asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firms in Northern Ireland are State con trolled ; and how many are employed by them.

There are 10 firms in the manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland in which the Government have a majority shareholding, either directly, or indirectly through the Northern Ireland Finance Corporation. These firms employ just over 8,000 people.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many murders have been committed in Northern Ireland since 10th February 1974.

There have been 211 murders in Northern Ireland since 10th February 1974, of which 18 occurred since 10th February 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were transferred during 1974 from prisons in Great Britain to Northern Ireland to complete their sentences.

One, from Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what con sultations he has had with the Government of the Irish Republic concerning his negotiations with the agents of the Irish Republican Army.

There have been no negotiations with agents of the Irish Republican Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount of compensation in respect of injury and damage has been paid in each year from 1970 in Northern Ireland.

The total amount of compensation paid from public funds in respect of criminal injuries to persons and to property in Northern Ireland from 1969 up to 31st January 1975 was £107 million.The information is as follows:

1969–70	£2·1 million
1970–71	£3·2 million
1971–72	£4·7 million
1972–73	£28·8 million
1973–74	£31·8 million
1974–31st January 1975	£36·4 million

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will institute a review of the procedures for assessing the compensation paid to those killed and injured in Northern Ireland.

Yes. I am embarking on a review of the operation of the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will set up an expert body to examine the existing rating systems in the province.

The system of rating at present operating in Northern Ireland was introduced as recently as 1973 following the recommendation by the Review Body on Local Government in Northern Ireland made as part of its carefully considered proposals for the reorganisation of local government in Northern Ireland. I will, however, look at the question again in the light of any action taken in England and Wales on the report of the Layfield Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement about delays in the building of publicly-owned houses.

There has been a reduction in the number of public authority houses completed in Northern Ireland during the last two years. Strenuous efforts are being made to increase the Housing Executive's programme, and it is hoped that more new houses will be started in 1975 than were started in 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the

					1971		1972
					Great Britain	Northern Ireland	Great Britain	Northern Ireland
Number of stoppages beginning in the year—
Known official			…	…	153	8	155	5
Otherst†		…	…	…	2,017	50	2,301	36
Total	…	…	…	…	2,170	58	2,456	41
					1973		1974*
					Great Britain	Northern Ireland	Great Britain	Northern Ireland
Number of stoppages beginning in the year—
Known official			…	…	126	6	98	4
Otherst†		…	…	…	2,678	54	2,678	102
Total	…	…	…	…	2,813	60	2,776	106
					1971		1972
					(000's)		(000's)
					Great Britain	Northern Ireland	Great Britain	Northern Ireland
Working days lost per year (rounded to nearest thousand)					13,324	227	23,603	306
					1973		1974
					(000's)		(000's)
					Great Britain	Northern Ireland	Great Britain	Northern Ireland
Working days lost per year (rounded to nearest thousand)					7,124	74	14,471	269
*Figures for 1974 are provisional.
† It is not known whether all of the Great Britain figures were unofficial but the majority would have been in that category. Stoppages in protest against the Industrial Relations Act are not included Nor are the stoppages which took place during the UWC strike.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time and part-time teachers are employed in the Prison Education Service ; what other staff are employed ; what is the estimated cost of the service in 1975–76, and the actual cost in 1974–75, including, in each case, the cost of books, other educational materials and visual aids; and what estimate has been made of the number and value of the books destroyed at the Maze Prison during the fire caused by the Provisional IRA last year.

There are five full-time and 47 part-time teachers presently employed in the Prison Education Service. Their work is supervised by four

The information is as follows:full-time education officers, one in each prison. Professional oversight of the service is the responsibility of a Chief Education and Training Officer and his deputy. Administrative support is provided by five clerical and administrative staff.Subject to the approval of Parliament, the cost of the service in 1975–76 is estimated to be £200,000, including £11,600 for books, £2,400 for educational materials and £1,200 for audio visual aids. The actual cost to date in the financial year 1974–75 is about £70,000, including £10,000 for books, £3,100 for educational materials and £8,500 for audio visual aids.During the fire at Her Majesty's Prison Maze, approximately 2,300 library books and 2,000 text books were destroyed at an estimated cost of £4,185 and £1,450 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average cost per student of the Prison Education Service ; and how this compares with the average cost of full-time and part-time students at colleges of education and the Northern Ireland Polytechnic.

Education in Her Majesty's penal establishments is mainly voluntary and the service offered by educational staff embraces formal teaching, the provision of educational materials and advice of an educational nature often given on a casual basis. It is, therefore, not practicable to determine the average cost per student.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost for the past 12 months of providing a police guard for certain hon. Members representing Northern Ireland constituencies and members of the Northern Ireland Assembly ; and how many police are currently engaged on such duty.

During the past 12 months the cost of providing a police guard for certain hon. Members of Parliament representing Northern Ireland constituencies and members of the Northern Ireland Assembly was approximately £700,000. It is not in the interests of security to give particulars of police manpower deployed on these duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is now in a position to make a statement on his decision regarding the setting up of law centres in Northern Ireland.

Local advice centres have been operating in Northern Ireland for many years with part-time and voluntary professional assistance. I have now taken the views of interested parties about the best means of augmenting legal services in Northern Ireland and am considering whether it would be possible to establish, for an experimental two-year period, a professionally-staffed central office in Belfast to give advice and assist- ance to persons referred to it from the various local advice centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the escape of prisoners awaiting trial at Newry.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave him in the House yesterday when I indicated that an inquiry was being made into the matter. In the circumstances, I cannot comment further.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his decision to release on parole the Great Train robbers.

Yes. The Parle Board recommended that James White and Ronald Edwards should be released on licence and, after careful consideration of all the relevant factors, I accepted this recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to encourage closer co-ordination of police forces on national inquiries such as the Lesley Whittle case.

Chief officers of police are already well aware of the need for close co-operation between forces in the investigation of major crimes, and I shall continue, through Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary, to encourage its further development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been killed as a result of criminal action since the abolition of the death penalty in 1965 ; and how many lost their lives by criminal action in the nine previous years.

The number of police officers in England and Wales who, in the years 1957 to 1974, were victims while on duty, of offences currently classified as murder, is shown in the following table:

1957	NIL
1958	1
1959	1
1960	1
1961	2
1962	NIL
1963	NIL
1964	NIL
1965	2
1966	4
1967	NIL
1968	NIL
1969	NIL
1970	1
1971	2
1972	1
1973	1
1974	1

In addition, two police officers—one in 1958 and one in 1969—were killed by persons subsequently convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a circular to local authorities advising them to prepare and distribute leaflets setting out what is necessary for proper care of household pets, at the time when licences for household pets are issued, having regard to the fact that 15,000 pets have to be destroyed each year in Liverpool, including 7,994 dogs, because pets were unwanted or neglected.

I am not persuaded that such measures, which amongst other considerations would be costly, would be justified by the results.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local inquiries have been held in the last four years under Section 32 of the Police Act 1964.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been committed to prison in the last two years for which figures are available because the Secretary of State for the Home Department failed to notify the court of the availability of a remand centre place under Section 23(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.

The great majority of courts in England and Wales commit to remand centres male young persons aged 14–16 in respect of whom unruly certificates have been issued under Section 23(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969. But some courts commit to Bedford, Canterbury, Lincoln, Norwich, Oxford and Shrewsbury prisons. Boys received in these establishments may subsequently be transferred to remand centres. Courts in the greater part of England and Wales commit to remand centres girls in this age group who are the subject of an unruly certificate, but those in the South-East and Midlands commit to Holloway prison.The numbers of young persons aged 14–16 initially committed to these prisons before trial or sentence in 1973 and 1974 are not immediately available, but I shall let my hon. Friend have this information as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the Working Party on Bail Procedure in Magistrates' Courts.

My right hon. Friend intends in due course to introduce legislation to implement those of the working party's recommendations that require it. Work is proceeding on the recommendations that can be implemented by administrative means.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has an estimate of the total cost of improving stadia with a capacity of more than 10,000 for the purposes of complying with the safety requirements of the Safety of Sports Grounds Bill.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to a Question by the hon. Member on 9th December 1974. —[Vol. 883, c. 41.]

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to hold a meeting with the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 6th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent talks with representatives of the CBI about the rôle of the National Enterprise Board.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with CBI leaders on 26th February to discuss the Industry Bill.

asked the Prime Minster whether he will make a statement on his latest meeting with the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his latest meeting with the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his most recent meeting with the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his latest meeting with the CBI.

I have had two meetings with representatives of the CBI recently at which they have outlined their anxieties about various aspects of the Industry Bill. The Government are considering the points that were raised with a view to a further meeting in the near future.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now pay an official visit to Merseyside.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to him on 27th February.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the course of his conversations with the Soviet leaders during his visit to Moscow, he discussed with them the safety of North Sea oil rigs.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if, during his coming visit to Cardiff, he will discuss with the Welsh Council and Wales TUC the establishment of direct links between the Welsh Assembly and the institutions of the EEC.

No, but I hope to visit Wales again later this year for discussions with the Wales TUC and others when I shall be interested to listen to observations on any aspects of devolution.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will seek the agreement of the right hon. Member for Sidcup (Mr. Heath) to the publication of an official history of the negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the EEC prepared on a contractual basis in 1972 by Sir Con O'Neill.

No. I explained to the House in 1966 the arrangements governing official histories of peace-time episodes. The document to which my hon. Friend refers was not such a history. Indeed, it was made clear when it was commissioned that it was a report for official purposes only. It was a confidential report made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary of the day to which the present Government do not have access.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech made by the Lord President of the Council in Newcastle on 15th February about devolution and regional development represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of his recent talks with the Scottish TUC.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his visit to Glasgow on 1st March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his visit to Glasgow on 1st March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his visit to Glasgow on 1st March.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) on 11th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting in Dublin with EEC Heads of Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement about the meeting in Dublin of the Heads of Government of the EEC.

I did so yesterday.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Hull.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Congleton.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Tavistock.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Ripon.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will appoint an agricultural expert to the Central Policy Review Staff.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing (Mr. Stanley) on 6th March.

asked the Prime Minister when he last paid an official visit to the Great Manchester area.

I was last in the Greater Manchester area in October, and I shall be there again this weekend, when I shall be visiting Wigan.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Health and Social Security, the Department of Employment and other Government Departments in the provision of services for disabled people throughout the country.

Yes. This is the particular concern of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State who has particular departmental responsibility for the disabled.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Jersey.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if the public statement of the Lord President of the Council on Wednesday 26th February on the referendum White Paper represented Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister if the Lord President's public statement of 26th February on the referendum represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Burpham during 1975.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce regulations to specify a minimum nutritional standard for slimming foods.

Regulations are already in force controlling slimming claims for food. The Food Standards Committee is considering as part of its general review of our food labelling law whether these regulations need to be changed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the amount and the proportion by which farm incomes increased in 1974; and what increase he expects in the current year.

The industry's aggregate net income for 1974–75 is expected to be about £150 million, 12 per cent., below the 1973–74 level. When adjusted to normal weather conditions the fall is 3 per cent. It is difficult to predict income for 1975–76. Much depends on future feed cost movements and weather, but the determinations my right hon. Friend announced on 17th February—[Vol. 886, c. 917]—will be of major benefit.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of fish are now held in cold storage in the United Kingdom.

The White Fish Authority estimated that about 48,000 tons of frozen fish were held in store on 31st January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in his discussions with representatives of the egg industry on the matter of the import of foreign eggs ; and what decisions he has reached.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Tom Torney) on 4th March.—[Vol. 887, c. 368.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of eggs imported from France was produced from poultry fed upon substances into which arsenical additives and antibodies were added.

As I am sure my hon. Friend understands, I am not in a position to make an authoritative statement about the use of these substances in egg production in France. I understand, however, that French legislation prohibits the administration of arsenicals to laying hens, except for therapy ; and EEC legislation on the use of antibiotics in egg production is similar to our own.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the cost incurred or the charges imposed, other than transportation costs, per head of live cattle exported to other countries within the EEC this year.

Under the EEC system of accession and monetary compensatory amounts charges are made on cattle exported from the United Kingdom to other

AVERAGE UNIT VALUES OF UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS OF CERTAIN COMMODITIES JANUARY 1975

Commodity

EEC Countries

Non·EEC Countries

£ p ton

£ p ton

1.EEC lower than non·EEC

Wheat

…

…

…

Denmark

…

…

75·41

U.S.A

…

…

…

93·89

…

…

…

France

…

…

…

75·48

Canada

…

…

…

90·32

Rice, short grained

…

…

…

Italy

…

…

…

162·85

Australia

…

…

185·85

Apples

…

…

…

France

…

…

…

199·86

U.S.A

…

…

…

203·78

…

…

…

Italy

…

…

…

179·60

Canada

…

…

…

229·51

Bacon, sides

…

…

Irish Republic

…

…

667·25

Sweden

…

…

…

779·71

…

…

…

Denmark

…

…

713·13

Poland

…

…

…

721·27

Raw sugar, beet and cane

France

…

…

…

158·19

Australia

…

…

164·17

Belgium/Luxembourg

…

158·59

Guyana

…

…

…

162·04

Mauritius

…

…

212·86

Tomatoes, fresh

…

…

Netherlands

…

…

352·48

Spain

…

…

…

391·80

Canary Island;

…

…

380·36

2. No significant difference

Refined sugar

…

…

France

…

…

…

218·97

Barbados

…

…

217·58

Maize

…

…

…

France

…

…

…

72·72

U.S.A

…

…

…

71·69

West Germany

…

…

79·96

South Africa

…

…

74·05

3. Non·EEC lower than EEC

Lard

…

…

…

Belgium/Luxembourg

…

280·40

Hungary

…

…

213·44

Netherlands

…

…

292·38

Poland

…

…

…

278·54

U.S.A

…

…

…

388·08

Butter

…

…

…

France

…

…

…

727·12

New Zealand

…

…

360·97

Netherlands

…

…

729·96

Denmark

…

…

740·02

Cheddar type cheese

…

Irish Republic

…

…

856·06

New Zealand

…

…

312·20

Netherlands

…

…

842·78

Lamb

…

…

…

Irish Republic (fresh)

…

…

676·27

New Zealand (frozen)

…

…

505·58

Beef

…

…

…

No reliable comparisons possible owing to ban on imports from non-EEC countries.

Sources:

Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

Customs and Excise Tabulation sheets.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now update the tables of comparative food prices in and out of the EEC published in the Official Report of 23rd January 1975 to the most recent date possible.

As I pointed out in my earlier reply, there is no easily identifiable world price for many commodities and direct comparison of prices of foodstuffs from different national sources are difficult to make because of differences in quality grading and presentation of products. Subject to these reservations a revised table, showing the latest information available for January 1975, is set out below.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the conditions attached to the United Kingdom's current trade in foodstuffs with New Zealand and the quantities of main foodstuffs imported from New Zealand in 1974, together with the respective cost to importers and levies and duties paid in each category to the EEC.

The United Kingdom's import trade with New Zealand is subject to the transitional arrangements laid down in the Treaty of Accession for the adoption of the Common Customs Tariff and the Common Agricultural Policy.

MAIN FOODSTUFFS IMPORTED FROM NEW ZEALAND—1974
						Quantity*	CIF Value*	Levy/Duty Receipts†
						(tons)	(£000)	(£1,000)
Mutton and lamb		…	…	…	…	200,316	101,507	10,360
Butter	…	…	…	…	…	120,051	43,723	8,700
Cheese and curd		…	…	…	…	16,328	5,143	4,300
Apples (fresh)		…	…	…	…	19,366	4,357	—
*Source: Customs Tabulation sheets.
† MAFF estimate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to obtain or improvise additional storage capacity for grain in the United Kingdom; and if he has approached the Port of London Authority in this respect concerning silo capacity in the Royal Docks.

So far as the present crop year is concerned there are adequate storage facilities available to deal with any foreseeable intervention situation. As to the long term, the Intervention Board

					£/long ton
					Wheat	Barley	Maize
(a) EEC institutional prices effective during March 1975—
Target price	…	…	…	…	68·72	62·72	61·02
Intervention price		…	…	…	62·44	55·30	50·43
(b) Levy payable on imports to United Kingdom (12th March 1975)—			…	…	—	—	—
(c)World Price	…	…	…	…	49·09	53·02	47·00

Institutional prices are set for grain of a standard quality. The world prices quoted have been converted to that standard and to a cif Rotterdam basis. They are expressed by the Commission in units of account and have been converted to £ sterling at the agricultural represen-

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the current target and intervention prices of the main grains inside the EEC and comparable world prices, together with the rate of duty and levies for imports to the United Kingdom from world markets.

Following is the information requested:tative rate of £1=2·0053 ua. As far as the United Kingdom was concerned the Community import levy at 12th March 1975 was reduced by the accession compensatory amount to zero on barley and maize and to £1·69 on wheat. Monetary compensatory amounts acting as import subsidies were applicable on 12th March 1975 at the rate per ton of £5·47 on barley, £5·61 on maize and £6·40 on wheat. The latter, therefore, more than offset the import levy on wheat. No duty is payable on the import to the United Kingdom of any of these grains.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which terms of renegotiation with the EEC have been successfully concluded ; which have been unsuccessful, and which remain to be determined.

Renegotiation has been taken as far as possible in the time available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how far agriculture in the EEC receives cheap credit.

I have been asked to reply.A range of subsidised credit facilities is available to farmers in the other member states of the EEC, while in the United Kingdom similar assistance to farmers is generally in the form of capital grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which industries receive cheap credit in the EEC ; and to what extent.

I have been asked to reply.I will do so as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government's policy on the Beira Patrol has been affected by recent political developments in Mozambique.

Developments in Mozambique are clearly relevant and the Government are keeping them and other factors under review. Future policy must depend on how the situation evolves.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has to meet representatives of the Society of British Aerospace companies.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be seeing them next week.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make and publish estimates of the changes in productivity, profitability, efficiency, volume of exports and public accountability which are expected to follow nationalisation of the aerospace construction industry.

I have nothing to add to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary gave to the hon. Member on 10th March.—[Vol. 888, c. 56.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of the £49·2 million paid by the European Agricultural Finance and Guarantee Fund support of tobacco prices was contributed by the United Kingdom ; and what are the expected equivalent sums, respectively, for 1974 and 1975.

The United Kingdom contributes to the Community budget as a whole and not to individual parts of it. The United Kingdom contribution is:

• 87·78 per cent, in 1973,
• 11·04 per cent, in 1974,
• 13·57 per cent, in 1975.

The budget provision for expenditure on tobacco was £58·8 million in 1974 and is estimated at £69·3 million in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what share British motor manufacturers have of the small-engined car in the United Kingdom market; and what proportion of that market is supplied by imports ;(2) what share British motor manufacturers have the larger sized cars in the United Kingdom market; and what percentage of that market is supplied by imports.

The information is not readily available from official sources but estimates are shown below based on data from the British motor industry. The terms "small engined cars" and especially" larger cars" have no fixed definitions and alternative estimates are provided for the latter on two possible interpretations of the intended meaning:

ESTIMATED UNITED KINGDOM MARKET SHARES OF BRITISH MADE AND IMPORTED CARS IN 1974 ANALYSED BY ENGINE SIZE
Size Group	Share taken by United Kingdom car manufacturers	Share supplied by imported cars
	Per cent.	Per cent.
Small engined cars (under 1,275 c.c.)	56	44
Larger cars*(over 1,275 c.c.)	80	20
Larger cars †(over 1,975 c.c.)	73	27
Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited.
*" Larger cars "are here taken to mean larger than the small engined cars in the first line of the table.
† An alternative definition of "larger cars" (in the sense of those towards the upper end of the range) is here taken to mean cars of 2 litres nominal engine size and above.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why he will not give an undertaking that any information given to his Department following a request under his powers in the Industry Bill will continue to be treated as confidential by him when it has also been given to a trade union in accordance with the provisions of the Bill.

The Bill places no constraint on the use to which trade unions may put information provided to them as a consequence of a ministerial requirement, and there is no reason why the Minister should give an undertaking which would prevent his exercising his discretion in the public interest. For example, if, through the exercise of the information powers, I learned of plans for the imminent closure of an important industrial concern, I might regard it as proper to inform this House at the same time as the unions were informed by the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of the circumstances leading to the closure by Litton Industries of their factories in Hull and Leicester, he will prohibit the import to the United Kingdom of typewriters made by the Adler division of Litton Industries in West Germany.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7th March 1975 ; Vol. 887, c. 540], gave the following information :Consultants commissioned by the Government have submitted a report on the possibility of continuing typewritter manufacture in the Imperial Typewriter factories at Hull and Leicester. The report is being discussed with representatives of the work forces and meanwhile I cannot say what action might be taken. I can say, however, that an import ban would be likely to meet objections both in the EEC and under the GATT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what date he intends to phase out completely the subsidies to the nationalised industries at present being paid in compensation for price restraint.

I hope that the phasing out of these subsidies to the industries concerned—gas, electricity and the Post Office—will be completed by 1976–77.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the estimated cash flow benefit to companies in 1973–74 and 1974–75 to date derived from the payment of dividends in stocks or shares at the option of shareholders instead of in the usual cash form ; and what has been the estimated loss of tax revenue.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will clarify his intentions regarding dividends paid in stock or shares instead of the usual cash form by stating the position as to options still open to shareholders as at 6th April, stipulating whether his proposals relate only to those situations where there is an option open to shareholders.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget proposals in this respect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of administering VAT since 1st April 1973 to 1st April 1974 and the period from 1st April 1974 to date.

It is estimated that the total cost of administering VAT in 1973–74 was about £35 million ; and for the year beginning 1st April 1974 will be of the order of £50 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the difficulties now facing the horticultural industry, he will now reconsider his decision not to zero-rate cut flowers for VAT purposes.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the cost of zero rating for the purposes of VAT safety and lifesaving equipment used in sports and physical recreation ;(2) what would be the cost of zero rating for purposes of VAT formal courses in sport and physical recreation ;(3) what would be the cost of exempting from VAT subscriptions to sports clubs and associations.

I regret that information on which to base such an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the total cost of removing VAT from ticket sales of professional and amateur sports other than professional football.

The cost would probably be about £1 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the total cost of removing VAT from sporting goods.

I regret that information is not available in this form, but it is estimated that the cost of removing VAT from sports goods including toys and games would probably be of the order of £8 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the total cost of relieving professional football of VAT.

The cost would probably be about £2 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether instructions issued to VAT officers are in written form ; and whether they make a clear distinction between their powers of inspection and search.

The instructions issued to all VAT officers are in written form. They specifically draw officers' attention to the clear distinction between the power to inspect premises and goods under Section 37(2) of the Finance Act 1972 and the power to search premises, which can be exercised only under a justice's warrant issued under Section 37(3).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the value of the pound has fallen since March 1970.

40½ per cent. This estimate is based on the change in the General Index of Retail Prices between March 1970 and January 1975, the latest available date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he has made to ensure that the Inland Revenue can meet the timetables envisaged in the Government's proposals for a development land tax and a wealth tax, respectively.

As announced in the Inland Revenue statement of 4th February, it is proposed that the development land tax should operate from an appointed day which will not be before the end of this year. As stated in the Green Paper (Cmnd. 5704), I hope to introduce legislative provisions for the wealth tax in 1976, after the Select Committee has reported, with a first valuation date of either 31st December 1976 or 31st March 1977. If these timetables are to be met, planning must not be delayed pending introduction of the legislation, and the PSA has been authorised to enter now into any commitments necessary to ensure that accommodation will be available. Any necessary expenditure will be met by drawing on the Contingencies Fund pending a Supplementary Estimate, which will be presented at the next opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any proposals for reducing the order for Hawker Siddeley Hawk trainer aircraft for the Royal Air Force as a result of defence cuts ; and what is the present order situation.

175 Hawk aircraft are on order. The Royal Air Force is reviewing its requirements for the training of front line pilots but it will be some time before the precise effect is known.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will permit members of the TAVR who normally complete their annual training with regular regiments of which they were formerly Regular or National Service members to carry out their training in Ulster, in those cases where the regular regiments concerned are stationed at present in Ulster.

No. As in the case of TAVR units, it would not be appropriate for individual members of the TAVR to carry out their annual 15 days training camp in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, having regard to the raid on fishing vessels at Greencastle, County Donegal, he is satisfied with the naval and air surveillance of Ulster waters ; and whether he will make a statement.

The level of military activity in Northern Ireland, including naval and air surveillance of territorial waters, is kept under review in the light of all relevant circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if he will list in the Official Report the occasions since January 1951 on which his Department has issued circulars to local authorities requesting them to stabilise or reduce local government expenditure on educational provisions, indicating the relevant Command Papers.

I regret that this information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to see that the recommendations contained in the Houghton Report, relating to teachers' pay, are extended to local education authority advisers and inspectors on Solbury salary scales, which are related to Burnham.

No. I understand that a claim based on the Houghton recommendations has been rejected by the local authority employers and the issue is to go to arbitration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the legislation, regulations and circulars produced by his Department during the previous 12 months that have laid new duties on local authorities or given them guidance which, if acted upon, involved additional work.

No new duties have been imposed upon local authorities during the last 12 months by legislation—including subordinate legislation—for which my Department is responsible. It is not practicable to distinguish between guidance which involves additional work and guidance which modifies the way in which continuing responsibilities are discharged.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will pay an official visit to Stirlingshire to investigate the employment situation there at first hand.

I have no immediate plans to do so. However, I recently accompanied the Prime Minister on his visit to Glasgow, where we discussed the general employment situation in Scotland with the Scottish TUC.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will undertake a study of the effects of the redundancies which occurred at Irlam Steel Works in 1971 and 1974 with particular reference to how many people were made redundant and not re-employed after six or 12 months ; what drop, if any, there was in the average earnings of those who were re-employed ; how many of those who were re-employed had lost their jobs within six and 12 months ; and how far people who were re-employed had to travel daily to their new employment.

No. I understand that the British Steel Corporation, the Training Services Agency and the Commission of the European Communities have jointly sponsored research into the impact on BSC workers of the 1974 Irlam redundancy, and that a final report is expected about the middle of this year. No further studies are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the extent of the right to trade union membership is sufficiently known to employees ; and if he will introduce legislation to ensure that this right is stated in all contracts of employment.

At present there is no statutory right to trade union membership. However, the forthcoming Employment Protection Bill will include a right for employees not to have action taken against them by their employer for the purpose of preventing or deterring them from belonging to a union, or penalising them for doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what drawings from the EEC Social Fund were made by each of the member countries in 1974 ; what percentage of the total payments out of the fund the payments to the United Kingdom represented ; and how these figures compare with the equivalent figures in 1973.

Allocations to the member countries for 1973 and 1974 were as follows :

	1973	1974
	£ million	£ million
Belgium	3·0	2·7
Denmark	2·1	5·1
Germany	8·3	11·7
France	15·1	20·6
Ireland	4·1	7·0
Italy	18·2	30·3
Luxembourg	0·02	0·004
Netherlands	2·8	2·8
United Kingdom	23·9	25·9
Totals	77·5	106·1

Allocations to the United Kingdom in 1973 and 1974 represented approximately 31 per cent, and 24 per cent., respectively of the total allocations from the fund for these years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many women are affected by the 43 negotiating bodies with collective agreements with women's rates less than 95 per cent, of men's and 97 collective agreements with discriminating reference to women.

I regret that the full information requested is not available, but estimates of the numbers of female employees in some of the agreements referred to were published in Table 2 of the article on "Progress towards Equal Pay" published in the August 1974 edition of the Department of Employment Gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure on the number of collective agreements that contain discriminating reference to women ; and how many of these have women's rates less than 95 per cent, of the men's rate.

I regret that all the information could not be obtained in the time available. I shall circulate it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider introducing legislation to ensure that those companies whose women's rates are less than 90 per cent, of the men's on 1st July 1975 will be required to pay the difference backdated to 1st July 1975, in a lump sum on 29th December 1975.

No. It would not be appropriate to introduce legislation of the kind suggested, at this late stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many women he estimates will be affected by the Equal Pay Act.

I am sorry that it is not possible to estimate the number of women who will be affected by the Equal Pay Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his expenditure on publicising the Equal Pay Act and the steps that have been taken in this regard.

To date I have spent the sum of £71,400 on publicising the Act —£67,110 on advertising in the Press and

Cost to the Government
Event					Date		Location				£
Sixth Annual Conference and Exposition on Offshore Technology			…	…	May 1974	…	Houston, U.S.A.			…	36,800
European Exhibition for Petroleum Technology	…	…	…	…	May 1974	…	Amsterdam, Holland			…	19,000
Offshore North Sea Oil and Gas Exploitation Exhibition	…	…	…	…	September 1974		Stavanger, Norway			…	33,300
Offshore International	…	…	…	…	October 1974	…	London	…	…	…	20,500