asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) for what purpose on which date and for what price his Department purchased Dale Head Farm and Turncliffe Farm, Quarnford, near Buxton, Derbyshire;(2) what is the size of Dale Head Farm and Turncliffe Farm, Quarnford, near Buxton, Derbyshire; what was their principal use prior to purchase by his Department; and what farming policy is currently being carried out and is planned.

Dale Head and Turncliffe Farms, which adjoin the Safety in Mines Research Establishment, were acquired following allegations that experiments in the Establishment's Coal Dust Explosion Gallery had damaged farm buildings. The farms were purchased so that the experiments could be carried out without risk to private property.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what

					(a) 1976–77 Initial Needs Grant £ million	(b) 1975–76 Initial Needs Grants £ million	(c) 1975–76 Needs Grants Increase Order stage £ million
Humberside County Council				…	62·3	48·4	60·8
North Yorkshire County Council					44·9	36·0	45·2
South Yorkshire:
Barnsley		…	…	…	15·4	11·9	14·9
Doncaster		…	…	…	23·1	17·9	22·5
Rotherham		…	…	…	18·1	14·2	17·9
Sheffield		…	…	…	40·7	31·8	39·9
West Yorkshire:
Bradford		…	…	…	37·5	28·5	35·7
Calderdale		…	…	…	14·7	11·3	14·2
Kirklees		…	…	…	27·5	21·1	26·5
Leeds	…	…	…	…	50·9	40·7	51·1
Wakefield		…	…	…	20·7	16·3	20·5

The needs grant for 1976–77 may be expected to be increased through the increase order procedure subject to the cash limits already announced. Payment of the resources element will depend on the rates levied, but will in general represent a higher proportion of each authority's expenditure than in 1975–76. The domestic element will be based on current rateable values, and should be sufficient to cover the prescribed domestic relief of 18·5p.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which strategic and primary roads in Suffolk are included as a basis for discussion in his first selection of through routes for heavy lorries.

The roads referred to are the A12, A140, A45, A134, A11, A143, A146, A1116 and A604.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that heavy lorries en route to the sums of money have been allocated within the rate support grant for 1976–77 to individual local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, together with corresponding final figures for 1975–76.

The following table shows (a) the provisional initial needs element entitlements of authorities in the Yorkshire and Humberside region for 1976–77, compared with (6) the initial payments in 1975–76 and (c) the needs grant totals following the Rate Support Grant (Increase) (No. 2) Order, 1975.Haven ports which at present pass through the village of Clare in south Suffolk will be required as far as possible to use one of the proposed national lorry routes as soon as these are established.

At least initially the national network, when it is agreed, will be advisory. It will be for local authorities to use their road traffic regulation powers to prohibit heavy lorries from unsuitable roads off the network.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the estimated cost of restoring Hadrian's Wall and Offa's Dyke.

It is not clear what the hon. Member means by restoration. It has not been my policy, nor that of my predecessors, to put back ancient monuments in their care to their supposed form in antiquity, nor to encourage other owners—in whose ownership much of Hadrian's Wall and Offa's Dyke is—to do this. If, however, the hon. Member would care to write setting out in more detail the restoration he has in mind I will see if I can give some estimate of the cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how soon he expects a start to be made on a bypass of the A604 route around Haverhill in south Suffolk.

Programming of the Haverhill bypass scheme is a matter for Suffolk County Council, within the framework of its transport policies and programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the National Water Council on the problems facing operators of waterwheels, due to the levying of charges by regional water authorities; and if he will take steps to assist operators of small hydro-plants.

At my suggestion the National Water Council and water authorities met representatives of the National Association of Water Power Users last year. The Council has asked the National Association for examples of any hydro-electric schemes which would have gone ahead but for abstraction charges or schemes which would have been kept in operation if abstraction charges had not been applied, and has undertaken, if any specific cases are drawn to its attention, to ask the water authority concerned to check that the charges involved reasonably reflect the effect of abstraction on the water resources in its area and to consider whether any reduction of charges might be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards paragraph 10 of Command Paper No. 6372; and what guidance he has given to local authorities on the criteria for assessing the need for cinema entertainment.

I have noted the recommendations in paragraph 10 of Command Paper 6372 about the provision of cinema facilities and entertain- ment, but I do not propose to issue a circular on this matter. It is for local authorities to decide what provision they wish to make for this purpose under existing powers and within the present financial restrictions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the hon. Member for Melton may expect a further letter regarding the composition of the support team for the Environmental Board, which was promised in a letter to the hon. Member in a letter from the former Under-Secretary of State dated 7th April 1975.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the progress to date of his Environmental Board; what general subjects it has so far discussed; and what action has been taken by his Department as a result of those discussions.

The Board's first task has been to consider how under the community land scheme the best contribution can be made to the Government's objectives of achieving an improvement in the built environment. Its initial advice will be reflected in a series of development advice notes which will be issued by the Department to help authorities in striking a balance between the various conflicting considerations in the planning and development of land.The Board has set up three groups under Sir Hugh Wilson, Mr. Alfred Wood and Professor Peter Hall to study further ways in which the Department could contribute to improvement in the quality of the built environment, both where new green field development is concerned and in existing built-up areas; and to consider the scope for greater public awareness of issues affecting the quality of the built environment. The groups will draw on a wide range of outside advice in considering these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many architects are employed by the Property Services Agency who are not serving in the Directorate-General of Design Services;(2) what proporation of the design commissions carried out by the PSA are currently being given to the Directorate-General of Design Services expressed

The Director-General of Design Services has produced proposals for his new Design Office and five senior staff and a directing architect to head the team have been appointed. None of those so far selected has been directly recruited from outside. The future programme and the total complement of staff needed for it— by redeploying existing resources—are being worked out. It is intended that the office should undertake a significant representative sample of the Agency's work, and it has been provisionally arranged that it should take responsibility in particular for designing the new PSA headquarters to be built at Teesside under the dispersal programme.The current staff in the Directorate-General of Design Services is 679, of whom 44 are architects out of a total of 490 architects in PSA.Apart from the development of the new Design Office, a comprehensive review has been carried out of the Directorate's responsibilities for technical development work and other specialist functions with a view to ensuring that future work is closely concentrated on clearly identified needs. Better machinery has been set up for disseminating practical guidance in the Agency on design issues, and the PSA Board is currently considering how more effectively to provide for evaluation and monitoring of design matters at top management level While it would be premature at this stage to assess the achievements of the new Directorate-General of Design Services I am sure that the measures being taken will help to foster professional morale and stimulate the quality of design work in the Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Director-General of Design Services has yet been able to implement that recommendation of the Matthew-Skillington Report which said that architects in the PSA should be called architects and not P and IOII.

Architects and other professional staff in PSA are given gradings within the Civil Service Professional and Technology Group for purposes of pay and conditions of service. Proposals for other titles for purely Departmental purposes which give prominence to the individual's profession are currently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Directorate-General of Design Services and the PSA as a whole have now abandoned the practice of using drawing offices not forming integral parts of design teams, and the use of partial commissions, both of which were described by the Matthew-Skillington Report is largely discredited practices.

Action is being taken to ensure close integration of the work of drawing offices and design teams. It has not been possible to abandon the use of partial commissions, but when work is put out to consultants the achievement of good design is always a major consideration in arranging the commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether ministerial approval is required before a housing authority sells council houses to sitting tenants on the basis that the houses are initially half purchased and half rented.

Whether consent to sell is required is a matter for the local authority concerned to decide in the first instance in the light of its powers under existing legislation. Following a sale no Exchequer subsidy would be payable without a specific determination by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to the building societies asking them to grant 100 per cent. mortgages to young people buying their homes for the first time thereby giving a boost to the building construction industry.

Arrangements already exist, under the Government's Option Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, which facilitate the granting of higher percentage mortgages. Apart from this, building societies do have regard to the needs of first-time buyers who, on average, receive a much higher percentage advance—currently over 75 per cent.—than former owner-occupiers. The general problems faced by young house buyers are of course being considered in the context of the Housing Finance Review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the building societies in setting up their own stabilisation fund.

In consultation with the Government the Building Societies Association has recommended to its members to adjust their lending so as to support an active housing market and at the same time set funds aside to stablise the flow of mortgage finance in future. The proportion of societies' assets held in liquid form has increased to some 20 per cent. while at the same time lending has been at record levels—some £5,000 million in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange to meet the leaders of the Building Societies Association to discuss with them the prospect of interest rates being lowered below 11 per cent.

My Department already maintains regular contact with the Build- ing Societies Association on all matters affecting the housing market.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has caused the deferment of the anticipated date of his decision on the route of the Chertsey-Wisley section of the A25 from February to the spring; and what is meant by the spring, in this context.

As I indicated in the answer I gave to the hon Member for Chertsey and Walton (Mr. Pattie) on 26th January—[Vol. 904, c. 22–3.]—the inspector's report raises complex issues. My right hon. Friend's decision will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the estimated number of homeless people on 1st January 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when forecasts of car ownership were last revised by his Department; on what assumptions about increase or decrease of gross domestic product they are currently based; and what is now regarded as the saturation level of car ownership.

The forecasts were last revised in February 1975. Three different assumptions were made about growth in gross domestic product. The lower forecasts assumed a growth rate of 2¼ per cent. per annum, the central forecasts a rate of 3 per cent. per annum and the upper forecasts a rate of 3¼ per cent. per annum. The lower forecasts are used in the design and evaluation of current schemes. The saturation level is assumed to be 0·45 cars per person.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the initial allocation of rate support grant for 1976–77 will be distributed in respect of each of the London boroughs and the City of London under the following heads: (1) resources element, (2) needs element, (3) domestic element and (4) London Equalisation Scheme; and how much each would have received in needs element without the clawback device.

The resources element entitlements of boroughs which qualify to receive it will depend on the rate poundages the boroughs decide to levy for 1976–77, which are not yet known. The proposals for the London rate equalisation scheme, which have now been put to my right hon. Friend by the London Boroughs Association, would not affect the needs element distribution, though their effect on individual boroughs' rate poundages would of course influence the boroughs' resources element entitlements. No meaningful figures can be given of the needs element allocation individual boroughs might have received had "claw-back" not been applied to London's overall needs element allocation, as there are a variety of ways in which the additional grant could have been distributed within London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the establishment for the number of civil servants at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea; what is the average delay in replying to letters sent to the centre by members of the public; and what proposals he has to increase the efficiency of the centre.

The approved staff complement was 5,214 at 31st December 1975, the latest date for which a figure is presently available.The average time taken to reply to letters varies.The Centre's Driver Enquiry Unit typically handles an average of 3,000 letters a week. An interim reply or acknowledgement is sent within three-four days in reply to most of them, and a full reply within two-three weeks; letters relating to complex cases—for example medical cases—sometimes take longer than this. The Centre's Vehicle Enquiry Unit is receiving some 5,000 letters a week at present.Again, the turn round time varies from about two weeks to six weeks or more, largely a reflection of the fact that on the vehicle side recruitment and training of new staff is far from complete. Replies should be sent more quickly as the staff concerned become more experienced.Much has already been done to improve the Centre's efficiency.Things have now settled down well on the driver side, and the introduction of "till-70" licensing will improve matters further. A programme of improvements on the vehicles side is well under way, and I expect the level of performance on that side to approach the level of performance on the driver side—currently running at 98 per cent. turn round within 10 working days—over the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time of processing an application for a road fund licence for motor vehicles registered after 1st August 1971 at the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea.

Three to five working days; but well over 80 per cent. of all licences for vehicles registered at the Centre are issued by post offices and local vehicle licensing offices, the vast majority over the counter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for road fund licences have been dealt with by the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Centre far each of the last six months for which figures are available.

As follows:

July 1975	11,322
August 1975	19,351
September 1975	28,671
October 1975	73,970
November 1975	56,692
December 1975	62,564

These figures exclude licences issued by the Centre's outstationed local vehicle licensing offices and agent post offices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of revenue expenditure by local authorities in England and Wales is accounted for by the cost of administration for each year since 1970.

The total cost of administration is not readily available. Figures are available relating to the costs of general administration as shown in the rate fund account, which covers solely the costs of central administrative departments before recharging to individual services. They do not cover the administrative work undertaken wholly within a particular local government service and will reflect the tendency to centralise administrative work over time.

	Expenditure on "general administration"* as a proportion of net expenditure chargeable to the rate fund Per cent.
1970–71	8
1971–72	9
1972–73	9
1973–74	9
1974–75	10½
* Net of sales, fees and charges other than recharges to other services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new Acts of Parliament have placed additional duties on local authorities since 1970; and what have been the effects on local government manpower.

The powers and duties of local authorities are so wide and varied that it would be impossible to answer the first part of the Question save at disproportionate public expense. Nor is it possible to make any accurate estimate of the effect on manpower of changes in statutory provisions as against other influences such as increases in the population or higher standards of services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total outturn expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales in each year since 1970.

The figures are:

Net expenditure chargeable to the rate fund in monery terms1
Local authorities in England and Wales
	£ million
1970–1	3,740
1971–2	4,303
1972–3	5,061
1973–4	6,148
1974–5 (provisional estimate)	8,064
(1) Expenditure on rate fund services—net of income from sales, fees and charges—and rate fund contributions to other accounts.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total cost of all Government-franked letters; and what savings results from not using postage stamps.

Records kept centrally do not distinguish between Government letter post and other forms of Government mail. The total provision made in the 1975–76 Estimates, including Summer and Winter Supplementary Estimates, to cover the cost of repayment to the Post Office for postal services is £78,285,000.The arrangements made for paying for official paid stationery are based on a composite rate derived from a survey, made in 1971, to determine the proportions of 1st and 2nd class mail and the average weight of each package. The rate is updated when postage rates generally change. Thus the payments to the Post Office are intended to reflect the full cost of official paid mail.The object of these special arrangements is to simplify the accounting arrangements. A change over to the use of postage stamps would certainly result in additional staff being taken on to handle, affix and account for the stamps but it is not possible to estimate the numbers that would be involved.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Government offices in the North-West.

I visited the following six Government establishments in the North West on 6th and 7th January: Department of Employment. Runcorn; Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, Liverpool; Property Services Agency, Liverpool; District Land Registry, Lytham; Her Majesty's Prison, Preston; Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley.During the course of these visits, I was able to meet many civil servants at all levels, doing a wide range of administrative, social and industrial work, often in difficult conditions. Amongst those I met, I found a sense of dedication to their service to the community which was most encouraging, despite their understandable resentment of recent inaccurate and misleading Press criticisms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue a circular to suggest guidelines to those responsible for purchasing or otherwise obtaining accommodation for embassy staff abroad in order to guard against unnecessary extravagance.

Responsibility for the purchase of accommodation for diplomatic staff abroad rests with the Property Services Agency. Its decisions are taken in consultation with my Department on the basis of the most economic solution. Purchases are governed by the application of the Treasury's test discount rate, which now stands at 10 per cent., and this in itself is an effective curb on expensive purchases. Where, exceptionally, purchases are made outside the test discount rate criteria, they must be justified on the basis of strict need.Responsibility for renting staff accommodation on a short-term basis rests with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Rents are subject to continuous appraisal and control principally through the imposition of rental ceilings fixed after visits by inspectors, who follow a regular programme of visits to all overseas posts.Those responsible for acquiring accommodation are aware of the need for economy particularly in current circumstances. I am considering whether further guidance is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the cost of providing one unit of accommodation in Rio de Janeiro for the use of the British Ambassador to Brazil; and if he will make a statement on the need for this expenditure.

The flat in question cost £191,000 including furnishing, decoration and alterations. It replaced a residence which was sold for over £2,200,000. In the Property Service Agency's professional opinion it was reasonably priced by local standards; it has already appreciated in value.The Embassy moved to Brasilia in 1972 but the Ambassador still has to spend considerable time in Rio de Janeiro which is Brazil's main port and the major business, banking, Press and cultural centre. The fiat is not simply a place to live in; the Ambassador has to receive and accommodate influential guests there, including important visitors from the United Kingdom, and carry out his representational functions generally. Apart from conveniences it would be more expensive if the Ambassador had to operate from an hotel.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will withdraw facilities extended to the Brazilian authorities for the training of police officers in Great Britain on the grounds that torture and arbitrary executions without trial have been inflicted on Brazilian citizens;(2) how many Brazilian police officials have visited the United Kingdom to attend courses for training or for other purposes linked to their official duties during the course of 1975; and if he will give details.

Central records of overseas police students are not comprehensive, but in 1975 two small parties of Brazilian police officers are known to have visited New Scotland Yard and other police establishments in the course of study tours. I am not considering the withdrawal of such facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any plans exist for the return of former inhabitants to Diego Garcia.

No. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development is explaining the position regarding the resettlement in Mauritius of those concerned in reply to another Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the delegations of political office holders from the Republic of South Africa invited to Great Britain by Her Majesty's Government in 1976.

Under the COI sponsored visits programme for 1975–76 the following political office holders from the Republic of South Africa have been invited to visit Great Britain in 1976: Mr. T. K. Mopeli, Chief Minister of Basotho-Qwaqwa; Miss Stella Sigcau, Minister of the Interior of the Transkei; Mr. Walter Khanye, Kwazulu Executive Councillor of Community Affairs; Mr. J. S. Leon, Leader of the Labour Party.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the proposed International Convention against Terrorism.

The feasibility of a European convention to assist in the extradition of terrorist offenders is currently being studied by a Council of Europe committee in which the United Kingdom is playing a full part.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present state of relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Anglo-Soviet relations as far as Her Majesty's Government are concerned, continue to be conducted in accordance with the documents signed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Soviet leaders in February last year and, in particular in the spirit of the Joint Statement of 17th February 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for the official English language version of the Report of M. Tindemans on European Union to be presented to Parliament as a Command Paper.

No. The Belgian Government are preparing and printing an official English version which will be available in the near future. Copies will be made available to Parliament as soon as possible. Copies of an unofficial but correct translation have already been made available in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which magistrates' courts in Inner London still require defendants who are on bail to surrender and be locked in a detention room before their case is called on.

Responsibility for the arrangements at a particular court rests with the magistrates but I understand that at five magistrates' courts in Inner London—Camberwell Green, Greenwich, Marlborough Street, South Western and West London—defendants surrendering to bail are asked to wait in the secure area of the court until their case is called. They are, however, at liberty to leave it on request. The Committee of Magistrates for Inner London accepts the desirability of leaving defendants at liberty until their case is called. Regrettably, in some courts there are practical difficulties. These are being further explored.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the number of serious crimes and/or crimes of violence in 1965 and at the latest stated date.

The total number of indictable offences recorded as known to the police in England and Wales during 1974 was 1,963,360 of which 63,781 were indictable offences of violence against the person. The corresponding figures for 1965—adjusted to a comparable basis to allow for changes in legislation and recording practice since that year—were 1,243,500 and 25,548.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of indictable offences investigated by the Metropolitan Police in 1921 and at the latest stated date.

The numbers of indictable offences recorded as known to the Metropolitan Police in the years 1921 and 1974 were 17,405 and 413,799 respectively. Because of changes in the law, in the boundaries of the Metropolitan Police District, and in recording practice, these figures are not comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the total number of violent crimes in England and Wales during 1935 and at the latest stated date.

2,416 offences of violence against the person were recorded as known to the police in 1935; in 1974, the latest year for which information is available, the corresponding figure was 63,781. Owing to changes in legislation and recording practice, these figures are not validly comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give details of the number of murders, manslaughters and baby killings in 1935 and at the latest convenient stated date.

The numbers of offences of homicide recorded as known to the police in 1935 were as follows:

Murder (of persons aged 1 year and over)	101
Murder (of persons aged under 1 year)	19
Manslaughter	171
Infanticide	21
Total	312

It is not, in general, easy to distinguish between these offences in the absence of court proceedings, and it was accordingly decided that from 1973 that in classifying homicides recorded as known to the police no distinction should be made between them unless there had been a court decision. Thus, the figures given above for 1935 are not comparable with those given below. The following table gives details of offences as recorded in the 1974 Criminal Statistics as homicide, on the new basis of presentation for 1974, the latest year for which figures are available.

OFFENCES CURRENTLY RECORDED AS HOMICIDE: 1974
	Number of Offences
Total	535
Decided by court to be:
Murder	114
Manslaughter	258
Infanticide	16
Court decision pending	61
No suspect	40
Suspect died, committed suicide or found insane	37
No further proceedings	9

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number and categories of workers admitted into the United Kingdom to take up employment such as doctors or dentists taking up professional appointments, ministers of religion, representatives of overseas newspapers, news agencies or broadcasting organisations, employees of overseas Governments, self-employed persons such as writers and artists and those categories mentioned in his Department's leaflet OW5; and what action is taken to ensure that these people obey the terms and restrictions of employment on their conditions of entry.

Statistics in respect of the categories specifically mentioned are not available, nor do such persons need work permits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average payment for each case made to barristers and solicitors out of legal aid funds in each of the last five years in respect of defended trials in summary and indictment procedure, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protec-

							December 1972 to December 1973	December 1973 to December 1974	December 1974 to December 1975
Tea	…	…	…	…	…	…	+0·2	+8·1	+16·7
Sugar (granulated)				…	…	…	+17·8	+102·0	+12·3
Butter		…	…	…	…	…	-7·0	+14·1	+34·5
Potatoes		…	…	…	…	…	+11·2	+34·7	+141·3
Coffee (instant)			…	…	…	…	+10·1	+20·1	+5·6
Bread		…	…	…	…	…	+17·0	+16·5	+18·8
Milk (fresh)			…	…	…	…	—	-9·2	+69·8

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans she has to change the law requiring packaged foodstuffs to contain a minimum weight.

I informed the House on 28th November 1974 that the Government accepted the need to adopt the average weight system for prepacked foodstuffs following a decision by the United Nations Committee concerned. The Working Party, the setting up of which I referred to when the House debated the subject on 28th November 1974, will be reporting its recommendations later this year, and I hope to introduce the appropriate legislation in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Pro- tion what has been the increase in the food price index over the past 12 months.

Over the 12 months to December 1975 the Food Index rose by 26 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the percentage increase in the price of the following commodities for the 12 months ended 31st December 1973: tea, sugar, butter, potatoes, coffee, bread and milk; and what are the comparable percentage increases for the 12 months ended 31st December 1974 and 31st December 1975, respectively.

The percentage changes in the prices of tea, sugar, butter, potatoes, coffee, bread and milk for the 12 months ended December 1973, with comparable percentage changes for the 12-month periods ended December 1974 and December 1975, were as follows:tection whether she plans any new initiatives to protect the consumer of nationalised industry goods and services.

My right hon. Friend has asked the National Consumer Council to examine the whole subject of consumer representation in the nationalised industries. My right hon. Friend will consider, with her colleagues, what action should be taken in the light of the Council's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in view of the fact that the EEC Regional Fund allotment for 1975 has not been exhausted and that further projects can be approved for aid from the sum remaining in the 1975 Fund, he will take steps to present suitable projects for approval for such aid; and how many projects are prepared for presentation at present, broken down as between Scotland, England and Wales.

By December 1975 the Commission had committed in full the 1975 part of Regional Development Fund. Further projects to be counted against the 1976 Fund are being prepared but I cannot yet say how they will be divided between the constituent parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much coal the British Steel Corporation imports and from which countries; and what percentage of total coal imports this represents.

The British Steel Corporation bases its coal procurement policy on available domestic supplies and keeps in close touch with the NCB about its requirements. But some coking coal of a quality not sufficiently available in the United Kingdom needs to be imported. Details of tonnages purchased abroad and the sources of imports are commercial matters for the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what are the qualifications he has now laid down for the Industrial Director, North-West Region; and how many persons have applied for the job;(2) if he has yet appointed a Regional Industrial Director, North-West Region;(3) if he will indicate the membership of the selection panel for the post of the Regional Industrial Director, North-West Region.

Regional industrial directors must have senior managerial experience in industry or finance, preferably both. They must have the ability to discuss financial issues with top managements, to assess the viability of companies and of their proposals and to encourage the planning and decision making of industrial and commercial companies in a positive manner. 126 applications were received in response to a national advertisement for the post in the North-West Region, and senior officials of my Department and the former Industrial Director for the Region formed the Selection Panel. I hope that an appointment will me made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what research and development he is sponsoring currently on solar energy; if he will list projects receiving financial support from his Department; and what is the total budget for such programmes projected over each of the next five years.

The projects on solar energy currently receiving financial support from my Department are one on developing photo-voltaic solar cells for terrestrial use and another dealing with basic material development. These are being funded jointly with industry, and my Department's contribution is expected to be £100,000, most of which will be incurred during the current financial year, the balance in 1976–77. I anticipate that my Department will contribute to some further solar energy work by industry and universities during the next few years.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make the continued provision of Government aid to Chrysler dependent on the cessation of unofficial strikes.

Under clause 5(2)(vii) of the Agreement signed on 5th January the Secretary of State is not obliged to make to Chrysler United Kingdom (CUK) any advance in respect of the guaranteed loan or the secured loan, unless CUK shall, if so required by the Secretary of State, have certified prior to such advance that in its opinion the progress being made towards the objectives of the Stoke Linwood and Truck Plan and the C6 Programme is sufficient to warrant the continuation of the capital expenditure envisaged by those plans; and in giving such a certificate CUK shall have regard particularly to the question of whether satisfactory agreements between the CUK Group and representatives of its work force have been concluded, or whether there is a reasonable prospect that such agreements will be concluded within a reasonable time concerning numbers to be employed, productivity and related matters, and whether any such agreements which have been concluded are being satisfactorily implemented.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the number of consignments of imported apples were inspected (a) in docks and (b) elsewhere during 1975, or the latest part thereof for which figures are available.

4,678 inspections of imported apples were carried out during the six-month period ending 31st December 1975. Approximately 33 per cent. of these were carried out in the docks and at other Customs clearance points and the remainder were carried out elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food how many people are employed (a) in docks and (b) generally, in whole or in part, upon the inspection of imported apples; how many were so employed on 1st July 1975; and how many are expected to be so employed on 1st July 1976.

No staff are employed exclusively on the inspection of imported apples. Of the total inspectorate numbering 137, it is estimated that on 1st July 1975 some 35 inspectors were operating on a shift basis at the various docks and Customs clearance points. In addition, most of the remainder would have occasion to carry out some inspections of imported produce at other stages of distri- bution. No immediate change in disposition is foreseen.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the number of tied agricultural cottages there are in the county of Bedfordshire.

The necessary information is not available. However, as explained in the Government's recent consultative document, agricultural tied cottages in England and Wales are mostly occupied by hired regular whole-time farm workers, about half of whom are housed in this way. If Bedfordshire were representative of this national situation there would be about 1,000 agricultural tied cottages in the county.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the number of owner-occupied farms in Bedfordshire and the average size of farms managed by tenant-farmers in the area.

In Bedfordshire 861 agricultural holdings are wholly or mainly owner-occupied; and the average size of wholly or mainly rented holdings is 144 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the total amount of solicitors' fees paid by his Department in respect of the £591 paid by him to 197 plot owners at Peacehaven Estate, Sussex, since 1960.

The total amount of solicitors' fees paid in respect of the 197 plots since 1960 is £1,481.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to protect food supplies in the Birmingham area following the breakdown in discussions between the city council and market traders over horticultural market rents; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that I cannot intervene in the discussions between the City of Birmingham District Council and its tenants over rents for the new wholesale horticultural market. I have arranged to be kept closely informed of developments if the market service is interrupted but supplies are already available through other channels which could be expected to adapt quickly to any change in circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that poultry will not have to be degutted in a continuing process as required in the EEC Directive 71/118, in view of the report of the Food Research Institute.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 13th January by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to the hon. Member for Moray and Nairn (Mrs. Ewing). The research to which reference is made was not directed primarily at public health considerations but at the comparative keeping quality of eviscerated and uneviscerated poultry at relatively low temperatures. In that context it was also concerned with the avoidance of contamination in processing plants. The research did not touch on the health dangers of cross-contamination when birds are eviscerated in food shops, to which my right hon. Friend referred on 13th January.The EEC poultry meat directives are, of course, designed to safeguard public health.—[Vol. 903, c.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people are employed in the fishing industry who are solely involved in disputed waters around Iceland.

Vessels and crews are not regularly occupied on any one fishing ground and, as far as can be ascertained, no people employed in the fishing industry are solely involved in disputed waters around Iceland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the turnover of the British fish- ing industry is attributable to fishing in disputed waters around Iceland.

The first-hand value of the catch taken by British vessels in waters around Iceland in 1974–75 was about 16 per cent. of the value of total first-hand sales of United Kingdom fish landings. Cod caught around Iceland accounted for over 30 per cent. of United Kingdom landings of cod in 1974–75.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the recent cuts in the price of petrol, he will seek similar reductions from the oil companies on the price of light fuel oils used in the heating of glasshouses.

I have been asked to reply.Oil companies and retailers, so long as they comply with the Price Code, are free to determine selling prices of oil products—except paraffin which is controlled—according to their commercial judgment and competition in the market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider retaining beyond 31st March 1976 the bonus payments made to dairy farmers who joined the voluntary scheme for brucellosis eradication.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I do not consider that there is a case for extending the present period of incentive payments, which covers five years from the date when a dairy or beef herd becomes accredited as brucellosis free. The Brucellosis Incentive Scheme, which provides these payments, was introduced to assist owners to seek and retain voluntary accreditation of their herds ahead of the compulsory eradication programme for their area, and thus make available a reservoir of disease-free breeding cattle to replace those to be slaughtered under the compulsory measures. The scheme has achieved its purpose and has enabled us to concentrate most of our available resources on the large-scale compulsory programme now in hand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of the new subsidy for destruction of surplus poultry and converting them into offal, animal feeding stuff. fertilisers or glue, which has been paid to Messrs. Eastwoods and to each of the other two or three largest egg producers in Great Britain.

I have been asked to reply.I take it that the reference is to the scheme introduced by the Eggs Authority on 5th January to help producers dispose of old laying hens if they were unable to use normal slaughtering outlets. Payments of 2·5p per lb were offered to offset the lower return from such sales. This was entirely financed from the Authority's levy on producers. I understand that very few birds were slaughtered under the scheme which ended on 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence the Government have that smaller egg producers have been put out of business as a consequence of the setting up of industry-sized egg producers; to what extent his Department is now having to subsidise the destruction of birds; if he is satisfied with the situation; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.In recent years many producers have gone out of egg production. The main decline has occurred among small non-specialist producers, who, nevertheless, still account for the great majority of holdings with egg laying flocks. Specialist producers, both large and small, have in the same period increased their share of the market.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of occasions when Scots and English law were respectively selected in defence contracts for the purposes of interpretation in each year from 1970 to 1975.

This information cannot be obtained without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the criteria upon which legal jurisdictions in defence contracts are selected.

Scottish contractors are given the option of having Scots law; otherwise English law is selected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate number of married quarters currently available in the United Kingdom to members of the armed forces or civilian employees working in defence establishments.

The latest available figures show that the Ministry of Defence has a total of approximately 105,000 married quarters in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the overall cost of staff and command courses for officers of the Royal Navy, the Army and the RAF, respectively.

The estimated recurrent costs in 1975–76 for staff and command training are: Royal Navy, £1·2 million; Army, £3·4 million; RAF, £1·9 million. The estimated costs of higher defence training courses which are attended by officers of all three Services is £1·3 million. These figures exclude students' pay and allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the Procurement and Research and Development Committees of Euro Group; when he expects a decision on the new NATO battle tank and a replacement strike aircraft for the 1980s; and whether he will make a statement.

The Eurogroup Committee of National Armaments Directors—EURONAD—the principal Eurogroup committee for procurement—there is no separate committee specifically concerned with research and development—has made substantial progress in promoting equipment co-operation within the alliance. Its work has included the establishment of the Eurogroup principles of equipment collaboration, the identification of future possibilities for co-operation, and the preparation of a report to Eurogroup Ministers on European-North American co-operation in defence procurement. Some member countries have obtained advantages in training and logistics from jont Eurogroup auspices.The work of EURONAD is supplemented by the Eurogroup sub-group on battlefield communications—EUROCOM—which has established agreed technical parameters to which future systems should conform, and by "Eurolongterm" which has made good progress in establishing tactical sub-concepts for particular areas of warfare: a number of outline staff targets are being prepared on the basis of these with a view to the possibility of collaborative projects in due course.Concept studies of a future main battle tank are being conducted by Britain and Germany; members of Eurogroup and NATO are being kept informed. We are also actively discussing with our allies the possibilities of future European collobaration on a fighter-bomber. The United Kingdom requirement is for an aircraft to replace the Harrier and Jaguar in the middle to late 1980s. Decisions on these two projects would only be taken after the requirements have been fully discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the manner in which payments were made by the United States Government to Her Majesty's Government in return for the use of Diego Garcia.

As I said in answer to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 13th October, the United States Government agreed in 1966 to contribute half of the total cost, up to a limit of £5 million, of setting up the British Indian Ocean Territory by waiving to that extent research and development surcharges for the United Kingdom purchase of the Polaris missile system.—[Vol. 897, c. 640.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which systems met the British Army's requirements for a medium-range unmanned surveillance system in the pre-feasibility trials.

No system has yet been identified which will be sure of meeting the Army's requirement. However, further studies are being undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the state of British reserves compared with those of the West European allies; and what steps he intends to take to increase them.

Closer integration of the reserves with the Regular Army was a feature of the Defence Review and it was announced in the White Paper that there would be a small proportionate increase in the number of Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve units earmarked for reinforcement of BAOR.Direct comparison with our European allies is not practicable since they rely on conscription. The TAVR is recruited wholly on a voluntary basis and a nationwide recruiting campaign starts on 23rd February.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he can give of the reduction in tax revenue if all retirement pensioners whose gross income were under £3,000 a year were exempt from paying tax.

The estimated cost for 1975–76 of exempting from tax all national insurance retirement pensioners and all widows with total net incomes under £3,000 is about £430 mil- lion. I regret that the available information does not distinguish widows in receipt of a retirement pension from other widows. "Total net incomes" are as defined in Inland Revenue Statistics 1975, page 42, paragraph 5.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he estimates that the information about the taxable income of war widows will be available.

This information, which will be derived from income tax returns, should be available later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gross sum from public funds paid in respect of the administration of justice and the provision of legal services, expressed as a proportion of total Government expenditure.

Expenditure on the "administration of justice" by central Government and local authorities, including legal aid, accounted for 0·4 per cent. of their total expenditure in 1974–75. The costs of the Department of Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor and the Lord Advocate's Department in providing "legal services for Government Departments" accounted additionally for about one-tenth of 1 per cent. The figures are on a net expenditure basis since comprehensive figures are not available of all receipts taken into account in arriving at net expenditure. The percentages quoted above make no allowance for the costs of legal staff attached to Government Departments not responsible for the administration of justice, or for the cost to local authorities of providing legal services to their departments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated yield from the abolition of the main personal tax allowances, namely, single person, married and child assuming a rate of income tax of (a) 30 per cent. (b) 35 per cent. and (c) 40 per cent. in the fiscal years 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78.

For 1975–76 the estimated yields from abolishing the main personal tax allowances, including the

					Yield (£ million) 1975–76 with basic rate of tax:
Tax allowance					35 per cent.	30 per cent. (approximate)	40 per cent. (approximate)
Single	…	…	…	…	2,150	1,840	2,460
Earning wives		…	…	…	1,050	900	1,200
Married	…	…	…	…	4,055	3,480	4,630
Child	…	…	…	…	1,200	1030	1,370

These estimates represent the additional tax yield of withdrawing at the basic rate of tax each allowance in turn. The extra yield from withdrawing all the allowances together would be less than the sum of the yields for individual allowances. The figures do not include the yield from withdrawing the allowances at the excess of higher rates of tax over the basic rate. Estimates for later years will depend on the future growth of income and changes to tax allowances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will revise the rule whereby a person who wishes to avoid British taxation must not live in the United Kingdom for more than 60 days in any given financial year to a system whereby the 60 days are taxed on a pro-rata basis of an annual income tax return.

There are a number of circumstances in which an individual's liability to United Kingdom tax can depend on the length of time he spends in the United Kingdom in a fiscal year, but nothing turns on whether his visits total more than 60 days. I have no plans to tax visitors to this country on their income in proportion to the time they spend here.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give details of the steps taken to keep records of persons who declare their intentions to leave Great Britain to avoid taxation and then return at periodical intervals, to see that they do not exceed the limit of 60 days in any given year.

There is no 60-day limit, but there are other limits which my hon. Friend may have had in mind. Where the tax relief has been given to an wife's earnings allowance, at the basic rates of tax mentioned, are given in the table below.individual provisionally, which is dependent on the amount of time subsequently spent in the United Kingdom, the Inland Revenue arranges to make further inquiries at appropriate intervals. To specify these arrangements more precisely could make them less effective.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will change the income tax rules to ensure that any person who claims exemption from taxation due to living abroad shall have to pay full rate of tax on income from whatever source obtained or originating in Great Britain.

No. In general, income arising in the United Kingdom is liable to United Kingdom tax whether or not the recipient is resident here.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has now been made in setting up the Equity Capital for Industry Fund.

This is a private sector initiative and a matter for the institutions concerned. I understand, however, that the proposals are at present under discussion by a working group, which I assume will be making an announcement in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer in a full year of the raising of the threshold at which companies have to register for VAT from £5,000 to £15,000.

About £75 million in a full year, assuming that the change applied to all classes of traders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rates of VAT are levied on funeral requisites in each of the Community countries.

The following is the position in the Community countries as regards burial services. In most cases items directly connected with actual burial or cremation are subject to the same tax treatment.

• Belgium—6 per cent.
• Denmark—Exempt.
• France—Exempt (when supplied by local authorities) and 17·6 per cent. (when supplied by others).
• Germany—5·5 per cent.
• Ireland—Exempt.
• Italy—Exempt.
• Luxembourg—5 per cent.
• Netherlands—Exempt.
• United Kingdom—Exempt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the additional revenue from the higher 20

						Light (table) wines		Heavy (fortified) wines
						per gallon £	per litre £	per gallon £	per litre £
Belgium	…	…	…	…	…	0·6850	0·151	1·5388	0·338
Denmark		…	…	…	…	3·9950	0·879	3·9950	0·879
France	…	…	…	…	…	0·0449	0·010	3·4484	0·759
Germany		…	…	…	…	—	—	2·7138	0·597
Holland	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	1·3803	0·304
Ireland	…	…	…	…	…	2·2990	0·510	3·4800	0·770
Italy	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	0·9215	0·203
Luxembourg		…	…	…	…	0·3420	0·075	1·1960	0·263
United Kingdom			…	…	…	2·6250	0·577	3·3500	0·737