asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many pay awards have been concluded to date since 1st August 1975 below the £6 limit set out in the Government's anti-inflation policy, in the public and private sectors, respectively; and what proportions of total employees with settlements since 1st August these represent.

Some 200,000, or 10 per cent. of workers, covered by major settlements known to my Department since 1st August, obtained increases of less than £6 a week or its equivalent for juveniles and part-timers. All were in the private sector. Half of this number were covered by one settlement giving increases of £5·20 and the rest obtained smaller increases. Apart from this, some 500 workers, all in the private sector, are covered by Wages Council proposals for increases in statutory minimum remuneration of significantly less than £6 a week while some ¾ million are covered by proposals for increases at or just below £6.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the riverside facilities at Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire will be within a cargo-handling zone as defined by the Dock Work Regulations Bill and so subject to the provisions of that Bill.

On the River Trent the tide flows at mean high water to Cromwell Lock. If the riverside facilities are within five miles, in a direct line, of this point, then they are within the cargo-handling zone and cargo-handling work performed at them will, unless covered by the specific exclusions, be within scope of the provisions of the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated number of unemployed skilled workers in the building trade in Merseyside.

The following table gives an occupational analysis of all unemployed males registered at Employment Offices in the Merseyside Special Development Area on 13th November 1975 whose last job was in construction.

Site and other managers, agents and clerks of works, general foremen (building and civil engineering)	74
Carpenters and joiners (construction sites and maintenance)	715
Maintenance fitters (non-electrical) plant and industrial machinery	140
Electricians (installation and maintenance) premises and ships	232
Cable jointers and linesmen	23
Plumbers, pipe fitters	420
Heating and ventilating engineering fitters	67
Gas fitters	31
Steel erectors	103
Scaffolders, stagers	121
Steel benders, bar benders and fixers	74
Painters and decorators	651
Bricklayers	550
Fixer/walling masons	4
Plasterers	335
Floor and wall tilers, terrazzo workers	34
Roofers and slaters	136
Glaziers	20
Asphalt and bitumen road surfacers	53
Other roadmen	72
Concrete erectors/assemblers	4
Concrete levellers/screeders	6
Mains and service layers and pipe jointers (gas, water, drainage, oil)	60
Mechanical plant drivers/operators (earth moving and civil engineering)	101
Crane drivers/operators	55
Fork lift and other mechanical truck drivers/operators	65
All other occupations, including labourers	8,888
Total, all occupations	13,034

The table does not include unemployed registered at Careers Offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if any instructions or advice have been given to persons serving on industrial tribunals concerning the saving of public expenditure.

The great majority of members of tribunals attend a seminar either before or shortly after they are appointed at which their duties are discussed with them and during which they are told about the rules under which they can claim necessary travelling and similar expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has of the numbers declared redundant in each of the past three years who were not eligible for statutory redundancy pay; and what proportion these formed of all persons made redundant.

No precise information is available about the number of redundant employees who do not qualify for statutory redundancy pay. A survey carried out in 1969, however, indicated that in 1968 about 55 per cent, of total redundancies did not qualify. On this basis, figures for the last three years are:

Period	Number of employees concerned in rebate etc. payments from the Redundancy Fund	Estimated number of employees who did not qualify
1972	297,120	363,000
1973	176,919	216,000
1974	182,161	223,000
1st January to 30th September 1975	248,470	304,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in view of the representations made by the Small Ports Conference to him in their Chairman's letter dated 22nd October 1975, he will now abandon his proposals for the extension of the Dock Workers' Employment Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Government's proposals for legislation have been published in the Dock Work Regulation Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will reconsider the basis of calculation of the cost-of-living index to give more prominence to costs of food, housing, clothing, heating and travel and eliminate the rôle played in the make up of the index by alcohol and tobacco; and if he will make a statement.

The construction of the retail prices index follows the recommendations of the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee which includes representatives of the TUC, the CBI and trade and consumer organisations together with leading academic experts and Government statisticians.On this matter, the Committee has explicitly recommended that the index should reflect price changes over the whole field of goods and services purchased by households and that the importance of each category of expenditure in the "basket" of goods and services making up the index should be determined by the actual pattern of spending of households measured specially for the purpose in the Family Expenditure Survey. I accept the judgment of the Committee on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many letters, sent by first-class post, his Department received within the last three month; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days and more than two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

This information is not held and could not be obtained without cost disproportionate to the value of the information gained.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by firs-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No. The effort and cost involved would be disproportionate to the value of the information gained.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is making progress in his investigations into the question of extending postal ballots and ballots at place of work for union elections; and whether he will make a statement.

I am not investigating this question. The method of election used by a trade union is a matter for that union to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report those wages councils which operate any forms of wage for age or incremental pay scales.

All 46 wages councils provide wage for age scales. The following councils provide incremental scales for learners and/or apprentices:

Corset. Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (Scotland). Flax and Hemp. Fur. Hairdressing Undertakings. Ready-made and Wholesale Bespoke Tailoring. Retail Bespoke Tailoring (England and Wales). Retail Bespoke Tailoring (Scotland). Rubber-proofed Garment Making. Shirtmaking. Wholesale Mantle and Costume.

The following councils provide for reduced rates for new entrants to the trade, during periods varying from the first eight weeks to the first year of employment:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he can now make a definitive statement on the application of import restrictions.

A statement about selective import controls will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will confirm that the borrowing powers of the Policyholders Protection Board can only be exercised in the anticipation of levies being raised from insurance companies and that there is no provision under the Policyholders Protection Act for the borrowing of funds for the purposes of administration or the remuneration of Board members except in circumstances where a levy is imposed or expected to be imposed.

Administrative expenses and approved remuneration are proper charges on the levies on insurance companies, which are the Board's main source of finance. But the Board may use its borrowing powers in order to postpone the need for levies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will give details of exemptions granted by the Civil Aviation Authority to free-fall parachute clubs in the United Kingdom for dropping zones within a radius of the perimeter of a civil airport of: (a) 440 yards, (b) 880 yards, (c) 1,320 yards, (d) one mile, (e) one and a half miles, and (f) two miles;(2) if he will give details of exemptions granted by the Civil Aviation Authority for dropping zones in proximity to class A roads, and within a distance of: (

These are all matters which fall within the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority and I have drawn the attention of the Chairman of the Authority to the hon. Member's inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the provision of goods and services to the South African Government by British firms.

So far as civil trade is concerned firms remain free to carry out existing or future contracts in South Africa. This includes acceptance of orders from the Government or their agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many letters sent by first-class post, his Department received within the last three months; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days and more than two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

No information of this nature is collected.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by first-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No. The cost involved would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a table giving a three-month running average, seasonally adjusted, for the volume of United Kingdom exports and imports starting with the three months ended January 1974; and if he will make a statement about the implications of these figures for the current account deficit in 1976.

The following table contains the information requested.The figures show that during the course of most of this year the volume of both exports and imports tended to weaken but that in the most recent past there are signs of the beginnings of a reversal in these trends. The outlook for 1976 is necessarily uncertain, but much will depend

MAIN MANUFACTURING COUNTRIES EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURES (SITC SECTIONS 5–8) (SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
					1974				1975
					1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th—quarter	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter
Value United Kingdom share per cent.					8·7	8·9	8·8	8·7	9·8	9·3
Volume indices (1970=100):
United Kingdom		…	…	…	130·5	136·5	139·5	131·8	136·5	131·4	127·4
Main manufacturing countries				…	143·3	147·8	151·9	146·1	··	··	··
Relative volume (United Kingdom divided by main manufacturing countries)	…	…	…	…	91·1	92·4	91·8	90·2
·· Not available.
Sources:
United Kingdom Department of Industry.
Main manufacturing countries based on figures published by the OECD and UN.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will consider repealing the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom's share of world trade by price and volume, respectively, in each of the last four quarters for which figures are available.

The available information is as follows:

No, but as I said in answer to my hon. friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) on 24th November, as was done this year, the review under the 1971 Act next year will again be considered in the context of the economic situation at the time.—[Vol. 901, c. 476–8.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will take steps to amend the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 so that annual increases granted thereunder are in line with the increase in gross national product.

To maintain the public service pensioners' share of the rising gross national product in real terms would, in the long run, increase the real value of pensions rather than, as at present, maintain their purchasing power. The Government does not feel that it would be justified in making such an improvement in the public service pensions scheme at this time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take as a result of the decision of the Court of Appeal on television licences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make a refund of the excess fee paid by three constituents of the hon. Member for Camden. Hampstead, whose cases were referred to the Parliamentary Commissioner in respect of colour television licences.

I would refer the hon. Members to the statement I made earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost to public funds of his unlawful action in respect of his attempt to revoke certain television receiver licences.

The administrative measures designed to protect the revenue of the BBC have cost about £60,000. This does not include the costs of the court action which have yet to be agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider immediately convening a conference of all concerned with the entertainment and leisure industry to define a strategy and at the same time to explore practical steps of security in helping to cope with the bombers.

No. Advice on the security of premises should be sought from the police, who are always ready to give it and have already done so on a considerable scale. My Department has recently made available to chief officers of police guidance dealing particularly with commercial premises. I keep all measures for combating terrorism under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with chief constables about assisting restaurateurs throughout the United Kingdom in dealing with security, in the light of current bombing incidents.

I am in constant touch with the police about all aspects of protection against terrorism.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings have taken place between his Department, chief constables and restaurateurs concerning security against bomb attacks.

My discussions are with the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in the latest year for which figures are available how many drivers were found guilty of dangerous driving after being involved in an accident where a person was killed; and in how many of these cases the driver was also found guilty of causing the death of the person killed;(2) if he will summarise the sentences given to those found guilty of dangerous driving after being involved in an accident when a person was involved, giving separate figures for those found guilty of both dangerous driving and causing the death of the person killed.

Information in the form requested is not available. The statistics of persons found guilty of reckless or dangerous driving do not indicate whether the offence resulted in death or injury to a person.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report those projects in Liverpool that have been submitted to his Department for consideration for a grant under the most recent urban aid programme.Mr. Alexander W. Lyon: The projects proposed by Liverpool District Council are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters, sent by first-class post, his Department received within the last three months; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days and more than two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by first-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No. The cost involved would be disproportionate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will summarise the sentences given to those found guilty of murder or manslaughter for the latest year for which figures are available.

The following is the information requested.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will produce a table showing the total of capital and current expenditure of central and local government (including lending to nationalised industries and other public corporations), as a percentage of GDP at factor cost, each year from 1946 to 1970.

The following table shows the information requested for the years 1946–70.

Total Capital and Current Expenditure of Central and Local Government as a Percentage of GDP at Factor Cost*
1946	51·8
1947	46·1
1948	42·4
1949	40·6
1950	39·6
1951	42·2
1952	42·9
1953	41·2
1954	38·9
1955	38·2
1956	38·4
1957	39·3
1958	39·4
1959	39·8
1960	39·5
1961	40·3
1962	41·2
1963	40·9
1964	41·2
1965	42·8
1966	43·9
1967	48·0
1968	49·1
1969	48·5
1970	48·2
* Including lending, debt interest and other transfer payments which do not directly preempt resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the statistical evidence upon which he bases his Government's policy that an extension of State ownership is in the public interest.

The Government's policy for public ownership is determined by the fundamental importance of the industries in question and the need to ensure that their potential is developed for the good of the nation as a whole. It would not be in the interests of such industries—whether in the event they are nationalised or not—to publish details of assessments made by the Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the pretax profits of the 2,592 British companies, whose results were reported by the Extel Service during the first 11 months of this year, will be absorbed by taxation: and what percentage of the pre-tax profit total this amount represents.

I regret that this information cannot be provided without undue expenditure of time and resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to revise VAT Notice No. 701, which was criticised by the learned chairman of the Scottish VAT Tribunal, in his judgment in the case of Nicoll v. Customs and Excise because page 36 says advertising leaflets are zero-rated whereas page 41 says they are subject to tax.

No. I believe the notice is quite clear. On page 36 it is referring to the zero-rating which applies to the advertising leaflet itself, whereas on page 41 it is referring to the chargeable cost to the advertiser of inserting an advertisement in a leaflet.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will alter the regulations by which it is possible for a trader's liability for VAT to start from the date of his application or earlier when he cannot collect VAT from his customers until he is issued with a VAT number which may take Her Majesty's Customs and Excise two months.

No. A person is required to account for VAT from the date on which he became liable to bi registered. To make liability dependent on the date on which the registration number is issued could encourage traders to defer applying for registration and would thus lead to loss of tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total tax due on trade classification 3700 (as per Column No. 5 on VAT Form 100) and total tax deductible on trade classification 3700 (as per Column No. 9 on VAT Form 100) covering the following periods: Nos. 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29.

Information in the form asked for is not readily available

£ million
			Tax due	Tax deductible	Net tax payable or repayable
1973–74
April-September*	…	…	2·3	7·3	-5·0
October-February	…	…	12·2	19·4	-7·2
1974–75
April-September	…	…	12·2	21·8	-9·6
October-February	…	…	13·3	20·6	-7·3
1975–76
April-September†	…	…	15·1	23·1	-8·0
* Because the tax is collected in arrear, the figures for 1973–74 cover less than a full year's trading
† Provisional.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of central Government revenue was derived from taxes on incomes and taxes on expenditure, respectively, in each year since 1945.

The figures are given in the table below. Comparable figures for the year 1945 are not available.

PERCENTAGE OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT (INCLUDING NATIONAL INSURANCE FUNDS) REVENUE*
	Taxes on income	Taxes on expenditure
1946	53·4	40·3
1947	45·6	45·6
1948	42·4	44·6
1949	44·0	40·7
1950	43·1	41·1
1951	42·6	42·0
1952	44·8	39·0
1953	43·2	39·3
1954	42·4	40·2
1955	42·5	39·7
1956	41·7	39·9
1957	43·2	39·0
1958	42·4	37·0
1959	41·5	37·3
1960	40·1	38·3
1961	41·1	37·3
1962	42·0	36·0
1963	40·9	36·4
1964	39·4	37·3
1965	39·7	36·9
1966	40·1	36·5
1967	41·1	36·6
1968	40·2	37·5
1969	40·0	38·7
1970	41·3	36·8
1971	42·0	35·4
1972	40·7	34·6
1973	41·0	33·6
1974	44·0	30·3
* Total current receipts of the central Government including national iusurance etc. contributions and rent, dividends and interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters, sent by first-class post, his Department received within the last three months; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days, and more than two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

The information sought is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by first-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the share of gross trading profits in total domestic income, net of stock appreciation, for the years 1950 to 1959, 1960 to 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974, respectively; and if he can provide, from information available to him, comparable figures for France, Germany, and for the other eight EEC countries taken together.

The share of the gross trading profits of companies in total domestic income, net of stock appreciation, is given below for the periods requested. Information on profits is not available from international sources. Figures on the basis of the national accounting concept of net operating surplus are available for the years 1960 to 1973, however, and these are presented below as a percentage of net domestic product at factor cost and at market prices. The figures relate to all trading activities including farming, whether in the public or private sector and whether carried out by incorporated or unincorporated enterprises. The different level of the percentages reflects, in part, the

GROSS TRADING PROFITS OF COMPANIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AFTER PROVIDING FOR STOCK APPRECIATION AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL DOMESTIC INCOME AFTER PROVIDING FOR STOCK APPRECIATION
1950–59 (average)	1960–69 (average)	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
15·7	13·7	10·5	10·8	10·7	9·8	6·7

NET OPERATING SURPLUS AS A PERCENTAGE OF NET DOMESTIC PRODUCT AT FACTOR COST AND AT MARKET PRICES
		Factor cost			Market prices
		United Kingdom	France	Germany	United Kingdom	France	Germany	All EEC countries*
1960	…	26·1	39·7	39·9	22·9	32·8	34·2	32·2
1961	…	25·2	38·2	38·3	22·2	31·6	32·8	31·1
1962	…	24·3	37·4	36·5	21·4	30·9	31·2	30·3
1963	…	25·2	36·0	35·9	22·1	29·7	30·8	29·7
1964	…	25·3	35·4	36·1	22·1	29·1	31·0	29·5
1965	…	24·4	36·3	35·6	21·2	30·0	30·8	29·4
1966	…	23·5	35·3	34·5	20·3	29·1	29·8	28·6
1967	…	24·5	35·4	34·2	21·1	29·3	29·4	28·7
1968	…	24·5	35·5	36·2	20·9	29·9	31·5	29·7
1969	…	22·8	34·1	34·7	19·2	28·5	29·7	28·6
1970	…	21·1	34·4	33·1	17·8	29·0	28·9	27·7
1971	…	22·3	33·9	31·3	19·0	28·6	27·3	26·8
1972	…	22·4	34·0	30·9	19·3	28·7	26·8	26·8
1973	…	22·1	33·1	29·9	19·2	28·0	26·1	26·4
* Not available excluding the United Kingdom or at factor cost.
Source:
National Accounts Aggregates 1960–73—Statistical Office of the European Communities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income was paid in income tax and national insurance contributions, respectively, and in total, by a single man and by a married man with two children, respectively, each having average earnings, in each year since 1945.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in terms of earned income, there are any levels of taxation where it is economically beneficial for a couple to live together without being married, assuming both are earning.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the maximum annual increase in pensions beyond retirement to compensate for inflation which a private pension scheme may now fund and still obtain full tax advantages under current Inland Revenue regulations, and when this was last fixed.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange forthwith that imports of all plum root stocks, plums, peaches, damsons and any related trees be held in quarantine at the docks until his Plant Health Inspectorate has proved them to be free of the virus that causes Sharka or Plum Pox, pending the issuing of agreed procedures for the eradication of the disease in the United Kingdom.

No, for it is a feature of the disease that symptons may not appear for two years and quarantine as suggested by the hon. Member would therefore be impracticable. The question of plum pox in this country is, however, under urgent consideration and I hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will set out his proposals and policy objectives in relation to foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever which he wishes to see incorporated

EEC Country				Year						Foot-and-Mouth	Swine Fever
Belgium	…	…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	—	91
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	63	83
				1975 (up to 31st July 1975				…	…	24	2
Denmark	…	…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1975 (up to 31st October 1975)				…	…	—	—
France	…	…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	1	62
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	89	109
				1975 (up to 31st October 1975)				…	…	2	87
Holland	…	…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	—	891
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	3	161
				1975 (up to 16th November 1975)					…	2	36
Irish Republic		…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1975 (up to 30th November 1975)					…	—	—
Italy	…	…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	13	58
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	5	10
				1975 (up to 15th November 1975)					…	25	3
Luxembourg		…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1975 (up to 30th November 1975)					…	—	—
West Germany		…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	8	3,923
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	15	1,226
				1975 (up to 31st October 1975)				…	…	11	189
United Kingdom		…	…	1973	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1974	…	…	…	…	…	—	—
				1975 (up to 2nd December 1975)					…	—	—

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy as regards improving measures for the disinfection of vehicles entering the United Kingdom from Europe in order to safeguard the health of animals in the United Kingdom, with particular reference to foot-and-mouth disease.

My right hon. Friend has issued publicity through the Road Haulage Association to remind drivers to return to Great Britain with clean

The animal health situation in the Community as a whole is to be reviewed before 1978 and with it the derogations secured at the time of our accession. My objective will be to maintain and protect the high standard of animal health in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to the number of cases of foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever, respectively, for each of the EEC countries since the date of United Kingdom accession.

The figures, as notified by the Governments of the countries concerned, are:livestock vehicles. He is also considering the possibility of an order under the Diseases of Animals Act 1975 to require the cleansing and disinfection of incoming empty livestock vehicles before they are allowed to leave the port of entry into Britain unless they had been adequately cleansed and disinfected before they left the continent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those animal diseases the incidence of which has to be notified to other EEC countries in conformity with directive or regulation objections, and further indicate the number of outbreaks of these diseases in Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1st January 1973.

EEC directives require Member States to notify each other and the Commission of outbreaks of the followingepizootic diseases—foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpestcattle plague, contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia, classical swine fever, African swine fever, teschen disease—contagious swine paralysis—and swine vesicular disease. Since 1st January 1973 of all these diseases only swine vesicular disease has occurred in Great Britain: there were 369 outbreaks up to 30th November 1975. I understand that none of these diseases has been recorded in Northern Ireland during this time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have been held within the EEC to secure recognition of the Rose Bengal test for brucellosis; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions are continuing on the United Kingdom and French request to amend Council Directive 64/432/EEC to allow the use of the Rose Bengal plate test. A group of experts from member states is studying the techniques of the test, in particular the need for a standard antigen.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have been held within the EEC with a view to adopting a Community penalty scheme to combat mastitis; and if he will make a statement.

Proposals for harmonising national arrangements for the health and hygiene of liquid milk production were presented to the EEC Council by the Commission in 1971. They include provision for periodic checking of the cell content of milk from each production holding and for measures to be taken if a prescribed standard is not satisfied. The proposals are still under discussion by an expert working party of officials.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the EEC regulations desired to counter enzootic bovine leucosis, and indicate what progress has been made in securing the eradication of this disease.

There is no EEC regulation harmonising control measures for enzootic bovine leucosis. Member States with a national programme for the eradication of the disease may be authorised to impose import safeguards and West Germany has been so authorised by Commission decision 73/30/EEC of 23rd January 1973. The disease has not been recorded in the United Kingdom and our import precautions are covered by the derogations secured in the Accession Treaty.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to provide a legal definition of draught, pressurised tank and keg beers so that the consumer can be fully informed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 5th December.—[Vol. 901, c. 743–4.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many letters, sent by first-class post, his Department received within the last three months; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days and more than two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by first-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the social administration tribunals which deal with personal welfare, pensions, education, employment the National Health Service and immigration, and the numbers appearing before each in the last three years for which figures are available; how many applicants before each tribunal were unrepresented, represented by solicitors, social

					Total case load
					1972	1973	1974
Supplementary Benefit Appeal Tribunals				…	36,051	26,002	27,242
National Insurance Local Tribunal			…	…	35,925	29,477	28,510
National Insurance Commissioners			…	…	2,189	2,039	1,916
Pensions Appeal Tribunals		…	…	…	3,427	3,550	3,498
Medical Appeal Tribunals		…	…	…	18,124	15,197	12,700
National Health Service Tribunals			…	…	3	Nil	Nil
Mental Health Review Tribunals			…	…	1,073	956	952
					Cases heard
					1973	1974	1975 (to 31st October 1975)
Industrial Tribunals	…	…	…	…	7,322	7,019	9,912
Independent Schools Tribunals		…	…	…	3	1	1
Immigration Appeal Tribunals		…	…	…	160	157	108
Immigration Adjudicators' Decisions			…	…	4,403	5,568	5,352

The rest of the information asked for is not readily available but I will send my hon. Friend as much of it as I can assemble.

asked the Attorney-General whether, pending a decision to repeal the Incitement to Disaffection Act, he will undertake to have discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions with a view to ensuring that no further prosecution take place under this Act.

No. It would not be constitutionally proper to require the prosecuting authorities to treat as repealed an Act of Parliament which Parliament has not repealed. The policy of the Director of Public Prosecutions will continue to be, in this and other contexts, to give very careful consideration to the merits of individual cases in deciding whether proceedings are justified; in cases of difficulty it is his practice to consult the Law Officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the quantities, geographical locations and dates of disposals by his Department of radioactive waste;

The tribunals to which my hon. Friend refers appear to be:—(2) if he will list the quantities, geographical locations and estimated dates of intended disposals by his Department of radioactive waste.

The disposal of radioactive waste by the Ministry of Defence conforms strictly with requirements agreed by Departments. All interested bodies, including local authorities, are kept informed, but I cannot give a comprehensive list of all past disposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total amount of the cost of providing an English language radio service for the British Army of the Rhine in each of the last five years; and what are his estimates of this cost for the next three years.Mr. Robert C. Brown: The costs of British Forces Broadcasting Service radio for the last five years were as follows:

	£
1970–71	220,200
1971–72	250,800
1972–73	285,700
1973–74	399,300
1974–75	500,600

The estimated costs for the next three years are as follows:

	£
1975–76	574,000
1976–77	548,000
1977–78	547,000

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans, if any, have been made to relay an English language television service to Her Majesty's Forces overseas; and what is the estimated cost of any such plans.

A television service for British forces in Germany, comprising a mix of British television programmes, began transmission on 18th September. This service will become available to most Service men in West Germany as installations are completed. Capital and running costs are estimated at £8 million and £1 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how far the recommendations of the Malabar Committee on Government industrial establishments have now been implemented.

The present Government have taken the Mallabar recommendations fully into account in their policy for the management of the Royal Dockyards and the Royal Ordnance Factories.Most of the proposals have now been implemented; some are in the process of implementation. On the important issue of the introduction of a trading fund into the dockyards, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to his hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg) by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 12th November.—[Vol. 899, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if an agreement has been reached with the Hong Kong Government for a shared defence arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

As I informed the House on 6th November, agreement has already been reached with the Hong Kong Government on the future level of the garrison. Since then negotiations have continued on a new defence costs agreement and I have had further meetings with the Governor of Hong Kong. A number of detailed points remain to be settled, but I hope to make an announcement before the end of the year.—[Vol. 899, c. 270–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many letters, sent by first-class post, his Department received within the last three months; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days and more than two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by first-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No. The effort and cost involved would be disproportionate.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will recruit a full-time operational element in the Ulster Defence Regiment in the ratio of one company per battalion.

I have no plans at present to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will equip and train the Ulster Defence Regiment for riot control duties.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of HMS "Bulwark".

As has already been announced, HMS "Bulwark" will be paid off as a commando ship next Spring. This will bring to an end her rôle as an amphibious vessel.Her material condition is being maintained until decisions can be taken about the Royal Navy's ASW capability before HMS "Invincible" is introduced into service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the local education authorities which have not taken up their building allocations for youth and community centres for 1975–76 and the amounts involved.

Following is the information. Excluded are authorities whose take-up is within £500 of their allocation.

CAPITAL GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY YOUTH SERVICE, VILLAGE HALL AND COMMUNITY CENTRE PROJECTS
FINANCIAL YEAR 1975–76
Youth Service Projects
Local Education Authority	Origial Allocation	Amount not taken up
	£	£
Greater London Boroughs
Croydon	20,900	14,425
Enfield	15,000	1,500
Harrow	56,000	5,600
Merton	19,850	15,850
Sutton	22,500	22,500
Metropolitan Counties
Salford	8,000	8,000
Wirral	19,950	16,000
English Counties
Bedfordshire	18,100	1,100
Cambridgeshire	8,400	8,400
Derbyshire	13,550	11,321
Dorset	15,300	3,380
Humberside	13,300	1,464
Isle of Wight	8,750	1,368
Oxfordshire	11,600	3,800
Warwickshire	15,950	4,170
Wiltshire	5,750	2,125
Welsh Counties
Dyfed	23,600	18,065
Village Hall and Community Centre Projects
Local Education Authority	Original Allocation	Amount not taken up
	£	£
Metropolitan Counties
Dudley	1,000	1,000
Gateshead	35,000	35,000
Oldham	3,000	3,000
Sunderland	8,500	6,250
Trafford	20,000	20,000
Leeds	29,200	4,200
Wirral	7,050	7,050
English Counties
Cheshire	73,000	5,550
Dorset	41,600	1,764
Essex	60,300	8,173
Leicestershire	48,050	21,680
Oxfordshire	33,550	15,660
Warwickshire	7,000	5,830
Welsh Counties
Clwyd	37,150	990
Gwent	12,300	788
Gwynedd	40,500	590

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make special provision in order to provide capital sums for the education project at Beer Primary School, Devon, where the cliff face behind the school is unsafe and the school building itself is in need of replacement.

No. It is for the Devon education authority to decide how it wishes to deploy the capital authorisations for school building made available to it; and it has not asked my right hon. Friend for any additional resources for a project at Beer Primary School. As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Moss Side (Mr. Hatton) on 3rd December, Devon has notified its intention to underuse by £600,000 its allocation for the current year. It has also assured my Department that it has taken steps to avoid any possible danger to the pupils at Beer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters sent by first-class post his Department received within the last three months; and how many of these arrived within one day, two days and more that; two days, respectively, of the date on the postmark.

This information is not available within my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will conduct a survey to inform himself of the proportion of letters sent by his Department by first-class post which arrive within one day of posting.

No. The survey could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate how many times and for how long the average school teacher has been inspected while teaching by a school inspector.

Records are not kept of the number or duration of visits made by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools to the classes of any individual teachers. Normal] all teachers are inspected during their probationary period by inspectors-advisers employed by local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the expenditure, as a percentage of

UNITED KINGDOM EDUCATION EXPENDITURE AS A PERCENTAGE OF GNP
Financial years
						1960–61	1965–66	1970–71	1973–74	1974–75
Schools	…	…	…	…	…	2·9	3·3	3·7	4·2	4·6
Higher and Further Education				…	…	0·9	1·6	1·9	1·9	1·9

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what courses are available to train speech therapists and in which institutions and

Institution					Location			Qualification
Diploma Courses
1. Central School of Speech and Drama: Speech Therapy School.					London		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
2. Department of Speech Therapy: City of Leicester College of Education.					Leicester		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
3. Edinburgh School of Speech Therapy			…	…	Edinburgh		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
4. Llandaff College of Technology*			…	…	Cardiff		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
5. National Hospitals College of Speech Sciences				…	London		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
6. Robert Gordon Institute of Technology				…	Aberdeen		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
7. School for the study of Disorders of Human Communication.					London		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
8. School of Speech Therapy: City of Birmingham Polytechnic.					Birmingham		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
9. School of Speech Therapy: Elizabeth Gaskell College of Education.					Manchester		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
10. School of Speech Therapy: Jordanhill College of Education.					Glasgow		…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
11. Speech Therapy Section; Department of Life Sciences, Leeds Polytechnic.					Leeds	…	…	Licentiateship of the College of Speech Therapists.
Degree Courses
12. University of Manchester	…	…	…	…	Manchester		…	B.Sc. in Speech Pathology and Therapy.
13. University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne			…	…	Newcastle		…	B.Sc. (Speech).
14. University of Reading	…	…	…	…	Reading		…	B.A. in Linguistics and Language Pathology.
* Training offered through the medium of the Welsh language