asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals have been made to the Commission of the EEC for a higher grant for livestock farmers to meet the exceptional increase in feed costs.

Livestock farmers' feed costs were taken into account along with other relevant factors in the decisions on agricultural prices and support for 1976–77 which my right hon. Friend announced in his statement to the House on 8th March.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the names of the civil servants who fall in the "politically free" category; and what different functions they have from civil servants who do not fall into that category.

The politically free category of civil servants comprises all industrial staff, non-office grades such as messengers, paper keepers, cleaners and museum warders, and other grades of comparable status.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the travel arrangements in regard to costs of those civil servants who have been transferred from Great Britain to Northern Ireland if they wish to return to Great Britain during periods of leave

After completion of 12 months' service in Northern Ireland an officer who has been permanently transferred to the Province on public interest terms, or sent there on first appointment, since 1st April 1962 may be reimbursed the cost of one return sea passage to Great Britain each year for himself, his family and his car. An officer transferred to the Province before 1st April 1962 may receive similar assistance if his Department is satisfied that he has maintained a substantial personal link with Great Britain since the date of transfer.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when the revised editions of the HMSO publications known as (a) Index to the Statutes and (b) Chronological Table of the Statutes will be available.

It is hoped to publish the next edition of the Index to the Statutes, relating to legislation in force on 31st December 1974, in the autumn. The latest edition of the Chronological Table of the Statutes, covering the period up to the end of 1974, was published on 25th February 1976. The 1975 edition should be available at the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will pay an official visit to SRDE, Highcliffe, Dorset.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what research has been made by his Department into district heating systems.

None. This is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out in the Official Report the forms required by his Department or organisations for which he is responsible to be completed by firms with less than 200 employees or turnover of less than £500,000 per annum, the frequency with which such forms are required, the number of questions asked and the use to which the information so obtained is put; and what steps he is taking to reduce such form filling.

I regret that the information requested cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the functions of his special policy advisers; and what political work in energy studies they have carried out in the past year.

The function of my special advisers is to advise me on the political, social and economic aspects of energy matters in connection with my duties as Secretary of State for Energy. If the hon. Member has a particular issue or point to raise perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether Frances Morrell and Francis Cripps were in the "politically free category of civil servants" when they accompanied the Secretary of State for Energy at the Press conference which he gave to recommend himself for election as Leader of the Labour Party; and whether either or both of them have resigned from the Civil Service.

Mrs. Frances Morrell and Dr. Francis Cripps are not in the politically free category of civil servants and did not speak at my Press conference. Neither of them has resigned from the Civil Service, and I do not think there is any reason why they should do so. I have every confidence in both of them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on the quiet heavy lorry project directed by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory; and if he will make a statement on the researchers' conclusions.

Total spending on this project from 1971 until January 1976 was £720,000. The research phase of the work will be completed later this year. The Department's conclusions, and its; views on action towards more stringent standards, will be made known as soon as practicable thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what success he has achieved in negotiating a lowering of the permitted decibel level of the noise of lorries operating in EEC countries.

The Council of the European Communities is now considering a draft directive for reducing the maxi-mum permitted noise levels of new vehicles, including lorries, but has not yet reached a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of people living in roads with unacceptable noise levels; and what is his estimate for 1980.

The Noise Insulation Regulations provide in certain circumstances for the insulation of dwellings which are expected to become exposed to noise levels of 68 dB(A) or more on the L10 (18 hours) scale as the result of the opening of new roads. A survey carried out on the Department's behalf in 1972–73 showed that the numbers of people living in England whose homes are being exposed to traffic noise levels in excess of 70 and 65 dB(A) on the same scale were then about 3·2 million and 7·3 million respectively. The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is preparing estimates for 1980. I shall write to my hon. Friend with the details as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in reducing road traffic noise especially from heavy lorries; and what plans there are for future development.

Traffic noise is being tackled by reducing vehicle noise levels, and by traffic regulation. I have dealt with vehicle noise in an earlier reply to my hon. Friend today. Local authorities have a duty under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967 to exercise their traffic management functions having regard, among other things, to the effect on the amenity of the locality. Specifically, the Heavy Commercial Vehicles (Controls and Regulations) Act 1973 placed upon local authorities the duty to prepare proposals for regulation of the use of roads in their area by heavy commercial vehicles so as to preserve or improve the amenities of their area, and to make draft traffic regulation orders by 1st January 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an inquiry to investigate the advice given to local authorities by the National Building Agency.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have found serious faults in dwellings built following National Building Agency advice in the last 10 years; and if he will list them.

The information is not available in the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received to the effect that faults in local authority dwellings built within the last 10 years are attributable to advice given by the National Building Agency; and what action he proposes to take.

There is no readily available record of any such representations. It would, however, be wrong to assume that faults in such cases are attributable to any advice which may have been given by the National Building Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local authorities encouraging them to allow compensation for occupants of privately-owned housing for disturbance caused by programmes of revitalisaion.

This is best left to the discretion of the authorities. I would not feel justified in seeking to persuade them to incur additional expenditure in this way in the present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconsider requests for special financial assistance for local authorities to help carry out extensive remedial work on dwellings built following National Building Agency advice in the last 10 years.

Any request for financial assistance which is not specifically authorised by statute would need very special justification and could only be considered if the local authority concerned were able to show that the expenditure involved would place an undue financial burden on it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the expense of remedial work on local authority dwellings built in the last 15 years, if he will now instruct local authorities to cease demolition of unfit houses and instead make fit homes by improvement.

My advice to local authorities is that they should develop flexible renewal strategies which reflect the condition and needs of the area concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will raise the rateable value limits on grants to owner-occupiers for ordinary improvement works from £175 to £225 for areas outside Greater London.

As I indicated in reply to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross) on 17th March—[Vol. 907, c. 1300.]—I am considering whether any changes in the rules are needed, but I am not able to announce any further proposals at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of all householders, and what proportion of new Commonwealth householders, have applied for improvement grants.

Numbers of applications for grant are not collected. During the last 10 years renovation grants were approved for 855,000 owner-occupier householders in England and Wales representing nearly 9 per cent. of the total stock of owner-occupied dwellings. Grant approvals to new Commonwealth householders are not distinguished from those to other householders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost to public funds of the national survey carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory into the comparative safety of zebra crossings, pelican crossings and refuges.

The cost of these studies, which are not yet complete, was £53,000 up to 29th February 1976. The estimated total cost is £75,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider setting up an independent agency like the American Environmental Protection Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Action against pollution in this country rests predominantly at local level within a framework of legislation and guidance from central Government. The system works well, and is better adopted to our circumstances than a central standard-setting body like the Environmental Protection Agency. Recent reports of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution confirm me in this view.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he received a copy of the report of the committee of inquiry into the rating system in typed, or other final, form, prior to its publication; and whether he intends that the report should be made publicly available before 6th May.

My right hon. Friend received the typescript of the report of the Committee of Inquiry into Local Government Finance on 9th March. I cannot yet say how long it will take to print and publish.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many housing action areas declared to date the proportion of new Commonwealth householders is over 20 per cent.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the National Freight Corporation is operating on a commercial basis; to what extent he reviews its operations annually; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Mr. Lewis) on 21st January—[Vol. 903, c. 455.]—about the current financial position of the National Freight Corporation. The Corporation's financial performance and investment programme are subject to annual review as part of the public expenditure survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the legislation to abolish the agricultural tied cottage system will be introduced before the Easter Recess.

I very much hope this will be possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice the Government give to the British Petroleum Company about its relationships with foreign Governments and organisations; and when he last discussed such issues with British Petroleum.

As the occasion arises, my right hon. Friend offers to British Petroleum, as he would to any other British company, any practical advice he can. He last had a discussion with the Chairman of British Petroleum on 1st March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report those members of his Department, of Under-Secretary and above, who have recognised qualifications in market research, marketing, advertising or public relations.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 18th March 1976; Vol. 907, c. 638], gave the following information:I have had the records of officers of Under-Secretary level and above checked. They show that none has a recognised qualification in market research, marketing, advertising or public relations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the present state of negotiations relating to Greece's application to join the EEC.

It is expected that by early April detailed consideration of the Greek application will have begun within the Community and that a first report will be made to the Council in May. It could be that negotiations will open formally before the summer holidays, but they will probably not get down to serious business until the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the official speeches, or answers to parliamentary Questions during 1975 in which he made specific reference to the obligations of the United Kingdom as a continuing member of the EEC.

No. The obligations were clearly set out in the relevant treaties and other documents which were freely available to anyone who wished to read them. All the Questions which were raised on the subject of those obligations were answered by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he anticipates that the Annan report on broadcasting will be published.

I understand that the Annan Committee expects to report early next year. The date of publicaion of its report thereafter will depend upon the time required for printing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total amount of money advanced under the Fire Precautions (Loans) Act 1973.

We are not in a position to give detailed information about the operation of the Fire Precautions (Loans) Act 1973 since the decision whether or not to meet applications for loans is, within the limits of the scheme, entirely a matter for the local authorities concerned. By 1st March 1976 loan sanctions totalling £4,177,359 had been granted to local authorities in England and Wales to enable them to provide loans under the Act, but reports from local authorities indicate that only limited use has been made of this authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive a report from the sub-committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council on prioriies and a timetable for future designations under the Fire Precautions Act 1971.

Some research will be required before the sub-committee can begin its work. It is not likely to make recommendations before next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the weekly cost of keeping a female inmate in a borstal in England and Wales in 1974–75.

I regret that this information is not available as cost data for women's establishments are not maintained for prisons and borstals separately. The figure of £74 given on 17th February—[Vol. 905, c. 623–4]—in reply to the hon. Member's earlier Question on this subject should have referred to all female inmates and not to adults only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make public the results of his inquiry into the case of a young woman from Colombia admitted as an au pair who entered the United Kingdom to take advantage of the facilities of the National Health Service; and if he will amend the immigration rules to ensure that similar circumstances do not recur.

There is no cause here for amendment of the immigration rules. This young woman gained entry as an au pair and did not disclose the fact that she was pregnant. Short of physically examining every young woman entering this country, which would be unacceptable, it is not possible entirely to prevent evasion of this kind.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will take action to enable Members of Parliament to retire on pension at 60 years of age voluntarily without loss of pension rights on a similar basis to civil servants and former Prime Ministers.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the convictions against members of the Association of the Holy Spirit for the Unification of World Christianity, the current investigations by the Director of Public Prosecutions into its affairs and the nature and political connection of the organisation, he will prevent it remitting money abroad.

No. Charitable organisations—and the Association is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom—are normally permitted under the Exchange Control Act 1947 to remit funds abroad provided they are being sent to a society, organisation or individual directly engaged in bona fide missionary, charitable, educational or cultural work. I have no evidence to suggest that remittances by this Association do not comply with these requirements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now set targets for the rate of growth of the money supply.

No. My right hon. Friend does not consider that publishing specific targets for money supply growth would make monetary policy either easier to implement or more effective.

asked the Lord President of the Council what representation on the subject of a Scottish Assembly he has received from persons and authorities in Shetland.

None directly, but I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has received a number of representations from Shetland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the South of Scotland Electricity Board and the National Union of Mineworkers on the viability and desirability of district heating systems.

I have been informed of the results of a detailed study of district heating in Glasgow recently completed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board in association with independent consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those regional authorities which have no residential units for young persons in need of care, together with a note of what plans exist to remedy any lack of facilities.

All regional authorities have residential establishments of different types for young persons in need of care. New facilities under construction or at an advanced stage of planning will provide about 300 places in local authority children's homes, about 230 places in assessment centres and about 70 places in voluntary List D schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will seek powers to render discrimination against men unlawful in the provision of facilities to women pensioners at the age of 60 years and to men pensioners only at the age of 65 years.

As my right hon. Friend has made clear on a number of occasions, we have no proposals to change the present pensionable ages of men and women; and it is at these ages that people can become eligible for the facilities to which my hon. and learned Friend refers. The Sex Discrimination Act does not apply to the different pensionable ages of men and women since these are laid down in the Social Security Act 1975 which came into force before the Sex Discrimination Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been paid in supplementary benefits to British Leyland workers and their dependants who have been involved in industrial disputes since the Government rescued the company.

Records are not kept in a form which would enable this Question to be answered. It is, however, estimated that in this period something less than £4,000 has been paid out to British Leyland strikers and their dependants.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether supplementary benefits have been paid to the dependants of those involved in the strike by British Leyland toolroom workers; and, if so, how much has so far been paid.

No benefit has yet been paid.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many free prescriptions were granted on grounds of low income to (a) those receiving supplementary benefit and family income supplement and (b) to those receiving neither supplementary benefit nor family income supplement in each year since 1970.

Information is not available on the numbers of prescriptions issued to persons in these categories. The following table gives information on their entitlement to exemption from prescription charges.

ENGLAND
		Persons covered by SB or FIS	Number of exemption certificates issued on other low income grounds covering dependants	Number of refunds made on other low income grounds (these also cover dependants)
Year			(millions)
1970	…	1·1 (SB only)	15,000	8,000
1971	…	1·4	69,000	16,000
1972	…	1·4	38,000	17,000
1973	…	1·2	26,000	11,000
1974	…	1·2	17,500	8,000
1975	…	(Not yet available)	13,000	5,000

Because of changes in the prescription charges scheme and other factors comparisons between the annual figures in the table would be misleading.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research studies have been carried out by her Department into the effects of varied climates on household heating needs.

None, but the advice obtained by the Supplementary Benefits Commission is that climate is only one of many factors. Others include the construction of the dwelling, the extent of insulation provided, the location, elevation and degree of exposure to prevailing winds, the type and efficiency of the heating system installed, and the demands made upon it by the occupants—eg., personal choice of heat levels, how often they bathe, leave windows open. etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average capital cost of providing an invalid tricycle.

This information could not be given without indicating contract prices, which it is not customary to disclose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost of abortions carried out under the National Health Service for the latest year for which figures are available; and what was the average cost per abortion.

Separate costing figures are not available for treatment of different medical or surgical conditions within the NHS and I regret, therefore, that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people currently have kidney machines installed in their own homes; and how many have had them installed in each of the last five years.

Information in the precise form requested is not available. Following are figures showing the number of patients in England receiving haemodialysis in their homes:

30th June 1975	…	…	1,224
30th June 1974	…	…	1,066
30th June 1973	…	…	910
30th June 1972	…	…	733
30th June 1971	…	…	560
30th June 1970	…	…	421

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are aged 108 or more.

According to the 1971 Census, which is the latest information available, there were then about 15 men and 50 women in Great Britain aged 108 or over.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the birth and death rates, respectively, for each year since 1946.

The information for the United Kingdom is as follows:

Year		Crude birth rate: live births per 1,000 population of all ages	Crude death rate: deaths per 1,000 population of all ages
1946	…	19·4	11·7
1947	…	20·7	12·1
1948	…	18·1	10·9
1949	…	17·0	11·7
1950	…	16·2	11·7
1951	…	15·8	12·6
1952	…	15·7	11·4
1953	…	15·9	11·4
1954	…	15·6	11·4
1955	…	15·4	11·7
1956	…	16·1	11·7
1957	…	16·6	11·5
1958	…	16·9	11·7
1959	…	16·9	11·7
1960	…	17·5	11·5
1961	…	17·9	12·0
1962	…	18·3	11·9
1963	…	18·5	12·2
1964	…	18·8	11·3
1965	…	18·4	11·6
1966	…	18·0	11·8
1967	…	17·6	11·3
1968	…	17·2	11·9
1969	…	16·7	11·9
1970	…	16·3	11·8
1971	…	16·2	11·6
1972	…	14·9	12·1
1973	…	13·9	12·0
1974	…	13·2	11·9
1975*	…	12·4	11·9
* Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the number of people in England and Wales who, once in prison, are to be found to be suffering from mental illness or mental disorder and are being treated in the prison hospital.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, together with the National Enterprise Board, he will examine the prospects of Wallacetown Engineering Company, presently owned by the multinational Tube Investment Company, with a view to public involvement in ownership and management to safeguard the position of the work force.

Negotiations about the work force are currently proceeding be-between trade unions and management. Neither my Department nor the National Enterprise Board is planning public involvement in the company

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on Great Britain's policy towards the OECD discussions on multinational companies; and when he expects a clear OECD policy to be agreed.

The Government welcomed the OECD decision to draw up a package of measures relating to international investment, including voluntary guidelines for the conduct of multinational enterprises, and are participating actively in this work. Negotiations are still in progress, and I hope that proposals will be put before the annual meeting of OECD Ministers in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether her Department has received the letter on the price check scheme referred to by the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim), in the debate on the Price Code on 18th February; and whether she will make a statement.

Neither the Department nor I have seen the full letter. An extract of the letter was sent to me with the proviso that it was "Strictly private, personal and confidential ". My hon. Friend may care to check whether Hansard has received the copy offered by the hon. Lady. She has said that the extract sent to me is the only copy that has been taken and that the original is under lock and key away from Westminster.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will list the imperial units of measurement that under EEC Directive R/3070/75 will not continue to be legal measurements in the United Kingdom after 31st December 1977 or 31st December 1979, respectively.

The imperial units which will cease to be authorised after 31st December 1977 and 31st December 1979 respectively under the proposed EEC directive amending the directive 71/354/EEC on units of measurement are:From 31st December 1977

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans she has in consequence of EEC Directive R/3070/75 for units of measurement for sales of fruit and vegetables and similar commodities weighed on scales.

This draft directive, which has not yet been adopted, seeks to amend the original Units of Measurement Directive accepted at the time of the Treaty of Accession. The existing directive states that if the timetable for the phasing out of imperial units has not been settled by August of this year, these units will automatically disappear on 31st December 1979 at the latest, except if there are special reasons in certain cases for extending the time limit. Generally, the proposals which we are seeking to re-negotiate in the amending directive now reflect the pace of metrication in the United Kingdom. The draft directive does not establish a precise deadline date for the phasing out of the pound and the ounce and provides the possibility of some flexibility for the Government to decide their own timetable for the phasing out of these units.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what negotiations Her Majesty's Government have entered into to co-ordinate Western credit terms in relation to trade with COMECON countries;(2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Western coordination of credit terms to COMECON countries on the basis of a 7 per cent. annual interest charge and a 10-year maturity period as described in the Report of the United Nations annual survey of the Economic Commission for Europe.

Her Majesty's Government already participate in a number of international consultation procedures concerned with officially-supported credit on terms exceeding five years for exports to all markets including the COMECON countries. The major trading nations, including the United Kingdom, are currently discussing ways of strengthening the co-ordination of such credit.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is considering ways of compensating developing countries for the diminished benefits under the generalised preference scheme which would result from any agreement in the Tokyo Round to reduce the tariffs of advanced industrial countries.

Participants in the GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations recognised in the Tokyo Declaration the importance of maintaining and improving the Generalised System of Preferences. We are keen to ensure that developing countries derive the maximum benefit possible from the negotiations as a whole. However, like other developed countries, we do not think that direct compensation for reduction of GSP preferential margins would be an appropriate measure.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what contribution small businesses, as defined in the Bolton Report, have made to the total exports of the United Kingdom per annum since 1970;(2) what proportion of small business exports, are related to (

Available export statistics do not distinguish between small firms and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what matters he has requested or received advice from the Educational Disadvantage Unit.

The Educational Disadvantage Unit advises my right hon. Friend on the matters referred to in Annex A to "Educational Disadvantage and the Educational Needs of Immigrants" (Cmnd. 5720). The Unit's recent activities include assisting the Governing Body in setting up the new Centre for Information and Advice on Educational Disadvantage and taking part in a series of seminars on educational disadvantage arranged by various local education authorities, as well as maintaining contact with a number of voluntary organisations working in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the likely effect of a further increase in overseas students' fees on the number of such students coming to the United Kingdom; and what representations he has received about the probability that such an increase will cause more overseas students to seek education in the Soviet bloc.

The effect of increased fees on demand cannot be reliably quantified; the increase which will take effect in the next academic year simply takes account of increased costs. I have received no representations primarily arguing that it will cause more students to go to the Soviet bloc.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department will publish a map of the United Kingdom showing the area covered by the "dockers' corridor" extended by one mile.

No. The expense of preparation and publication of a map showing the area covered by the cargo-handling zone as defined in the Dock Work Regulation Bill but extended by one mile would not be warranted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it will be the intention of the Government to extend the provisions of the Dock Labour Scheme to canals and other inland waterways.

My right hon. Friend's proposals for determining the application of the Dock Labour Scheme are set out in the Dock Work Regulation Bill. This places the statutory responsibility for making recommendations which could lead to an extension of the scheme upon the National Dock Labour Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current figures for the payment of the regional employment premium, broken down by (a) development area, and (b) according to whether the premium has been paid in respect of men, women, boys or girls; and what are the figures for payment of the REP in respect of part-time workers, also broken down according to area and sex.

The latest available figures for the payment of REP analysed by development areas are set out below:

				Estimated amount of REP paid in the 1974–75 financial year
Development Area				(£ million)
Northern	…	…	…	45
South-West	…	…	…	3
Merseyside	…	…	…	27
Welsh	…	…	…	22
Scottish	…	…	…	57
Total	…	…	…	154

I regret that information giving a breakdown of payments by men, women, boys, girls and part-time workers is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prohibition and improvement notices have been issued by factory inspectors for factories where asbestos is used.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2n March 1976: Vol. 906, c. 578], gave the following information:I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that to date 70 prohibition and 31 improvement notices have been issued where the main subject matter concerned precautions to be taken against health hazards arising from asbestos. A single notice may contain several matters to be remedied. There were 127 such matters relating to asbestos covered by these notices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions to date have been instituted by the Health and Safety Commission; and how many of these have been successful.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the number of offences which resulted in prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive since it was set up on 1st January 1975 is 3,300. The number of these that resulted in convictions is 3,057.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list orders made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act and those that he intends to lay before Parliament in the present Session.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9th February 1976; Vol. 905, c. 64], gave the following information:The following orders have been made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: The Health and Safety at

Sponsor				Number of applications	Number of projects approved	Number of jobs created
Ellesmere Port Borough Council	…	…	…	7	4	98
Liverpool Community Transport	…	…	…	3	3	66
Wildfowl Trust	…	…	…	1	1	26
Knowsley Youth Trust	…	…	…	2	1	11
Kirkby Youth Club	…	…	…	2	1	20
KCT Recycling	…	…	…	1	—	—
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral	…	…	…	15	5	53
Charing Cross Methodist Church	…	…	…	2	2	24
Merseyside Visual Aids	…	…	…	1	—	—
Transmere and Rock Ferry Community Association	…	…	…	1	1	34
Wirral Association for Mental Health	…	…	…	1	1	10
Halton District Job Creation Project	…	…	…	1	1	22
St. Helens Borough Council	…	…	…	12	4	102
Centre Services: Centre 63	…	…	…	1	1	12
Help and Neighbourhood Development Scheme	…	…	…	3	2	19
Sue Ryder Foundation	…	…	…	2	2	72
Old Swan Boys Club	…	…	…	2	2	31
Rathbone Project	…	…	…	1	1	16
D. G. Pearce Mushroom Farm	…	…	…	1	—	—
St. Mary's Parish Church	…	…	…	1	1	16
Burton Manor Residential College	…	…	…	1	1	6
St. John's Ambulance Brigade	…	…	…	1	1	13
Sparrow Lane and District Recreational Scheme	…	…	…	1	—	—
Merseyside Police	…	…	…	1	1	13
Brook and Swan Improvement Scheme	…	…	…	1	1	17
University of Liverpool	…	…	…	1	—	—
Friends of the Earth	…	…	…	1	—	—
Unit 8 Manufacturing & Retailing Co.	…	…	…	2	—	—
Liverpool Repertory Theatre Ltd.	…	…	…	1	—	—
Birkenhead History Society	…	…	…	1	1	15

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list every project that has been submitted to the Merseyside Action Committee since the inception of the job creation programme, detailing the sponsor, number of jobs involved and the decision reached for each project.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 17th March 1976; Vol. 907, c. 537], gave the following information:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information available is as follows:

Sponsor				Number of applications	Number of projects approved	Number of jobs created
The Contemporary Cinema Archives	…	…	…	1	—	—
Barbour Institute Committee	…	…	…	1	1	5
Lifechance Construction Ltd	…	…	…	2	—	—
KCT Recycling	…	…	…	1	1	18
ICI Mond Division	…	…	…	1	1	8
Englefield Green Project	…	…	…	1	—	—
Gray Johnson Ltd	…	…	…	1	—	—
Burton Manor Residential College	…	…	…	1	—	—
Toxteth Team Ministry	…	…	…	1	1	15
Chester Arts and Recreation Trust	…	…	…	1	1	17
The Anglican Youth Centre	…	…	…	1	1	12
United Reform Church	…	…	…	1	—	—
Cantril Farm	…	…	…	4	—	—
Liverpool City Council	…	…	…	21	18	353
Metropolitan Borough of Sefton	…	…	…	23	6	95
Birkenhead Urban Farms Scheme	…	…	…	1	1	27
Liverpool City Libraries	…	…	…	1	1	20
Croxteth Youth Wing	…	…	…	1	—	—
Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley	…	…	…	11	6	61
Albion House Boys Club	…	…	…	1	1	16
Lancashire County Council	…	…	…	4	l	3
Halton Borough Council	…	…	…	6	3	31
Radio Doom	…	…	…	1	—	—
West Lancashire District Council	…	…	…	4	2	39
Neighbourhood Community Work Scheme		…	…	1	—	—
Cheshire County Council	…	…	…	2	1	8
Young Volunteers of Merseyside	…	…	…	1	1	11
Moreton Community Association	…	…	…	2	2	24
Sefton Area Health Authority	…	…	…	2	1	6
Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council	…	…	…	3	1	6
U.M.L. Ltd	…	…	…	2	1	6
Bankfield House	…	…	…	1	—	—
Skelmersdale Development Corporation		…	…	1	—	—
ICI Widnes	…	…	…	1	1	8
City Centre Community Enterprises	…	…	…	1	—	—
Preston Youth Centre	…	…	…	1	—	—
Liverpool University Settlement	…	…	…	1	1	13
Ellesmere Port British Legion	…	…	…	2	2	30
Merseyside County Council	…	…	…	7	7	189
N.W. Water Authority	…	…	…	3	1	10
Litherland Boys Club	…	…	…	1	1	14
Liverpool Housing Trust	…	…	…	1	—	—
Merseyside Improved Houses	…	…	…	2	1	13
Wirral Area Health Authority	…	…	…	1	1	2
L. L. Jones	…	…	…	1	—	—
The Rural Preservation Association	…	…	…	1	—	—
Liverpool Cathedral Committee	…	…	…	1	1	9
Liverpool Sailing Club	…	…	…	1	1	16
L. and J. Venmore	…	…	…	1	—	—
Warrington Industrial Trust	…	…	…	1	1	17
Orrell Park and District Community Centre		…	…	1	1	13
Neighbourhood Project Group	…	…	…	1	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members of the Staff Commission in Northern Ireland; and what are the appointments over which they have jurisdiction.

The membership of the Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland is as follows: Mr. F. V. Simpson (Chairman); Mr. H. G. Ashton; Councillor P. J. Heron;

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the 15 customary parades to which he refers in his Written Answer given to the hon. Member for Londonderry on 11th March 1976; how many times each parade is known to have taken place previously; and if any of these parades have not been held in some years.

The customary parades held during the 12 months prior to 1st March 1976 were:

12th of July Parade in Belfast.

Easter Parades in Belfast (2 parades).

Easter Parades in Cullyhanna.

Easter Parades in Crossmagien.

Easter Parades in Forkhill.

Easter Parades in Camlough.

Easter Parades in Mullaghbane.

Easter Parades in Carrickmore.

1 lth of July Parade in Kilkeel.

Parade to the Whiterock Orange Hall in

Belfast. Apprentice Boys' Parades in Londonderry (2

parades). The Royal Black Preceptory Parade in

Londonderry. The Commemoration of "Bloody Sunday "

Parade in Londonderry.

Information as to the number of occasions on which these marches have been held is not readily available, but for the most part they go back many years. Many marches were not, of course, held in 1969 due to the ban then in force.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what communications have taken place between Mr. Eddie Simpson, Principal Officer of Housing in Northern Ireland, and Mr. Harry Molloy of Northern Ireland Housing Executive, regarding the employment of ex-detainees and ex-internees regarding work to Housing Executive property in West Belfast.

It is not customary to make public exchanges between officials in the course of their duties. However, it is neither the policy nor the practice of officials to attempt to direct the Housing Executive to interfere with the proper responsibility of a contractor for his work force.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the yearly totals paid to the chairmen and members of harbour authorities in Northern Ireland in each year of their existence in respect of allowances, etc.

No allowances are paid to the chairmen and members of harbour authorities in Northern Ireland but their out-of-pocket expenses may be reimbuted for attendance on harbour business at places outside the Province.