asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much wages have risen since 1966 compared with dividends on ordinary shares.

Between 1966 and 1973 the nation's wage and salary bill increased by about 85 per cent., whilst payments of dividends on ordinary shares, adjusted to a comparable basis in both years, rose by about 30 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual escalation in the rate of inflation in each calendar year since 1964 and in each of the last 12 months at an annual rate.

Following are the figures:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on recent steps to strengthen co-operation between long-term credit institutions in the European Economic Community.

The heads of institutions in the European Economic Community which specialise in long-term credit met on 10th June 1974 to consider what steps could be taken to strengthen further the co-operation between them which they had begun in 1973. I understand that usual progress was made. The Government welcome the participation of the British partner, Finance for Industry, in this venture, which should tend to increase productive investment in this country and opportunities for British firms abroad.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to lift the current restraint on dividends.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Paymaster-General gave on 13th June to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor).—[Vol. 874, c. 600.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made towards the fulfilment of the demand management intentions of his Budget.

The Budget strategy was designed to facilitate recovery from the three-day week, the resumption of steads and sustainable growth and a switch of resources from domestic demand to exports within the overall pattern of demand. The available information on the main items of expenditure goes little beyond the end of the first quarter, but such as it is it shows good recovery from the loss of output at the beginning of the year, a good rise in export demand, a strong brake on the volume of imports and a level of personal consumption compatible with that in the Budget estimate for the first half year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take into account the findings of the Institute of Economic Affairs' recent study of the distribution of wealth before proceeding with any proposals for further taxation.

My right hon. Friend has taken note of all that is said in its recent study, but he does not accept that it affords any ground for not proceeding with his proposals for a wealth tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has now decided to withdraw the 2½p coin from circulation.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that the strength of demand in the economy for the rest of 1974 is broadly compatible with the estimate he made in his Budget report.

It is not usual to provide full details of demand forecasts except at Budget time. But in general terms it now looks as though the rebound of stocks in the remainder of the year will be somewhat smaller than I expected in March. On the other hand it also looks as though the level of export demand may be somewhat higher.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received from companies or individuals seeking guidance on the proper social use of profits; and what reply he has given.

As far as I am aware my right hon. Friend has received no recent correspondence on this specific subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why in 1973 only 750,000 forms P11D—declaration of benefits—were returned to the Inland Revenue in respect of employees earning over £2,000 a year when there were about 5 million employees in that year with earnings over that level in respect of whom returns should have been submitted.

It is not the case that 5 million forms P11D should have been submitted. First, the special legislation relating to benefits applies only to directors and employees of commercial con terns. Secondly, there is a procedure under which separate forms P11D need not be completed for directors and employees if no entries in fact require to be made for them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a man with a wife and two children has only 20p more spending power when he earns £30 per week than when he earns £25 per week; and if he will take action to remedy this situation.

I am aware of the situation to which the hon. Member refers, which arises because of the combined operation of tax deductions and the withdrawal of means tested benefits as earnings increase. I shall keep the matter under review, but I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to collect the necessary information to enable him to compile and publish regional balance of payments statistics on a quarterly basis.

I am not quite sure what my hon. Friend has in mind but many of the components of the balance of payments between regions of the United Kingdom would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to obtain.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the PAYE income to the Exchequer from pensioners not yet retired if the pensions earnings rule were to be abolished.

The estimated amount of pensions forgone on account of the earnings rule is £140 million on which income tax would amount to about £40 million, though not all of this would be collected through the PAYE system. There is no information on which to base an estimate of the additional wages and salaries that pensioners might have if the earnings rule was abolished, nor of the extra revenue that would accrue in tax on these.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extra PAYE revenue from the earnings of pensioners who would work if the earnings rule were abolished.

I regret that there is no information available on which to base an estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing the value of relief of mortgage interest for taxpayers in England, Wales and Scotland for the period 1950–1973 or the nearest available date.

The estimates are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of eliminating tax liability of earned income for the first five years of retirement for (a) men over 65 years of age and (b) women over 60 years of age; and what is his estimate of the numbers of persons who would benefit in each category.

I regret that it is not possible to estimate the cost of exempting from tax the earned income of the elderly in respect of the first five years only of retirement. For 1971–72, the latest year for which information is available, the estimated cost of such a concession for all retired persons would be about £400 million. About 1·5 million taxpayers would benefit, counting married couples as one. Of this number about 340,000 are single women or widows.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total of United Kingdom taxes on the total income of companies including tax on distributions made by companies but net of investment grants, expressed as a percentage of total company income, for each year since 1960; and what have been the comparable figures for France and Germany over the same period.

Following are the figures available:A. United Kingdom taxes on the total income of companies, including tax on distributions (including long-term interest payments) made by companies.B. The same less investment grants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing total central Government expenditure in Scotland, England, Wales and Ulster during the period 1950–1973 or the nearest available date; and if he will express each share as a percentage of the whole United Kingdom Central Government expenditure.

It is not possible to identify the regional elements in central Government expenditure except in respect of separately administered services. But the following table gives information for 1973–74 corresponding to that given in Table 2 of the answer to the Question my hon. Friend asked on 22nd February 1973.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated yield from the corporation tax paid by companies in the current year and the addition which would have to be made to the standard rate of income tax if no revenue was raised from corporation tax.

The estimated yield of corporation tax, including ACT and the additional ACT supplement, in 1974–75 is £3,265 million as shown in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1974–75. To raise that amount of additional revenue would require an increase in the basic rate of income tax of about 11 percentage points, at 1974–75 income levels.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if district valuers in Scotland hold registers of land ownership.

District valuers in Scotland will have in their records details of the ownership of land within their district, which are added to each year by information of all new registrations with the Register of Sasines who hold the registers of titles to land, but they do not hold registers of land ownership.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the tax liability of a 70-year-old retirement pensioner, with a pensioner wife, who has an income additional to pension of £3 per week from the National Coal Board and a mineworkers disablement pension of £6·56 per week.

Assuming that the wife is entitled to a retirement pension by virtue of her husband's insurance and that the disablement pension is subject to tax, and has no other income, then the tax payable for 1974–75 is £58·37. If the disablement pension is not subject to tax there is no tax payable for 1974–75.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the light of increased costs, whether he will consider the expenses involved in travel-to-work being allowed against income tax, particularly for those living in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend does not think it would be right to single out this particular form of personal expenditure for tax relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why travelling expenses and subsistence allowances paid to London borough aldermen are subject to tax when they are also in receipt of an attendance allowance, whereas councillors can claim travelling expenses and subsistence allowances as an expense not subject to tax when they are also in receipt of an attendance allowance; if he will introduce measures to enable aldermen and councillors to be treated on the same basis; and if he will make a statement.

The reason for the difference in treatment is that a councillor, unlike an alderman, holds an office which requires him to perform duties both at the town hall and in his electoral area; and it is the general rule that expenses incurred in travelling between two—or more—places where the duties of an officer are carried on are not taxable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many medical specialists are shown in the Schedule D assessments for professional earnings as currently in receipt of £15,000—£20,000 per annum; and how many are earning more than £25,000.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many medical partnerships are currently liable for Schedule D assessment; how many partners are involved; and what is the total amount of the assessment.

For accounting periods ending in the year to 5th April 1971—the latest year for which information is available—the figures are:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in the value of the £ sterling since June 1973; and what is the real purchasing power of £127·25 now compared with June 1973.

Between June 1973 and May 1974, the latest date for which information is available, the purchasing power of £127·25 fell by 13·3 per cent. to £110·33, on the basis of the change in the General Index of Retail Prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to ensure that no taxes are payable on notional gains or deemed disposals but only come into operation for payment when an actual gain has been realised.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the reduction in investment expected as a consequence of the extra corporation tax to be introduced due (1) to the 52 per cent. rate, and (2) to the 42 per cent. rate.

In the short term, changes in the level of company taxation have only a marginal effect on the level of investment. In the longer term business men look to the prospective growth of demand for their products.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up a working party to review the lost production and lost investment to British industry and commerce that has arisen from high marginal rates of taxation on earned income.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the EEC economic policy guidelines for the United Kingdom in 1974 were drafted by the Commission in consultation with his Department.

The guidelines for economic policy for 1974 annexed to the draft Council decision (R/1253/74) were prepared by the Commission in consultation with national Governments, including the United Kingdom Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide additional resources to the Department of Employment to increase expenditure on the infrastructure for retraining workers as laid down by the draft Council decision adjusting economic policy guidelines for 1974.

The 1974–75 Supply Estimates for the Department of Employment provide for increased expenditure on industrial training, including retraining. The Manpower Services Commission, operating through the Training Services Agency, is now responsible to the Secretary of State for Employment for formulating and implementing policies in this field.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total sums of equity capital invested by the central Government since 1970 in companies in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

The Question relates only to equity which is listed below. The hon. Member will appreciate that aid of various kinds, on a very substantial scale, including regional development grants, selective financial assistance under the Industry Act 1972, and regional employment premium, has been given to the regions, including Scotland and Wales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish a table showing the estimated net additional cost to the Exchequer of lifting corporation tax relief for small companies from £15,000, graded off to £25,000 as provided in the 1972 Finance Act, to £18,000, graded off to £28,000, £20,000, graded off to £30,000, £25,000 graded off to £35,000, £30,000 graded off to £40,000, £35,000, graded off to £45,000, £40,000, graded off to £50,000, £45,000, graded off to £55,000, £50,000, graded off to £60,000, and £55,000, graded off to £65,000 and similar tables with gradings off before standard rate corporation tax applies increased from £10,000 to £15,000 and £20,000 and £25,000;(2) what would be the estimated cost of reducing corporation tax for small companies from 42 per cent. to 39 per cent. in conjunction with raising the level of profits to which they apply from £15,000, graded off to £25,000, to £25,000, graded off to £35,000, and to £35,000, graded off to £50,000, respectively;(3) what would be the estimated net cost to the Treasury of charging corporation tax for small companies, as defined in the 1972 Finance Act, at the rate of 41 per cent., 40 per cent., 39 per cent., and 37½ per cent., instead of 42 per cent., respectively.

I will let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he h a any plans to levy value added tax at a rate higher than 10 per cent. on luxury goods.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Duffy).—[Vol. 874, c. 561–2.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Inland Revenue will seek to establish the extent to which the official allowances of the mayors and chairmen of the new local authorities are not spent on official entertaining and expenses so that they may be assessed to tax on any surplus.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give a report on the progress of his efforts to prevent from entering the United Kingdom persons belonging to organisations intending to take part in the international terrorist festival in Belfast.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply given to a Question by the hon. Member on 27th June.—[Vol. 875, c. 533–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that under the present law the Charity Commissioners are called on to exercise simultaneously advisory, investigative and judicial functions with respect to registered charities, whether he will consider legislation with a view to reform.

No. My right hon. Friend does not regard these functions as necessarily incompatible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist for the authorisation of drug-testing experiments involving inmates of Her Majesty's prisons and mental hospitals; how many such drug trials have taken place in the last three years; what were the drugs involved; and if he will make a statement.

It is not the practice to carry out drug-testing experiments on prisoners in England and Wales. Questions relating to practice in mental hospitals and other health service establishments in England and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action he is contemplating to deter husbands from criminally assaulting their wives.

This is a complex subject. My right hon. Friend is not satisfied that there is any action that we could appropriately take at present that would deter husbands from criminal assaults, but, as the hon. Member will know, a Select Committee is to be set up in the autumn to look into the problem. If the hon. Member has a particular point in mind perhaps she will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the actual strength of the Metropolitan Police in 1934, 1939, 1954 and 1974.

The figures are:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the take-over by the IRA on Tuesday 25th June 1974 of the whole area of the town of Strabane, including the blocking of the main road to Omagh for eight hours and the carrying out of foot patrols in the Ballycolman estate for over five hours; and if he will explain why the security forces did not take action to prevent this.

There was no IRA take-over of Strabane on 25th June 1974. Following the funeral of a local Catholic man at about 2 p.m. Republican elements tried to create incidents by blocking the main road to Omagh and access roads to the Ballycolman estate. The security forces, with the co-operation of local residents, cleared the road blocks in the estate by about 4 p.m. and the other roads by about 7.30 p.m. The main road to Omagh was blocked for about five hours but alternative routes were open.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are his plans for concessionary bus fares for the elderly in Northern Ireland in view of the situation there vis-à-vis the rest of the United Kingdom.

There are some substantial concessions on bus fares for the elderly in Northern Ireland. They are at the discretion of the bus companies. The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment is examining the question of concessionary fares together with interested parties including the transport undertakings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that the London borough of New-ham; which is in dispute with NALGO, is anxious to resolve this dispute; and if he will now take action to ensure that the council is enabled to resolve this dispute.

I am very much aware of and share the general desire that the dis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, arising from the closure of Irlam steelworks, he will give a list of the number of employees made redundant from the Newton constituency, and each of the surrounding constituencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing the number of redundancies by planning region, notified to his Department in each of the past 12 months.

Following is the information:

This information is not available in the form requested and can only be obtained by a disproportionate charge on public funds. However, 2,364 of the 2,451 workers who were made redundant at Irlam have received counselling interviews by officers of my Department, and an analysis of their place of residence by travel to work area is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his practice to prepare and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the rates of inflation for each standard region in the United Kingdom.

As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) on 11th June 1974—[Vol. 874, c. 493.]—my right hon. Friend is considering the possibility of producing regional retail price indices, but it is not clear that the advantage of having separate indices for all regions would justify the considerable staff and other costs which would be involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of male jobs in Scotland for each year between 1967 and 1973 inclusive.

Following is the information for each mid-year:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of the number of persons made redundant to the number of persons in employment in Scotland for each year between 1964 and the first quarter of 1974.

Redundancy figures for Scotland are not available for the period prior to 1965. For the period from 1965 on the ratios of persons notified as having been made redundant to the number of persons in employment in Scotland are:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of the number of unemployed persons to the number of vacancies in Scotland for each year between 1964 to the first quarter of 1974.

The following table shows the information for March each year. The vacancy figures used in the calculation relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices and do not measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of the unemployment rate in Scotland to that of the rest of the United Kingdom, the Midlands and the South-East of England, respectively, for each year between 1964 and the first quarter of 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the overall capacity of Government retraining facilities in the United Kingdom giving details for specific industries and capacity by regions.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that in Great Britain on 30th April 1974 there were 14,271 places available for training in skillcentres. The following table analyses them by trade group. It is not possible to provide an industrial analysis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places are available for retraining in Bedfordshire, and in what industries.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that on the latest available date there were 118 people in training places under TOPS in colleges and employers' establishments in Bedfordshire. It is not possible to provide an industrial analysis as trainees in a particular occupation may go into a number of different industries. The greatly expanded training opportunities

Following is the information for March each year:since trainees in a particular trade may go to a number of different industries.Outside skillcentres, the Training Opportunities Scheme makes use of facilities in colleges of further education and employers' establishments as necessary. On 30th April 1974 14,127 trainees were under training in these establishments.Although most of the training places in colleges of further education are in clerical and commercial occupations, and training in employers' establishments is mainly in engineering occupations, a very wide range of courses is available at various levels.now available throughout the country, both in skillcentres, colleges of further education and employers' establishments are equally open to the people of Bedfordshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what date he received a communication from the Director of Education of the London borough of Newham sent under date 3rd July regarding the Pay Board's Advisory Report on London weighting; what was the nature of this communication; what reply he has sent; and whether he will publish details of these two communications.

My right hon. Friend received on 4th July a letter expressing the view that there should be a London weighting of equal amount in each of the 32 boroughs. He has replied that there are differing views among local authorities on this question. So far as teachers are concerned, this must be resolved within the Burnham Committees. The present position is that the teachers have rejected a Management Panel offer of £325 in ILEA and £200 in the outer boroughs. My right hon. Friend does not propose to publish this correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many complaints against unreasonable suspensions or expulsions of pupils from schools have been made to the Secretary of State in each of the last three years; and in how many cases in each year has the Secretary of State upheld the complaint.

My right hon. Friend receives few such complaints; their number and outcome cannot be stated precisely, and no permanent records are kept.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what special help is given to new schools in the Central Lancashire New Town development area as compared with existing grants to neighbouring local education authorities.

My Department does not make grants to local education authorities. Proposals for new schools in the Central Lancashire New Town development area are considered against the same criterion of basic need for school places as is applied to projects elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money was spent on primary school building in Cheshire in each of the last three years; and how many primary schools were built in each of these years in Cheshire.

The following table shows for each building year since 1970–71 the value of major primary school projects started and the number of primary school departments completed in the county of Cheshire, including the former county boroughs:

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement about his proposals for the improvement of facilities for Opposition leaders.

There will be a statement about additional financial assistance to Opposition parties as soon as inter-party discussions are completed. I hope that this will be before the Summer Recess.

asked the Prime Minister whether the content of the remarks by the Chancellor of the Exchequer when interviewed on Independent Television News of 24th June, on the subject of the economy, represents Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister whether the comments on the economy made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a broadcast interview on 24th June represent the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the economy during the course of a television interview on 24th June 1974 represents Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister whether the television broadcast on the economy made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Independent Television News on 24th June represented Government policy.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Lamont).

asked the Prime Minister if he will now appoint another Minister for the Scottish Office.

I did so on 27th June.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has for further changes in the selection of persons whom he recommends to Her Majesty for inclusion in the Honours List.

I keep the honours system under continual review, and changes are made in it from time to time as appropriate. I announced one such change, in connection with awards for gallantry, last month.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Strabane.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 13th June.—[Vol. 874, c. 1822.]

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to meet the CBI and the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to have talks with the TUC.

I met representatives of the CBI and TUC at the meeting of NEDC on 3rd July. I have no immediate plans for any further meetings, but shall be ready to meet either, or both together, if such a meeting were considered helpful.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the trade union annual conferences which he has visited during 1974 in his official capacity.

Since 28th February I have visited the annual conferences of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers on 28th April; of the Union of Post Office Workers on 12th May; of the General and Municipal Workers' Union on 6th June; and of NATSOPA on 19th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek to initiate a conference of heads of Government with a view to banning all nuclear weapon testing.

The International Conference of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva already has as one of its priorities the negotiation of a comprehensive test ban treaty which would prohibit nuclear testing in all environments, and we fully support its work. The recent Soviet/American bilateral threshold agreement on underground tests was a welcome step towards a comprehensive ban. I doubt, however, whether the initiative suggested by my hon. Friend would eliminate the substantial obstacles which still exist.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the beekeepers about the harmful effects on bees of chemical sprays used on open blossom; and if he is satisfied with the present regulations in view of the losses suffered by some beekeepers.

My right hon. Friend has received two letters about this. Farmers, contractors and beekeepers normally maintain close liaison and co-operation in applying the Agricultural Departments' detailed recommendations which are designed to give bees maximum protection that is practicable. We shall continue to publicise the necessary precautions and to encourage all concerned to observe them. In this way we may hope to reduce the risk of the kind of unfortunate local incidents which can detract from what has been achieved nationally, and by voluntary measures, to minimise spray hazards to bees.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will set out in tabular form the number of calf slaughterings for each of the last 12 months.

The figures requested are as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pig swill feeders had been licensed by 1st July; and how many extensions had been granted.

Individual licences and exemption certificates are issued locally. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the national figures become available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will increase the remuneration of United Kingdom sugar beet growers in 1975 so that the acreage quota will be fully taken up, to ensure an adequate supply for the consumers; and when he expects to announce his decision on this matter.

I cannot at this stage add to what my right hon. Friend said in his reply to the right hon. Member on 4th July except to say that we fully recognise the need to offer adequate incentives to growers of home-grown beet, and we shall announce the results of our consideration as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the current shortfall in milk production and its effect on the dairy manufacturing industry, he will make a statement on how he proposes to safeguard the national dairy herd and encourage producers to expand milk production so that adequate supplies are available for the liquid and manufacturing sectors in the future.

I would draw attention to what I said in the debate on 26th June and the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross) on 4th July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, to encourage replacement plans of pig producers, he will now give more details of what he intends to do to safeguard pig producers at the end of the present subsidy scheme.

No, but discussions are in progress with the interests concerned about the long-term future of the agriculture industry including the pig sector.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now take account of the fall in the end price of pigs and the level of remuneration currently received by producers, and increase the subsidy to make good this fall.

No. The 50p per score subsidy is making a major contribution to producers' returns. Although the average price of certified pigs has fallen since the subsidy was introduced, it has been relatively steady since Easter and, while feed costs have eased, producers' average total returns for certified pigs have, thanks to the subsidy, been in general as high or higher since the subsidy was introduced than they were previously this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the present uncertainty in the poultry industry, he will make a statement on the financial state of the industry and on his proposals to ensure adequate supplies poultry products in the future.

I have nothing to add to the replies given to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 8th July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now give more details on his proposals to reintroduce a guaranteed price for beef; if he will indicate at what level the support will operate; and when he expects to be able to reintroduce the guaranteed price.

I shall make a statement at the appropriate time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement regarding his policy intentions for the period after the end of the present oil subsidy scheme for glasshouses and on action he intends to take designed to maintain the position of horticulturalists in a period of rising oil prices

The glasshouse fuel oil subsidy was made available on a temporary and degressive basis to cushion growers against the sharp and unexpected increase in their costs which took place when it was too late for them to make major changes in their production plans for the 1974 season. The subsidy is not intended to do more than provide growers with a breathing space during which they can decide how best to adjust to the higher level of oil prices which, in common with other users of fuel oil, they will have to face in the future. A long-term subsidy would create an artificial situation and militate against economies in the use of energy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is now in a position, following his recent conference with Commonwealth sugar producers, to give details of the prospect of receiving the 1·4 million tons of sugar negotiated under Protocol 22 of the Treaty of Accession.

During these talks I reaffirmed the Government's commitment to secure access for 1·4 million tons of raw sugar from the developing Commonwealth on fair terms and our intention to seek continuing access to the Community for Australian sugar. Their outcome was that intended, as all those present recognised, namely a valuable and timely exchange of views on the main aspects of any arrangements: quantities; prices and the considerations relevant to their determination; and other matters, such as the duration, review, and operation of the arrangements. The next stage will be negotiations on the precise terms for giving effect to the Community's undertakings on sugar contained in Protocol 22, and in the joint declaration of intent in respect of India, and to our stated intentions in respect of Australian sugar. These will take place within the Community and between it and the Governments concerned. I am confident that last week's talks have greatly facilitated the achievement of our declared aims.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the difficulties of confectionery makers because of the shortage of sugar supplies; and if, in view of the working of the present system of allocation of supplies, he will make arrangements to revise the system.

In conjunction with the refiners and representatives of the food manufacturing industry, we are urgently studying ways in which to improve the allocation system.

asked the Attorney-General if, in the light of the direction to county court and High Court judges by the President of the Family Division to order certain cases in the division to be held without the attendance of the Press or public, he will introduce regulations to make it impossible to exclude the attendance of Press and public at hearings of cases concerning child snatching.

As a general rule applications for injunctions in the High Court and county court concerning children should be heard in private, particularly as they have often to be dealt with urgently on the basis of statements made by one side in the absence of the other which may turn out to be unfounded and may do great harm to the respondent when reported in the Press.

asked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied with the law about the availability of an injunction to prevent a husband from molesting his wife.

Injunctions are readily available in connection with matrimonial proceedings and a wife can also take proceedings for assault when appropriate. There are practical difficulties about granting such relief in other circumstances, especially where the parties are living together. The Law Commission's work on rights of occupation of the matrimonial home, which is nearing completion, may be relevant on this point and it and the Finer Committee's recommendation on the same subject will be considered.

asked the Attorney1 General if he will take steps to make lega-advice and legal aid more readily available to battered wives.

Legal advice and assistance are readily available under the new legal aid provisions which came into force in April 1973. Legal aid for civil proceedings may be obtained, if necessary, within a matter of hours. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is considering ways of extending the legal services available to poorer sections of the community.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will investigate the logistics of having parliamentary papers printed in non-union printing works in Scotland, or outwith the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The parliamentary papers required for the business of the House have to be supplied to an extremely tight timetable which makes it essential for the work to be produced overnight at premises close to the House. The time to transmit copy and to deliver finished supplies precludes production outside London.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the percentage of gross national product spent on defence by the United Kingdom, France and Germany and the reduction in the current year's Defence Estimates if the United Kingdom percentage were to be reduced to the same as the average percentage for France and Germany.

1973 is the latest year for which figures for all three countries are available. On the NATO definition, defence expenditure as percentage of GNP was 6 per cent. for the United Kingdom, 4·2 per cent. for France and 3·9 per cent. for Germany. On this basis a reduction of United Kingdom expenditure to the average percentage for France and Germany would have involved a cut of about one-third.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give as much information as is consistent with security considerations about the extent to which nuclear weapons in British hands may be used at the sole discretion of the United Kingdom Government.

As I made clear in the defence debate on 2nd July, the whole of our nuclear capability is committed to NATO. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reminded the House on 24th June that if NATO should collapse—if there should be no NATO—we should have to take our own decisions. But so long as NATO exists these weapons will be committed to the Alliance; and while so committed, all our weapons remain subject to political control through Alliance consultation procedures, and could in no circumstances be used without the consent of British Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are his Department's latest estimates of the shares of proven and probable oil and gas reserves in commercial finds in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf accruing to British interests and the public sector in the United Kingdom.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether area electricity boards in England and Wales intend to increase tariffs for monthly-billed consumers.

The 12 area electricity boards in England and Wales notified the Price Commission of their intention to increase the tariffs to monthly-billed consumers which apply to the larger industrial commercial consumers. With the Government's agreement they will be increasing these tariffs towards the end of July. It is expected that this will mean increases of 4 per cent. to 6 per cent. on the May 1974 fuel inclusive price for the majority of the consumers concerned. For a small proportion of consumers, however, the increase will be 6 per cent.-9 per cent. and for others below 4 per cent. The increases will vary between the boards which will announce the full details as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the British Embassy in Lisbon is now open only between 8 a.m. in the morning and 2 p.m. in the afternoon; and whether, in view of the inconvenience this will cause to British exporters, the British community and Portugal business and official offices, he can arrange that the matter be reconsidered.

These office hours were introduced locally as an experiment during the summer months. Embassy staff are always available to see visitors by appointment at other times, and the consular section is manned every afternoon to deal with urgent inquiries. The telephone switchboard is manned on a 24-hour basis and embassy staff are always available on call. The embassy has received no complaints about these arrangements which will be reviewed at the conclusion of the experiment in mid-September.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to secure the early release of Dr. Edson Sithole, the detained Publicity Secretary of the Rhodesian African National Council.

I deplore his detention and I have already urged that he be released. The Rhodesian authorities are in no doubt about our strong feelings about this and other detentions without trial in Rhodesia. Considerations of humanity aside, the detention of Dr. Sithole at this time is particularly ill considered. If there is to be any sort of peaceful future for Rhodesia, Mr. Smith must start meaningful discussions with African leaders rather than lock them up. It is not surprising that Bishop Muzorewa has said that the ANC will not hold further discussions until Dr. Sithole is released.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms are now engaged in the manufacture of coffin plates; how many people they employ; and how they are distributed regionally.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the size, cost and location of each completed advance factory currently standing unoccupied in Scotland, with the date of completion in each case.

Three advance factories, completed at a cost of £570,000, are available for a first occupier as follows: