asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he believes the training programme for BAOR formations above brigade level is adequate.

Yes. Additional opportunities, resources and facilities for training are always welcome but NATO has expressed satisfaction with our training standards at all levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the review of Service pay.

The Review Body on Armed Forces Pay has reported to the Prime Minister. Its report will be published, and the Government's decisions on it announced, as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what purposes the experiments on 158 sheep and 2,299 chickens were conducted in 1974 in re-search establishments under the control of his Department.

Records are not kept in such a way as to enable precise information to be given. The main use of the sheep is for wound ballistics work at CDE Porton. The chickens are mainly day-old chicks used for the growth of virus for civil medical institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress being made by local authorities in providing accommodation for homeless families and single people since the reorganisation of local government on 1st April 1974.

Many local authorities have accepted the advice in the joint circular on homelessness issued in February last year, and so are able to provide more effectively for homeless people—particularly those in the priority groups, at the top of which are families. Department of the Environment recent Circular No. 24/75, "Housing; Needs and Action", stresses the urgent need for an increase in the provision of housing for small households, including single people, and I am consulting the local authority associations and other bodies concerned on a circular about the standards for building for single people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the land exempted from public acquisition during the transition period, he will state approximately how many acres of land he expects to be publicly acquired at current use value or after development land tax by the end of that period.

This will vary from area to area depending on the speed with which authorities are able to build up their programmes. But from the start land amounting to over 20,000 acres per annum for local authorities' own use will of course be bought net of development land tax.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many road accidents occurred in which persons were injured, during each of the last five years for which records are available; and how many of such accidents are known to have resulted from tyre deflations or failures.

Following are the figures from 1970–74 of the number of injury accidents in Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will postpone any policy decision on the proposed establishment of new water authority departments to collect water rates pending discussion with the local authorities covered by the South-West Water Authority, on alternative methods of collection.

Questions of organisation and establishment are the responsibility of the water authorities. I understand that the South West Water Authority has had full discussions with the local authorities in its region about its decision to introduce direct billing of water charges, although it is under no obligation to do so. My right hon. Friend intends to raise this subject with the chairmen of the water authorities when he meets them later this month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, as a means of combating the avoidance of the road fund licence by vehicle owners and users, and in order to simplify enforcement, he will seek to introduce a licence to sell petrol like that for liquor and make it illegal for petrol to be put into any vehicle not displaying a current road fund licence on penalty of the with-drawal of the sale of petrol licence.

No. There would be many difficulties in seeking to require garages to enforce the payment of a duty with which they are not directly concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many town planning permissions were granted as a result of appeals in each of the last five years; and what proportion of the total number of appeals those granted represented in each year.

Following is the information requested:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will make a decision on improving traffic conditions at Woodman's Junction, Rayleigh Road, Thundersley, Essex, about which the hon. Member for Essex, South-East made urgent representations in October 1974.

Approval of a pedestrian phase in the traffic signals at the junction was notified to Essex County Council on 2nd May 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the Civil Service status and sub-departmental distribution of graduate geographers within his Department.

Graduate geographers are employed in a wide range of Civil Service grades and it would not be possible to identify their status and distribution within my Department except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to announce a decision on the Burnley-Colne section of the M65.

No, but my right hon. Friend expects to be in a position soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many complaints of religious discrimination in the allocation of housing was the Northern Ireland Commission for Complaints asked the investigate between 1969 and 1974; and of these, how many were rejected, and how many were upheld;(2) how many complaints of religious discrimination in private and public sector employment the Northern Ireland Commission for Complaints was asked to investigate between 1969 and 1974; and of these, how many were rejected, and how many were upheld.

Requests for information on complaints involving allegations of religious discrimination additional to that contained in the commissioner's annual reports should be addressed direct to the commissioner, who is an independent officer who reports directly to Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of shootings, bombings, ambushes and killings which have occurred in County Armagh during January to April 1975 were reported by the police.

During the period 1st January 1975 to 30th April 1975 there were 106 shooting incidents reported in County Armagh, 32 of which involved the security forces. Of these 32, 12 could be described as ambushes. There were 15 explosions and 10 deaths recorded, all civilians.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to call the first meeting of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention; and what directions he has given for regulating its procedure.

I have decided that the first meeting of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention will be at 12.30 p.m. on Thursday, 8th May in the Assembly Chamber in Stormont, and have made an order under the Northern Ireland Act 1974 accordingly. Subsequently it will be for the Constitutional Convention itself to decide the times and places of its meetings. I have given directions for regulating the initial procedure of the Constitutional Convention. These will apply until such time as the Constitutional Convention makes its own rules and procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to seek power to extend the Emergency Provisions Act for a further period, after 25th July; and if he will make a statement.

It is the Government's intention in present circumstances to bring legislation before the House to amend the Act in the light of the Gardiner Committee recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment his Department has made of the consequences for Northern Ireland of British withdrawal from the EEC.

The Government's assessment of the consequences for the United Kingdom as a whole is contained in the White Paper (Cmnd 6003).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the employed population, including self-employed, in the United Kingdom was employed in the Civil Service and in local government on the latest available date and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the figures are not comparable.

The percentages of the employed labour force of the United Kingdom employed in local government are shown below: estimates refer to mid-year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has received since 15th April 1975 from the CBI, the TUC and other bodies representing management and employees in industry and commerce for an extension of the social contract in respect of control of wage-led inflation.

My right hon. Friend has received no such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are being paid wages and salaries from public funds; and what percentage of the working population this represents.

According to the latest ana1ysis, published in the January 1975 issue of Economic Trends, in June 1973 there were 1,969,000 persons employed by central Government, 2,714,000 by local authorities and 1,858,000 by public corporations. The total of 6,541,000 was 26·2 per cent. of the total employed labour force.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps have so far been taken to reorganise the Factory Inspectorate.

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that after consultation with the TUC and CBI the commission has now taken a decision in principle to reorganise the Factory Inspectorate to ensure a greater degree of industrial specialisation in the work of inspection. This decision was taken after an IPCS ballot on the new pay structure linked with the proposed reorganisation had resulted in a 7 to 1 vote in favour. Negotiations have now begun between the Health and Safety Executive and the staff associations concerned on the detailed implementation of the reorganisation. The commission will consult local trade unions and employers' associations before reorganisation takes place in order to establish better lines of communication and foster joint action for improved safety and health at the workplace.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total sum allocated to the United Kingdom from the EEC Social Fund from 1st January 1973 to the latest available date.

Almost £56 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase in public sector personnel since 1960.

The increase in employment in the public sector, that is in central Government, local authorities and public corporations, between June 1960 and June 1973—the latest date for which information is available—was 783,000, or about 13 ½ per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which areas in the United Kingdom have shown the greatest increases in unemployment since January 1974.

Between January 1974 and April 1975, the largest increases in the seasonally adjusted rates of unemployment were in the South-West, Northern Ireland and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the figure for the most recent date of the working population in local authority services; and how this compares with the figures for March 1972 and 1973.

Information is available for June each year. At June 1974, about 2,584,000 people in Great Britain were employed by local authorities. The figures for 1973 and 1972 were 2,587,000 and 2,474,000 respectively.The figures for 1974 are not comparable with those for previous years. As part of the April 1974 reorganisation, the responsibility for certain items of work, for example, some health services, was transferred to other organisations. The statistics for all years exclude the police force and traffic wardens.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what studies have been made with other member countries of the European Economic Community of practical measures to protect industrial health and safety of workpeople against major hazards.

The subject of risks to workers and the public due to the operation of large installations where dangerous substances are produced or stored has been included amongst a list of themes for a Community Programme for Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work compiled by the Commission of the European Communities for submission to the Council.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to take steps to ensure that purchasers of equipment, fixtures and fittings used on and in boats do not switch their purchases to retail outlets other than recognised suppliers of equipment for boats, in order to escape the 25 per cent. VAT which he proposes to levy on boats and ancillary equipment.

Parts of, and accessories to, boats falling within Group 3 of the VAT higher rate schedule are chargeable at the 25 per cent. rate when supplied

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the interests of safety, he will consider removing the increased rate of VAT upon dinghies.

No. It would be impracticable to distinguish for the purposes of

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he defines a boat trailer in accordance with the reference thereto on page 86, line 13, of the Finance (No. 2) Bill.

The higher rate of VAT applies to those trailers which are accessories to boats falling within Item 1 or Item 2 of Group 3 of Schedule 7 to the Finance (No. 2) Bill.If the hon. Member has any particular difficulty in mind, perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the rate of VAT on boats, in the eight other EEC countries, for each of the last 10 years, where appropriate.

The table below shows the rate of VAT applied to boats at present in other member States of the EEC and changes in those rates over the past 10 years, or since the introduction of the tax in the country concerned:VAT between dinghies according to the use to which they are to be put. Life rafts which comply with the Merchant Shipping (Life Saving Appliances) Rules 1965 are excluded from the 25 per cent. rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the effect upon the sale of boats in Europe which followed the imposition of VAT upon them there.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has of the revenue he is likely to receive by way of increased VAT upon repairs to small boats designed to make them more seaworthy.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has as to the amount of revenue he will receive in respect of the increase in VAT upon safety equipment used in boats.

I regret that this information is not available, but I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. Monro) on 30th April 1975.—[Vol. 891, c. 167.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of running the Metrication Board in each of the last three available years; and when its activities will be wound up.

I have been asked to reply.Details of the cost of the board are published each year in the board's annual report. The total cost in each of the last three calendar years has been: 1974—££655,000; 1973—£678,000; 1972—£645,000. The board was set up to facilitate the transition to the metric system in the United Kingdom and its work will continue until the metrication programme has been substantially completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of curriculum development and research projects currently being undertaken by the regional technical examinations bodies, the colleges of education (technical) or by other bodies with similar interests relating specifically to the curricular needs of young people in the 16–19 year age group for which the present system of school and further education examinations offer little opportunity.

This detailed information is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. As I said in reply to my hon. Friend on 8th April—[Vol. 889, c. 1000–1]— the curricular needs of those in the 16–19 age group in further education are among the matters at present being studied by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards financial assistance to the councils for technical education and business education, designed to establish their curriculum development and other activities on a basis conducive to continuous activity.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 8th April to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts). I shall continue to pay annual grants to the two councils, following consultation with them on their needs, until they are firmly established.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement of Government policy on public lending right.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17th April to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton (Mr. Magee).—[Vol. 890, c. 149–150.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what practical difficulties remain to the publication of a Bill to bring in a public lending right.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the published report entitled "Public Lending Right: An account of an investigation of technical and cost aspects", which sets out the practical questions on which further investigations are required.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish a Bill to bring in a public lending right.

When the Government are ready to bring to Parliament detailed proposals based on a settlement of the outstanding technical problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from authors' organisations since his decision to defer legislation introducing public lending right.

I have had a private and a public meeting with the Society of Authors and with the Writers Action Group who have also subsequently written to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to establish standard criteria for determining literacy and numeracy.

One of the functions of the Department's Assessment of Per. formance Unit is to promote the development of methods of assessing and monitoring the achievement of school-children. These methods may in turn allow new criteria to be established for determining both literacy and numeracy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will discuss with those concerned the possibility of encouraging student housing associations.

Encouragement is already being given to registered housing associations to provide accommodation for young single people, who may include students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has received a copy of the policy statement published by the National Association of Head Teachers.

The hon. Member may be referring to a memorandum of evidence which, I understand, was recently submitted by the association to the Select Committee on the operation of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969. I have not received a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what rôle he foresees for universities in the future development of higher education.

I expect them to continue to make their distinctive contribution as centres of teaching and research.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will reintroduce national standards for reading, writing and mathematics for primary school pupils.

My right hon. Friend welcomes the improvements in primary education which have accompanied the removal of external constraints, such as the 11-plus examination, and has no plans to reverse this movement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will commission a study into the relationship between illiteracy and indiscipline among secondary school pupils.

No. The Department is already sponsoring a wider research project on secondary school influences on children's behaviour and attainment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has received a copy of the report of the Essex County Branch of the National Union of Teachers on "Discipline and Behaviour in Schools"; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards its proposals.

I have seen the report, which is a thoughtful analysis of the causes of behavioural problems and ways of tackling them. It is to be welcomed as evidence of the interest which is being taken in these matters by many local authorities and teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in establishing a salary scale for university staff compatible with that established by the Houghton Committee for polytechnic lecturers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the negotiations on university teachers' pay.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now in a position to make a statement on the negotiations regarding the salaries of university teachers.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave yesterday to similar Questions by a number of hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the increase in university teachers' salaries over the past 12 months compares with increases in the cost of living and in average earnings over the same period.

Salaries of university teachers were increased by 8 per cent. on 1st October 1974 following negotiations under statutory pay policy. In the 12 months preceding October the increase in the retail price index had been 17.1 per cent. and average earnings for all employees increased by 21 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that salaries of university lecturers have kept pace with those of other teachers in higher and further education.

The annual increases in recent years for university teachers and further education teachers have been broadly the same, but the university teachers did not receive the special increases awarded to further education teachers following the implementation of the Houghton Report and have fallen behind their further education counterparts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on progress in the talks on university teachers' salaries.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the progress of computer education in schools in England and Wales.

The progress of curriculum subjects is a matter in the first instance for local authorities and the schools themselves. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for schools in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the terms and conditions of employment of nursery assistants with National Nursery Examination Board qualification.

This is a matter for the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Administrative, Professional. Technical and Clerical Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with present arrangements for the provision of student accommodation.

I am keeping the arrangements under review to see how they may be improved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will bring forward legislation to amend the statutory requirements governing religious instruction in secondary schools.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now set up an inquiry into standards in secondary education, with particular attention to reading standards, and problems of discipline and truancy.

No. The Bullock Committee has only recently inquired into reading standards, and the Department will very shortly be asking local authority and teacher associations for their views on school violence and truancy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has had with local education authorities about legislation to abolish selection in secondary education.

The possibility of legislation is one of the topics discussed during the meetings that my right hon. Friend and I have been holding with authorities whose response to Circular 4/74 indicated that they intended to retain an element of selection in secondary education. Otherwise there has been none.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that central Government provision is sufficient to ensure that existing education services are maintained.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he expects all three auditoria at the new National Theatre to be in use from the time of opening.

As I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Cooke) on 14th April—[Vol. 890, c. 30.]—I shall make a further statement as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to implement the recommendations of the Public Schools Commission published in 1968.

The recommendations were mainly concerned with the integra- tion of independent boarding schools with the maintained system. My right hon. Friend has no plans for implementing these in the foreseeable future. There was also a recommendation that the fiscal and other benefits derived by some independent schools from charitable status should be terminated. Questions on this should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action is now proposed regarding travel concessions for schoolchildren: and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conclusions he has now reached in his consideration of the comments of the local authority associations on the report of the Working Party on School Transport

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations have been concluded on the working party's report on school transport what consultations are still in progress; and if he will make a statement.

I have at present nothing to add to what I said in the House on 8th April.—[Vol. 889, c. 1003–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if it is still the policy of Her Majesty's Government to leave the Arts Council to decide on the allocation of its grants.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to give approval to phases 3B and 4 of the Bristol Polytechnic building programme.

Decisions have not yet been taken on polytechnic and other further education building programmes beyond 1975–76, and there is nothing I can say at present about these projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why financial support was not made available for the new site development at Bristol Polytechnic for the financial year 1975–76.

The decision not to include a further phase of development at Bristol Polytechnic in the list of projects to start in 1975–76 was taken after careful consideration and against the background of many pressing claims on the limited resources available for further education building. The local education authority was, however, informed that a project was under active consideration for the planning list of projects to start in 1976–77

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the next stage of development at Bristol Polytechnic has not been accepted on the planning list for 1975–76.

The planning list of the further education major building programme is now designated by the year in which projects in the list are expected to start. No decision has yet been taken about the composition of the 1976–77 planning list, and there is nothing I can say at present about any particular project.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of all schools and colleges which do not provide the facilities for disabled students which are described in Section 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

My Department does not collect this information, nor would it be feasible to do so. It is for local education authorities or other bodies responsible to decide what provision is practicable and reasonable to make in the buildings which they maintain, and I am satisfied that they have a proper regard for their responsibilities in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters of protest against the phasing out of direct grant schools he has received since his statement on 11th March.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today to Questions from the hon. Members for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) and Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many remedial teachers were employed by local authorities in each year since 1971 to the latest convenient date;(2) what areas of remedial teaching are covered by those presently employed as remedial teachers; and how many teachers there are in each area.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many additional nursery school places are included in the current proposals of the Cheshire County Council sanctioned by his Department; and how many of these places are to be provided in the Congleton and Macclesfield districts.

Cheshire County Council has been given allocations of £772,045 for nursery education building starts in 1974–75 and £394,363 for starts in 1975–76. It is for local education authorities to decide which individual projects should be started within their allocations, and the number of resultant places will vary with the costs of provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the National Union of Students claim for an increase in students' grants.

I have taken the National Union of Students proposals into account in considering the revised rates of grant which will apply in the academic year 1975–76. I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many newly qualified teachers applied for teaching posts in England and Wales between September 1974 and 31st March 1975; how many were successful; and what was the number of vacancies in that period as advertised for particular posts, as well as those vacancies on 1st April 1975 as determined by numbers employed as a shortfall on the laid-down establishment as a total of all schools taken separately.

The information is not available in the form requested. During the last year about 33,000 students who had successfully completed their training entered maintained schools in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the quota of teachers set by his Department after consultation with the Bedfordshire County Council; and by what number that figure has been exceeded.

The teacher quota for 1974–75 allocated to Bedfordshire was 4,530. In January 1975 the authority was employing 4,506 teachers counting against the quota. Additionally it was employing the full-time equivalent of 314 teachers not counting against the quota.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the local authorities in England and Wales which have exceeded their quotas set after consultation with his Department.

In January 1975 the following 37 authorities were in excess of their 1974–75 quotas:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will outline the specific steps she has now taken to finance the production of anti-haemophilic globulin (AHG) concentrate; where this production is due to take place; and on what scale.

I am distributing £0·5 million to regions so that their blood transfusion centres can increase the production of plasma from which the Blood Products Laboratory, Elstree, will then produce Factor VIII concentrate. The aim is to become self-sufficient.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list in the Official Report, by Ministry and number, those civil servants currently employed in Scotland by British Departments.

The numbers employed at 1st July 1974 were as follows:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is his estimate of the annual volume of OHMS and other letters with official paid postage; and what payment or compensation was made to the Post Office for carrying this mail in 1974.

No central records are kept of the volume of official paid letters sent by Departments. The total provision made in Estimates for 1974–75 to cover the cost of repayment to the Post Office for postal services was £46 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the installation of a television booster designed to improve reception in the area of Llangollen, Clwyd, North Wales, which was promised for January 1975, has been deferred for a period of at least two years; and whether he will now ensure that this decision is reviewed so that the installation of the booster may be expedited and television reception in the area generally improved.

The broad-casting authorities, who are primarily responsible for the extension of their services, tell us that it is likely that a UHF relay station will be provided specifically to serve the Llangollen area, but that their plans are not yet sufficiently advanced to enable any forecast to be made of when the station might open. We have not been able to trace any under-taking about an opening date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report all private police forces whose officers are sworn as special constables, indicating their present strength and the statutes in which any specific powers are conferred on each such force.

Ministerial responsibilities for police forces other than the Metropolitan Police, the City of London Police and the forces maintained under the Police Act 1964 rest with other Ministers. The main such forces are:

• Ministry of Defence Police.
• United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary.
• British Transport Police.
• Mersey Tunnel Police.
• Royal Parks Constabulary.
• Port of London Authority Police.
• Manchester Docks Police.
• Port of Bristol Authority Police.
• Dover Harbour Board Police.
• Milford Docks and Engineering Company Police.
• Manchester Airport Police.
• Birmingham Airport Police.
• Falmouth Docks and Engineering Company Police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many votes were cast by post in the elections of 1970, February 1974 and October 1974, respectively.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Home Office Advisory Committee on the working of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 has among its members any veterinary surgeons or representatives of animal welfare organizations and, if not, whether he will take steps to reconstitute the Advisory Committee so that it shall include such persons.

One member of the advisory committee is a veternirary surgeon. No member represents an animal welfare organisation and my right hon. Friend has no plans to appoint such a representative. He has, however, recently appointed four independent non-scientific members to the committee.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to set up a Select Committee to investigate and report on the living and working conditions of persons employed by British companies in the Third World; in the first instance with reference to tea plantations in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

I shall consider the hon. Member's suggestion when the House has had an opportunity to study the report of the IPU delegation.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the location and composition of the Government's Property Services Agency and the sums allotted to it from Government funds in each of the last two years.

I have been asked to reply.The main headquarters of the Property Services Agency is located in London, with a headquarters office in Edinburgh, a central office for Wales in Cardiff and regional offices in seven English towns and at a number of places overseas, with subordinate units at various other locations.The agency is headed by a chief executive, three deputy chief executives and the recently appointed Director General of Design Services and comprises headquarter line directorates providing particular services, together with the territorial organisation at home and overseas, plus a number of staff directorates.The provision in the Estimates for Votes controlled by the agency was £515 million in 1973–74 and £596 million in 1974–75 to meet the cost of accommodation services for civil and defence Departments.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) why it is not proposed to allow free postage to Members in respect of letters relating to constituency problems requiring contact with the EEC authorities;(2) if he will propose allowing free postage to Members in respect of letters in reply to requests for assistance from former constituents living abroad.

I have been asked to reply.The question of allowing Members free postage outside the United Kingdom has previously been considered by the Services Committee, which resolved against making any change in the existing arrangements. Before deciding whether to refer this proposal to the Services Committee again, I feel it would be best to await the outcome of the current review by the Top Salaries Review Body and also the recommendations of the Select Committee on Assistance to Private Members, since both are involved in examining the general question of Members' facilities.

asked the hon. Member for Kingswood, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list all those bodies and individuals who at present exercise private patronage in ecclesiastical appointments, and the number of appointments in the gift of each patron.

The commissioners have no responsibility for maintaining records of patronage and they do not have this information available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations, other than from the licensed trade, he has had, pressing for implementation of the Clayson Report.

The Clayson Report was published in August 1973. Since then my Department has received representations from 16 organisations and two individuals, other than from the licensed trade, in favour of early implementation of the report as a whole. The organisations are listed below.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make proposals, in view of the impending completion of large-scale Ministry of Defence contracts, for increasing employment in North Uist.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12th February.—[Vol. 866, c. 360–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority housing advice centres have been established in Scotland; where they are located; and what is the annual cost involved in running them.