asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to ascertain to what extent raw materials for feeding stuffs for cattle have been imported which have been rejected at continental ports; and whether he is satisfied with the safeguards that exist in respect of imported feeding stuffs.

In my reply of 7th May—[Vol. 873, c. 119.]—I outlined the controls that apply for animal health purposes to certain imported raw materials used for animal feeding stuffs. These requirements do not depend on the route that a consignment has taken. I am considering whether any additional safeguards are needed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to maintain the level of production of animal feeding stuffs.

The level of production of animal feeding stuffs is determined by need and demand. I am not aware of any current difficulties in maintaining supplies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the present state of agricultural policies in the EEC.

There is a common agricultural policy for the whole of the EEC. Her Majesty's Government have already indicated that they will be seeking improvements to that policy as part of the process of renegotiation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage increase in the consumption of liquid milk between March 1973 and March 1974; and what has been the percentage decrease in the production of milk during the same period.

In the year ended 31st March 1974 sales of milk for liquid consumption totalled 1,656 million gallons. This was an increase of approximately 1·3 per cent. compared with the previous year. Sales of all milk under the milk marketing schemes in the year ended 31st March 1974 were 2,929 million gallons, i.e. approximately 0·5 per cent. less than in the previous year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress made to date on reform of the common agricultural policy of the EEC.

We shall be making our own proposals for reform in the context of renegotiation of the terms of entry to the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has made to the EEC to secure changes in the common agricultural policy.

Our proposals for changes in the common agricultural policy will shortly be put to the Council of Ministers together with other proposals for renegotiation by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the extent to which imports of continental beef, subsidised following the EEC price negotiations, are undercutting the home beef market.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Howden (Sir P, Bryan) on 3rd May.—[Vol. 872, c. 554.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the current position of livestock producers.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statement in the Supply debate on agriculture on 8th May.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy, beef-cattle and pig farmers have gone bankrupt or left their farms in each of the months of 1974 to date; and how this compares with the same months in 1973.

I have no figures for 1974. The latest available information about bankruptcies in agriculture, excluding company liquidation, relates to 1973 when there were 69 in England and Wales, compared with a figure of 108 during 1972. I regret that separate figures for different types of farming are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he anticipates will be the short fall in the supply of sugar from Common wealth producers to EEC countries in the current crop year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. Scott-Hopkins) on 10th May.—[Vol. 873, c. 277–8.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as over the last three months the average market price for fat pigs has fallen by 15 per cent. and as the cost of pig feed compounds has risen by 60 per cent. in the last year, what proposals he has made in reply to the three-point programme put forward by the President of the NFU; and what action he intends to take now.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now take action designed to restore confidence in the future viability of their industry for pig producers.

We have provided a major cash injection of at least some £15 million through the special pig subsidy, and my right hon. Friend announced yesterday that the 50p per score rate of subsidy will continue until he has been able to discuss the situation with his colleagues in the EEC Council of Ministers. Also, monetary compensatory amounts on our pig meat imports were more than halved on 1st May. As my right hon. Friend's announcement yesterday demonstrates, we are aware that the immediate situation facing pig producers is still one of difficulty, and there will, no doubt, be a full discussion about this at the next EEC Council meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on his policy on tied cottages in agriculture and horticulture.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he can now say what plans he has for the abolition of tied cottages.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what answer he has given to recent representations from trade unions to the tied cottage situation.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has invited the agricultural workers' unions to have discussions on this with the Environment and Agriculture Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he can now announce the details of his forestry policy; and if he will make a statement.

The consultations with the interests concerned are in their final stages, and I hope that a statement can be made very soon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the figure for self-sufficiency in beef from British farms last year; and what steps he proposes to take to regulate the market in those weeks in the autumn of this year when beef will be in a temporary state of over-supply.

Provisional statistics show that home-fed production in the United Kingdom last year accounted for about 84 per cent. of beef supplies for consumption in the United Kingdom. It would not be appropriate to speculate about a hypothetical future situation which will depend on many uncertain factors. We shall, however, continue to maintain a close watch on developments with a view to taking such steps as may be necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on beam trawling.

I have now held discussions with representatives of all those engaged in, or affected by, beam trawling. I have concluded that the danger of over-exploitation of sole and plaice stocks round our coasts arises primarily from the lack of an overall limit on fishing for these stocks. This has wider implications than the use of any particular gear or fishing by United Kingdom boats alone. The Government will, therefore, press for satisfactory international quotas at the meeting of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission next month. I shall decide in the light of the results of that meeting whether further restrictions are necessary on beam trawling.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department was represented at the symposium earlier this month in the United States of America on the possible hazards from the use of vinyl chloride monomer; and if he will make a statement on the continued use of VCM in food packaging, in the light of these discussions.

My right hon. Friend was not represented at the symposium. Our scientists discussed the problem recently with their opposite numbers in the American and Canadian federal authorities. On the latter part of the Question, the position is as I informed my hon. Friend on 4th April.—[Vol. 871, c. 409.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will grant a financial incentive for keeping breeding sows alive until, say, 1st August.

The special subsidy which my right hon. Friend introduced at the end of March represents a substantial cash injection which should benefit all sectors of the pig industry. He announced yesterday that the 50p per score rate of subsidy would continue until he has had the opportunity to discuss the situation with his colleagues in the EEC Council of Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take further steps to ensure future supplies of beef and pig meat in view of the high slaughter rate of calves and sows and boars.

The special payments to pig producers which my right hon. Friend introduced at the end of March represent a substantial measure to assist producers and to encourage continuing supplies of pork and bacon. My right hon. Friend announced yesterday that the 50p per score rate of subsidy is to continue until he has been able to discuss the situation with his colleagues in the EEC Council of Ministers. Regarding beef, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross) on 9th May.—[Vol. 873 c. 232.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received the report of the Advisory Council for Agriculture and Horticulture on the law regulating the presence of bulls in fields crossed by public rights of way.

No. The council expects to make its report in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his discussions relating to the future sale of clean plucked poultry, and in particular game, within the EEC.

EEC Directive 71/118 applies to the meat of hens, turkeys, guinea-fowls, ducks and geese; the sale of the meat of other species of poultry and game will be unaffected by its provisions. In relation to the meat of the species to which the directive applies I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Staffordshire, South-West (Mr. Cormack) on 2nd May 1974.—[Vol. 872, c. 520–1.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his talks on a long-term strategy for agriculture.

Discussions between officials of the Agriculture Departments and the interests concerned have now begun and further meetings will be held.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps he will be taking in relation to EEC Directive 118–71; and what consultations he has had to amend certain requirements therein relating to hygiene;(2) what discussions he is having in relation to EEC proposals to ban the use of spin chillers in poultry meat processing.

We are in continuing consultation with the industry and other interests about the terms of Directive 71/118/EEC and proposed amendments to it. A number of issues including those relating to hygiene requirements and the continued use of spin chillers are currently being pursued in Brussels.

asked the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sums have been spent on fishery research in England and Wales by his Department in each of the last five years.

Expenditure on fisheries research and development by the Ministry in England and Wales in each of the last five financial years is as follows:—

					£ million
1969–70	…	…	…	…	1·4
1970–71	…	…	…	…	1·8
1971–72	…	…	…	…	1·4
1972–73	…	…	…	…	1·6
1973–74	…	…	…	…	1·8

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the cell count level of mastitis in milk in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years; what he regards as the cause of the increase; and if he will make a statement.

The mean bulk milk cell count per milliliter of all herds in England and Wales in the last three years was as follows:

1971	…	…	…	…	568,000
1972	…	…	…	…	542,000
1973	…	…	…	…	570,000

The differences over the three years are not considered to be statistically significant. In large-scale field trials involving 2,000 herds where the control routine advocated in the national mastitis awareness campaign has been applied there has been a steady decrease in the cell count over the past three years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cash increase in overheads to the United Kingdom farming industry from 1960 to the latest available date.

Total aggregate costs in the United Kingdom rose between 1960–61 and 1973–74—forecast—by about £1,855 million or 146 per cent. The fixed cost element of this increase, which is defined as all farm costs excluding those directly and readily attributable to specific enterprises, rose in the same period by some £760 million—about 116 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the net income of the United Kingdom farming industry has risen since 1960 until the latest available date, in cash terms and in real terms.

In current money terms total aggregate net farm income in the United Kingdom is estimated to have risen between 1960–61 and 1973–74—forecast—by some £830 million, about 210 per cent. In real terms the increase is estimated at some £240 million, about 60 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy regarding the stocks of ware potatoes unsold in Northern Ireland due to the ban on the export of potatoes.

Arrangements are being made for the purchase of good quality ware potatoes left unsold on farms in Northern Ireland at the end of the season as a result of the export ban and details will be announced shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the interests of increased investment in premium bonds, he will ask the television authorities to broadcast live part of the weekly draw for prizes.

This is primarily a matter for the television authorities, who have indicated in discussions that the draw arrangements lack visual appeal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount the standard rate of income tax would have to be raised to produce sufficient revenue to pay for that part of expenditure on education at present borne by local authorities.

The increase required in the basic rate of income tax would be about 4½ percentage points.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount the standard rate of income tax would have to be raised to produce sufficient revenue to pay for that part of expenditure on higher and further education at present borne by local authorities.

The increase required in the basic rate of income tax would be about one percentage point.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can make an estimate of the cost of transferring the financial responsibility for education from local government to the national Exchequer; and what would be the effect of such a transfer on the standard rate of income tax.

The expenditure of local authorities on education in 1974–75, net of the Exchequer grant for education, is estimated at £1,350 million at November 1973 prices. To raise additional revenue equal to this amount in 1974–75 would require an increase of about 4½ percentage points in the basic rate of tax.

asked the Chancellor or the Exchequer what is the total amount of income tax paid by all building societies registered in the United Kingdom for the last period for which figures are available.

The total amount of income tax paid by all building societies in the United Kingdom for 1972–73, the last period for which figures are available, was £278 million. It is estimated that the amount paid for 1973–74 was £290 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net amount remaining, after deduction of tax, to a married man without dependants from a salary of £34,000 per annum, assuming that the recipient's basic income is a pension of £7,000 per annum.

Assuming that the salary is treated as the top slice of the individual's total income and that there are no other allowances, the net amount after tax at the rates proposed by the Finance Bill for 1974–75 is £8,648.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the working of his economic policies in relation to the level of personal savings in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The personal savings ratio in the current financial year may be somewhat lower than in 1973, when it reached an unusually high figure. The chief reason for this was the well-known lag between income and consumption. The period of three-day working will, of course, have had an abnormal effect on the ratio, but as we move away from that experience I would expect the ratio to return to more normal levels. So far as the savings of the public sector are concerned, my right hon. Friend has taken action in his Budget to improve the position from £2,775 million in 1973–74 to £5,859 million in 1974–75.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated figure for pre-tax company sector trading profits—gross trading profits less stock appreciation and capital consumption plus investment grants—as a percentage of national income in 1973.

Using a figure of investment grants received by companies in 1973 the figure would be 7 per cent.; excluding investment grants the figure would be about 6½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will com-

Index numbers (1960 = 100)
INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
						Total company income less tax*
						plus investment grants
				All industries	Manufacturing	(A)†	(B)‡
1960	…	…	…	100·0	100·0	100	100
1961	…	…	…	101·2	100·1	102	102
1962	…	…	…	102·1	100·4	105	105
1963	…	…	…	105·1	104·0	119	119
1964	…	…	…	114·1	113·6	130	130
1965	…	…	…	117·5	117·0	149	149
1966	…	…	…	119·5	119·1	136	143
1967	…	…	…	121·0	119·9	144	148
1968	…	…	…	128·1	127·8	165	167
1969	…	…	…	131·5	132·7	172	167
1970	…	…	…	131·9	133·5	181	n.a.
1971	…	…	…	132·3	132·8	212	n.a.
1972	…	…	…	135·1	136·0	232	n.a.
1973	…	…	…	144·7	147·0	309	n.a.
Sources:
National Income and Expenditure 1973, Tables 15, 26 and 27.
Monthly Digest of Statistics, Table 50.
Trade and Industry, Volume 10, No. 4.
* United Kingdom taxes: taxes due; overseas taxes: taxes paid.
† Column A is on the basis of investment grants received.
‡ Column B is on the basis of investment grants accrued; figures are not available after 1969.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases where two unmarried persons are cohabiting and one of these persons is dependent on the earnings of the other the earning partner is not entitled for income tax purposes to relief in respect of his or her dependant.

The available information is given in the table below; the indices of production are at constant prices and are not directly comparable with the figures relating to company income which is measured at current prices. For the reason given in my answer to the hon. Member on 8th May, the available information on the liability to tax relates to the total income from all sources, including income from abroad, of the company sector, and not to the trading profits of the company sector or of manufacturing companies.

I regret the information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much it would be necessary to raise the standard rate of value added tax if the full cost of teachers' salaries were met by the Exchequer, and that were paid for entirely by a rise in value added tax.

The standard rate of VAT would have to be increased to 12½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much it would be necessary to raise all rates of income tax if the full cost of teachers' salaries were met by the Exchequer, and paid for entirely by an increase in income tax.

Part of the cost of teachers' salaries is at present met by the Exchequer through the rate support grant. To raise additional revenue equal to the remaining cost borne by the local authorities would require an increase in the basic and higher rates of income tax of about two percentage points.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether farm workers' allowances are tax free.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind benefits in kind received by farm workers. These are taxable only if the earnings of the recipient, including the value of the benefits, are at a rate of £2,000 or more a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the product of different forms of central Government taxation in Wales; and where no such estimates are possible, if he will specify the areas of revenue concerned.

No precise estimate is possible, but on the basis of the ratio of Welsh revenues to total revenues used in "a Welsh Budget" published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1972 it is estimated that in 1972–73 revenue from central Government taxes on transactions in Wales was as follows:

			£million
Direct taxes*	…	…	305
Indirect taxes†	…	…	325
			630
* Inland Revenue taxes less stamp duty.
† Customs and Excise taxes, vehicle excise duty, selective employment tax and stamp duty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from women in respect of payment of tax rebate to which they are entitled following marriage, concerning that portion of tax paid from the time of marriage and allocated to their husbands; and what replies he has sent.

It is the general rule that the income of a married woman is deemed to be that of her husband for income tax purposes, and it follows that repayments of tax are as a rule made to the husband. Representations on this point are received from time to time. Repayments often on pre-marital earnings are, however, made to the wife.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet completed his consideration of the possibility of exempting from value added tax subscriptions paid by members of the National Federation of Women's Institutes.

No, but I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the post-Budget tax thresholds for a single man, a married couple without children, a married couple with one child under 11 years of age, a married couple with two children under 11 years of age and a married couple with four children, two under 11 and two over 11 years of age, at 1973 prices.

The figures are:

	Tax Thresholds At April 1973
	prices
	£
Single man	561
Married couple, no children	777
Married couple, 1 child under 11	992
Married couple, 2 children under 11	1,161
Married couple, 2 children under 11, 2 aged 11–16	1,561

The increase in the General Index of Retail Prices between April 1973 and March 1974—the latest available figure—has been used to deflate the tax thresholds embodied in the 1974 Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the basis of valuation for death duty purposes of the ownership of feus during the past decade.

Feus are—and always have been—valued for estate duty purposes at their estimated open market value under Section 7(5) of the Finance Act 1894.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show the basis on which he calculated the figure of—40 given in his reply to the hon. Member for Staffordshire, South-West (Mr. Cormack)—[10th April, c. 225–6]— in respect of the subsidy on 20 pints of milk in the calculation on the effect of the Budget on a married couple with two children under 11.

When we came into office the price of milk was being held down. The £50 million allocated to this purpose was, however, quite insufficient to keep (he price at that level for a full year. The subsidy announced by my right hon. Friend was sufficient not only to hold the price of milk at that level for a full financial year but also to permit a reduction of 1p per pint in the price. The value of the subsidy to a family buying 20 pints of milk per week will be 40p.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the valued added lax revenue from the county of Devon in 1973–74; and what is the expected VAT revenue in 1974–75.

The information, is, I regret, not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the VAT revenue from the whole country in 1973–74; and what is the expected VAT revenue in 1974–75.

The provisional figure for net receipts of value added tax in 1973–74 is £1,469·1 million. The estimate for 1974–75 of £2,700 million was published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report, 1974–75.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the total number of employees in the private sector for each year since 1960.

The number of employees in employment in the private sector at June each year are estimated to be as follows:

					(thousands)
1960	…	…	…	…	17,250
1961	…	…	…	…	17,543
1962	…	…	…	…	17,656
1963	…	…	…	…	17,670
1964	…	…	…	…	17,946
1965	…	…	…	…	18,185
1966	…	…	…	…	18,276
1967	…	…	…	…	17,670
1968	…	…	…	…	17,250
1969	…	…	…	…	17,191
1970	…	…	…	…	16,932
1971	…	…	…	…	16,475
1971*	…	…	…	…	16,087
1972*	…	…	…	…	16,044
* Figures from 1960 to 1971 have been derived from Department of Employment analyses of national insurance cards. In mid-1971 a census of employment was introduced, and is the main source for the footnoted figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much under strength is the Hampshire Constabulary.

On 30th April there were 222 vacancies against an authorised establishment of 2,844.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute a public inquiry into the death of Patricia Cummins on 28th February at Holloway Prison. London, N.7.

No, Sir. An inquest was held in public on 24th April when the coroner made full inquiries into all the circumstances surrounding this tragic death.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a system of inspection and registration for private security organisation.

My right hon. Friend has at present no proposals for such legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female prisoners are serving prison sentences in male prisons in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

Two in England and Wales. We are keeping their position under careful review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently being force-fed in United Kingdom prisons; how many

Year		Number	Offence	Sentence
1970	…	1	Theft	12 months' imprisonment
1971	…	2	Burglary	5 years' imprisonment
			Robbery	5 years' imprisonment
1972	…	2	Burglary and obtaining by deception	Borstal training
			Burglary	Borstal training
1973	…	2	Theft and burglary	3 years' imprisonment
			Wounding with intent and carrying offensive weapon	Borstal training
1974	…	Nil	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the transfer of Northern Ireland prisoners, currently being force-fed in United Kingdom prisons, to be transferred to Northern Ireland prisons to serve their sentences; and what replies he has sent.

Representations have been received from a number of organisations and individuals. My right hon. Friend has replied that he is not prepared to grant their requests at present but that he is keeping the matter under review having regard to compassionate and security considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the provisions for the detentor

On 22nd May two male prisoners in England and Wales were being compulsorily fed by artificial means. One has been so fed since 3rd December and the other since 10th December 1973. Two others have been on hunger strike since 30th March and have been artificially fed intermittently but are not being so fed at the moment. Each individual is subject to careful and continuous medical supervision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been transferred from prisons in England and Wales to Northern Ireland since 1970, to the nearest date for which figures are available in 1974: and if he will give details.

There have been seven such transfers. Details of the offences and sentences are as follows:tion of young offenders in places like Risley, Warrington; and if he will make a statement.

Risley is the only remand centre which holds male adult as well as young offenders. It provides separate accommodation and special facilities for the latter. As I understand that my hon. Friend is particularly concerned about persons under the age of 17, I am writing to him about the circumstances in which they may be held in a remand centre on committal by the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend or cancel circular ESI/1972 issued to local authorities in respect of war emergency planning; and whether he will make a statement regarding the present Government's policy in this field of local government preparedness to meet a war emergency.

My right hon. Friend has no immediate proposals to amend or cancel that circular and does not propose to make any statement on civil defence before the Defence White Paper is published later this year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether all Departments in which political advisers have been appointed since 1st March 1974 have completed the security vetting procedures appropriate to their functions.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) on 6th May—[Vol. 873. c. 22.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what estimate he can make of the cost of ensuring that no public service pensioner receives less than 90 per cent. of the sum that he would receive if parity were introduced.

It is estimated that the immediate annual cost of increasing the pensions of existing public service pensioners to the level of 90 per cent. of those currently awarded for the same grade and service would be £65 million.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish a table showing the total number of staff of all categories, excluding the Armed Forces and the public corporations, employed by central Government in the United Kingdom for each year since 1960.

I have been asked to reply.The number of civilian employees of the central Government at June each year are as follows:

					(thousands)
1960	…	…	…	…	1,642
1961	…	…	…	…	1,302
1962	…	…	…	…	1,329
1963	…	…	…	…	1,346
1964	…	…	…	…	1,350
1965	…	…	…	…	1,373
1966	…	…	…	…	1,405
1967	…	…	…	…	1,458
1968	…	…	…	…	1,488
1969	…	…	…	…	1,487
1970	…	…	…	…	1,537
1971	…	…	…	…	1,561
1972	…	…	…	…	1,585

The figures are published annually in the first instance in

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his current estimate of the value of the Exchequer investment in the Anglesey aluminium smelter; how this compares with the original cost of that investment, upvalued to 1974 prices; and whether he is satisfied with the security of that investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total amount granted by his Department from public funds in respect of the aluminium smelter in Anglesey; and when such grants began.

The Exchequer has no equity interest in Anglesey Aluminium Metal Ltd. A loan of £33 million has been made to the company under the Aluminium Industry (Anglesey Project) Scheme 1968 which provided for such a loan, to be applied only in payment of the capital cost incurred in relation to the power supply element of the smelter project. Full security for the loan is provided for in the loan agreement under the scheme.Investment grants and building grants in connection with the construction of the smelter itself were made under the normal rules and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the outcome of his discussions regarding the possibility of further public investment in Triumph Motor Cycles.

I hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will announce the names of the review body appointed to look at the closure proposals of the British Steel Corporation; and if he will define its terms of reference.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th May 1974; Vol. 873, c. 559], gave the following additional information:In accordance with our election commitment I requested the British Steel Corporation, immediately on my taking office, to suspend all proposed closures of steelworks that were implicit in the development strategy agreed by the previous Government. I am now conducting the review of these closures. I have given primary responsibility for conducting the review to my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, Lord Beswick, who will undertake the necessary consultations before final decisions are taken. I will, of course, proceed in the closest co-operation with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales.I have now discussed and agreed with the British Steel Corporation and the TUC Steel Committee the procedure for undertaking the review. It has been agreed that the closures should be reviewed case by case. Apart from two imminent closures, namely at Stanton and at Irlam, where

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many applications for industrial development certificates relating to land in the designated area of the Redditch New Town are currently being considered by his Department; and what area of land they each cover.

Two. For reasons of commercial confidentiality I cannot disclose the area of land each application covers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on regional aid policies, with particular reference to intermediate planning areas in West Yorkshire.

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda (Mr. Jones) on 29th April, we intend to maintain the existing system of regional incentives, though adjustments may have to be made from time to time. Regional development grants and regional selective assistance will thus continue to be available in the Yorkshire and Humberside Intermediate Area.—[Vol. 872, c. 347–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement outlining the function and scope of operation of his Department's quality assurance directorate.

Within the Ministry of Defence there are nine quality assurance directorates, two of which undertake other duties in addition. Each of the directorates is concerned with particular types of store. Their function is to ensure that contractors undertaking defence work have adequate quality assurance organisations and that these are applied to this work to provide sufficient confidence that goods supplied are of the requisite quality.The formulation of quality assurance policy and procedures and the communication of these to those concerned, including any necessary training, is the responsibility of the Defence Quality Assurance Board assisted by a small executive staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the establishment and number in post of the quality assurance directorate for each grade, by region;(2)what is the rate of labour turnover in each grade of the quality assurance directorate;(3)what are the numbers of male recruits to the quality assurance directorate in the past 12 months who are (

It has not been possible to obtain the required information in the time available. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the current rates of pay for each grade in the quality assurance directorate along with details of area allowances payable.

A large number of grades is involved and I will arrange to publish this information in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary or State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the recruitment policy of the quality assurance directorate.

The policy of the quality assurance organisation is to recruit staff with appropriate qualifications to meet approved complements, taking into account the planned reduction in numbers arising from the emphasis now placed on quality assurance as distinct from direct inspection.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the state of progress towards equal pay in the quality assurance directorate.

Women's pay in the industrial Civil Service will achieve parity next year. In the non-industrial Civil Service equal pay has obtained for many years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the proposals for a productivity scheme for members of the quality assurance directorate.

A number of industrial employees of the quality assurance directorates already benefit from productivity schemes introduced before November 1972. My Department has for some time been seeking to devise schemes for the remaining employees. There are inherent difficulties in this because of the type of work; and there are also difficulties in applying any scheme within the framework of the Pay Code.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the size of the labour force of the quality assurance directorate planned for the next two years.

The total strength of the Ministry of Defence quality assurance directorate in April 1974 was 11,850. On current plans it is estimated that this strength will be reduced to about 11,500 by April 1975 and to about 11,000 by April 1976. This area is, however, like all other fields of defence, currently being examined as part of the defence review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those companies where members of the quality assurance directorate have been involved in the past 12 months.

Members of the Ministry of Defence quality assurance directorates have been involved with about 5,000 firms during the past 12 months. It would obviously be impracticable to publish a list of this size in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any information regarding the numbers of members of the quality assurance directorate who are receiving family income supplement.

Information of this nature is not recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average amount of overtime worked by members of the quality assurance directorate; and what percentage of those in post regularly work overtime.

The amount of overtime worked by members of the quality assurance directorates in the Ministry of Defence varies greatly from one establishment to another as well as from time to time. Paid overtime, mainly worked by industrial employees, accounts for less than 10 per cent. of the total industrial wage bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any Ugandan military personnel are undergoing training in the United Kingdom in the use of military equipment.

No Ugandans are undergoing training in the United Kingdom in the use of military equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current major items of equipment and the weapons in use by the British Armed Forces which are of foreign origin; and what is their country of origin.

The information is as follows:

Equipment	Country of Origin
Navy
Polaris missile	U.S.A.
AS 12 anti-ship missile	France
Army
Honest John, Tactical Nuclear Missile	U.S.A.
M 107, 175mm SP Howitzer	U.S.A.
M 109, 155mm SP Howitzer	U.S.A.
M 110, 8 inch SP Howitzer	U.S.A.
105mm Pack Howitzer	Italy
84mm Carl Gustav recoilless gun	Sweden
L 40/70 Bofors AA gun	Sweden*
7·62mmSLR	Belgium*
66mm Light Anti-Armour Weapon	U.S.A.
SS 11 helicopter-borne Anti-Tank Guided Weapon	France
M2 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle	Germany
Volvo fully-tracked over snow carrier	Sweden
Alouette helicopter	France
Sioux helicopter	U.S.A.*
Air Force
Phantom aircraft	USA
Hercules aircraft	U.S.A.
Sioux helicopter	U.S.A.*
SS 11 and AS 12 air-to-surface missile	France
Sparrow air-to-air missile	U.S.A.
Sidewinder air-to-air missile	U.S.A.
SNEB rockets	France
* Built under licences in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether defence expenditure cuts are to apply to the airfields at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Kinloss.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said when the House debated defence on 13th May, we are engaged in the most comprehensive examination of our defence posture ever carried out in peace time. In the meantime it would be inappropriate to forecast the detailed effects the review may have on particular defence facilities, but full account will be taken of the important role of the squadrons at these two stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants are employed by his Department in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales and (4) London.

It has not been possible to obtain the required information in the time available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.