asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his intentions for the Channel Tunnel and the rail link through Kent.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said in his speech in the debate last Monday.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to announce the terms of reference and the full list of members of the Cairncross investigation committee on the Channel Tunnel and the rail link.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary dealt fully with this question in winding up the debate last Monday.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authority associations on the subject of the Rate Support Grant (Increase) Order 1974–75 and the Rate Support Grant Order 1975–76; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend met the local authority associations on 28th October and received various representations. Negotiations are proceeding and it is hoped to announce proposals at the end of this month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a general direction to British Railways to publicise the facilities made available by British Rail for disabled people travelling by rail: and if he will make a statement.

No. This matter is being actively considered by the Railways Board and the Central Council for the Disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to improve the national house building programme.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Carter) and Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he proposes to stimulate private house building.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Morpeth (Mr. Grant) on 8th November.—[Vol. 880, c. 245–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with representatives of Sikh communities concerning the wearing of crash helmets; and if he will make a statement.

I received a deputation of Sikh representatives who explained very fully their objections to the helmet wearing law as applied to Sikh motor cyclists. I have considered their representations and regret that I do not feel able to recommend any change in this law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans for improving the democratic representation on area water boards; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend proposes to review the working of the industry in about two years' time. A majority of the members of the water authorities are, however, already appointed by local authorities. It would be wrong to alter their structure so soon after they have become operational.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an early statement regarding the level of local government expenditure and of the rate support grant for 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his meeting with the local authority representatives on the situation facing local authorities over rates in the next financial year.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend gave today to my hon. Friends the Members for Goole (Dr. Marshall) and Cannock (Mr. Roberts).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representation has he received from local authority associations about the rising costs facing local authorities in 1975–76; what is his estimate of the likely effect of these rising costs upon domestic, commercial and industrial ratepayers, respectively; and what steps he intends to take to mitigate these probable increases in rate burden in 1975–76.

My right hon. Friend had various representations from the associations when he met them on 28th October. No estimates have been made of the effect of rising costs on different classes of ratepayers. However, he will bear very much in mind the burden on ratepayers generally before he announces the rate support grant proposals at the end of November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the likely average increase in domestic rates next year; and what steps he proposes to take to protect ratepayers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to reintroduce a Bill to abolish the rent scrutiny board and restore powers of rent determination to the elected local authority/

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement on a revised scheme of housing subsidies.

The Housing Rents and Subsidies Bill, which was introduced on 6th November, sets out the Government's proposals for restoring to local authorities freeedom to fix rents, abolishing the rent scrutiny boards and creating a new system of housing subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government Advisory Committee on Theatres last met; and when the next meeting is due to be held.

On 5th February. The date for the next meeting has not yet been fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reintroduce a 50 mph speed limit, except on motorways.

I am considering the analysis of experience during the fuel emergency and hope to make a statement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to improve facilities for checking the safety and loading of goods vehicles entering Great Britain; and if he will give financial assistance to the county councils involved to effect improvements.

Where facilities at main ferry ports are inadequate for checking the loading of goods vehicles I am already taking steps to improve them as a charge on central funds. Additional weighbridges are being provided at Dover—four sites, including one on the A2—Newhaven, Poole, Plymouth, Harwich, Felixstowe and Heysham. Subsequent provision will depend on the growth of ferry traffic at other ports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current average rate of interest for local authority mortgages; and if he will take steps to enable the rate to be reduced to a level comparable to that offered by building societies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to enable him to reduce the high interest rates charged for housing loans by some local authorities.

Local authorities are not required to notify their current mortgage rates to the Department, but on available information most of they appear to be charging rates of 11 per cent. or less. As to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) on 5th November.—[Vol. 880, c. 130–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Government policy towards ownership of private housing in the light of paragraph six of a letter addressed by the Department of the Environment to Mrs. M. E. Warrell, of 11 Nicholas Court, Green Lane, Hayling Island, Hampshire.

The Government's policy, outlined in the letter to which the hon. Gentleman refers, is that accommodation for renting should eventually be in social ownership. Where tenants rent their homes from private landlords they must have the protection of the Rent Acts 1968 and 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the control of business rents both in the transitional period to 31st March 1976 and thereafter.

As already announced, the present standstill on rents existing on 5th November 1972 will be succeeded, from 1st June next, by a transitional period lasting until March 1976 in which rents will be allowed to rise in successive groups to the level of the open market on 5th November 1972. A new standstill on existing rents outside the earlier control was introduced on 21st June, and will continue through the transitional period.As for the position at the end of the transitional period, I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Grist) on 6th November.—[Vol. 880, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now considered the Dobry Report on Control of Demolition; and whether he will make a statement.

I cannot usefully add to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 4th November.—[Vol. 880. c. 54.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish details of the Nottingham-Castle Donington section of the proposed M42 motorway.

Proposals for the M42 Castle Donington section were published in September 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if agreement that he is seeking has yet been reached between caravan dwellers and site owners as to terms and conditions of site occupation.

I regret that the talks the hon. Member refers to do not appear to have resulted in a model form of site contract being drawn up as yet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue instructions for the proposed Canterbury bypass to be a dual carriageway.

Decisions on the standards of construction will not be taken until the detailed investigations which are now being carried out by consulting engineers have been completed/

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that adequate powers are available to local authorities to assist home owners and occupiers to insulate and soundproof houses close to both civil and Service airfields.

The responsibility for combating aircraft noise rests with local authorities only where they are the airport operators. Such local authorities can take local Act powers to insulate properties in their areas against noise. They may also require insulation of new dwellings near an airfield as a condition of planning permission. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade can require a local authority, which is the airport authority, for an aerodrome, designated under Section 29 of the Civil Aviation Act 1971, to finance a noise insulation scheme if the noise problem justifies it.Questions about insulation against noise arising from Service airfields should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce building regulations requiring walls to be insulated against loss of heat.

I am considering revised regulations and expect to come to a conclusion shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of his Department with regard to the retention of open spaces in cities, including London.

Retention of open space is primarily a matter for the local planning authorities in accordance with their development control powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete the dual tracking of the road from the M6 to the Welsh border near Chester.

It is expected that by the spring of 1975, 14½ miles of the M56 motorway will be open to traffic between the M6 and its present westerly terminal at Hapsford. A public inquiry was held earlier in the year into a six-mile westerly extension of the M56 from Hapsford to Lea-By-Backford, which is two and a half miles from the Welsh border. The Inspector's report is at present under consideration. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of funds, this section of the route could be completed in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken by his Department to encourage greater co-ordination of effort by adjacent local authorities in the housing and rehousing of the homeless, having special regard to the reorganisation of local government.

My Department's circular 18/74, issued jointly with the Department of Health and Social Security and the Welsh Office, stressed the need for local authorities at both tiers of the new local government structure to work together in a corporate response to homelessness. The Departments are keeping in touch with the situation in sensitive areas such my hon. Friend's constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the reasons for the delay in reaching a decision on an appeal under Section 18 of the Land Compensation Act submitted on 9th April 1973 on behalf of an 80year-old man who is living in unsatisfactory housing conditions, about which the hon. Member for Essex, South East made representations on 4th July; when a decision will be reached; and if he will now instruct his officials that in processing such appeals in future they pay special regard to the age and living conditions of the appellant.

I have written to the hon. Member about this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what examination is being made by his advisers into possible alternatives to the chlorination of drinking water in the light of recent studies in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

The US Environmental Protection Agency studies are far from conclusive and the agency did not suggest any change in present practice. For other reasons my Department commissioned studies of alternative to chlorination some time ago and these are still proceeding. The situation will continue to be kept under review by my advisers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the South-East, excluding the GLC area, and for all other regions in the country, the approximate acreage and number of dwellings for which planning consent has been given and which has not yet been taken up; and, on the basis of present building programmes, what period it will be in each area before the pool of outstanding consents has been used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the amount of land for which planning permission for residential development has been given but on which construction has not yet commenced;(2) what is his estimate of the amount of building land held by private developers on which construction work has not yet commenced.

Taking the country as a whole there is estimated to be some two to four years' supply of private land with planning permission for housing. A great deal of the land owned by developers with a view to construction will come within this total. Local authorities also have substantial holdings for public housing development. However, there are wide regional and local variations, and any assessment for a particular locality would have to take account of planning and land ownership, the extent to which permissions may have expired or may duplicate other permis- sions for the same land, and the availability of infrastructure and services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show (a) average council house rents and (b) average domestic rents in the private sector, expressed as a percentage of average weekly earnings of full-time manual workers, for each year since 1965 up to the latest available date.

Estimates for England and Wales of average unrebated rents as percentages of manual workers' average weekly earnings are as follows:

	Local authority housing	Privately rented unfurnished housing
1965	7	7
1966	8	8
1967	8	8
1968	8	8
1969	8	8
1970	8	7
1971	8	7
1972	8	7
1973	8	6

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will compare the indices of average monthly repayments on a three-bed-roomed semi-detached house over the period 1963–74 with the indices of (a) average basic wage rates for manual workers and (b) average income after tax and national insurance—all incomes—over the same period.

Indices calculated from the available data are set out below:

	Average payment on building society loans	Average basic wage rates of manual workers	Personal disposable income per head
1963	100	100	100
1964	110	105	107
1965	114	109	114
1966	124	114	120
1967	137	119	125
1968	148	127	133
1969	158	133	140
1970	180	146	153
1971	203	165	170
1972	232	188	193
1973	270	214	221

Average payments have been calculated from total payments of interest and capital by borrowers to building societies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the current estimated completion dates for the various sections of the M25 motorway.

Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of funds the various sections of the M25 are expected to be completed by the following dates:

EXPENDITURE ON ROADS PER HEAD OF POPULATION
		1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Staffordshire*	…	6·0	11·0	11·6	9·3	10·5	12·7	12·0
Rest of UK	…	7·9	9·6	10·0	11·4	13·9	14·3	16·2
*Geographical county including county boroughs but excluding the whole of Dudley CB

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will undertake a review of the cost yardstick for council home building in order to encourage local authorities to build more homes.

Among steps already taken to encourage local authorities to build more dwellings to rent we have increased the cost yardstick levels by overall amounts of 70 per cent. for firm price tenders and 60 per cent. for variation of price tenders. As I indicated when I announced the increase on 18th September, I am reviewing the longer-term future of cost control in housing in the light of the criticisms which have been made of the yardstick system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects repayment of the money advanced by the Government to building societies to be completed.

At the present level of building society receipts the repayment formula agreed with participating societies should provide for the £500 million short-term loans to be completely repaid by early within the next financial year.

• Maple Cross—Egham in 1980.
• Egham—Thorpe in early 1977.
• Thorpe—Chertsey in late 1978/early 1979.
• Chertsey—Reigate in 1980.
• Reigate—Godstone in 1975.
• Godstone—Wrotham in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount of money per head of the population spent on roads in Staffordshire in each of the last 10 years compared with other parts of the United Kingdom.

Following is the available information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures of his estimates of the residual traffic that will use the proposed bypass at Lower Harbledown on the A2 after the Canterbury bypass has been built: and if he will confirm that it is his intention to proceed with both these projects.

Between 8,500 and 11,000 vehicles per 16-hour day, depending on when the Canterbury bypass is provided. It is the intention to proceed with both projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will seek powers to enable him to make funds available to permit the continued operation of rural bus services now threatened with closure;(2) whether, when he is assessing the new rate support grant, he will fix a level which will permit local authorities to assist with regard to the operation of rural bus services which are now threatened with withdrawal or curtailment as a result of increased costs.

Up to 1st April 1975 Section 34 of the Transport Act 1968 enables the Government to pay half of the local authority's expenditure in support of rural bus services. Such expenditure is already relevant for RSG purposes and from 1st April 1975 will rank as eligible expenditure within the new system of grants payable to county councils towards their transport expenditure generally. I shall take account of proposals for expenditure on rural bus services in deciding on the allocation of transport supplementary grants for 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when work will begin on the Brough and Appleby bypasses on the A66 road.

On the Brough bypass—soon, if any of the tenders now being considered is acceptable.On the Appleby bypass—in 1976–77, subject to the availability of funds and satisfactory conclusion of the statutory procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his proposal to remove the disqualification on the former Clay Cross councillors before full settlement of the surcharge.

The disqualifications incurred as a direct result of the Housing Finance Act will be ended in accordance with the commitment referred to by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his statement to the House of 4th April this year. The Government understand, as I said in my statement of 6th November, that a fund is being set up for the purpose of meeting the financial liabilities of the councillors concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about local government commissioners and complaints machinery for the county of Cheshire.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 5th November about the three local commissioners for England and their functions.—[Vol. 880, c. 127–8.] The hon. Member will see that the local commissioner for Cheshire is Mr. D. B. Harrison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce further temporary speed restrictions on the A2 between Brenley Corner and Dover, in view of present traffic needs.

No. There are already speed restrictions on those sections of the A2 which need them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now seek powers to provide that when the regional water authorities take over the duty of collecting water and sewerage rates from the local authorities they will not impose the relevant rate charge upon those householders whose hereditaments are not connected to the public sewerage system.

My right hon. Friend has already indicated his intention to secure that some relief for water charges for next year is given to properties not connected to public sewers. This is a separate matter from the direct collection of water charges by water authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current level of total net borrowings of local authorities; by how much it is expected to increase during the current financial year; what proportion has been borrowed in foreign currency since March 1973; and what is the estimated interest during the current year payable on total net borrowings.

Exact figures are not available but the outstanding debt of local authorities in England and Wales at 31st March 1974 is about £18,000 million and it is estimated that it will have increased to £19,5043 million by 31st March 1975. Of this sum £500 million has been raised in foreign currency since March 1973. The interest payable during the current year is estimated to be £1,880 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers of remedial education are currently employed in Scottish secondary schools and

TEACHERS OF REMEDIAL EDUCATION EMPLOYED IN EDUCATION AUTHORITY SCHOOLS AT JANUARY 1974 INCLUDING THE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT OF PART-TIME STAFF
		In primary schools		In secondary schools
		Total	Number holding specialist qualification	Total	Number holding specialist qualification
Burghs
Aberdeen	…	46·0	17·6	22·3	6·6
Dundee	…	54·1	13·1	37·5	19·4
Edinburgh	…	60·1	23·4	56·6	25·9
Glasgow	…	55·9	4·5	90·1	29·0
Counties
Aberdeen	…	18·0	9·1	9·9	4·8
Angus	…	26·8	10·6	6·0	3·0
Argyll	…	8·5	3·8	6·1	3·0
Ayr	…	87·4	27·3	32·6	18·1
Banff	…	12·7	7·9	6·3	3·0
Berwick	…	0·8	0·8	0·2	—
Bute	…	3·8	1·0	1·7	—
Caithness	…	7·7	3·1	2·4	—
Clackmannan	…	3·4	1·0	5·5	1·0
Dumfries	…	20· 6	9·1	17·4	10·4
Dunbarton	…	100·4	31·5	16·1	6·1
East Lothian	…	7·4	1·0	1·6	0·5
Fife	…	47·1	19·4	57·5	39·6
Inverness	…	12·8	4·1	8·4	—
Kincardine	…	3·9	2·0	3·2	2·0
Kirkcudbright	…	5·6	1·6	2·0	—
Lanark	…	62·4	1·0	120·4	59·3
Midlothian	…	13·7	4·1	15·9	7·5
Moray and Nairn	…	8·0	1·3	5·3	1·1
Orkney	…	3·9	1·7	2·0	0·7
Peebles	…	1·5	—	1·5	1·5
Perth and Kinross	…	17·8	8·6	10·9	7·2
Renfrew	…	78·8	10·4	72·8	34·6
Ross and Cromarty	…	8·8	3·4	6·7	2·1
Roxburgh	…	11·1	5·4	6·0	—
Selkirk	…	5·3	1·3	2·2	1·0
Stirling	…	38·9	7·6	24·9	9·0
Sutherland	…	2·6	1·2	0·8	0·2
West Lothian	…	35·5	10·1	10·3	5·7
Wigtown	…	8·8	4·8	5·7	2·0
Zetland	…	3·2	1·7	2·5	2·2
Total	…	883·3	254·5	671·3	306·5

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take with regard to the pollution of the River Clyde.

The responsible authorities—Glasgow Corporation and Scottish primary schools, giving separate totals for each education authority in each sector; how this compares with 10 years ago; and how many have the specialist qualification for this work.

The information for January 1974 is given below. Comparable figures for 1964 are not available.the Clyde River Purification Board—are taking all measures open to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to increase the herring quota.

No. The quotas for the year to 30th June 1975 have been agreed internationally, in the light of scientific evidence, with the aim of arresting the serious depletion of the North Sea herring stocks through over-fishing. The quotas will be reviewed annually.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to encourage the better insulation of existing houses in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Studies are in progress at two locations in Scotland to assess more fully the benefits of higher levels of insulation in houses. Meanwhile advice on insulation was issued earlier this year in a Housing Development Note. Improvement of insulation to Building Regulations standard may be grant aided as part of the comprehensive improvement of older houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how self-sufficient Scotland is in forestry products; and how this compares with England, Wales and other European Community countries.

Information obtained from ECE Timber Committee sources indicates that in 1973 the needs and production of softwood, hardwood, plywood, particle board and pulpwood by volume for the Community countries were approximately as follows:

Country	Needs (000's cu. m.)	Production (000's cu. m.)	Production as a percentage of needs
Belgium	6,300	2,700	43
Denmark	4,100	2,000	49
France	25,300	23,400	93
Germany	33,700	28,200	84
Ireland	900	500	55
Italy	14,700	8,300	56
Netherlands	4,900	1,100	22
United Kingdom	16,100	2,600	16

It is not possible to provide separate figures for England, Scotland and Wales. Additional information available for the United Kingdom indicates that the home production percentage would be reduced to about 8 per cent. if commodities such as newsprint and paper were included in the statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mobile classrooms are in use in Scottish secondary schools, giving separate totals for each education authority; and how this compares with 10 years ago.

Detailed records of temporary school accommodation are available only from 1967, and they do not differentiate between primary and secondary schools or between mobile and other forms of accommodation classed as temporary. The total numbers of temporary classrooms of all types in use by each education authority are:

Authority	At September 1967	At September 1974
Burghs:
Aberdeen	25	41
Dundee	58	80
Edinburgh	324	424
Glasgow	584	682
Counties:
Aberdeen	62	78
Angus	60	145
Argyll	19	44
Ayr	286	449
Banff	53	55
Berwick	16	19
Bute	7	13
Caithness	8	41
Clackmannan	25	51
Dumfries	33	36
Dunbarton	193	348
East Lothian	34	52
Fife	154	298
Inverness	86	159
Kincardine	18	20
Kirkcudbright	8	13
Lanark	346	662
Midlothian	45	101
Moray and Nairn	45	50
Orkney	26	30
Peebles	5	5
Perth and Kinross	110	131
Renfrew	78	105
Ross and Cromarty	123	169
Roxburgh	13	29
Selkirk	6	6
Stirling	115	243
Sutherland	3	5
West Lothian	97	144
Wigtown	16	16
Zetland	41	67
Total	3,122	4,811

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will published in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the figures of salaries paid to school teachers in Scotland and comparing these figures with those of salaries paid to school teachers in England.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 11th November to the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mrs. Bain).—[Vol. 881, c. 38.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will urge the Houghton Committee to report as quickly as possible; and if he will make an interim award to the members of the Scottish teachers' profession.

The Houghton Committee has already intimated that it firmly hopes to report before the end of the year and no urging on my part is necessary. So far as the latter part of the Question is concerned, I have nothing to add to what I said during the debate on the Address on 30th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to introduce legislation to enable crofters to purchase their crofts.

I intend to introduce legislation for crofting reform, which would include provision enabling crofters to purchase their crofts, as soon as parliamentary time can be made available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the evidence he has on the extent of wife and child battering in Scotland; and what measures are being taken by local and central Government to alleviate these problems.

The true incidence of violence to wives and children is difficult to ascertain. The published criminal statistics relating to Scotland in 1973 indicate some 300 crimes in the category "cruel and unnatural treatment of children", but the number of children who have suffered physical harm is believed to be greater. Separate statistics of wife assault are not kept.Stirling University is undertaking a study of marital violence with financial assistance from my Department. My Department is in touch with the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children with a view to identifying avenues of joint research or action which it may be helpful to explore.Local authorities are empowered by the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to provide temporary accommodation for persons rendered homeless. Edinburgh and Glasgow Corporations have recently provided financial assistance to voluntary groups to provide refuges for wives and children exposed to violence. East Kilbride Town Council and East Kilbride Development Corporation are jointly involved in the provision of a refuge which is expected to open before the end of the year. Edinburgh YWCA recently acquired three flats as accommodation for unsupported women, including young battered wives without children; my department has offered a grant towards the project.Several voluntary bodies are helping in this field. The RSSPCC and the Marriage Guidance Councils often deal with cases involving violence within the family and receive financial support from my department. The Salvation Army provides temporary accommodation for women who have had to leave their homes. Scottish Women's Aid, a national organisation to co-ordinate existing projects and help set up new centres, was formed in July with membership drawn from groups in the four cities.I expect local authorities, in making assessments of housing needs in their areas, to take due account of the needs of special groups, such as one-parent families. Many authorities will accept separated wives on their waiting lists. Local authority social work departments already do a great deal to help wives who have complained of violence by trying to resolve associated difficulties such as mental illness, alcoholism or rent arrears. A considerable part of social workers' time is devoted to this kind of work, and to the probation supervision in cases involving wife assault coming before the courts. Local authorities can also give financial help in emergencies.Many families in which children have suffered physical abuse need support and help from local authority social work departments in respect of the difficulties which may have given rise to the incidents. It is the responsibility of local authorities to protect children at risk and to provide the residential and other services necessary for their welfare: for example they take children into care on a voluntary basis, or bring them before children's hearings if compulsory measures of care seem to be indicated.My chief professional advisers issued a memorandum on "The battered child" in June 1971, and I hope soon to issue further guidance to local authorities and the health service on arrangements for identifying and dealing with child assault.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the average electorate for constituencies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland according to the current electoral register.

The information is as follows:

England	64,908
Scotland	52,178
Wales	56,021
Northern Ireland	86,824

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislation to resolve the anomalies in the present law on Sunday markets and to increase the powers of local authorities to regulate or prohibit such markets.

The present law contains no provisions which deal with Sunday markets as such. There are many differing views about the provision which should be made for Sunday trading in general, and my right hon. Friend has no plans for legislation in this field in the immediate future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the Crawford Report on Broadcasting.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Questions from the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) and my hon. Friend the Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars) on 4th November.—[Vol. 880, c. 78.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an inquiry into the training and use of guard dogs and include in its terms of reference the need for licensing of the owners and handlers and of the individual dogs.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has recently set up a working party to consider all problems relating to dogs. Meanwhile my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland are considering the preparation of a code of practice about the training and use of guard dogs by security firms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of exempting retired pensioners, who are living alone, from the payment of television licence fees.

About £13 million a year for single pensioner households.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has completed his inquiries concerning the leakage of information in relation to the insurance policy of Mr. Constable of Basildon.

Not yet. My noble Friend the Minister of State wrote to my hon. Friend on 21st October to explain that further inquiries would take some time. He will write again when these have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of prosecutions for conspiracy undertaken in relation to trade union activity in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, and the maximum sentences imposed.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of prosecutions undertaken in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 for unlawful assembly and the maximum sentences imposed;(2) if he will place in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of prosecutions undertaken in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 for causing an affray and the maximum sentences imposed.

The available information is as follows:

PERSONS PROCEEDED AGAINST FOR OFFENCES OF AFFRAY OF UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY, ENGLAND AND WALES, 1971 TO 1973
	Affray	Unlawful assembly
1971	24	755
1972	60	705
1973	82	1,035

The cost of obtaining the remaining information would be disproportionate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now recommend the exercise of the Royal Prerogative and the granting of a free pardon to the two Shrewsbury pickets, Eric Tomlinson and Dennis Warren.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been made to him by trade unions arising from the case of the three Shrewsbury building workers who have been sentenced for intimidation; and what replies he has sent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the three Sherwsbury building workers sentenced for intimidation; and whether he will make a statement.

Since the decision of the Court of Appeal on 29th October dismissing the appeals in this case representations about the sentences have been received from about 100 individuals and bodies, including the TUC. I have also received a deputation form among my hon. Friends.I understand that Mr. Tomlinson and Mr. Warren have now applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal aganst conviction to the House of Lords, and we must now await the results of the applications; but I must remind the House that the Home Secretary cannot usurp the functions of the courts, and should recommend interference with sentences passed by the courts only on the basis of considerations which the courts have not been able to take into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in operation in Common Market countries with regard to foreign nationals and their franchise in local elections.

I have been asked to reply.Foreign nationals are not eligible to vote in local government elections in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg or the Netherlands.In the Republic of Ireland there is no necessary citizenship qualification for eligibility to vote in local government elections: eligibility is determined by having a domicile or property in a given area.In the United Kingdom the persons entitled to vote in parliamentary and local government elections are those who, not being subject to any specific legal incapacity, are British subjects, including Commonwealth citizens, or citizens of the Republic of Ireland, who have reached the age of 18 on the date of the poll, and who, by virtue of these qualifications and their residence in the United Kingdom on the qualifying date each year, have been included in the current register of electors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the difficulties facing contractors to Government Departments supplying goods and services on fixed-price contracts entered into 18 months ago or earlier, in view of the increase in prices during that period; and if he is prepared to authorise an increased payment to contractors who are completing fixed-price contracts at an actual financial loss.

It is normal practice if a contractor so requests to give consideration to the making of an ex-gratia contribution towards a loss suffered on a Government contract where this loss is shown to be significant, to have arisen from circumstances outside the contractor's control, and to have resulted in serious hardship. Such consideration is not usually given until after a contract has been completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Departments and services are comprised under the heading "civilian employment by central government" (Blue Book Table 13): and how many people were employed in each of these Departments/ services in 1960 and in 1973.

The figures comprise the United Kingdom Civil Service, the hospital services, and certain other organisations, including the Northern Ireland Civil Service, which are not part of the United Kingdom Civil Service. Separate figures of employment for the three groups are:

	June 1960	June 1973
	thousands	thousands
Civil Service*	667	707
Hospital Services	565	835
Other	57	66
	1,289	1,608
* Excluding the Post Office in 1960, but including the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the Department of National Savings in 1973.

Analysis, by Department, of Employment in the United Kingdom Civil Service as at 1st July in each year are given in the tables. Because of changes in organisation and responsibilities, the figures for the two years are often not comparable.

CIVIL SERVICE STAFF IN POST 1st JULY 1960
Departments and Number
Admiralty	116,201
Agricultural Research Council	82
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ministry of	16,135

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will zero rate for value added tax purposes the work of living artists, sculptors, writers, composers and musicians, and theatre and concert tickets, and public museum acquisitions.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up a working party with the trade to discuss further the question of VAT on secondhand horse sales.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.