asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give an indication of how long the Polaris submarine will remain operational.

They canremain operational for many years yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs in Scotland will be affected by the defence cuts.

Planning of reductions in MOD civilian employees is continuing and it is not possible to give detailed figures for Scotland at this stage. So far as defence industries are concerned, the main effect in Scotland will be felt by Rolls-Royce's Glasgow factories. The extent to which job opportunities will be affected will depend, among other things, on management decisions by Rolls-Royce.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the likely effect of the defence review on employment in the Bristol area.

On the basis of present planning the only significant effect we foresee in the Bristol area is that the rephasing of the MRCA production programme will affect Rolls-Royce. It is too early to say how many job opportunities will be affected, because this will depend, among other things, on decisions by Rolls-Royce how to manage the revised programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has now considered the industrial consequences of his defence review as it will affect the Yorkshire and Humberside region: and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has now considered the industrial consequences of his defence review as it will affect the Yorkshire and Humberside Region, particularly Hull and district and if he will make a statement.

The defence review is unlikely to have any marked effect on industry in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has formed of the loss of jobs in civilian dockyards that will result from the transfer of the refitting of Royal Fleet auxiliaries to Her Majesty's dockyards.

There is no prospect for several years at least of any significant loss of jobs in civilian dockyards resulting from the transfer of the refitting of RFAs to Her Majesty's Dockyards.Capacity in the Royal dockyards will not be released from warship refitting in any quantity as a result of the defence review until 1977–78. In the meantime, the great majority of RFA refits will continue to be placed with civil ship repairers. The allocation of RFA refits from 1977–78 has still to be decided and will depend on various considerations, including the dockyard capacity then available, other demands for its use, as well as the effect on employment in civil shipyards.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now receive a deputation representing Hawker Siddeley workers from Bitteswell regarding the cancellation of the Argosy conversion project.

If my hon. Friend thinks it would be welcomed and would serve a useful purpose, yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from NATO on the proposed defence cuts.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from NATO authorities in regard to the proposed defence cuts.

I would refer the hon. Member to the 1975 statement on the Defence Estimates, and to the NATO communiqué issued on 19th March which, as I said earlier today, is being published in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentages of NATO's budget are contributed by the United Kingdom. the Federal Republic of Germany, and France.

Details of national contributions to NATO infrastructure and NATO military and civil budgets are:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he will visit the sovereign base areas in Cyprus.

I visited the sovereign base areas in Cyprus early in January this year. At present I have no further plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is proposed that the Akrotiri air base should pass to NATO control when United Kingdom forces withdraw.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army personnel are on duty in Northern Ireland.

Approximately 15,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will ensure that the arrangements for collection and handling of defence intelligence remain satisfactory after the cuts envisaged by the Defence White Paper.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the net manpower saving which will result from the proposed reorganisation of the command structure in the BAOR.

As the Defence White Paper explains, we will not, in advance of MBFR, reduce the forces which we maintain on the mainland of Europe in accordance with our Brussels Treaty obligations. For this reason substantial manpower savings are not being sought as a consequence of the reorganisation of the BAOR command structure. But this reorganisation will enable a significant number of men to be redeployed into teeth arm units and for the man-to-weapon ratio to be improved.

asked the Secretary unionists concerning the cuts in defence of State for Defence how many regiments expenditure are controlled by one headquarters in the BAOR.

At present, excluding HQ BAOR itself, there are 12 headquarters which together command 54 teeth arm units. The number of regiments commanded by each headquarters varies with the type of formation. At present a divisional headquarters commands directly five major teeth arm units and two brigade headquarters, which in turn each command four teeth arm units.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he gave to the situation on the southern flank of NATO in reaching his decision to withdraw United Kingdom forces from the Mediterranean.

As the 1975 statement on Defence Estimates explains, some reduction in our current NATO contribution is inevitable if the objectives of our defence review are to be achieved. The Government have, therefore, had to make decisions about the areas in which our defence contribution to the alliance could most effectively be concentrated. The statement sets out clearly which priority areas we have chosen and the reasons for choosing them. It also indicates our willingness to make certain changes affecting the southern region to help meet the main points of NATO concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the RAF has to dispose of its surplus Nimrod aircraft by sale to outside interests.

There is at present no surplus of Nimrods. It is, therefore, premature to consider an early sale of these aircraft. If, as a result of decisions about the future use of these aircraft, any become surplus to RAF requirements the method of their disposal, including the possibility of a sale, will be given careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from trade unionists concerning the cuts in defence expenditure.

I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave earlier this afternoon to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mr. Lane) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Golding).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from trade unionists and the TUC concerning the defence expenditure.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier this afternoon to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mr. Lane) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Golding).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received over the last two years about the effects of vibrations and noise from the P and E establishment at Inchterf on the quality of life in its immediate environs; and if he will make a statement.

Five written representations and about 60 telephone complaints direct to the establishment. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Army wrote to the hon. Member on 20th March about measures taken by the establishment to reduce noise disturbance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the number of ballistic missiles installed by the Soviet Union at Berbera, Somalia, and in other East African bases used by Soviet forces, which could affect the safety of British shipping routes.

I am aware that the Soviet Union is making use of certain facilities at Berbera, but the hon. Member will not expect me to elaborate in greater detail on matters of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many confidential resumés or advance briefings of the defence review were given by Ministers or by his Department to trade union bodies.

None, although, as the hon. Member knows, there have been discussions with trade union representatives about the detailed implications of the defence review measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the condition imposed on the recent sale to the London borough of Bromley of the airfield at Biggin Hill, that it must remain available for civil and military flying, will continue to apply after the intended closure of RAF Station, Biggin Hill.

The final decision as to whether or not there is a further Service requirement for the land currently occupied by the RAF at Biggin Hill will in no way affect the existing right by military and civil aircraft to use the airfield there.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the maintenance of St. George's Battle of Britain Memorial Chapel at Biggin Hill after the proposed closure of RAF Station, Biggin Hill.

The maintenance of St. George's Battle of Britain Memorial Chapel after 1978–79, when it is planned to redeploy the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre from RAF Biggin Hill, is currently under examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to £ sterling of maintaining British forces in Germany in each of the years 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1973–74.

Local defence expenditure, rounded to the nearest £1 million, was:

1971–72	173
1972–73	206
1973–74	283

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the value of the forces offset arrangement with the Federal German Government in each of the past four years.

Under the terms of the current Offset Agreement, Her Majesty's Government have received an annual payment of DM110 million in each of the last four years. The Federal Government have also agreed to make and promote purchases of British civil and military goods and services. As regards military purchases by Germany the annual figures are as follows:

	DM Million
1st April 1971–31st December 1971	109
1st January 1972–31st December 1972	277
1st January 1973–31st December 1973	218
1st January 1974–30th June 1974	77
Total	681

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many gallons of fuel per minute are used by the type of RAF planes that have been flying very low over Llangadog and Myddfai in Dyfed in recent days between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Four types of aircraft—the Hunter, Harrier, Jaguar and Buccaneer—took part in this low-flying exercise which was held between 7th and 11th April and the fuel consumption rates are 8.75, 9–6, 11.3 and 14.5 gallons per minute respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when last a RFA was refitted in one of Her Majesty's dockyards.

Since the minor programme of refitting RFAs in Her Majesty's dockyards was started some six months ago, three such refits have been completed. Two more are currently in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what RFAs have been refitted by outside contractors in each of the past five years; how long each refit took; how much it cost; and how many man-hours were involved in each case.

The information is not available in the form requested. The main details of refits by outside contractors are as follows:

	RFA's refitted	Average length of refits in running days	Total cost of refits £'000
1970	29	44	2,605
1971	26	45	3,781
1972	32	34	3,887
1973	29	45	4,156
1974	28	52	5,423
			(to date)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the current evaluation of the United States AWACS aircraft is being conducted with the aim of meeting the United Kingdom's air defence requirements, or with the aim of meeting the continental European air defence requirement;(2) if the current evaluation of the United States AWACS aircraft is being conducted in a radar jamming environment.

The United Kingdom Air Defence Region forms an integral part of NATO's collective air defence system. NATO is currently evaluating a number of airborne early warning systems with a view to improving radar coverage at low levels. A prototype Boeing E3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft is currently visiting Europe for demonstration purposes in connection with these studies. Resistance to jamming will be an important factor in any choice of AEW aircraft, although no extensive evaluation of this particular characteristic is planned during the current short demonstration visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received the results of the inquiry into the parachuting accident during exercise Bold Guard over the Kiel Canal on 11th September 1974: and if he will now make a statement.

The proceedings of the joint Royal Air Force and Army Board of Inquiry on this tragic accident have now been received and studied.After an exhaustive examination, which included taking evidence from some 74 witnesses, it has been established that the basic reason for 15 men landing in the canal was that the actual wind encountered during the parachute descent was both stronger and more southerly than had been forecast, due to a temperature inversion near the surface. Using our present methods of weather forecasting this variation could not have been detected before the actual drop.All the parachutists involved had had the necessary training and had been specifically briefed on the possibility of a landing into water. All were equipped with lifejackets which are inflated by releasing gas by hand from an attached cylinder. In the case of the six men who were drowned, three, for reasons unknown, had not attempted to inflate their lifejackets; in the case of the other three the lifejackets had failed to inflate because the head of the gas cylinder had not been screwed home, one of them because the thread had become crossed.I have carefully considered the report of the Board of Inquiry. I am satisfied that the decision to carry out the drop was justified in the circumstances and that every reasonable precaution was taken, including the provision of safety boats. Closure of the canal during the drop could not be negotiated, but I am satisfied that this was not a significant factor in the tragedy.A full review of all existing procedures for parachute drops, including the methods of determining wind speed and direction during descent, is being undertaken to reduce or eliminate the chances of a similar occurrence. Although there is no evidence either way to show whether the cross-threaded gas cylinder was issued in that state, action has been taken to improve standards of maintenance and inspection of lifejackets and to ensure that the gas cylinder head is fully screwed home before the jacket is issued.I deeply regret the tragic deaths of these six volunteer soldiers. My concern is not lessened by the fact that the men who were involved in this parachute drop took part knowing the high risks inherent in military parachuting and that fatal accidents will occur from time to time. It is, however, to minimise these risks that we are adopting the additional measures I have already described.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of persons presently working on short time; and what was the number of such persons (a) six months ago and (b) 12 months ago.

Following is the information available:

NUMBERS ON SHORT-TIME IN GREAT BRITAIN
	Regular monthly inquiries	Reports from regions
March 1975	Not yet available	220,000
February 1975	181,000	—
September 1974	63,000	—
March 1975	235,000	—

The latest figure available from the regular monthly statistical inquiry is for February 1975 and relates to operatives in manufacturing industries. The more recent figure, for March 1975, is an approximate estimate compiled from regional reports and may not be precisely comparable with or as reliable as the regular monthly statistics. The figure for March 1974 relates to operatives at establishments with 11 or more employees in manufacturing industries except shipbuilding and ship repairing and is not strictly comparable with the figures for September 1974 and February 1975 which relate to operatives at all manufacturing establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will name those persons appointed by his Department to sheltered workshops through local authorities and voluntary bodies and the National Association of Youth Clubs for employment in community industry.

The following members of the National Management Board of Community Industry were appointed after consultation with the National Association of Youth Clubs: Mrs. J. Lorber, JP, Mr. M. Beresford-Smith and Mr. H. A. Jenkins. No persons are appointed by me to sheltered workshops through local authorities and voluntary bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received the report of the court of inquiry into the Flixborough disaster.

Yes. I am arranging for the report, which is a comprehensive document, to be printed and presented to the House as quickly as possible. I shall make a full statement then. Meanwhile, I have sent a copy of the report to the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission and asked him to begin immediately consideration of its recommendations and implications pending publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the permitted limit in terms of fibres per cubic centimetre in respect of asbestos in the working atmosphere, in the United Kingdom and in each of the other European Economic Community countries, respectively.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27th March 1975; Vol. 889, c 258–6], gave the following information:

The hygiene standard for airborne asbestos dust, except crocidolite asbestos, in the United Kingdom is:

(a) a concentration of 2 fibres per millilitre of air averaged over a 4-hour working period, and

(b) a concentration of 12 fibres per millilitre of air averaged over any 10-minute period.

For crocidolite asbestos: a concentration of 0.2 fibres per millilitre of air over any 10-minute period.

I understand that Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and The Netherlands have adopted the United Kingdom standard for asbestos. Standards where they exist in other EEC countries are not strictly comparable with the United Kingdom standard, but no country is known to have a more stringent standard than that in use in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what research is being carried out to find safe alternative materials to asbestos.

pursuant to his reply Official Report, 27th March 1975; Vol. 889, c 286], gave the fallowing information:The major manufacturing companies, encouraged by the Health and Safety Executive, are undertaking research to produce less hazardous substitutes for asbestos. A number of non-asbestos heat insulating materials are already established for lagging boilers and steam pipes. Research work has led to the development of insulating boards made of asbestos substitutes particularly for use in the shipbuilding industry. Similar alternative materials are being produced for application to steelwork in the construction industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the levels of fines available for contravention of the Asbestos Regulations 1969 are high enough.

pursuant to his reply Official Report, 27th March 1975; Vol. 889, c. 286], gave the following information:Yes. Offences committed after 1st January 1975 attract the enhanced penalties provided by Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission advises me that there is no evidence that these penalties are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is still satisfied that the Asbestos Regulations 1969 are adequate to safeguard the health of workers exposed to asbestos dust; and if he will make a statement.

pursuant to his reply Official Report, 27th March 1975; Vol. 889, c. 286], gave the following information:The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the regulations and the hygiene standards on which the effectiveness of the regulations depend are under constant review by the Health and Safety Executive and there are no plans to alter them in the immediate future. The Employment Medical Advisory Service in conjunction with the Factory Inspectorate is undertaking a long-term medical/environmental survey to monitor the health of asbestos workers. This survey should provide a sound basis for the future evaluation of the adequacy of environmental control measures.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when next he intends to chair the NEDC.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Duffy) on 27th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Scotland on the use of troops to carry out the duties of workers on strike.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if, during the referendum campaign, he will undertake a series of official visits to explain Government policy on the EEC.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 8th April.

asked the Prime Minister if he is planning a ministerial broadcast before the proposed referendum.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. Steel) on 20th March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the EEC referendum to the Scottish Labour Party Conference on 22nd March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the EEC and connected matters to the Scottish Labour Party Conference in Aberdeen on 22nd March 1975.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the EEC referendum to the Scottish Labour Party Conference on 22nd March.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas).

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to pay an official visit abroad.

At the end of this month, when I shall be attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kingston, Jamaica.

asked the Prime Minister whether he plans to pay an official visit to Lisbon.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to visit Scotland.

I will be visiting Scotland in July in connection with the State Visit by the King of Sweden.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the shortage of animal feeding stuffs in the South West of England due to the bitter weather and the fact that abattoirs have now abandoned the collection of calf and sheep carcases because they cannot cope with the number of cattle that are dying, if he will act immediately using the money which was not taken up through the agistment scheme which he introduced earlier.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his answer to Written Question No. 30 on the fodder supply on 27th March still applies today; and what action he intends taking to forestall further deaths and suffering of livestock due to fodder shortage.

I appreciate that last week's cold spell and wet weather have further accentuated some farmers' problems. In spite of the difficulties, farmers generally are managing to provide adequate maintenance for their stock, but my officials are continuing to watch the situation closely.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the information given in Appendix 5 of the evidence given by his Department to the Trade and Industry Sub-Committee's inquiry into Milk Production, brought up to date.

The revised information is as follows:(1) The number of applications received under the Dairy Herd Conversion Scheme to the end of December 1974—the last date for the receipt of applications—was:

	Applications	Number of dairy cows on these farms
England	6,135	235,769
Wales	1,276	32,565
Scotland	693	40,975
Northern Ireland	627	15,328
United Kingdom	8,731	324,637

No details are being kept regarding size of farms. So far as size of herd is concerned information is available only for applications approved (see (2) below):(2) The number of applications approved to the end of February 1975 was:

Herd size	Number of approvals	Number of dairy cows on these farms
Number of dairy cows—
11–14	727	9,041
15–19	681	11,460
20–29	1,007	24,029
30 and over	2,038	116,021
Total	4,453	160,551

(3) Total payments under the scheme to the end of February 1975—inclusive of the percentage recoverable from the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund—amounted to £11,406,926.(4) The latest estimate for the cost of the scheme for the financial year 1974–75 now stands at 11·2 million.(5) 50 per cent. of the payments under the scheme is recoverable from the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.(6) There is no upper limit to the eligible number of dairy cows.(7) Throughout the four-year period of the producer's undertaking not to sell milk or milk products, the number of livestock units kept must equal or exceed the number he kept on 4th June 1973. To this end cattle and sheep have been assigned livestock unit values. Each producer is free to decide the way in which he maintains or increases his livestock numbers. If, however, he continues to keep cattle, by the end of the third year after entry into the scheme no more than 20 per cent. of his cows and in-calf heifers may be of the Ayrshire, Guernsey or Jersey breeds or crosses between these breeds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why a geographical breakdown of the FEOGA contribution to grants made for common and special measures under the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund is not available; and if he will take steps to provide such figures and specify the grants and loans approved for the North-West area since 1st January 1973.

A geographical breakdown has now been obtained for 1973. The total FEOGA contribution of £20,357 to the United Kingdom for common and special measures in that year related to expenditure under the Dairy Herd Conversion Scheme. £6,445 is attributable to our Lancashire divisional area. A further £2,149 is attributable to the Northern Region but none of this relates to Cumbria. Claims for FEOGA contributions in respect of 1974 are now being prepared and will be submitted before the end of June.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ascertain from the French authorities the date and place of trial of the prosecutions to which he referred in his statement of 11th April 1975 concerning the export of live sheep to France. and in due course ascertain the outcome thereof and give this information to the House.

I shall provide the information when it is available.Proceedings in France are, of course, entirely a matter for the French authorities.

asked the Attorney-General what changes in the law of defamation he recommends, in the light of the report of the Faulks Commitee on Defamation.

The report of the Committee on Defamation was published as recently as 20th March 1975 and the committee's recommendations are being considered by the Government.

asked the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor's Department was consulted by the Magistrates' Association prior to the recent publication of a schedule of suggested sentences to be imposed by magistrates in respect of 34 different motoring offences; and whether the Lord Chancellor's Department approves of the guidelines for magistrates set out in this schedule.

The recommendations in respect of individual offences contained in the document referred to were not the subject of consultation between the Magistrates' Association and my noble Friend. Before publishing the document, however, the association was informed that my noble Friend supported in principle the proposal to issue such a publication, which is a revised version of a document which was first issued by the association with the approval of the then Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice in 1965. This approval reflected the desire of successive Lord Chancellors in recent years to encourage magistrates to follow reasonable consistency throughout the country in the sentencing policies which they apply in the exercise of the powers which Parliament has conferred upon them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has of the number of persons officially engaged on the study of oil pollution; what is the annual cost of such research; and whether he is satisfied that this is sufficient, in view of the extensive developments under way in the North Sea and elsewhere.

I have been asked to reply.Research into oil pollution by or on behalf of Government is conducted by a number of laboratories of which those most involved are the Warren Spring Laboratory of the Department of Industry, the fisheries laboratories of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, and the National Environment Research Council.It is not possible to provide exact figures for this resarch because projects are constantly changing and many of those involved devote only part of their time to work on oil pollution. However, for the laboratories referred to, it is estimated that the equivalent of some 40 full-time staff and about £450,000 are involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now able to name the members of the committee of inquiry which will sit under the chairmanship of Councillor Tom Taylor to investigate the management and government of schools.

Yes. I am glad to announce that the following have agreed to serve on this committee:

Professor G. Baron Professor of Educational Administration, University of London Institute of Education.

Mrs. M. B. Broadley Headmistress, Dick Sheppard School, Tulse Hill.

Mr. D. P. J. Browning Chief Education Officer, Bedfordshire.

Councillor E. Currie-Jones Chairman, South Glamorgan County Council.

Mrs. A. E. Edwards Parent.

Mr. F. D. Flower Principal, Kingsway-Princeton College, London.

Councillor P. O. Fulton Chairman of Education Committee, Cleveland County Council.

Mr. J. A. Hale Headmaster, Shears Green County Primary School, Kent.

Mr. G. M. A. Harrison Chief Education Officer, Sheffield.

Mr. R. N. Heaton Formerly Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Education.

Councillor E. G. Hett Member of Clwyd County Council.

Coucillor J. R. Horrell Chairman, Cambridgeshire County Council.

Mr. J. A. R. Kay Former Director of various industrial concerns.

Miss A. C. Millett Deputy Head, Tile Hill Wood Comprehensive School, Coventry.

Mr. M. J. Moore Deputy Chairman, Electricity Consultative Council for Mersey-side and North Wales.

Rev. Peter J. Reilly Diocesan Schools Commission, Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Mrs. J. Sallis Parent.

Mr. J. Stone Parent.

Mr. K. J. Turner Teacher, Foxhayes Combines County Primary School, Devon.

Rev. Canon R. Waddington Bishop's Adviser for Education, Diocese of Carlisle.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what part the Government are playing in the efforts of the International Energy Agency to secure a suitable floor price for oil; and whether he is prepared to support United States initiatives on downside risk.

The International Energy Agency has adopted a series of concepts for accelerating the development of alternatives to imported oil, including a common minimum safeguard level of prices below which imported oil would not be sold on the domestic markets of IEA countries. Discussion on levels is continuing in the IEA and the United Kingdom is taking a full part.Much work remains to be done to devise measures to implement the concepts and our own studies are by no means complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the constituencies in the United Kingdom with current electorates of 75,000 and over and 50,000 and under.

I regret that up-to-date information on this point will not be available for a few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report those projects in the area covered by Macclesfield constituency which have been sanctioned under the urban aid programme.

Following is the information:

Projects approved under the urban programme in the area covered by Macclesfield constituency.

Local authority.

Cheshire County Council (1969–74).

Circular No. 2 (approved January 1970).

Non-capital.

Family Advice Centre, Victoria Park, Macclesfield.

Circular No. 3 (approved November 1970).

Non-capital.

Scheme for placement of children in day nurseries to cover Macclesfield, Altrincham, Hyde and Crewe.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why he considers necessary the censorship of prisoners' correspondence to and from their family and friends.

As I have indicated in replies to Questions by my hon. Friend on 7th and 10th April—[Vol 889, c. 360 and 442]—my right hon. Friend does not consider that every letter need be read by the prison authorities. Nor do the Prison Rules require that to be done. The experiments in reducing censorship now being conducted at open establishments apply to correspondence between prisoners and their families and friends, but the considerations involved at closed estabilshments are not identical.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage paid in income tax and surtax in 1972–73 by the following income recipients: (i) top 1 per cent.; (ii) top 10 per cent.; (iii) top 40 per cent.; (iv) bottom 30 per cent.; (v) bottom 10 per cent. and (vi) all incomes compared with the latest figures for 1973–74.

The information for 1972–73 is as follows:

Group	Income Tax ana Surtax as a percentage of income
(i) Top 1 per cent.	43
(ii) Top 10 per cent.	26½
(iii) Top 40 per cent.	19½
(iv) Bottom 30 per cent.	8½
(v) Bottom 10 per cent	4½
(vi) All incomes*	16½

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the relative standards of iving of the various members of the European Economic Community at the latest convenient date.

I regret that it is not possible to answer this Question at present. The information on gross national product per head, as compiled in domestic currencies, can be converted to a common unit of measurement only on the basis of official or market rates of exchange, neither of which necessarily reflects the relative internal purchasing powers of the currencies. The Statistical Office of the European Communities plans to conduct later this year a survey with the aim of establishing a better basis of comparison of consumer spending between the new and the original member countries of the European Communities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the loans and guarantees approved by the European Investment Bank for projects in the South-West area since 1st January 1973.

The European Investment Bank has not so far granted any loans or given any guarantees for projects in the South-West area.

RELEASES OF DETAINEES
					9th July 1974 to 22nd December 1974	23rd December 1974 to 14th April 1975
By the Secretary of State	…	…	…	…	71*	192†
By the commissioners on first hearing or review	…	…	…	…	97	14
By the Detention Appeal Tribunal	…	…	…	…	6	9
					174	215
Grand total	…	…	…	…	389
* Includes two cases where the detainees concerned continued to be held under prison sentences.
† Includes five such cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prosecutions have been instituted, and how many convictions obtained, in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available, against persons alleged to be members of illegal organisations.

I have been asked to reply.During the period 1st April 1974–31st March 1975 directions were issued for the prosecution of 158 persons in respect of belonging or professing to belong to a proscribed organisation in contravention of Section 19(1)(a) of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1973. During the same period 161 persons came to trial for this offence, of whom 151 were convicted and 10 acquitted.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many detainees in Northern Ireland were released between 9th July 1974 and 22nd December 1974, and between 22nd December 1974 and 14th April 1975, respectively.

Figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on what basis the Welsh National Water Development Authority is empowered or permitted to make a fixed charge of £5 per annum in respect of each hereditament in addition to the water charge.

Section 30 of the Water Act 1973 empowers the Welsh National Water Development Authority to fix such charges for its services as it thinks fit.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have completed their structure and local plans.

The only structure plans so far submitted to me are for Gwynedd, the public examination of which will commence in Bangor next month. Local plans may not be adopted by local authorities until structure plans have been approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise in the United Nations the desirability of an observer from the UN Council for Namibia being present at the trial of Mr. David Meroro, Chairman of SWAPO.

No. But the British ambassador in Cape Town intends to send a member of his staff to be present in the public gallery.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of proceedings in regard to individual applications to the European Commission of Human Rights concerning Northern Ireland; whether arrangements have been made to permit delegates of the European Commission of Human Rights to hear evidence of those applicants in custody in Northern Ireland; and when the present hearings in both individual and inter-State cases will be concluded.

The European Commission has declared seven individual cases admissible. Her Majesty's Government are considering arrangements for delegates of the commission to hear the evidence of those applicants who are in custody. In response to a request from the commission, Her Majesty's Government made observations on 10 further individual cases. Hearings in the interstate case have been concluded but it is not yet possible to say when hearings in the individual cases will be concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name those persons appointed by his Department to the School of Oriental and African Studies and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Sir Algernon Rumbold and Sir Gawain Bell have been appointed as members of the governing body of the School of Oriental and African Studies. No appointment has been made to the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth except that listed in my reply of 11th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many additional job opportunities have been created, respectively, in the Shotton, East Moors and Ebbw Vale areas in the past six months; and what is the total number of new jobs currently in the pipeline in each of these areas.

I regret that comprehensive figures for jobs created in the last six months in these areas are not available. The following jobs are expected to arise in manufacturing within the next four years from offers of selec- tive financial assistance under the Industry Act, in new industrial buildings, and in other buildings known to have been taken over by manufacturing firms:

	Male	Total
Shotton TTWA	600	1,060
Cardiff EOA	1,450	1,920
Ebbw Vale TTWA	1,300	1,880

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of postal traffic is transported by rail and what proportion by road; and whether there has been any change of this routing during the last two years.

The Post Office tells me that at present nearly three-quarters of all letters and more than four-fifths of parcels are carried by rail for the principal part of their journey. Over the past two years there has been a marginal transfer of letters from rail to road and air services where a better service to customers could thereby be achieved or where rail facilities could no longer be provided. Similarly the road-borne element for parcels has increased from 9 per cent. to 18 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions have taken place with a view to making postage stamps originating in any member country of the EEC valid for use in any other according to a common standard of cost.

No discussions have taken place on the possibility of making postage stamps issued in EEC countries valid for the prepayment of postage in other EEC countries. This would presuppose the harmonisation of postal services and tariffs which is one of the long term aims of the Community but presents serious difficulties in practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the Government's estimate of resources likely to be made available over the next three years through the EEC Regional Fund for the North-West region.

It would be premature to make any such estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state in an equivalent numerical standard the relative costs of sending, firstly, a postcard

POSTAL RATES (EXPRESSED IN NEW PENCE AT RATES OF EXCHANGE AS AT 18TH MARCH 1975)
				Irish Republic*		All other EEC
				First Class	Second Class	All other EEC Countries
From United Kingdom to EEC Countries:
Letters at the first weight step	…	…	…	7·0	5·5	8·0
Postcards	…	…	…	No separate postage rate for postcards: letter rates apply		6·0

				Belgium	Denmark	France	Germany (FR)
From EEC Countries to United Kingdom:
Letters at the first weight step	…	…	…	11·9	9·9	11·8	12·5
Postcards	…	…	…	8·3	6·9	7·9	8·9

				Irish* Republic	Italy	Luxembourg	Netherlands
From EEC Countries to United Kingdom:
Letters at the first weight step	…	…	…	7·0	9·8	9·6	10·4
Postcards	…	…	…	6·0	6·5	6·0	7·0
* Inland postage rates apply between United Kingdom and Irish Republic.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of Great Britain's overall trade deficit in the years 1972 and 1974 was represented by the trade deficit with EEC.

For the EEC(8), 77 per cent. and 38 per cent., respectively, on a balance of payments basis.

The information is set out below:accession to the EEC; and how this compares with British exports to the rest of the world in the same period;(2) what were the percentage increases in the value of British exports to EEC and to the rest of the world in 1974.

The figures, on a balance of payments basis, are:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the main export markets for Great Britain at the present time; and how the United Kingdom's position in these markets compares with 1971.

The table below lists 12 countries according to order of importance measured by exports from the United Kingdom in 1974, and shows for each country the United Kingdom share of its total imports in 1971 and 1974:

	United Kingdom share of total imports in
Country	1971 Percentage	1974 Percentage
United States	5·4	4·0
German Federal Republic	3·7	3·5
Netherlands	5·6	5·3*
France	5·1	4·5
Belgium/Luxembourg	6·2	5·8*
Irish Republic	49·5	47·9*
Sweden	14·1	11·1
Switzerland	7·9	5·8
Australia	21·8	12·0*
South Africa	19·4	16·8†
Italy	3·6	3·0
Canada	5·3	3·6*
Source: OECD "Series A".
* Estimated on January-November 1974.
† National publication, January-September 1974.