asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy with regard to the development of community relations in Northern Ireland.

I fully accept the importance of developing community relations in Northern Ireland. Activity in this field is primarily the responsibility of the Department of Education, which intends to encourage the development of community organisations and the building of community centres by working through district councils. The involvement of community organisations in the social services is the responsibility of area health and social service boards. The Department of Education keeps close touch with community organisations and associations through the interim Standing Advisory Conference of Community Associations and other channels. The Northern Ireland Office is making a financial contribution of up to £10,000 to the running expenses of the recently established Northern Ireland Community Development Centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the Order-in-Council giving effect to his proposal on 4th November 1975 that new release procedures would be introduced for prisoners in Northern Ireland.

The proposal for a draft Order-in-Council will be placed in the Vote Office tomorrow and will be subject to a period of consultation until 12th January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the next round of consultations with district councils and the Northern Ireland Housing Council about the new house building programme to take place.

I expect the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to be in a position to begin these consultation in the new year, and that, in addition to the house building programme, it will then wish to discuss with the councils future action on rehabilitation, improvement and repair.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases where an award has been made by the Criminal Injuries Board to a member of the Armed Forces, wounded in Northern Ireland an appeal has been entered seeking a reduction in the amount of the award.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions were given to Mr. Roger Parker, QC, to state before the Appeal Court on 4th December that it would not be long before the powers of the court would be called in question, what authority counsel had to make the statement; and whether it represented the policy of his Department.

I would refer the hon. Member to my statement on 9th December.—[Vol. 902, c. 233–40.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends taking to recompense those persons who have paid full television licence fees at the new rate although eligible to have had their licence at the old rate, but who were wrongly directed by the Government's interpretation of the law

I am considering this matter with a view to a further announcement

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present level and procedures of security checks on foreign embassy staff, who have diplomatic status in the United Kingdom, following their return from visits abroad; and whether he will now review diplomatic status to enable personal searches to be made more easily and speedily.

The present arrangements are appropriate given the law and practice as regards diplomatic status. Any review of diplomatic status would be a matter for my right hon Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the right of individual petition to the European Commission on Human Rights, provided for under the European Convention on Human Rights, will lapse in January 1976; whethers it is the intention to renew the right of petition and, if so, for what period; and whether he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have decided to renew, for a period of five years from 14th January 1976, the United Kingdom's acceptance of the right of individual petition to the European Commission of Human Rights and of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. This is a longer period than in previous renewals and reflects the importance attached by the Government to the provisions of the Convention. In the meantime we are continuing with our study of the implications of enacting domestic legislation on human rights.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of indictable crimes in London and in the rest of England and Wales in which firearms were carried or used in each of the years from 1965 to 1975.

The numbers of indictable crimes in London and in the rest of England and Wales in which firearms were carried or used in each of the years 1969 to 1974 are set out in the table below. Figures for the years 1965 to 1968 are not available; those for 1975 are obviously not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the total numbers of staff in the Radio Regulatory Department in Scotland and the United Kingdom; and what are its general duties.

On 1st December 1975 there were 245 staff in the Radio Regulatory Department. None was stationed in Scotland. Their general duties relate to the administration of the Wireless Telegraphy Acts and to the international co-ordination of the use of the radio spectrum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of prisoners come from single-parent families;(2) what proportion of prisoners derive from each of the various social classes as used by the Registrar General.

Information of this nature about prisoners is not recorded or collected for statistical purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement about the Government's attitude to the Heilbron Committee's Report on the law relating to rape and announce his proposals for any future legislation.

I have nothing at present to add to the answer I gave to the Question by my hon. Friend on 10th December.—[Vol. 902, c. 236.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now take steps to introduce a Bill of Rights.

We believe that more time is needed for study and public discussion of the implications of such a measure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use has so far been made of the latest prevention of terrorism legislation.

I have made 69 of an exclusion order has been served on 61 people, 56 of whom have been removed, 39 to Northern Ireland and 17 to the Irish Republic.In addition, the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey has made exclusion orders in respect of three people who were removed to Northern Ireland.Extensions of detention under Section 7 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 have been approved in 180 cases. A further 430 have been detained for 48 hours or less under Section 7. 626 people have been detained pending examination at the ports under the supplemental orders made under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will inquire into the circumstances of the two cases of O'Connor and Barrett in Manchester, where in respect of both defendants identification was made by a number of police officers of a person subsequently proved to be in another place at the time to which identification related, in view of the fact that these defendants were charged with similar offences at different times and the incorrect evidence in respect of their identification was given by members of the same squad.

I am asking the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester for a further report on the circumstances of both cases and, after I have considered this, I will write to my hon. Friend.As my hon. Friend will be aware, the conviction of Mr. Michael Kevin O'Connor was quashed following my referral of his case to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) under Section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968. The conviction of Mr. Norman Cleveland Hughes Barrett was quashed by the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) in July 1973 following police inquiries made after my predecessor had referred to the Greater Manchester police a petition from Mr. Barrett.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in considering means of allowing holidaymakers to vote in General Elections.

This matter was considered by the Speaker's Conference of 1965–68, which recommended against it. If it is to be considered further, the proper course would be to refer the matter first to a reconvened Speaker's Conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what quantity of explosives or explosive devices have been confiscated or impounded by Customs or security authorities at ports or airports in the United Kingdom for each of the last four years.

According to information provided to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, 31 sticks of explosives were found at ports in Great Britain in 1973 and l½ lb. in 1974. This was material likely to be of use to terrorists. The Customs and Excise have also seized small quantities of explosive materials from private individuals in each of the last four years; in general this was not the sort of material likely to be of use to terrorists.Controls at ports in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Royal Commission on Betting and Gaming to commence formal work; what alterations to the terms of reference may now be decided upon; how long he expects the Commission to operate; when the interim and final reports are likely to be produced; and if he will make a statement.

No changes in the terms of reference of the Royal Corn-mission are contemplated. I should expect it to have made a start on its formal work before the spring. It is impossible to say when its work is likely to be completed, although I know that the chairman is anxious to proceed speedily; and I hope that it may be able to submit an interim report before the end of the summer on the possibilities of a levy on the football pools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, and in what circumstances, a quantity of cash was stolen from the warders men's safe at Brixton Prison; and what disciplinary action he has taken.

Cash and cheques worth about £2,000 were reported missing on 21st August 1975 from the safe of the Brixton Prison Officers Club, which is situated outside the prison. Since a criminal offence appeared to have been committed, the matter was one for the police rather than for disciplinary action, and the police were asked to investigate. They have so far been unable to identify the person or persons responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange to make leaflets on the Equal Opportunities Commission available in mother and baby clinics and centres throughout the country.

The Equal Opportunities Commission is preparing leaflets on various aspects of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Equal Pay Act 1970 including the rôle of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The leaflets will be given a wide distribution. Mother and baby clinics are the responsibility of the local authority. I understand that the Commission will be happy to supply its leaflets free of charge to any local authority that would like to make them available in clinics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the next report of the Boundaries Commission on the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom.

The four Parliamentary Boundary Commissions are required by statute to report, following a general review, between 10 and 15 years after the date of their last report. The Commissions last reported in 1969 and their next reports are, therefore, due between 1979 and 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been sleeping in the library at Holloway Prison; and on what occasion and for how long.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken following the answer he gave on 4th August to a Question by the hon. Member for Battersea, South about the possibility of extending parole.

I have agreed with the Parole Board new detailed criteria for the grant of parole. Guidance about this is being sent to local review committees at prisons. I am arranging for copies to be made available in the Library of each House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department who are the members of the Policy Advisory Committee on Sexual Offences recently appointed by him.

The members are as follows: the Rt. Hon. Lord Edmund-Davies (Chairman); the Rev. Dr. Anthony Bird; Mrs. Pauline Crabbe; Mrs. Shirley Dineen; Professor Trevor Gibbens; Mr. John Hazan, QC; Miss Mary McIntosh; Lord Justice James; Sir Kenneth Jones; Mrs. Charlotte Lodge; Miss Jessie Moss; the Lady Serota; Professor J. C. Smith; Mrs. Dorothy Stone; Mrs. Sue Winfield.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the revival in world trade to take place.

It seems likely that the total volume of world trade has now stopped falling and may have already begun to rise again.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further action is contemplated to increase investment in manufacturing industry.

Manufacturing investment is mainly a matter for decision by individual private firms. I hope that the measures my right hon. Friend announced yesterday will increase their confidence, and he is ready to allocate further funds to the schemes for selective assistance to industry if they can be used effectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider the rate of VAT applied to servicing and maintenance agreements so as to eliminate present anomalies.

The rate of VAT applying to servicing and maintenance agreements is normally the same as that applying to the goods themselves. I do not think this is anomalous.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now recommend the setting up of a Royal Commission on taxation as recommended in the Sandilands Report.

I recognise that this is an important recommendation and I am considering it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the annual Public Expenditure White Paper; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the annual Public Expenditure White Paper; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 16th October.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount by which he expects to reduce public expenditure by 1977–78.

The outcome of the normal annual review of public expenditure will be announced in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will examine those aspects of the income tax regulations which are sex discriminatory, with a view to phasing them out as quickly as possible: and if he will make a statement.

The income tax system does not generally distinguish between people on grounds of sex. It distinguishes in some respects between married and single women, but these differences mainly follow from the rule that the income of a married woman is aggregated with her husband's income for tax purposes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the current rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.

I shall not be satisfied until the rate of inflation has been reduced to at least the average level among our competitors. However, the latest RPI figures provide further evidence that we are steadily improving our performance in line with the target set out in the White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that the tax liability of widows over 50 years of age is especially protected against the effects of inflation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that the tax liability of working widows is protected against the effects of inflation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to ensure that the tax liability of widows over 50 years of age is protected against the effects of inflation.

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to relieve the hardship of working widows by adjusting their personal tax allowance.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate the Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the high taxation imposed on working widows; and what action be proposes to alleviate the position.

I receive representations from time to time about the taxation of widows from hon. Members and others, including some from widows' organisations. As to the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave today to the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to eliminate the poverty trap.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security, said on 4th November 1975, steps already taken ensure that the effects of the poverty trap are very limited in practice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining the policies that are to be pursued in order to fulfil the EEC Treaty obligation concerning the free movement of capital.

We have been authorised under the EEC Treaty to maintain restrictions on capital movements because of our balance of payments difficulties. The Government are pursuing a comprehensive set of economic policies, one aim of which is to overcome these difficulties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make the self-employed class 4 national insurance contribution allowable as a business expense.

No. The suggestion was the subject of a Finance Bill Amendment discussed by the House on 10th June, and I refer the hon. Gentleman to what was said in reply to that debate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Government of the United States of America about import controls; and what reply he has made.

We are aware of the views of the United States Administration on this and other matters through our regular contacts with them. Such contacts are, of course, confidential.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, assuming a public sector borrowing requirement of £ 12 billion for the current fiscal year, is the proportion of the savings flow of the private sector that will have to be allocated to the gilt-edged and Treasury Bill markets to keep the growth of money supply within the guidelines set for a deflationary monetary policy.

No such forecast is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the proposed wealth tax, following publication of the Report of the Select Committee on the Wealth Tax.

I welcome the work which the Select Committee has done under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) and I shall study carefully the evidence which they took and the conclusions which were drawn from it. The Committee took a good deal longer over their work than the Government had hoped. In consequence of the delay, and of the many major issues involved, I do not feel able to introduce a wealth tax this Session. I have, however, instructed the Inland Revenue to continue with its preparatory work, and I shall consider publishing in 1976 draft clauses for public discussion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it is not possible for the figures for the total amount of reserve assets in the hands of the whole of the private sector, and not just the banking sector, to be made available monthly.

On Treasury Bills, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his Question on 17th December.—[Vol. 902, c. 663]—Figures for the private sector's holdings of other assets, such as balances at the Bank of England and eligible commercial bills, which when held by the banking sector qualify as reserve assets, are not separately identifiable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the Inland Revenue Form 731, New Applications for Exemption Certificate, were distributed in 1975 and subsequently superseded; and what was the total cost of printing and distribution of this form.

I regret that I do not know how many copies of Form 731 have been distributed; it has not been superseded. The printing and paper costs were £2,635, but the cost of distribution is not known.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total Government revenue in each of the last 10 financial years was represented by the following items: income tax, surtax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, death duties or capital transfer tax, stamp duties, purchase tax or value added tax, duty on alcoholic drink, duty on tobacco, duty on betting and gaming, duty on hydrocarbon oils, protective duties and car tax.

The following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list all foreign currency facilities available to each public sector body that has arranged such a facility, and the state of the drawings under each facility.

British Airways have established lines of credit in the United States of America to enable them to complete specific purchases of United States aircraft. Of the two most recent borrowings, of US$2·7 million and US$95·7 million, some $1·6 million and $54·2 million respectively have been drawn so far. The

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost in 1974–75 to (a) central Government and (b) the rest of the public sector of (i) interest charges on foreign currency borrowing and (ii) debt service payments on foreign currency borrowing.

Foreign currency borrowing by the central Government consists of various long-term loans, mainly dating back to the Second World War, and Her Majesty's Government $2·5 billion loan from the clearing banks. During 1974–75, payments of interest and principal on the long-term debt were equivalent to $99 million and $197 million respectively. Her Majesty's Government loan was drawn in the latter part of 1974–75 and, because of the timing of drawings, interest payments in that year were only some $30 million. In a full year interest payments reflect market interest rates; at current rates, annual interest payments would be approximately $190 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is any effective upward limit on the total borrowing by the public sector from the United Kingdom banking sector.

No. An acceptable level of total borrowing by the public sector from the banking sector depends on overall economic circumstances. It is our policy to finance a significant proportion of the borrowing requirement by sales of debt to the non-bank public.

asked me Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the average rates of interest currently being paid for marketable Government guaranteed dollar coupon securities and for comparable securities issued by European institutions; and if he will make a statement about the reasons for the difference.

The yield on Government guaranteed dollar bonds issued by United Kingdom nationalised industries is currently around 10½ per cent. Yields on the most comparable securities issued by the European Investment Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community, which enjoy the highest market ratings by virtue of their EEC status currently range between 10¼ per cent. and 9½ per cent. Direct comparisons between the yields of different securities can, however, be misleading because of technical factors, such as the size of the issue and the sinking fund arrangements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of duty not payable on clothing and accessories that would justify these items being advertised as duty free.

Virtually all articles of clothing and accessories are liable to duty on importation, but under certain preferential arrangements certain articles from certain countries, mainly developing countries, are admissible free of duty, often subject to quota limitations. Articles may, however, be imported for warehousing and delivery to approved duty-free shops without payment of the duty. Whether items can justifiably be advertised as duty-free depends on the facts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates and breakdowns are available of the number of pensioners and social security recipients who are paying income tax; what plans he has for raising the income tax threshold; and if he will make a statement.

About 2½ million National Insurance widow and retirement pensioners, counting married couples as one unit, are estimated to be paying tax on their income for the current year. With regard to the rest of his Question, my hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate the Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of home responsibility payment could be made if the married man's tax allowance were withdrawn and if this were paid as weekly cash payments to mothers with children under 5 years of age.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th December 1975; Vol. 902, c. 663], gave the following information:Information on which to base a precise estimate is not available, but figures derived from the 1971 census of population suggest that on the assumption that a married man remained entitled to the single person' allowance and there were no change in the age allowances, the weekly payment would be about £6·75.

asked the Chancellor of of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of revenue lost in allowing the married man's tax allowance in the current financial year.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th December 1975; Vol. 902, c. 663], gave the following information:Assuming that a married man remained entitled to the single person's tax allowance and no change in the age allowances, the yield for 1975–76 from abolishing the married allowance would be about £1,150 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of home responsibility payment, paid as weekly cash payments to mothers with children under 5 years of age, could be made if the married man's tax allowance were withdrawn where his wife is under 55 years of age.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th December 1975; Vol. 902, c. 663], gave the following information:Information on which to base a precise estimate is not available, but figures derived from the 1971 census of population suggest that the weekly payment would be about £5.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are employed exclusively on administering vehicle excise duties; what is the estimated annual cost of administering these duties; and what is his estimated gross yield for the current financial year.

I have been asked to reply.The number is approximately 4,700 at present. Local authority staff are also engaged on such work. The estimated total cost of collection in 1975–76 is £36·9 million and the estimated yield £773 milion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for a single person and a married couple all the national insurance benefits and supplementary benefit allowances which are above the appropriate income tax allowance; and if he will estimate how many people in each category for whom the benefits and allowances are their only source of income are paying income tax.

I have been asked to reply.Supplementary benefit and short-term national insurance benefits are not taxable. The remaining basic national insurance benefits are below the levels of the corresponding single and married tax allowances, with the exception that the specially high rates of widow's allowance and industrial death benefit payable for the first 26 weeks of widowhood may, for one tax year, bring the amount of benefit above the tax threshold. I regret that the information requested in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what will be the cost to the taxpayer of maintaining inflation-proof pensions for retired civil servants during 1975–76 and 1976–77; and if he will make a statement.

The total cumulative cost of inflation-proofing Civil Service pensions is estimated at £72 million for 1975–76. This raises the total gross cost of these pensions in the current year to £;259 million. Estimates are not available for 1976–77.This expenditure does not represent the cost to the taxpayer since it takes no account of the effective contributions made by civil servants to their pension benefits. Male civil servants pay a direct contribution for widows' and dependants' pensions, and, as I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 1st December 1975—[Vol. 901, c. 355]—Civil Service pay rates specifically take account of the employee's share of the cost of pensions which is paid by those doing comparable work outside the Service. As a result, the net cost of Civil Service pensions to the taxpayer is about 31 per cent. of the currently estimated salary bill of some £;2,500 million for 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Civil Service if he will list his ministerial responsibilities in Scotland.

The responsibilities in question are for the work of the Civil Service Department, Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) and the Central Office of Information (COI). Details of this work are set out in the Civil Service Year Book 1975 published by HMSO. The work relates to Great Britain as a whole, except that in Scotland some of the tasks carried out elsewhere by the COI are the responsibility of the Scottish Information Office.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the price of the Official Report.

Hansard prices were last increased in January 1975, but, as production costs and overheads have since risen steeply, it is now necessary to increase the price of the Daily Edition from 22p to 33p and the Weekly Edition from 60p to 90p. There will be corresponding increases in the prices of indexes, Standing Committee debates, bound volumes and subscription rates. The scale of charges for reprints of Members' speeches appearing in the Official Report will also be raised. All the revised prices will come into effect in January 1976 when Parliament resumes after the Christmas Adjournment. These increases in price are in line with the Government's policy of reviewing fees and charges at regular intervals in order to recover higher costs. Despite these increases, the publication of Hansard will still incur a substantial financial loss. The policy and principles for pricing Hansard are currently under review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has now completed his review of the brucellosis eradication programme; and if he will make a statement.

We hope to be able to make an announcement in a few days' time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the cruelty involved in the enforced feeding of geese, now by the use of mechanical methods, he will seek to ban the importation into the United Kingdom of intensified pâtç de foie gras.

I have received veterinary advice that suffering is not necessarily caused by feeding geese in this way. My right hon. Friend and I consider that a ban on imports of pâté de foie gras would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his information about the effect of capital transfer tax on plantings by the forestry industry by August 1975 and the comparison with the 1974–75 planting season.

Official figures to enable comparisons to be made between plantings by the private sector in 1974–75 and the current year will not be available until after the end of the present financial year. The indications are that private woodland owners have done less planting this year than in recent seasons but it should not be assumed that this is entirely due to the effects of taxation. The reduction may partly be accounted for by the general economic situation. In any event, the relief from Capital Transfer Tax to private woodland owners in Schedule 9 to the Finance Act 1975 is designed to maintain an adequate level of planting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he can give an assurance to traditional brewers that they will always be able to obtain seeded hops.

We would fully expect commercial hop growers to continue to provide those varieties of hops, whether grown seeded or seedless, for which there is a satisfactory market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to his Department by the hop industry advocating the growing of seedless hops instead of seeded hops; what reasons were given in these representations; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been made by the industry seeking the introduction of measures to facilitate the production of seedless hops within designated areas, so as to diversify the products of the industry and extend the market for English hops within the United Kingdom and abroad. We are seeking to meet the wishes of the industry in Clause 5 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which was given a Second Reading on 1st December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the cost to public funds of eradicating large areas of male hops in the event of certain areas being officially designated for the growth of seedless hops only.

My right hon. Friend estimates that it will cost about £4,000 a year to establish and supervise areas designated for the growth of seedless hops only. In trials so far carried out by groups of growers experience suggests that the great majority of the necessary work of removing or treating male hops growing in a potentially seedless area can be carried out locally by growers and their organisations in co-operation with householders and landowners. Male hops are not used in brewing: in commercial gardens producing seeded hops they are planted among the females at the approximate rate of 1 to 200.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is prepared to allow the use of cyclamate sweeteners following modern research.

Not at the present time. My right hon. Friend would, however, be willing to ask the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee to consider any evidence submitted to him that there is a need to use cyclamates in food and that such use can be permitted without hazard to the health of consumers. Future action would then be decided in the light of the recommendations made by the committer: and of comments received on them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the volume of butter produced and consumed in the United Kingdom last year; what proportion of the United Kingdom production was from Wales; and what were the overseas sources, and proportion of consumption met by such sources, which accounted for the balance of the butter imported.

United Kingdom butter production in 1974 was 52,700 tons and estimated consumption was 471,000 tons. Separate figures for production in Wales are not available. New Zealand and EEC countries other than Italy were the major sources of imports, which accounted for some 89 per cent. of new supplies in 1974.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the volume of production and consumption of cheese in the United Kingdom last year; and what proportion of United Kingdom production came from Wales.

United Kingdom cheese production in 1974 was 214,300 tons and estimated consumption was 325,000 tons. Separate figures for production in Wales are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the average loss per vessel of the BTF fleet over the first nine months of 1975, including Government grants and also depreciation, including Government grants but not depreciation, and not including Government grants but including depreciation.

The BTF has provided my right hon. Friend with information on a sample basis on operating results in the trawler fleet. Certain individual fishing companies have also provided in confidence more detailed information which it would be improper to disclose. The treatment of depreciation differs according to the accounting practice adopted. It is not possible without more information and a disproportionate amount of work to give figures on a uniform basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he proposes to make for fishing vessel grants and loans in 1976.