asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many old people in Scotland have died as a result of hypothermia in the last five years for which figures are available.

The numbers of deaths in Scotland of people aged 65 and over attributed to hypothermia as the underlying cause are given in the following table for the years 1971–75:

Deathes of people aged 65 and over from hypothermia, Scotland, 1971–75
Year				No. of deaths
1971	…	…	…	4
1972	…	…	…	13
1973	…	…	…	8
1974	…	…	…	5
1975	…	…	…	7*
* provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the numbers and salaries of the extra public relations and information officers recruited by his Department and agencies for which it is responsible between 1970–71 and 1974–75.

The increase in the number of professional staff in the Scottish Information Office, which provides services in Scotland for a number of other Government Departments as well as my own, between 1970–71 and 1974–75 was eight. At current prices the additional cost was £40,000. Information about employment of information staff in other agencies is not held centrally. If my hon. Friend is particularly interested in any one agency I will arrange for the information to be sent to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which legal jurisdiction is selected by his Department for inclusion in defence contracts inside and outside the United Kingdom.

The normal rule is to select English law or, where appropriate, Scots law.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Service men to be made redundant by the Government's cuts in defence expenditure will receive a pension which is not compensated for inflation from the time of payment.

It is not possible to assess, at this early stage, the numbers who will prove to be in this category. However, those who retire or are discharged on redundancy and are eligible for immediate pension will receive pensions increases in recognition of inflation on attaining age 55; those who are invalided or subsequently become incapacitated receive the increases immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of naval activities in support of the British trawler fleet off Iceland.

I have nothing to add to the answer which my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gave to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) on 19th December.—[Vol. 902, c. 869.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the remaining interest of his Department in the Kissy Jetty, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The Royal Navy retains the ability to operate worldwide, and the Kissy Jetty facilities are useful in this context.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distribution to senior officers of the defence forces of the Official Report containing defence debates. Questions, &c.

There are no prescribed arrangements for a special distribution to senior officers of the Defence Forces of the Official Report containing defence debates and Questions, etc. Distribution of all issues of the Official Report is arranged on a standing order basis throughout the Ministry of Defence and the Services and in the interests of economy copies are widely shared. Details of the distribution of the Official Report reaching individual senior officers of the Defence Forces could only be ascertained with the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time and effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to replace HMS "Endurance" as a naval survey vessel on duty in the South Atlantic with another suitable vessel when HMS "Endurance" is laid up in March.

As is usual, HMS "Endurance" is planned to leave the South Atlantic at the onset of the Antarctic winter. No decision has yet been taken about the ship's programme after that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the inquiry to which the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army referred on 23rd October 1975 has been completed; and whether he will make a statement.

The inquiry by the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police has been completed. On legal advice 18 soldiers are to be discharged. One officer is being called upon to resign his commission. The civil authorities have been informed of the findings of the investigation and will, I understand, consider whether further action is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if recent changes have been made in the supply of food and drink to the Anzio Refugee Camp, Dhekelia, Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on 21st January 1976. —[Vol. 903, c. 466.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of an extension of postal votes to town/parish council elections.

No detailed study of the costs has been carried out, but on any reasonable assessment of poll and entitlement, and of the additional complications liable to be introduced into the count, they would clearly be appreciable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Kent County Council, the probation service in Kent and the Kent Police Force, respectively, about the case of Thomas Pankhurst, since he was transferred from Broadmoor to Bexley Hospital.

Mr. Pankhurst has not been formally transferred to Bexley Hospital. To assist his rehabilitation he was admitted there on 29th December, having been granted a period of leave of absence from Broadmoor Hospital. This arrangement was fully discussed at a meeting in November attended by clinical and social work staff from both hospitals and an officer of the Kent Probation and After-Care Service. Since the admission to Bexley the hospital social workers have kept in touch with the probation officer. The Kent police were consulted about the case at an earlier stage. The Kent County Social Services Department has not been involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been deported to (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; how many have appealed against exclusion orders; and how many appeals have been successful.

I have made 69 exclusion orders. Notice of the making 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. Sixteen of the 61 made representations objecting to the order. I revoked the order in five of these 16 cases.In addition, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made one exclusion order and the person concerned was removed to the Republic of Ireland.The Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey has made three exclusion orders and the people concerned were removed to Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been subsequently charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.

An extension of the period of detention under Section 7 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act has been approved in 187 cases. A further 440 persons have been detained for 48 hours or less under Section 7 of the Act. 703 people have been detained pending examination at the ports under the supplemental orders made under the Act.Sixty-five people have been charged with offences in Great Britain, eight of them with murder, three with attempted murder, eight with conspiracy to cause an explosion, one with causing an explosion, seven with unlawful possession of explosives, six with conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life, two with contravention of Section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968, five with conspiracy to defraud the Inland Revenue, 11 with theft, one with robbery, two with burglary, one with assisting offenders, one with harbouring a person known to have committeed an arrestable offence, two with causing criminal damage, one with attempting criminal deception, one with handling a stolen motor vehicle, one with handling stolen property, one with possession of drugs, and three with wasting police time.In addition, two were returned to the Irish Republic and there charged, one with robbery and one with burglary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and under which sections of the Act the charges have been brought.

Three persons have been charged in Great Britain under Section 1(1)(b) of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has refused an extension of five days to the police for the holding of a suspect under the Prevention of Terrorism Act; and, if so, how many.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any of the charges brought against suspects initially held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act have been dropped before the case was heard; if so, which charges; whether any charges have led to an unsuccessful prosecution; and, if so, which charges; and whether any charges have led to a successful prosecution; if so, in each case, what was the sentence imposed.

I regret that this information could not be made available without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the advisory committee on the desirability of releasing patients from Broadmoor Hospital was set up; what are its terms of reference; what is its membership; and what reviews it has so far undertaken.

The Advisory Board on Restricted Patients was set up in September 1973 following acceptance of the recommendations in the Aarvold Report (Cmnd. 5191). Its functions are to advise on proposals for the discharge or transfer of the small number of patients detained subject to the special restrictions set out in Section 65 of the Mental Health Act who have been identified, in accordance with the criteria recommended in the Aarvold Report, as requiring special care in assessment.The Board comprises six members drawn from the legal, medical and social work disciplines. The chairman is Sir Carl Aarvold; the other members are Dr. J. Harper, Mr. A. W. Hunt, Mr. G. Jones, Mr. H. J. Leonard, QC, and Dr. P. D. Scott.The Board has so far considered the cases of 18 patients, 12 of whom were detained in Broadmoor Hospital and six in Rampton Hospital.The Committee on Mentally Abnormal Offenders, under the chairmanship of Lord Butler, has in its final report (Cmnd. 6244) recommended a substantial extension of the system for submitting proposals for the discharge and transfer of restricted patients to the scrutiny of an independent board, and I intend to introduce a wider procedure on these lines as soon as the detailed arrangements have been worked out. The constitution and scope of the proposed enlarged advisory body have not yet been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Northumbria about the decision of the Northumbria Police Authority to fingerprint large numbers of schoolchildren.

No special report is called for.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the £3,000 million in Supplementary Estimates is attributable to identifiable expenditure in Scotland.

It is assumed that the Supplementary Estimates referred to are the Winter Supplementary Estimates published on 8th December which totalled £3,160 million. The identifiable expenditure in Scotland contained within these Estimates is expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility and was £204 million—i.e., 6·45 per cent. An analysis of one batch of Supplementary Estimates gives an inadequate picture of expenditure in Scotland, since at this point in time it is only possible to show what has been provided for in the Votes within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland.Of the total of £3,160 million, £370 million was for defence and £24 million for overseas services which are services for the United Kingdom as a whole. Similarly there are a large number of other Votes which also provide for services in the United Kingdom as a whole and for which additional provision was sought—e.g. national insurance, supplementary benefits, non-contributory pension benefits. These provisions cannot be analysed by region at this point in time but only at the end of the year when the expenditure has been incurred. The Abstract of Statistics for Scotland shortly to be published will show that for 1974–75 this was £3,580 million which represents about 12 per cent. of the total expenditure for England, Scotland and Wales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated reduction in corporation tax liability of the corporate sector due to stock appreciation allowance and the net yield of corporation tax for the same period.

Net receipts of corporation tax in 1974–75 were £2,859 million, and the revised estimate of the cost in that year of stock relief is £720 million. The Budgest estimate of the yield of corporation tax in 1975–76 is £2,125 million, and the estimated cost of stock relief in that year is £1,230 million as given in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1975–76, page 12, Footnote 2 to Table 4.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases more capital has flowed into the United Kingdom than flowed out of it in respect of EEC countries during 1975.

It is regretted that the information required to answer this Question is not available. Tentative estimates of capital flows between the United Kingdom and the rest of the EEC as a whole for the years 1973 and 1974 are given in Table 44 of "United Kingdom Balance of Payments 1964–1974". But only a limited amount of information is available on capital flows between the United Kingdom and individual EEC countries. Such information about direct investment flows in 1973 is contained in the Department of Industry's Business Monitor Series M4 "Overseas Transactions 1973". Similar information on United Kingdom banks' foreign currency liabilities and claims up to end-September 1975 is given in Table 22 of the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin for December 1975. Table 20 of that Bulletin is also relevant.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to increase the tax offset entitlement on luncheon vouchers, in the light of the increase in commercial meal prices in recent years.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 22nd January 1976; Vol. 903, c. 551–2], gave the following information:I do not think an increase in the concessional tax-free limit for luncheon vouchers would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been charged under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in Northern Ireland; and under which section of the Act.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been detained in Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have subsequently been charged with offences; and with what offence, they have been charged.

Twelve persons have been arrested under Section 7 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974. In six cases I have approved an extension to the period in custody under Section 7 of the Act. Three persons have subsequently been charged, one with an explosives offence, one with attempted murder, and the last with murder.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons excluded from Great Britain under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Act have been sent to Northern Ireland; and how many have been subsequently detained or charged with offences in Northern Ireland.

Thirty-nine persons excluded from Great Britain have been sent to Northern Ireland under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974. Nine of these were held on arrival but all were released after questioning.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and how many have been sent to Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, respectively.

One person has been removed from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland in pursuance of an order excluding him from the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he now proposes to take to help the education and library boards to combat truancy and indiscipline in the schools of Northern Ireland; and what talks he has had with the Ulster Teachers' Union upon this subject further to its resolution of 24th September, 1975.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 22nd January 1976, Vol. 903, c. 565], gave the following information:I have no proposals at present for any new measures, but am prepared to consider any suggestions which educational interests consider would be helpful. I have had no talks with the Ulster Teachers' Union since its conference on truancy and indiscipline on 24th September 1975. However, I wrote to the Union on 29th October 1975 commenting on the resolution passed at the conference and asking whether the Union would wish to put forward any detailed proposal. I have not as yet received a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now institute an inquiry into the death by burning of Mrs. Cune and her two children at the Ulster Cottages, Eden, Carrickfergus; and whether these cottages comply with fire regulations.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 22nd January 1976; Vol. 903, c. 566], gave the following information:A date for the hearing of the inquest into the tragic deaths of Mrs. Cune and her two children will, I understand, be set shortly. The matter is, therefore sub judice at present.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will ask the United Nations representative, Mr. Ivor Richard, to seek support for a second international appeal to help the refugees in Cyprus not only with currency but material aid such as housing, civil engineering equipment and essential goods not now available in Cyprus as a means of assisting the refugees overcome their desperate situation.

I regard this as best left to the judgment of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who co-ordinates international relief assistance effort for Cyprus. Two international appeals have already been made by or on behalf of the UNHCR—to both of which Her Majesty's Government responded generously—and he has indicated that he would welcome further individual contributions, such as that subsequently made by the British Government last Ocotber.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what criteria the Independent Board will be able to decide whether or not to agree to the closure of pay beds in National Health Service hospitals.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement on the National Health Service and private practice which my right hon. Friend made on 15th December.—[Vol. 902, c. 971–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will give details of the numbers and salaries of the extra public relations and information officers recruited by her Department and agencies for which it is responsible, between 1970–71 and 1974–75.

Between April 1970 and December 1975 two extra principal information officer posts for work in the office of Population Censuses and Surveys and the Occupational Pensions Board, and one extra senior information officer post were added to the complement of the Department. In addition, in 1973, regional reorganisation of the method for providing information to the news media resulted in the appointment of the approximate whole-time equivalent of six senior information officers in DHSS social security regions. Principal information officers are paid on a salary scale of £5,680–£7,450 and senior information officers £4,900–£5,900 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many days the Chairman of the Reserve Pension Board was employed as Chairman; how much he was paid for this employment; and how much pension he has asked for in respect of this employment.

The Chairman of the Reserve Pension Board was in office from 21st February 1974 to 30th April 1975, at a salary of £17,000 a year. The eventual pension entitlement in respect of this appointment will have to be related to pension rights in respect of earlier employments, and the final arrangements have not yet been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the population of South-East England; how many are stockbrokers; and what proportion this represents as a percentage.

The population of the South-East Region at 30th June 1974 was provisionally estimated to be 16,954,800.No figures giving the numbers of stockbrokers are available.In the 1971 Census of Population stockbrokers were included with insurance, shipping and air transport brokers, underwriters, stock jobbers and financial agents in the category "finance and insurance brokers, and financial agents". According to a 10 per cent. sample of census returns the number of economically active persons in this category who were usually resident in the South-East region was 20,140, which represented 0·24 per cent. of all economically active persons usually resident in the South-East.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what considerations she has given to relieving employers of part or all of the national insurance contribution liability in respect of any employee who is a registered disabled person.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she is taking to ensure a settlement of the industrial dispute at Tatchbury Mount Hospital which is now in its seventh week; and whether she will make a statement.

It is the responsibility of Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching), as the employing authority, to settle this dispute with the union. I understand that the union is concerned about the hospital's facilities for caring for patients who are unpredictable and occasionally violent.The AHA accepts that there is a need to review the mix of patients in some villas and to alter accommodation to improve facilities. Urgent steps have been taken to start appropriate upgrading in one villa, and other proposals are being worked out with a view to their inclusion in the AHA's 1976–77 programme of minor capital works. It is hoped that these steps will enable the dispute to be resolved. Discussions with the union's representatives are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a programme of derelict land clearance in Wales and include in such a programme a scheme for clearing slate tips at Talysarn in the Nantlle Valley as a high priority.

I have already accepted the high priority of the scheme at Talysarn and included it in the programme for 1975–76 which was announced on 23rd October 1975. Subject to Arfon Borough Council being able to acquire the relevant land, work could start shortly. On 1st January 1976 responsibility for approving derelict land clearance schemes was transferred to the Welsh Development Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many tons of basic slag were used by farmers in Wales last year; and what were the corresponding figures for the previous five years.

The information is not available in the form requested. However, whilst the fertiliser subsidy was operative the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was able to record on a regular basis information on the deliveries of subsidised basic slag including potassic basic slag.Figures for Wales for the last five years of the subsidy are as follows:

Crop-years (June-May)				Product tonnages
1969–70	…	…	…	132,467
1970–71	…	…	…	151,219
1971–72	…	…	…	132,328
1972–73	…	…	…	97,028
1973–74	…	…	…	55,979

Although these figures relate to deliveries it is probable that they give a good indication of the tonnages of basic slag used for the years given.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many small farmers in Wales who farm less than eight acres will no longer qualify for hill sheep and hill cow subsidies whether he is satisfied with the position; and if he will make a statement.

Some 430 farmers in Wales are likely to be ineligible for compensatory allowances because they have less than the necessary three hectares (7·41 acres) of eligible land. At present I cannot add to the statement made on this subject by my hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 17th December—[Vol. 902, c. 1569.]— but he hopes to announce shortly details of the special assistance to these farmers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many tons of lime were used by farmers in Wales last year; and what were the corresponding figures for the previous five years.

Farmers in Wales spread 222,000 tons of subsidised lime in 1975. Corresponding figures for the previous five years were:

Calendar year				thousand tons
1970	…	…	…	…	217
1971	…	…	…	…	267
1972	…	…	…	…	267
1973	…	…	…	…	286
1974	…	…	…	…	257

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the estimated cost of damage caused by storms over the New Year in Wales.

It is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the total cost of the storm damage in Wales over the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of the qualifications of Mr. Richard O'Brien, the new Chairman of the Manpower Services Commission; whether his salary of £16,580 per annum is net or other expenses are paid; if so, on what basis; and whether he will ensure that the new Chairman will take action to stop Members of Parliament having to wait three months for replies to their correspondence with the commission.

I have appointed Mr. Richard O'Brien as the next Chairman of the Manpower Services Commission under the powers in Section 1(3) of the Employment and Training Act 1973. I am satisfied that he has the necessary qualifications for the job. In addition to his salary, necessary expenses are reimbursed and subsistence allowances paid for absence on official business.I understand from the Commission that it is not usual for any correspondent to wait three months for a reply. If my hon. Friend will let me know of any particular instance he has in mind I shall be glad to ask the Chairman to look into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits have been issued to Filipino nationals annually over the last three years; what jobs have been specified for them; and whether, in view of the level of unemployment in the United Kingdom, he has considered the necessity of issuing further permits.

The numbers of work permits^* issued to Filipino nationals annually over the last three years were as follows:

1973	…	2,691
1974	…	991
1975	…	1,986
* The figures include permissions given to Filippino nationals already in Great Britain.

Council	Minimum £	Standard week (hours)	Operative date
Hairdressing undertakings	19·35	40	23rd June 1975
Made-up textiles	21·20*	40	29th January 1975
Retail newsagency, Tobacco and confectionery trades (Scotland)	21·35†	42	7th April 1975
Industrial and staff canteen undertakings	21·50	40	30th July 1975
Dressmaking and women's light clothing (Scotland)	21·90	40	30th June 1975
Unlicensed place of refreshment	21·92	40	23rd June 1975
* £6 earnings supplement is payable from 29th January 1976.
† £5·80 earnings supplement agreed from 7th April 1976.

Wages councils are expected to comply with the guidelines in the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation". As independent bodies they are free to set increases within these guidelines and of the 19 councils which have settled since July 1975, 14 have done so at the full £6 for all adult workers. The other five councils have settled at £5 or more, with the majority of workers receiving increases close to the £6 limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the six lowest paid wage councils and their minimum wage rates and the date from which their last increases applied; and if he will encourage each wage council to increase its minimum rates by the full £6 per week whenever their annual increase falls due.

The lowest statutory minima specified for adult "other workers"—in intermediate provincial areas, where area rates are set—are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list all additional sites provided for gipsies and other travellers by local authorities in England and Wales during the course of 1975, indicating in each case the number of places provided;

Provisionally, it appears that 13 additional sites provid-

GIPSY SITE PROVISION IN ENGLAND AND WALES AT 31ST DECEMBER 1975 (PROVISIONAL)
(Sites marked * were established during 1975)
County			ENGLAND District Council (Name and/or Location of Site)		Number of Pitches
Bedfordshire	…	…	South Bedfordshire (Pepperstock, Caddington)	…	12
			*South Bedfordshire (Chiltern View, Eaton Bray)	…	18
			Luton (Stopsley)	…	15
Berkshire	…	…	Newbury (Burghfield Common)	…	20
			Bracknell (Easthampstead)	…	12
Buckinghamshire	…	…	Beaconsfield (Mansion Lane, Iver)	…	25
Cambridgeshire	…	…	*Fenland (New Bridge Lane, Wisbech)	…	16
			*Peterborough (Oxney Road)	…	16
Cheshire	…	…	Crewe (Wrenbury Heath)	…	15
			Chester (Bumpers Lane)	…	12†
			Halton (Warrington Road. Wisbech)	…	15†
			Vale Royal (Hapsford, Near Helsby)	…	15
Cornwall	…	…	Kerrier (Camborne)	…	6
Derbyshire	…	…	Derby (Chequers Lane)	…	5†
			Derby (Chequers Lane)	…	6†
			Derby (Stuart Street)	…	4†
Devonshire	…	…	East Devon (Broadclyst, Near Exeter)	…	10
			*East Devon (Sowton, Near Exeter)	…	45†
Dorset	…	…	Poole (Mannings Heath)	…	22
			West Dorset (Piddlehinton, Dorchester)	…	12†
Durham	…	…	Darlington (Whessoe Road)	…	20†
East Sussex	…	…	Wealden (Swan Barn, Hailsham)	…	3
			Wealden (Poley Arch, Polegate)	…	3
Essex	…	…	Epping Forest (Foot Hill, Stanford Rivers)	…	12
			Harlow (Fernhill Lane)	…	16
			Basildon (Station Lane, Pitsea)	…	35†
			*Basildon (Hovefields Avenue, Pitsea)	…	20
			Harlow—Winter sites only	…	27†
Gloucestershire	…	…	Forest of Dean (Valley Road, Cinderford)	…	8
			Tewkesbury (Cursey Lane, Elmstone Hardwicke)	…	14
			Stroud (The Willows, Sandhurst Lane, Near Gloucester)	…	30
Greater London	…	…	Barking (Eastbrook End, Dagenham)	…	16
			Barnet (Colney Hatch Lane, Finchley)	…	12†
			Bexley (Powerscroft Road, Foots Cray, Sidcup	…	15
			Bromley (Star Lane, St. Mary Cray)	…	12
			Croydon (Beddington Farm Road)	…	15
			Ealing (Kensington Road, Northolt)	…	16†
			Enfield (Montagu Road, Edmonton)	…	15
			Greenwich (Harrow Manorway, Abbey Wood	…	54
			*Harrow (Watling Farm, Elstree)	…	15
			Havering (South Park, North Ockenon)	…	16
			Hillingdon (Colne Park, Cricketfield Road, West Drayton)	…	22†
			Hounslow (The Hartlands, Church Road, Cranford)	…	15†
			Kingston upon Thames (Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surbiton)	…	15†
			Lewisham (Thurston Road)	…	15†
			Merton (Durnsford Road, Wimbledon)	…	15
			Newham (Templer Mills Lane)	…	14
			Redbridge (North View, Forest Road, Hainault)	…	16
			Richmond upon Thames (Bishops Grove, Hampton)	…	16
			Sutton (Carshalton Road, Woodmansterne, Banstead)	…	15
			Waltham Forest (Folly Lane, Walthamstow)	…	16

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will require standardisation of all roller brake testers so as to ensure uniformity of results, before authorising such brake roller testers to be used at testing stations; and, alternatively, whether he will require such changes to be made as may be necessary in order to ensure that testing stations are able to apply uniform standards in brake testing on such brake roller testers.

Since 1973 roller brake testers have not been acceptable as items of equipment in an MOT testing station unless they have met the technical standards laid down by the Department, whose engineers co-operate closely with manufacturers and garage associations concerning the performance and accuracy of this equipment. I am having investigated a report of discrepancies between measurements made on different types of roller brake tester, but my present information is that the current arrangements have ensured the consistency of the test results.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the ending of the BACAT barge-ship service between Rotterdam and the Humber; and whether, in view of the significance of such services for the future use of inland waterways, he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations. It would be inappropriate for my right hon. Friend to intervene, but I regret that the BACAT service, which might have helped to revitalise the commercial waterways in the north, did not have a chance to prove its potential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the numbers and salaries of the extra public relations and information officers recruited by his Department and agencies for which it is responsible between 1970–71 and 1974–75.

There were 99 information officers employed in April 1971 and 96 in April 1975, a reduction of three. The current salary scales are:

Director middle band	£11,670
Chief Information Officer (A)	£8,650–£11,000
Chief Information Officer (B)	£7,750–£9,350
Principal Information Officer	£5,680–£7,450
Senior Information Officer	£4,900–£5,900
Information Officer	£3,900–£4,700
Assistant Information Officer	£1,885–£3,670

The Department was created in November 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the allocation to each local authority in the county of Northumberland for the purpose of house improvement in each of the last five years.

Controls over expenditure on local authority house improvement were introduced in 1975–76. The allocations for Northumberland are as follows:

	1975–76	1976–77
	£	£
Alnwick	113,780	50,000
Berwick	500,000	500,000
Blyth Valley	1,587,000	700,000
Castle Morpeth	200,000	100,000
Tynedale	267,000	100,000
Wansbeck	750,000	450,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the new and expanded town programme has been revised, in the light of changes in the demographical projections; and if he will make a statement.

Recent changes in demographic projections, if sustained, could affect the new and expanded town programme in the longer term. Over the next decade or two, however, this programme will reflect the housing needs of people already born. My right hon. Friend is keeping the position under review in the light of all relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in the Official Report those roads whose trunk function has been lost to other roads, and for which he is asking local authorities to be responsible.

As I indicated in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 16th January—[Vol. 903, c. 260-1] firm proposals await the outcome of current discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of applications from disabled people for improvement or intermediate grants under Sections 56 and 65 of the Housing Act 1974 has been refused because the rateable value of their property was too high; if he will take action to remove the rateable value restriction from grants for disabled people; and if he will make a further statement.

I regret that the information requested is not available. My right hon. Friend has no power to exempt disabled people, as a special class of applicant, from the effect of the rateable value limits. He has, however, this week advised local authorities that they may, at their discretion, consider applications for house renovation grants from disabled people regardless of the normal limits on the age of the dwelling.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present position in respect of the application made by Humberside County Council to him for planning permission to construct the Goole southern bypass.

My right hon. Friend has called in this application and is arranging for the holding of a public local inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to amend the Road Traffic Act so as to make it an offence for an employer to allow an employee with only a provisional licence and unaccompanied by a qualified driver to drive other employees during the course of his employment.

I am advised that an employer who knowingly permitted such an action could be prosecuted for aiding and abetting an offence under Section 88(6) of the Road Traffic Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is satisfied that safe facilities for pedestrians on the A217 in the London Borough of Sutton have been provided in planned developments at all major cross roads;(2) if he will list the accidents which have occurred on the A217 at the Gander Green Lane crossing.

These are matters for the Greater London Council as both highway and traffic authority for the A217 route in the London borough of Sutton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken by his Department to bring to the attention of local authorities the concept of watchdog committee to check local government authority expenditure, as set out by the Prime Minister at Eastbourne on 20th November 1975; and what action has been taken by what local authorities as a result.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was merely making a suggestion for greater public participaion in local government. The suggestion has received widespread publicity, but it is for local authorities themselves to consider it. They do not need to consult or inform the Department of the Environment about any action they may choose to take.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the names of members and terms of reference of the working party he has set up to consider financial assistance to Birmingham City Council in respect of the staging of the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

A working party of Birmingham City Council and Sports Council officials has undertaken a study of the likely costs involved if Birmingham's application to stage the Commonwealth Games in 1982 were to be successful. Officials of the Sports Council, the City Council and my Department are now considering the level of possible Sports Council grant towards and the city's borrowing requirements for the sports facilities that would be required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage cut in housing expenditure by local authorities in 1976–77 will result from his announcement of 7th January.

The suggestion that there have been across the board 33 per cent. cuts is entirely untrue. There is no question of an overall cut in the level of total provision for municipalisation, improvement and lending for house purchase as it was announced after the Budget announcements of 1975 as a result either of my right hon. Friend's announcement or of any failure to make the usual adjustment for prices. In real terms provisions for municipalisation and for local authority improvement are each increased by about 22 per cent.; and provision for local authority lending for house purchase is correspondingly reduced by about 28 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in which document the Government's views on the National Parks Policy Review Committee Report (the Sandford Report) announced on 12th January was published.

The conclusions are contained in a Joint Circular to Local Authorities from the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office. The Circular in question is DOE 4/76 (Welsh Office 7/76) of 12th January 1976 which is obtainable from HMSO, price 28p. Copies of this were placed in the Library of the House on I2th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the numbers and salaries of the extra public relations and information officers recruited by his Department and agencies for which it is responsible between 1970–71 and 1974–75.

Public relations officers are not employed, but information officers undertake a wide range of services including publications and Press relations. Numbers fell by two in my Department and remained constant at the Victoria and Albert Museum; none was employed at the Science Museum and University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the inter-departmental discussion on the payment of supplementary benefit to students to be completed; and if such discussions will be completed in time to influence the level of grants to be paid to students from September 1976.

These discussions are continuing, but I expect them to be completed before the student grant rates for the academic year 1976–77 are settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the decline in the numbers of those attending primary schools in the ILEA area forecast for each of the next five years;(2) what are the numbers of pupils receiving secondary education in the ILEA area forecast to be in each of the next five years.

I understand from ILEA that its projections of numbers of pupils in primary and secondary schools respectively for the next five years are as follows:

Primary schools
January 1976	…	…	199,000
January 1977	…	…	189,700
January 1978	…	…	179,500
January 1979	…	…	168,600
January 1980	…	…	158,700
Secondary schools
January 1976	…	…	179,600
January 1977	…	…	180,800
January 1978	…	…	178,100
January 1979	…	…	174,800
January 1980	…	…	169,700

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the amount of the total expenditure by the British Library Research and Development Department for the period 1970 to 1980 which is for projects related to computers;(2) what is the estimated amount of the estimated total expenditure by the British Library Research and Development Department which is for grants and contracts comparable with those detailed in List of Grants Awarded by the British Library Research and Development Department 1970 to 1975.

I am informed by the British Library that, while details of actual expenditure could not be provided without disproportionate cost, the total amount made available by the Library's Research and Development Department—and previously the Office of Scientific and Technical Information—during the period 1970–75 for projects in the List was about £3,323,000, of which about £1,185,000 was for research related to computer-based information systems and services. At this time no estimate can be made for the period 1976–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated expenditure on administration by the British Library Research and Development Department for the period 1976 to 1980.

I am informed by the British Library that expenditure will be governed by the resources available and the demands made on the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated total expenditure by the British Library Research and Development Department for the period 1976 to 1980.

I am informed by the British Library that this expenditure will depend on the resources made available by Parliament and on the quality and relevance of the proposals put to the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities at present taking places at direct grant schools within their area have stated their intention of continuing to do so when such schools go independent; and what is the resulting increase in cost to those local education authorities.

This information is not available. Local education authorities are not required to inform the Department of their intentions as to the taking of places in non-maintained schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with Guatemala in the light of the latest developments on the issue of the future of Belize.

Relations with Guatemala are inevitably affected by the dispute over Belize. It has been agreed with the Government of Guatemala that negotiations about the future of Belize will start soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he has taken to resolve the dispute between the Republic of Sierra Leone and Her Majesty's Government over the Kissy Jetty.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Devon, West (Mr. Mills) on 19th December 1975. Since then, the Ministry of Defence and the British Petroleum Company Limited—the latter representing the technical interests of the participants in the Sierra Leone Petroleum Refining Company—have agreed to make a joint survey of the jetty. The Sierra Leone Government have agreed that this should take place in March. Once the results of the survey have been collated and analysed, the parties concerned will consider what action is desirable in all the circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions have been given to the BBC concerning proposed cuts in the three financial years from 1st April 1977 amounting to £2,164,000, in the budget of the External Services.