asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will institute a rural aid programme on similar lines where appropriate to the urban aid programme.

The problems of rural Wales are under detailed consideration and my right hon. and learned Friend will be making a statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from farmers in Wales regarding the state of Welsh

Water Divisions/Water Company Areas		Non-Measured Supplies 1974–75 Water Charge p in £	Measured Supplies Pence per 1,000 gallons 1974–75
Anglesey	…	18·8	50·0
Cardiff	…	8·2	33·8
Cardigan	…	20·0	50·0
Carmarthen (Llanelli)	…	14·4	39·0
Central Flintshire	…	13·6	47·7
Conwy Valley	…	6·8	23·8
Eryri	…	15·0	43·0
Gwent	…	13·2	30·0
Merioneth	…	18·0	40·0
Mid Glamorgan	…	13·0	41·0
Pembrokeshire	…	9·6	29·2
Radnor and North East Breconshire	…	20·0	50·0
South East Brecon	…	15·9	50·0
Taf Fechan	…	16·8	49·5
West Denbigh and West Flint	…	10·6	40·1
West Glamorgan	…	8·9	30·5
Montgomeryshire	…	4·1	16·7
Wrexham and East Denbighshire Water Company	…	5·8	24·8

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to ascertain from the local authorities in Wales whether they will have completed in time time for the next financial year the task of identifying properties in their area for which main drainage facilities are not available.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on the 12th June.—[Col. 874. c. 644.] I am hopeful that they will be able to achieve this.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have received some 20 representations from or on behalf of farmers about the state of Welsh agriculture. Of these five were from individual farmers, the rest were from hon. Members and organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list by areas of the rate at which water charges are being imposed in all parts of Wales.

The information is shown below:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers have given up farming in Wales over the past five years.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for improving roads in countryside areas.

Major trunk road schemes are in hand or preparation to meet the needs of traffic in rural Wales. The improvement of other roads is a matter for the local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for extending the functions of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The scope and functions of my Department are kept continually under review and will be extended as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will institute a separate inquiry into pay and conditions in the National Health Service in the Principality.

No. The pay and conditions of service of National Health Service staff are dealt with on a Great Britain basis, mainly in the Whitley Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will move to set up a Select Committee to investigate the history of the Concorde project; and if he will make a further statement regarding his discussions about its future course.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a further statement about the Concorde project.

The Government are continuing with the review of the project in the light of all the views and representations expressed and I look forward to discussions with my French colleague in the newly appointed Government. As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Mr. Bishop) on 6th May, the question of a Select Committee is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Lord President.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many new jobs have been created in the South Yorkshire intermediate area over each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on what plans he has to bring more jobs into the district over the next three years.

In the area of the new metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, industrial development certificates were issued in the years 1971 to 1973 which were expected to create at least 10,000 new jobs. As I have already announced, we intend to introduce a new Industry Bill to give us wider powers to promote industrial expansion but, in the meantime, the system of incentives contained in the Industry Act 1972 will continue to be applied which in itself will continue to promote more jobs in the area.

asked the Secretary or State for Industry when he proposes to introduce legislation empowering him to issue companies with directives and to dismiss directors of companies who do not comply with his directives.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the publication of my proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make arrangements to publish his Department's review of the top 20 British companies.

I am not reviewing the top 20 companies. I am collecting over a period information on the amount of money paid to major firms by the Government under various support schemes. Parliament and the public are entitled to know this information and in line with last year's recommendation of the Expenditure Committee I shall publish it as it becomes available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry to what extent acceptance of regional incentives by a company to locate in an assisted area, which would otherwise be uneconomic for it, will be regarded as justification for acquisition of part or all of its capital by the National Enterprise Board.

When the Government are ready to come forward with their proposals for a National Enterprise Board these will be put before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he has for stockpiling certain strategically important materials.

We have no such proposals at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total value of Japanese lightweight motor cycles which have been imported into the United Kingdom in the past 12 months; and what has been the total value of similar motor cycles produced by British industry in the same period.

Imports of motor cycles under 250 cc were valued at £14 million cif in the 12 months ending January 1974. British production figures are not available but output is believed to be comparatively negligible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has now made a decision about the application by the Cosmex Corporation for an industrial development certificate for the proposed Mine Mill at Newport, Monmouthshire; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend should by now have received a letter informing him of the Government's decision to refuse the IDC application from Cosmex.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what arrangements have been made by his Department with the ECSC for compensation to employees of the British Steel Corporation who are made redundant; what is the basis of that compensation; and whether it includes any provision for the expenses of removal to, and the cost of buying, another home.

On 5th June my right hon. Friend laid before the House regulations to bring into effect the Iron and Steel Employees Readaptation Benefits Scheme. Under this the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government will share the cost of assisting United Kingdom steelworkers who are displaced as the result of closures which qualify within the terms of Article 56 of the ECSC Treaty and who are otherwise eligible under the terms of an agreement concluded with the Commission. The scheme does include assistance towards removal and resettlement costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimates he has made of the propects for importation of cotton yarns after 1974 in the event of the removal of yarn quotas from the Mediterranean Associates.

It is impossible to forecast the separate effect of the removal of quantitative restrictions on imports of cotton yarn from Mediterranean Associate countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the companies operating within the shipbuilding, ship-repairing and marine equipment industries which he intends to nationalise; and if he will state their capitalisation.

The companies to be taken into public ownership will not be decided until consultations have been completed with both sides of industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the visit made on 30th and 31st May to the North-West Region by the Under-Secretary of State for Industry.

This was one of a number of visits my hon. Friend is making to the assisted areas in order to learn at first hand more about their problems and to get the views of local interests.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many complaints have been received by all gas boards during the past year; and if he will classify those complaints under the headings: conversion, appliance modification, gas charges, delays in servicing, arrears procedures and collection, loss of supply for cooking and heating, and general inefficiency.

This is a matter for the British Gas Corporation. I am asking the Chairman to write to my hon. Friend with information on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to nationalise British oil companies.

The Government's policy in relation to the British oil industry was outlined in the Queen's Speech.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will transfer the research programme on design of offshore structures in the North Sea from the National Physical Laboratory to the National Engineering Laboratory or to some suitable Scottish university research unit.

No single Government research establishment can undertake research into the whole field of the design of offshore structures. The National Engineering Laboratory, the National Physical Laboratory and universities, including Scottish universities, are given contracts on the basis of their respective expertise and facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he intends setting up a special compensation fund for the victims of pneumoconiosis and similar diseases; and if he will make a statement.

As stated in the interim report of the tripartite examination of the coal industry, the Government have agreed that the coal industry should introduce a scheme of compensation in settle ment of claims by sufferers of pneumoconiosis. The Government recognise that existing cases are a burden of the past. Subject, therefore, to parliamentary approval, the Government intend to contribute towards relieving the board's finances of this burden in respect of existing sufferers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what future forecasts of improved results of coal production he expects through the all-out drive launched by the Coal Industry National Consultative Council.

The objective of the joint production drive is the production of 120 million tons of deep-mined output in 1974–75. I am satisfied that the industry has the capacity necessary to achieve this aim.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1), in view of the rising price of oil, if he will initiate consultation between the Government, the National Coal Board and the mining unions on the shape the coal mining industry is to take in the development of world energy markets; and if he will make a statement;(2) what re-assessment of the coal industry's future he considers to be needed to ensure expansion of output, and to enable it to play a large part in providing national energy supplies.

Together with ministerial colleagues, the National Coal Board and the unions concerned, I am conducting a thorough examination of the future of the coal industry. Our interim report was published on 18th June and we hope to produce our final report by the end of the summer or early autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what rôle he anticipates for a large-size coal industry in the late 1970s and the 1980s.

As was made clear in the interim report of the CIE published on 18th June, provided coal remains competitive with oil potential demand in the 1980s from traditional markets is likely to be substantially in excess of today's levels of output. The coal industry's rôle must be to do everything possible to meet this demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what he estimates over the next decade to be the likely demand for British-produced coal in the European Economic Community.

The European Economic Commission has suggested a possible future need for coal imports from outside the Community of up to 50 million tons a year. On this basis, if our costs remained competitive with the prices of other fuels and coal from non-Community countries, then there would be a potential demand far in excess of anything we might be able to supply.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, if, following the presentation of the interim report on the coal industry, he will answer Questions about the effects of the matters discussed in it on individual coalfields.

I hope to answer my hon. Friend in the very near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to ensure that all oil exploration and exploitation companies notify him of obstacles and equipment abandoned on the sea bed so that Scottish fishermen can be warned of their position; and if he will give notification of the position of these obstacles in Decca readings as well as in longitude and latitude.

Licensees conducting oil operations are forbidden by the terms of their licences from unjustifiably interfering with navigation and fisheries, and

Research Association	Project		Requirements Board
Motor Industry	Energy thrift in motor vehicles	…	Mechanical Engineering and Machine Tools.
Drop Forging	New heating furnace	…	Mechanical Engineering and Machine Tools.
Non-ferrous Metals	Furnace developments	…	Engineering Materials.
Sira (formerly Scientific Instruments).	Control of moisture during drying	…	Computers, Systems and Electronics.

In addition, the Chief Scientist's Requirements Board has under consideration for financial support energy studies in their own industries being undertaken

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps are being taken in British industrial co-operative research organisations to study ways in which significant energy savings can be made throughout British Industry; which research association is undertaking the work; and by whom this work is being financed.

I have been asked to reply.By agreement with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food I am also replying on behalf of their Departments.One of the prime aims of the research associations in the course of the co-operative research and development work they undertake for their industries is the conservation of industrial resources, including energy. Hitherto, my Department has supported such work through general purposes grants for co-operative research, but this scheme is now being changed to one of financial support for specific projects, approved by my Requirements Boards. These include the following:by the Launderers', Rubber and Plastics, and Leather Manufacturers' Research Associations. The Cotton, Silk and Manmade Fibres Research Association and those for the knitting and woolen industries are also activity preparing projects aimed at conserving energy.The Department of the Environment has funded performance studies by the Heating and Ventilating Research Association on district heating for some years. It has recently awarded the association a selective grant meeting half of the cost of its co-operative work on energy conservation; this covers the design and use of building services for minimum energy use.The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has commissioned the Campden Food Preservation Research Association to carry out the following project: Determination of typical maximum steam demands for canning industry operations; measurement of steam flow rates in pipe systems representative of full-scale factory systems.In addition, the British Food Manufacturing Industries Research Association, as part of its information services which are supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has issued a report reviewing ways in which the food industry might effect savings of fuel and energy generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what tests have been made to check on the comparative safety factors involved between one type of nuclear power station and another on the radioactive and other effects that might result from the explosion of terrorist bombs in the power plant; and if he will ensure that such studies are completed before any final decisions are reached for future policy.

All types of power reactor are of necessity contained in massive concrete shields for radiation protection and are designed to shut down automatically under all conceivable faults or failures. These facilities provide protection against acts of sabotage: additional security precautions are common to all power reactor types.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to permit the victims of rape and sexual assault to give evidence anonymously in criminal proceedings and for reports of such proceedings to be limited to the offence charged and the verdict and sentence.

I appreciate my hon. Friend's concern to protect the victims of sexual offences, but I am not persuaded that a general rule would be in the interest of justice. The court already has the power to request that the names of such victims should not be published in proper cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost per annum of the Batley Community Project; and how much of it has been paid in salaries.

Total expenditure for each of the three financial years since the project was established has been £6,756 in 1971–72, £32,143 in 1972–73 and £61,369 in 1973–74. The identifiable salary elements for the full-time teams are, respectively, £4,449. £23,158 and £24,693.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in how many cases, during the last convenient period, in the Greater London area, proceedings for parking offences have been dropped against cars with a foreign registration because it was not possible to identify the owner or driver of the vehicle;(2) how many proceedings for parking offences have been taken during the last convenient period in the Greater London area against cars with a foreign registration.

The available statistics of court proceedings for parking offences in the Metropolitan Police district do not distinguish those relating to cars with a foreign registration. Most parking offences in London, however, are dealt with by the issue of fixed penalty notices. No court proceedings can in any event be instituted unless it is possible to identify the alleged offender, and if a fixed penalty is not paid no further action can normally be taken if the vehicle concerned had a foreign index mark.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action was taken by Scotland Yard, following the receipt of a message from the Daily Express on Sunday 16th June at 11.15 p.m., that a caller claiming to be a spokesman for the Provisional Sinn Fein had given warning of a multiple assassination attempt at the Houses of Parliament on the following day.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the Palace of Westminster was searched, and police officers on duty at the Palace on 17th June were warned of the possible threat.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that animals trained to perform in circuses are sufficiently protected from cruel treatment by the operation of existing law.

We have no reason to believe that the protection afforded to circus animals under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 is inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries of origin and of destination, respectively, of those Commonwealth citizens, ranked as United Kingdom passport holders who were admitted to or embarked from the United Kingdom during 1973, giving the totals for each country.

I regret that this information is not available. The cumulative totals are contained in the Immigration Statistics 1973 (Cmnd. 5603).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires during the past three years were caused by the use of portable oil heaters; and how many such fires were considered to be due to the oil heater being knocked over.

The number of fires in dwellings in the United Kingdom involving oil space heaters—other than central heating installations—in each of the last three years for which figures are available was as follows: 1970, 2,316; 1971, 1,862; 1972, 2,182.The information requested in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date before Christmas this year he proposes to bring into operation the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1974.

I hope that these regulations will be made and substantially in operation by the autumn, although I cannot yet give a precise date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set a limit on the number of immigrants entering the United Kingdom in any one year.

No. I do not believe that it would be right to seek to control immigration by the crude imposition of numerical limits. We shall maintain a firm but humane control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has altered the rules with regard to the treatment of Category A prisoners.

The Prison Rules apply to all prisoners, including Category A prisoners, and there has been no change affecting the latter alone, nor have the administrative procedures that govern their custody been altered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) to what extent the psychiatric service provided for patients in prisons are resulting in rehabilitation of such prisoners; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he keeps records of the ratio of prisoners with psychiatric disorders to other prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons; and if he will make a statement on the psychiatric care in Her Majesty's prisons.

No central record is maintained of the number of prisoners requiring psychiatric treatment during their sentence. Figures for those who are the subject of recommendations under Sections 72 and 73 of the Mental Health Act 1959 are published in the annual reports to Parliament on the work of the Prison Department. Appropriate psychiatric care in prison and on release is arranged by the medical officer for any prisoner whom he considers to be in need of it. It is available during a prisoner's sentence, from suitably qualified prison medical officers, visiting psychotherapists and consultant forensic psychiatrists. Progress necessarily varies with individual cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the conditions under which concessionary television licences are issued to elderly and disabled persons living in sheltered accommodation.

The old persons' homes television licence is available to retired people of pensionable age living in acommodation which qualifies for the licence under the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcast Licence Charges and Exemption) Regulations 1970 (SI 1970 No. 548). The licence also authorises the use of television sets by members of these retired people's families living with them, but does not otherwise authorise the use of television sets by disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rape cases there were in the United Kingdom for the last year for which figures are available; and in how many of these cases the judge requested the Press to refrain from publishing the names of the parties involved.

In 1973 in England and Wales 429 persons were tried at the Crown Court for rape; in addition 17 juveniles were dealt with summarily. I regret that there is no readily available information about the number of cases in which the court requested the Press to refrain from publishing the names of the parties involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give an assurance that, in the course of his efforts to bring France into a joint European defence system, he will maintain the former Labour Government's policy to refuse the creation of a joint nuclear force with France.

Yes. There are no proposals to this effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy towards European political unity as a long-term aim.

Her Majesty's Government favour the closer co-ordination of policy among the member States of the European Community in appropriate spheres. As far as "European Union" is concerned, work has only recently started on an attempt to define it. The Council of Ministers will shortly take a preliminary look at some of the questions which arise. We are taking part in the work of definition and analysis. When it has progressed further and there is a clearer idea of what "European Union" means, we shall be able to state our policy towards it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a settlement has yet been reached with the Romanian Government over compensation following the sequestration of the assets of the Royal Dutch Shell Group.

We have so far failed to reach a claims agreement with the Romanian Government but in 1971 Shell and an appropriate Romanian organisation concluded a long-term arrangement which included procedures for settlement of certain financial questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider the ending of the ban on arms sales to the Middle East, in view of recent outbreaks of fighting in the area.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Warley, East (Mr. Faulds) on 10th June.—[Vol. 874, c. 426]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider the possibility of separating British commissional representation overseas from embassies.

Successive Governments have concluded that commercial and economic work should be a first charge on the resources of a unified Diplomatic Service. I am sure this is right.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects to receive the report of the Review Body on secretarial and other allowances for Members.

Lord Boyle, the Chairman of the Top Salaries Review Body, was formally invited by the Prime Minister to undertake this review of Members' allowances on 31st May 1974. The Review Body appreciates the need for an early report, and I understand that its work is now well advanced. I hope, therefore, to be in a position to make a statement before the recess.

asked the Chairman of the Services Committee why the price of an orange in the Members' Dining Room is 12½p as against 5½p in the Members' Tea Room.

I have been asked to reply.The price of an orange in the Members' Dining Room ought to be 6½p, and 5½p in the Members' Tea Room. These prices are adjusted if the oranges are very small. I am aware that a mistaken charge was recently quoted to an hon. Member, but this has been corrected.

asked the Chairman of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services), how many Members had in this Parliament been issued with passes to the House prior to 17th May; and how many have since been issued with such passes.

Records do not show the number of passes on issue at 17th May. A check made, however, on 16th June showed that 64 Members had not applied for passes. Since that date, 20 more passes have been issued to Members.

asked the Attorney-General (1) how many cases of contempt he has investigated or sought to investigate against journalists from 28th February;(2) how many cases of contempt his office has investigated against journalists during (i) the past five years, (ii) the past 10 years, and (iii) the past 30 years;(3) how many contempt cases during the past 100 years have been issued against journalists naming witnesses who have appeared in court when the journalist disclosing the names of such witnesses has not been present in the court and when the disclosure of such names has not been prohibited by statute.

I have considered allegations of contempt of court arising out of two cases since 28th February. My predecessors have considered 24 allegations in the past five years and 40 in the past 10 years. Records are not available for any earlier period. Some allegations of contempt, including one arising since 28th February, have involved several journalists. They have involved several newspapers.

asked the Attorney-General in how many cases magistrates' courts and Crown Courts, respectively, have awarded compensation to innocent buyers against sellers convicted of offences under the Trade Descriptions Act; and in how many and what percentage of such cases such awards were made on the application of the victim.

I have been asked to reply.My Department has been notified of 327 cases in which compensation has been awarded following a successful prosecution under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. It would not be possible, without undue expense, to differentiate between the awards made in magistrates' and Crown Courts, nor to say on whose application compensation was awarded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much beef is at present in cold storage in the United Kingdom, which has been bought under the European Economic Community's intervention schemes.

The quantity of beef bought by the United Kingdom intervention agency and held in cold stores is 176 tons. I understand that some beef bought by intervention agencies in other member States has been put into store in this country. This is a commercial matter between the cold store operator and the intervention agency concerned, and no official figures of the quantities involved are available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he has made to permit beef, bought within the European Economic Community's intervention buying schemes, to be brought to cold stores in the United Kingdom.

We have made no such arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take further steps designed to ensure that in 1975 domestic producers of horticultural glasshouse produce are not at a disadvantage in competing with Dutch producers, 85 per cent. of whom are now converted to gas heating with the aid of a Government subsidy.

I do not contemplate that further steps will be needed. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary gave a very full description of the Dutch situation in the Adjournment debate on 14th June.—[Vol. 874, c. 2087–2094].

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many generators were available to run Government computers in February 1974; how many are available now or at the latest convenient date; what instructions have been issued by the Government as to the use of these generators; and if he will make a statement.

In February 1974, 40 generators were installed at Government computer installations. Currently a further six could be made available provided there were no demands of higher priority from other parts of the public sector. No special instructions have been issued regarding the use of these generators except that local DoE engineers have been instructed to run them in the event of failure of the mains supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will describe the uniform which is standard issue to civilian armed patrolmen at MOD (Army) establishments.

The uniform issued to civilian patrolmen employed in the Ministry of Defence throughout the whole of the United Kingdom is as follows:

• Peaked cap.
• Jacket (blue serge) (2),
• Trousers (blue serge) (2),
• Greatcoat,
• Boots or shoes,
• Waterproof clothing is also available.
• In Northern Ireland armed patrolmen are also issued with bullet-proof vests.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the weekly rate of pay paid to civilian armed patrolmen at MOD (Army) establishments in Northern Ireland, and the rate paid to similar patrolmen in other areas of the United Kingdom.

The basic weekly rate of pay of civilian armed patrolmen at Ministry of Defence establishments in Northern Ireland is £23·53. No armed patrolmen are employed by the Department in other areas of United Kingdom. The national rate of pay for civilian patrolmen is £23·28.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist for visits by ships of the Royal Navy to the Falkland Islands in the next six months.

It is not our practice to reveal details of future operations by Her Majesty's ships although HMS "Endurance" normally visits the Falkland Islands in the course of her annual survey programme in the Antarctic.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider the use of part of the Falkland Islands for training areas for British artillery and engineering units.

:The very limited facilities in the Falkland Islands would make it exceptionally difficult to mount a training exercise there and there is no military requirement to do so at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many regular British Army or Marine units are stationed in the Falkland Islands.

A Royal Marines detachment is based in the Falkland Islands. There are no British Army units there at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are employed in defence establishments in the areas of the county of South Glamorgan and of the Vale of Glamorgan District Council, respectively; and what are the approximate amounts paid annually to them in salaries and wages in the two areas, respectively.

At 1st April, 1974 there were 2,768 members of the Armed Forces and 1,822 civilians serving in the county of South Glamorgan and of these 2,689 Service men and 1,069 civilians were serving in the Vale of Glamorgan. The amount paid annually to these personnel is about £10 million, of which about £8·5 million is in respect of those employed in the Vale of Glamorgan.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate amount paid annually to the 16,100 persons employed in defence establishments in Wales.

About £33·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reply he has sent to the letter concerning the Russell Report on Adult Education sent by the WEA East Midland district.

The reply of 13th May from my right hon. Friend's private office said that before he could consider what action to take on the report he had to study its resource implications and that, while it would be inappropriate to decide on individual recommendations at this stage, my right hon. Friend would certainly bear the WEA District's views in mind, including those on Recommendation 34.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conditions were placed on the London borough of Newham in respect of the use of Eastlea School as a comprehensive school; and if he will take steps to see that those conditions can be fulfilled.

The Newham authority received approval on 8th June, 1970 under Section 13(4) of the Education Act 1944—as amended—for the establishment of the Eastlea Comprehensive School in the buildings of the former Pretoria Boys' and Girls' Secondary Schools. There were no conditions placed upon the authority in giving this approval; there is no provision under the Act for conditional approvals to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any progress has been made in reaching an agreement with the United States of America about reciprocity in recognition of degrees obtained in either British or American universities.

Recognition of degrees is a matter for individual universities or other institutions. There are no present proposals for more widely based reciprocal arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of the cost and lack of success of the United Kingdom Chemical Information Service, he will give the assurance that no further public money will be spent on this unit until its performance has been improved.

Support of research and development work at UKCIS is a matter for the British Library Board and I would not expect to intervene in its day-to-day decisions on research funding.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total amount spent from public funds on the Chemical Society and its United Kingdom Chemical Information Service (UKCIS) and its predecessor for the purpose of computerised information services and experiments for their development.

From August 1966 to date my Department has made grants to the Chemical Society for the purposes mentioned, totalling £282,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of the scientific standards achieved in some work produced by the Experimental Information Unit at Oxford University, he will give an assurance that no further public money will be voted to this unit until the standards have been improved; and if he will make a statement.

No. It would be for the British Library Board to consider applications for further support on their merits. I would not expect to intervene in the day-to-day management of the sums put at the board's disposal for the support of scientific and technical information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total amount of money originating from his Department which has been spent on the comparative evaluation experiment to compare scientific information services, which has been carried out at Oxford University.

Some £46,000 was spent from August 1968 to February 1973 on the development and testing of a method of comparative evaluation of scientific information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1), in view of the social benefit of providing in Great Britain a period of education for young people from Northern Ireland, whether he will encourage the development of educational institutions which have a large number of students from Northern Ireland;(2) in view of the social benefit obtained by educational visits to this country of young people from Northern Ireland, whether he will seek powers to enable him to encourage such visits.

My right hon. Friend cannot at present encourage any development of educational institutions involving resources beyond those required for meeting needs already established. Educational visits are a matter primarily for the establishments and authorities concerned. The Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges, which is an independent foundation financed jointly by the United Kingdom Education Departments, is always ready to provide expert advice and assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much information as he has about the numbers of students normally resident in Northern Ireland who are studying in Great Britain and the colleges at which they are studying.

Information provided by Department of Education for Northern Ireland shows that in December 1972 the number of students holding full value awards for attendance at institutions in Great Britain was as follows:

Northern Ireland Local Education Authority Awards
Universities	…	1,848
Colleges of Further Education	…	755

Northern Ireland Department of Education Awards
Teacher Training	…	1,789
Postgraduate Bursaries	…	25
Postgraduate Studentships	…	123

In addition, Northern Ireland authorities grant a number of lesser value awards for such study while some students may be supported entirely by other, including private, means. Information about individual colleges is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the new level of student grant announced on 14th May includes a vacation allowance; and if so of what amount.

The grant is intended to cover fully the needs of students in term time, and to make some contribution towards their maintenance during vacations. The element for vacation maintenance is not separately identified in the grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how his estimate of £410 million a year as the cost of providing free school meals for all children would be affected if the takeup were 100 per cent.

This would mean a further cost of about £45 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if for the removal of doubt he will bring in a Bill to make clear that local education authorities are empowered to provide clothing required for physical education and games free of charge to pupils from low-income families.

The powers of local education authorities in this respect are discretionary and we do not ask how each authority exercises its powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities provide and how many do not provide clothing required for physical education and games free of charge to pupils from low-income families.

Local education authorities' powers to assist in this way are given publicity by the authorities themselves and by various welfare organisations, and reference to assistance with clothing for schoolchildren is included in the Government's free booklet "Family Benefits".

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children per 10,000 population living in the county of Essex were ascertained as being educationally subnormal in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, and up to the latest available date in 1974; and how this compares with the national average.

The figures requested up to 1973 were:

Year			Essex	England and Wales
1970	…	…	10·93	13·39
1971	…	…	11·98	13·94
1972	…	…	14·50	19·54
1973	…	…	17·37	22·61

1972 was the first year in which severely mentally handicapped children were included, following the assumption by the education service of responsibility for their education on 1st April 1971. Figures for 1974 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Eucation and Science how many women teachers were trained each year for the last five years; how many left the profession in each year; and what action she is taking to encourage more women to train as teachers and to remain in the profession after training.

For the last five years for which complete figures—including wastage figures—are available, the information is as follows:

		Women students successfully completing courses of initial teacher training in the years ended July	Women teachers leaving the maintained primary and secondary schools in the years ended March
1968	…	22,214	22,368
1969	…	25,020	23,047
1970	…	26,162	22,919
1971	…	27,807	24,110
1972	…	28,404	25,330

Women represent about 70 per cent. of all students on initial teacher training courses and about 80 per cent. of all those teachers whose return to teaching after a period out of service makes a substantial contribution to total recruitment. My right hon. Friend would wish to dissuade women teachers from taking time away to rear their families before returning to teaching.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, with regard to grants paid by medical and science research councils to PhD students, if he will obtain and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the amounts paid to single and married women students and to single and married men students, respectively, and the variations payable during each year of studies in each case.

The basic annual rates of postgraduate maintenance award currently payable to qualified students by both the Medical Research Council and the Science Research Council are as follows:

Single student of either sex	£
(a) Living in college, hostel or lodgings	695
(b) Living in the parental home	540
Married student
(c) Of either sex living in college, hostel or lodgings	695
(d) Man living in the marital home	695
(e) Man living in his or his wife's parental home	540
(f) Woman whose husband is a full-time student and
(1) who is not living in the parental home of either	695
(2) who is living in the parental home of either	540
(g) Woman whose husband is in full-time employment and
(1) who during the tenure of her award is living away from her husband and residing in the parental home of either	540
(2) who is living with her husband in the marital home or the parental home of either	445

These rates apply in the current academic year—1973–74—irrespective of the year of study, and cover both PhD and Master's degree students. Supplementary allowances may in addition be payable in respect of, for example, dependants and relevant postgraduate experience.Postgraduate award rates for 1974–75 are at present under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will institute an investigation into the potential of the public library system's ability to contribute to pre-school education;(2) if he will institute an investigation into the potential of the public library system to expand its rôle in adult education;

The public library service has long performed a valuable supporting rôle in the formal and informal education process at all levels. I am sending a copy of the publication "The Public Library Service: Reorganisation and after" to the hon. Member which contains some suggestions from the Department's library advisers for the consideration of the new authorities in furthering this rôle in relation to schools and colleges. The advisers keep in close touch with developments. The rôle of the service in relation to adult education has recently been investigated by the Russell Committee and I do not consider that the further investigations suggested could usefully be embarked upon.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to help resolve the industrial dispute involving the British Printing Industries Federation and SOGAT following the stoppage of production in Bristol of essential hospital supplies.

My Department has continued its efforts to assist the parties in finding a basis on which negotiations might be resumed with the prospect of a settlement being reached. The parties resumed negotiations on 20th June, and these are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has discussed with the industries concerned the effect on employment of Her Majesty's Government's policies to reduce defence expenditure and to restrict the sale of defence equipment abroad.

The employment implications of the review of defence expenditure are not being overlooked but, as the review is not yet complete, no discussions with industry have taken place. I am not aware of any restrictions on the sale of defence equipment abroad which have called for consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what enforcement functions he proposes to allocate to local authorities under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Bill.

The enforcement functions which are to be allocated to local authorities are still under consideration and are being discussed with interested parties. The Robens Committee recommended that local authorities should be responsible broadly for health and safety in the so-called "non-industrial activities". It is proposed to accept this recommendation in principle. The activities we have in mind and which have so far been discussed with the local authority associations and other organisations are commercial activities, the distributive trades and the service industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware of the increasing need of pre-employment and refresher courses to adapt to new techniques and renew skills for women, and especially those in charge of single parent families when returning to paid employment after a break; and what further action he proposes.

I am certainly aware of the need of women returning to the labour market to have access to pre-employment and refresher courses to adapt to new techniques and renew skills.The Manpower Services Commission informs me that under the Training Opportunities Scheme both types of course are provided in a wide range of occupations. They are open to women returning to work after a break, including those in charge of single parent families. Courses specially designed for such women include some part-time courses for commercial work recently started on an experimental basis to assess the demand for this kind of provision. The initial response has been encouraging.The Training Services Agency's expansion programme under its five-year plan provides for further development of training opportunities for women returning to the employment field after a break for family reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table of the hourly rates of working women's earnings, showing the numbers earning each rate and the proportion of the whole they represent for each of the years 1970–1973.

The following estimates for April in each year, derived from the New Earnings Survey, indicate the numbers of women aged 18 and over

ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES OF FULL-TIME WOMEN (AGED 18 OR OVER) IN ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES IN GREAT BRITAIN WHOSE GROSS HOURLY EARNINGS WERE LESS THAN SPECIFIED AMOUNTS
	April 1970		April 1971		April 1972		April 1973
Grass hourly earnings	Number (million)	Percentage	Number (million)	Percentage	Number (million)	Percentage	Number (million)	Percentage
Under 25p	0·5	9·7	0·2	4·1	0·1	2·1	0·0	0·7
Under 30p	1·4	26·2	0·6	12·4	0·4	7·1	0·1	2·7
Under 35p	2·3	43·9	1·5	28·2	0·9	16·3	0·3	7·2
Under 40p	3·1	58·7	2·3	43·6	1·6	30·3	0·8	16·0
Under 45p	3·6	69·6	3·0	57·3	2·3	43·8	1·3	27·6
Under 50p	4·0	77·5	3·5	67·7	2·9	55·7	1·9	40·0
Under 55p	4·3	83·0	3·9	75·2	3·4	64·8	2·5	51·8
Under 60p	4·5	86·7	4·2	80·9	3·8	72·1	3·0	61·6
Under 70p	4·8	91·5	4·6	88·1	4·3	82·3	3·6	75·2
Under 80p	4·9	93·9	4·8	92·2	4·6	88·2	4·0	83·6
Under100p	5·0	96·4	5·0	95·8	4·9	93·9	4·4	91·6
Full-time women included in the analysis	5·2	100·0	5·2	100·0	5·3	100·0	4·8	100·0
*Excluding those whose pay for the survey pay period was affected by absence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to encourage more women to enter and train for work in engineering and technical pursuits; and what action he is taking to ensure adequate training facilities.

The employment services of my Department and the Careers Service take every suitable opportunity to encourage women and girls to consider a wide range of careers—including engineering and technical pursuits—for which they are suitable.The Manpower Services Commission informs me that facilities for training in engineering and other technical occupations are provided under the Training Opportunities Scheme and these are open to women. A number of women are currently being trained in these occupations but the percentage under training remains low. The Training Services Agency has declared the training needs of women to be a matter requiring special attention. In its five-year plan published in full-time manual or non-manual employment in all industries and services in Great Britain with gross hourly earnings less than the specified amounts for the survey reference pay-period. The estimates are subject to sampling error and exclude about 2¾ to 3 million women whose normal weekly hours were either not more than 30—under 25 in the case of teachers—or not specified. The 1973 estimates also exclude about 500,000 full-time women whose pay for the survey reference period was affected by absence, because the number of hours for which they were paid was not collected.recently the agency has set out its programme for seeking ways of widening training opportunities for women and is taking this up with industrial training boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that in the nationalised industries under the control of his Ministers the same facilities are accorded to their women employees as were recommended in the 1971 Civil Service Department report, The Employment of Women in the Civil Service; and, if not, if he will take appropriate action in the light of Her Majesty's Government's policy on anti-discrimination.

Matters of personal policy are the responsibility of the industries themselves. Not all of the recommendations in the 1971 Civil Service Department report, "The Employment of Women in the Civil Service" are appropriate to all women employees in the nationalised industries. The Government are working on proposals relating to discrimination on grounds of sex generally. No specific initiatives are at present in mind for nationalised industries only in respect of equal opportunities for women.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is his policy to ensure that the provisions of the Equal Pay Act, 1970, will be carried into effect as anticipated by 1975 regardless of economic and other considerations; and if he is satisfied with the progress made towards that objective.

My right hon. Friend has every intention that the provisions of the Equal Pay Act 1970 should be fully implemented when it comes into operation on 29th December 1975.The information available to my Department suggests that a good deal of progress is being made towards implementation, but that there are some areas where it is not satisfactory. My right hon. Friend is therefore considering what more can be done to bring to the attention of employers and trade unions the need to press forward in good time before the Act comes into force.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware that 20 men and one woman were appointed to the reconstituted Knitting, Lace and Net Industries Training Board on 18th March 1973; and if he will give the comparative figures at the most recent date.

Twenty men and one woman were appointed to the Knitting, Lace and Net Industry Training Board when it was reconstituted on 18th March 1972. The figures are unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons or firms were prosecuted in each of the districts of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Factories during 1973 for contravention of the Factories Act 1961 and associated regulations.

I am arranging for the information to be obtained and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why he proposes to make a new Code of Protection of Eyes Regulations under the powers conferred on him by Section 76 of the Factories Act 1961 and not under Section 65.

Regulations made under Section 65 alone could be applied only to factories and not to other premises, under the Factories Act, such as building operations and works of engineering construction. The schedules of the current statutory draft of the Protection of Eyes Regulations include processes carried on in the construction industry.In addition, Section 65 allows eye protection to be required only

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the results of the survey carried out in the second half of 1973 into the Foundries (Protective Footwear and Gaiters) Regulations 1971.

Results of the survey have been submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Health. Safety and Welfare in Foundries and are now being considered by the JSC Sub-Committee concerned with lower-leg protection. My right hon. Friend is awaiting the views of the joint standing committee on whether publication of the survey results would be of value.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the working of the Foundries (Protective Footwear and Gaiters) Regulations 1971 so far as safety in foundries is concerned.

The results of the survey carried out in the second half of 1973 into the Foundries (Protective Footwear and Gaiters) Regulations are being considered by a sub-committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Health, Safety and Welfare in Foundries. When its views are known my right hon. Friend will consider whether further action is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has for reorganising the Factory Inspectorate.

Proposals for reorganising the Factory Inspectorate have been made by a planning unit within my Department. No final decisions have been made, but two trial schemes have been set up to test the proposals. Copies of the planning unit's report will be available within the next few days and I shall send one to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in what towns he intends to locate the 18 area offices for the Factory Inspectorate; and which of the 115 existing district offices will be located in each of the 18 areas.

No final decisions have been made about the reorganisation of factory inspectorate offices. The proposals which we are, at present, testing in the two trial schemes are contained in the planning unit's report which I shall send to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the trial scheme of an area factory inspectorate in the North-West will be put into operation; and how long it is intended to operate this scheme before deciding whether the scheme has been a success.

A trial scheme for testing proposals to reorganise Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate was launched in the North-East on 1st June. It is proposed to run it for a period of about six months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what criteria the success or failure of the scheme for area factory inspectorates will be judged.

Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate is testing proposals for new methods of inspection designed to make the most of their resources and to deploy the services of experienced and knowledgeable inspectors in the areas where they are most needed. The success or failure of the trial schemes cannot therefore be measured in terms of the number of inspections which have been carried out over the period. We shall be looking instead on the effect of inspection by groups of inspectors on particular industries, the influence they have exercised on the safety policy of employers and what has been achieved on the factory floor as a result of the new approach.Nevertheless, comparisons will be made between the new and old methods in relation to travelling time, the number of premises that have been inspected in depth, and the time spent in larger and more significant premises at which the working conditions are not as good as they might be or where there is a potential risk to health and safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of factory inspector's time it is anticipated will be taken up in travelling when the enlarged area offices are in being compared with the present travelling time.

I am unable to tell my hon. Friend what proportion of the inspector's time will be spent in travelling in area offices as compared with the present arrangements. This is one of the many practical questions which are being studied during the trial schemes. While most inspectors will be working over a larger area than at present, some will be working over a smaller area, e.g. those on construction work. Inspectors have always by the very nature of their work spent a fair proportion of their time in travelling. What we are seeking to establish is how this can be used to the best advantage.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultation there has been with trade union officials and employers' federations based in the North-East before the trial scheme for area factory inspectorates was introduced.