asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will specify the kinds of food now available in the original Six of the European Economic Community at less than the world price.

It is difficult to make meaningful comparisons of the prices of foods in the Six with those on world markets because of the differences in the quality of products, in grading and in methods of presentation. At present sugar, wheat, maize, barley, lard and certain grades of apples are available at lower prices in the original Six of the EEC than on world markets.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department is taking to protect oystercatchers following the cull of 11,000 in South Wales earlier in the year.

Protection for the oystercatcher in the Burry Inlet, South Wales, was removed by the Home Office on the recommendation of its Advisory Committee for the Protection of Birds, and my Department has no reason to question this decision.The cull of 7,000 oystercatchers completed earlier this year was part of a programme authorised because a great increase in their numbers threatened the survival of the Burry Inlet cockle fishery.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the various Government aids given to agriculture and horticulture in each of the member countries of the Common Market.

My Department has assembled a considerable amount of information, but a complete list of national aids in member States would be very long and complicated and it could not be prepared without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in United Kingdom agricultural production since January 1973.

I regret that we cannot provide this in the form asked. The latest information available on agricultural production relates to forecasts for 1973–74 and is contained in the White Paper "Annual Review of Agriculture 1974" (Cmnd. 5565) published in March 1974.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what proposals he has for the future of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the London borough of Harrow; and if he will make a statement.

Over the past three years Her Majesty's Stationery Office has installed modern equipment using new techniques at its printing works in Harrow, primarily for the production of telephone directories. Negotiations with the printing trade unions for the operation of equipment which is comparatively new to the industry have been protracted and are not yet concluded. Provided that current attempts to resolve outstanding issues are successful the production of telephone directories at the Harrow works should continue on the same scale as previously. There would also be future opportunity for increased output.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the British contribution to the clearing and minesweeping of the Suez Canal; and what funds from other sources he is receiving in respect of this work.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said on 13th May 1974:

'The Ministry of Defence will bear the normal operating costs of the units concerned; additional costs arising from their use in Egypt will be met out of United Kingdom aid funds apart from a wide range of local services which are to be provided free of charge by the Egyptian authorities."—[Vol. 873, c. 354.]

It is not possible to compute the additional costs accurately until after the operation has been completed but every effort is being made to keep them as low as possible.

INTAKE OF PRE-CLINICAL MEDICAL STUDENTS TO MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN GREAT BRITAIN DURING THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY
University or College	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974 (provisional)
Birmingham	120	120	120	122	142	175	162	164
Bristol	97	122	122	121	123	125	147	121
Cambridge	198	208	252	233	237	223	237	222
Leeds	72	80	81	74	129	133	134	137
Liverpool	114	112	122	126	128	138	136	155
London:
Kings College	127	133	126	126	130	128	132	123
University College	94	93	105	107	108	109	109	116
Charing Cross	46	48	48	44	48	48	54	120
Guys	100	108	107	108	112	112	116	110
London Hospital Medical College	80	81	81	80	81	80	80	84
Middlesex	83	84	83	84	84	84	89	85
Royal Free	93	92	92	95	92	94	95	93
St. Bartholomew's	111	97	115	107	119	121	120	113
St. Mary's	70	70	77	76	90	89	94	91
St. Thomas'	60	61	62	55	59	52	62	62
Manchester University	106	104	159	161	162	161	173	193
Newcastle	93	95	99	100	101	101	108	131
Nottingham	—	—	—	—	48	48	48	48
Oxford	100	106	102	103	102	102	108	101
Sheffield	80	80	80	80	79	106	126	120
Southampton	—	—	—	—	—	40	67	80
Welsh National School of Medicine	69	69	76	107	106	105	117	126
Aberdeen	108	108	113	112	115	109	113	111
Dundee	46	43	48	48	57	105	111	115
Edinburgh	175	173	157	164	155	157	176	174
Glasgow	213	223	221	212	205	219	330	209
St. Andrews	47	50	45	50	66	68	79	80
Total, Great Britain	2,502	2,560	2,693	2,695	2,878	3,032	3,323	3,284
Note: In 1973, 110 extra students were admitted to Glasgow University which is changing from a six-year to a five-year course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he would consider seeking powers to make it mandatory upon local authorities to award grants to Open University students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures showing the intake at each medical school in each of the past eight years; and if he will make a statement indicating current policy on expansion of places at medical schools.

Present plans involve the continued expansion of medical education in Great Britain to provide over 4,000 pre-clinical entry places by the end of the decade. The statistical information requested is as follows:for fees, books, summer schools and necessary travel expenses.

Open University students are part-time, and my right hon. Friend does not at present envisage the introduction of mandatory awards for part-time students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now in a position to make a statement on the details of the spouse's contribution relating to student grants.

Details will be issued shortly by my Department in a circular letter to local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the planned intake of students for Padgate Teacher Training College for each of the next five years; and how this compares with the last five years.

The planned intake in 1974 is 260 non-graduate and 110 postgraduate students. The Department is proposing to the authority an intake of 240 non-graduates and 110 post-graduates in 1975. No proposals have yet been made for intakes thereafter. The intakes in the last five years were:

	Non-Graduates	Graduates
1969	340	—
1970	308	—
1971	332	77
1972	312	97
1973	220	98

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet reached a decision on the question of extending the system of mandatory awards.

My right hon. Friend proposes to introduce a Bill in the current Session to extend the system of mandatory awards, with effect from the academic year 1975–76, to students taking courses for the Diploma of Higher Education and Higher National Diploma. The Bill will include consequential amendments to Section 1 of the Education Act 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will give a general directive to electricity boards to keep separate accounts for their contracting activities on a profitable commercial basis so as to avoid unfair competition with private electrical contractors.

The area electricity boards publish a separate account for their contracting and sales of appliances, and in their 1973–74 accounts boards will be including improvements to show more precise allocation of costs to these activities. I will consider whether the industry should further distinguish in its accounts between the two activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will propose that the function clauses in the nationalisation Acts covering coal, electricity and gas be amended and extended to ensure that the corporations take into account and implement energy conservation proposals calculated to assist the national interest.

These industries are aware of the importance which the wide use of energy has for the economy, and take account of it in their activities. I intend that they will be closely involved in the work of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation, whose setting up I announced on 25th June. I do not think that a change in the industries' statutory functions is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what safeguards he proposes to introduce, following the coming into force of the statutory instrument Gas (Declaration of Calorific Value) (Amendment) Regulations 1974 (S.I., 1974, No. 847), to ensure that the general public can check and understand their gas bills.

I am satisfied that as and when metric reading gas meters are installed adequate arrangements will be made to enable consumers to check and understand their bills.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the Gas Corporation regarding the price of gas since the Budget; what is his current estimate of the annual cost to public funds of price subsidies paid to the board; and if he will make a statement.

As regards the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet) on 17th June. There are no price subsidies as such to the British Gas Corporation, but by way of compensation for exercising price restraint the Government have paid the Corporation for the financial years 1970–71 to 1972–73 the sum of£33·3 million in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Act 1974. For the year 1973–74 the corresponding compensation payment is estimated to be about£40 million, but the exact amount will depend on, among other things, the precise outturn shown in the corporation's accounts for the year; for the year 1974–75 the amount due for any corresponding payment will depend in the first instance on the outturn of the corporation's accounts for that year and I am accordingly at the moment not in a position to estimate the compensation that may be payable for that year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the over 50 deputations which Ministers in his Department have received in regard to the rate support grant, giving in each case the constituencies represented.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has seen deputations representing the following constituencies:

• Yeovil
• Taunton
• Wells
• Somerset
• Bridgwater
• Weston-super-Mare
• Gloucester, West
• Exeter
• Devon, North
• Houghton-le-Spring
• Easington
• Chester-le-Street
• Durham
• Bishop Auckland

He also received representation from the chambers of commerce in the South-West.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will agree to meet the recently established National Association of Rate-papers Action Groups of Great Britain.

No. I am well aware of its views and I hope that it will put them to the forthcoming committee of inquiry into local government finance.

		At "opening" 1974		1975*		1976*
		Peak hour	Daily	Peak hour	Daily	Peak hour	Daily
M3 motorway west of Sunbury	…	1,760	18,000	2,050	21,000	2,640	27,000
A 305	…	2,400	21,500	2,700	24,500	3,300	30,500
A316 South Circular Road-Hartington Road	…	3,550	29,500	3,850	32,500	4,150	38,500
A316 Burlington Lane	…	3,000	25,000	3,300	28,000	3,600	34,000
A4 east of Hogarth Roundabout	…	9,000	108,000	9,000	110,000	9,000	110,000

The capacity of the lane restrictions on the motorway, the temporary roundabout and the temporary road will tend to govern the rate of flow of traffic eastwards.The figures given in column 2 are estimates only and are based on the best information available at the present time. Traffic flows within a large network are, however, fluid and traffic tends to find its own level on the various links according to the conditions which are encountered. The actual traffic flows following the opening of M3 could therefore vary somewhat from those given above but the whole situation will be kept under close observation, and close liaison will be maintained with the authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list separately the organisations and others from whom he has received representations for and against opening the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3.

No. I have to respect the confidentiality of correspondence received.

		Vehicles per hour
Road	Current	After opened	Maximum practical capacity
A30 (Sunningdale area)	3,200	4,140	2,500
M3 Lightwater-Sunbury	—	1,760	4,800
A308 Staines Road West	2,800	3,000	3,200
A308 Staines Road East	1,850	1,850	3,200
Temporary road (temporary roundabout to Feltham Hill)	1,000	2,400	3,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the forecast traffic figures and related road capacities which he considered in coming to his decision about the opening of the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the estimated maximum traffic flows, in vehicles per hour and per 16-hour day, resulting from the opening of the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3 for 1974, 1975 and 1976 at (a) Burlington Lane on the A316, (b) between the South Circular and Harlington road on the A316, and (c) between the Hogarth Roundabout, Chiswick, and the Hammersmith Flyover on the M4;(2) whether he will publish the forecast traffic flows, in vehicles per hour and per 16-hour day (maxima), expected on the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3 when it is opened; and what are the resultant traffic flows on the A305 and on the A316 between the South Circular and the Hogarth Roundabout, Chiswick, with origins and destinations taken from his Department's area traffic studies.

Following is the estimate of traffic flows following the opening of the M3 Lightwater-Sunbury section:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his Department's estimated or designed traffic flows for those sections of the A30 road which will be mainly affected by the opening of the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3, in terms of vehicles per hour and per 16-hour day; and what are the comparable latest available figures for the actual daily average flows.

The main relief will be in the Sunningdale area where the maximum practical capacity of A30 is 2,500 vehicles per peak hour and 25,000 vehicles per 16-hour day. The actual daily flow in 1972 was 30,000 vehicles per day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish details of the various traffic management measures which are linked with his decision to open the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3.

When M3 is opened two traffic lanes in each direction will be available along GLC's A305-A316 scheme: the temporary road through Metropolitan Water Board land and the section of Feltham Hill Road joining A305 will have single lanes each way only which with the temporary roundabout and the lane restrictions on the motorway will tend to govern the rate of flow.Main traffic management measures to be adopted thereafter as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what balance of advantage he considers will accrue, and to whom, upon the opening of the Sunbury-Lightwater section of the M3.

The balance of advantage lies in the immediate relief to those using, or living or working in proximity to, the existing A30 with its congested conditions and high accident risk and in the economic and social benefit to be derived from the use of a new high-capacity, low-accident-risk route.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost, in terms of subsidy through taxation and rates, of a council house; and how this compares with the cost of privately mortgaged accommodation, in terms of tax relief on the average mortgage.

On the basis of the latest available information, the relevant figures for England and Wales in 1973–74 are as follows:

1. Average subsidy, from the. Exchequer and from rate fund contributions, for a council house:£89·30;

2. Average tax relief or option mortgage subsidy per mortgagor:£101·50.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the locations on the motorway network where noise contour maps are in preparation; and indicate at each location the assumed traffic density as a proportion of the saturation level.

The locations are listed below. It is not necessary to calculate saturation level in all cases. Those in which it is expected to be reached are starred.

Motorway	Section
M6	Bescot—Lutterworth Road*.
M5	Rayhall—Quinton*.
M62	Moss Moor—Lofthouse.
M18	Thorne Bypass.
M62	Worsley—Moss Moor.
M61	M6—M62/A580 Junction.
M6	Carnforth—Cumbria Boundary.
M53	Hooton—Bidston Moss Interchange.
M56	Bowden—Wythenshawe.
M56	Preston Brook—Hapsford.
M3	Lightwater—Frimley.
M3	Frimley—Popham.
M4	Membury—Holyport.
M4	Holyport—Langley.
M20	Ditton Bypass, *assuming Channel Tunnel opened.
M4	Membury—Tormarton.
M5	Strensham—Almondsbury.
M5	Portbury—Edithmead.
M62	Tarbock—Risley.
M56/63	Sharston Bypass.
A1(M)	Lemsford—Welwyn.
M40	Gerrards Cross Bypass.
M40	Beaconsfield Bypass.
M40	Stokenchurch—Waterstock.
M5	Avonmouth Bridge.
M5	Edithmead—Dunball.
M5	Dunball—Huntworth.
M5	Huntworth—Blackbrook.
M5	Blackbrook—Chelston.
M5	Chelston—Willand.
M5	Cullompton Bypass—Sandygate.
M5	Sandygate—Pearces Hill.
M3	Lightwater—Thorpe.
M3	Thorpe—Sunbury.
M18	Wadworth—Armthorpe
M18	Armthorpe—Hatfield.
M180	Thorne—Scunthorpe.
M180	Scunthorpe Southern Bypass.
M180	Brigg Bypass.
M621	Gildersome Street—Leeds.
M650	Airedale Motorway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects that the improvements to the A38 in Northavon District will be completed.

We shall be inviting tenders for the main contract work shortly. Construction will take about two years to complete. In the meantime the large programme of statutory undertakers and accommodation works is well advanced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence his Department possesses of building materials such as cement in short supply in the north-east of Scotland for oil-related and other activities being exported; and if he will take steps designed to discourage such export.

Exports of cement, which represent a very small proportion of the total production, have fallen considerably this year, and my Department has no evidence that exports of other building materials are significantly affecting home supplies. The attention of building materials producers has been drawn to the importance of work associated with the development of oil resources. Provided that proper account is taken of the needs of the home market I would not wish to discourage exports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the limits of deviation allowed for in Ministry of Transport tests on wheel alignment of motor cycles.

The extent of any deviation must be left to the discretion of the tester in the light of the vehicle's steering characteristics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage the movement of goods from road to rail; and if he will make a statement.

I wrote on 22nd May to about 100 of the country's leading firms inviting them to investigate with the Railways Board greater use of rail for suitable freight. Almost all have now replied and agreed to take part in the exercise. Discussions between British Rail and individual firms are now about to start. I shall consider further action in the light of these. In addition I am seeking new powers in the Railways Bill, including powers to make grants towards the provision of facilities for goods carried by rail where this is in the local interests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider including the traffic control and warning system, Rolines, in his future motorway construction plans.

No. I have examined these proposals and am satisfied that expenditure on them would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is in a position to make a statement about his policy for private sector rents following the current freeze.

Final details of the policy for the private rented sector are still under consideration. But I intend as part of our proposed Bill on rents and subsidies to protect tenants against steep increases in registered rents as soon as the freeze ends. This will be done by phasing in three annual stages all rent increases which exceed a specified amount.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will pay for the European Commission offices to be set up in Edinburgh or Cardiff.

Expenditure on European Commission information offices is borne on the Commission budget.

				1970	1971	1972	1973
				£	£	£	£
Tanzania	…	…	…	1,231,700	1,112,000	1,289,900	1,275,500
Zambia	…	…	…	—	—	343,700	151,400

In addition, loans made to the Government of Zambia to assist with compensation payments to overseas officers were written off as follows: 1973,£3,000,000.Finally, in 1973 the Government of Zambia drew£448,000 of a£1 million loan made by Her Majesty's Government to cover the cost of transport equipment

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs if he will place in the House of Commons Library translations of all official documents relating to Faroese withdrawal from the EEC.

Articles 25, 26 and 27 of the Treaty of Accession specify that the Community Treaties shall not apply to the Faroe Islands unless and until the Government of Denmark give notice to the other member States of the Community that they shall so apply. There are, therefore, no documents of the type referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total value of aid supplied to the Governments of Tanzania and Zambia in each of the years since 1970

I have been asked to reply.The total value of British aid provided to the Governments of Tanzania and Zambia in each of the years since 1970, was as follows:

		Grants	CDC Loans
		£	£
1970—Tanzania	…	560,700	238,000
Zambia	…	2,561,900	7,000
1971—Tanzania	…	292,800	715,000
Zambia	…	3,842,200	1,576,000
1972—Tanzania	…	88,200	347,000
Zambia	…	4,210,100	—
1973—Tanzania	…	111,200	111,000
Zambia	…	5,479,000	2,147,000

Loan advances were also paid to certain pensioners of the former Governments of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, as follows:required as a result of the closure of the border with Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what benefits will accrue to Malta from the general specialised preferences in 1975 under the recent agreement made with the EEC.

I have been asked to reply.Provisions have recently been made for Malta to benefit from treatment no less favourable than that granted to countries benefiting from generalised preferences. Generalised preferences for 1975 have not yet been decided. We shall be pressing for improvements to the scheme both in the industrial and agricultural sectors, and Malta would benefit from any such improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the 500 or more British holidaymakers stranded in various parts of Europe and North Africa as a result of the sudden financial collapse of Pacesetter Travel.

I understand that only four coach parties have had to be helped and that no one was stranded for long. As most of the travellers are citizens of Australia and New Zealand we have worked in close contact with their missions. Two parties have been brought back from Helsinki, one is being brought back from Berlin, and I understand that the Australian Embassy in Warsaw has assisted another party there. If other difficulties arise our consulates abroad will of course be ready to give any help they can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable all future General Election days to be declared public holidays.

When this was considered by the Speaker's Conference of 1965–68 it recommended no change in the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will introduce legislation to repeal Section 9 of the Metropolitan Streets Act 1867 so far as it relates to the advertising on horseback or on foot of political meetings;(2) whether he will introduce legislation to govern the exercise of discretion by the police authorities in London in prohibiting the advertising of public meetings to be addressed by Privy Councillors and hon. Members of this House.

I understand that the Commissioners of Police for the City of London and of the Metropolis will normally be prepared to grant permission, for the purpose of Section 9 of the Metropolitan Streets Act 1867, for the distribution of advertising leaflets for noncommercial purposes. I do not consider that legislation is required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend, where necessary, election regulations in order to permit the Post Office to receive election addresses in bulk from candidates and to deliver them according to submitted lists.

The regulations in question are the responsibility of the Post Office and no amendment of the election law would be required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give details of the inquiry he intends to hold into the events which took place in Red Lion Square on 15th June.

The inquiry will be undertaken by Lord Justice Scarman. It will be under Section 32 of the Police Act 1964 and will begin as soon as possible after the inquest into the death of Mr. Kevin Gately has been completed. The terms of reference will be:

"To review the events and actions which led to disorder in Red Lion Square on 15th June and to consider whether any lessons may be learned for the better maintenance of public order when demonstrations take place."

asked the Chairman of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) which Members of the House have not obtained identity passes for use in the House.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether Rolls-Royce suggested that the Government should pay it compensation in respect of its contracts with Chile which it cancelled at the request of the Government.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals or intentions he has for nationalising or partially nationalising or introducing planning agreements or another form of State intervention in the affairs of any companies operating in the Burton parliamentary division.

The hon. Gentleman should await publication of the Government's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what profit or loss was made by the Post Office on its operations in the last financial year; and what returns this represents on the assets employed in the business.

This information will appear in the Post Office's Report and Accounts for 1973–74, which will be laid before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in view of the shortage of envelopes, he will give a general direction to the Post Office to receive election material in bulk from candidates at future general elections, and to deliver them according to submitted lists.

The Post Office has already recognised the shortage of envelopes by amending its regulations to allow electoral communications to be sent as addressed folders. If proposals with regard to delivery according to submitted lists were to come forward I have no doubt the Post Office would consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, following his investigation into the records of the 20 companies listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Griffiths), he will publish the aggregate over the last four years of (1) the corporation tax paid by them, (2) the excise duties and other taxation collected by them on behalf of and paid over to Her Majesty's Government, (3) their capital investment and (4) the number of their employees.

Some of this information is available from the published accounts. Taxation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the full list of members of the committee under the chairmanship of Lord Gardiner considering the operation of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1973.

The following have accepted my invitation to serve as members of the committee: The Right hon. Lord MacDermott, MC, LLD; His Honour Judge J. P. Higgins, QC; Michael Morland, Esq., QC; Professor Kathleen Jones, BA, PhD; Professor the Hon. Alastair F. Buchan, CBE;J. H. Whyte, Esq.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) if she will list the countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Far East to which Great Britain gives financial and technical aid, which have sizeable commodity exports, with the main products involved, the latest revenues therefrom on an annual basis, and the populations of each;(2) if she will list the African, Latin American and Far Eastern countries to which Great Britain gives financial and technical aid and which have small commodity earnings, with the extent to which their international indebtedness has been increased during the past year for which figures are available.

My Ministry gives financial and/or technical assistance to more than 90 countries in the regions mentioned. I regret that the expense of assembling the information requested in a comparable for would be disproportionate, although a good deal is available in the Ministry's annual publication British Aid Statistics, and in United Nations, World Bank and Development Assistance Committee reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, taking June 1973 as 100 in each case, what were the comparable indices for retail food prices in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria in June 1974, June 1972 and June 1974, respectively.

Indices for June 1974 are not yet available. The latest month for which figures covering all the countries listed are available is February 1974. Information for the remaining dates is as follows:

CONSUMERS' PRICE INDICES FOR FOOD IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND OTHER SPECIFIED COUNTRIES
June 1973 = 100
Country		June 1972	June 1963
United Kingdom	…	87·1	54·5
Ireland*	…	83·4	50·6
Denmark	…	89·0	42·0†
Norway	…	92·5	56·0
Sweden	…	93·4	57·4
Switzerland	…	95·2	68·9
Austria	…	92·3	66·1
* Quarterly index.
† July.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will now ease the credit controls on the purchase of domestic central heating installations.

I have the matter under urgent consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those organisations which have made representations on the effect of the credit restrictions on domestic central heating installations; and if she will make a statement.

The list is as follows:A

asked the Prime Minister if he will supply public funds to organisations supporting withdrawal from the EEC on the same scale and basis as the previous Government made available to the European Movement prior to Common Market entry.

I have been asked to reply.It would not be appropriate to provide public funds for publicity either for or against membership of the Epropean Communities while we are renegotiating the terms of entry. The current grant in aid to the European Movement has been made on condition that it will not be used for political propaganda and that it will be applied exclusively for a programme of exchanges and visits with and to Western European countries outside as well as within the member countries of the European Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now seek powers to ensure that teachers who did not register on principle will now be re-employed as teachers.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to establish a national income scale for auxiliaries employed in Scottish schools.

This is a matter for the National Joint Councils for Local Authorities' Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the need for new sewerage facilities to allow both public and private housing developments to proceed at Coylton, Ayrshire.

Ayr County Council has recently expressed concern at the deferment of some landward sewage treatment schemes because of the restrictions on capital expenditure. The scheme for Coylton and Joppa was one, but I am not aware that any firm proposals for housing developments have in consequence been held up.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the provision of geriatric beds per head of population in the Border Health Authority area; and what is the average provision for Scotland.

The provision of geriatric beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and over is 12·4 in the Border Health Authority area. In Scotland as a whole it is 14·9.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of children in care with local authorities are boarded out in Cornwall and England and Wales, respectively.

During the year ending 31st March 1973, 43 per cent. of the children in the care of Cornwall County Council were boarded out with foster parents. The figure for England and Wales was 32 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will reorganise the Whitley Council for the nursing profession and related professions to ensure that the management side are free to negotiate independently of her Department.

The Whitley Councils were established by voluntary agreement between staff and management and their constitutions are a matter for agreement between the two sides; the management sides, which contain only a minority of departmental members, themselves decide the terms on which they are prepared to negotiate settlements although the implementation of settlements after they have been reached requires statutory approval under the NHS Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest boarding-out allowance for children in care with local authorities in England and Wales and Cornwall respectively.

The latest figures cover the year ending 31st March 1973 when the estimated average weekly cost to local authorities in England and Wales of a child in care boarded out with foster parents was£5·14. The figure for Cornwall was£4·02.

asked the Secretary of Staff for Social Services what proportion of the National Health Service budget is spent on administrative staff; what sum this represents in monetary terms; whether and to what extent this has increased over the last three years; and how this compares with the increase in staff concerned solely with patient care.

For the most recent three years for which figures are available the

Scheme	Planned completion date	Estimated cost£
Burton District Hospital Centre:
Boilerhouse	1974–75	396,000
Geriatric accommodation and day hospital	1975–76	855,000
Additional X-ray equipment	1974–75	2,880
Fire precaution	1974–75	8,500
Improvements to ventilation in X-ray department	1974–75	5,000
Office accommodation for district team of officers	1974–75	10,000
Improvements to ventilation and blackout facilities in the post-graduate medical centre	1974–75	5,000
Burton-on-Trent General Hospital:
Conversion of boilers	1974–75	58,770
Upgrading paediatric ward nursery	1974–75	7,700
Improvements to telephone system	1975–76	20,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals she has for the improvement of medical services and amenities in Burton-on-Trent.

The West Midlands Regional Health Authority and the Staffordshire Area Health Authority are responsible for the provision of health services in Burton-on-Trent.Capital schemes due for completion in Burton-on-Trent are shown in the following table: