asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the capacity of the Royal Navy, in vessels, spraying kits, and stocks of dispersants, to deal with any major oil pollution incident at sea.

Pollution clearance at sea is primarily the concern of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade, and the Royal Navy assists in offshore pollution clearance operations at his request. Apart from the offshore patrol vessel HMS "Jura", which carries Department of Trade spraying equipment and dispersant, the Royal Navy's pollution clearance capability is designed for dealing with oil spills within the naval dockyard ports, and stocks of dispersant and clearance equipment are held for this purpose. However, in an emergency spraying equipment can be fitted to HM ships and auxiliary craft, and within this limited capability every effort is made to meet requests for assistance from the civil authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the rates of pay of the members of the Gurkha Regiment, and those of the Guards Regiments.

Under a series of agreements, signed in 1947 between the United Kingdom, India and Nepal, Gurkhas in the British Army are paid at the same basic pay rates as their counterparts in the Indian Army. The current minimum monthly rates are as follows:

Rank		£
Private IV	…	9·35
Lance Corporal	…	11·22
Corporal	…	12·29
Sergeant	…	14·16
Colour Sergeant	…	14·43
Warrant Officer Class 2	…	15·30
Warrant Officer Class 1	…	15·90
Lt. QGO	…	19·78
Capt. QGO	…	25·65
Major QGO	…	34·74
Capt. GCO	…	58·79
Major GCO	…	77·50

Length of service and good service pay varying from 27p to £4·93 per month

depending on rank and length of service is also paid. When serving in the Far East outside the Indian subcontinent, principally in Hong Kong, Gurkhas are paid a special addition to compensate for service overseas and the cost of living. This special addition is reviewed annually and the monthly rates effective from 1st July 1975 are:

Rank		Single	Married Unaccompanied	Married Accompanied
Private IV	…	21·95	25·91	51·03
Lance Corporal	…	23·77	28·42	56·14
Corporal	…	26·75	31·74	62·67
Sergeant	…	36·19	38·87	80·86
Colour Sergeant	…	42·29	43·96	94·54
Warrant Officer II	…	43·96	47·59	104·65
Warrant Officer I	…	54·00	55·26	120·89
Lieutenant (QGO)	…	64·39	64·92	126·23
Captain (QGO)	…	70·21	71·64	133·33
Major (QGO)	…	80·12	81·20	150·13
Captain (GCO)	…	—	143·03	241·26
Major (GCO)	…	—	166·37	280·45

Unlike British soldiers, Gurkha personnel receive free food and accommodation.Members of the Gurkha battalion at present based in the United Kingdom are paid at rates which approximate to those of their British counterparts.The current rates of pay for the British Army, including regiments of the Household Division, are set out in the supplement to the Fourth Report of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (Cmnd. 6063).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to write to the hon. Member for Leicester, West in connection with the investigations referred to in his answer dated 7th July 1975 to Written Questions Nos. 137 to 143 inclusive.

I wrote to my hon. and learned Friend on 15th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report all nursery building projects proposed to him for loan sanction by each local education authority in England for 1975–76, indicating how many he has approved and how many will now be deferred.

Details of individual projects were not required when local education authorities were invited in Circular 2 of 1973 to state the volume of nursery education building that they wished to start in 1975–76. Allocations were made in August 1973 in the form of a lump sum for each authority and these figures were subsequently reapportioned amongst the new authorities which came into being in April 1974. Nursery education projects are normally minor projects in respect of which authorities are not required to seek individual loan sanction within their total allocations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has received for comprehensive education in Cumbria; and if he will make a statement on the Government's intentions in this respect.

My right hon. Friend is informed that consultations about the introduction of comprehensive education into those areas of Cumbria which at present operate a selective system are now taking place locally. No statutory proposals for these areas have yet been received.

					1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
January	…	…	…	…	—	2,005	15,589	7,939	4,000*
February	…	…	…	…	—	110	—	—	37
March	…	…	…	…	—	105	—	3	—
April	…	…	…	…	—	16,448	44,107	66,857	91,530
May	…	…	…	…	—	223	—	—.	—
June	…	…	…	…	—	1,810	971	1,141	2,849
July	…	…	…	…	24,420	28,610	19,808	24,358	—
August	…	…	…	…	24,463	30,396	19,155	27,634	—
September	…	…	…	…	14,209	25,028	18,542	29,301	—
October	…	…	…	…	760	2,637	2,845	2,276	—
November	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—
December	…	…	…	…	199	1,789	1,945	†	—
* Approximate figure obtained by a simplified procedure used because of industrial action at offices of the Employment Service Agency.
† Figure not available because of industrial action at offices of the Employment Service Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those firms which have non-trade unionists on safety committees, those firms which have trade unionists and non-trade unionists on safety committees and those who do not yet have any safety committees as laid

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received and from what bodies and persons concerning the allocation of teacher training places to the Humberside region; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been received from the Hull Area Training Organisation and the local branch of the ATTI that more than 600 teacher training places should be allocated to Humberside for 1981 and my right hon. Friend is considering them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average number of adult students who registered for vacation employment in each year since 1949.

Figures are available, since July 1971, for the number of adult students registered for vacation work, who are unemployed at the monthly count date, but not for the total number of students who register at least once in the course of a year. The numbers of adult students unemployed in Great Britain at count dates from July 1971 to June 1975 are:down by the Health and Safety at Work Act etc., 1974.

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that this information is not available.The hon. Member will know that until regulations are made under Sections 2(4) and (5) there is no statutory requirement for the appointment or election of safety representatives from among employees. He will also be aware of the Government's intention to repeal Section 2(5) of the Health and Safety Act through the Employment Protection Bill. The initiative for requesting the establishment of joint safety committees under Section 2(7) will rest with such safety representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how his policy of wage restraint will apply to part-time employment in general and part-time members of Government boards, in particular.

The £6 a week pay limit will apply to all part-time employees on a pro rata basis. This includes all members of Government boards except those working less than one full day a week who may not receive any increase in remuneration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by what statutory authority he will be informed of the wage and salary structures of companies to which the Government award contracts.

Paragraph 28 of the White Paper (Cmnd. 6151) sets out the need for accurate information on pay settlements and intended settlements. The availability of such information, the arrangements for the collection of which the TUC intends to discuss with the CBI, would obviate the need for any statutory authority of the kind to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males and females were registered as unemployed at the Bexhill, Hailsham and Rye employment exchanges on 15th July 1975; and how many of these were over 55 years of age, under 18 years of age, and school leavers, respectively.

The statistics for July will become available in a few days' time and I will circulate a statement in the Official Report as soon as the figures are ready.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached concerning the recommendations of the Barran Report on London railways that there should be a body, other than the GLC, to co-ordinate the London rail services of British Railways and London Transport.

The GLC has now completed its widespread consultations on the London Rail Study report and recommendations, and officials are preparing a report for its Transport Committee's consideration. When the council's reaction to the proposal to establish a rail advisory committee is known I hope to be able to say what further progress can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority housing schemes prepared before the publication of Circular 24/75 have been refused loan sanction on the grounds of excessive garage provision; and how many housing association schemes have been refused approval by the Housing Corporation on similar grounds.

None, and I refute categorically recent suggestions in the Press that local authority housing schemes are being held up on these grounds. In some cases the Department may ask for reconsideration of garage provision, but only where this can be done without difficulty or delay. My concern continues to be that everything possible should be done to speed up the provision of houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the savings in staff and cost effected by transferring the issue of motor vehicle licences from the county capitals to Swansea.

Vehicle records are being centralised at Swansea but not the issue of licences. Anyone wishing to licence a vehicle the record of which is on the computer may do so at any of 81 local vehicle licensing offices or, for straightfor- ward renewals, at post offices that issue licences, as well as by post at Swansea. Any comparison between the costs of the old and new systems would have to be based on a whole range of necessarily arbitrary assumptions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what is the total cost of running the Department for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will itemise the main constituent costs.

70,649 industrial and non-industrial civil servants were employed in the Department of the Environment at 1st April 1975.The estimates of staff salaries etc. for 1975–76 published in the Supply Estimates 1975–76 total £221,985,000 net of Appropriations in Aid made up as follows:

Salaries and wages	207,843,000
Consultants fees	26,121,000
Travelling and subsistence	9,397,000
Other general expenses	15,624,000
	258,985,000
Less Appropriations in Aid	37,000,000
Net Estimates cost for 1975–76	221,985,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the statutes under which he has power to issue a specific, as district from general, direction.

No. The cost of providing such a list would be excessive and, in my view, unjustified. If the hon. Member has some particular subject in mind I will see if the relevant information can be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what use he intends to put the Fine Rooms at Somerset House.

If the Theatre Museum can be appropriately accommodated elsewhere I shall, in association with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, consult various national institutions about what might be exhibited at Somerset House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on plans to ensure the conservation of the White Horse at Uffington.

As a first step, notices will be put up to draw the attention of visitors to the wear and tear on the outlines of the Horse and appeal to them not to walk over it. Officers of my Department will soon be meeting representatives of the owners of the land, the District Council and the National Trust to discuss ways in which the effects of excessive visiting can be minimised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future use of Tonfannau before the Summer Recess.

My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot promise to make such a statement before the Summer Recess, but the hon. Member may be assured that every effort is being made to arrive at a very early decision on the future of this camp.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has taken steps designed to ensure that cutbacks in loans to local authorities for repairs and modernisation of council houses do not result in the contravention of safety regulations.

It is for each local authority to ensure, when committing the capital funds they have been allocated for the renovation of council-owned dwellings, that due priority is given to work needed to safeguard the health or safety of residents. I would be very willing to examine any particular cases where work to remedy an established contravention of safety regulations cannot be carried out within an authority's allocation, but it is, of course, possible for a great deal of repair work to be funded out of revenue resources, outside the scope of Section 105 of the Housing Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department has issued to local authorities concerning the maintenance and repair of faulty wiring systems in local authority homes.

None. Responsibility for these matters rests with the local authorities as landlords.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has been monitoring the beach improvement scheme currently being undertaken at Bournemouth; whether it has yet reached preliminary conclusions as to the cost effectiveness of such a scheme as a means of coastal protection from erosion by the sea; and whether it is aware of any adverse short- or long-term effect on the fishing industry in the area.

The beach replenishment scheme is being monitored by this Department. Ideally, an assessment of the cost effectiveness of a beach replenishment scheme should, if it is to be sound, be based upon a period of at least 10 years following completion of the scheme. Useful preliminary conclusions cannot be reached under a period of three years after completion and certainly not while the scheme is still in progress, due to the unpredictable short-term incidence of storms and their temporary

Route				Section			Estimated Completion Date
To the Haven Ports	…	…	…	A45 and A604 (less A45 Ipswich Bypass)	…	…	1979
				A45 Ipswich Bypass	…	…	1983
				M1 to A1 Link	…	…	1984
To Folkestone	…	…	…	M40 Birmingham—East of Oxford	…	…	1982
				M25 (Denham to Wrotham)	…	…	1983
				M20 (Maidstone to Folkestone)	…	…	1980
To Dover	…	…	…	M25/M16 (M10 to A2)	…	…	1981
				A2 less Canterbury Bypass	…	…	1976
				A2 Canterbury Bypass	…	…	1980

These dates are subject to the continuing availability of funds and the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures. Individual sections, within these overall lengths, will be completed at a variety of earlier dates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the new door fitted on the Interview Room Floor is now finished.

All the new doors fitted on the Interview Room Floor are finished apart from the polishing. This is due to be completed by 21st July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now introduce legislation to amend the Rent Acts 1968–74 so as to enable all landlords requiring possession of premises at the expiry of the contractual tenancy for their own occupation, or that of their immediate family, to claim possession as of right.

I do not consider such amendment necessary or desirable. The Rent Acts provide sufficient grounds for recovery of possession of accommodation for the landlord's own use or that of certain members of his family.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the current programme for the completion of the various sections of trunk road or motorway from the Midlands to the Haven Ports and from the Midlands to Folkestone and Dover.

Including the use of existing motorways these routes should be complete to motorway or high-quality trunk road standards as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his responsibilities for coordinating research into pollution of the stratosphere by fluorocarbons; and what work is being carried out.

It has been agreed that the Central Unit on Environmental Pollution in my Department should assume a general responsibility for coordinating work on stratospheric pollution, although other Departments will retain responsibilities for specific aspects of the problem. As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer) on 19th June—[Vol. 893, c. 517.]—we are conducting an appraisal of the possible effects of fluorocarbons and hope to publish a report on the matter later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research projects are currently being financed, wholly or partly, by his Department, relating to the protection of the coastline from erosion by the sea.

The principal current research projects relating to protection of the coastline which are being financed wholly or partly by my Department are: monitoring of Bournemouth beach replenishment scheme; study of coastline of East Anglia; project to improve methods of forecasting tidal levels and movements; study of sediment movement in the near shore zone at Swansea Bay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how long the repairs in Westminster Hall were originally expected to take; when he now expects that they will be completed; and if he is satisfied that there has been no undue delay.

The repairs to the glazing in Westminster Hall should be

		Islamabad	Karachi	Delhi	Bombay	Dacca
30th June 1972	…	4 months	1 month	2½ months	1 or 2 days	3 months
31st December 1972	…	1½ months	1-2 days	2 months	1 or 2 days	5½ months
30th June 1973	…	13 months	6 months	2½ months	1 or 2 days	5 months
31st December 1973	…	14 months	14 months	4 months	1 month	30 months
30th June 1974	…	18½ months	15 months	7 months	6½ months	38 months
31st December 1974	…	22 months	22 months	15 months	14 months	24 months
30th June 1975	…	22 months	21 months	16 months	14 months	18 months

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Africans under sentence of death in Southern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for the House of Commons to see an exhibition of the work of the London Region of the Property Services Agency.

Yes. A display of photographs and diagrams illustrating the work of the London Region of the Property Services Agency will be exhibited in the Upper Waiting Hall between 28th July and 1st August.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current waiting period for interview of applicants for entry permits to the United Kingdom in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, respectively; and what were the corresponding periods 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months ago.

The relevant waiting periods for interview in settlement cases are as follows:

The Government's views on executions, which we regard as illegal, have been repeatedly made clear to the illegal régime. I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate the appeal made by my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State in her reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 23rd May—[Vol. 892, c. 693–4.]—that the Rhodesian régime should make it clear that there will be no more executions under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act, 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any discussions have recently taken place with the Kenyan Government with regard to the number of Kenyan Asians holding United Kingdom passports who are to be admitted to Great Britain during 1975 and in succeeding years; and if he will make a statement.

We are in close and constant touch with the Goverments of Kenya and of those African countries in which substantial numbers of Asian United Kingdom passport holders reside.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether both Great Britain and France have agreed to be bound by the finding of the international tribunal now at work on the demarcation lines for oil, gas and mineral exploration in the English Channel and the Western Approaches.

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the Arbitration Agreement signed in Paris on 10th July by the United Kingdom and France to submit the delimitation of our Continental Shelf boundary in the Channel and Western Approaches west of 30 minutes west of the Greenwich meridian to a Court of Arbitration, in which case the answer is "Yes". A copy of the Agreement will be placed in the House of Commons Library shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce legislation to impose on banks a duty, in any case where the police consider that they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a cheque or banker's draft has been dealt with fraudulently, to dis- close the name and address of the customer on whose behalf the bank has collected the cheque or banker's draft, so as to facilitate proper and expeditious conclusions of necessary inquiries.

I have no present proposals on these lines, but I shall be ready to consider any arguments for such legislation which the hon. Member may care to put to me.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the cost per annum of transporting members of the staff of the House home by taxi after late night sittings.

The cost is £12,000 per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extent to which central Government, local government and nationalised industries will be able to settle wage claims at below the £6 per week maximum increase for some of their employees when determining cash limits and other disciplines designed to effect compliance with the policy outlined in Command Paper No. 6151.

Cash limits will be calculated, and other instruments applied, on the basis that all pay settlements in the areas concerned will comply with the policy of Command 6151. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear on 11th May—[Vol. 895, c. 902.]—that the £6 per week is a maximum and not an entitlement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now introduce legislation to lift the £5,000 tax exemption for VAT so as to take into account the depreciation of the currency since the tax was introduced.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether social security benefits paid to a student who registers for vacation work are reckonable, as are his earnings, against his parents' tax allowance in respect of that student.

No; because short term social security benefits are not chargeable to income tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will ensure that his Department's examination of fringe benefits and benefits in kind will also include those of MPs, including their allowances and subsidised meals.

I have noted the hon. Member's point.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will summarise the concessions on capital taxation applicable to the farming industry and indicate how each takes into account the industry's special problems; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Prime Minister whether stated cash limits on public expenditure will apply at the level of No. 10 Downing Street, and specifically to the employment of Press aides in that office.

The salaries and expenses of the staff employed at No. 10 Downing Street, including the staff of the Press Office, are borne on the Vote for the Civil Service Department and will be subject to the cash limits determined for that Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures showing the number of assaults on Scots police, men and women, in each year over the past five years and in each month of 1975.

Figures of assaults upon the police in Scotland resulting in absence from duty over the past five years are set out in the table below. Information for 1975 is not yet available centrally.

1970	…	…	…	…	108
1971	…	…	…	…	104
1972	…	…	…	…	119
1973	…	…	…	…	114
1974	…	…	…	…	128

Figures for assaults upon the police which did not result in absence from duty are not available for 1970–1972. For 1973 and 1974 the figures were 508 and 618 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police, men and women, have submitted claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each year over the past five years and in each month of this year.

I regret this information is not available in the form requested. Figures of the number of police, men and women, in whose cases awards were made are published annually in the report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board but do not distinguish between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what rent rebates or reduced rents are given by the Scottish Special Housing Association in respect of accommodation suffering from either severe condensation or dampness.

Rent rebates are related to a tenant's ability to pay rent, not to the physical condition of his house. The Scottish Special Housing Association has discretion on fixing the rents of individual houses in its stock, and in doing so it has regard to the size, age, type and amenity of the dwellings, including the factors mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Fisheries and Offshore Consultative Group has made its report to him.

A report prepared by the group covering its work in the past year was published yesterday, and copies have been made available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what proportion of persons over retirement age in the following categories (a) single males, (b) single females and (c) married couples in Great Britain and each English region have a gross weekly income in the following income bands; (i) below £5, (ii) £5 to £10, (iii) £10 to £15, (iv) £15 to £20 and (v) £20 and over;

GROSS WEEKLY INCOME* OF PERSONS OVER RETIREMENT AGE,† GREAT BRITAIN 31ST DECEMBER 1973
		Married couples	Single males‡	Single females‡
		(per cent.)	(per cent.)	(per cent.)
Less than £5	…	—	—	1
£5 and under £7	…	—	—	1
£7 and under £8	…	—	4	12
£8 and under £9	…	—	13	15
£9 and under £10	…	—	9	14
£10 and under £12	…	—	26	25
£12 and under £14	…	7	14	12
£14 and under £16	…	16	8	7
£16 and under £18	…	16	6	3
£18 and under £20	…	12	5	1
£20 and under £25	…	20	6	4
£25 and under £30	…	10	2	2
£30 and over £19	…	19	7	2
Total (100 per cent.) (thousands)	…	2,060	710	3,310
Median (£)§	…	19·8	11·9	10· 6
* Including income from occupational pensions.
† Excluding people in institutions.
‡ Includes all single, widowed and divorced persons.
§ Calculated from banded data.
The information is derived from the Family Expenditure Survey and is subject to sampling error.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she has taken to inform members of the public of the procedure for obtaining medical attention and sickness benefits while on holiday or travelling in EEC member countries; and what provision she has made for making form E111, certifying the insured person's right to benefit, available from local offices of her Department.

Leaflet SA28 entitled "Medical treatment for holiday makers and other temporary visitors to countries

I regret that this information is not available in the form requested by the hon. Member. In particular, it is not available for the English regions and Wales. The following table relates to Great Britain, but it would not be possible to reanalyse the data in it to show earnings bands of £10 to £15 and £15 to £20 without disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.of the European Economic Community" is available at local social security offices, and information has also been given on the radio, in the Press, in literature issued with passports, and in the publications of many travel organisations. Form E111 is obtainable by making an application at a local social security office.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of goods and services provided under the National Health Service by dentists in the Leek parliamentary constituency in each of the past five years.

Information on the provision of dental services is not available in the form requested. However, the annual costs of the provision of general dental services in the former Staffordshire Executive Council area which included the Leek constituency were as follows:

				£000
1969–70	…	…	…	814
1970–71	…	…	…	983
1971–72	…	…	…	1,134
1972–73	…	…	…	1,272
1973–74	…	…	…	1,454

These figures include charges to patients and employers' superannuation contributions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she proposes to take action following the publication of the Davies Committee Report on Hospital Complaints Procedure.

I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish a table showing expenditure on the social services in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965 and for each year thereafter, including estimates for 1975–76, (a) as a percentage of gross domestic product and (b) per head of the population at 1974 prices.

The following are the figures for health and personal social services and social security:

Year			Percentage of GDP	Per capita at 1974 prices
				£
1950	…	…	10·1	69·8
1955	…	…	9·4	76·7
1960	…	…	10·4	98·1
1965	…	…	11·9	127·0
1966	…	…	12·1	131·4
1967	…	…	12·9	142·6
1968	…	…	13·5	152·8
1969	…	…	13·8	154·7
1970	…	…	14·0	162·0
1971	…	…	13·8	163·8
1972	…	…	14·5	178·9
1973	…	…	14·0	181·3
1974	…	…	15·3*	195·5*
1975–76	…	…	Not available	Not available
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish a table showing total registered unemployment and the total number of people receiving unemployment benefit in November of each year since 1949.

The information requested is given in the table below:

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS REGISTERED IN NOVEMBER EACH YEAR
(Thousands)
Year			Total registered unemployed	Number of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit
1949	…	…	324	247
1950	…	…	302	212
1951	…	…	290	199
1952	…	…	406	292
1953	…	…	323	214
1954	…	…	263	150
1955	…	…	226	124
1956	…	…	265	155
1957	…	…	317	188
1958	…	…	528	334
1959	…	…	434	241
1960	…	…	352	177
1961	…	…	383	202
1962	…	…	544	313
1963	…	…	477	254
1964	…	…	350	172
1965	…	…	325	166
1966	…	…	485	276
1967	…	…	569	318
1968	…	…	556	294
1969	…	…	559	279
1970	…	…	596	302
1971	…	…	860	459
1972	…	…	789	352
1973	…	…	509	197
1974	…	…	583	259

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recommendations the Government have received from the Occupational Pensions Board on the disclosure of pension fund investment; and what action the Government intend to take in the light of those recommendations.

We have published the Report of the Occupational Pensions Board on the questions of solvency, disclosure of information and member participation in occupational pension schemes (Cmnd. 5904); the third and final volume of the Report (Overseas Practice) appeared in June. I am still studying the board's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the criteria will be for the proposed emergency plan to place patients from the Chelmsford district in Basildon Hospital; what are the reasons for such a policy; what monitoring has taken place over the past six months concerning the possibility of a breakdown; how long such a plan is likely to be in operation; and if she will make a statement.

There is no plan to place patients from Chelmsford district into Basildon Hospital. The area health authority is considering how best to reduce the waiting lists for orthopaedic and ENT surgery in that district.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she anticipates reaching a decision on the request of the Wessex Regional Health Authority for an additional consultant radiologist needed for the Basingstoke District General Hospital.

This additional post has been authorised.

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will review the system of the appointment of lay magistrates.

My noble Friend does not consider that any need exists for a general review of the system of appointing lay magistrates. If my hon. Friend wishes to draw to his attention any particular aspect of the present system which is causing him concern my noble Friend will be happy to look into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, if he will list the statutes under which he has power to issue a specific, as distinct from a general, direction.

My right hon. Friend has power under Section 3(2) of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954 to give directions which may be general or particular in character. Other statutes within the sphere of responsibility of my right hon. Friend contain, in addition to the power of giving general direction, power of giving directions of a specific character or directions not defined as general or specific, relating to particular matters or in certain circumstances. The latter are contained in Sections 29 and 30 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946; Section 7(8) of the Electricity Act 1947; Sections 8(3), 20(5) and 22(2) of the Electricity Act 1957; Section 4(2) of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954; and Sections 4(3), 7(2), 8(1), 10(4), 15 and 16 of the Gas Act 1972.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what is the total cost of running that Department for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will itemise the main constituent costs.

5,378 non-industrial and industrial civil servants were employed in the Civil Service Department at 1st April 1975.The estimate of staff salaries etc. for 1975–76 published in the Supply Estimates 1975–76 total 18,027,000—net of Appropriations in Aid—made up as follows:

	£
Salaries and wages	14,750,000
Travelling and subsistence	762,000
Other general expenses	3,244,000
	18,756,000
Less Appropriation in Aid	729,000
Net Estimates cost for 1975–76	18,027,000

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the total number and cost of Press, publicity and information officers employed in each Government Department on 1st July, the comparable figures for the past five years, and his estimate of changes in numbers and costs for the rest of the financial year.

The following tables given an analysis by Department of the numbers of staff in post in the Information Officer Group on 1st April 1975 and on the same date in each of the preceding five years. 1st April 1975 is the latest date for which figures are

Department		1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	…	4	3	4	7	10	9
Aviation Supply	…	—	18	—	—	—	—
British Museum (Natural History)	…	4	6	—	—	—	—
Cabinet Office	…	8	1	1	2	3	2
Civil Service Department	…	15	19	20	18	19	19
Customs and Excise	…	1	1	6	9	6	8
Decimal Currency Board	…	10	3	—	—	—	—
Defence	…	130	146	164	160	172	164
Education and Science	…	21	20	18	18	19	19
Employment	…	—	23	26	30	34	21
Employment and Productivity	…	24	—	—	—	—	—
Energy	…	—	—	—	—	—	16
Environment	…	—	101	94	84	90	93
Export Credit Guarantees	…	2	2	2	2	2	2
Fair Trading, Office of	…	—	—	—	—	2	6
Government Social Survey	…	106	—	—	—	—	—
Health and Safety Commission/Executive	…	—	—	—	—	—	7
Health and Social Security	…	14	17	17	17	17	22
Home Office	…	15	14	17	17	20	25
Housing and Local Government	…	20	—	—	—	—	—
Industrial Relations, Committee on	…	—	1	2	—	—	—
Industry	…	—	—	—	—	73	64
Information, Central Office of	…	647	664½	575½	534½	536	561
Land Commission	…	2	—	—	—	—	—
National Economic Development Council	…	2	2	—	—	—	—
National Savings	…	7	8	9	10	10	7
Northern Ireland Office	…	—	—	1	2	3	5
Overseas Development	…	8	8	10	10	9	11
Population Censuses and Surveys	…	—	108	107	124½	132	134
Posts and Telecommunications	…	3	3	4	4	—	—
Prices and Consumer Protection	…	—	—	—	—	11	16
Privy Council Office	…	—	1	1	1	1	2
Public Building and Works	…	34	—	—	—	—	—
Technology	…	46	—	—	—	—	—
Trade, Board of	…	43	—	—	—	—	—
Trade, Department of	…	—	—	—	—	88	99
Trade and Industry	…	—	79	156	156	—	—
Transport	…	29	—	—	—	—	—
Treasury and Sub Departments	…	12	12	12	13	14	12
Victoria and Albert Museums	…	2	2	2	2	2	2
Welsh Office	…	15	15	14	13	15	18
Scottish Office	…	15	14	14	13	19	23
TOTALS	…	1,239	1,291½	1,276½	1,247	1,307	1,367
Note: The table reflects machinery of Government changes, and other changes, mainly as a result of legislation—e.g. Superannuation Act 1972—which removed the need for some staff to be deemed to be civil servants.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, given the prospect of large purchases by Middle East countries of desalination plant, if the Government

The Government fully appreciate the importance of the major export opportunities for desalination plant in the Middle East and are continuing to support, through ECGD and the other export services of my Department, the efforts of British industry to win this business.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those countries with which the United Kingdom has a favourable balance of Trade.

Balance of trade figures are not available with individual countries on a balance of payments basis. The crude trade deficit or surplus with any country can be obtained from figures of imports cif and export fob in Tables II and V respectively in the issues of the monthly Overseas Trade Statistics. The crude trade balance—the difference between exports fob and imports cif—is not the best measure of the balance of trade in goods because, inter alia, of differences in valuation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, following his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington on 15th July, he will now state how many requests for meetings on the future of the tourist industry he has received from people not holding official or Government-sponsored appointments with tourist boards; and with how many of these requests he has complied.

My right hon. Friend has received one such request for a meeting. We have suggested a discussion with a senior official of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the latest available figure for the balance of trade of the United Kingdom chipboard manufacturing industry.

The crude balance of trade in wood chipboard—i.e., exports fob minus imports cif—for the first five months of 1975 can be derived from pages IV 44 and VII 34 of the May issue of the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom" under headings 4418 0087, 4418 0169 and 4418 0240.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many industrial development certificates were granted in the Moray and Nairn parliamentary constituency during each of the last five years.

IDC statistics are not available in respect of parliamentary constituencies. The numbers of industrial development certificates issued for locations in the employment exchange areas approximating to the parliamentary constituency of Moray and Nairn were: 1970, five; 1971, one; 1972 (January-July), four.As I said in reply to the hon. Lady's Question on 8th April, the IDC control ceased in July 1972 to apply in the development areas. These include that part of Scotland in which the hon. Member's constituency lies.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry which nationalised industries and public corporations have borrowed money from their own pension funds and not yet repaid the debt; and whether the Government have any financial proposals in order to enable them to repay these debts.

The management of nationalised industry pension funds is a day-to-day matter for the industries themselves, and the hon. Member should address inquiries to the chairmen concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many persons were employed by the British Steel Corporation at the latest available date and at a similar date in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

End of March	1975	…	228,300
	1974	…	220,400
	1973	…	226,600
	1972	…	229,700
	1971	…	252,400
End of Sept*	1970	…	259,450
* March 1970 figure not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry upon what evidence he bases his hopes that the public money expended on Concorde will be recouped.

The extent to which the Government's investment in the production of Concorde will be recovered of course depends on the number sold. My right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn) has made clear to the House that over the 16 aircraft currently authorised the production loss will be substantial; and that none of the expenditure on the development of Concorde will be recovered. This remains the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the present order book for Concorde, including options to purchase.

Five aircraft have been ordered by British Airways and four by Air France. Negotiations are continuing for the sale of two aircraft to Iraniair. Japan Air Lines has renewed its options on three Concordes until the end of 1975 but these do not involve payment of a deposit.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if it is his intention that the first two production Concorde aircraft shall be refurbished to airline standards after the present route-proving flights are completed, and then offered for sale.

It is the third and fourth production aircraft which are being used for the programme of endurance flying. These will be refurbished to airline standard after the completion of the programme. The first and second production aircraft would require extensive modification in addition to refurbishment before they could be accepted for normal airline service, and we have at present no plans to authorise such modifications.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he has had with his French opposite number about continuing the Concorde production line beyond the present 16 aircraft.

My right hon. Friend has not yet had the opportunity to discuss any aspect of the Concorde project with his French opposite number.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what percentage of the total employees in the private sector is accounted for by those companies which have to make application for price increases to the Price Commission.

The information is not available, since these firms are not required to give details of the number of their employees. It is estimated that manufacturing firms which are required to pre-notify account for approximately 70 per cent. of total manufacturing output in the private sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what would be the price at the latest date for which figures are available of a large white loaf of bread, a pound of butter, a pound of cheese and a pint of milk if all the subsidies were removed.

Average retail prices derived from information collected for the purposes of the General Index of Retail Prices are as follows:

	Average Retail price 13th Mav 1975 p.	Estimated price if subsidy were removed*p.
Large white loaf of bread, sliced (1¾ lbs.)	16·1	18·6
1 lb. of butter	30·1	41·1
1 lb. of cheese, Cheddar type	42·8	54·8
1 pint of milk, pasturised	6	8
* This assumes that if the subsidy were removed the full cost would be passed on to the consumer.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in view of the effect that implementing the studies of the Working Party on Metrological Control Systems may have on the wine and spirit industry, and as the Wine and Spirit Association represents some 85 per cent. of all importing, distributing and retailing of wines and spirits in the United Kingdom, if she will reconsider her decision to omit it from the working party.

I have already assured the Wine and Spirit Association that the working party will pay particular attention to the special problems of the association's trade and will be asking for representations from the association at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what applications have been made by the National Bus Company to the Price Commission about allowing bus operators to raise their fares to an economically viable level; and what replies have been sent.

None, since bus fares are dealt with by the Traffic Commissioners and not by the Price Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he intends to make to the Agricultural Council of Ministers on 23rd July; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the Commission to make proposals to the Council. I expect to be making a statement after next week's meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conclusion he has reached about the retention or destruction of land drainage maps held by his Department.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling)—[Vol. 883, c. 615.]—on 20th December 1974.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs are imported and exported between each of the countries within the EEC.

The following is the information as regards imports and exports between the United Kingdom and other community countries in the first five months of 1975, the latest period for which official statistics are available, and for the same period of 1974. Similar information for the other Community countries is not readily available but I will write to my hon. Friend.

UNITED KINGDOM TRADE IN SHELL EGGS (BOXES)
	1974 (January to May inclusive)	1975 {January to May inclusive)
Imports
Denmark	16,596	17,424
Fed. Rep. of Germany	2,200	40
Netherlands	33,719	47,184
Belgium/Luxembourg	35,533	22,673
France	310,030	329,057
Ireland	25,753	1,005
Italy	—	1,467
	423,831	418,850
Exports
Fed. Rep. of Germany	15,606	45,506
Netherlands	11,692	25,309
Ireland	6,233	49,138
Belgium/Luxembourg	181	—
France	—	60
	33,712	120,013

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of aphids developing immunity to organo-phosphorous compounds; what research is being currently conducted by the Agricultural Research Council on this topic; and if he will make a statement.

Practical farming evidence exists of the development in some aphids of resistance to organo-phosphorous compounds, and this is seen as a contributory factor in the failure of sprays to control aphids in sugar beet last year. Laboratory investigations have also shown that some populations of the peach/potato aphid and the damson/hop aphid possess significant levels of resistance.Research is being conducted on the nature of resistance to insecticides at the ARC Stations at Rothamsted and Brooms Barn, and it is proposed that fur- ther work should be commenced at the National Vegetable Research Station. Other work is actively under way to find alternative insecticides and ways of avoiding or delaying the development of resistance to these insecticides in the future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many persons serve on the Potato Marketing Board; and what interests they represent.

As to the number of members I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins) on 11th July.— [Vol. 895, c. 303.] Members elected by producers represent them; Ministers' members serve on a personal basis and do not represent the Ministers who appoint them.