asked the Secretary of State for Defence which countries grant British military aircraft over-flying rights.

In general we enjoy no prescriptive rights as such outside our own sovereign airspace. A great number of nations, however, do grant us clearance for military flying in or through their airspace from time to time. A smaller number, particularly in areas where our forces are stationed, permit a more regular pattern or programme of flying activity without individual clearance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in which ports in Africa and the Indian Ocean basin the Royal Navy enjoys assured facilities under treaty, agreement or other contractual arrangements.

We have such facilities in Freetown, Gan, Simonstown and Singapore.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the houses and other units of accommodation owned by his Department at North Weald and indicate how many are now occupied, and how long any which are not occupied have been empty.

There are 39 married quarters for officers and 186 for other ranks at North Weald. Twenty-three officers' quarters and 59 other ranks' quarters are unoccupied at present. The unoccupied officers' quarters have been vacant for varying periods of up to 12 months and the unoccupied other ranks' quarters for varying periods of up to four months, but all the latter are expected to be occupied early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he intends to dispose of any service accommodation owned by his Department at North Weald; and if he intends to offer any houses surplus to requirements to the Epping Forest District Council.

All officers' married quarters at North Weald, which were intended for disposal, have had to be retained at present for possible emergency use by Service families from Cyprus. There is a continuing Service requirement for the other ranks' married quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements are being made for the completion of the National Theatre.

The Government and the Greater London Council have, subject to seeking the necessary authority from Parliament and the council for their respective contributions, reached agreement to provide the necessary resources to complete the National Theatre notwithstanding the further substantial rises in costs which have been encountered. The Leader of the Council, in consultation with the leader of the minority party in the council, has agreed to recommend a contribution up to £1 million or 50 per cent. whichever is the less. on the understanding that the balance of expenditure will be met by the Exchequer.Yesterday the Government introduced a Bill seeking authority to remove the present statutory restriction on the total Government contribution to enable the building to be completed. It is expected that the Exchequer contribution, due to the rising costs of building, will be in excess of £1 million. New arrangements have been made with the South Bank Theatre Board to control this expenditure. This arrangement is of course subject to endorsement by the Greater London Council and to the enactment of the necessary amending legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how he proposes to promote economies in the use of oil in the United Kingdom.

The Government are looking into all aspects of fuel economy and energy conservation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy gave the Government's programme for this in a speech on 26th June 1974. It included the setting up of an Advisory Council on Energy Conservation to advise the Secretary of State for Energy on measures for promoting economy and efficiency in energy use generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to decide on the proposals submitted to his predecessor for an Oxford green belt.

I hope to announce the decision towards the end of the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the conditions attached to the proposed Arab loans to EEC members.

No approach will be made to potential lenders until EEC legislatures have been consulted about the proposed scheme. The terms of individual transactions would be a matter for negotiation and future Council decision.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to seek parliamentary approval of the EEC Loan Scheme involving the dispensing of some $3,000 million to ease members' oil deficits.

The Commission proposals for regulations setting out the framework of a scheme and its implementation have been deposited in the House and an explanatory memorandum is being prepared. Specific Council decisions will be required at a later stage before any individual transactions are approved. The timetable for such decisions will take account of the need for consultation with national Parliaments and, where necessary, for domestic legislation in some EEC countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what effect the increased cost of sugar supplied under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement will have on the Retail Price Index.

The agreement to pay £140 per long ton f.o.b. for shipments of raw sugar under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement between 1st September 1974 and 31st December 1974 would give rise to a wide differential between the prices of refined cane sugar and refined beet sugar. In order to avoid the resulting distortion of competition in the food industry and inequity between different groups of consumers, it has been decided to introduce a price equalisation scheme for sugar. The scheme, which has been drawn up in consultation with the industry, will be administered by the Sugar Board and will come into operation on Monday next 4th November.The scheme will take account of price increases notified to the Price Commission by the refiners of cane and beet sugar. In view of the exceptional circumstances, including in particular the need to introduce the equalisation scheme quickly, it would not be appropriate to require the refiners to wait the usual 28 days before implementing price increases, and following consultation with the Price Commission I have signed the Counter-Inflation (Notification of Increases in Prices and Charges) Order 1974 which will enable the increases to be announced immediately.