asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will make a statement about the cost of the food subsidies programme.

As the House knows, the White Paper on Public Expenditure (Cmnd. 5879) foreshadowed expenditure on food subsidies in the current financial year at £550 million and progressive reductions thereafter. Our latest estimates indicate that, at present rates of subsidy, expenditure is likely to exceed the £550 million provided for the current year.It will, therefore, be necessary to make an early reduction in the level of expenditure, and I have decided to cut the bread subsidy from £5·16 per sack of flour to £4·06 per sack of flour with effect from 30th November. The reduction is equivalent to about ½ on both large and small loaves and is estimated to save some £5½ million in the current financial year.Following notifications to the Price Commission, the major baking companies are also proposing to make price increases of ½p with effect from 1st December mainly to cover wage settlements.Taken together, these changes would mean that the price of the large loaf would in general be ½p higher than it was before the price was reduced by ½p on 20th October. I warned at the time that this reduction could only last for a very short period.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she is now in a position to announce the result of her review on fireworks safety.

I have now carefully considered all the views submitted in response to the consultative document on firework safety issued in April, and have had discussions with all the principal bodies concerned. In order to reduce further the number of injuries I have concluded that the existing controls should be strengthened by the following measures:

(1) the apparent age of persons to whom fireworks may be sold should be raised from 13 to 16 years;

(2) the maximum penalties for the offence of selling fireworks to children below the specified age and of throwing or discharging fireworks in the street should be increased from £20 to £200;

(3) the statutory maximum should be removed from the fee for registering premises where fireworks may be kept, and local authorities empowered to determine the charge in their own areas;

(4) flyabout or helicopter types of firework should be phased out of production and cease to be available;

(5) the production of bangers, which are most liable to be misused, should be progressively reduced by equal amounts over the next two years to one-half of this year's output; this will mean an overall reduction of over 20 million bangers;

(6) fireworks should be generally available in the shops for only three weeks before 5th November and a few days thereafter;

(7) within two years all fireworks other than bangers, sparklers and larger individual devices should be distributed in boxed selections only.

Legislation will be required to implement the first two of these proposals. This will be introduced when practicable.An order under the Local Government Act 1974 will be laid seeking to give effect to the third proposal.The remaining proposals will be achieved by voluntary agreement with the manufacturers and the retailers' and wholesalers' associations, who have all offered their full co-operation.I intend to keep the matter under review in the light of results achieved by these measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is her policy towards the age of retirement for the chairman of consumer councils.

I review the chairmen's appointments on their merits, not on any rigid age criterion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has entered into any further arrangements to guarantee loans raised to facilitate development of North Sea oilfields.

The Ranger Group of companies—Ranger Oil (UK) Limited, London and Scottish Marine Oil Company Limited and Scottish Canadian Oil and Transportation Company Limited—have a 50 per cent. share of Block 3/8 which contains part of the Ninian Field. Ranger Oil (UK) Limited has now joined the other two companies in making public its acceptance of the principle of majority State participation. My Department is engaged with the three companies in detailed negotiation of a participation agreement.In the context of these discussions, I have agreed to guarantee interim bank advances to Ranger Oil (UK) Limited up to a maximum sum of $20 million principal plus interest, in order to assist the company in financing expenditure on its Ninian interest between now and the second quarter of next year when the company expects to arrange long-term finance. This guarantee was issued today. I have also agreed with the company the terms on which a longer term Government guarantee might be provided next year as part of the company's total financing arrangements for completion of the development of its Ninian interest. Further details are contained in a statement which I have placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now re-examine proposals for each household to be allocated a quota of reasonably priced electricity and/or gas consumption, above such a quota to be charged at a higher rate, in the light of Professor Peter Odell's Stamp Memorial Lecture on 13th November 1975, a copy of which is being supplied to him.

Schemes on such lines are among the possibilities which we are currently examining.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what investigations he is making into the practicability of token meters for gas.

The gas industry is evaluating the scheme, and my right hon. Friend has asked to be informed of the outcome in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when the inter-departmental committee is expected to report on mining subsidence and problems connected therewith; and when he anticipates the Government will provide adequate compensation to property owners through a revision of the law on subsidence.

My right hon. Friend is now considering the interdepartmental working group's report and he hopes to be able to make a statement shortly.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many individuals and organisations have asked the Registrar of Members' interests for particulars from the register since its inception.

In accordance with the Resolutions of the House passed on 12th June, matters concerned with the public consultation of the register of Members' interests are the responsibility of the Registrar in conjunction with the appropriate Select Committee of the House. I understand that the register is to be published shortly.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make arrangements to ensure that House of Commons acknowledgment cards go by second-class mail.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my replies to the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow) on 12th and 24th November 1975.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will ask the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the International Parliamentary Union to move their offices to the Norman Shaw South Building so that more office accommodation for Members can be made available actually within the Palace of Westminster.

No. These parliamentary bodies serve Parliament as a whole and need to be located within the main building for the convenience of Members of both Houses and their many visitors from overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to give a decision on the application of Clwydd County Council to lease accommodation in Kinmel Camp in order to provide the nucleus of a new Welsh secondary school.

The Property Services Agency will very shortly be putting detailed proposals to the council which, if acceptable, should help to meet their needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current number of civil servants in his Department; and what was the total number in the equivalent Departments in 1964 and the percentage increase or decrease between the two dates.

72,864. The total number in 1964 is not readily available, but the total number in the equivalent Departments in January 1965 was 71,241; an increase of 2·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the sale of areas of the countryside as leisure plots; and what steps he is taking, firstly, to monitor this activity and, secondly, to institute planning control over it, as recommended in the Dobry Report.

I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State in the debate on the adjournment on Wednesday 19th November.—[Vol. 901, c. 161–166.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision on the planning application by Burmah-Total Refineries Trust to construct an oil refinery at Cliffe.

The decision will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of Sate for the Environment how many domestic and industrial/commercial ratepayers, respectively, were more than three months in arrears with payment of rates at the last available time when statistics were collected; and what was the total number of ratepayers at that time.

I regret that this information is not available, but, if my hon. Friend has any particular areas in mind, the rating authorities concerned may be able to help him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that adequate procedures are in use for the comparison of costs between direct labour departments and private contractors; whether he has considered the report on this subject prepared by a working party set up by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy; and whether he will issue a circular to local authorities recommending the procedures set out in that report.

A departmental working party is to be set up to review the organisation and operation of local authority direct labour departments, including tendering and accounting procedures. The working party will consider the report published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on Direct Works Undertakings—Accounting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now received the inspector's report on the public inquiry into the planning application to develop the Selby coal-field.

My right hon. Friend has not yet received the inspector's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the inspector's report on Selby; and when it is anticipated that he will reach a final decision on the coal mining project.

My right hon. Friend has not yet received the inspector's report but expects to do so soon. This is a matter of great complexity and I cannot forecast when his decision will be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current total of public servants employed by local authorities in England and Wales and the total in 1964 and the percentage increase or decrease between the two dates.

The total number of local government employees, full-time and part-time was 1,772,000 in June 1964 and—provisionally—2,567,000 in June 1975. The two figures are not precisely comparable, however, because a substantial number of employees were transferred out of local government during this period to bodies responsible for health services, water and public transport. But over the period in question total local government manpower has been growing at an average rate of 3½–4 per cent. each year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of rehousing all squatters in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has made no such estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete his consideration of amendment to the building regulations regarding the use of calcium chloride as a setting agent in reinforced concrete.

Within the next few months. We are awaiting the advice of the British Standards Institution Committee which is considering this question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Property Services Agency has yet completed remedial work on the six Ministry of Defence buildings found to be defective in the reinforced concrete due to the excessive or improper use of calcium chloride.

Of the six cases referred to, work has been substantially completed in one, is in hand on three others, and has not yet been started on the remaining two.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which organisation sponsored the work at the Building Research Station relating to the use of calcium chloride as a setting agent for reinforced concrete.

This work was carried out between 1953 and 1960, with some financial support from Imperial Chemical Industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much rent has been paid and how much will remain to be paid before the Government office accommodation at Trinity Park House, Edinburgh, is occupied.

The total rent paid to date is approximately £355,000, and approximately £219,000 will remain to be paid before September 1976 when the building is expected to be ready for occupation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost to public funds of unoccupied Government office accommodation for the year 1975–76.

£2·7 million, excluding accommodation which has been vacant for six months or less and newly leased buildings being prepared for occupation. Most of the unoccupied space is empty because it is being modified to meet the needs of different staff or is undergoing maintenance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that suitable larger premises were not available for the public inquiry into the Airedale trunk road.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request the inspector conducting the inquiry into the Airedale trunk road to produce a timetable for the inquiry so that all objectors will have access and, in particular, such people as shift workers without losing an excessive amount of time off work.

My hon. Friend is no doubt aware of the disturbances that have affected the inquiry so far. When the inquiry proceeds in any orderly way the inspector will produce a programme for the inquiry and arrange timings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the EEC proposal to ban the fermentation of grape juice and the importation of grape concentrate.

The Commission's proposals for revising the wine régime are still under consideration by the EEC Council of Ministers, but I have made it clear that a satisfactory settlement on the importation and fermentation of grape must is of cardinal importance to the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the authorities who have been consulted and who advised him that the imports/exports of carcase sheep with unskinned heads was hazardous to health; and what were the reasons given.

I take advice on this subject from my veterinary advisers. Their opinion is reinforced by international experts, including those participating in the formulation of a meat hygiene code under the ægis of the FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission. The skinning of the heads is required to enable full post-mortem inspection to be carried out and to avoid contamination of the carcases with which the heads must remain associated until their final inspection.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cost of hiring civilian vessels for fishing protection work around Iceland; and if he is satisfied with their effectiveness and the safety of their crews.

The cost of chartering and operating the four civilian vessels currently in use is estimated at approximately £59,000 per week. My right hon. Friend and I are satisfied on the points in the second part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the present punishments for attempts on the lives of members of Her Majesty's Forces are in fact acting as a deterrent.

There are no special penalties for criminal acts against members of Her Majesty's Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Civil Service inspector's report on the administration of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service; and if he will place copies of the report in the Library.

This inspection was commissioned solely to enable the Government to satisfy themselves that the level of grant sought by the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service under Section 23 of the Immigration Act 1971 was justified. This objective was fulfilled and we see no occasion to publish the report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many defendants were in prison for non-payment of prosecution costs by the Crown court and the magistrates' court for the latest period in respect of which records are available.

According to our records there were no prisoners in custody for non-payment of prosecution costs at the end of October 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many attendance centres are available for offenders under the age of 17 years; how many boys and how many girls attend each of such centres and on how many occasions they are bound so to attend and for how many hours; and how many in each such category of offender have been sentenced to attend because of football hooliganism.

There are 60 attendance centres in England and Wales available for boys under 17 years of age; there are no centres available for girls.According to the latest available figures, in 1974, 8,703 attendance centre orders were made in respect of boys under 17, but it is not possible to say how many boys have been ordered to attend at an attendance centre because of offences committed in connection with football matches.The aggregate number of hours attendance ordered may not exceed 24 and may not be less than 12, except in the case of a child under 14 when the court may order an aggregate of less than 12 hours; attendance is limited to not more than three hours on any day and not more than one occasion on any day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders aged between 17 and 21 years are attending attendance centres in Manchester and Greenwich, respectively; how many times they must attend and over what period; and how many and what percentage of such offenders were sentenced for offences in connection with football hooliganism.

The number of offenders liable, on 21st November 1975, to attend at the Manchester centre was 38, and at Greenwich 72.The total number of hours for which each offender is liable to attend within the limits set out in Section 10(2) of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 is specified by the court, together with the date of the first attendance; the date and duration of subsequent attendances are specified by the officer in charge of each centre within the provisions of section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 1948.Of the current total of 110 offenders, 76 are liable to attend for a total of 24 hours, one for 20 hours and 33 for 12 hours. Most attendances are for two hours at a time; and offenders are generally required to attend on every day on which the centre is open until the order is discharged.Precise information about the number of such offenders convicted in connection with football hooliganism is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek powers to extend the number of attendance centres for offenders under the age of 17, for those aged 17 to 21, and for offenders over 21 years, respectively.

No. Fresh statutory powers would not in any case be necessary to provide more centres for offenders under 21. There is no power to order offenders aged 21 years or over to attend an attendance centre and we have no plans to propose such a power.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will institute an inquiry in connection with the powers available to the courts to deal with football hooligans.

No; my right hon. Friend is not convinced that such an inquiry would add anything either to the information at his disposal or to the already substantial penalties available to the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of the nationality and citizenship problem.

Progress is being made with the review, but I cannot yet say when the Government will be ready to announce their conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether it is standard practice to consider the investigation of allegations of fabrication of evidence made under oath against police officers during criminal proceedings; by whom such decision is taken; and whether he will make a statement;(2) whether it is standard practice to consider the investigation of allegations of corruption made under oath against police officers during criminal proceedings; by whom such a decision is taken: and whether he will make a statement.

It is for the court to test such allegations in so far as they relate to the proceedings before it. The chief officer concerned would subsequently investigate, and, where appropriate, refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions any allegation to which the court had drawn specific attention, and any allegation renewed as a complaint under Section 49 of the Police Act. Action in other cases would be a matter for his discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis, and on whose authority, it is decided whether police reports on the accuracy of tape recordings produced by the defence at criminal proceedings shall be made available to the defence.

The procedure would depend on the individual circumstances of each case. If my hon. Friend is concerned about a particular case and will send me the details I will make inquiries about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has finished his consideration of the Report of the Siberry Working Party on a fourth television service in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The report is being published, in English and Welsh, today. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are extremely grateful to Mr. Siberry for his chairmanship of the Working Party, to Sir David Davies who served on it at my invitation as a further independent member, and to the representatives of the interested organisations, for the detailed blueprint which they have produced for the way in which the Crawford Committee's recommendation for a fourth television service in Wales could be implemented. The Government will give the closest consideration to the Working Party's findings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the Committee on the Distribution of Criminal Business between the Crown court and magistrates' courts will be published; and if he will make a statement.

The report is being published today. I should like to express my thanks, and those of my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor, to Lord Justice James and the members of the Committee for their comprehensive study of this important subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now completed his consideration of the representations made to him by the hon. Member for Lewisham, West for an inquiry, following the Court of Appeal judgment in the case of R. v. Lattimore, Salih and Leighton; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General and I have carefully considered the representations made by my hon. Friend and by others for the setting up of an inquiry into this case, and we have decided to set up an independent inquiry with the following terms of reference:

"To inquire into the circumstances leading to the trial of Colin George Lattimore, Ahmet Salih and Ronald William Leighton on charges arising out of the death of Maxwell Confait and the fire at 27 Doggett Road; and to report."

We have invited the Hon. Sir Henry Fisher, President of Wolfson College, Oxford, and formerly a judge of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, to carry out the inquiry, and I am glad to say that he has agreed to do so. After consulting him, we have decided that the inquiry should be held in private. Its findings will be published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to introduce aggregation of children's investment income for tax purposes.

I am not in a position to say at present when these provisions will be reintroduced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of personal allowance for income tax purposes on 30th September of each year for the past 10 years; and if he will publish a parallel table giving these figures at constant price levels.

For the basic personal allowances, the figures are as follows:

	Single Person		Married Man
Year	Allowance	Value at 1966 prices	Allowance	Value at 1966 prices
1966–67	220	220	340	340
1967–68	220	215	340	332
1968–69	220	204	340	315
1969–70	255	224	375	330
1970–71	325	267	465	382
1971–72	325	244	465	349
1972–73	460	323	600	421
1973–74	595	378	775	492
1974–75	625	337	865	466
1975–76	675	294	955	416

The personal allowances are those effective for the tax years shown. Allowance has been made for the effect of earned income relief where appropriate. The price index used is the average general index of retail prices for the corresponding 12-month period, taken from Table 1 of "The Internal Purchasing Power of the Pound" published by the Press and Information Service of the Central Statistical Office in July 1975.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider extending the tax relief on stock in next year's Budget, especially in relation to the difficulties in the textile industry.

I certainly expect to continue tax relief on stock in next year's Budget, though I cannot yet say what form it will take.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent it is his policy to encourage discrimination in public sector purchasing policy (a) in favour of products manufactured in Great Britain and against those imported, (b) in favour of products manufactured in Great Britain by British-owned firms and against those manufactured in Great Britain by foreign-owned firms, (c) in favour of products manufactured in Great Britain by firms which have entered into planning agreements and against those which are manufactured in Great Britain by firms which have not, (d) in favour of products manufactured in Great Britain by firms in which NEB has a holding or stake against those in which it does not and (e) in favour of products manufactured in Great Britain by nationalised industries and against those of firms which are not nationalised; and if he will make a statement upon this matter.

The primary objective of Government purchasing is to obtain what is needed, at the right time and in such a way as to secure the best value for money spent, while at the same time having regard to the desirability of providing positive encouragement to British industry to make itself efficient and competitive both at home and in markets overseas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of tax relief allowed to tobacco and cigarette manufacturers on advertising and promotion.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will restore vehicle excise duty exemption to disabled drivers and non-drivers opting for the mobility allowance.

Our general policy is that people in receipt of the mobility allowance should not receive exemption from vehicle excise duty as well. I see no reason to change this.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table comparing a proportion of the gross national product represented by the public sector borrowing requirement in the United Kingdom with that in all other EEC countries, Japan and the United States of America, when using the same method of calculating the borrowing requirement as in the United Kingdom.

Comparable figures for public sector borrowing requirements in other countries are not available. Some limited information about public sector deficits was given in my replies to the hon. Member for Horsham and Crawley (Mr. Hordern) on 27th October and to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Nott) on 12th November.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what contribution Her Majesty's Government are making to the International Agricultural Development Fund in 1975; and what contribution Her Majesty's Government expect to make to the fund in 1976.

This fund has yet to be established. As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Graham) on 24th October—[Vol. 898, c. 287–288]—subject to parliamentary approval and the resolution of outstanding issues affecting the fund's organisation, we are ready to make a contribution

WALES: NUMBERS AND EARNINGS
	Numbers			Earnings*
	June 1973	June1974	June 1975(provisional)	1973		1974		1975
				Per week	Per annum	Per week	Per annum	Per week	Per annum
				£	£	£	£	£	£
Hired:
Regular whole-time males	5,495	5,210	4,996	23·43	1,218	27·00	1,404	32·90	1,711
Regular whole-time females	688	614	502	15·90	827	22·27	1,1582	26·44	1,375
Regular part-time males	1,320	1,192	1,106
Regular part-time females	517	616	692
Family:
Regular whole-time males	5,797	5,372	4,515
Regular whole-time females	2,634	2,649	2,261
Regular part-time males	1,772	1,709	1,928
Regular part-time females	1,415	1,489	1,431
Seasonal or casual	6,166	6,280	6,187
Managers	252	252	304
TOTAL WORKERS	26,056	25,383	23,922
Farmers, partners and directors	28,282	27,100	27,643
TOTAL PERSONS	54,338	52,483	51,565
	Source: June census			Source: Wages and Employment Inquiry.
*Years ended 30th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of persons employed in farming in Wales in each of the last three years; and what was the average income per head weekly and annually in each of these years.

The number of persons employed in agriculture in Wales over the past three years, together with earnings for regular whole-time hired workers, is set out below.Information is not available on the earnings of farmers, partners and directors, but the Farm Management Survey shows that the average net income—the return for the labour of the farmer and his wife and return on farm capital excluding land and buildings—of full-time farms in, Wales was £4,417 in 1972–73 and £4,616 in 1973–74. The 1974–75 figure is estimated to be about one-third below 1973–74.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many RN officers are currently serving with Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships; what is their function, and whether he will make a statement.

Five RN officers are presently serving on the complements of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships in connection with the operation of naval helicopters. When RFAs are in company with Her Majesty's ships, an informal exchange of officers takes place as the opportunity arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the future career prospects for officers in Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships following the defence review.

I am convinced that service in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will continue to offer its sea-going staff an attractive and rewarding future. Reassurances to this effect have recently been given to the personnel concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to increase the special daily payment being made to members of Her Majesty's Forces serving in Northern Ireland.

None. Increases in Service pay are based on recommendations made by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, whose next report is not expected before next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received a copy of the speech made last month by Dr. Eklund, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to its annual conference; and what is his policy towards the proposals contained in it.

Yes. I am still studying a number of interesting points made by Dr. Eklund.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has plans to scrap any more British designed weapons in favour of foreign purchases.

We shall continue to plan to provide the Services with the equipment to meet their needs, at the right time and at the right price. Around 90 per cent. of our equipment expenditure is placed at home and we shall be looking to British industry for the bulk of our requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has recently received from organisations acting on behalf of Service widows.

During the last three months, representations have been received from a number of organisations and individuals.Following is the list of organisations: The Royal British Legion Scotland, The Royal Naval Association, The Submarine Old Comrades' Association, The Royal Marines' Association, The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, The War Widows' Association of Great Britain (a circular addressed to Members of Parliament).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will confer with the leaders of the principal British Churches about the status of military chaplaincies.

Not unless I can see good reason.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the strategic significance of the Royal Yacht "Britannia."

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on 4th February.—[Vol. 885, c. 472]—When not on Royal duty the Royal Yacht is available for naval duties, including national and treaty exercises and sea day demonstrations. Routine hydro-graphic tasks are also undertaken during voyages on Royal duty. HMY "Britannia" also has a rôle as a hospital ship should the need arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had within NATO on the re-examination of NATO areas of responsibilities.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to widen the sphere of activities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in view of the build up of the Soviet fleet in the Indian Ocean.

We have to take account of the Soviet naval activity in this area since, like other Western countries, we have legitimate interests there, particularly the security of important trade routes. However, I would not accept that it would be appropriate to seek to extend NATO's responsibilities beyond the existing NATO area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the standards of Army barracks; and if he will make a statement.

So long as some soldiers are required to live in hutted or sub-standard accommodation I cannot say that I am satisfied, but a major building programme to improve Army accommodation is going ahead as fast as financial resources permit. An extensive barrack modernisation programme is under way in Germany, and 11 barracks are being modernised in the United Kingdom. In addition, a number of surplus RAF stations with good accommodation are to be taken over by the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be in a position to announce the first items of United Kingdom defence equipment which will be covered by the Memorandum of Understanding of 24th September 1975.

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details of possible arms sales to individual countries. We have already suggested a number of items to the United States Government as worthy of consideration for use by their Services, and the Memorandum of Understanding provides for the establishment of machinery which will facilitate and continue this process.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government have made any commitment to the development of the Harrier carrier; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Mitchell) on 10th November.—[Vol. 899, c. 466.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on deciding production orders for the MRCA; and whether he will make a statement.

We expect to be ready to agree the MRCA production programme with our partners in the first half of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his policy to adhere to the undertaking not to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons.