, Swinton; if he will ensure that control is exercised in securing safety; and if he will make a statement.

The difficulties for pedestrians at this junction are long-standing and it is for this reason that a pedestrian subway is being constructed under the East Lancashire Road. The construction of this together with associated road works has temporarily exacerbated the problem of crossing the road on foot. Both the agent for this scheme, the Lancashire County Council, and the contractors are, however, taking all possible measures to safeguard pedestrians.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the New Towns Act 1965 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(2) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(3) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Town and County Planning Act 1971 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(4) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Mineral Workings Act 1951 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(5) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Housing Act 1957 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(6) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Water Resources Act 1963 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(7) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Ancient Monuments Acts of 1931 and 1953 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary;(8) if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Road Traffic Act 1960 and seek to revoke all that he considers are not necessary.

No. I am not aware of any unnecessary powers of entry to private property held by my officers under the Acts referred to, but I will consider any specific instances my hon. Friend cares to send me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the powers of entry to private property held by his officers under the Building Control Act 1966 and to revoke all that he considers are not necessary.

The operation of the Building Control Act 1966 was suspended by the Building Control (Suspension of Control) Order 1968 (S.I. 1968 No. 1827).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now extend the terminating date of June 1974 for qualifying for the higher rate of improvement grants for housing in view of the backlog in certain areas and the difficulty in getting builders.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses and flats have been built since 1945; and what proportion of households in Great Britain are now living in accommodation constructed during this period.

8,157,000 permanent dwellings, which it is estimated now provide accommodation for about 43 per cent. of households in Great Britain, have been completed since 1st January 1945.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider appointing a representative of the Corporation of Mortgage Brokers to the joint Government-Building Societies Association Committee which is to consider matters relating to house purchase.

It would not be appropriate to extend the membership of this Committee, which has been set up jointly by agreement between the Government and the Building Societies Association. I am however always ready to consider any views on the private housing market which the Corporation of Mortgage and Finance Brokers may wish to put forward from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make his proposed statement on railway policy.

Very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to advertise the fact that those who wish to claim retrospective home loss payments under the Land Compensation Act 1973 must do so before 22nd November 1973.

An advertisement issued by the Department has recently appeared in eight national daily and eight Sunday newspapers and also, in translation, in publications read by the immigrant community.In addition the Department has sought to contact individually all those who were displaced by its own road schemes between 17th October 1972 and 23rd May 1973 to inform them that their claims for home loss payments must be made by 22nd November this year at the latest. Local authorities have also been asked to make every effort to ensure that early warning is given to possible claimants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer and to local authorities of rent allowances for private tenants in England for 1973–74.

Rent allowances in accordance with the model scheme receive 100 per cent. subsidy from central Government funds; in 1973–74 the estimated cost of this in England is £48 million. The cost to local authorities of extra discretionary allowances cannot be reliably estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many of the lay members of the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel are (a) in receipt of State pensions, (b) self-employed, (c) in receipt of a weekly wage and (d) unemployed;(2) what work the phrase "social welfare" covers in the description given to four of the lay members of the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel; whether the work was voluntary or paid, full- or part-time; and with what organisations.

I do not think it right to ask for and publish these details of Panel members' personal circumstances. The description "social welfare" covers a range of activities, full-time and part-time, paid and unpaid. Participation in the work of social service councils is a factor common to a number of the members concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representative bodies, nationally and in Yorkshire, were invited to nominate lay members to the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel under Section 51(1) of the Housing Finance Act 1972 and Section 42 of and Schedule 5 to the Rent Act 1968 respectively.

None. Neither the 1968 Rent Act of the previous administration nor the Housing Finance Act 1972 provides for nomination by representative bodies. My right hon. and learned Friend, in revising panels for rent assessment committees and rent scrutiny boards, will of course take note of any names put forward to him by representative bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are used in making lay appointments to the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel.

Lay members of rent assessment panels are chosen for qualities of judgment and commonsense and an ability to take an impartial view.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average age of the lay members of the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel; and how many are of pensionable age.

The average age is 60 years; 18 out of a total of 44 lay members are over 65 years of age.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many lay members of the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel live in (a) the city and county of Kingston upon Hull and (b) the East Riding County Council area.

There are two lay members who live in Kingston upon Hull and four who live in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many lay members of the Yorkshire Rent Assessment Panel have retired since their appointments; and what was their trade or profession.

Eight lay members have retired.Two were housewives; one is an ex-trade union official; one was a company director; one a local authority councillor; one an analytical chemist; one a social worker; and one a minister of religion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has delayed making a decision on the planning application made by the Lambeth Borough Council to build homes for 1,548 people in Wickham Road, Croydon, in view of the fact that the appeal was heard by one of his inspectors in December 1972.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) on 14th November.—[Vol. 864, c. 154.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the increase in the numbers of domestic ratepayers eligible for rate rebate under the Local Government Bill; and what proportion of this increase consists of householders on supplementary benefit.

Estimates of the numbers of domestic ratepayers in England and Wales eligible to benefit under the current rate rebate scheme are not wholly reliable. However, in 1972–73, the latest financial year for which information is available, 905,423 domestic ratepayers in England and Wales received a rebate under that scheme. I estimate that in 1974–75 nearly 4 million domestic ratepayers in England and Wales will be eligible for a rebate under the new scheme and that about 3 million will take up that benefit. These figures exclude domestic ratepayers in receipt of supplementary benefit.Ratepayers in receipt of supplementary benefit are, in general, ineligible for a rate rebate, since they receive help with their rates from the Supplementary Benefits Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the cost to local authorities in England and Wales of the increase in Bank Rate to 13 per cent.; and if he will take steps to assist local authorities in this matter.

I cannot give such an estimate, which depends upon a knowledge, which I cannot have, of how much local authorities need to borrow during the period at which interest rates stand at this level. But in so far as there is any increase in the amounts paid by local authorities above that foreseen in the current rate support grant negotiations, it would be taken into account when the making of any subsequent increase order is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals were the subject of inspectors' inquiry in Oxfordshire and in the United Kingdom during the last 12 months.

38 planning appeals were the subject of local inquiries held by the Department's Inspectors in Oxfordshire during the 12 months ending 31st October 1973. The comparable figure for England is 2,746.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is now the length of time taken between the lodging of a planning appeal and the verdict in the county of Dorset.

The information is not available for Dorset alone. For the whole of England, planning appeals decided in October 1973 by my right hon. and learned Friend took on average 66 weeks where an inquiry was held and 54 weeks where the written method was used; comparable periods where the appeals were decided by inspectors were 49 and 31 weeks respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that land that is being acquired for the subsidised afforestation of softwood timber that can be imported at an economic price is suitable for the rearing of sheep; and what steps he intends taking to ensure that it is retained for that purpose in view of the shortage of meat.

As explained in the reply given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Ramsden) on 24th October we are introducing a number of changes to ensure that forestry forms part of a really effective pattern of rural land use. These include a new procedure under which the Forestry Commission, in administering grant aid to private forestry, will consult with the Agricultural Departments on land use aspects of woodland owners' proposals. We are also reconstituting the commission's regional advisory committees to include representatives of agricultural interests; and we shall be looking to these committees to advise both on broad area strategy for the land use aspects of forestry, and on individual cases of doubt arising in the administration of grants. These measures should ensure that, in situations such as my hon. Friend describes, a sound balance is struck between forestry and other competing calls upon our limited resources of rural land.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to relieve British dairy farmers from the effects of EEC Regulation No. 749/73, whereby increases to United Kingdom producers are limited to 1·6p per gallon per year.

The question of what action should be taken to assist dairy farmers will be considered at the annual review and I cannot anticipate the results of that review or the determinations to be made thereafter. The calculations which fall to be made under Regulation 749/73 will shortly be discussed with the Commission of the EEC.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many cases have been reported to him of sheep rustlers using crossbows;(2) if he will investigate the use of crossbows in sheep rustling.

No specific cases of sheep rustling with crossbows have been reported to me, but I am aware that there is some anxiety about this. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I will be keeping the position under review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average tonnage of butter in store from intervention buying in each year since 1969 up to the latest available date for each of the nine EEC countries; in each case how many weeks' supply of butter this represented on the basis of the average weekly consumption of butter in each of the nine EEC countries; and if

AVERAGE INTERVENTION STOCKS OF BUTTER IN THE EEC
							Butter in store from intervention buying
							Average tonnage in store*thousand long tons	Number of weeks supply†	lb. per head of population
1969—
Belgium/Luxembourg			…	…	…	…	6·8	4	1·5
France	…	…	…	…	…	…	133·2	15	5·9
Italy	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Netherlands		…	…	…	…	…	53·6	80	9·3
West Germany		…	…	…	…	…	100·8	10	3·8
Denmark		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Irish Republic		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
United Kingdom			…	…	…	…	—	—	—
1970—
Belgium/Luxembourg			…	…	…	…	8·8	5	2·0
France	…	…	…	…	…	…	75·3	10	3·3
Italy	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Netherlands		…	…	…	…	…	33·0	48	5·6
West Germany		…	…	…	…	…	91·8	9	3·4
Denmark		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Irish Republic		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
United Kingdom			…	…	…	…	—	—	—
1971—
Belgium/Luxembourg			…	…	…	…	0·6	··	0·1
France	…	…	…	…	…	…	4·7	2	0·2
Italy	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Netherlands		…	…	…	…	…	0·6	1	0·1
West Germany		…	…	…	…	…	19·1	2	0·7
Denmark		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Irish Republic		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
United Kingdom			…	…	…	…	—	—	—
1972—
Belgium/Luxembourg			…	…	…	…	6·8	4	1·5
France	…	…	…	…	…	…	34·1	4	1·5
Itlay	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Netherlands		…	…	…	…	…	22·9	49	3·9
West Germany		…	…	…	…	…	65·6	8	2·4
Denmark		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Irish Republic		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
United Kingdom			…	…	…	…	—	—	—
1973—
Belgium/Luxembourg			…	…	…	…	5·7	4	1·3
France	…	…	…	…	…	…	26·2	3	1·2
Italy	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
Netherlands		…	…	…	…	…	1·1	2	0·2
West Germany		…	…	…	…	…	68·8	8	2·5
Denmark		…	…	…	…	…	12·4	15	5·6
Irish Republic		…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—
United Kingdom			…	…	…	…	22·0	3	0·9
Notes:
* For 1969 to 1972, the figures relate to the average monthly stocks held by intervention agencies as at the beginning of each month. They exclude butter receiving EEC storage aids and held in private stores. For 1973, the figures show the position at 1st October and therefore are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
† Calculated on the basis of average consumption of butter, including subsidised butter in each year.
— Nil.
… Less than half the final unit shown.
Sources:
Commission and Statistical Office of the EEC.
OECD.
National Statistical Publications.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department will encourage the exploration of Antarctic and Falkland Island waters for fishing purposes.

Because of their remoteness and for other reasons Antarctica and the Falkland Islands are less promising for our industry than grounds nearer home. Exploratory voyages have, however, been arranged by my Department in co-operation with the White Fish Authority in deep water in the North-East Atlantic. I shall announce the results as soon as they have been fully assessed, and I shall of course want to discuss them with the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the percentage rise in the food index between November and November in each of the years from 1945 to date.

The information to the latest complete year is as follows.

Novermber	Percentage change
1945–46	-0·6
1946–47	-1·1
1947–48	+4·7
1948–49	+10·0
1949–50	+4·9
1950–51	+15·1
1951–52	+12·5
1952–53	+2·8
1953–54	+5·4
1954–55	+9·5
1955–56	+0·4
1956–57	+2·2
1957–58	+3·4
1958–59	-0·2
1959–60	-0·6
1960–61	+2·0
1961–62	+1·9
1962–63	+3·0
1963–64	+5·1
1964–65	+2·6
1965–66	+3·9
1966–67	+1·4
1967–68	+4·8
1968–69	+6·5
1969–70	+7·9
1970–71	+12·4
1971–72	+8·9

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has been asked for financial assistance or compensation by the fishing industry arising out of the restricted catches embodied in the recent agreement between Great Britain and Iceland.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will amend the financial provisions of the legal aid regulations so that constant attendance allowance and similar benefits from the Department of Health and Social Security are excluded from being treated as income.

Constant attendance allowance and exceptionally severe disablement benefit are already excluded in full in assessing the disposable income of applicants for legal aid. Other similar benefits are disregarded to the extent of a maximum of £2 per week in accordance with Rule 5(1)(d) of the first schedule to the Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1960.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many persons are employed by his Department in Wales; and what is the approximate annual amount of wages and salaries currently paid to them.

On 1st October 1973 there were about 9,900 civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence in Wales and Monmouth. The estimated annual wages and salaries bill is £17,400,000.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many persons are employed by his Department in Cardiganshire; and what is the approximate annual amount of wages and salaries currently paid to them.

On 1st October 1973 some 670 civilians were employed by the Ministry of Defence in Cardiganshire. The estimated annual wages and salaries bill is £1,300,000.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what percentage of (a) the total number of persons employed by his Department and (b) total defence expenditure is employed and spent in Wales.

Approximately 3·5 per cent. of the total number of civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence are employed in Wales and Monmouth. In 1971–72 about 3 per cent. of total defence expenditure was spent in Wales.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what equipment is made for his Department in Portugal; and whether since March 1973 it has included combat suits and drill suits.

We do not keep statistics centrally on all contracts worth less than £5,000 nor do we have complete information on sub-contracts. Subject to these provisos the only Ministry of Defence contract involving manufacture in Portugal is for the making up of 40,000 combat suits. This represents something less than 20 per cent. of our total requirement for combat suits this financial year; the remaining suits will be manufactured in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils are currently in primary and secondary schools in the private sector; and what forecast she can make of such numbers for 1981.

In January 1973, 533,000 full-time pupils and rather over 14,000 part-time pupils. The trends in these figures in recent years have varied in direction; a firm projection to 1981 cannot therefore be made.

PUPILS IN ALL DIRECT GRANT AD INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (EXCLUDING DIRECT GRANT SPECIAL SCHOOLS)
	Full-time pupils ('000)	Part-time pupils ('000)
1969	536·8	15·6
1970	534·0	14·4
1971	527·9	14·1
1972	528·9	13·8
1973	533·0	14·1

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list those secondary schools in respect of which statutory proposals submitted to her have been rejected.

Of the 3,612 proposals under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944 (as amended) received since July 1970, my right hon. Friend has rejected 326, affecting the 286 schools listed below, and approved 3,286.SCHOOLS FOR WHICH PROPOSALS UNDER SECTION 13 HAVE BEEN REJECTED SINCE JULY 1970

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total expenditure on the arts in the years ended 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, respectively.

It is not possible to give details of total expenditure on the arts because of the varying contributions by local authorities and other bodies outside the Government. The table below gives details of the expenditure carried on the Arts Vote for England, Wales and Scotland for the years in question:

Year ended	National Museums and Galleries £m.	Arts Council and Other Arts £m.	Total £m.
31st March 1970	8·047	9·045	17·092
31st March 1971	10·259	10·780	21·039
31st March 1972	11·869	13·725	25·594
31st March 1973	13·949	16·242	30·191

These figures do not include expenditure by the Government on maintenance etc. of the buildings of the national museums and galleries, which is largely borne on the Vote of the Department of the Environment. May I refer in this connection to my Written Answer to the Question by the right hon. Member for Vauxhall (Mr. Strauss) on 23rd October 1973—[Vol. 861, c. 456.]—in which I gave an estimated set figure of £23 million for Government expenditure on the national galleries and museums. Nor do any of these figures take account of Government expenditure and expenditure by others on all kinds of ancient monuments, historic houses, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much revenue she estimates will be collected from museum charges in the first full year of operation.

Gross annual receipts are estimated at £1·2 million of which £1·1 million will be appropriated directly in aid of the Voted of the museums and galleries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many official trade union nominees there are in total available and willing to sit on industrial tribunals.

There are no official trade union nominees but the Industrial Tribunals Panel includes a number of persons with trade union experience. I very much regret that the TUC does not co-operate in the selection of tribunal members. I hope it will reconsider this policy, in view of the extensive use of them made by individual union members.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider proposing the reform of trade union legislation so that it would be illegal for a court to sequestrate the political funds of a trade union.

No. Sequestration is a process for the enforcement of orders made by a court of law, and is in no way regulated by trade union legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the average wage earned in each of the regions in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average earnings of the workers—male and female, respectively—in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region; and how this compares with the national average.

The relevant regional results of the New Earnings Survey 1973 in Great Britain will become available and be published in my Department's Gazette later this month. I will arrange for them to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT on about 29th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the minimum and maximum levels of salaries and wages earned that he takes into account in order to arrive at the average wage.

The estimates of average gross weekly earnings obtained from the New Earnings Survey are based on a representative sample of all employees in employment in Great Britain in each April regardless of their level of earnings. Table 8 on page 962 of the October issue of the Department of Employment Gazette shows that, of the 88,000 full-time men aged 21 and over included in the sample and whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence, about 1·4 per cent.—1,250—had average gross weekly earnings of £100 or more and about 1·1 per cent.—937—had average gross weekly earnings of less than £18 in April 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase the number of places available at Government training centres serving north-east Lancashire.

There are no plans to increase the number of places at the Government training centres at Blackburn. However, north-east Lancashire is benefiting considerably from the general expansion of industrial training under the Training Opportunities Scheme and about 350 places are available in local colleges and employers' establishments. The needs of the area will be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up a new Government training centre in the Deeside area of East Flint; and if he will make a statement.

No. East Flint is already served by the Government training centre at Wrexham and by locally-run courses in colleges of further education and with employers. It is expected that any increased demand for training can be met by the expansion of the Wrexham GTC which is already approved and by using facilities in colleges and employers' establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of possible lost job opportunities linked with the proposed 6,000 job losses at BSC Shotton as estimated in the Flintshire County Council's survey; and if he will make a statement.

An estimate of this kind must depend on a variety of factors relating to the rundown at Shotton and it is impossible to give a firm estimate at this time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, from notifications made to him, relating to 6,000 proposed redundancies at Shotton Steelworks, what percentage will be in the Shotton-Connah's Quay area, in the Buckley-Mold area, in the Holywell-Flint area, in the Chester area, and in the Wrexham area, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Of the 6,000 workers who may be affected by the proposed redundancies at BSC Shotton it is estimated that 42 per cent. reside in the Shotton-Connah's Quay area; 14 per cent. in the Buckley-Mold area; 18 per cent. in the Holywell-Flint area; 17 per cent. in Cheshire-Lancashire and 8 per cent. in the Wrexham-Cefn Mawr-Rhosllanerchrugog area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he expects to introduce new legislation in the field of employee participation.

I must ask my hon. Friend to await the publication of the Government's consultative document, which will take place shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will institute research to establish whether any connection exists between the present provision of public holidays and the general level of absenteeism in industry.

My right hon. Friend has no plans for doing so at present.