asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of staff employed in the Department of the Environment and the Property Services Agency at the most convenient recent date; what was the annual cost in wages and salaries; and what are the comparable figures for each of the past five years.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newton (Mr. Evans) on 25th June.—[Vol. 894. c. 154.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the increase in private sector housing land prices per plot from January 1970 to the latest available date.

The average price per plot of private sector housing land increased from £877 in the first half of 1970 to £1,968 in the first half of 1975, a rise of 122 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to ensure that local authorities be required to include a minimum stated percentage of special accommodation in housing schemes for disabled persons.

Such representations have been made from time to time, but I do not think that laying down a percentage of provision for disabled people, or for other groups with special needs, would be the best way to increase provision.I announced in February a drive for stimulating the quite inadequate provision of recent years. I ask all authorities to incorporate mobility housing, together with wheelchair housing, in all new housing schemes of any size, and to give prompt attention to proposals for improvement and adaptation of accommodation for disabled people. I have recently published new yardsticks and recast the procedure for wheelchair housing. In addition, my adviser on housing for disabled people has published two papers on mobility and wheelchair housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the Government's conclusions on the Sandford Report on National Parks.

As soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether arrangements have been agreed by his Department in any local authority area in England or Scotland, for rates on caravans to be assessed on a site rather than an individual basis.

Not in England. There is no provision for arrangements of this sort under existing rating law, but my right hon. Friend hopes to introduce legislation very shortly to enable rates to be collected from site owners. The current position in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will agree to permitting trailer caravan owners to display weights less than the maximum gross weight as authorised in the Motor Vehicles (Variation of Speed Limits) Regulations 1973 in order to permit them to tow caravans with smaller cars in the interests of fuel economy; and if he will make a statement.

No. The possible fuel saving would not justify the risk to road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what examination of the invalid tricycle has been carried out by the Road Research Laboratory or otherwise by his Department; what conclusions were reached; and if he is satisfied with the suitability and safety of this vehicle for its purpose.

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has examined the accident rates and handling characteristics of three-wheeled cars as a class, but not of the invalid tricycle, whose construction and maintenance are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that it meets the statutory requirements as to road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of putting up the brass sign plates in the corridors of the Norman Shaw North building.

It will be another week before the work is completed. The final cost will be about £2,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the office space in New Court, Carey Street, London, W.C.2, made available by the expansion of the Office of Fair Trading into larger accommodation, will be made available for private occupation; or whether another Government Department will take up the tenancy.

The space in New Court, Carey Street, is being considered for occupation by staff of one or more Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of consideration of proposals for the implementation of the Heavy Commercial Vehicles Act 1973.

The Department has issued circulars advising local authorities on the action to take to implement the Heavy Commercial Vehicles Act 1973, and has held meetings with them in the regions. Authorities have until 1st January 1977—in Scotland until 1st January 1978—to make surveys, prepare proposals and publish draft orders. The Department held a seminar in March 1975, attended by local authorities, the haulage industry, the police and amenity bodies, and has since issued further advice to the authorities.The wide response to the consultation document about national routes has merited detailed study. The outcome will have long-term implications, and I am concerned more to make the right decisions than to make quick ones.Meanwhile, as local authorities are aware, lorry drivers are already recommended to use the motorway system and the primary routes. Within this context, authorities will be treating lorry plans, together with other traffic management measures, on their merits. They may wish to concentrate their resources, as many are already doing, upon modest cost-effective improvements at known pinch-points, and upon banning heavy traffic from "rat-runs" through residential and environmentally sensitive areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken since 17th February regarding the submissions by members of his National Consultative Council on the need for further information about public sector construction programmes; and whether he will now announce his decision on this matter.

Discussions with other Departments on the provision of further information to the industry about public sector construction programmes are well advanced. I shall let the industry know shortly what is proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of domestic properties have a rateable value of under £300 in each London borough; and what percentage of domestic properties have a rateable value of under £175 in each non-metropolitan county and metropolitan district in the rest of England and Wales.

I regret that this information is not available but my hon. Friend may care to refer to the publication "Rates and Rateable Values in England and Wales 1973–74", a copy of which is in the Library. This shows the number of domestic properties in each rating area in the valuation list on 1st April 1973 in the rateable value bands £1 to £150, £151 to £400 and over £400. Similar information in respect of 1974–75 will be published in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to make it compulsory to fit the Telma brake system on all motor coaches in the interests of safety.

I am considering whether performance standards for the downhill braking of coaches should be enhanced. Which product best satisfies those standards is for manufacturers and operators to determine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it an offence to allow worn tyres on motor coaches to be recut; and if he will make a statement on the safety aspects of this practice.

I have no evidence that the recutting of tyres which are designed for the purpose presents any safety hazard for larger vehicles. It is, however, prohibited for passenger vehicles which weigh less than 2½ tons unladen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the difficulties youth clubs, schools and other organisations are having with the use of their minibuses, he will seek to amend the Road Traffic Act 1960, Section 118, so that they may continue to use these minibuses for their usual activities.

I am giving special consideration to this problem and would not like to anticipate the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Cumbria County Council concerning rural transport problems; what increased level of support it has requested in its supplementary grant submission for 1976–77; and if he will make a statement.

Hon. and right hon. Members and local authorities have drawn my attention to the rural transport problems of Cumbria. The county council has submitted alternative programmes which envisage total expenditure of £7·377 million or £8·196 million in 1976–77, compared with £6·676 million accepted for Transport Supplementary Grant in 1975–76. These 1976–77 totals include an estimated expenditure of £0·610 million on revenue support for buses. All figures are at November 1974 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment at how many sites in the country, in conjunction with local authorities, his Department has agreed to install experimental ramp speed retarders.

We expect to instal experimental humps at about eight sites in all. Two have so far been agreed with the local authorities concerned, subject to the consideration of objections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of railways have been electrified in Wales and England, respectively.

In England 2,033 route miles, in Wales none.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost to the taxpayer of work done at Chichele College, College Street, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire; how long such work has been in progress; and when it is anticipated that work will be completed.

£31,700 since 1965. I estimate the work will take two more years and £11,000 to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will expedite the bringing into force of Section 7 of the Road Traffic Act 1974 in view of the damage being done to grass verges by careless, indiscriminate parking.

Local authorities must survey their areas, prepare exemption orders and signs before Section 7 may be implemented in full. Since this must be done within existing resources some delay is unavoidable, but I hope it will be kept to a minimum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent per mile in 1974–75 on classified and unclassified roads in England.

It is not possible to distinguish between expenditure on classified and unclassified roads. Provisional figures show that expenditure per mile on principal and non-principal roads was about £17,800 and £2,200 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Liverpool.

I was very pleased to be able to accept the invitation of the Liverpool City Council to visit its city last week. I had a most informative tour of the inner area to see the housing problems facing the council and how it is tackling many of them. I later had a useful discussion with members and officials about the action programmes the council have in mind.Although the housing problem was the main one raised by Liverpool, and I have brought away for consideration some of the points put to me, the discussions were more wide-ranging and included land availability within the city. As one step to helping Liverpool with its problems I have asked my regional office for an early comprehensive report on road proposals in Liverpool and their effect on the immediate supply of land for redevelopment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the average national wage was paid in rates in 1945, 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1974.

The information requested is not available for the years prior to 1963–64. For England and Wales domestic rate payment as a percentage of personal income for later years were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received from residents in the Richmond constituency at the increase in aircraft noise occasioned by the landing of Concorde; and if he will make a statement on the action he is taking.

Concorde's recent endurance flying programme prompted 383 complaints from the Richmond constituency. With regard to the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Windsor and Maidenhead (Dr. Glyn) on 15th October—[Vol. 897, c. 733–4]—and on 21st October—[Vol. 898, c. 147].

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will introduce import controls on woollen textile goods coming from Eastern European countries.

There are already quotas on a wide range of woollen textiles and garments from Eastern Europe. Those fixed for 1974 were on average some 17 per cent. larger than for 1973 while the increase between 1974 and this year has been kept to an average of about 4 per cent. Quotas for 1976 have yet to be decided. A general extension of the restrictions on a unilateral basis would raise problems for our trade relations with these countries. Some woollen garments—e.g., suits and other woven made-ups mainly of wool—are not restricted at present, although, like any other goods, they would, if dumped, be covered by the usual anti-dumping rules. As in the case of restrictions imposed on textiles from Far East countries, the existing restrictions on the main Eastern European suppliers will be replaced by restrictions negotiated by the Community under the GATT Multi-Fibre Arrangement, and in the process some widening of coverage is envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will clearly define the areas of operating ambulances at airports run by the British Airports Authority or between airport ambulances, National Health Service ambulances and private ambulances, respectively when handling disabled travellers.

This matter falls within the responsibility of the British Airports Authority and I have drawn the attention of the chairman of the authority to the hon. Member's inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied that the British Tourist Authority is adequately promoting the National Exhibition Centre.

Yes. In addition to promoting the centre overseas, the BTA is co-operating very successfully with Birmingham City Council to encourage organisations in this country to persuade their parent international body to hold its conferences and exhibitions in Birmingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will delay for two years the application of the new safety regulations to older fishing vessels having regard to the evidence of adverse effects which is now apparent since the regulations came into force.

No. Bearing in mind the risks involved to men employed in the fishing industry and the six years phasing in period for surveys, my right hon. Friend is convinced that implementation of the safety rules and surveys should not be deferred. Some of the older vessels represent the most urgent need and are, therefore, being dealt with first.

asked the Prime Minister what change has been made in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

I have appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy) as a Member of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe in place of my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott).

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will hold discussions with the Boundaries Commission with regard to the method of election to the Scottish Assembly.

The method of election is not a matter for the Commission.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many additional or how many fewer civil servants his Department will require to run Scottish affairs after the establishment of a Scottish Assembly; and what is the anticipated additional cost that a Scottish Assembly and its ancillary staffing will impose on the taxpayer.

The hon. and learned Gentleman is referring to a Question originally tabled to the Secretary of State for Scotland, and refers to civil servants in that Department rather than my own. Manpower and other costs will be covered in the forthcoming White Paper. I would ask the hon. Member to await its publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what approximate percentage of transport flights was carried out by civilian chartered aircraft during 1974 in total and to Germany, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, the Indian Ocean and Far East, North America and the Caribbean, and elsewhere; and what is expected to be the percentage after the rundown of the RAF transport force.

In total 21 per cent. of transport flights were carried out by civilian chartered aircraft in the financial year 1974–75. Of transport flights to Germany 43 per cent. were carried out in this way. Elsewhere civilian charter was confined to the carriage of personnel and freight to Australia, the movement of Gurkhas and their families within Nepal and the support and training of certain Army units. These flights do not represent a significant percentage of the transport task. The future pattern of air movement, including the use of civilian chartered aircraft, is currently under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been let for the charter of civilian aircraft as a result of the rundown in the RAF transport force; and what is expected to be the annual cost of additional charters resulting from the rundown.

A contract has been let with Dan Air for trooping flights between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. It is not our practice to quote the costs of individual contracts. Final decisions have not yet been taken on the additional charter requirements, if any, resulting from the rundown of the RAF transport force.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent troops were flown overseas for exercises in 1974; and whether it will be possible to maintain a similar level of deployment after the rundown of the RAF transport force.

In the calendar year 1974 the RAF air transport force was involved in some 217 exercises. These ranged from participation in important NATO exercises to the deployment of minor units overseas on routine training. Included in this figure are exercises mounted by all the three Services not only from the United Kingdom but also from garrisons overseas. The future level of exercise activity is currently under study but there is bound to be some reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft are required to transport and drop at one time a parachute battalion and supporting units; and whether sufficient RAF aircraft will be available to drop a complete battalion at one time after the rundown of the transport force.

It is not the practice to provide precise details of our operational capabilities, but I can confirm that this task is within the capability of the RAF aircraft that are being retained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present strength of the Royal Air Force Regiment, and what are his proposals for its future strength in the light of the Government's defence cuts.

The Royal Air Force Regiment currently comprises 12 squadrons operating in the low-level air defence and field rôles primarily for the defence of airfields. Our studies of the final size and shape of the reduced force required to meet post defence review commitments are not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the law relating to pornography, since the trial of the Cambridge rapist.

My right hon. Friend has received eight letters expressing conflicting views on the law on pornography in the light of this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have taken advantage of the amnesty to illegal immigrants.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a Question by the hon. Member for Halesowen and Stourbridge (Mr. Stokes) on 21st October.—[Vol. 898, c. 141.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria used by prison governors in deciding that a prisoner may have only screened visits; and how often such a decision is reviewed.

A prisoner may only have closed visits—that is, with a screen between the prisoner and visitor where close supervision is considered necessary for security or other reasons. The decision may be reviewed at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Department has ceased its practice of replying in detail to inquiries about individual prisoners made on behalf of families by the Prisoners Aid Committee.

It is not normally the practice to consider disclosing information about individual prisoners other than to certain official bodies—for example, the police—relatives or those who have a prisoner's prior consent to receive it. In so far as information was disclosed to the Prisoners Aid Committee on a different basis, it was done in error.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the timetable to which he expects the Local Government Boundaries Commission will confirm when it reviews the ward boundaries for the London borough of Haringey.

I understand that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England has invited the London boroughs, including the London borough of Haringey, to submit their draft electoral arrangement schemes to the commission by 27th February 1976, with a view to the publication of the commission's draft proposals by the end of June. Allowing time for representations to be made to the commission by interested bodies and for local meetings to be held where necessary, the commission hopes to submit its final proposals by April 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if and when he expects the Boundaries Commission will next review the parliamentary constituency boundaries in the Greater London area.

The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is required by statute to report, following a general review of constituencies in England including Greater London, between 1979 and 1984. To take account of the recent local government reorganisation, I understand that it is likely that the commission will aim to report in 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the report of the working committee on use of the fourth television channel in Wales as a national channel.

Next month, I hope.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Department of State is responsible for considering whether the Government should initiate a change in the law with regard to non-industrial picketing—the point arising from the case of Pitt v. Hubbard.

I am.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer approximately how much income tax rebate a married man with one, two, three and four children may expect to receive each week he is on strike, assuming normal earnings of £30, £40, £50 and £60 per week.

Subject to the fact that the tax rebates could not exceed the total tax already deducted during the year the maximum weekly rebate in 1975–76 at the earnings levels shown would be approximately as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now agree to the separate identification of United Kingdom receipts from the EEC Regional Development Fund.

Under the regulations governing the fund a list of projects which have received contributions from the fund will be published every six months in the Official Journal of the Community. In addition the Commissioner responsible will write to the promoters of projects informing them that their projects have been selected as qualifying for assistance from the fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the current value of the personal allowances of single and married persons, respectively, if they were equated with the current levels of supplementary benefits requirements, assuming no special additions to the basic requirements and applying the national average for the rent and rates element; and what would be the cost to the Revenue of raising personal allowances to these levels, as compared with the personal allowances applying in 1975–76.

In order to equate the personal tax allowances with the current levels of ordinary rate supplementary benefit scales plus the average rent and rates additions expressed as annual rates, it would be necessary to raise the single person's tax allowance to £748 and the married person's allowance to £1,062. For persons aged 65 and over the present age allowances are already higher than the corresponding long-term supplementary benefit scales plus rent and rates additions. The estimated full-year cost of such increases at 1975–76 incomes and tax rates is about £750 million on the assumption that the wife's earned income allowance would be increased by the same amount as the single person's allowance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much and by what percentage expenditure by the Consolidated Fund rose during the months of 1975 for which figures are available; and if he will estimate how much of this increase was due to pay increases in the public sector above those allowable under a strict interpretation of the social contract.

As published in the London Gazette on 7th October 1975, issues from the Consolidated Fund from 1st April 1975 to 30th September 1975 amounted to £16,893 million compared with £11,518 million from 1st April 1974 to 30th September 1974, an increase of £5,375 million, or 47 per cent. As regards the last part of the Question, the Government have ensured that all settlements to which they have been a party have been consistent with the social contract.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what aid is being given to Rhodesia.

No aid is provided to Rhodesia as such. However, considerable efforts have been and are being made by Her Majesty's Government to supplement the inadequate educational opportunities offered by the illegal régime to those Rhodesian Africans who are qualified for post O-level education. In the United Kingdom this effort will, it is now estimated, cost £1·7 million in the financial year 1975–76. In the Commonwealth outside Rhodesia £65,000 has been made available to finance training of Rhodesian Africans. A further £52,000 is being provided to ensure that no Rhodesian African who obtains a place in the University of Rhodesia is prevented by lack of funds from using his place. In addition, a small sum is being made available to mission schools inside Rhodesia to provide essential teaching equipment.

asked the Minister of Ovearseas Development whether he has made any new arrangements in regard to the Council for Technical Education and Training for Overseas Countries.

Practical experience since the expansion of the Council for Technical Education and Training for Overseas Countries (TETOC) in 1972 showed that the functions and responsibilities of TETOC are so closely involved with those of the Ministry that further reorganisation was necessary to remove overlap and uncertainties. With the agreement of the Chairman and Board of TETOC, therefore, the nature of the reorganisation was examined by ODM and TETOC's representatives jointly. Their unanimous advice, which my predecessor accepted after its endorsement by the council, was that harmonisation of TETOC's contribution to our aid programme could best be secured by vesting control of TETOC in a smaller board, comprising officials of my Ministry and the Director-General of TETOC. The board of TETOC has now been reconstituted in accordance with this advice.The new board is maintaining and strengthening the links with the wide range of United Kingdom resources in technical education, management development and industrial training establised by its predecessor.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will tabulate the amounts of direct and indirect aid, under appropriate subheadings, provided by the United Kingdom for each Commonwealth country in Africa in 1974, together with the gross domestic product per head and export income per head for each country in a comparable unit of account.

The amount of bilateral aid provided by the British Government to Commonwealth Africa in 1974 as shown in Table A below, which shows also the gross domestic product and export income per had of population for each recipient country. Table B—also below—gives an analysis of the figures for technical assistance, i.e. column 4 of Table A.The amounts exclude aid provided by the international agencies to which the United Kingdom contributes; this cannot readily be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish the likely hospital closures in the West Midlands that will be involved in the implementation of the first interim report of the departmental working party on the distribution of health spending.

As my right hon. Friend explained in her reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 20th October—[Vol. 898, c. 43–4.]—we shall be making no decisions on any of the report's recommendations until we have considered the views of the interested bodies now being consulted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the people of England is retirement pensioners.

An estimated 14·6 per cent. in 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will show for each of the last 10 years the total cost of free welfare foods, medical prescriptions and optical treatment, distinguishing between the cost of the benefits and administrative costs and showing numbers employed to work the scheme; the number of claims made; the number of payments made; the estimated percentage take-up in relation to eligibility; and the length of time for which payments continued before reassessment.

Information is not available in the form required. The following tables give the available data for England:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations she has had about requiring local authorities to include a stated minimum percentage of special accommodation for the disabled in all housing schemes; and what action she proposes to take.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her today.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of people charged with terrorist type offences since 1st January 1975, broken down by category of offence.

Figures up to 20th October are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the change in the numbers of convicted prisoners in Northern Ireland since 1st January 1975.

At 1st January the figure was 1,748 and on 1st October the figure was 2,185, a rise of 437.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of those: (a) sentenced to imprisonment and (b) discharged from prison since 1st January 1975, received special category status in prison as Loyalists and Republicans, respectively; and what was the increase in numbers of such prisoners in custody.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many special category prisoners having Republican and Loyalist connections were sentenced and in custody at 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October 1975, respectively.

Details are as follows—excluding prisoners unlawfully at large, of whom there were five at 1st October:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors are at present operative in Wales in each grade; and what plans there are for increasing this complement.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that there are at present operative in Wales the following factory inspectors in each grade:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment from what source he intends to recruit the 133 additional factory inspectors required by 31st July 1976; what qualifications he expects them to have; and what period of time they will have served in industry prior to appointment.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that it is intended to recruit the additional factory inspectors from among existing civil servants and through open competitions run by the Civil Service Commission. The recruits for the general inspectorate will be expected to have either an honours or post-graduate degree, or to have a qualification at least equivalent to a Higher National Certificate with not less than three years' post qualification practical experience in an executive or managerial capacity. Specialist inspectors will be recruited from among candidates with appropriate industrial experience who are chartered engineers corporate members of the Institution of Electrical Engineers or fellows or members of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Institution of Chemical Engineers or the Institute of Physics. In addition candidates with first- or second-class honours in chemistry physics or chemical engineering are eligible for chemical inspector posts provided that they have at least two years' appropriate industrial experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what training he proposes to give the 133 additional factory inspectors required by 31st July 1976 in order that they may enforce the requirements of the Woodworking Machine Regulations 1974, in particular the regulation concerning noise.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that all factory inspectors recruited to the general branch of the Inspectorate undergo a two-year basic training which includes formal training courses, and field training. Within a few months of joining the Inspectorate a new entrant undertakes a six-month residential training course in the Department of Occupational Safety and Hygiene at the University of Aston in Birmingham, at the end of which he is required to pass examinations for the award of the Diploma. During the course instruction is given in legal requirements enforced by the Factory Inspectorate, including the Woodworking Machinery Regulations 1974. Instruction is also given in the problems of noise in industry and the techniques of measurement and control. This instruction is subsequently followed by practical experience in industrial situations during field training.Those inspectors who are recruited to the specialist branches of the Inspectorate and who will be involved in the enforcement of the Woodworking Machinery Regulations 1974, will receive individual training, including that from colleagues who are recognised authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those registered as unemployed in Wales and in England, respectively, are stopped temporarily, school leavers and wholly unemployed, respectively.

The numbers unemployed do not include temporarily stopped workers. On 8th September 1975, 988, 244 people were unemployed in England, of whom 10·1 per cent. were school leavers. In addition, there were 50,112 temporarily stopped. The figures for Wales were 76,496 unemployed, of whom 11·9 per cent. were school leavers, and 1,793 temporarily stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average total of unemployed male insured workers in Wales in each of the years from 1963 to 1975.

The following table shows the average of the monthly figures for years from 1963 to 1974 and the available figures for each month in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of unemployed, including school leavers, in West Stirlingshire.

Rates are calculated only for complete travel-to-work areas, and West Stirlingshire comprises parts of four different areas. At September 1975 the rates for these four travel-to-work areas were; Stirling 5·7 per cent., Falkirk 5·5 per cent., Kilsyth 10·1 per cent., and Glasgow 6·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in the light of tests carried out at ISC Alloys, Bloxwich, by the Health and Safety Executive, what advice is being given to similar establishments so as to minimise the likelihood of further accidents; and if he is satisfied with safety provisions of the existing law.

I have received the following information from the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission.The possibility of the liberation of arsine gas from contaminated zinc dross under certain conditions is well known. As long ago as 1922 the Chemical Works Regulations required precautions to be taken in certain processes where arsine is liable to be evolved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the temporary employment subsidy to cover redundancies in local authorities.

It is not my intention to extend TES as suggested but the scheme is at present under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate, expressed in absolute terms and as the number per thousand households, of the number of families on the waiting lists for local authority houses in Wales.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Edwards) on 14th October—[Vol. 897, c. 694.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what powers he has to appoint representatives of county and district councils on to the regional boards of the National Bus Company in those cases where the company is in receipt of subsidies from such councils.

None. The National Bus Company has no regional boards; its regional management structure is staffed entirely from its own personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the levels of milk production in Wales in the years 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, and 1974–75, respectively; and what is the estimated level for 1975–76.

Total sales through the Milk Marketing Board Scheme were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales at how many sites in Wales, in conjunction with local authorities, his Department has agreed to install experimental ramp speed retarders.

None as yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent in 1974–75 on advertising in the Welsh and English languages, respectively, in newspapers and periodicals in Wales.

My Department spent £7,394 on advertising in the Welsh language Press and £42,935 in the English language Press in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the water impounded in reservoirs in Wales is used in Wales.

About 40 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent per mile in 1974–75 on classified and unclassified roads in Wales.

It is not possible to distinguish between expenditure on classified and unclassified roads. Provisional figures show that expenditure per mile on principal roads and non-principal roads in 1974–75 was about £13,300 and £1,720 respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ascertain directly the views of farmers and farmworkers on the abolition of tied agricultural cottages.

On 7th August my right hon. Friend published jointly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment a consultative document entitled "Abolition of the Tied Cottage System in Agriculture" seeking the views of interests concerned with the agricultural tied cottage system in England and Wales. Copies of this document were sent to the industry's main representative organisations and upon request to many farmers, farmworkers and others. Simultaneously, I sent copies of the document to the Ministry's regional panels asking for their views.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the Russian trawler escorted into Plymouth by the Royal Navy on 16th October 1975.

A Russian trawler was stopped on 16th October by HMS "Shavington" while steaming inside the 12 mile limit with her gear not fully stowed, and was escorted into Plymouth. After investigation, the officers of my Department were satisfied that she was on ordinary passage and had not fished within the fishery limit. The skipper was given a warning about the regulations on gear stowage, and was then allowed to proceed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the state of the poultry industry; and if he will make a statement.

The market for poultry meat is firm and producers have been increasing their stocks in the expectation of a continuing firm demand. Egg prices fell back recently but remain substantially above the very low levels reached in the summer when at my right hon. Friend's request the Commission took action designed to help producers in this country who were then particularly hard pressed.However, concern has been expressed within the industry that the recent trend of increased chick placings could lead to over-production in the first half of 1976. The state of the industry will be considered at the forthcoming annual review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal to graze a bull in a "path field" under any circumstances.

I announced on 28th April that my right hon. Friend had received the report of the Advisory Council for Agriculture and Horticulture in England and Wales on Bulls and Public Footpaths. The report recommended, among other things, that a model byelaw to control the pasturing of bulls in fields with public rights of way should be drafted in a form suitable for adoption by district councils under Section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972. My right hon. Friend is now consulting his colleagues on the recommendations of the report and would prefer not to anticipate the outcome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the additional charge on the balance of payments in the 12 months from 1st October 1975 as a result of the devaluation of the green pound he announced on 15th October.

No precise estimate is possible. The best guess that can be made is that United Kingdom net receipts from Community funds in the period mentioned may be lower by about £45 million as a result of the representative rate change. Increases in United Kingdom agricultural production would, by reducing our food import requirement, improve the balance of payments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the retail price of milk will be increased by l½ p, i.e., 21 per cent., when the increase to the producer is to be only 4·5p per gallon, i.e., roughly 10 per cent.

My right hon. Friend announced in July that a further increase of 1p per pint in the maximum retail price would be necessary this year. The 1½P per print increase is, therefore, required to finance earlier increases in costs as well as the increases in the guarantee which my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 29th September and 15th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the relationship between the regional authorities and the proposed Scottish Assembly.

The Government's proposals for the Scottish Assembly, including its relations with local government, will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amounts by way of loans or mortgages have been offered for Orkney and Shetland respectively, by the building societies.

Discussions are proceeding about arrangements for disbursing the £7 million which the building societies have agreed to allocate for lending to applicants sponsored by local authorities. No area quotas have been devised, but my officials will maintain close contact with the societies to ensure that the funds go mostly to areas of greatest need; these include Orkney and Shetland.