asked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, if he is now satisfied with the conditions in the inshore fishing industry.

The inshore fishing industry is facing difficulties and uncertainties. It has put forward views on a number of different points. The temporary financial aid we have granted and EEC measures to stabilise prices will help on some of them; urgent consideration is being given within the Community to others.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions of the airline or shipping company responsible there have been under United Kingdom legislation, in view of the numbers of animals and birds found to have suffered in transit on arrival at ports and airports in the United Kingdom.

I regret that I cannot provide this information, as a central record of such prosecutions is not kept.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has through his inspectorate about the transport of live animals by British Airways; what representations he has received about cruelty inflicted on these animals; and whether he considers that any further steps are called for.

The only such allegation concerning a British airline that I have seen this year related to unloading methods at Jedda. This report was investigated by the International Society for the Protection of Animals and found to be inaccurate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in consulting interested organisations about the possibility of introducing legislation to give security of tenure to competent near relatives of tenant farmers in England and Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 7th May to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Growcott).—[Vol. 891, c. 455.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the response to the recent White Paper on the expansion of agricultural production; and if he will make regular statements commenting upon the fulfilment of the aims embodied in this document.

I am pleased that there has been general recognition of the White Paper's significance as a Government statement of the economic case for agricultural expansion. I will certainly make further statements as the need arises on the development of the Government's policies within the framework laid down in the White Paper.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to prohibit skin divers from fishing for and landing catches of shellfish around the coast of Wales.

I have no plans at present to prohibit skin divers from fishing for or landing shellfish.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure sufficient publicity on the dangers of rabies spreading to the United Kingdom, particularly through the importation into the United Kingdom in small boats; and on the new powers he now has and the new level of fines for people trying to bring dogs into this country illegally.

The posters to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member for Argyll (Mr. MacCormick) on 5th May—[Vol. 891, c. 331]—will be displayed in small harbours and coastal marinas. An "anti-smuggling" leaflet is also being distributed to harbour masters. Her Majesty's Coastguard and Customs officers, and we have been in touch with yachting associations to arrange publicity addressed to boat owners. All publicity emphasises the dangers from illegally-landed animals and the penalties for smuggling them into the country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take on the importation of Colombian and other foreign carnations which are having a depressing effect on the returns for home producers.

I have no evidence that imported carnations which tend to meet a strong demand at good prices are responsible for any significant adverse effect of home producers' returns.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report those processed agricultural goods not granted duty-free access to the Common Market, and the main suppliers of these goods.

To produce a full list would take an incommensurate amount of time and effort. The vast majority of processed agricultural goods are subject to duties on import into the Community from non-preferential suppliers. However, the Community has a number of preferential arrangements. These include the Lomé Convention, which grants some 46 developing countries duty-free entry for almost all goods, including processed agricultural products; agreements with our main Mediterranean and EFTA suppliers and the Generalised Scheme of Preferences. These arrangements, together with our progressive removal of tariffs against the Six, cover a very substantial proportion of our imports of processed agricultural products.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the objectives, scope, and mechanism of EEC Draft Regulation S/635/75 (ACP 48); and to what extent it could modify the generally advertised provisions of the Lomé Convention.

The objective of the regulation is to give effect to the tariff and levy concessions for agricultural and horticultural produce agreed in the Lomé Convention. To this end it lists in detail the tariff and levy rates that will apply to imports into the EEC of ACP produce. The regulation fulfils the obligations already entered into under the Lomé Convention and does not modify its provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what weapons systems there will be capable of providing a means of destroying hostile aircraft capable of attacking Royal Naval and merchant vessels with long-range missiles from beyond the range of shipborne defensive missiles and beyond the operating area of shore-based fighters after the withdrawal of HMS "Ark Royal" and her seaborne fighters.

The Maritime Harrier. The Government have now decided to confirm the place of the Maritime Harrier in the defence programme, and to proceed to full development.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, on the basis of information available to him from international sources, from the ships of which foreign navies Harriers have been flown.

The Harrier or earlier variants have flown from ships of the navies of the Argentine, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Spain and the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on the basis of information available to him from international sources, which foreign navies, apart from those of the Warsaw Pact, operate (a) aircraft carriers and (b) other vessels from which it might be possible to operate Harrier aircraft.

Aircraft carriers are operated by the Argentine, Australia, Brazil, France, India, Spain, and the United States. There are many navies with ships from which, with varying effectiveness, Harrier aircraft could be operated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to establish the possible foreign market for a naval version of the Harrier and what is the present estimate of the number and value of the planes likely to be exported if the version went into production.

We are aware of overseas interest in the naval version of Harrier, but it is too early to give firm esimates of the number and value of aircraft likely to be exported.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in which years trials of Harrier aircraft have been made from ships (a) of the Royal Navy and (b) of foreign navies.

Harrier flights were carried out from Royal Navy ships in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1975, and from foreign ships in 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many years have elapsed since the first trials from a ship of (a) a Harrier aircraft and (b) its experimental predecessor the P1127.

The first ship trials by the Harrier were in 1969, by the Kestrel in 1966 and by the P1127 in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when a contract was first entered into for the development of a naval version of the Harrier; what are the costs to date of such development; and his estimate of the further time and costs to completion of the development.

A contract has still to be placed for the development of a naval version of the Harrier. The costs of the project definition study and subsequent support for design work have so far amounted to £1·3 million. At this stage I would prefer not to make any forward estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the specification for a naval Harrier type aircraft was drawn up.

The staff requirement was drawn up in 1972.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Weston under Lizard.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to pay an official visit to the North-West.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 13th May.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 15th May.

I chaired a meeting of the Cabinet this morning Later today I shall be meeting the parliamentary delegation from the USSR who are visiting this country, and recording an interview on the Common Market for television. This evening I shall be the host at a dinner at 10 Downing Street for the Prime Minister of Fiji and his wife.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to attend a meeting of 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 13th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the Chairman of the British Insurance Association about the proposal to direct the resources of insurance companies and pension funds to investment projects approved by the Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the Chairman of the British Insurance Association about proposals to direct the accruing resources of insurance companies and pension funds to public enterprises.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his official letter to the Chairman of the British Insurance Association, dated 27th April 1975 regarding the proposal for the compulsory diversion of institutional finance.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the Chairman of the British Insurance Association concerning investment.

I did so on 2nd May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the improvements made in security within Government Departments in the last 12 months.

No. It is not the general practice to disclose details of security procedures, but security arrangements for all Government Departments are kept under constant review.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech by the Secretary of State for Trade, in London on 30th April on tourism as an invisible export represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit).

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

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) on 13th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish the detailed calculation on which he based his statement that the United Kingdom would not have a balance of payments deficit if the terms of trade prevailing in 1972 had not changed.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the Budget debate on 21st April—[Vol. 890, c. 995]—to whom the hon. Member may care to direct himself in his search for statistical documentation.

asked the Prime Minister when next he intends to meet the CBI to discuss economic affairs.

I regularly meet representatives of the CBI at the NEDC and on other occasions. Further meetings will be arranged as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the Porter Report; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Committee on the Rent Restriction Law of Northern Ireland, chaired by Sir Robert Porter, is at present being printed. A statement will be made when it is published.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he now has in hand for the deepening and improvement of Rathlin Island harbour; and what is the date on which the work will commence.

The Moyle District Council has invited tenders for the work of deepening the harbour at Rathlin's North Pier but no contract has yet been awarded. As the hon. Member is aware, the council has commissioned an investigation, which is currently in progress, to establish the feasibility of providing a breakwater for the deepened harbour.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has in hand for a piped water supply in Rathlin Island.

An investigation into possible sources of water supply has been completed. A scheme is now being prepared, and a decision on whether to proceed will depend upon estimated cost and available finance.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider the giving of a grant to residents of Rathlin Island for the installation of private electricity generators.

Grants are already available towards the purchase of generators for agricultural purposes on viable farms. As the hon. Member is aware, the question of the provision of electricity on the island is being examined.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has in hand for the improvement of the harbour at Ballycastle; and what is the date on which the work will commence.

The Moyle District Council has accepted an offer from the Department of Commerce of financial assistance towards the cost of a feasibility study of various outline harbour schemes. It is expected that the results of the study will be available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation aspect relative to the release of IRA detainees in Northern Ireland.

The rate at which I release detainees continues to be related to the level and nature of violence prevailing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of submissions that his proposal to charge 25 per cent. VAT on the cost of labour in the repair of televisions, radios and electrical goods will increase the danger of accidents and fires being caused by electricity, he will change that proposal.

No. I have noted the submissions but I do not agree with their conclusions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any changes have taken place on the rate of value added tax on food in EEC countries since the answer given by his hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to a Question on 10th March last.

I am not aware of any changes since the answer referred to.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of the notices being sent to all registered VAT traders printed on high quality glossy paper; and whether he will use cheaper paper in future.

The cost of materials used for VAT Notices 741 and 742 was £31,500. This was Budget material. The final details of production could only be provided at short notice so that there was insufficient time to supply the printer with the appropriate paper and he used what he had available. Future notices will normally be printed on cheaper paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his reference in his Budget Statement that the 25 per cent. VAT would bear more heavily on the better off applied to purchases of small boats; and, if so, if he will publish such evidence as he has on this point.

My right hon. Friend is, of course, aware that small boats are purchased by all sections of the community. However, better-off individuals buy more of the less essential goods, including boats, particularly of the more expensive kinds, to which the 25 per cent. rate applies and will, therefore, bear a larger share of the tax burden.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received about the retrospective effect on those renting televisions before 1st May 1975 of the increase in television rentals due to the imposition of a 25 per cent. level of value added tax.

I regret that an exact figure is not available, but my right hon. Friend has received a large number of representations on this subject. Since the new VAT rate applies only to rental payments on or after 1st May, there is no retrospection.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue VAT raised in the last fiscal year in Scotland and the United Kingdom; and what is the estimated revenue for this year.

The estimates for the United Kingdom, which are given in the Financial Statetment and Budget Report 1975–76, are.

	£ million.
1974–75	2,497
1975–76	3,275

No reliable estimates for Scotland can be made until annual VAT data by reference to the country of the main VAT offices in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are available. Figures for 1973–74 will be ready later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total annual cost of collection of VAT; how many VAT inspectors are currently in employment; and at what cost.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual categories of items are subject to zero or to positive rates of VAT.

Goods and services subject to the zero rate of VAT are listed in Groups 1 to 17 of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1972, as amended. All other supplies of goods and services made in the course of a business by a taxable person are liable to a positive rate of VAT unless they fall within the list of exemptions contained in Groups 1 to 8 of Schedule 5 to the Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent it is his practice to make available the names of persons, firms or bodies to which moneys are made payable by the Government in the form of subsidies or grants, other than general consumer or similar subsidies.

The general position is that such payments, whether made under legislation or otherwise, are the subject of Supply Estimates approved by the House of Commons. It is normal practice to state the name of the recipient of a subsidy or grant in the Estimates, either individually, e.g., assistance to International Computers (Holdings) Limited and Govan Shipbuilders Limited —Class IV, 7 1975–76; or generally, e.g., miscellaneous payments in respect of individuals—Class II, 5. As regards assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act to firms in the assisted areas, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry on 31st July 1974 in which he undertook to publish quarterly certain information about such assistance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effect on employment opportunities in the small boat building industry of the introduction of VAT at 25 per cent.

It is not possible to calculate the effects of higher rate VAT on employment in individual industries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost in the current year and in subsequent years of repaying 3½ per cent. war stock at par to those holders who fulfil both the following conditions, (a) have held the stock since before 1945 and (b) are over pensionable age on or before 5th April; and what would be the estimated extra cost of including all undated Government stock.

This information is not available. As there is no prospect of setting a date for the redemption of War Loan I regret that the expenditure required to produce the information could not be justified.

			£ million (not seasonally adjusted) Financed by
			Borrowing from banks		Sales of debt
Quarter		Public sector borrowing requirement	In sterling	In foreign currencies	To private sector (other than banks)	To overseas residents
1974—
II	…	1,833	-426	216	1,869	174
III	…	1,631	164	100	1,022	345
IV	…	2,959	1,241	485	439	794
Note: Figures for the sales of debt to the private sector, other than banks, include the take-up of notes and coin.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the consideration that led to a Treasury

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of halving the rate of tax on incomes, including investment incomes, up to £5,000 per annum, of persons who, because they have reached retirement age or are disabled, are not in remunerative employment.

I regret that information on which to base an estimate for the disabled or for retired persons with pensions or investment income but no income from employment is not available. The estimated cost for 1975–76 of halving the tax paid on all types of income by all taxpayers over 65 with incomes up to £5,000 is about £500 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer through what channels the borrowing requirement of around £20 billion during the next two years will be raised, broken down into the period 1974–75 and 1974–76.

The hon. Member's estimate of the borrowing requirement is, of course, his own. The estimates for the two years 1974–75 and 1975–76 given in the Financial Statement and Budget Report amount to some £16·7 billion. Figures for the method of financing of the borrowing requirement are so far only available for the first three quarters of 1974–75 and are set out below. It is not customary to provide estimates for the future pattern of financing.guarantee being given to the loan of 50 million United States dollars to the British Airways Board by the First National City Bank, guaranteed by him on 19th March 1975.

The purpose of the loan was to provide the British Airways Board with temporary finance for aircraft purchases in the United States, pending the completion of longer-term financing arrangements. It is normal practice for borrowings in foreign currency by nationalised industries to be guaranteed by the Treasury, since this ensures that the terms of such borrowings are the finest obtainable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue guidance to business men on the tax position of donations for the purposes of European movements.

My right hon. Friend wrote to my hon. Friend on 17th April explaining that in computing profits for tax purposes

"no deduction is allowed for expenditure which is not wholly and exclusively laid out for the purpose of the business. The treatment of donations or subscriptions to organisations campaigning for or against the EEC depends on the facts of each individual case in the light of this rule. All sorts of factors, including details of the business concerned, might have to be taken into account in considering a claim for a deduction. In the last resort, where the Revenue and the taxpayer could not agree, the matter would have to go to the Appeal Commissioner or to the Courts."

With my hon. Friend's permission extracts from that letter are being made available to persons or organisations who make inquiries on the point. I do not think any further action is required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of revenue lost from granting tax relief on mortgages in 1974–75.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development from what source the finance to fulfil the obligation to make a British contribution to the fund to be established to subsidise the intensification of sanctions by Mozambique will be obtained.

Sanctions will be a matter for the future Government of Mozambique. British assistance to Mozambique will be financed from our aid funds.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what percentage of the gross national product of the United Kingdom will overseas aid represent in each of the years 1975–76 and 1976–77 assuming a 3 per cent. annual growth rate in the gross national product.

On the base-line of the estimated GNP for 1974 on the assumption which my hon. Friend has suggested of a 3 per cent. annual growth rate, the net aid programme, after the reductions announced in the Budget Statement would, if fully disbursed, represent 0·39 per cent. of assumed GNP in each of the two years 1975–76 and 1976–77.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the next report containing recommendations with respect to the reform of the Criminal Law from the Law Commission; and what specific criminal offences, rules of evidence and procedure, or both, will be covered by this report.

I am informed that further consultative papers are to be published shortly; but I cannot forecast the date when the commission's next definitive report on the criminal law will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will bring forward legislation to amend Section 4 (3) of the Representation of the People Act 1949, as amended, in order to fulfil the recommendation of the Speaker's Conference intimated on 25th October 1973 to place patients in mental hospitals on the same footing as mental patients in general hospitals.

We understand that the working party, which was set up to consider arrangements for the registration of mental patients in fulfilment of the Speaker's Conference recommendation, and which is under Department of Health and Social Security chairmanship, has reached an advanced stage in its work and is expected to report later this year. The Government will then consider the implementation of the recommendation in the light of the working party's report.

PERSONS TRIED AT THE CROWN COURT AND SENTENCED TO IMMEDIATE IMPRISONMENT FOR OFFENCES CLASSIFIED AS RAPE: BY LENGTH OF SENTENCE
England and Wales: 1969 to 1973
					Number of persons Length of Sentence
Years			Persons sentenced to imprisonment (immediate)	Up to and Including 1 year	Over 1 year and up to and including 5 years	Over 5 years and up to and including 10 years	Over 10 years excluding Life	Life
1969	…	…	136	8	101	23	1	3
1970	…	…	188	18	139	25	—	6
1971	…	…	179	12	133	28	1	5
1972	…	…	188	9	149	26	1	3
1973	…	…	217	13	168	33	1	2
Statistics for 1974 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make proposals to preserve the anonymity of women who give evidence in court on a charge of rape.

I have this under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will order an inquiry into the whole of the law relating to rape.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to his Question on 7th May.—[Vol. 891, c. 442–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to conclude his study of the Law Lords' report on the law relating to rape; and what plans he has in regard to bringing forward new legislation on this subject.

I still have the House of Lords judgment and its implications under consideration, I hope to come to an early conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of those who have been convicted of rape in each of the last five years, how many have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment for less than one year, less than five years, less than 10 years, less than 15 years, less than 20 years and life imprisonment, respectively.

The following is the readily available information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of his Department's publications are available in the Welsh language.

As I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Evans) on 1st May 1975—[Vol. 891, c. 232.]—I regret that this information is not readily available and cannot be ascertained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children, at the latest available date, were in Holloway Prison.

On 14th May 1975, seven girls aged 14–16 years were held in Holloway Prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys aged between 14 and 16 years have been detained in Bedford Prison during the most recent three-month period for which figures are available.

In the months of February, March and April 1975, 17 boys aged 14–16 years were received into Bedford Prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals designed to assist in alleviating the problem caused by the non-availability of overnight stopping places for touring holiday caravans.

A strategic network of transit sites has been identified by the Countryside Commission. The development and management of sites is for private enterprise or local authorities to undertake. Grants towards the cost of provision are available from the Countryside Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the diversion of goods traffic from roads to railways; and if he will set up a departmental committee to inquire into this matter.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins) on 7th May.—[Vol. 891, c. 454.]

						TOTAL RATE PAYMENTS
						England		United kingdom
						Domestic	Non Domestic	Domestic	Non Domestic
						£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
1965–66	…	…	…	…	…	512·9	560·7	598·7	647·0
1966–67	…	…	…	…	…	570·2	633·8	663·0	738·4
1967–68	…	…	…	…	…	585·5	674·1	676·6	782·6
1968–69	…	…	…	…	…	611·4	717·7	708·7	836·9
1969–70	…	…	…	…	…	651·9	790·7	755·7	922·3
1970–71	…	…	…	…	…	693·4	866·7	810·0	1,019·3
1971–72	…	…	…	…	…	806·6	1,010·0	946·2	1,181·8
1972–73	…	…	…	…	…	923·9	1,153·3	1,071·2	1,336·7
1973–74*		…	…	…	…	1,020·3	1,285·9	1,177·9	1,486·0
1974–75*		…	…	…	…	1,010·0	1,726·4	1,162·1	1,975·6
* Provisional estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made on the establishment of lead levels in petrol in the EEC.

The Council of Ministers will consider the Commission's proposals for a directive on the lead content of petrol after the European Assembly has given an opinion on it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local authorities drawing their attention to the appropriate section of the General Rate Act 1967 which enables rating authorities to grant discretionary rate relief to recognised charities following the recent adverse decision in the case of Oxfam v. Birmingham District Council.

No. Rating authorities are already aware that the appropriate section is Section 40(5) of the General Rate Act 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total contribution from (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic ratepayers in England and the United Kingdom, in money terms, towards local authority expenditure in each of the last 10 financial years.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his latest estimates of the average rate increases, including domestic rate relief and water charges, in 1975–76 for domestic, mixed and other properties, respectively, in (1) the London boroughs, (2) the metropolitan counties, (3) the non-metropolitan districts of England, and (4) the districts of Wales.

Local authorities are no longer responsible for water services, and my Department has details of charges only by regional water authority areas. For details of average increases in rates I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) on 14th April.—[Vol. 890, c. 18.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue advice and guidance to local authorities on reviewing housing schemes already planned or in the course of construction which he now considers to be excessively costly.

All local authority housing schemes have to conform to the requirements of the housing cost yardstick arrangements. Advice on the streamlining of costly and lengthy procedures was given in the Department's Circular 24/75.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to reduce traffic hazards at Monk Fryston Square on the A63 trunk road.

Following an investigation of the traffic problems in this square, approval has been given for the provision of double white lines to help keep traffic to the correct side of the road round the bend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider introducing legislation to provide house; buyers with a greater degree of protection than is at present obtaining through the National House Building Council.

I have no reason to think that such legislation is called for, although I will, of course, consider any evidence my hon. Friend may wish to send me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost at current prices of the proposed Airedale trunk road.

About £35 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when, subject to any public inquiry, it is likely that the proposed Airedale trunk road will be started.

Subject to the statutory processes and the availability of funds, 1978–9.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is prepared to arrange transfers by occupiers from houses affected by the proposed Airedale trunk road to those already purchased by the road construction unit under previous proposals.

It is general Government policy that properties surplus to requirements should normally be offered, first, to other Government Departments, second, to local authorities and third, on the open market. I am, however, examining my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to hold the inquiry into the proposed Airedale trunk road.

I hope towards the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Building Regulations Advisory Committee to complete its work regarding high alumina cement; and when he expects to complete his discussions with local authorities about who pays for remedial work.

The Building Regulations Advisory Committee expects to consider the report of its sub-committee on high alumina cement concrete at its meeting on 23rd July. I cannot yet say when the discussions with local authorities about who pays for remedial work will be completed.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has power to pursue in the Court of Justice of the European Communities matters brought before him under his responsibility for authorising prosecutions.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many official forms, pamphlets and leaflets, magazines, booklets and books published by his Department are available in the Welsh language.

There are currently available to the public five forms and one leaflet printed in the Welsh language.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what attempts have been made by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to intervene in the stable lads' dispute; what meetings have so far taken place; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has had a number of meetings with the parties to this dispute. At a joint meeting on 17th April with both sides no agreement was reached. Since then the ACAS has kept in touch with the situation but, so far, there has been no change in the attitude of either side.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the Thanet area are dependent upon the holiday industry; what proportion of all of the jobs in Thanet this represents; and how these figures have changed in recent years.

I regret that the information is not available. My Department's employment statistics are analysed according to the Standard Industrial Classification which does not separately identify the holiday industry, as distinct from the variety of activities, such as transport, entertainment, hotels and catering which contribute to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment his Department has made of the consequences of British withdrawal from the EEC in each of the areas of his responsibility.

No separate assessments have been made. The Government's views on this matter have been indicated in the White Paper (Cmnd. 6003).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received with regard to ending the system of requiring a parental contribution to students' grants, from whom, and what replies he has sent.

Representations about ending parental contributions to student grants are received from time to time from Members, from students and their parents, from student organisations and from academic authorities. The line of reply has been that the cost of this change would be substantial and in relation to other educational priorities it is difficult to see where the additional resources might be found.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a comparative table showing the amount given by way of concessionary bus fares to retirement pensioners by the counties and counties of cities in Scotland in 1974–75.

In 1973–74, the last complete local authority year, expenditure by local authorities in Scotland on travel concessions is estimated to be about £4 million, including the following sums in respect of travel concessions to old people in the four cities: Glasgow £1,059,230; Edinburgh £624,345; Dundee £349,653; Aberdeen £285,000. Comparative figures by counties are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing legal aid into tribunal proceedings; and if he will consider, if the costs are the reason for the delay in effecting the introduction, introducing it into tribunal proceedings a few at a time, and making a start in 1975 with tribunals involving pensions.

As I indicated to the hon. Member in my reply of 28th April—[Vol. 891, c. 54.]—the need for legal aid in tribunal proceedings is still under review. No decision will be taken about any such extension of legal aid until that review has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list in the Official Report any private police forces for which he is in any respect responsible, indicating their present strength and the statutes in which any specific powers are conferred on each such force.

I have no responsibility for any private police forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what dates he has met with representatives of the Civil Service unions to discuss the procedural and administrative services to be provided to the Scottish Assembly.

I have not met representatives of the Civil Service staff associations about the implementation of devolution but I am aware of the preliminary discussions which have taken place between the official and staff sides of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees were engaged in agriculture in Scotland on the last date for which information is available; and how this compares with the corresponding numbers 10 and 20 years previously.

There were 37,000 regular full-time and part-time workers in December 1974 as compared with 58,000 in 1964 and 84,000 in 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will institute a review of the law relating to the crime of rape in Scotland in the light of the judgment made by the Law Lords on 30th April.

No. The judgment of the House of Lords on 30th April related only to the criminal law of England and Wales. I am not aware of anything in it that calls for a review of the law of Scotland on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average cost of each prescription dispensed in Scotland in each of the last five years.

The information is set out in the table below.

	Chemists and Appliance Suppliers Average Total Cost (gross)
	p.
1970	72·51
1971	80·02
1972	93·79
1973	95·36
1974	109·56

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total amount of fines imposed by sheriff courts in Scotland which had not yet been received by 31st March 1975.

This figure is not yet available but I shall write to my hon. Friend in a few weeks' time when it is. I regret that in answer to a similar Question from my hon. Friend on 12th February—[Vol. 886, c. 363–4]—the amount of fines imposed by sheriff courts in Scotland but not yet received at 31st March 1974 was mistakenly given as £403,232 instead of £616,287.

							SCOTLAND
							Local authorities and new towns	SSHA and Housing Association	Private houses
							(numbers of houses in schemes approved)		(numbers approved)
1st Quarter.1975		…	…	…	…	…	11,134	1,184	2,805
1st Quarter 1974		…	…	…	…	…	7,013	301	9,304
Year 1974	…	…	…	…	…	…	38,604	5,486	24,474

On the Government's policy, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him yesterday.—[Vol. 892, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Government Actuary on the effects on the contracted-out contribution rates in the Social Security Pensions Bill if the number of women employees were to become as high as the number of men employees in such schemes as a result of the equal access provisions.

I understand that the Government Actuary is preparing a memorandum which will include a note on the effect on the contracted-out contribution rates in the Social Security Pensions Bill of an assumption that the proportions of women in occupational pension schemes became as high as the corresponding proportions for men. I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library as soon as it becomes available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many places are available for young persons in observation and assessment centres at the most recent convenient date in 1975; and how

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures comparing the number of house improvement and modernisation grants awarded this year and last year; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the financing of improvement grants.

The figures are:many of these places were unoccupied at that date owing to staff shortages.

According to the plans prepared by children's regional planning committees there were, on 1st April 1975, 4,863 places in observation and assessment centres in England. I regret that information about the number of these places that cannot be used is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what payments are made by the DHSS or the area or regional health authorities to general practitioners for the payment of wages of general practitioners' secretaries, clerks and receptionists.

A scheme agreed in 1966 with the profession provides for 70 per cent. of the salaries actually paid to receptionists, clerks or secretaries to be reimbursed by the family practitioner committees on an individual basis to general practitioners. The other 30 per cent. is reimbursed on an averaged basis with other practice expenses through the fees and allowances at the rates recommended by the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she has yet fixed a closing date for applications to defer payments of class 2 and class 4 national insurance contributions for 1975–76 following the extension of the time limit previously announced.

Yes. Applications to defer payment of Class 2 and Class 4 contributions for 1975–76, where there is expected to be both self-employment and substantial Class 1 employment in the year, will be considered if made before 6th June 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the hon. Member for Rye may expect a reply to his letters of 29th January and 8th February about correspondence from his constituent, Dr. C. Victor Goodliffe, of 6 First Avenue, Bexhill on Sea, about the National Health Service.

I have written today to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government intend to enable reciprocity of medical registration to be resumed with Pakistan and Bangladesh; and if she will make a statement.

Under the Medical Act 1956, as amended, a doctor holding an overseas qualification may be granted full registration—enabling him to practise here in any capacity—if his qualification is recognised for that purpose by the General Medical Council and, if in addition, Part III of the Act has been applied by Order in Council to the country in which the qualification was granted. A preconditionn of making such an order is that the country concerned affords to doctors with United Kingdom qualifications such privileges of practising there as to Her Majesty may seem just.The opinion has been expressed both by the General Medical Council and by

Favourable Decision
Representation					Total	Applicant Attended	Applicant Absent	Applicant Attended	Applicant Absent
Unrepresented		…	…	…	20,296	7,147	13,149	1,652	852
Solicitors	…	…	…	…	157	129	28	51	9
Social or welfare workers				…	773	648	125	324	57
Friends or relatives			…	…	3,402	2,632	770	865	255
Claimants' unions, trade unions or voluntary organisations				…	983	731	252	363	48