asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will immediately take action designed to overcome the shortage of sugar in the shops in Scotland and to ensure that there is an adequate supply of sugar for home jam making; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will inquire into the shortage of sugar in the west of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I would emphasise that, despite a shortfall in normal deliveries of raw sugar from the Caribbean, total supplies to the country as a whole over the year will be maintained at the normal level since it has proved possible to make good the West Indian shortfall by buying from other sources, namely, the Continent and the world market.However, this interruption in shipments has meant that some shops in Scotland, and in other areas, where consumption is seasonally high, have had their supplies reduced. I am taking steps to make additional sugar available to overcome these temporary difficulties and I am in close and constant touch with representatives of the refining companies and the distributive trade to see that supplies are directed flexibly to overcome any temporary local shortages. In all these measures I shall be paying particular attention to the needs of Scotland, given its existing dependence on supplies from the refineries in Greenock. In the present situation, customers will help themselves and others by buying only what is sufficient for their normal needs.

asked the Attorney-General what is the reason for the recently announced appointment of a senior counsel to the Treasury in the High Court; when such an appointment was last made, if ever; and what change in the functions of the Law Officers at the Bar is envisaged in connection with the appointment.

I have appointed Mr. Gordon Slynn to be Leading Counsel to the Treasury. The effect of this is that the Crown will be able to instruct Mr. Slynn to advise when Leading Counsel's advice is needed. The Crown will also be able to instruct him to appear in court, in cases in which the services of Leading Counsel as well as Junior Counsel are required. Mr. Slynn will also be available for private work. There is no recent precedent for this appointment in England and Wales. No changes in the functions of the Law Officers are envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the annual cost of contract assistance to the Royal naval dockyards since 1970 amounting to about £2 million has applied to Chatham.

About £¼ million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of total expenditure in the Royal dockyards is represented by the £1 million of extra contract assistance which has been incurred annually since 1970.

Approximately 1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total gallonage of fuel used by the RAF for training flights in each year 1964 to 1973.

The Royal Air Force carries out training flights within three categories—in the flying training organisation, at operational conversion units of specific aircraft types, and in operational squadrons. It would not be possible, without disproportionate effort, to provide the information required in respect of any of these categories prior to the financial year 1970–71 or of training flights by operational aircraft since then. The consumption of aviation fuel within the flying training organisation and at

CONSUMPTION
						(million gallons)
			1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74
Flying training organisation	…	…	23·397	23·044	25·177	19·733
Operational conversion units	…	…	42·251	41·460	42·103	38·876
Totals	…	…	65·648	64·504	67·280	58·609

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of RAF low-flying training is conducted over each affected county in Great Britain.

It is not possible without disproportionate effort to determine the percentage of RAF low-flying training conducted over every individual county, but on a broader regional basis the distribution over Great Britain is currently as follows:

	Per cent.
Northern Scotland	4
Galloway and the Border counties	2
Northumberland	3
The Pennines and Cumbria	2
East Yorkshire	5
Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and north Lincolnshire	3
East Anglia	4
The Fenlands and Northamptonshire	3½
Salisbury Plain and parts of Kent, Sussex and Dorset	43
Devon, Cornwall and Somerset	5½
North Wales	4½
Central and south-west Wales	6½
Salop, Staffordshire and Cheshire	10
Gloucestershire, Hereford and Worcestershire	4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the claims totalling 238 million units of account submitted to the EEC Social Fund for generalised retraining schemes in areas of industrial decline have been submitted by Her Majesty's Government; and what proportion of these appertain to schemes planned for Wales.

The United Kingdom has submitted applications totalling about 68 million units of account in respect of expenditure in 1974 for schemes of training in its assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give greater publicity to the availability of assistance from the European Social Fund for projects in this country.

I see no need for greater publicity at this time, but if the hon. Member has a particular point in mind, and would care to write to me about it, I would be happy to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the value of applications so far made from the United Kingdom for assistance from the European Social Fund in respect of the year 1975.

Approximately £17 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the projects for which his Department has claimed grants from the EEC Social Fund this year; whether he will indicate which of these claims were submitted before 1st March 1974 and which after that date; and how the present level of claims compares with the level of claims submitted before 25th July last year.

The United Kingdom has submitted applications for assistance from the European Social Fund in 1974 in respect of the following projects:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has noted the comments of the White Fish Authority in its Annual Report for 1973–74 to the effect that inadequate funds have been available for training in the inshore fishing industry; and whether he will consider assisting the inshore fishing industry under the Training Opportunities Scheme.

The Manpower Services Commission informs me that the Training Opportunities Scheme is intended to help individuals to obtain training which it is not the responsibility of industry to provide. In the case of persons who intend to work for an employer in the inshore fishing industry the responsibility for making additional provision for training over and above that offered by the White Fish Authority rests with employers in the industry. There is no provision under the Training Opportunities Scheme at the present time for assisting persons who intend to become self-employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish a table showing by how much unemployment must rise or fall in each of, and personal involvement in, smaller in the DEP Gazette, in order to achieve an approximate parity between the numbers of unemployed and the numbers of job vacancies available, including those not notified to his Department;(2) what is estimated to be the current ratio of unemployment to all vacancies, including those not notified to his Department, in each of the regions listed in the regional analysis of unemployment in the DEP Gazette.

As the hon. Member is aware, figures are not available for the numbers of job vacancies outstanding which are not notified to my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he is making to ensure that the proposed Royal Commission on the distribution of income and wealth will include persons with practical experience of, and personal involvement in smaller businesses and unquoted companies.

The appointments, to be announced shortly, will be on a personal basis and will not necessarily reflect all of the many varied interests with which the commission will be concerned and on which it will wish to receive evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers are employed throughout the United Kingdom in the work of asbestos lagging and stripping; what survey has been carried out regarding the incidence of asbestosis in this trade; what percentage is believed to be affected in any way by this disease; and if he will publish the figures for each of the past six years of those who have died and those whose health has been substantially impaired through contraction of asbestosis.

Because of the intermittent nature of the work, the number of persons employed at any one time on asbestos lagging and stripping cannot be estimated with any certainty, but recent inquiries suggest that 10,000 persons may occasionally be employed on this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what legislation now exists to safeguard from unfair dismissal employees and trade unionists who seek to bring possible breaches of the regulations affecting health and safety at work to the attention of the Factory Inspectorate.

Employees and trade unionists who seek to bring possible breaches of the regulations affecting health and safety at work to the attention of the Factory Inspectorate, and who are subsequently dismissed as a result, subject to certain exclusions, may present a complaint of unfair dismissal to an industrial tribunal. The Health and Safety at Work Etc. Bill, when enacted, will impose an obligation on employers to inform their employees of any potential hazards to their health arising out of their working conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence he has received that employees attempting to draw the attention of the Factory Inspectorate to the possible breaches of regulations affecting health and safety at work have been dismissed in cones quence; and if he will take steps to safeguard employees in such circumstances.

Representatives from the Dagenham branch of the General and Municipal Workers Union have alleged that men at a number of work places, including the Belvedere and Deptford power stations, had lost their employment after the Factory Inspectorate had been called in. I have asked the delegation who came to see me on this matter to let me have written details.Any allegations of persons being discriminated against in circumstances similar to those described by the hon. Member will be inquired into.The Health and Safety at Work etc. Bill contains provisions that extend the rights and safeguards of workers with regard to their safety at work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of people employed in the paper and board manufacturing industry at the latest date for which figures are available; and what are his estimates for each quarter of the coming year.

In May 1974 the estimated number of employees in employment in the industry in Great Britain was 68,600 The estimate is subject to revision when the results of the June 1974 census of employment become available. My Department does not make forecasts of future levels of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the estimated cost of living in the Greater London area, the South-East of England and England and Wales, respectively, compared with Great Britain as a whole;(2) what is the estimated cost of living in Inverness-shire, the Highlands and Scotland as a whole, respectively, compared with Great Britain as a whole.

The information requested is not available. Some information on the cost of living in the Greater London area compared with the remainder of Great Britain was given in the report by the Pay Board on London weighting.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what he estimates will be the capital required for entering refining and marketing in the United Kingdom.

No estimates have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the latest estimated number of oil platforms required for oil extraction in the North and Irish Seas by 1978; and if he will make a statement about the present capacity of facilities able to produce platforms.

Forward estimates of oil production platform requirements are necessarily speculative as they depend in part on discoveries yet to be made. However, I am advised that about 30 may need to be installed on the United Kingdom sectors of the North and Celtic Seas by 1978, including those already delivered, under construction and on order. The Government have been urgently reviewing the whole problem of platform construction capacity in the United Kingdom and are convinced that additional sites are needed. It is hoped to be able to make a statement on this shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he hopes to announce his intentions about the exact siting in Scotland of the proposed British National Oil Corporation.

I am seeking the views of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and of other interested parties, on this matter and hope to announce my decision very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will seek powers to have diving fatalities arising from oil-related operations in waters outside territorial limits but within the Scottish jurisdiction sector of the North Sea reported to his Department.

The death of any diver employed on operations in connection with offshore installations on the United Kingdom sector of the Continental Shelf is required to be reported to my Department under the provisions of the Offshore Installations (Inspectors and Casualties) Regulations 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will publish regulations under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 for the safety of diving operations; and what provisions they will contain.

It is proposed to lay the regulations before Parliament and to publish them next week. They will come into force on 1st January, 1975.The regulations will place responsibilities on persons concerned with diving operations and will include requirements for the immediate supervision of such operations by competent persons; for every diver to be experienced or accompanied under water by a diver with experience and to have a certificate of medical fitness valid for up to 12 months issued by a doctor and approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State; for the provision of adequate surface support, plant, equipment and facilities and the maintenance of such plant and equipment; for the use of a decompression chamber in all diving operations and the use of a submersible compression chamber at depths of 50 metres or more; for restrictions on the use of specified equipment; for the maintenance of diving records; for all operations to be carried out in accordance with written procedures and for diving tables to be approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any proposals for the movement of coal supplies in the event of a severe winter.

Contingency plans exist to deal with coal transport emergencies which may result from severe winter weather. They are updated each year by the NCB, its main customers, and British Rail.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what research is currently being done into the production of energy from wave motion.

A desk study is being undertaken for me by the National Engineering Laboratory and I expect the report, which is due in the autumn, to include a survey of work in progress in this country and throughout the world. A number of organisations in the United Kingdom are already interested in wave power and some small scale experimental work is in progress, notably at Edinburgh University.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how he proposes to exercise his powers under the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Act 1974 in respect of losses incurred by the British Gas Corporation, the Central Electricity Generating Board and area electricity boards in the financial year 1973–74.

The British Gas Corporation and the electricity boards in England and Wales have been advised that, subject to the approval of the House, I intend to pay compensation for price restraint in 1973–74 of £41·5 million in respect of British Gas and £176·3 million in respect of the electricity boards. These amounts are equal to the audited deficits on the revenue accounts of the bodies concerned. Draft orders seeking authority for these payments will be laid before the House as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the outline plan for the Central Lancashire New Town; if a public inquiry has been arranged; and if, pending receipt of the inspector's report, he is able to comment on any of the proposals in the plan.

The Central Lancashire New Town outline plan was received by my right hon. Friend on 4th June 1974 and a public inquiry had been arranged to begin on 17th September. However, after taking into account the views expressed during the debate on the Adjournment of 4th July, I have decided to defer the start of the public inquiry until 5th November. I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's decision on the plan by commenting on any of its proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider issuing a circular to local authorities advising them to ensure that public transport is available before they build housing estates, or give planning permission for developers to build housing estates, in outlying areas.

Advice on this subject was issued on 2nd July 1973 in Circular 82/73 entitled "Bus Operation in Residential and Industrial Areas".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up a committee of inquiry into the breakdown of transport facilities in south-west Hertfordshire.

This would be a matter for the county council to consider in exercise of its responsibilities under Section 203 of the Local Government Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate, nationally and for the Twickenham constituency, of the total number of households, the number of private tenancies, and the number of tenants eligible for rent allowances, and the take-up figure for these allowances.

There are an estimated 17·2 million households in England and Wales, of which about 2·5 million and 0·8 million, respectively, are private tenants in unfurnished and furnished accommodation. These numbers include tenants who are not covered by the rent allowance scheme; for example, those who occupy their accommodation under a contract of service. Apart from those receiving supplementary benefits, about 100,000 unfurnished and 8,000 furnished tenants were receiving rent allowances in December 1973. It is estimated that 500,000 to 600,000 tenants in the unfurnished sector are eligible for allowances but no estimate is available for the furnished sector.The hon. Member is advised to contact the local authority for information concerning the Twickenham constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken and what action he intends to take, nationally and in the Twickenham constituency, to publicise and encourage the take-up of rent allowances by private tenants who are entitled to receive them.

Press and television advertising by the Government for the rent allowance scheme has been extensive, both nationally and regionally. Local authorities will be invited to participate

									£ million
					1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75 estimate
Grants to the British Railways Board
Grants to unremunerative rail passenger services					60·5	65·2	66·3	81·7	112·7
Surplus track grant	…	…	…	…	12·0	7·5	8·5	1·8	1·6
Research and development		…	…	…	1·1	1·6	1·4	1·8	2·4
Special compensation for price restraint				…	—	—	27·0	—	—
Grant for improvements to automatic level crossings					0·7	0·1	—	—	—
Repayment of SET and payment of REP				…	31·1	20·2	14·8	0·6	0·3
Special grant to cover cashflow shortfall				…	—	—	42·0	95·0	190·2
Grants to the British Waterways Board
Grant in aid	…	…	…	…	1·9	2·9	3·1	3·8	4·3
Grant towards expenditure on bridges				…	1·2	0·7	1·2	1·3	1·3
Grants to the National Bus Company
Grants in respect of rail replacement bus services					—	0·3	0·1	—	—
Special compensation for price restraint				…	—	—	7·0	—	—
Grants to the National Freight Corporation
Freight sundries grant		…	…	…	12·4	8·0	3·7	1·6	—
Other grants to public transport
New bus grant	…	…	…	…	5·8	10·7	20·0	24·3	22·7
Bus fuel grant	…	…	…	…	21·1	21·3	21·0	20·1	21·6
Rural bus and ferry grant		…	…	…	—	0·3	0·5	0·6	0·7
Infrastructure grant	…	…	…	…	4·7	5·2	24·7	34·3	48·7

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to amend the Public Health Act 1936 to give local authorities the right to compel landlords of rented property to maintain the electrical wiring in a safe and satisfactory state.

The wider enabling powers to make building regulations under the Public Health Act 1936, which are contained in Part III of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Bill, could be used to require the electrical wiring in

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a detailed breakdown of the various means by which public transport, both passenger and goods, is subsidised, including subsidies on capital expenditure, and give these figures for the financial years since 1970–71.

Support to public transport provided by my Department during the period has been as follows:any buildings to be kept safe; but the timing and extent of the use of such powers have many important implications and would require very careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the various unfinished sections of the MS Bristol to Plymouth Motorway are expected to be completed.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the cessation of the warehouses development and access road involving British Rail and others at Greenford, Middlesex.

As my right hon. Friend is considering an appeal on proposals for further development of this site I am unable to comment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the research group on disarmament set up under the direction of Professor Hedley Bull, by the last Labour Government, still exists as a distinct unit; and, if so, what issues is it currently studying.

The Arms Control and Disarmament Research Unit, which was originally set up nearly 10 years ago, is still in being, as a distinct unit. The work of the unit is necessarily confidential. However, one of the subjects to which it has been giving particular attention this year is that of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, with particular reference to the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty due to be held in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy to introduce legislation to provide for a referendum in the United Kingdom on effecting settlement of the Rhodesian problem and the ending of sanctions; and whether he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many documents of secondary legislation have been approved by the Council of Ministers since the setting up of the Scrutiny Committee which have not been before the Scrutiny Committee.

I am not aware of any proposals for Community secondary legislation which have been adopted by the Council of Ministers since the establishment of the Scrutiny Committee, which have not been on the agenda of the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his practice to ensure that British subjects whose main place of residence is abroad are asked to provide a next-of-kin address in the United Kingdom to the British embassy or high commission; and, if it is not, if he will seek to introduce such a practice wherever practicable.

The notes on the inside of the back cover of a United Kingdom passport include one urging British nationals resident overseas to contact the nearest British high commission or consular office to inquire about arrangements for registration of their names and addresses so that they may be accorded assistance and protection in an emergency. The consular registration card contains a section for the name and address of next of kin or other person to be notified in case of need. There is, however, no legal requirement for British subjects to register, and although our missions and consulates do all they can to encourage it in those countries where it is considered necessary or desirable the decision whether or not to register lies with the indvidual.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps designed to ensure that the names of British subjects killed abroad are notified whenever possible to the next of kin before being released publicly.

It is our invariable practice to do all we can to ensure that the names of United Kingdom citizens who die abroad are notified to their next of kin as speedily as possible and before the news appears in the Press. There are, of course, occasions when the news becomes public before this can be done, and we are sometimes asked to confirm these reports. We do not normally release to the Press reports about the death of United Kingdom citizens and would certainly not do so before the next of kin had been notified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to protect the property of British residents of Cyprus, forced to evacuate as a result of recent events.

So far as it is practicable in the extraordinary circumstances now prevailing in Cyprus, the British High Commission will endeavour on request to assist British subjects with the protection of their property. As regards property which has been abandoned by its British owners, I have no doubt that, whenever a case is brought to his notice, the High Commissioner will remind the local Cyprus authorities of their responsibility for its protection.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what precise liaison has been established in Cyprus between the news media and the staff of the High Commission; and if in future he will seek to arrange that the names of British subjects killed in Cyprus or elsewhere are not announced by the news media prior to the information being passed to the local British diplomatic authorities.

The staff of the High Commission at Nicosia maintain liaison with British and other representatives of the news media as diplomatic missions do in all countries. Recent events in Cyprus have made normal liaison betwen the High Commission and correspondents very difficult and at times impossible. Whenever a journalist has been able to give information to the mission about the death of a British subject we are of course most grateful, but I cannot lay down rules for, or place restrictions on, news reporting by correspondents overseas of the kind which the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the speed of collection and the accuracy of information collected by his officials in Cyprus about British residents as opposed to tourists.

Yes. The High Commission has been in the centre of the fighting in Nicosia since Saturday so it has not been possible to move about freely. The telephone system appears either to have worked irregularly or at times not to have worked at all, so contact with Cypriot officials and United Kingdom citizens has been and is extremely difficult. Despite these dangers and hardships the High Commission has carried out its consular and reporting functions, in respect of tourists and British residents alike, with a conscientious and courageous attention to duty which I find wholly admirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a detailed statement of the circumstances leading up to, and surrounding, the death of Mr. Samuel Sunderland in Kyrenia on Monday 22nd July.

No. I have already sent the hon. Member a letter on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what moneys Great Britain is due to receive from the EEC Social Fund during the current period for retraining; and what proportion of this is to be spent in Wales.

I have been asked to reply.The United Kingdom has submitted applications totalling about £23·3 million in respect of expenditure in 1974 for schemes of training in assisted areas in Great Britain. It is understood that the Commission has so far approved grants totalling about £8 million in respect of these applications. Rather more than 13 per cent. of Great Britain's total applications for assistance for training related to Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the normal delay in processing prints at the fingerprint division of New Scotland Yard before the "go-slow"; what is the size of the present backlog of work; and when he anticipates that the service will return to normal.

Before the "go-slow" there was no delay in processing prints for the National Fingerprint Collection, nor is there now. The processing of prints from local crimes previously took about one month, and there is currently a backlog of about 5,000 cases. Every effort is being made to return this service to normal; meanwhile the investigation of prints arising from serious crimes remains unhindered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he has sent to the letter to him from the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs on the subject of their annual conference resolution calling for immediate legislation on anti-discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

The President of the National Federation was referred to the latest statement that my right hon. Friend had then made. I would now refer my hon. Friend to the statement he made on Tuesday 23rd July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is to be taken following a further attempt to take a prison officer hostage at Parkhurst on 20th July 1974; and if he will make a statement about the whole incident.

Soon after midday a prisoner took an officer hostage and demanded that he be taken to Dublin. During the afternoon he was overpowered and the officer released unhurt, and I should like to pay tribute to the skill, courage and fortitude of those involved in securing so satisfactory an outcome. The police are now considering whether criminal proceedings should be instituted against the prisoner. I am considering what lessons are to be learnt from this incident and another one of a rather different character at Wakefield Prison on 22nd July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, to assist in countering terrorism, he will seek powers as strong as those provided in the Prevention of Violence Act 1939.

I do not think that additional powers would be helpful at the present time, but I shall continue to keep the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when last a full-scale exercise simulating a major disaster in the Heathrow area was carried out; whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for updating the relevant contingency plans.

Such an exercise was last held on 27th March this year. The police and the fire service took part in this and previous exercises, and I am satisfied that their plans for dealing with major disasters are regularly reviewed and tested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available public funds to provide compensation for the victims of the Tower of London bomb attack and to give assistance to their relatives during their enforced stay in London.

Such compensation is already available under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board has taken steps to advise the victims, and their parents in the case of the injured children, of their eligibility for compensation under the scheme, by approaching the London embassies whose nationals were injured as well as by making application forms available through the medical social worker at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The board may at its discretion meet any reasonable expenses incurred by the victims' relatives as a direct result, of the victims' injuries. The board's response to the tragedy was prompt and sympathetic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from the police authorities on their policy towards taking criminal proceedings against husbands guilty of wife battering; and if he will publish a digest of the replies in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Chief officers of police were consulted on this matter last year. Their practice is to deal with

ENGLAND AND WALES
			Fires in hotels		Fires in hostels, Lodging houses and boarding houses*
Year			Number of fires	Number of fatal casualties	Number of fires	Number of fatal casualties
1965	…	…	565	4	—	—
1966	…	…	598	4	—	—
1967	…	…	710	9	258	8
1968	…	…	756	20	240	4
1969	…	…	740	15	296	2
1970	…	…	793	9	351	3
1971	…	…	746	15	327	3
1972	…	…	819	10	405	6
* Separate figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hotels in England and Wales have now applied for certification under the Fire Precautions Act 1971; and how many hotels in England and Wales have not yet so applied.

By 31st December 1973 fire authorities in England and Wales had received 44,877 applications for fire certificates from hotels and boardinghouses. About 28,000 applications were then thought to be outstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hotels in the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire have applied for certification under the Fire Precautions Act 1971; and how many hotels in Hampshire have not yet so applied.

I understand that the fire authority has received 1,233 applications for fire certificates from hotels and boarding-houses in Hampshire. I am informed that about 300 applications may be outstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires are known to have taken place in hotels in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years; and how many people have lost their lives in such fires in each of the last 10 years.

The only information available is set out below:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many companies employing over 500 persons have been attracted to Wales during the last 10 years.

Fourteen manufacturing establishments employing over 500 persons have been opened in Wales in the past 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the steel supply position.

The recovery of steel production from the adverse impact of the energy crisis and the miners' strike has been hindered by several difficulties including shortages of ferrous scrap and of appropriate blends of coking coal, manpower shortages, and industrial disputes. Some shortages of steel persist, though the balance between supply and demand for steel is believed to be generally improving.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether it is his intention to support with the equity votes of Her Majesty's Government the proposal for Brown Boveri to acquire a controlling interest in George Kent Limited, and if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the initial cost of the CRC investment in George Kent, at 1974 prices, and the valuation placed upon that investment (a) at current market prices and (b) by Brown Boveri.

I am not in a position at this stage to make a statement on Government policy in relation to the Brown Boveri proposals. The Government holding was acquired in 1968 at a cost of £6·5 million. The current valuation can be assessed from published quotations; no exact valuation of the Brown Boveri offer can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of the decision not to order materials for a further three Concorde aircraft in addition to the approved 16 and the consequent redundancies at BAC, Weybridge, by the end of the year, he will be prepared to consider proposals for alternative civil aviation work at Weybridge.

We are always ready to discuss with BAC any problems of this kind should they arise and to consider on their merits any detailed proposals the firm puts to us.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will issue a general direction to the Post Office to set a maximum percentage increase that can be made in one year for a private posting box collection service.

No. A general direction would not be appropriate. The recent increases in fees were the first for many years; they were accepted by the Post Office Users' National Council and approved by the Price Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in order to ensure that precautions against fire are fully effective, he will give a general direction that hotels and boarding-houses should be included in the categories of telephone subscribers for whom an emergency repair service is available during holiday periods and outside the normal hours of work of the service.

No. The Post Office emergency repair service is designed primarily to ensure that telephones likely to receive emergency incoming calls such as those in doctors' surgeries and in fire stations are repaired as quickly as possible. The Post Office tells me that the addition of hotels to the list of subscribers entitled to the emergency service would seriously diminish its ability to provide a satisfactory service to those already on the list.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will give a general direction to the Post Office to place contracts in respect of new or replacement equipment with British firms, in order to protect the interests of British workers where unemployment is markedly higher than the national average.

A general direction would not be appropriate. But I am sure the Post Office is well aware of the point made by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how he proposes to exercise his powers under the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Act 1974 in respect of the Post Office's losses in the financial year 1973–74.

The Post Office has been informed that I intend to seek parliamentary approval for the making of an order to pay compensation for price restraint in 1973–74 amounting to £123,567,000. This is the sum of the audited deficits on the revenue accounts of posts, telecommunications and remittance services, and of the part of the Giro deficit which is attributable to price restraint. A draft order seeking authority for this payment will be laid before the House as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has had from the telecommunications industry on Merseyside about the possible loss of employment opportunities arising from the cutback in Post Office expenditure.

I have had representations from the firms involved and their trade unions. The effect on employment on Merseyside was one of the factors taken into account by the Government in deciding to reduce the cut in Post Office investment for the second half of 1974–75.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many wage and salary earners received—within £1—as much in selective assistance as they paid out in income tax in the latest year for which the figures are available;(2) what would be the net cost, after taking into account saving on all selective benefits, of raising the tax threshold to the level necessary to ensure that all those who presently receive as much in selective benefits as they pay out in income tax were no longer liable to tax in the first place.

Assuming that the hon. Member is referring to means-tested benefits I regret that the information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any, and if so what part, of the national debt of Ghana which is owing to the United Kingdom has been cancelled as a result of the recent discussions held in Rome.

International agreement was reached at a meeting in Rome in March of this year whereby the medium-term external debt owed by Ghana to certain of her trading partners would be rescheduled. However, the amount of the indebtedness in question has yet to be determined by means of discussion between Ghana and each creditor country concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been loaned by the United Kingdom to Ghana, in each of the years since that country attained its independence, in order to help fund that country's national debt.

The United Kingdom has participated in a number of agreements since independence whereby the medium-term external debts of Ghana were rescheduled. However, on only one occasion, in 1971, was a re-financing loan made by the United Kingdom. This was in the amount of £2·5 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why VAT is chargeable on ice cream, but not on prepared cream desserts, Charlotte Russe and similar puddings.

Some less essential foods are taxed to help pay the cost of reducing the price of more essential goods. My right hon. Friend recognises that an arbitrary element is inherent in any line of demarcation between taxed and untaxed goods, but he considers that the existing arrangement for ice cream operated satisfactorily for 1962 to 1973 under the purchase tax and that he would not be justified in altering it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt gifts to charities from gifts tax in his forthcoming proposals.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT all those extra statutory concessions now being operated by the Inland Revenue; and the dates when they first became operative.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will take steps designed to improve the situation reported by the Automobile Association that a high proportion of new cars are handed over to their purchasers by motor dealers without sufficient pre-delivery inspection to correct the defects in them.

I am asking the Director General of Fair Trading to consider the AA's findings in the context of his discussions with the Motor Agents' Association about its code of practice. The Road Traffic Act 1972 and the Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973 already provide substantial protection to buyers of new cars.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage of land in Scotland under forestation.

About 9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new cases were handled by social work departments in each of the last five years.

			1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74 (estimate)
			£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.
Capital	…	…	2·2	1·9	2·2	2·3	4·5	7·7
Current	…	…	15·3	17·2	20·5	27·6	31·9	43·4

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people applied for social work training in Scotland in the last convenient year; how many were accepted; and how many were unsuccessful because of lack of places.

In session 1973–74, 364 students were accepted. Information is not available about the total numbers

Returns from local authorities indicate that the numbers of families and individuals who began to receive general social work support were as follows:

1970	33,250
1971	45,410
1972	52,787

Figures for other kinds of help provided by local authority social work departments since their establishment in November 1969 are given in the annual report on "Social Work in Scotland" and in "Scottish Social Work Statistics" for 1971 and 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified and unqualified social workers, respectively, are now employed by social work departments; and what estimates he has made of the numbers required to staff the departments fully.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) on 8th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure of social work departments in each of the last five years; and what was the equivalent expenditure in each of the previous five years.

Following are the figures for capital and current expenditure in each of the last five years, together with the equivalent figure for 1968–69, the last full financial year before the social work departments were formed. Figures for earlier years are not available.of applicants and of acceptable applicants for whom there were no places.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many training places are available for social work in Scotland.

Six hundred and twenty places, of which 405 were for new entrants, were available in session 1973–74 in qualifying courses approved by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. The number of places available in session 1974–75 is expected to be higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list those hospitals where industrial action directed against private beds is currently under way.

I regret it is not practicable to give an accurate list of hospitals affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for admission to East Birmingham Hospital for private fee-paying patients awaiting operations.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for admission to East Birmingham Hospital for surgical operations under the National Health Service.

The average time waited in 1973 by those patients admitted for operation was 14·7 weeks. Emergency cases are dealt with immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of NHS consultants who are employed full time, part time and in a private capacity, respectively, at East Birmingham Hospital.

48 consultants are employed whole-time; 13 consultants are employed part-time, which permits them to undertake private practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of beds in the East Birmingham Hospital; and what percentage of the beds is used by private fee-payers.

The average number of NHS beds available in 1973 was 468·3, the average daily occupancy of which was 372·2. The beds used by private patients represented 0·04 per cent. of the average daily occupied beds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beds are available for mentally sick cases per 1,000 population in the area served by the Chelmsley Wood Hospital.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the number of persons in Great Britain under the age of 16 who are very severely, severely or appreciably handicapped, using the same definition of these terms as those used by Amelia Harris in "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain", Social Survey Division, Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

I regret that this information is not available. I will, however, write to the hon. Member giving him such information as I have as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many workers registered as self-employed pay no national health insurance contribution because they state their earnings to be too low.

It is estimated that 196,000 people are excepted from liability from national insurance contributions as self-employed and non-employed persons because of low income—not earnings alone. It is not possible to say how many are self-employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the percentage of exports to, and imports from, Latin American countries during the past 10 years for which figures are available.

:Following is the information.

	Exports Percentage	Imports Percentage
1964	3·4	5·2
1965	3·3	4·9
1966	3·1	4·8
1967	3·3	4·5
1968	3·6	4·0
1969	3·4	4·3
1970	3·5	3·6
1971	3·7	3·2
1972	3·5	3·0
1973	2·9	3·0

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will state the value of imports of fertiliser for use in agriculture and horticulture for each of the last five years.

£36·5 million cif in 1969. Information for 1970 to 1972 is given against SITC(R) headings 271 (crude

			Steers	Heifers	Cows and bulls	Total cattle	Sheep and lambs	Rams and ewes	Total sheep
1972—
April	…	…	5,019	2,981	471	8,471	18,426	1,329	19,755
May	…	…	3,775	2,286	338	6,399	24,489	1,077	25,566
June	…	…	2,999	1,908	401	5,308	40,606	1,490	42,096
July	…	…	4,181	2,735	432	7,348	73,651	2,476	76,127
August	…	…	3,890	2,645	424	6,959	70,880	2,205	73,085
September		…	4,461	2,975	488	7,924	68,207	4,216	72,423
October	…	…	5,359	3,807	978	10,144	87,150	4,620	91,770
November		…	5,026	3,605	780	9,411	67,639	3,624	71,263
December		…	4,316	2,219	622	7,157	41,527	2,970	44,497
1973—
January	…	…	4,295	2,894	1,404	8,593	45,301	4,433	49,734
February		…	3,908	2,494	1,323	7,725	22,419	1,542	23,961
March	…	…	4,709	2,168	716	7,593	15,716	1,525	17,241
April	…	…	4,526	2,282	2,512	9,320	20,555	1,354	21,909
May	…	…	3,339	1,764	1,927	7,030	26,244	1,187	27,431
June	…	…	2,972	1,745	1,946	6,663	36,440	2,024	38,464
July	…	…	3,557	2,692	2,913	9,162	67,403	2,089	69,492
August	…	…	2,967	2,160	1,956	7,083	71,453	2,195	73,648
September		…	3,472	2,643	2,102	8,217	85,567	4,007	89,574
October	…	…	4,259	3,388	2,539	10,186	99,637	4,603	104,240
November		…	3,823	2,871	2,199	8,893	75,634	3,275	78,909
December		…	3,521	2,367	1,842	7,730	55,872	2,766	58,638
1974—
January	…	…	5,079	3,225	2,601	10,905	67,465	4,163	71,628
February		…	4,359	2,440	1,493	8,292	31,685	2,081	33,766
March	…	…	4,202	2,420	1,471	8,093	17,053	1,567	18,620

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to improve the facilities for treatment of agoraphobia in the Ceridigon area, and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of cattle slaughterings in Wales for each of the last 24 months;(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of lamb and ewe slaughterings in Wales for each of the last 24 months.

Figures for cattle and sheep slaughterings in Welsh abattoirs in the latest available period of 24 months are as follows:

The Dyfed Area Health Authority informs me that it does not know of any specific shortcomings in the service Provided for the treatment of agoraphobia. If the hon. Member is aware of any perhaps he would let the authority know them.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consider the desirability of installing spotlights to illuminate zebra crossings at night.

My Department has already given guidance to highway authorities on the lighting of pedestrian crossings, including the circumstances in which spotlights might be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ensure that the Cynon Valley is mentioned on all relevant industrial and trade documents and shown on all development maps issued by the Welsh Office and other Government Departments.

I have no doubt that all concerned will wish to do this where-ever it is appropriate and practicable. My hon. Friend will no doubt let me know if he has any particular documents or maps in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of making good the daubing on and destruction of road signs in Wales for the years 1970 to 1974.

I regret that there is insufficient information to permit of a meaningful estimate.