asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any measures have been taken to aid replanting of trees in areas where felling has taken place as a result of Dutch elm disease.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4th August to the hon. Member for Cardigan (Mr. Howells).—[Vol. 897, c. 60.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of money spent by each local authority in 1974–75 on municipalisation and improvements, respectively.

I regret the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received urging him to give legal backing to the procedures for determination of public house rents contained in the code of practice on tenant's security; and what replies he has sent.

I am unable to trace any representations of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings were let by each Cornish district council to local authority employees during 1974.

This information should be obtained direct from the local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria he used to exclude certain houses in Drew Road, Silvertown, from the relevant compulsory purchase order; and what estimates he has made of the cost of rehabilitating each house thus excluded.

The order in question was made under Part III of the Housing Act 1957, and my right hon. Friend therefore had to decide whether the properties covered by the order were unfit, and if so, whether clearance was the best way of dealing with them. The inspector who conducted the public local inquiry found that 18 of the 29 houses which were eventually excluded were not unfit, and that the condition of the remaining 11 houses could be more satisfactorily dealt with by improvement than by clearance. The cost of rehabilitation was a relevant factor only in the case of the 11 unfit houses, and my right hon. Friend was satisfied that this was a factor which the inspector took into account in reaching his professional judgment that the houses could be made fit for human habitation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he is satisfied with the procedures for processing applications by housing associations to acquire properties; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many transactions involving the acquisition of property by housing associations are at present before his Department; and what is the average time for giving a decision in such cases;(3) if there have been any recent changes in his policy regarding acquisitions of property by housing associations; and if he will give the numbers of approvals and refusals for loan sanction for these purposes over each of the last nine months.

I maintain a close watch on the procedures, which were introduced earlier this year. Applications cover schemes of various sizes, and details of the numbers of transactions could be misleading and are not readily available. The time taken to deal with applications also varies widely. There has been a sharp increase in applications and approvals, and I am considering the implications of this on the level of public expenditure for which the Government have budgeted. Meanwhile, new building cases in stress areas are being favoured, as are improvement cases; and it will remain the Government's policy to encourage a high level of housing association activity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to take steps to amend the Rent Act 1974 in respect of furnished accommodation for students.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes) on 23rd July.—[Vol. 896, c. 212.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when is the anticipated opening date for the Whitchurch bypass.

The Whitchurch and Litchfield bypass should be open by early January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the evidence on which he bases his view that toughened glass is an acceptable alternative to laminated glass in vehicle windscreens.

Yes. The Transport and Road Research Laboratory will shortly be publishing the text of a report entitled "Windscreen glass injury to the head in front seat occupants of cars and light vans" that was presented to a meeting of the International Association of Accidents and Traffic Medicine held in London on 2nd September last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement concerning the meeting of EEC Transport Ministers at Luxembourg on 15th October, with particular reference to the weights and dimensions of commercial vehicles.

The EEC Transport Ministers had a useful discussion on future development of the common transport policy. The main aim was to try to find possible priorities for action before the end of the year. No substantive decisions were proposed or taken at this meeting.The question of weights and dimensions of lorries was mentioned in the course of more general discussion. I emphasised the strength of public concern in the United Kingdom on this issue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of post mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

I regret this information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps designed to combat the rising cost of public transport to the consumer, particularly in such areas as Lancashire; and if he will make a statement.

Decisions on the levels of bus and rail fares are the responsibility of the Traffic Commissioners and of the British Railways Board respectively. The former have a statutory obligation to have regard to the Price Code and the latter has to submit its proposals to the Price Commission. The Government's policy is that bus fares must at least match increases in costs; and we have set the British Railways Board the target of limiting Government support of the rail passenger system in 1976 to no more than the present level in real terms

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many claims there have been for double glazing grants relating to noise from motorways.

581 in relation to motorways for which my Department is the highway authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the extent of noise level which must be produced from a motorway to enable a person living in the vicinity of that motorway to claim a double glazing grant.

Subject to the detailed provisions of the Noise Insulation Regulations in respect of occupancy a dwelling is eligible for noise insulation or the equivalent grant if it is calculated to suffer an increase in noise of 1 db(A) and a total noise level of 68 db (A) L10 (18 hours) within 15 years of the opening of the motorway, provided that it was opened after 16th October 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has been paid out in double glazing grants arising out of noise from motorways.

£98,177 in relation to motorways for which my Department is the highway authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1), in view of the fact that his Department is not involved in individual transactions regarding the £100 million building societies mortgage facilities for local authorities, he will list the criteria he employs to assess that satisfactory progress is being made in the granting of this sum to applicants for mortgages;(2) in how many cases, where his regional officers have arranged for individual local authorities to liaise directly with particular building societies over the £100 million loan facility, the local authority has subsequently notified the regional officer that an agreement has been reached and has given specific details of it; and whether he will list such notifications.

I cannot add to the replies given to the hon. Member by my hon. Friend on 21st October—[Vol. 898, c. 125–6.]—except to say that all housing authorities who wished to participate in the scheme have now been matched with one or more of the building societies, and that a growing number of mortgage offers are being made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will have immediate talks with Southampton City Council and local building societies to ensure that mortgages are available in the area for pre-1919 properties: and if he will make a statement.

The building societies have assured me that although the £100 million they are providing to augment local authority home loans this year is subject to the normal lending rules of the building societies these rules do not themselves preclude mortgage advances for the purchase of pre-1919 property. Southampton City Council is now in touch with five major building societies which have agreed to assist it. In these circumstances I do not believe that a meeting with the council would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the criteria which he will use when drawing up the regional development programmes which must be presented to the Regional Policy Committee of the EEC by 19th December 1975; and in what way he will consult the different regions of England when drawing up these programmes.

The regulation establishing the European Regional Development Fund lays down that regional development programmes are to be prepared to provide a framework within which applications for assistance can be considered. A timetable is to be set so that all programmes will be available by the end of 1977. The regulation gives the Committee for Regional Policy the task of providing by the end of this year an outline of the information to be included in the programmes and a suggested outline received general approval at the last meeting of the committee. I shall be considering how the different regions of England can best be consulted on the programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the criteria he uses when deciding on which projects he will put forward for aid from the European Regional Development Fund.

In considering which projects to put forward for aid from the European Regional Development Fund I have had regard to the provisions of the regulation establishing the fund, to the relative seriousness of the problems of the areas concerned and to the contribution which the individual projects would make to relieving them. The regulation lays down that priority is to be given to investments in national priority areas, and I have, therefore, given a substantial measure of preference to projects in special development areas and development areas. More experience of the fund's working is needed before we can be sure how the provisions in the regulation governing assistance to infrastructure will be applied, and at this stage I have thought it best to concentrate on basic infrastructure projects having a close and clearly established link with the development of industry

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a regulation requiring foreign registered motor vehicles using United Kingdom roads to display reflectorised number plates.

No. It would be unreasonable to put drivers from abroad to the expense of changing their registration plates for what are, in the main, visits here of less than a month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring into force Section 43 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

The section was brought into force on 12th December 1974 by the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1974. It is necessary to appoint a day for the section to become fully operative, and my right hon. Friend intends that this should be in the early part of next year. This is to allow time for consultations with interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of places at present available in Manchester teacher-training colleges and the percentage reduction of places he is planning by 1981.

There is no absolute and agreed figure for the capacity of teacher training colleges. However, nationally the number of teacher training places is being reduced from a total of about 114,000 to about 60,000. The share of the 114,000 places attributable to the Manchester colleges is some 3,950. On this basis, the 1,850 places provisionally allocated to the Manchester colleges for 1981 would represent a reduction of about 53 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of post-mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years respectively.

This information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the fishing industry over the proposed extension of Icelandic fishing limits.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend to a very similar Question by the hon Member on 23rd October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in research into blue whiting as an alternative catch for United Kingdom fishermen.

Research so far has shown that for a limited period each spring large quantities of blue whiting can be caught on their spawning grounds off western Scotland. The fish are, however, small, and difficult to process for human consumption. Research into this, and the seasonal nature of the fishery, is continuing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will institute a monthly review of the relationship of the green pound to the pound sterling.

The representative rate for the pound is kept under continuous review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the effect of the last change in the green pound on the agriculture and ancillary industries.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend in the House on 15th October.—[Vol. 897, c. 1360–71.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will conduct regular intermediate reviews in the light of inflation at an annual rate of over 20 per cent.

No. We have already taken substantial action to help farmers between reviews and we have announced measures to curb inflation. Reviews of support prices need effective economic and statistical backing. It would not be realistic to expect this more frequently than once a year. We have already arranged, however, for the 1976 review to start earlier this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many communications he has received expressing concern at the in creased price of foodstuffs following the devaluation of the green pound.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the introduction of an EEC régime for sheep meat.

We have received a number of representations covering a wide spectrum of the interests involved. My officials will shortly be discussing the proposals for a régime with the interested bodies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the draft sheep meat regulations as currently proposed.

The EEC Commission's proposals for a common sheep meat regulation appear to contain a number of features which would not satisfactorily cover the interests of United Kingdom consumers and producers and ensure continuing access for third country supplies of sheep meat. The proposals have now been referred to a Council working group which is examining them in detail and which will clarify the way in which the proposals are intended to operate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans further to assist the glass house industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his latest discussions with agriculture Ministers of the EEC about the state of the glasshouse sector of the horticulture industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about his discussions in the Council of Ministers concerning the future of the glasshouse sector of horticulture.

There have been no such discussions since my right hon. Friend and other EEC Ministers criticised the Commission's draft regulations for grants for dismantling glasshouses. No change is at present foreseen in the current policy of encouraging growers to increase productivity through capital grants and the help available from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the sugar beet acreage for the coming crop; and whether he is satisfied that the current price paid is sufficient incentive to farmers to provide for domestic requirements.

488,000 acres of beet were contracted for this year; offers of acreage for 1976 have not yet been requested by the BSC. The price of sugar beet has increased substantially over the last two years and it remains a very attractive break crop.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many badgers have been killed to date in connection with the experiment to test the theory that they are carriers of bovine tuberculosis; and what conclusions, if any, have been reached.

In experimental work at the Ministry's Central Veterinary Laboratory on the spread of bovine tuberculosis by badgers two badgers have died so far; none has been killed. The results to date verify the conclusions already drawn from field evidence, namely, that bovine tuberculosis will spread from badger to badger and from badger to cattle.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the size of the national dairy herd to the latest date for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures for the previous year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the most up to date figure for the size of the national dairy herd.

The number of dairy cows in the United Kingdom in June this year was 3,231,000 compared with 3,394,000 in June 1974.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help he proposes to give the fishing industry following the latest increase in oil prices.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Johnson) on 23rd October.—[Vol. 898, c. 225.]—Account was taken of all known changes in the relationship between costs and earnings in deciding the level of aid for the remainder of the year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current position of the fishing industry.

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

Quayside prices for the main species are following their usual seasonal pattern and are showing increases which in part offset the steeply rising costs falling on the industry. Further, the Government's policy of temporary aid has enabled the industry to begin adjusting itself to a new balance of costs and prices. But my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland are keeping in very close touch with the industry about its economic circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of apples and pears for home consumption and for manufacturing purposes, respectively, is produced by domestic growers.

I regret that information in the form requested is not available. However, in the crop year 1974–75 commercial growers in the United Kingdom produced around 56 per cent. of our supplies of apples and 48 per cent. of our supplies of pears.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether provisions have been made to ensure adequate supplies of beef calves in view of the decline in the dairy herd; and if he will make a statement.

At present there are plenty of calves available which are suitable for beef production. The steps taken to support the returns to beef producers over the last 12 months together with increased assistance to the dairy industry should help to ensure an adequate supply of calves for the future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions have been taken to prevent over fishing in the North Sea and for the regulation of quotas.

The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission has agreed total catches and national quotas for North Sea stocks of cod, haddock, whiting, soles, plaice and herring. Regulations are also in force governing minimum mesh sizes and minimum landing sizes for fish. The Commission's Joint Enforcement Scheme helps to regulate these conservation measures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the recent devaluation of the pound will have upon the headage payments now payable to United Kingdom beef producers.

The recent adjustments to the representative rates of the United Kingdom green pound will not be reflected in the fixed headage payment from 5th January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has concluded his investigations into the practices of beam trawlers; and whether he will make a statement.

I have again considered this matter carefully, and I have concluded that beam trawling, while an efficient method of fishing, is no more damaging to the sea bed than conventional trawling gear. We now have international quota systems for sole and plaice catches. It is the quantity of fish taken rather than its method of capture which must be regulated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many evictions of occupants of agricultural tied cottages concern those who have left the fanning industry.

So far as agricultural tied cottages are concerned official statistics are available only in respect of possession orders. These do not extend to the number of evictions, nor do they distinguish between occupants remaining in agriculture and those leaving the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the extra cost of importing the dairy products required as a result of the decline in the national dairy herd.

It is not the practice of my Department to publish such forecasts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he will make on German demands for a reduction of the FEOGA budget.

Economy in FEOGA expenditure is one of our objectives in the stocktaking of CAP.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the progress of the Mole Valley Flood Alleviation Scheme.

As I told the hon. Member on 23rd January and 20th March, the Thames Water Authority is now responsible for the progress of this scheme. I understand, however, that work on the first phase of the scheme—the underpinning of the Esher railway viaduct—is now under way.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest figures for the balance of trade in shell eggs between Great Britain and other EEC countries.

During September, the latest month for which official figures are available, imports of shell eggs into the United Kingdom from Community countries amounted to 62,000 boxes, and exports to the Community amounted to 32,000 boxes. Figures for Great Britain are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has with interested par ties on the control of importation of pet birds; and what conclusions he has reached.

Consultations have taken place with representatives of the pet trade, bird protection societies, the poultry industry, aviculturists and other interested parties. We are considering all the points made, and I hope to be able to announce our conclusions very shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest forecast of likely fodder sup plies this winter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that there is sufficient fodder available in marginal areas to support breeding stock through a hard winter.

Information is incomplete on the available supplies and their distribution, but the ruminant population is likely to be less than it was a year ago. To encourage farmers to make the most economical use of long fodder, advice on feeding and nutrition is readily available from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, and farmers should not hesitate to contact their local Ministry office. To encourage the use of the Department's services for analysing samples of concentrates and fodder, charges have again been suspended from 1st October to 31st March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the present policy whereby the building of new abattoirs is ineligible for Government aid; and if he will make a statement.

Representatives of the industries concerned with slaughtering and officials of my Ministry are currently discussing this and related questions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the progress being made on the reorganisation of the common agricultural policy in Europe.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) earlier today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will propose altering the legislation on the illegal import of rabies-carrying species of mammals to make prison sentences the norm in place of the present fines.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave on 15th July and 27th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide a White Paper scheduling all the foodstuffs destroyed or denatured under the auspices of the European Economic Community since the United Kingdom joined the Community together with an estimate of the gross calorific and protein value of the foodstuffs thus disposed.

Detailed information about the operation in the United Kingdom of the guarantee functions of the common agricultural policy is already published in the form of a Command Paper through the annual reports of the Intervention Board. I could not, however, undertake to give similar information for the Community as a whole, and it would not in any case be possible to make a meaningful estimate of the sort requested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the prospects of stopping the import of all sperm whale related products.

The Government are not at present planning to stop the import of all sperm whale products.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what compensation will be paid to farmers for loss of ewes in lamb as a result of their compliance with his dipping orders.

None. The orders requiring dipping are aimed at the eradication of sheep scab and are entirely in the interests of the sheep industry. The ingredients of dips approved for sheep scab have no adverse effects on ewes in lamb, but as a matter of good husbandry it is advisable that all pregnant sheep should be handled as quietly and gently as possible during the dipping operation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of post mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

I regret that the information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many persons are employed full time in farming actively in England and Wales at the latest available date; and how many were so engaged 10 and 20 years earlier.

The following is the information available about the numbers of persons employed full time in agriculture, including horticulture, in England and Wales at June 1975 and in earlier years:

Thousands
	1955	1965	1975*
Full-time workers	478·7	313·0	190·9
Full-time farmers, partners and directors	†	†	166·4
Total	Not available		357·3
* Provisional.
† Not collected before 1970.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of United Kingdom imports of carcase sheep are head skinned; and if such a practice is required by our domestic animal and human health regulations.

In all countries supplying us with sheep meat the heads of the sheep are wholly or substantially skinned. For the domestic trade, proposals were circulated last year to further amend The Slaughterhouses (Hygiene) Regulations 1958 so as to require, amongst other things, the skinning of heads. The adverse comments from trade interests on this point are being considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the current difficulties of enforcing sheep scab dipping regulations, particularly in respect of pregnant ewes and young lambs: and if he will make a statement.

I have received letters from several hon. Members on this subject and will be writing to them. The requirement to dip sheep in certain areas is aimed at the eradication of sheep scab and is in the interests of the sheep industry. The active ingredients of dips approved for sheep scab have no adverse effects on pregnant ewes, but as a matter of good husbandry they should be handled as quietly and gently as possible during the dipping operation. Because young lambs are liable to "mislay" their mothers at dipping time it is not advisable to dip lambs under three to four weeks old.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the measures taken to guard against the possibility of political kidnappings of Ministers.

Appropriate measures are taken in respect of Ministers in Her Majesty's Government and are kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to alter Regulation 69 of the Representation of the People Regulations 1974 to enable registration officers to accept a return by an occupier which omits the full names or forenames of all residents eligible for inclusion.

No. We consider that the present arrangements are necessary for the proper compilation of the register.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of post mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

I regret that the information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outbreaks of fire in residential homes for the elderly have been reported to his Department during the past year.

Fire brigades in the United Kingdom attended 238 fires in residential homes for the elderly during 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been achieved in applying the new standards of the Fire Precautions Act 1972 to residential homes for the elderly; and if he will make a statement.

Further guidance on fire precautions in old persons' homes will be issued to fire authorities shortly. The designation of such premises under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 will be considered when circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions of local government officials and of local councillors on charges of corruption have taken place in England and Wales since 1970; how many such prosecutions have resulted in convictions; how many in acquittals; how many cases are still pending; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that details of prosecutions are not recorded in the form requested, but I will write to my hon. Friend with such information as I can obtain. These matters are within the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Standards of Conduct in Public Life, whose work is proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the Local Government Boundary Commission's review of electoral arrangements in the metropolitan districts.

We have received representations from some right hon. and hon. Members about the reviews by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England of the electoral arrangements for Kirklees, Manchester and Rochdale. These, like other representations from the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Birmingham Corporation and one constituency Labour Party, mainly concern the sizes of metropolitan district and county councils and the timing of the reviews.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department has refused the request by solicitors acting for Miss Mary Anthoni Ranson, a constituent of the hon. Member for Orpington, for details of the medical treatment given to her while she was in custody at Her Majesty's Prison, Holloway.

After some correspondence it only recently became clear that the solicitors were contemplating legal action. Whilst it is often the practice to disclose relevant documents in such cases without insisting on a court order, disclosure is not made unless the grounds of the proposed proceedings are indicated first, as they would have to be in an application for an order. The solicitors, at the Department's request, have now disclosed the grounds and their request is, therefore, under active consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have been made redundant as a result of the closure of creameries, region by region.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not available in the form requested. However, the following table shows the number of redundancies notified as due to occur in 1975 as a result of closure of establishments involved in heat treatment of milk or the manufacture of milk products (Minimum List Heading 215 of the Standard Industrial Classification).

Standard Region	Nos. Affected
South-East	131
South-West	51
North-West	51
Scotland	48
West Midlands	33
East Midlands	21
Northern	13
Wales	—
Yorkshire and Humberside	—
East Anglia	—
Total	348

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs are currently being provided under community industry schemes; how much money has been expended this year on such schemes; and if he will extend the operation of the scheme across the whole country and further increase the ceiling limits on numbers and funds available.

On 17th October, 1,883 young people were employed by community industry. During the period 1st January to 31st August 1975 the cost of the scheme to my Department was £1,546,866. To this should be added the contribution of local authorities in the form of premises, transport and equipment, and the cost of materials provided by project sponsors, for which no estimates are available. As to the possibility of further expansion, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 17th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk).—[Vol. 897, c. 820.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of post-mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

The information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. The policy followed in appointing staff is to treat each case entirely on its merits. As a consequence, those appointed who have records of mental treatment are not specially identifiable.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list in the Official Report of those employers in Wales who have made negligible progress towards implementing the provisions of the Equal Pay Act.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will estimate the saving to the Exchequer of cutting the number of central and local government employees by 2 per cent., 5 per cent. and 20 per cent., respectively, over the next year.

I can answer only for the Civil Service. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Stonehouse) on 22nd May—[Vol. 892, c. 622]. In addition, 2 per cent. of the estimated direct salary expenditure for 1975–76 amounts to approximately £45 million; and 5 per cent. amounts to approximately £112 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of post-mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

As no special or separate record is maintained of former mental health patients, I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the particular rôle of the Guards Independent Parachute Company; why it has been disbanded; what will fulfill its further rôle in future; and to what extent members of the Guards Division will in future be able to qualify as parachutists.

The rôle of the Guards Independent Parachute Company was to provide pathfinders for the United Kingdom Joint Airborne Task Force—UKJATFOR. As announced in the Defence White Paper, the UKJATFOR concept is to be abandoned. The need for this independent company and consequently for members of the Guards Division to qualify as parachutists will therefore disappear. The pathfinders for our future parachute capability will be provided by the Parachute Regiment

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made for Crown laundry in the Plymouth area in view of the proposed closure of the Royal Navy Laundry HMS "Drake" at present operated by the Welfare Committee; and if he will make a statement.

Apart from specialised work such as that dealt with in the Royal Naval Hospital laundry, official laundry in the Plymouth area is let to local contractors. The welfare laundry in HMS "Drake", which is a private business run by the Establishment Welfare Committee, is one of three contractors currently engaged by the Crown. The position if any contractor goes out of business, as in the case of the welfare laundry, is that tenders are invited from other firms. This has been done.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will intervene and accept responsibility for the operation of the Royal Navy Laundry HMS "Drake", Plymouth, at present administered by the welfare committee, until a final decision has been made by his Department in respect of a proposed Plymouth Command laundry project.

No. That part of the official laundry requirement at present met by the welfare laundry is being put out to other contractors. The closure of the welfare laundry does not prejudice our future position if it is decided that a command laundry would be the best way in the long term to meet the official laundry requirement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence with what countries arrangements exist for the holding of exercises aimed at ensuring the continued security of oil traffic from the Gulf to the United Kingdom following the development by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of a naval base at Somalia.

Exercises take place with the navies of friendly countries, including those of our CENTO allies, as opportunities arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list those incidents involving loss of life or injury to persons working on the processing of nuclear waste and fuel at Windscale during the last 10 years.

In the past 10 years, conventional industrial accidents at Wind-scale have involved four injuries classified as serious: one case of burns, two of electrical burns, and one of eye damage by a metal splinter. As regards injuries involving radioactivity, seven plutonium workers at various times sustained minor contaminated wounds giving rise to some uptake of plutonium. There was an accidental release of radioactive ruthenium into one building in September 1973, when 35 men received some contamination, most slight. A report by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate—published as Cmnd. 5703—said that no short-term harm was expected to any of these men and that the long-term risk associated with the highest level of internal contamination was estimated to be about one extra chance in 100 of contracing lung cancer; There have been no incidents, whether conventional or nuclear, leading to loss of life.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes to implement the recommendation contained in the Central Policy Review Staff publication on energy consumption that all models of new cars sold in the United Kingdom should be tested to establish their fuel consumption over a specified driving cycle and the results published.

It has been necessary, in consultation with the various interests concerned, to work out a practical scheme, to decide technical details of how tests should be made, and to harmonise our proposals with proposals under consideration internationally. This work is substantially complete, and my right hon. Friend expects to be able to make an announcement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Overseas Development what percentage of post-mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of crash barriers have been erected on central reservations of dual carriageways and motorways in Scotland; and if he will list this as a percentage of the total miles of dual carriageways and motorways in existence.

On the motorways—110 miles—and dual carriageway trunk roads—164 miles—for which the Secretary of State for Scotland is the highway authority, three miles of continuous central safety fence has been installed on the Renfrew bypass or M8 and many shorter lengths at hazards such as bridge piers and other obstructions on the central reservation, at substandard curves, and where the carriageways are at markedly different levels. The total length of these shorter sections cannot be obtained without undue effort.Other dual carriageways are the responsibility of the regional authorities and the information requested is not available to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities exist in Scotland for monitoring the increase in discharges to atmosphere likely to result from the expansion of nuclear power operations.

Discharges to atmosphere from nuclear sites are controlled under the provisions of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. As part of the control, the site operator is required to make specified measurements of discharges of radioactivity in the surrounding area and in certain biological materials. The plants and operating records, and the results of the measurements which the operator is required to make, are examined by my inspectors, who make some similar measurements as independent confirmation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland of the 2 million tons of sulphur dioxide annually emitted from British power stations, what is the estimated proportion discharged from stations situated in Scotland.

Sulphur dioxide emission from power stations in Scotland is rather less than one-tenth of the total amount of sulphur dioxide emitted from power stations in Great Britain, which was about 2·5 million tons in 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of teachers in primary and secondary schools in the Strathclyde Region during the academic years 1964–65 and 1974–75; what was the pupil-teacher ratio in each of

JANUARY 1967
Certificated Teachers
				Primary		Secondary
							Teachers	PTR	Teachers	PTR
Glasgow	…	…	…	3,199	35·9	3,104	16·4
Argyll	…	…	…	265	22·1	187	15·2
Ayr	…	…	…	1,385	29·6	1,110	15·5
Bute	…	…	…	50	24·3	50	12·9
Dunbarton	…	…	…	901	30·6	691	17·4
Lanark	…	…	…	2,107	36·6	1,706	19·7
Renfrew	…	…	…	1,268	34·0	984	19·2
Total	…	…	…	9,175	33·9	7,832	17·5
All Teachers
Glasgow	…	…	…	3,251	35·3	3,378	15·1
Argyll	…	…	…	271	21·6	201	14·1
Ayr	…	…	…	1,538	26·6	1,246	14·3
Bute	…	…	…	51	24·0	52	12·4
Dunbarton	…	…	…	934	29·5	752	16·0
Lanark	…	…	…	2,212	34·9	2,107	16·0
Renfrew	…	…	…	1,364	31·6	1,084	17·4
Total	…	…	…	9,621	32·3	8,820	15·5

SEPTEMBER 1974
Registered Teachers*
				Primary		Secondary
							Teachers	PTR	Teachers	PTR
Glasgow	…	…	…	3,453	28·2	3,700	16·9
Argyll	…	…	…	321	21·0	256	15·1
Ayr	…	…	…	2,040	23·3	1,750	15·5
Bute	…	…	…	63	21·6	63	14·3
Dunbarton	…	…	…	1,683	19·7	1,293	16·0
Lanark	…	…	…	3,144	26·7	2,810	18·9
Renfrew	…	…	…	1,804	25·5	1,832	16·5
Total	…	…	…	12,506	25·3	11,704	16·9
* There were no unregistered teachers employed at September 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest figure of total available places in List D schools in Scotland; and what is the latest total number of applications for such places.

At 12th October 1975 the number of vacancies expected in the List D schools in the ensuing four-week period was 67; the number of outstanding

Figures for 1964–65 are not available in a suitable form. 1966–67 is the earliest year for which information comparable with that for 1974–75 is available. The figures are as follows:standing applications for these vacancies was 593. The devising of a more satisfactory system of the allocation of places has been the subject of consideration in recent months between my Department, representatives of the List D schools and directors of social work. A memorandum setting out details of a revised scheme was issued to all interested parties on 26th September, and comments were invited by 15th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates to be the numbers of people at present resident in old folks homes in Scotland who could live in sheltered housing if it were available.

A special survey would be needed before it would be possible to estimate the proportion of the 13,000 people at present resident in old people's homes who are fit enough to live in sheltered housing. A survey conducted in 1969 suggested that about one-quarter of the residents then in old people's homes would have been able to live in the community in suitable housing or sheltered housing with the support of the necessary domiciliary services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the pattern of National Health Service spending in Scotland on services for the elderly, at the latest available date, under the headings geriatric in patients, geriatric out patients, geriatric day patients, home nurses, health visitors and chiropody.

Expenditure on these services in the financial year 1973–74 was as follows:

Revenue—	£m.
In-patients	18·5
Out-patients	0·2
Home nurses	1·5
Health visitors	0·3
Capital—Hospital geriatric services	0·6

Expenditure on elderly patients in general and psychiatric hospitals, other than in designated geriatric assessment units, is not indentifiable and has not been included above. Similarly, it is not possible

	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75
	£	£	£	£	£
An Comunn Gaidhealach—
grant paid	7,000	7,500	12,000	12,000	12,000
grant expressed at 1970 prices	7,000	6,769	9,885	9,043	7,619
Glasgow University (Gaelic Books Grant)—
grant paid	5,000	5,000	2,500	8,500	8,500
grant expressed at 1970 prices	5,000	4,513	2,059	6,405	5,397

Assistance for particular projects has also been given by the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Scottish Arts Council, and I recently announced a grant of £34,000 over the next three years towards the development of a Gaelic-English bilingual curriculum in to identify separately expenditure on day beds and chiropody for elderly patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of geriatricians in Scotland; and what the increment has been in the numbers of anaesthetists and pathologists in Scotland over the past 10 years.

At 30th September 1974, the latest date for which exact figures are available, there were 44 consultant geriatricians in post in Scotland. Over the past 10 years the numbers of anaesthetists and pathologists have increased by 71 and 8 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many consultant vacancies in geriatrics there currently are in Scotland.

At 30th September 1975 there were six consultant vacancies in geriatrics in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the amount of Government support for the Gaelic language in each of the past five years, expressed at 1970 prices; and what proposals for additional aid he has before him at the present time.

Over the last five years the following grants have been made to An Comunn Gaidhealach towards its administrative expenditure in promoting Gaelic informal further education, and to Glasgow University to assist the publication of literature in Gaelic:primary schools in the Western Isles. I have received requests from An Comunn Gaidhealach and from the Gaelic Books Council for increased grants, and also from Sabhal Mor Ostaig for grant towards the cost of the Gaelic College in Skye. I am considering these requests.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of post-mental health patients was employed by his Department at the latest convenient date for which he has details; and how these figures compare with those of the previous five years, respectively.

This information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is now the annual level of total public expenditure and central Government expenditure, respectively; and if he will express this as a percentage of gross national product, indicating future trends and comparing this with the position in 1970 and 1965.

Public expenditure in 1974–75 amounted to 56·7 per cent·of gross national product at factor cost. The figures for 1970 and 1965 axe 49·9 and 44·6 per cent. The corresponding figures for Central Government expenditure are 44·9, 40·0 and 35·0 per cent. respectively.So far as the future is concerned, the Government's plans for public expenditure are under review. The outcome of this reappraisal will be published in the annual Public Expenditure White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the aggregate money supply, taking M3 together with building society deposits less amounts re-deposited by building societies with United Kingdom banks, in each of the last four years and in the first nine months of 1975.

The figures are as follows:

	Amount Outstanding at end of period
	£ million
1971	32,506
1972	40,349
1973	49,555
1974	55,616
End 2nd or 1975	58,412

source: financial statistics September 1975

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the recent greater relative attraction to investors in the private sector of Treasury bills, other Government securities, local authority debt and building society deposits compared with bank deposits in a period in which the United Kingdom banks have not been competing actively for funds, the recent trend in the growth in the money supply under the M3 definition is significantly understating the degree of liquidity in the hand of the private sector; and whether the money supply under the M3 definition will expand at a rate likely to exacerbate the inflationary trends in the economy as soon as the demand for bank loans increases.

M3 is not designed to measure the degree of overall liquidity in the economy; it covers only private sector deposits within the banking system and notes and coin in circulation. As the hon. Member will appreciate, a proper assessment of overall monetary conditions has to take account of a range of indicators including M3 and various measures of liquidity which include such assets as mentioned by the hon. Member. As regards the future rate of expansion of M3, my right hon. Friend has recently stated that as the economy moves out of recession the demand for credit will revive. It could then well reach a level at which some further restraint will be necessary if the money supply is to be kept under control.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate for the yield from the duty on whisky to date during the current year and how this compares with the equivalent period in the previous year.

About £118 million in April-August 1975, compared with £92 million in the same period of 1974.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many banks have become insolvent during the last five years; and what were the total identified losses resulting from such insolvency.

During the period in question two United Kingdom-registered companies on the Bank of England's statistical list of banks have become insolvent. In addition two branches of foreign banks have also closed as a result, of the insolvency of their parents. The final extent of the losses involved has not yet been established.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many banks in the United Kingdom currently licensed as moneylenders are known by his Department to be engaged in secondary bank activities.