asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that potatoes intended for pig swill are not being sold for human consumption; what powers he has to regulate such practices; and if he will make a statement.

There are no particular varieties of potatoes grown for animal feed in the United Kingdom. But sales for animal feed provide an outlet for potatoes which are unsuitable for human consumption. Potatoes from the Great Britain crop sold by registered producers and licensed merchants for human consumption must comply with quality standards operated by the Potato Marketing Board. Under legislation enforced by local authorities it is an offence to sell food which is unfit for human consumption.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres have been planted under trees in Wales and England, respectively, by the Forestry Commission.

326,900 acres in Wales and 605,200 acres in England, as at 31st March 1975.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will withdraw the Central Office of Information Reference Pamphlet No. 133 on the insurance industry in Great Britain, which contains inaccurate information; whether he will ensure that all copies are destroyed before foreigners are misled by them; and whether he will report to the House whether disciplinary action will be taken against those responsible for its issue.

Inaccuracies had been discovered in this pamphlet, and I have arranged for it to be examined carefully before deciding what action should be taken. If the hon. Member will let me have any points he may wish to make I will ensure that they are studied at the same time.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether he is directly responsible for the appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration; and if he will make a statement on how this appointment is made;(2) what consultations had taken place with Members of Parliament before the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration was appointed;(3) whether there is a requirement that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration should be a present or former member of the Civil Service.

Section 1(2) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 provides for the appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration by Her Majesty by Letters Patent. In such cases my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister advises Her Majesty on the appointment. The office of Parliamentary Commissioner is not a Civil Service post. There is no requirement for it to be held by a former civil servant.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions, if any, are placed on serving members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces wishing to take private family holidays in Spain.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people under the age of 18 years were given day release from their employment to attend courses of further education for the years 1974 and 1975, giving the percentage of males and females in each case.

In November 1974 there were 156,000 men and 42,000 women under the age of 18 enrolled on day release courses at further education establishments in England and Wales. These accounted for approximately 40 per cent. of men and 10 per cent. of women aged under 18 in employment. The 1975 figures are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made on the intention of his Department to initiate a pilot scheme on compulsory day release from employment for purposes of further education.

The Government's proposals for a programme of pilot schemes of further education and training, to which my right hon. Friend referred in the debate on the Address—[Vol. 901, c. 510.]—will be announced shortly. It will not, however, involve compulsory day release from employment. We hope to have early consultations with all concerned and to start the programme later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the proportion of home-based students in British universities, excluding Oxford and Cambridge, in the following years: 1935, 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1975; and what is the estimate for 1980.

The percentages for 1935, 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1974 are 54·5, 43·8, 25·9, 17·5 and 17·1 (provisional) respectively. The information for 1975 is not yet available. The proportion for 1980 cannot be estimated with reliability.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many institutions offering advanced courses, other than polytechnics and colleges of education, now exist in the public sector; what is the number of places in advanced courses they provide; and what are the estimates for 1981.

In November 1974, the latest date for which figures are available, 399 colleges in England and Wales other than polytechnics or colleges of education were offering advanced courses. A total of 95,787 full-time and part-time students were enrolled for advanced courses at these colleges. Estimated figures for 1981 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the resources devoted to higher education, in terms of finance and manpower, is, on the latest estimates, in the control of local authorities.

In the financial year 1974–75 local education authorities' institutions accounted for £610 million or 62 per cent. of the total institutional recurrent expenditure, excluding loan charges and student support, on higher and further education in England and Wales. Manpower data are not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the 18 year old age group was enrolled in (a) school and (b) full-time education in general in the mid 1950's, the mid 1960s and in the latest available year; and what are the nearest comparable figures for France, Germany, Sweden and Japan.

The figures for England and Wales, which exclude students in private sector further education establishments, are as follows:

	Percentage of 18 year old age group
	Schools	All full-time education
1954–55	3·0	6·4
1964–65	4·8	11·4
1974–75	6·4	17·9

Due to differences in the educational systems and in the data supplied to international organisations, directly comparable figures for other countries are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many foreign students are studying in Scotland in establishments for which he has responsibility; what is the estimated annual cost to the taxpayer of these foreign students; and what percentage this is of the total number of students.

It is estimated that in the current academic year 3,273 or 10·8 per cent. of all students at Scottish universities are from overseas. The annual cost to the taxpayer of such students is not known, but the average cost of tuition per student is about £2,000 a year exclusive of capital costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local authorities have established sixth form units as defined in the Education Act 1970.

The two Education Acts in 1970 dealt with school milk and handicapped children. Neither contained any reference to sixth form units.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what grant he intends to make to the Adult Literacy Resource Agency for the coming financial year.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Ripon (Dr. Hampson) on 3rd February 1976—[Vol. 904, c. 573].

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in the light of recommendations of the Bolton Report (14.25), if he will list changes made in industrial training board facilities, to make them more appropriate to the needs of those small businesses which contribute.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that development of facilities by industrial training boards with the needs of small firms in mind is a continuous process. Although the recommendations of the Bolton Report have been considered by industrial training boards it is not possible to list changes which are a direct consequence of the recommendations.Current facilities and activities which industrial training boards are developing with the needs of small firms in mind can be summarised as: Support for group training schemes; advisory/consultancy services; published training recommendations for small firms; advisory panels / special committees; exemption criteria interpreted with special needs of small firms in mind; grant schemes for excluded and non-exempt small firms; special training courses and seminars.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what functions, regulated by his Department, are carried out by United Kingdom local authorities; and if he will list the Acts under which these functions are performed.

The functions and the relevant Acts are listed below:

Function: The Careers Service in England, Scotland and Wales. (There are separate arrangements in Northern Ireland).

Act: Employment and Training Act, 1973.

Function: Provision of sheltered employment for blind or sighted severely disabled persons.

Act: Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts, 1944 and 1958.

Function: Some enforcement responsibilities are carried out by local authorities under some of the Acts whch are, either wholly or in part, relevant statutory provisions for the purpose of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 as listed in Schedule 1 to the Act.

Act: Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974, Schedule 1.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those firms in Hampshire which have been granted a temporary employment subsidy.

In Hampshire, three applications covering 237 workers have been approved. Information about individual employers is regarded as confidential and I regret I am unable to list the firms concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the details of the settlement negotiated between Chrysler United Kingdom Limited and the unions concerned with the assistance of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service regarding the rate paid to packers at Chrysler's Linwood plant; and whether the increases negotiated conform to the £6 per week pay limit set out in the pay policy.

The agreement provides for the transfer of work from the company's Johnstone plant to Linwood and for this work to be performed at a temporary wage rate which is the same as an already established rate in the Linwood pay structure. This rate had previously been paid for the same work at Linwood. The pay policy does not prevent the payment of an established rate in such circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he has studied the memorandum by the National Association of Water Power Users presented in June 1975 to the Select Committee of Science and Technology (Energy Resources Sub-Committee) on the financial disincentives restricting the generation of water power; and if he has any plans to help the operators of water wheels and water turbines;(2) if he has any proposals to discuss with the National Association of Water Power Users which will reverse the decline in hydro-power generation, encourage the restoration of abandoned water wheels, and assist the installation of new plant, in the interests of energy conservation;(3) what representations he has received over the past year from the National Association of Water Power Users, or from individual owners of waterwheels and water turbines; what replies he has sent; and what consideration he is giving to the continuing decline in this number of operators, in the interests of energy conservation.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from the National Association of Water Power Users over the past year, and he has seen the Association's memorandum to the Select Committee on Science and Technology, Energy Resources Sub-Committee. As these representations were primarily concerned with the effect of the level of charges made by water authorities they were passed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who has replied to them. I understand that the National Water Council has asked the Association for examples of any hydroelectric 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. If the Association wished to forward to me details of any such case, or evidence of a decline in the number of operators, I would be willing to consider whether there was an aspect which my right hon. Friends could appropriately discuss.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Government will consider making a grant to the National Centre for Alternative Technology.

Applications for a grant to the National Centre for Alternative Technology have been fully considered in the past by Departments but no grant has been made. I am not aware of any application from the Centre which is awaiting Government decision at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he has made any estimate of the proportion of the reduced consumption of primary energy since the launching of the conservation campaign due to orders made under the Fuel and Electricity (Control) Act;(2) if he has made any estimate of the proportion of the reduced consumption of primary energy since the launching of the conservation campaign attributable to the Electricity (Advertising Lighting) (Control) Order;(3) if he is yet able to estimate what proportion of the reduced consumption of primary energy since the launching of the conservation campaign is attributable to lower industrial production, to climatic conditions, to higher energy prices, and to a reduction in waste, respectively.

The orders made relate to temperature limits for the heating of commercial buildings and to the outdoor lighting of advertisements during the hours of daylight. In neither case has the total effect been subjected to direct measurement, and to do so would represent a task of considerable magnitude which could not be justified under present financial circumstances. The total effects of these measures would in any case not be large enough to be of statistical significance in total consumption data where their relatively small effect would be swamped by the general margins of error and variability inherent in such data.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total of the housing improvement expenditure for England and Wales which is itemised in the Official Report of Friday 16th January 1976 (column 266 of Written Answers).

The allocations listed in my reply of 16th January—[Vol. 903, c. 264–71]—to my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett) are for England only. They total £298,618,650.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have used the 66 per cent. subsidy under the housing cost yardstick to improve play space on an existing estate; and if he will list them.

It is not practicable to provide this information. I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the proposed expansion of Harlow.

It has become necessary to communicate further with the local authorities concerned, and I am writing to my hon. Friend in more detail.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the report initiated by his Department into local authority housing schemes which are unpopular or difficult to let was sent to local authorities; and what further action he intends to take.

Unfortunately the report has been delayed, but it should be available within the next few months. No decision on further action has yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department experimental joint sponsorship in Sunderland and Stoke-on-Trent for developing sports and recreation began, what is the cost to the Department of the Environment, and what is the nature of the local arts and local sports interests contribution.

The invitation to take part in experiments in developing leisure activities, cultural as well as sporting and recreational, was given by my Department jointly with the Department of Education and Science in letters sent to the local authority, arts and sports interests concerned in Sunderland and Stoke-on-Trent on 22nd October 1973. My Department is contributing up to £l00,000 to each of these experiments as their share of the local costs. In addition to regional sponsorship, which on the arts side includes matching financial support from funds provided by the Department of Education and Science, arts and sports interests have been actively involved locally both in steering the experiments and in taking part in their programme of projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates the Clean Air Council met in 1974 and 1975; what were the main subjects on its agenda; what reports it has produced; what conclusions it has reached; and if he will publish a list of the members.

During 1974 the Clean Air Council met on 8th February, 14th June and 8th November. In 1975 meetings were held on 7th March, 27th June and 3rd October.The main subjects on the Council's agenda were: progress on domestic smoke control; the future work and rôle of the Council; the implementation of Part IV of the Control of Pollution Act; the Council's evidence to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution; fluorocarbons and ozone in the stratosphere; odour control.Several internal reports were produced for the Council in 1974 and 1975 but none was published. The booklet "Clean Air Today" was published in 1974.The Council also provided advice for Ministers on a number of air pollution matters.In 1975 the Council decided to adopt a standing advisory committee structure.The following are at present members of the Council:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to amend the Water Resources Act in order to give final responsibility for the introduction of additives to the water system to water authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Water authorities are already responsible under the Water Act 1973 for the nature and quality of the water they supply, subject to their statutory duty to provide a supply of wholesome water for domestic purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to water authorities and health authorities on the exercise of powers in connection with the introduction of fluoride into the water system.

As regards the health authorities, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 27th January.—[Vol. 904, c. 237.]—The need for any further guidance to water authorities is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution he made to the Keep Britain Tidy organisation in the years 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975, respectively; and how much he expects to contribute in 1976.

My Department contributes to the Keep Britain Tidy Group on the basis of £1 for every £1 raised from other sources. The contribution in respect of any one calendar year is subject to a maximum which since 1972 has been set at £200,000; it is now subject also to a minimum of £120,000.Payments in the calendar years 1971–75 were as follows:

1971	£18,750
1972	£105,000
1973	£150,850
1974	£120,000
1975	£165,000

Payments in 1976 will include matching contributions in respect of certain donations in 1974 and 1975. For the rest the amount will depend, within the limits laid down, on the size of the non-Governmental contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates the Noise Advisory Council met in 1974 and 1975; what were the main subjects on its agenda; what reports it has produced; what conclusions it has reached; and if he will publish a list of the members.

In 1974 the Noise Advisory Council met on 7th February, 19th March, 18th June, 10th September, and 10th December. In 1975 the Council met on 11th March, 10th June, 29th October and 9th December.The main subjects considered during this period were:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions the Clean Air Council and the Noise Advisory Council have met since February 1974; and on how many occasions a Minister has taken the chair.

Five and eight, respectively. During this period a Minister has taken the chair on three occasions in the Clean Air Council and on seven occasions in the Noise Advisory Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in the space used in the Palace of Westminster by the following, how many people are employed in each instance: administration, the Record Office, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Department of the Environment, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and the Post Office.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cars he estimates are illegally on the road at one time, being uninsured because they have failed their MOT tests by reason of defects which render their insurance void.

It is not possible to make any such estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional grants he is making to the Greater London Council to assist the cost of remedial work caused by flooded homes on Skanklin Estate, Sutton; and, if so, what is the amount of money.

None. No such grants have been sought.

asked the Secetary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the building of the A5(D) in Milton Keynes;(2) when he expects work on the building of the A5(D) in Milton Keynes to commence.

I expect the work to start in the summer of 1976. The A5(D) formed part of the master plan for Milton Keynes which was approved by the then Secretary of State for the Environment after a public inquiry in 1971. The plan took account of environmental considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the statutes which set out defences to charges under Section 8(1) of the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971, since Section 8(2), which provides such defences, is not yet in force.

There is at present no statutory defence to such charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will activate Section 8(2) of the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 in order that defences be made available in view of the delays experienced in issuing vehicle licences.

The long-standing extra-statutory 14 days of grace to which I referred in reply to a Question from the hon. Member on Monday 2nd February —[Vol. 904, c. 414]—provides complete immunity for people whose licences are delayed. Section 8(2), which is less "generous" than the period of grace, can only reasonably be activated as part of a package including "date to date" licensing, for which prior computerisation is virtually essential. The transfer from a manual local authority based system based on the Driver and Vehicle ing to the centralised and computerised system based on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea should be complete by about the end of 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the equivalent cost, at today's prices, of a dog licence fixed at seven shillings and sixpence in 1878; what is the estimated total income from such licences in the current financial year; and the total estimated cost of administering the licence system.

The purchasing power of seven shillings and sixpence in 1878 is estimated to have been equivalent to that of at least £3·75 now. The total revenue from dog licences this year is estimated at about £1·06 million; and the cost of administering the licence scheme at £0·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost to public funds of his two special advisers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by the Minister of State, Civil Service Department, on 20th October 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 5]—It is not the practice to specify either individually or in total the salaries of special advisers appointed to serve in a particular department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet sent, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 8th July 1975, a detailed answer to the representations he has received from the House Builders Federation regarding road bonds; and what was the general nature of his reply.

Officials of my Department met members of the House Builders' Federation on 27th October last year to discuss their representations about road bonds. It was then agreed that further work was necessary to examine the problem and to consider possible courses of action. Both the Department and the Federation are now embarked on this further work, and have agreed to consult as required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will now list the county planning authorities which did not meet his extended deadline of 1st February 1976 for submitting a land acquisition and management scheme; and to what dates each of those authorities have asked him for an extension of time;(2) whether he will now list the county planning authorities which have so far sent to him, as required by paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 5 to the Community Land Act 1975, a completed and agreed land acquisition and management scheme.

I have called for a report of the position as at 1st February 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the London Joint Cab Trade Committee; which organisations attended the meeting; and which did not accept the invitation.

The London Joint Cab Trade Committee last met representatives of the Home Office on 30th April 1975. The Committee then had in membership the London Motor Cab Proprietors' Association, the Owner Drivers' Society and the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, and representatives of all of these bodies attended.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the cost to public funds of the survey among the present regular users of the Refreshment Department facilities in the House of Commons.

The estimated cost is £2,920.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make provision for hot and cold drinks vending machines to be installed, serviced and operated by outside commercial undertakings for Members and staff at 3 Dean's Yard and Norman Shaw North buildings.

The provision of drinks to Members in the House and its outbuildings by commercial undertakings raises a question of principle which it would be for the House to decide. However, the hon. Member may like to refer the question to the Committee of Inquiry chaired by my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Mr. Mikardo).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer in a full year of the abolition of tax on widows' pensions.

I regret that the information on which to base a precise calculation is not available, but it is estimated that the cost for 1975–76 of exempting the widow's State pension from income tax would be about £70 million. This includes the tax on the national insurance retirement pensions of widows between the ages of 60 and 65, which it is not possible to distinguish in the costs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer from international statistics available to him, what are the latest figures available showing the income tax threshold for a man with wife and two children, expressed as a percentage of average earnings, in each of the EEC member States, Sweden, the USA and Canada (a) excluding local or state taxes and (b) including local and state taxes where applicable.

							Subsidies, Compensation and other payments in respect of the period to March 1975	Capital Debt and Revenue Deficits Written·off to December 1975
							£m.	£m.
National Coal Board			…	…	…	…	553·7	864·6(5)
Electricity Industry (England and Wales)						…	571·8	—
Electricity Industry (Scotland)				…	…	…	50·2	—
British Gas Corporation			…	…	…	…	78·3(2)	—
British Steel Corporation				…	…	…	—	350·0(6)
Post Office	…	…	…	…	…	…	440·2	177·4(7)
British Airways Board			…	…	…	…	48·0	135·0(8)
British Airports Authority				…	…	…	4·2	—
British Transport Commission(1)					…	…	259·7	487·4
British Railways Board			…	…	…	…	2,010·5(3)	1,451·1(9)
London Transport Board(1)				…	…	…	41·2	269·8
British Transport Docks Board				…	…	…	—	—
British Waterways Board				…	…	…	33·7	15·5
National Freight Corporation				…	…	…	42·7	—
National Bus Company			…	…	…	…	36·7(4)	—
Scottish Transport Group				…	…	…	10·9(4)	—
(1) The BTC ceased to exist from 1st January 1963. The LTB ceased to be a nationalised industry on 1st January 1970.
(2) The Government are also liable in respect of compensation to the BGC for price restraint in 1974–75 up to the limit set by its deficit in that year as shown in the Corporation's Annual Report and Accounts.
(3) Payments to passenger transport executives in respect of their payments for BR services are included.
(4) Grants towards bus fuel duty are excluded. Since this table covers specific central government grants only, local authority subsidies to bus services are also excluded, except for the central Government contribution to local authority subsidies to rural bus services. Certain grants included in the totals are also available to other operators in the industry.
(5) Includes £90·8 million in respect of accumulated revenue losses at March 1965, £24·8 million provision for revenue losses in the year ended March 1966 and £174·6 million in respect of accumulated revenue losses to March 1973.
(6) This amount was transferred to reserves under the Iron and Steel Act 1972: against this £131·5 million had been written off by 29th March 1975.
(7) In addition, the Post Office (Banking Services) Bill now before Parliament proposes that the Post Office indebtedness to the National Loans Fund should be reduced by £29·7 million, of which £13 million in respect of its banking services would be recreated into the form of public dividend capital.
(8) Including £30 million reconstituted as a reserve, which has since been capitalised as public dividend capital.
(9) Including £705 million debt suspended under the Transport Act 1962 and finally written off under the Transport Act 1968.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will adjust the rate of VAT applicable to powered garden machinery from 25 per cent. to eight per cent.

I regret that information is not available in this form.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost paid or owing out of public funds to date in respect of subsidies, writings off, actual or prospective, and other losses in respect of all the nationalised industries.

Following is the information. The amounts in the first column are payments by central Government to the industries except where otherwise indicated.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the estimated saving in administrative costs of the customs and Excise of raising the threshold of VAT from £5,000 to, respectively, £7,000, £9,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000 and £25,000 per annum.

It is not possible to estimate with any reasonable accuracy the number of registered traders who might seek deregistration if the VAT exemption limit were raised to a particular level. I regret that for this reason the information requested is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the estimated loss of VAT revenue if the threshold were raised, respectively, from £5,000 to £7,000, £9,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000 and £25,000 per annum.

The losses of revenue would probably be about the following:

Exemption Limit	Estimated Loss of Revenue (£ million)
£7,000	15
£9,000	35
£10,000	40
£15,000	75
£20,000	95
£25,000	110

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total yield of VAT from the caravan sector for the months of July, October and December 1974 and for the months of July, October and December 1975.

I regret that the information is not available. Analysis of VAT receipts by sector is available only by reference to the VAT trade classification. There is no identifiable caravan sector, because the statistics for the distribution, repair and servicing of caravans cannot be separated from those for the distribution, repair and servicing of motor vehicles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total of VAT levied from the boat building sector for the months July, October and December 1974 and for the months July, October and December 1975.

I regret that the information is not available. Analysis of VAT receipts by sector is available only by reference to the VAT trade classification. For this purpose boat building is part of the shipbuilding, boat building and marine engineering industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total annual cost to public funds of the two special advisers appointed by him.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 5th November 1975 and to the answer to his other Question down today. It is not the general practice to specify the salaries of special advisers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the appointment of Professor Lord Kaldor, as one of his two special advisers, at a salary of £14,000 per annum was renewed on 1st January 1976; and, if so, for how long.

Lord Kaldor continues to serve in the same capacity as in 1975. No fixed term has been given to this extension of his appointment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make arrangements so that any proposals which he may bring forward to take further powers against tax evasion are presented in Green Paper form and subjected to full public scrutiny and discussion before being embodied in legislation before the House of Commons

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total disbursement from the United Kingdom in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 of money raised by charities within the United Kingdom for expenditure abroad; and what Bank of England regulations apply in so far as these disbursements are concerned.

Under the Exchange Control Act 1947 permission is required for any payment by a United Kingdom resident to a non-resident. Consent is normally given for remittances abroad by charitable and similar organisations provided that the donor can show that the remittances will be directed to an acceptable charitable purpose and will be sent to a society or organisation engaged in bona fide missionary, charitable, educational or cultural work. No centralised record of these remittances is maintained and the totals requested cannot therefore be provided.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in current and constant prices estimates of (a) index of privately financed consumption, and (b) private discretionary income,

1950=100
				Privately financed consumption		Personal disposable income
				Current prices	1970 prices	Current prices	1970 prices
1946	…	…	…	—	—	80·9	—
1947	…	…	…	—	—	87·1	—
1948	…	…	…	—	—	91·8	96·3
1949	…	…	…	—	—	96·2	98·8
1950	…	…	…	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0
1951	…	…	…	108·6	99·3	110·4	100·8
1952	…	…	…	114·5	98·9	118·5	102·3
1953	…	…	…	123·7	104·5	127·0	107·4
1954	…	…	…	131·8	109·4	133·6	110·9
1955	…	…	…	142·7	114·5	144·8	116·1
1956	…	…	…	151·0	115·8	155·3	119·2
1957	…	…	…	159·2	118·1	163·2	121·2
1958	…	…	…	166·5	120·2	170·7	123·3
1959	…	…	…	175·6	125·6	181·2	129·7
1960	…	…	…	184·3	130·4	195·3	138·2
1961	…	…	…	192·5	132·3	209·1	143·8
1962	…	…	…	204·6	135·4	218·9	144·9
1963	…	…	…	217·1	140·9	232·9	151·3
1964	…	…	…	233·7	146·8	250·0	157·2
1965	…	…	…	245·1	147·0	268·3	160·8
1966	…	…	…	260·0	149·9	285·2	164·3
1967	…	…	…	268·2	150·3	297·6	166·5
1968	…	…	…	285·6	152·4	318·3	169·5
1969	…	…	…	302·7	153·0	338·6	170·7
1970	…	…	…	326·3	155·8	370·8	176·7
1971	…	…	…	359·9	158·6	412·3	181·5
1972	…	…	…	399·8	165·1	472·0	194·8
1973	…	…	…	454·5	172·2	544·9	206·9
1974	…	…	…	498·1	163·6	634·1	209·0

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many small companies—using the Bolton Report definition—did not pay corporation tax during their last financial year.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table from VAT statistics showing the number of small firms and sole traders whose turnover is between £5,000 and £6,000 per annum and, respectively, defined as total incomes less direct taxation and social security contributions, for 1946 to 1974.

The following table gives estimates of privately financed consumption and personal disposable income in index number form at current and constant prices. There are a number of uncertainties involved in making estimates of privately financed consumption before 1970 on a basis consistant with recent figures, and the series given should be regarded as approximate only. The estimates of personal disposable income exclude receipts by the personal sector of current grants from abroad.£6–7,000, £7–8,000, £8–9,000, £9–10,000, £10–12,000, £12–15,000, £15–20,000 and £20–25,000 per annum and such higher figures as can reasonably be obtained up to £250,000 per annum.

The following table contains such information as is available:

Approximate number of persons registered for VAT
Taxable Turnover £ (thousand)	No. of Registrations (thousands)
5-9·9	250
10-19·9	300
20-49·9	300
50-99·9	150
100-499·9	125

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will outline the selection procedure used to recruit ambulance drivers for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, County Down.

The Southern Health and Social Services Board advertises vacancies for ambulance drivers in all the main local papers. Applications are con- sidered by an appointments panel constituted under appointment procedures approved by the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services. The panel is composed of the area transport officer, an officer of the board's personnel division and an officer from the Newry and Mourne district. Candidates short-listed for interview are selected for appointment by this panel on the basis of a short written test, an oral interview and a driving test.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will institute a public inquiry into the expenditure of public money on repair of vandalised buildings in Belfast.

This expenditure will be subject to audit and to examination if necessary by the Public Accounts Committee in due course and I see no need for any special inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the names and amounts received by builders in Northern Ireland of public funds for repairs of vandalised buildings in each of the years from 1964 to 1975.

The information could only be provided with a disproportionate use of resources. It would be a mammoth task to attempt to compile comprehensive information covering contracts carried out on behalf of a multiplicity of public bodies and Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of the £1,300 million public expenditure in Northern Ireland; and if he will give his estimate of the contribution towards this amount actually raised in taxation in Northern Ireland itself.

The forecast of public expenditure in the United Kingdom for each of the five years in the period 1975–76 to 1979–80 will be announced in the annual Public Expenditure White Paper which will be published later this month. The White Paper will include a section showing the breakdown by programme of public expenditure on Northern Ireland by both United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Government Departments.The latest estimate of the amount of taxation and other revenue which will be raised in Northern Ireland in the financial year 1975–76 is £720 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends to authorise building in areas 36, Roden Street, F3, Grosvenor Road-Falls Road and F2, Durham Street, before a final decision is taken about the proposed Poleglass-Lagmore housing development.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of money involved in statutory payments in Northern Ireland made by Giro cheques sent through the Post Office which have not been received by claimants during the period 13th June to 13th December 1975.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional generating capacity the SSEB will bring on stream between 1976 and 1980; and what effect this will have on the Board's power station coal burn.

During this period SSEB will commission the nuclear power station at Hunterston B (1000MW) and the oil-fired station at Inverkip (1890MW). The effect on the Board's coal consumption will depend on a number of variable factors including the price of coal relative to other fuels and the level of demand for electricity.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the present estimates of tonnages of potatoes held on farms in Scotland, seed and ware; what they were a year ago; and what steps he intends to take to stabilise the potato industry.

The most recent estimate of stocks that can be compared with the corresponding position last year is that made by the Potato Marketing Board at the end of November 1975, when the estimated stock of seed and ware potatoes on farms in Scotland was 463,000 tons as compared with 672,000 tons in November 1974. The results of a further survey of farm stocks taken at the end of January are not yet available.Movements of potatoes from Scotland have taken place earlier this season than in previous years. The considerable fall in production in the United Kingdom was mainly the result of the adverse growing conditions during the season. I am satisfied that, taking one year with another, the present price support and marketing arrangements have provided a valuable assurance for the producer interest. They cannot, however, be expected to prevent shortages of supply resulting from quite abnormal weather conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the coal burn in Scottish power stations in each of the past 10 years.

Figures for coal consumed at the South of Scotland Electricity Board's power stations over the past 10 years are published in Appendix VI to the Board's Annual Report for 1974–75.The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board has not operated a coal-fired station since 1971. I am asking the Chairman of that Board to write to the hon. Member about coal consumption in the years 1966 to 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of agricultural holdings held on tenancy in Scotland in 1956, 1966 and 1976. respectively.

In 1956 there were 49,000 agricultural units tenanted or mainly tenanted; in 1966, 33,000; and in 1975, the latest figures available, about 28,000. Much of this reduction can be atttributed to changes in the basis of census enumeration: until 1957 farmers were required to return each piece of land separately, but since then, for land holdings run as one unit, only one return has been required.The following percentage figures representing the proportion of total units in each year which were tenanted or mainly tenanted may be more meaningful:

1956	68 per cent.
1966	59 per cent.
1975	55 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to extend the fishing limits around Scotland or take other measures to conserve stocks and protect the rights of local fishermen in the absence of international agreement about the matter at the forthcoming conference.

It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to work at the Law of the Sea Conference for international agreement on a convention which includes 200 mile exclusive economic zones within which the coastal State would have control over fisheries. Should agreement not be reached at the next session of the Conference and should the interests of our fishermen then be at risk the Government will take steps to safeguard them. Meanwhile, the Government will continue to promote further measures to conserve the stocks around our coasts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations the Department of Health and Social Services and Home Department Inter-Departmental Working Party considering Section 4(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1949, as amended, have received from political parties, local authorities, medical authorities, and any other bodies or organisations;(2) on what date the Department of Health and Social Services and Home Office Inter-Departmental Working Party considering Section 4(3) of the Representation of the People Act asked the political parties, local authorities, medical authorities &c., for their opinions regarding the amending of this section of the Act.

On 22nd July 1974, representatives of each of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Parties were present at the first meeting of the Inter-Departmental Working Party. Subsequent written representations were received from the Conservative Party.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the various official or semi-official documents related to proposals for further European union and for direct elections, together with their popular titles—for example, Tindemans, Patijn—the publisher and origin, where they are obtainable by the general public and the price of each document.

The following information relates to documents published recently. There is extensive earlier literature, but much of it is no longer relevant to current discussions in the Community.On Mr. Tindemans' report on European Union I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 15th January.The separate reports on European Union by the Community institutions, which were taken into account by Mr. Tindemans, were published by the Commission in the following supplements to the European Communities Bulletin:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual cost to public funds of his two special advisers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by the Minister of State, Civil Service Department, on 20th October 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 5.] It is not the practice to specify, either individually or in total, the salaries of special advisers appointed to serve in a particular Department.