asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration was given to the present position regarding stocks of butter, in considering the EEC proposals to extend the hill-farming subsidy to dairy cattle.

The restrictions which the Council of Ministers imposed on the inclusion of dairy cows for head-age payments in mountain and other less-favoured areas were designed to avoid any worsening of the milk products surplus in the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present level of butter stocks in the EEC; and what the EEC authorities propose to do with them.

The latest available information shows public intervention stocks of 124,335 metric tons and privately-owned stocks of 124,416 metric tons. At present these stocks may be released on to the Community market at above the intervention price for any purpose, or at a reduced price to non-profit-making organisations, to the armed forces, to certain food manufacturers for concentrated butter, as well as for export as ghee or as butter, or as food aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give an assurance not to raise the present import duty on mutton and lamb on 1st January next.

No. To do so would not necessarily alter United Kingdom lamb prices

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present levy per ton on imports of canned ham into the United Kingdom from countries outside the EEC.

About £165 per ton.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present levy per ton imposed on imports of bacon into the United Kingdom from outside the EEC.

About £35 per ton on green bacon sides, which comprise our principal bacon import from outside the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present import levy per ton on cheese imported into the United Kingdom from non-EEC countries.

After applying the monetary compensatory amount, the present rate of levy applied to imports of cheese from New Zealand under Protocol 18 is £96·84 a ton and from other countries outside the Commission is £224·91.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present import duty on beef imported into the United Kingdom from outside the Commonwealth and EEC.

8 per cent. on boned and boneless cuts, and 4 per cent. plus 24·88p per cwt. on bone-in ones; but the monetary arrangements generally reduce these rates to nil.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present import levy on barley imported into this country from non-EEC countries; and whether, in view of the present high price of feeding stuffs he will now remove this levy.

There is no import levy and so the second part of the Question does not arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present import levy per ton on butter imported into the United Kingdom from outside the EEC.

After applying the monetary compensatory amounts, the present rate of levy applied to imports of butter from New Zealand under Protocol 18 is nil and from other countries outside the Community is £187·74 a ton.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Greater London area regarding food prices; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations from various parts of the country including the Greater London area.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what food commodities he expects to be reduced in price as a result of ministerial discussion in Brussels in November and December.

Action against increases in costs and prices is a primary objective of both the review of the common agricultural policy and the EEC's counter-inflation programme, but it is too early to say how these proposals will be reflected in the prices of individual commodities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect of the energy shortage on food prices.

I have no evidence that the energy shortage has had any effect on food prices so far. If it is prolonged there will clearly be pressure on manufacturing and distribution costs, but it is too early to predict the extent to which this might be reflected in retail prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about trends in distributive margins for fresh food; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Price Commission to keep prices and margins for fresh food under continuous review and to report to him regularly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the percentage increase in food prices in the year to November 1973.

Between 14th November 1972 and 13th November 1973 the food index rose by 18·8 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the main changes in food tariffs consequent on Statutory Instrument 1845 of 1973, showing separately the increases and decreases, and showing the basis for his estimate that food costs will rise by between a quarter and a half per cent., stating the actual sums involved at each stage.

It is impracticable to set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the products affected and changes in duties. Detailed information is available in the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order of 1973 (Statutory Instrument 1845 of 1973) and in the orders it revokes. The estimate of the repercussions of the tariff changes on food prices takes account of the possible increase in tariff revenue collected on imports of the foodstuffs in question and the possible effect on prices of competing imported and home-produced foodstuffs. Owing to the complexity of the changes and the difficulty of assessing the extent to which some of the changes may be absorbed by exporters and also may affect prices of competing foodstuffs, the estimate has been expressed as a range.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has from international sources that the price of wheat is falling.

Estimates published by the International Wheat Council since July 1973 have shown a progressive improvement in supplies. The latest forecast of 24th November is that export availabilities may slightly exceed demands from importing countries. This should have caused some easing of prices, had the international oil problem not intervened.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the present level of wheat feeding stuff prices, he will instruct the Intervention Board forthwith to cease denaturing wheat and holding grain stocks off the market, and to sell its grain stocks in order to keep prices down.

No. The board neither denatures wheat nor holds stocks. The premia paid by the board help both to keep down the price of feed wheat and to encourage the release of stocks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been spent by the Intervention Board in the present year on payments for the denaturing of grain and other food in the United Kingdom.

By 30th November 1973 the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce had paid out £17,358,000 on denaturing incentives, mainly for the denaturing of wheat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been spent by the Intervention Board in the current year on acquiring stocks of food and payments to traders to hold stocks off the market.

Up to 30th November £16,228,000 had been spent on intervention buying, £2,592,000 on aids to private storage and £441 in compensation to producer groups.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many persons or firms received grants of over £25,000, over £50,000, and over £100,000, respectively, under the Horticulture Grants Scheme.

No records have been kept of the total amounts of grant paid to individual applicants over the period of the scheme. However, figures are available of the number of applications for grant in excess of £20,000. Since 1st April 1972 these have numbered 80 out of a total of nearly 23,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now state the date on which he will announce the determinations of the 1974 price review in view of current anxiety in the dairy industry.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Northants, South (Mr. Arthur Jones) on 3rd December.—[Vol. 865, c. 286.] We shall, of course, announce the determinations as soon as we can.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many increases in the price of beer there have been since June 1970; and what is the total increase expressed as a percentage of the price per pint.

The price of beer used in the Index of Retail Prices has risen by 18 per cent. between June 1970 and November 1973. This is based on price movements for a large variety of bottled and draught beers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the development of fish farming in the United Kingdom as a source of national protein supply.

Basic research in fish cultivation is undertaken in the Government's fisheries laboratories, and grant aid is given to the White Fish Authority's development work on marine fish farming.Apart from freshwater species, it would appear that only the farming of salmon and the most expensive species of marine fish is likely to be economically viable. Fish farming is not, therefore, likely to make a substantial contribution to national protein supplies in the foreseeable future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had recently with his fellow Ministers in the EEC concerning the extension of fisheries' limits; and if he will make a statement.

There is machinery for co-ordinating the position of member countries on law of the sea issues, but no questions requiring resolution at ministerial level have arisen so far.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will subsidise the production of a national wholemeal loaf to prevent malnutrition of the elderly and of families on limited incomes.

No. I see no need for this. The latest results of the National Food Survey show that the energy value and nutrient content of the diet of all income groups remain substantially greater than those recommended for a healthy population by the Department of Health and Social Security.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in framing the Government's proposals for the revision of the common agricultural policy, he will bear in mind the interests of the British food manufacturing industry and of the consumer, in addition to those of the British farmer.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he made of the approximate percentage reduction in the cost element of feeding materials for human and animal consumption that could be expected in the North of England and Northern Ireland from the full functioning of the new grain terminal at Seaforth.

In view of the many variable factors involved a meaningful estimate of cost changes cannot be made in advance of the terminal becoming fully operational.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is now able to indicate what steps he proposes to take to increase the strength of the State veterinary service; and if he will make a statement.

A study of the factors affecting career management of the State veterinary service was undertaken jointly by representatives of management and veterinary staff earlier this year. Various matters affecting recruitment are now being discussed with the Civil Service Department and the Institution of Professional Civil Servants. The Civil Service Commission continues to hold regular competitions for the recruitment of veterinary officers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress there has been in the discussions on the future of the sugar processing industry in this country.

The discussions with the three major refining companies are still continuing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has considered the report of the Advisory Council for England and Wales on Horticulture and Agriculture which was looking into alternative ways of burning straw stubble; and what action he proposes to take.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply which I gave to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Huntingdonshire (Sir D. Renton) and the hon. Member for Wandsworth, Central (Mr. Thomas Cox) on 18th October.—[Vol. 861, c. 254–5.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest figure for a rise or fall in milk production.

Sales of milk off farms in the United Kingdom in the eight months ended November 1973 are estimated to be 2,058 million gallons compared with 2,029 million gallons for the same period last year. Over the year ending 31st March 1974 total sales are expected to be slightly less than in 1972–73.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the talks on value added tax on bloodstock; and whether he will expedite his consideration of this matter in view of recent evidence at international sales that French and Irish breeders, paying no value added tax, are using this advantage to the detriment of the future of this export industry.

The bloodstock VAT Committee has only recently submitted representations about the effect of VAT on the bloodstock industry. These representations are under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Customs authorities permit bar service to passengers in aircraft held for long periods on the tarmac at London Heathrow Airport but not in the same circumstances at London Gatwick.

Customs have made concessions in appropriate circumstances at Heathrow, where air traffic congestion can cause long delays. Until recently, similar delays have not been common at Gatwick, and there has been no justification for similar treatment. But the Customs have recently been asked to review their practice at Gatwick and have this request under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the £25 a day payment for attendance money paid to Members attending the European Assembly is tax-free; and whether any excess over actual travel costs received by these Members is also tax-free.

Any personal benefit derived from the subsistence and travelling allowances payable to Members attending the European Assembly is taxable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North giving details of Inland Revenue responsibility for the evasion of income tax and surtax; and what action he proposes to take in connection with the same.

I have received the hon. Member's communication and will be writing to him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time as full and detailed a statement as is convenient showing the total number of people who were more than one year in arrears with their income tax payments and the amounts of tax owing nationally for each stated year; how many people were, during 1973, owing more than £10,000 for periods of more than one year; how many people declared themselves bankrupt without paying amounts due in tax; and what is the total estimated loss to the revenue caused by such bankruptcies.

Tables showing the amounts of tax outstanding, ultimately recoverable, presently collectable and written off as irrecoverable through the insolvency of the taxpayer are published annually in the reports of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. I am afraid that the other figures requested by the hon. Member are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, regarding tax underassessment, what is the latest annual figure; what percentage is accounted for, respectively, by fraud, wilful default and neglect of taxes; and, in each case, what was the breakdown by range of amounts of tax unpaid and how many persons were involved in each range.

The total charge raised in respect of under-assessments to tax uncovered by the Inland Revenue in the year ended 31st March 1973 was £15,430,548 and the number of charges raised was 11,792. In addition, smaller cases settled in that year gave rise to over 63,000 charges and a total charge of £2·7 million. The further information asked for is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the respective percentage increases in average earnings, average individual mortgage outgoings, dividends, and interest payments, in the year to November 1973.

Between October 1972 and October 1973, the latest month for which figures are available, the index of average earnings increased by 12½ per cent. Data on average individual mortgage repayments, excluding lump sum repayments, are not available. Estimates of dividends and interest payments are compiled quarterly. The latest available figures relate to the second quarter of 1973 and were published in the October 1973 issue of Economic Trends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the present shortage of diesel fuel, he will take steps to permit the use of existing stocks of red diesel by haulage contractors and others who are unable to obtain supplies of white diesel.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 11th December to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Kinsey).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has of stocks of red diesel fuel, and of the cost to the Government of permitting its use in road vehicles and forfeiting the duty payable on it.

Stocks of individual oil products fluctuate from week to week in response to demand and supply changes. The duty borne by the oil to which the hon. Member refers is 1p a gallon while that on diesel oil road fuel is 22½p a gallon.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of introducing the tax credit proposals at the present time, at the illustrative levels given in the Green Paper.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend Police Regulations 1971, Regulation 61(2), so that a temporary duty allowance will be paid for every day when duties normally performed by a member of the force of a higher rank than his own are undertaken.

Negotiations on pay and allowances are a matter in the first instance for the Police Council. I understand that since the terms of the present regulation were first agreed in 1968 proposals for its amendment have been brought before the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the latest available figures of the number of prosecutions and convictions of Metropolitan Police officers for 1973.

Statistics for a shorter period than a calendar year are not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what part will be played by volunteers, including members of the voluntary aid societies, in the future development of the local authority civil defence services.

Local authorities have been invited to make the maximum use of voluntary effort, including voluntary aid societies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the qualifications of Sir Desmond Plummer to become Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 14th December.—[Vol. 866, c. 213–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that the oath of allegiance is taken before the registration of a Commonwealth citizen as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

My right hon. Friend will consider my hon. Friend's point further if the occasion for amending legislation in this field arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now take steps to introduce Summer Time to save fuel, following the meeting between representatives of Government and industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following the meeting between members of the Government and representatives of industry, he will advance the starting date of British Summer Time to 1st January 1974 in order to save electricity.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer given by my right hon. Friend yesterday—[Vol. 866, c. 337–8.]—to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Norman Lamont).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received the report of the working party on bail; and whether it will be published.

My right hon. Friend received the report on 26th November and he is arranging for it to be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received containing constructive criticisms or other comments upon the Green Paper on the Control of Firearms; and if he will list the principal categories of criticism in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

A total of 5,747 letters was received by my Department, of which 1,174 were from hon. Members and 4,573 from members of the public. In addition, a number of organisations submitted detailed comments, which were in most cases the subject of further discussion with my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State or with officials of my Department.The proposals which attracted most critical comments were the following:self-loading rifles and pump-action and repeater shotguns to be prohibited weapons (

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those proposals in the Green Paper on the Control of Firearms which he has decided are unsuitable for implementation; and if he will make a statement.

I announced on 25th July—[Vol 860, c. 488.]— in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for King's Lynn (Mr. Brocklebank-Fowler) that we did not intend to maintain the proposal at paragraph 35(a) of the Green Paper that self-loading rifles, and pump-action and repeater shotguns, should be declared prohibited weapons.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are continuing our review of the other provisional proposals, and I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose an annual governmental award, similar to the Queen's Award to Industry, to the firm which is judged to make the biggest contribution to the recycling industry.

Recycling makes an important contribution to the economy of this country and we wish to give it every possible encouragement. But I do not think that firms engaged in the recycling process should be singled out for a special annual award. Any firm putting forward a technological innovation of sufficient merit could qualify for an award under the scheme for the Queen's Award to Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take further steps to make diesel fuel regularly available to lorry drivers on motorways and make facilities available for lorry drivers who are stranded; and whether he will make a statement.

As a result of action taken by my Department in conjunction with the oil industry, additional supplies of diesel oil have already been made available to service stations on motorways.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why executives of Shell Mex and BP Ltd. have been instructed to allocate petrol supplies to garages on the basis of 10 per cent. cuts after first reducing the figures of September 1973 allocations by an initial 19 per cent.

Some garages had no deliveries of petrol in September 1973 or materially lower deliveries than would normally have been the case. In these instances, for the purposes of the oil allocation scheme the oil industry, with the agreement of my Department, has made estimates of notional deliveries for November and December 1973 which have then been reduced by 20 per cent. and adjusted to equate to the allocation period. This reduction of 20 per cent. reflects the general growth in consumption during 1973 and is roughly equivalent to a cut-back of 10 per cent. on last year's sales.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will indicate the current market price of naphtha compared with what it was at the beginning of 1973; and whether he will exercise his powers under Section 3 of the Fuel and Electricity (Control) Act 1973 to control the price of the chemical feedstock.

Most naphtha is bought on contract; and there is a wide variation on prices quoted for marginal supplies. I see no present need to control the price of chemical feedstock.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom for the coming year at the current level of imports of imported crude oil at five dollars, eight dollars, 10 dollars, and 12 dollars per barrel, respectively.

Imports of crude and partly-refined oil in October 1973 were 12·1 million tons; in the 12-month period November 1972 to October 1973 they were 114·1 million tons. But it would be misleading to apply the various price levels for crude oil suggested in the Question to these quantity figures, because it cannot be assumed that purchases at these levels are consistent with such prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will amend the regulations during the state of emergency to allow those firms engaged in exports which have their own electricity generators to use them to maintain production outside their allotted five days.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) why he refuses to permit the use of private generators by industry where these have been the previous sole source of power and where fuel stocks are sufficient for several weeks' continuous operation, thus causing the affected firms to close for two days each week and draw electricity supplies from the grid and away from other users on three days;(2) when he intends to reply to the representations from the hon. Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge concerning his refusal to permit the use of private generators by industry.

My right hon. Friend announced in the House on 18th December that the use of private generators would be permitted under certain conditions for industrial and commercial uses, but not for floodlighting.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in the forthcoming Electricity (Industrial and Commercial Use) (Control) Order effective for the period from 31st December 1973, he will make provision to permit the use of existing generators in industrial and commercial premises until supplies of fuel therefor already on such premises are exhausted.

My right hon. Friend announced in the House on 18th December that the use of private generators would be permitted under certain conditions for industrial and commercial use, but not for floodlighting.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government will support a cooperative European research and development of the latest computer memory technologies.

Before coming to any conclusions I would wish to see proposals of a concrete nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he accepts the conclusion of "Community Policy on Data Processing", a communication of the Commission to the Council, that European-based firms will have difficulty in attaining the minimum necessary scale to be economically viable on their own without permanent Government subsidy.

I stated the Government's view on 4th July 1973 when I said that ICL's forward plans and forecasts indicated that no further financial assistance would be required or sought from the Government after 1976. But, as I also make clear, we intend to encourage any European association which ICL decides to be in its commercial interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will support the pooling of research, production and marketing capabilities on the part of European companies for certain computer peripheral equipment as defined in the EEC Communication "Community Policy on Data Processing".

This communication also mentions the need for a further examination at Community level to see whether a specific programme of support is necessary. I am in agreement with the need for this further examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to try to ensure EEC collaboration on the procurement of computers for public service use.

The communication from the EEC Commission to the Council covering Community policy on data processing opens up the way for further discussions on several issues including public procurement. It will be my aim to secure in these discussions a recognition that preferential procurement policy is an important instrument of support in present circumstances for the European computer industry if it is to compete successfully in world markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent oil discoveries have been announced by those operating in the North Sea; and if he will now state a revised figure for expected production from the Scottish sector of the North Sea by 1980.

The answer to the hon. Member's Question of 25th July listed seven oilfields in which commercial quantities of oil had been found. Since then the commercial development of two further fields has been planned, Thistle (block 211/18) and Montrose (22/18). Encouraging new discoveries have been reported in blocks 3/14 (Alwyn), 211/28 (Hutton) and 2/5 but further drilling will be necessary to determine their commercial potential.Production from the United Kingdom sector of the Continental Shelf in 1980 is still expected to be within the range 70 million-100 million tons.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing oil production by country in millions of tons in the areas from which the United Kingdom draws supplies, and the United Kingdom share; and if he will also show the price per barrel paid at the point of loading.

The following table shows the major sources of United Kingdom imports of crude petroleum in 1972:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring up to date and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT any further changes which have been made on the recommendations of the Bolton Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms since the last list was published on 8th March 1973.

The following recommendations should be added to the list published on 8th March 1973:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Electricity (Industrial and Commercial Use) (Control) Order 1973 is intended to exempt from control all firms involved in the supply of equipment and services for North Sea Oil production.

The Government do not wish the progress of oil production to be interrupted. Those firms which are essential to the supply of equipment and services for North Sea oil production will be granted appropriate licences.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will include veterinary surgeries in his list of exemptions from electricity cuts.

The relevant orders controlling the use of electricity already make provision for the use of electricity by veterinary surgeons and practitioners to light a sign indicating the nature of their premises, to heat the premises and to exceed the limitation of 63 degrees in order to preserve the health of any livestock on those premises. Such premises are exempted from the control on the number of days on which electricity may be used. They will, however, necessarily be subject to any interruption of electricity supplies arising from breakdown or from rota cuts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a comprehensive list of those industries which will be excluded from the three-day working week requirement with power consumption cut to 65 per cent. of normal use, as a result of their being designated as running a continuous process.

It is not possible to give such a list since industries as such are not excluded. Applications from individual companies running a continuous process are considered on their merits by the Department's regional offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by how much he estimates, as a result of the shortage of energy, that the output of the steel industry will fall short of the production targets already announced.

The British Steel Corporation is now reducing its output by one-half, and other producers are likely to have to reduce output by one-third or more. How this will affect total output for the year depends on how long the shortage of coal and the restriction of electricity supplies persist.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, during the latest convenient 12-month period, what has been the tonnage of British steel which has been reimported from foreign countries.

Reimports of British steel are not separately distinguished in the Overseas Trade Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken under the emergency regulations to ensure that retirement pensioners, the disabled, and families with young babies are not placed at risk of hypothermia through being deprived of warmth; and whether he will give them priority for supplies of solid fuels for domestic use, particularly in those areas where merchants have discontinued small-quantity deliveries and take-away supplies have disappeared.

The public have been asked to achieve substantial economies in the use of electricity in the home, but not to the point at which health is endangered. Similarly orders restricting the use of electricity and other fuels exempt invalids and other people with health risks as well as hospitals, medical centres and similar institutions. Most coal merchants are members of the Approved Coal Merchants Scheme which carries an obligation, if necessary in conjunction with other traders, to give priority to those in the categories mentioned, and I am watching the position closely in conjunction with the National Coal Board and the coal trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will request producers of smokeless fuel to reappraise their assessment of market demand in view of the changed circumstances in the supply of fuel oil and to adjust their labour requirements accordingly.

Producers of solid smokeless fuel currently are using their capacity as fully as their present supply of coal allows. When normal conditions return, I am sure that they will take full account of the effect on market demand of changed circumstances of oil availability.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if, consequent to the Prime Minister's statement on energy supply of 13th December, he will state strategies considered, but not adopted, aimed at reducing electricity consumption by 20 per cent. and the reasons why he considered the three-day closure solution to be required;

Any system of rota disconnections would have affected both essential and non-essential services. In order to protect essential services, the necessary reduction therefore has to be found by reducing demand in industry, commerce and in the home.Approximately half of the reduction is expected to come from the restrictions on industry and commerce and the remainder from savings in the home. I urge everyone to exercise the utmost economy in the use of electricity.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ensure that ship repair yards are not subject to the three-day working restriction; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will ensure that no ship whose normal business is conveying essential supplies to Great Britain is delayed in a ship repair yard by the three-day working week regulations.

Representations have been made that the ship repairing industry should be exempt from the present electricity restrictions and these are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement concerning the registration of engineers for mutual recognition in the EEC.

As I indicated in my Written Answer to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Mr. Terry Davis) on 19th November—[Vol. 864, c. 299–300]—I have agreed with the Council of Engineering Institutions that mutual recognition within EEC should be sought for all adequately qualified engineers, whether they are in membership of institutions inside or outside the CEI. For this pur- pose it has been agreed with the CEI that there shall be an extended register of engineers having these qualifications. Significant progress has been made and it now remains to work out the details and the machinery by which these proposals can be put into practice. My officials are continuing urgent discussions with interested parties to this end.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is yet in a position to announce the names of the members of the Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.

Yes. The Hon. Mrs. Viney has agreed to serve as chairman. Professor W. A. Wilson has agreed to serve as deputy chairman and the following have agreed to serve as members of the committee: Mrs. A. Ballard, Professor G. J. Borrie, Mrs. Y. Connolly, Mr. K. J. A. Fraser, Mrs. A. Freeth, Mr. S. R. Hargreaves, Miss A. E. Jewitt, Mrs. C. McDowall, Mr. B. St. G. A. Reed, M.C., Mr. G. Roberts, Mrs. L. Teague and Mr. R. S. Weir.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the percentage increase between 1st November 1969 and 1st October 1973 (a) in a national insurance widow's pension, and (b) for the war widow of a brigadier and of a lieutenant-colonel; how these compare with the percentage increase in the cost of living between those dates; and what is the explanation of any discrepancies.

55 per cent., 35 per cent. and 41 per cent. respectively, compared with a movement of 38·9 per cent. in the Index of Retail Prices. The reason for the differences lies in the fact that rank additions paid with war disablement and war widows' pensions have been frozen since 1946, all ranks receiving the same increase on the occasion of each uprating. The basic war widows' pension has gone up by 55 per cent. over the period in question and it is this increase which has been received by war widows generally regardless of their late husband's rank.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the deferment of the provision of health centres in County Durham, listing the names of those centres to be deferred.

Last June it was necessary to inform local health authorities, including Durham County Council, that it would not be possible to approve the start of any more health centres in 1973–74 because of the record growth in demand and because other important aspects of community care must receive a proper share of available resources. My right hon. Friend is now looking at health centre projects which local authorities would start during 1974–75 if sufficient funds were available.The schemes mentioned by Durham County Council are (in alphabetical order) at Belmont, Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Crook, Houghton-le-Spring, Sedgefield, Shildon, Stanley, Whickham and Willington. My right hon. Friend hopes to complete this review early in the New Year.As a result of the phasing forward of building contracts announced on 8th October, the proposed health centres at Coundon which had previously been due to start in 1973–74, will now be deferred until 1974–75.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the responsibility of Ministers for ensuring that local authorities provide temporary accommodation for the homeless, in the light of Schedule 23 to the Local Government Act 1972.

I propose to give a direction to local authorities to continue after 1st April 1974 their duty under Section 21(1)(b) of the National Assistance Act 1948 to provide temporary accommodation in certain circumstances for homeless people. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Wales and I intend to issue to local authorities a circular setting out the Government's view that accommodating homeless people should increasingly be seen as a housing responsibility. The policy of the Government is to seek to improve the general provision for the homeless without altering the particular responsibilities placed on local authorities by the National Assistance Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further consultations he has had with local authorities to protect the elderly and homebound disabled people from the dangers of hypothermia during the winter months; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I gave guidance to local authorities in August 1972 about the action they might take to help elderly people with their heating problems. Steps have been taken to remind local authorities of this guidance. My Department has also been in touch with the many voluntary organisations concerned and they have promised their continued support for the efforts of local authorities. A note giving guidance on dealing with the risk of hypothermia appeared in the November issue of "Health Trends".

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what practical steps he is now taking to ensure the maintenance of the Government's stated policy that the elderly and infirm should maintain adequate heating levels during the present emergency situation.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I have been concerned to ensure that special provision should be made in the recent orders restricting the use of electricity or fuel for heating purposes. These allow the use of electricity or fuel to the extent necessary to maintain the health of the ill, disabled, pregnant, infirm, those over 60 years of age and children under 5.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of a memorandum, dated 1st November 1973, from the Under-Secretary of State concerning parliamentary Questions tabled by the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on the safety of his Department's vehicles for the disabled, a copy of which has been received by the hon. Member.

No. The memorandum, a copy of which the hon. Gentleman sent me, is a forgery.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out such guidance as is given by his Department to local authorities with regard to payments being made by them on behalf of mentally handicapped children receiving full-time care in private or charitable homes, to which their parents may or may not be making a contribution.

The relevant guidance is set out in paragraphs 11 and 12 of Ministry of Health Circular 9/59 issued in May 1959. This made it clear that a local authority may exercise its powers to provide residential accommodation for a person suffering from mental disorder by providing accommodation itself or in a home provided by a voluntary organisation or otherwise, or by boarding out in a private household; that the authority may pay for or contribute towards the cost of accommodation provided in these various ways; and that in the case of children up to age 16 no charge should be made to parents for accommodation so provided, unless exceptionally a child is not provided with adequate clothing, in which case the authority would no doubt itself provide the clothing and charge the parents unless this would cause hardship.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the position with regard to attendance allowance paid on behalf of mentally handicapped children receiving full-time care in private or charitable homes to which their parents may or may not be making a contribution, in the light of decision CA14/73 of 6th September 1973.

The question whether or not in a particular case an attendance allowance is payable for a person who satisfies the medical conditions is a matter in the first place for the insurance officer, an independent statutory authority. The allowance has normally been payable, both for adults and children, in private or charitable homes where the full cost is met from private sources.I understand that the effect of National Insurance Commissioners' Decision CA 14/73 is, broadly, that an allowance is now payable for a person, whether adult or child, in a private or charitable home, even where the local authority is making some financial contribution, provided that:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what additional increase would be necessary in the number of medical students by 1981 so as to make it unnecessary for the National Health Service to rely on the use of doctors from developing countries.

To specify a figure would entail estimating the need for doctors, and the numbers who would retire, die, or migrate into and out of the country up to the later 1980s when students entering courses in 1981 would qualify. It is not possible to be specific so far ahead.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report from the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food on cardiovascular disease; if he will place a copy of the report in the Library; and if he will give some indication of when he expects to make a statement on this issue.

The report of the Panel on Diet in Relation to Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease of the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy is in the hands of the printers. Publication is expected in the spring of 1974. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library. I do not expect to make a statement on this issue but a Press notice will be issued with the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he maintains a register of professionally qualified audiologists in private practice; what was the date upon which such register was established; how many audiologists are currently registered; and what are the comparable statistics applicable to his own Department.

No. We do not maintain such a register.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for professionally qualified and registered audiologists in the private sector to be appointed agents for the supply of Ministry-approved behind-the-ear hearing aids; and if he will make a statement.

No, for reasons which I have explained to my hon. Friend in correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide facilities for British manufacturers to tender for the supply of all types and models of behind-the-ear hearing aids approved by his Department.

British manufacturers were able to tender and a number did so for the behind-the-ear hearing aids to be supplied through the National Health Service. Some tenders are still under consideration and an opportunity remains for these manufacturers to submit models for approval and supply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the outcome of his inquiries directed to local authorities on their experience of administering and enforcing the 1968 regulations and the related statutory provisions.

Local education authorities were sent a questionnaire in September and asked to reply by the end of December, if possible. Replies are still coming in.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the implementation by local authorities of the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968.

The information now being collected from local authorities should help us to judge how well these regulations are working.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prosecutions have taken place for infringement of the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968.

Enforcement of these regulations is a matter for local education authorities. No relevant figures are currently available nationally, but the information now being collected from local education authorities is likely to include some.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further income would accrue to the National Insurance Fund if there were no upper limit on the level of earnings upon which employed persons were required to pay contributions.

The estimated extra income from graduated contributions at 5 per cent. a side would be £250 million a year at the present time if the upper limit of £54 a week were abolished. There would also be an extra £45 million in Treasury supplement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what additional income he estimates would accrue to the National Insurance Fund in 1976–77 expressed in October 1972 earnings levels if all married women were required to pay class I standard contributions.

£110 million from contributors with additional Treasury supplement of £20 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with current methods for drug pricing.

Yes. As I told the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) on 20th November—[Vol. 864, c. 371–2]—the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme is working as intended in providing a fair balance between the interests of the manufacturers and of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated effect of the new economic measures on the social policies of the Government.

Social security benefits are not affected. The reduction of £69 million in capital expenditure on health and personal social services in Great Britain during 1974–75 is bound to have a serious effect on the starting date of any new building work. I hope to avoid the need to rephase contracts or to interrupt work in progress.The reduction of £42 million in procurement is not expected to reduce hospitals' expenditure on food, drugs, dressings and medical and surgical equipment supplied to, or for the use of, patients. But it does apply to other procurement for hospitals and the personal social services. The reductions are not intended to fall on the employment of staff or on the family practitioner services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what decisions have been reached on the recommendation of the Briggs Committee on nursing; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that I am not yet ready to make a statement; but I propose to do so shortly and in any event before the end of February next year.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make an official visit to Kellingley.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will ask Press and television not to make public the fact of a soldier's death in Northern Ireland until the next of kin of the particular soldier have been notified.

It is our policy not to release the name of a soldier killed or very seriously injured until confirmation has been received that the next of kin have been informed. We are very conscious of the anxiety caused to relatives of soldliers serving in Northern Ireland when the fact of a casualty is announced, but we have succeeded in greatly speeding up the process of notifying next of kin with consequent reduction in the stress caused to relatives of soldiers not affected. However, the time taken must sometimes greatly exceed the norm, for reasons outside our control.We have had discussions with the television and broadcasting authorities; they understand the problem and give us every co-operation in not releasing a name prematurely, but it would be unrealistic to expect that they could adopt a policy of holding back all news that an incident involving casualties had taken place until the next of kin had been notified.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the result of the poll of primary school parents submitted to her conducted on the proposed reorganisation of Roman Catholic secondary schools in Bristol.

No. This information was provided by the Bishop of Clifton before the statutory proposals were published.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on how many occasions she has agreed to the incorporation of a selective school in a secondary reorganisation; and how many times she has refused to approve such an incorporation.

I regret that the information is not available in this form. My right hon. Friend has approved approximately 300 and rejected 60 proposals either to cease to maintain a grammar school or to make a significant change in its character so as to admit pupils without reference to ability or aptitude.