asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with NATO about the effect of further defence cuts, as announced in the latest White Paper on Public Expenditure.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Gow) on 27th February.—[Vol. 906, c. 361-2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the effect of the additional defence cuts of £177 million announced for the current year on both hardware programmes and on personnel.

The reduction of £177 million in the defence budget relates to the year 1977–78. Details of its effect on hardware programmes and personnel were given by the Secretary of State for Defence on 20th February—[Vol. 905, c. 831–34]—and will also be set out in the forthcoming defence White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he now proposes to institute in the light of the Report of the Sub-Committee of the Select Committee on Expenditure relating to defence.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 1st March.—[Vol. 906, c. 457–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the contribution of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to the maintenance of the British Army in Germany.

Under the current Anglo-German Offset Agreement Her Majesty's Government receive an annual payment of DM110 million towards the cost of stationing our forces in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects HMS "Bulwark" to be removed from the active list.

HMS "Bulwark" will be removed from the active list on 31st March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether and when he expects to be able to announce further contracts for defence work for the Tyneside shipyards.

Hopefully, I expect to announce a further order within the next two months.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the Chilwell Ordnance Depot.

Closure of the Central Ordnance Depot, Chilwell, is one of the main proposals arising from the Army's review of its static logistic support facilities in the United Kingdom. Overall we must plan for a reduction of some 3,000 civilian staff in the fields of storeholding, repair and other logistic functions by about 1980. The proposals are currently under discussion with staff interests through the normal Whitley machinery prior to final decisions being taken later this year. Copies of a consultative memorandum outlining the proposals were placed in the Vote Office for the information of Members on 10th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the meaning of the word "detente" in policy pronouncements.

We look upon detente as a process which involves the development of safer and more productive relations between the peoples and Governments of East and West. Our objective in this is to reduce the risk of war and to create greater understanding and co-operation between States.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the British nuclear deterrent.

I have nothing to add to the various statements made on this subject in the past.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, following the disbandment of three out of four of the RAF long-range troop carrying squadrons, he is satisfied that the capability remains to carry a significant force of troops to defend United Kingdom responsibilities overseas.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet the NATO defence Ministers.

At the spring Ministerial meetings. These are likely to take place in June, though the final dates have not been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next proposes to meet the Secretary-General of NATO.

I have no plans to meet the Secretary-General of NATO before the spring ministerial meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the operations in aid of the civil power in Northern Ireland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. McNair-Wilson).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reassessment he has made of the strategic situation in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The security of the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic remains an important British and Western interest. The strategic implications of Soviet naval and military activity in these areas are kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the forecast number of multi-role combat aircraft which will be manufactured in each of the years to 1981; and what is the latest estimate of the total cost of the MRCA project.

Production arrangements are presently under discussion with our partners. The United Kingdom share of the programme costs depends on the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he or the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Navy will visit for some days frigates on station in Icelandic waters in order to show leadership to officers and ratings serving in difficult conditions.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for the opportunity to express once more our whole-hearted admiration for the way in which all personnel in the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service and other civilian vessels off Iceland, with

FRIGATES
			tons
"Leopard"	…	…	2,300	25th November-29th November
"Falmouth"	…	…	2,380	29th November-20th December, 10th January-4th February
"Brighton"	…	…	2,380	29th November-18th December
"Galatea"	…	…	2,450	9th December-13th December
"Leander"	…	…	2,450	13th December-21st December
"Andromeda"	…	…	2,500	20th December-9th January, 26th February
"Lowestoft"	…	…	2,380	20th December-8th January, 6th February-21st February
"Gurkha"	…	…	2,300	28th December-6th January
"Naiad"	…	…	2,450	8th January-22nd January, 1st March
"Leander"	…	…	2,450	9th January-19th January
"Bacchante"	…	…	2,500	9th January-14th January, 19th January-22nd January. 17th February-7th March
"Juno"	…	…	2,450	22nd January-15th February
"Diomede"	…	…	2,500	4th February-17th February, 8th March
"Scylla"	…	…	2,500	15th February-8th March
"Yarmouth"	…	…	2,380	19th February-27th February
"Mermaid"	…	…	2,300	7th March

ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARIES
			tons
"Tidepool"	…	…	8,531 (Light)	29th November-13th December, 5th January-16th January, 24th February
			25,931 (Full)
"Olwen"	…	…	10,890 (Light)	13th December-5th January. 22nd January-24th February
			33,290 (Full)
			ROYAL MARITIME AUXILIARY SERVICE TUGS
			tons
"Roysterer"	…	…	1,630	3rd January-15th January, 10th February-26th February
"Rollicker"	…	…	1,630	15th January-18th January, 4th March

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal naval vessels have been damaged during fishery excellent support by the Royal Air Force, are carrying out their duty in the difficult conditions to which he refers. Arrangements for a visit by me to the area have already been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal naval vessels have been used in fishery protection duties off Iceland; for what periods they were on station; and what is their tonnage.

A total of 16 frigates—a maximum of four have been on patrol at any one time—two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and two Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service tugs have been used to provide protection for United Kingdom trawlers fishing in international waters off Iceland. Details of the ships employed, their tonnage and periods on patrol are given below. During the period from 20th January to 5th February, Royal Naval protection was suspended and the ships on patrol were deployed over 200 miles from Iceland.protection work off Iceland; and what is the estimated cost of repair for each vessel.

The following Royal Navy frigates have been damaged in collisions with Icelandic coastguard vessels while providing protection for United Kingdom trawlers fishing in international waters: "Andromeda", "Leander", "Juno", "Diomede", "Lowestoft", "Yarmouth".Repair costs resulting from these collisions cannot be accurately established at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the future of the sovereign base area in Cyprus.

British forces will continue to be stationed in both sovereign base areas in Cyprus. The reductions in force levels foreshadowed in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1975 (Cmnd. 5976) are well on the way to being completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a list of those bodies, other than committees, to which he appoints members, other than civil servants or Service personnel; and what is the number of members serving on each body.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind salaried appointments to public bodies outside the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Services where the salaries are met from public funds. In this case the answer is "None". I do, however, make a large number of unsalaried appointments to advisory bodies, boards of trustees and similar organisations; but it would involve disproportionate effort and cost to public funds to list all these.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries on the African continent where British forces are stationed, giving the total number of forces in each country and the nature of the duties that they undertake.

A small number of British Service personnel are stationed in Kenya to assist with Royal Navy ship visits and arrangements for British Army training.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the labour force, industrial and non-industrial, is employed on the nuclear element in Rosyth Dockyard.

The refitting and refuelling of nuclear submarines accounts for about one-third of the employment in the Department of the General Manager, Her Majesty's Dockyard, Rosyth.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are made in the accountancy procedures for recording when Army bands are undertaking engagements away from base for which fees are paid and when the director of music and the bandsmen use Army accommodation and mess facilities.

When an Army band undertakes a fee-paying engagement and incurs additional expenditure on accommodation, transport, messing, etc., such costs are charged to the sponsor. When a band undertakes an engagement away from its base and is accommodated and messed under Army arrangements, additional costs will not normally arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now consider giving permission for the fulfilment of the order made by the Spanish Government for frigates in view of unemployment in United Kingdom shipyards.

There is no outstanding order from Spain for the purchase of British frigates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the recuritment policy of Her Majesty's Forces during the next three years following the recently announced further cuts in defence expenditure.

We aim over the next three years to recruit sufficient men and women to keep the Services adequately manned, having regard both to the lower force levels resulting from the defence review and to the need to maintain a satisfactory balance of ages, ranks and skills. The reductions in defence expenditure in the recent Public Expenditure White Paper will not substantially affect the manpower levels announced in the Statement on Defence Estimates 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Polaris weapon system.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier this afternoon.

asked the Minister for Civil Service, in view of the disparity in the amount of Civil Service work dispersed from London to areas other than the Yorkshire and Humberside Region, particularly to Wales and Scotland, if he will take step to bring about a more even distribution.

Since May 1963, 1,114 Civil Service posts have been dispersed to Yorkshire and Humberside and a further 1,700 will be dispersed there under current plans. It is our policy to continue to look for opportunities to disperse Government work from London, and to locate this and any new work in the assisted areas whenever possible. The claims of Yorkshire and Humberside, together with the other assisted areas, are taken fully into account when such opportunities arise.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give details of the briefcases and dispatch boxes available for and given to members of the Royal Commission on Gambling at their first meeting; what were the individual cost of these cases; how many public servants are supplied with them and at what costs; and whether, in support of the Government's economy drive, he will stop supplying these.

A sample briet case and dispatch box was shown to members of the Royal Commission on Gambling at their first meeting, so that they might choose the type appropriate to their needs. None has yet been supplied. The cost of a briefcase is approximately £38, and a dispatch box approximately £60. Fourteen brief cases and seven dispatch boxes were supplied to members of Royal Commissions during 1975 at a total cost of £950.I am considering whether the essential needs of members of Royal Commissions for items of this nature can be met more economically.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report the numbers of civil servants when an incomes policy was first initiated, and their salaries and similar details for the latest convenient stated date.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Gow) on 9th June 1975 [Official Report, c. 28–39], if he will show the total number of civil servants employed in the United Kingdom, in each Department, on 1st January 1976; and to what extent the figures are not comparable with those in the earlier reply.

The numbers of United Kingdom-based civil servants in each Department on 1st January 1976 were as follows:

Department	1976
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ministry of	15,635
Cabinet Office	685
Charity Commission	337
Civil Service Pay Research Unit	39
Crown Estate Office	125
Customs and Excise	29,285
Defence, Ministry of	268,248
Education and Science, Department of	2,926
Export Credits Guarantee Department	1,924
Friendly Societies, Registry of	117
Government Actuary's Department	67
Home Office	32,528
Information, Central Office of	1,370
Inland Revenue	79,081
Land Registry	4,874
Law Officers' Department	21
Mint, Royal	1,202
National Debt Office	64
Ordnance Survey	4,450
Overseas Development. Ministry of	2,350

Paymaster General's Office	761
Privy Council Office	47
Public Prosecutions, Director of	185
Public Record Office	413
Public Trustee Office	465
Stationery Office	7,366
Supreme Court of Northern Ireland	102
Treasury	1,144
Treasury Solicitor	441

Scottish Departments
Crown Office	35
Exchequer Office (QLTR)	56
General Register Office	383
Lord Advocate's Department	16
Procurator Fiscal Service	543
Registers of Scotland	394
Scottish Record Office	138

Departments created since 1965
Civil Service Department	5,480
Employment, Department of	21,557
Employment Service Agency	13,946*
Energy, Department of	1,374
Environment, Dept. of the	28,390
Fair Trading, Office of Foreign and Commonwealth Office	10,248
Health and Safety Commission/Executive	3,122
Health and Social Security, Department of	91,563
Industry, Department of	10,180
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce	504
Lands Tribunal (Scotland)	7
Lord Chancellor's Office	9,951
Manpower Services Commission	142*
National Savings, Department for	13,645
Northern Ireland Office	276
Parliamentary Counsel	47
Population Censuses and Surveys, Office of	2,736
Prices and Consumer Protection, Department of	378
Property Services Agency	44,673
Royal Scottish Museum	180
Science Museum	525
Scottish Courts Administration	734
Scottish Office	10,670
Trade, Department of	7,730
Training Services Agency	6,774*
Victoria and Albert Museum	691
Welsh Office	1,491
Total all Departments	745,120
* Note on comparability of figures.—The staff of the Manpower Services Commission and its Agencies were reclassified as civil servants on 1st January 1976 under the provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the criteria by which the reductions in Civil Service staff numbers referred to in the public expenditure White Paper will be made.

The White Paper on Public Expenditure to 1979–80 (Cmnd. 6393) refers to cuts in expenditure on manpower and related administration. I must ask my hon. Friend to await the results of the review which is being currently undertaken.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why no Order Books were available to hon. Members in the Vote Office at 4.45 p.m. on 3rd March 1976.

The number of Questions to be incorporated with others put down earlier for that day's issue was higher than usual and led to some delay in printing, which I very much regret.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the numbers of information officers and their supporting staff, respectively.

The figures for 1st April 1975 were set out in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 18th July 1975. [Vol. 895, c. 638–40.] Detailed analyses of the 1st April 1976 figures will not be available until July.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the criteria upon which the salaries of chairmen of the nationalised industries are decided.

Subject to overriding economic considerations which may, as in present circumstances, lead the Government to defer or restrict the implementation of recommendations for salary increases, the salaries of chairmen of the nationalised industries are based on recommendations of the Top Salaries Review Body. The principles on which the Review Body formulates its advice are described in Chapter 5 of its Report No. 6 (Cmnd. 5846).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the sentences imposed on the 16 persons in prison on 5th January 1976 for begging or sleeping out and on the four persons imprisoned consequent upon their failure to pay fines; and how many of these prisoners are women.

The length of sentences imposed on persons in prison on 5th January 1976 for begging or sleeping out is shown in the following table:

Length of sentence			Imprisoned without the option of a fine	Imprisoned in default of payment of a fine
7 days	…	…	—	1
14 days	…	…	—	1
28 days	…	…	1	—
1 month	…	…	5	2
2 months	…	…	2	—
3 months	…	…	6	—

Subsequent examination has shown that two of those classified as vagrants in the answer given to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman) on 25th February—[Vol. 906, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now announce his decision on the dispute between the Levy Board and the bookmakers on the Board's proposals for an increase in the fifteenth levy for the purpose of increasing its contribution to prize money in the racing industry.

I hope shortly to announce my determination, under Section 1 of the Horserace Betting Levy Act 1969, of the scheme for contributions from bookmakers during the levy period beginning 1st April next.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have been held in detention as suspected illegal entrants since 1st January 1973.

Between 1st January 1973 and 31st December 1975, 599 Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals were detained under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 as suspected illegal entrants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the average and the longest periods of detention of suspected illegal immigrants while inquiries were being pursued.

The immediately available information is from a sample of cases of Commonwealth citizens detained during the last three years under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 as suspected illegal entrants. This yields an average period of time for which a Commonwealth citizen was detained while his case was considered of 42 days, and a longest period of 311 days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances a suspected illegal immigrant may be released during the period of investigation.

Because of the nature of the offence, a person once detained as an illegal entrant is not normally released while his case remains under consideration; but release would be considered where exceptional compassionate circumstances existed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the longest period of detention before a suspected illegal immigrant has been released.

In a 65 per cent. sample of cases over the last three years, the longest period for which a Commonwealth citizen or citizen of Pakistan has been detained under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 as a suspected illegal entrant before being released and allowed to remain here was 199 days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants held in detention as suspected illegal immigrants have subsequently been deported.

Between 1st January 1973 and 31st December 1975, 465 Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals were removed from the United Kingdom after being detained under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to the Immigra- tion Act 1971, as suspected illegal entrants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to amend the workings of paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971, which permits the indefinite detention of a person suspected of being an illegal immigrant; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans for such amendment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Devlin Committee on Identification Evidence and Procedure to report.

I now have the report and will publish it as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local housing authorities in England on the question of council house tenants letting surplus rooms in their houses to lodgers.

Advice given by my Department in Circular 18/74 on homelessness pointed to the scope that exists for encouraging lodgers in under-used council properties, particularly by removing prohibitions or financial disincentives to sub-letting, and the advantages to be gained from this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of local authorities who are at present selling council houses to sitting tenants.

In 1975, 106 English local authorities reported selling dwellings not built specifically for sale. Their returns do not distinguish between sitting tenants and any other purchasers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authorities are still offering grants for interior decorating;(2) how many local authorities are still undertaking internal decorations for all tenants.

This information is not centrally available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) under what statutory provisions in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland installations erected on oil and gas fields in the North Sea, United Kingdom section, outside the three-mile limit are rateable;(2) under what statutory provisions NCB mines operating and constructed in the sea bed offshore are rateable.

There are no statutory provisions in England and Wales for the rating of off-shore installations or mines beyond the low-water mark. Such installations are therefore not rateable.Rating in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sources of EEC financial assistance are available to local authorities in the field of industrial development.

Local authorities may be eligible for financial assistance from the following EEC sources: the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and the European Investment Bank. Assistance in the field of industrial development would be subject to eligibility under the appropriate scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current level of help given to local authorities from the European Regional Development Fund; what are the criteria for such financial assistance; and if he will show in the Official Report the amount granted to the Government or to local authorities.

The Fund regulation sets out conditions of eligibility and certain essential criteria. The main types of project eligible for aid from the Fund are investments in—

(a) industrial or service activities benefiting from State regional aids which create at least 10 new jobs or maintain existing jobs.

(b) infrastructure projects directly linked with the development of such activities.

In the former case the rate of grant is 20 per cent. of the investment cost, so long as this does not exceed 50 per cent. of the State regional aid: in the latter case the rate is a maximum of 30 per cent. of expenditure incurred by public authorities, depending on the total cost of the project.So far commitments from the Fund relating to projects in the United Kingdom have amounted to £38·9 million, of which £5·9 million has been in respect of local authority projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many authorisations he has withdrawn from garages authorised to carry out the MOT test in each year during which the tests have taken place; and what have been the grounds for such withdrawal.

From 1965, the first year for which complete figures are available, the number of compulsory withdrawals is as follows:1965–159; 1966–12; 1967–311; 1968–2,663

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to extend the MOT test to windscreen wipers, windscreen washers, indicator lights, stop lights and exhaust systems, respectively.

I propose to make regulations this year to include these items in the MOT test.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the proposed extension of the MOT test to exhaust systems will extend to corrosion affecting steering or other parts of the vehicle concerned.

Corrosion is already a feature of the test where it affects steering or braking. This will be more clearly defined in the new testers' manual which is being prepared for publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to issue a more detailed testers' manual for those garages which carry out the MOT test.

A revised manual is already in an advanced state of preparation and will be published later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many complaints he has received during each of the past five years regarding motor vehicle testing stations; what have been the nature of such complaints; and from whom they have come;(2) how many complaints he has received concerning MOT testing stations during each of the last five years for which records are available.

The information is as follows: 1971, 162; 1972, 129; 1973, 128; 1974, 72; 1975, 60. The complaints were from members of the public and were in the main, related to vehicles purchased on the strength of an MOT certificate; methods used for testing, the issue of refusal certificates; and the attitude of certain stations to their customers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many garages have been authorised to carry out MOT tests during each of the years for which records are available.

From 1969 the number of garages authorised to carry out MOT tests has been as follows: 1969, 20,544; 1970, 20,842; 1971,20,720; 1972, 19,319; 1973, 18,756; 1974, 18,319; 1975, 17,534.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many people he estimates have been killed in each of the last five years because their tyres were wrongly inflated and because their tyres were worn, respectively;(2) how many people he estimates have been seriously injured in each of the last five years because their tyres were wrongly inflated and because their tyres were worn, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available nationally. I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the replies I gave to his questions on 21st January and 9th February of this year.—[Vol. 903, c. 456–7; Vol. 905, c. 90–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for learner motor cyclists to drive on dipped headlights during daylight hours.

No; but motor cyclists are already required by law to drive onheadlights in conditions of poor daytime visibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the need to save resources, he will direct the Transport and Road Research Laboratory to cancel immediately expenditure on experimental devices known as Lucas Headway, Rita and AWARE.

On RITA and AWARE, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 16th December last, which made it clear that the earlier European project for a jointly financed demonstration involving these systems had been deferred, and that relevant research work would meanwhile be pursued on a relatively limited scale. This remains the position.Work on the Lucas Headway system is now virtually complete. There are no present plans for further spending.—[Vol. 902, c. 622–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value at 1975 survey prices of total public expenditure in Great Britain planned in the White Paper, Public Expenditure to

				£million at 1975 Survey Prices
				1976–7		1977–78
				Subsidies	Investment	Subsidies	Investment
British Railways Board	…	…	…	239·5	312·9	246·1	325·6
British Transport Docks Board	…	…	…	—	12·0	—	12·0
British Waterways Board	…	…	…	7·9	1·7	6·6	1·7
National Freight Corporation	…	…	…	—	36·0	—	35·0
National Bus Company	…	…	…	—	23·8	—	23·8
Scottish Transport Group	…	…	…	—	8·5	—	6·8

Figures for subsidies to the British Railways Board are not comparable with those shown in Command 6393 (Public Expenditure to 1979–80) as new financial arrangements were instituted after the Railways Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the planned change in total spending by central

				£ million 1975 Survey Prices
			1974–75	1978–79	Percentage change
Road Construction and Maintenance	…	…	1,161	991	−15
British Railways Board
Investment	…	…	207	260	+26
Subsidy	…	…	390	329	−16

In accordance with financial arrangements adopted following the Railways Act 1974 the provision for rail investment in 1978–79 includes £90 million to be met from the provision for subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value at 1975 survey prices of total public expenditure in England planned in the White Paper, Public Expenditure to

CMND. 5519
£ million at 1975 Survey Prices
				1976–77	1977–78
ENGLAND
Motorways and Trunk Roads:
New Construction and Improvement	…	…	…	424*	435*
Maintenance	…	…	…	59	64
Local Authority Roads:
New Construction and Improvement	…	…	…	400*	380*
Maintenance	…	…	…	369	374
Local Authority:
Public Transport Investment	…	…	…	151	145
Public Transport Subsidies	…	…	…	62	69
* These figures are approximate. A precise revalutaion could not be made without undue expense

Figures revalued from Command 5519 are as follows:and local government and nationalised industries on road construction and maintenance and rail investment and subsidy, respectively, between 1974–75 and 1978–79; and what percentage change this represents in each case.

As shown in Command 6393 the information for Great Britain is as follows:1977–78, Command Paper No. 5519, for 1976–77 and 1977–78, respectively, for each of the following sectors: trunk road construction, trunk road maintenance, local authority road construction, local authority road maintenance, local authority public transport investment and local authority passenger transport subsidies.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing associations there are in (a) Burton-on-Trent and (b) the East Staffordshire District excluding Burton-on-Trent; and if he will list them.

I am told by the Housing Corporation that the following housing associations are operating in this area: Burton-on-Trent, Anchor Housing Association, Spiral Housing Society; East Staffordshire District, Abbeyfield Society Stafford Ltd., New Hestia Housing Society, Anchor Housing Association, Spiral Housing Society.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are in existence at the present time to ensure that insurance-backed guarantees for cavity wall insulation provide for consequential trouble such as water penetration; and what steps have been taken to ensure that all the major firms in the United Kingdom concerned with cavity wall insulation are obliged to provide such guarantees.

Cavity wall insulation, if properly carried out in the right circumstances, can make a useful contribution to energy saving and is not likely to cause water penetration. It is for this reason that we have given a type relaxation of the building regulation prohibiting the bridging of cavity walls to those firms who insulate cavity walls in accordance with the terms of an Agreement certificate. The insurance-back guarantee provided by a number of firms is an additional reassurance, but I have no power to require firms to give such guarantees, or to regulate such guarantees as the firms themselves may choose to give.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the 50 mph speed limit.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 30th January 1976.—[Vol. 904, c. 365.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now introduce legislation to extend the rent allowance scheme to include the site rents paid by occupiers of mobile homes.

No. The control of site rents is one of the questions currently being looked into by the mobile homes review under my chairmanship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing associations there are in Birmingham; and if he will list them.

The Housing Corporation tell me that as at 5th March there were 18 registered housing associations—not counting co-ownership societies—operating in Birmingham:

• Copec Housing Trust.
• Bourneville Village Trust.
• Bromford HA.
• 2nd Bromford HA.
• Corinthia HA.
• Artee HA.
• Girls' Friendly HA.
• Harden HA.
• Anchor HA.
• Midland Area Improvement HA.
• Normid HA.
• Orbit Genral HA.
• Parkdale HA.
• Progressive HA.
• 2nd Parklands HA.
• Servite Houses Association.
• Spiral HA.
• Templefield HA.

asked the Secretary of State for' the Environment if he will now approach the EEC Commission to discuss the possibility of financing the Channel Tunnel from Community funds.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what contribution the use of shellgrip and spraygrip on road junctions has made to reduction of accidents; and how the cost of the application compares with the money saved by fewer accidents;(2) how many highway authorities are using shellgrip and spraygrip; and if he recommends greater use.

In certain places treatment with shellgrip or spraygrip can reduce the number of personal injury accidents on average by about one quarter; the cost of treatment can be offset by the accident saving in the first year. No information is available about the number of local authorities which have used shellgrip or spraygrip on their own roads; about 30 authorities have carried out such treatment on trunk roads as our agents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the date for the commencement of construction of the Malton Bypass; and if he will make a statement.

I hope that work will begin in the late summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the survey of the Department of Planning, Engineering and Transportation of West Yorkshire County Council in connection with the Elland bypass anticipated future traffic flows through Elland, West Yorkshire, to the M62; what were the main conclusions of that survey; and whether the survey and its conclusions were brought to his notice before permission for the Elland bypass was given.

I have not seen the results of the survey undertaken by the Department of Planning, Engineering and Transportation of West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council which concerns a principal road scheme for which that authority have full responsibility and for which my permission to proceed with works is not required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a report, prepared by the Department of Planning, Engineering and Transportation of the West Yorkshire County Council, making alternative proposals to the present plans for the Elland bypass, was considered by him before permission for the present plans was given.

The report prepared by the Department of Planning, Engineering and Transportation of West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council has not been referred to me as the scheme concerns a principal road for which the county council is highway authority. In any case, I understand that the report was only recently prepared whereas planning permission was given for this scheme in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Chertsey to Egham section of the M25 to be completed.

The section between Thorpe and Egham, which is under construction, should be completed by early 1977. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and to the availability of funds at the time, the section between Chertsey and Thorpe should be started in 1978. with completion two years later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to the Minister for Housing and Construction's reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 28th January, he will indicate in what way Command Paper No. 6393 contained more information than usual about the construction content of departmental programmes; and whether he can now indicate when he expects to submit his detailed proposals to the construction industry.