asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the rate support grant distribution formula for 1976–77.

I have done so, and my conclusions are set out in the Rate Support Grant (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the response to the Morris Report on Housing and Social Work.

The Morris Report has been received with great interest by local authorities and other organisations, from which I am now receiving formal comments. When I have received all the comments I am expecting I shall decide what to do about the recommendations directed to the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure a reduction next year in the financial burden upon Scottish ratepayers.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply today to the right hon. Member for Renfrewshire, East (Miss Harvie Anderson).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next proposes to visit Ross and Cromarty.

My right hon. Friend is always pleased to visit Ross and Cromarty but at present has no firm plans for a visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of full-time consultants employed in the National Health Service in Scotland at the latest convenient date, the total number of consultants in receipt of merit awards and the total amount paid in respect of such awards in the last financial year.

The total number of full-time consultants employed in the National Health Service in Scotland at 30th September 1974 was 1,102. The total number of consultants, including part-time and honorary consultants, in receipt of distinction awards in the financial year ended 5th April 1975 was 651. The cost of such payments was £1,728,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to Galloway.

My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans for a visit to Galloway, but is of course closely informed of issues concerning the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what contacts he has had with Scottish local authorities about their contribution to creating jobs, in view of current unemployment.

Circulars have been issued to local authorities drawing to their attention the job creation scheme and the additional programme of capital investment to alleviate unemployment in construction industry. Several authorities have sought and received advice from my Department on their response to the job creation scheme for which the Manpower Services Commission is responsible. The authorities concerned have been told how much investment they have been allocated from the additional construction programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance with regard to archaeological considerations is given to local authorities in planning developments, especially those involving the use of earth moving equipment.

Local authorities are automatically notified of the existence of scheduled ancient monuments in their areas, and they have been given general guidance in Scottish Development Department Circulars 134/1972 and 13/1974. Authorities are aware that guidance on specific sites is available on request.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which organisations he proposes to consult over the crofters Bill; and when such consultations will take place.

Extensive consultations have already taken place, and I have no plans for further consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated value of production and consumption of lamb in Scotland.

It is not practicable to estimate the production and consumption values of lamb as distinct from sheep meat as a whole. For 1974–75 the farm-gate value of Scottish sheepmeat production, including exported live sheep, byproducts and guarantee payments but excluding store sheep sent to England, was £36 million.An approximation of the retail value of home-produced and imported mutton and lamb consumed in Scotland can be derived from National Food Survey data based on household expenditure. Total consumption in Scotland is thus estimated at about £19 million in 1974, without taking account of sheepmeat included in meat products or bought by catering establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers and percentages of persons receiving (a) rent and (b) rate rebates in both public and private sectors of housing; and if he will give the total values of these rebates.

The latest information regarding rent rebates and allowances is for 1974–75, as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to stop the fishing of salmon at sea by boats from other nations which are fishing within Scotland's fishing limits.

The fishery protection services maintain regular surveillance of foreign fishing vessels within United Kingdom fishery limits to ensure, amongst other matters, that they are not fishing for salmon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is his intention to make an order giving effect to Section 17 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974; and if he will make a statement.

I am about to consult the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the programme for implementing the Control of Pollution Act into operation and Regulations made under it, the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 continues in force.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any evidence of increased fishing in Scottish waters owing to the dispute with Iceland.

There is no evidence to suggest that the current pattern of fishing in the waters around Scotland has been in any way affected by the Icelandic dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the necessary increase in the size of the fishery protection fleet for Scottish waters if the fishing limits are increased to 200 miles from the United Kingdom coasts.

Arrangements for the future protection of the offshore interests of the United Kingdom were described by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence in a statement to this House on 11th February. This took account of the likelihood of extended fishing limits becoming recognised in international law.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about communication between people in prison establishments and Members of Parliament.

I am anxious that communication between prisoners and Members should be as free as possible. I also recognise the ligitimate interest that prison staff, whose associations I have consulted, have in this matter. I am now making the following changes.First, a letter to a Member will no longer be stopped or sent back to the writer for amendment, unless it contains a complaint about the administration of an establishment or the actions of staff that has not been raised and considered through the normal internal procedure.Secondly, a visit to a prisoner by a Member, acting in his capacity as a Member, will no longer be within hearing of prison staff, unless the Member so requests, or there are specific reasons of security, as in the case of prisoners in security Category A, of whom, in Scotland, there are very few. It is clearly desirable that Members should, on these occasions, give prisoners no encouragement to circumvent the well-established procedures for enabling complaints against prison administration and staff to be considered by the governor, the visiting committee and the Secretary of State. Whether it is a question of matters raised during visits or in correspondence, it is important that the prison authorities should first have an opportunity to inquire into complaints and remedy those that are legitimate.These arrangements are consistent with the principle underlying the Government's response, announced on 5th August, to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights concerning the ability of prisoners to engage in civil litigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will clarify the speed limit regulations by bringing up to date the Highway Code, the road signs and the definition of a dual carriageway, in order to avoid confusion for motorists.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply given to him on Wednesday 3rd December 1975.—[Vol. 901, c. 622.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will refer the policies of the South Yorkshire County Council, in connection with direct labour and competitive tender, and the decision about the Sheffield-Rotherham link, to his working party on direct labour.

The working party's general review of the operation of local authority direct labour organisations will cover tendering procedures. I do not, however, intend to refer specific cases to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many direct labour departments of local authorities there are in England and Wales employing 25 or more persons.

According to statistics collected by my Department there were 447 direct labour departments of local authorities in England and Wales which employed 25 or more operatives on construction work in April 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will explain the difference in traffic predicted for the M11 motorway at the M11 inquiries and the predictions for the same road at the M16 (A10-A12) inquiry, where the traffic predicted on the M11 between Bishops Stortford to South Harlow, South Harlow to the M16, the M16 to Loughton and Loughton to Redbridge were approximately 50 per cent., 77 per cent., 38 per cent. and 34 per cent. of the levels predicted at the Mll inquiry.

The traffic predictions for the M11 motorway which were given at the M16 (A10-A12) public inquiry this year were amended to take account of changes in the assessment of traffic and population growth and in traffic patterns since the M11 inquiry was held in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of the cases of maladministration found by the Commission for Local Administration involve planning matters;(2) how many cases have been investigated by the Commission for Local Administration; and in how many maladministration has been found.

These are questions for the Commission for Local Administration. I understand that the Commission has written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is keeping a watch on the cases of maladministration found by the Commission for Local Administration; and what action he is taking to prevent such incidents in the future.

I certainly have a general interest in the operation of the complaints machinery in local government and in the extent to which Commissioners find maladministration. It is for the local authorities themselves, however, to decide what further action is appropriate in individual cases. The Commission has responsibility under Section 23(12) of the Local Government Act 1974 to review the operation of Part III of that Act annually, and it has power to convey to local authorities or to Government Departments any recommendations or conclusions reached in the course of its reviews. I shall decide what further action, if any, is needed in the light of such reports as the Commission makes to my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the reports of Mr. George Dobry, QC, on the control of demoliton and development.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 12th November to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George)—[Vol. 899, c. 704–5.]—and to the statement by the Secretary of State placed in the Library that day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement of Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the EEC proposal to make the use of laminated glass for motor vehicle windscreens mandatory.

Her Majesty's Government share the view of most other member states of EEC, that there is not enough evidence of the benefits of laminated glass, which costs twice as much as toughened glass, to make its use for motor vehicle windscreens mandatory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations from local authorities preparing local control plans under the Heavy Commercial Vehicles Act 1973 that current economic and financial problems are making their tasks in this context more difficult.

A local authority association, in a recent letter to the Department, has referred to having received representations from one local authority about the implications of lorry planning for highway expenditure. The association itself has made representations about the timing of implementation of the Heavy Commercial Vehicles Act 1973, with reference to the national economic situation and to decisions on national lorry routes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of local authorities with traffic management responsibilities is now actively preparing draft heavy lorry control plans in their localities prior to full implementation of the Heavy Commercial Vehicles Act 1973.

I do not have information in this form. Preparation of the proposals is a local authority function. Authorities are aware of the requirements of the Act, and that in England and Wales their first draft traffic orders must be made by 1st January 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities do, and do not, give discretionary rate relief for sport and recreation; and what is the average percentage relief for England.

This information is not centrally recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to issue a circular on the better use of the existing housing stock; and whether this will contain a model agreement for short-term tenancies.

We propose to issue a circular on the better use of the existing housing stock early next year. It will not include a model agreement for short-term tenancies, but the leasing of privately owned property by local authorities and housing associations will be the subject of a special examination by Sir Dennis Pilcher and Mr. Derek Wood as members of the working group on alternative forms of social ownership to which I referred in my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Graham) on 20th November.—[Vol. 901, c. 6–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the commission that has been established' to examine the system of rating.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman) on 1st December.—[Vol. 901, c. 455–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what figures were produced by the formulae stated under (i) and (ii) in his reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury of 4th December about rate support grant; and what is the cash value of London's total advantage in resources as defined later in that reply.

51·3p, 80·8p, and £582 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities outside London have rateable resources in excess of £176 per head of population; and which they are.

Eight, namely, Thurrock, Slough, Spelthorne, Elmbridge, Watford, Welwyn, Beaconsfield and Ellesmere Port DCs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cash value of the total advantage in resources of local authorities other than London—taken together—calculated on the same basis as that stated for London in his reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury on 4th December.

About £12·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will initiate an inquiry into the question of wealth distribution in Scotland.

Wealth distribution in Scotland is one of the subjects covered in the Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth's initial report on its standing reference which was published in July. The report indicates that the Commission intends to give further consideration to the subject in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the 1974 and 1975 vacancy figures published in the 1975 Welsh Digest of Statistics, Table 4.12, are the sum of vacancies reported to employment and careers offices, without duplication.

The figures published in Table 4.12 of the 1975 Digest

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the number of persons unemployed, the number of unfilled vacancies, the ratio of unemployed to available vacancies and the unadjusted unemployment rate for each employment exchange area in Wales for the most recently available month.

Vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether there are any circumstances in which it is possible for a foreign student to obtain unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom.

A person from abroad can qualify for unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom in the same way as any other person by satisfying the contribution and other conditions laid down in the Social Security Acts and Regulations. A foreign student would need permission to take up employment in the United Kingdom and would have to work long enough to qualify for unemployment benefit.EEC arrangements and reciprocal agreements with certain other countries provide, subject to certain conditions, for the contributions paid by any person in the one country to be counted for unemployment benefit purposes in the other country.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what offices of the Health and Safety Executive, the Employment Services Agency and the Manpower Commission are located in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow; and if he will list the number of employees in each case.

I am informed by the Health and Safety Commission that there are offices of Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate and the Employment Medical Advisory Service in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In addition, there is an office of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Mines and Quarries in Edinburgh. The numbers of staff employed are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs for school leavers will be created by the job creation programme in Dundee and Tayside.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that nine applications under the job creation programme have been received from

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many vacancies there were in each of the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency at the most recent count; and what wer the comparable figures for the same month in 1973 and 1974;(2) how many people were unemployed in each of the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency at the most recent count; and what were the comparable figures for the same month in 1973 and 1974.

Vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of working population who were unemployed in each of the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency at the most recent count; and what were the comparable figures for each of the two previous years.

The rate of unemployment for the Leek employment office area was 4·8 per cent. at November 1975 and 1·0 per cent. at November 1973. Owing to industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency information for November 1974 is not available. Biddulph, Cheadle and Kids-grove, which form part of the constituency area, are part of the Stoke-on-Trent travel-to-work area which also includes five other employment office areas. Rates can be calculated for the travel-to-work area as a whole but not separately for its constituent parts. At November 1975 the rate for the Stoke-on-Trent travel-to-work area was 3·3 per cent. and at November 1973, 1·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are his current estimates of the numbers employed in the United Kingdom in the building of small boats; and how this has changed since April 1975.

I regret that the information is not available. Statistics are compiled for the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry as a whole but there are no separate figures for the building of small boats.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up an inquiry into the effect on employment of the immobility of the labour force caused by the present method of allocating council houses.

This is one of the matters which comes within the remit of the Government's overall review of housing finance. This is being carried out under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions inquirers to the special information unit have received advice that their inquiry may fall within the House of Commons Fair Wages Resolutions and that this is exempt from the anti-inflation policy.

The information requested is not available but inquirers about the Fair Wages Resolution will have been told that any increases necessary to meet its requirements could be paid outside the pay limit.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will maintain centrally a publicly-available register of animals and birds which die whilst being held in quarantine in accordance with the Diseases of Animals Act 1950.

My right hon. Friend already makes to Parliament a return of proceedings for each calendar year as required by Section 58 of the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. This return contains amongst other things details of animals landed in Great Britain, whether they are quarantined or otherwise, and records the numbers of those animals which are found to be diseased. Although my right hon. Friend is required to include in the return only those animals which come within the scope of the 1950 Act, he hopes in future to give similar details as far as possible about birds that are landed here.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Newbury about tied cottages which was sent to him on 5th November 1975.

A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 5th December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take action to ensure the labelling of alcoholic drinks as to their original gravity and ingredients.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 5th December.—[Vol. 901, c. 743–744]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made towards eradication of swine vesicular disease; and if he will make a statement.

We have made considerable progress in eradicating this disease; no outbreak has occurred in the last three months. I must, nevertheless, ask all concerned not to relax their efforts. The regulations must continue to be observed strictly, particularly the Movement and Sale of Pigs Order and the Waste Food Order. It is essential that all pig keepers continue to keep their stock under close observation and to report immediately any suspicion of disease.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average length of time that elapses between the issue and hearing date of a summons for directions in a civil action in the Central Office of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court; and what is the comparable length of time between the issue and hearing of any other interlocutory summons in such an action.

The average length of time that elapses between the issue and hearing of a summons for directions in a civil action in the Central Office of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court is 11–12 weeks. The comparable length of time between issue and hearing of any other interlocutory summons in such an action is six weeks.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average length of time that elapses between the setting down and the hearing of a contested civil action in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court when the action is to be tried in London; and what is the comparable length of time when the action is to be tried elsewhere.

The only figures available are those for all civil actions, no matter how disposed of, and the year 1974 is the last period for which an average over 12 months is available. In 1974 the average time that elapsed between setting down and disposal, whether after trial or otherwise, of civil actions in the Queen's Bench Division was 11 months in London and seven months elsewhere. The interval fluctuates during the year. For July, the last month in 1975 for which figures are available, it was 7.3 months for London and 7.5 months for the provinces.

asked the Attorney-General if he will prosecute IRA organisers for conspiracy.

Where there is evidence of the commission of any indictable offence it is in Northern Ireland the duty of the Chief Constable to furnish that evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland for his consideration with a view to the initiation of criminal proceedings. It is for the Director to consider the evidence and to decide what if any charge is appropriate. This applies to all cases of conspiracy as to other indictable offences.

asked the Attorney-General how many persons have been prosecuted for membership of the IRA, including those who have claimed IRA membership when detained.

Between 8th August 1973 and 30th November 1975 directions were issued for the prosecution of 207 persons in respect of the offence of belonging, or professing to belong, to the Irish Republican Army. Following these directions prosecutions have been completed in respect of 187 persons.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will consider supplying current scientific and medical literature to scientific and medical institutes in Vietnam on a continuing basis.

Her Majesty's Ambassador in Hanoi has recently made a gift of medical and scientific books to the Ministry of Health there. My Department is prepared to consider on their merits any further requests for literature.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if the 1969 grant of £0·775 million to South Vietnam, amended in 1971 for the building and furnishing of primary schools, has been completely spent; and, if not, when he anticipates that it will be.

The amended grant of £0·551 million for primary schools has been completely spent. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if the 1972 loan of £1 million to South Vietnam for goods and services from the United Kingdom is still available for South Vietnam; and whether this information has been communicated to the Vietnamese.

Of the £1 million loan, £198,000 has been spent. The question of the availability of the balance of the loan is one of the many aspects of relations between Britain and South Vietnam that will have to be examined when the constitutional future of Vietnam becomes clearer.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if his department intend to make a financial contribution to the British Medical Aid Committee in Vietnam.

I have no plans to con tribute to this committee at present.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what contribution from public funds have been made towards the British Hospital in Vietnam Scheme; and whether it is still the policy of Her Majesty's Government to contribute a further £250,000 towards the reconstruction of Vietnam.

No contribution from public funds has been made to the British Hospital in Vietnam Scheme. My predecessor informed my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) on 10th June of the allocation of £750,000 of the £1 million relief aid for Indochina offered by Her Majesty's Government. The balance of £250,000 has since also been allocated—£150,000 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appeal for aid to refugees and £100,000 to the United Nations rice appeal for Laos. Further aid to Vietnam is not envisaged at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish a table based on the same assumptions as in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk North, published on 10th November, columns 540–46, showing, for each set of circumstances given in the earlier reply, net weekly spending power of the unemployed (a) after income tax rebates have run out but assuming continued payment of earnings related benefit, and (b) after both tax rebates and earnings related benefit have run out.

The information requested is set out in the tables below, on the same basic assumptions as those used in my reply of 11th November to the hon.