asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the particular constraints which prevent the subsequent upgrading of the A5(D) junction with the H10, he considers the connection of the A5(D) to the proposed V8 via a temporary alignment at Mount Farm to be a flexible and economic alternative for meeting the traffic needs of the area in the 1980s.

I have given careful consideration to my hon. Friend's suggestion but do not think it would provide a flexible, economic or suitable alternative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will advise local authorities to make use of their powers to make travel concessions available to certain categories of people so as to remove discrimination against men where free bus passes are provided for women at the age of 60 years but for men at the age of 65 years.

No. This is a matter for the local authorities within their present discretionary powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will arrange for a traffic census to be held on the A63 trunk road at Monk Fryston within the next four weeks.

Traffic at a point about one-and-a-half miles west of the village will be counted on two days between 25th April and 17th May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage increase in passenger fares on British Rail between April 1974 and April 1976.

About 90 per cent, on average.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements at present exist for the proper inspection and testing of thermal insulation blocks required pursuant to the building regulations for the construction of new dwellings; whether he is satisfied that such arrangements are adequate; and, if not, what proposals he has in mind for their improvement.

We are aware that there are problems over the assessment of the performance of some of these products, and are considering the issue of further guidance on this to the local district councils, which are responsible for enforcing the building regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those EEC countries that allow heavy goods vehicle drivers to wear contact lenses whilst driving such vehicles.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what aspects of current rating law have not been affected by the Sex Discrimination Act;(2) how many representations he has had regarding the ruling that husbands and not wives should be treated as rateable occupiers of the hereditament by local authorities; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he is satisfied that the reliance by local authorities on Beckwith v. Barnet UDC (1950) regarding the inability of a husband and wife to be joint occupiers of a house is consistent with Government policies regarding sex discrimination.

I am advised that rating legislation is not affected by the Sex Discrimination Act. I have had very few representations on the subject of rateable occupation, but I am happy to make a statement. The present position is that treatment of the husband as the rateable occupier is based on common law, not statute law, and goes back many years. The reason for choosing the husband is that in common law he has a duty to maintain his wife. We shall, in considering any changes as a result of the Layfield Report on Local Government Finance, look at the need for something more in line with the present climate of opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in which sections of the Pennine Way it is possible for a walker to walk on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, respectively, during the summer, assuming he begins in the Greater Manchester area at Redditch or Denton and travels in both directions by public transport.

The southern section of the Pennine Way is accessible from Reddish by rail and from Denton by bus and rail on any day of the week. Other sections are less accessible by public transport from the greater Manchester area.For information about summer services in general and about services giving access to the Pennine Way at other points it would be necessary to consult the appropriate bus and rail timetables. Additional Peak Pathfinder bus services are to be run from the Manchester-Stockport area over the Snake Pass this summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consideration he has given to the claims made by charter trustees for the same powers and duties as members of local authorities enjoying successor parish status; and if he will make a statement of his policy towards charter trustees;(2) what representations he has received from bodies or individuals seeking for charter trustees the same powers and duties as successor parish councils;(3) if he will list the statutory provisions regarding the powers and duties of (

Under the Local Government Act 1972 and the Charter Trustees Order 1974 the functions of charter trustees are broadly to elect the city or town mayor, make appointments to offices of dignity, hold historic and ceremonial property such as charters, insignia and plate, and to make the necessary ancillary provision in connection with these functions. Successor parish councils have the same powers as other parish councils and are, under the 1972 Act, local authorities. They have many of the attributes of other local authorities including the power to tax property in their area—by precept on the district council—to spend up to a 2p rate in the interests of the parish and its inhabitants, to represent their inhabitants and to provide local facilities and amenities such as playing fields. As with the larger local authorities, they have acquired many of their powers under various Acts passed through the years.I have received, and have considered, representations from the Association of Charter Trustees and from charter trustees of individual towns asking that charter trustees should not be disbanded where the district as a whole is granted a borough charter; for a right to be consulted on planning and other local issues; and for power to spend in the interests of the area and its inhabitants.These proposals would change the concept of charter trustees fundamentally. Charter trustees were created solely to safeguard the historic and ceremonial attributes of former boroughs which were considered too big to become successor parishes and were included in districts which chose not to apply for borough status. Where a district becomes a borough the council takes over these functions and there is no further need for separate charter trustees. Most groups of charter trustees comprise a large proportion of the district councillors and should be able to influence the council on local issues and spending in the interests of the area and its inhabitants. I have no proposals to extend the powers of charter trustees.District councils will be carrying out parish reviews of their areas in time for the Local Government Boundary Commission to consider proposals after it has completed its post-reorganisation electoral reviews in 1977. Guidelines will be issued meanwhile to assist district councils in this task. They will deal, inter alia, with the criteria for the creation of parish in unparished areas.A list of towns with charter trustees is below. Those asterisked have a majority representation on their district councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for the redevelopment, with or without the co-operation of neighbouring owners, of the property owned by his Department in the London Road and Bower Mount Road area of Maidstone.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what were the reasons for such excess payments.

All settlements for employees for whom my Department is responsible have been within the £6 limit, with the exception of those listed below, who are covered by the transitional arrangements in the White Paper:

British Transport Police

National Bus Company, Clerical Staff

Passenger Transport Executives, non-manual staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he is making for publishing the Transport Consultative Document.

I propose to make a statement after Question Time tomorrow. Copies of the document, which will be in two volumes, will then be available in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his review of the operation of the office development control; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend told the House on 30th July 1974 that he was setting in hand a review of the objectives of national policy and the ways of purusing them on the regulation of new office buildings.Following the review we have decided that the present control could be somewhat relaxed without prejudice to major objectives, and accordingly we intend to raise from 10,000 sq. ft. to 15,000 sq. ft. the exemption limit for office development permits in the control area, that is the South East Economic Planning Region. An order to give effect to this decision will be laid before Parliament. The control will continue to be applied strictly to the larger developments, and applicants will be required to show that a move to an assisted area is not practicable.There will be severe restriction on new permits for speculative building even for replacement; but we shall continue to give permits in a limited number of such cases where the development would produce substantial public benefit. In addition, in order to help provide for the needs of small firms, we shall be ready to consider proposals for speculative office space which is to be let in small suites, generally of less than 5,000 sq. ft.The review by my officials has brought together much useful material. We have decided to make it generally available so that it can help to inform public debate. The officials' report is accordingly being published today by the Department and copies will be placed in the Library. We should make it clear that we do not propose to pursue possible alternative systems of regulation which are discussed in the report, including control of the occupation of office floor space, or special regional taxes or levies on the building or occupation of offices or on employment of office workers. But the review suggests a modification of the present control, so as to allow approval of an occupier to come later in the development process than, as now, at the beginning, before planning permission is sought. We shall welcome views on this possibility, which would require legislation, and we shall be consulting the various bodies concerned.The review also suggests that in the light of changed circumstances the time has come to consider a wider role for the Location of Office Bureau, which has done such good work under its present remit to promote decentralisation of office work from central London. We are considering this useful suggestion and hope to bring proposals before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the increasing number of experiments on animals, some of which involve cruelty, he will set up an independent inquiry to consider both the moral and scientific prospects for the continued use of animals for research purposes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Question from the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on 15th December 1975.—[Vol. 902, c. 442.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions his Advisory Committee on Cruelty to Animals has met in each of the last 10 years.

The information is as follows:

Year	Number of Meetings
1966	1
1967	0
1968	1
1969	0
1970	0
1971	0
1972	1
1973	0
1974	1
1975	3

20 cases were dealt with during these seven meetings. In addition, three cases were dealt with during this period by correspondence, two in 1967 and one in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will appoint a representative of voluntary societies which oppose biological methods of research involving cruelty to animals to the appropriate advisory committee.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to appoint such a representative. He did, however, appoint in 1975 four independent non-scientific members to the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his decision on the St. Matthew's, Brixton, meeting place project which was submitted to his Department for inclusion in the urban aid programme by the London borough of Lambeth.

Lambeth Borough Council was informed on 5th April that grant aid on the costs of the project has been approved in principle, subject to clarification of the relationship between this project and another similar local project previously approved under the urban programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remands in custody for medical reports were made in 1975 for men and women, separately, and for physical and psychiatric reports, separately.

Provisional figures for 1975 are as follows:

	Male	Female
Psychiatric reports	10,447	1,465
Reports on state of physical health	552	3

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what directions his Department has given to the Local Government Boundary Commissioner for Wales on the interpretation of Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 1972 concerning parity of representation regarding the district electoral review.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation to give legal representatives at coroners' inquests the same rights of examination and cross-examination as in other legal proceedings;(2) whether Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation to give the families of deceased persons a right to be represented at inquests.

Rule 16 of the Coroners Rules 1953 already provides that any person who, in the opinion of the coroner, is a properly interested person may examine any witness, either in person, or by counsel or solicitor. This provision is designed to put the family of the deceased, as far as is consistent with the differences between inquisitorial and accusatorial proceedings, in the same position as regards legal representation and examination of witnesses at an inquest as in other legal proceedings. If my hon. Friend is aware of any case in which this provision has given rise to difficulty and will let me have particulars I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether members of local parole review committees in Yorkshire and Humber-side receive salaries or allowances in respect of their services; how much they receive; and whether it is in respect of full or part-time service.

All members are part-time and none receives any fee or salary in respect of their membership. Travelling and subsistance allowances are payable, and members who are not probation officers or prison governors may be paid financial loss allowances of up to £4 a day for a period of not more than four hours and £8 for a longer period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the trading methods of food supermarkets in view of the increase in their number coinciding with the increase in shoplifting; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question he asked on 8th December 1975.—[Vol. 902, c. 4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many orders and regulations of the Metropolitan Police were approved under Section 5 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 during February 1976; how many were approved by civil servants exercising ministerial powers in the normal way; and how many were personally approved by a Minister.

During February 1976 the Commissioner made seven amendments to Metropolitan Police General Orders which related to matters mentioned in Section 5 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and which were approved under that section. On the second part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to a Question by him on 23rd March.— [Vol. 908, c. 114.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Professor Vivali Kostamarov has been refused a United Kingdom entry visa; and how many other Union of Soviet Socialist Republic officials have similarly been refused visas in the past 12 months.

Because I decided that his exclusion was conducive to the public good. During the past 12 months three other citizens of the USSR have been refused visas on the same ground.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

All settlements within my Department's field have been within the £6 limit, with the exception of the police and BBC manual staff who are covered by the transitional arrangements in Cmnd. 6151.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when the Government expects to receive the studies in local government and in the Civil Service in connection with industrial democracy in the public sector.

It is hoped that the studies will be completed in time for the Government to take an overall view of the private and public sectors after the committee of inquiry into industrial democracy in the private sector reports.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the groups of public servants who are protected against cost of living increases for their pensions under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971, giving the number of persons in each group.

The detailed list of the categories of United Kingdom public servants covered directly by the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 is to be found in Schedules 2 and 3 of that Act. The major categories and the estimated numbers of employees covered by their pension schemes are as follows:

Civil Service	719,000
Local Government	1,000,000
National Health Service	653,000
Teachers	597,000
Police	118,000
Fire Service	35,000
Other small groups (including the Judiciary and Members of Parliament)	2,000

In addition, the Armed Forces—with 333,000 employees—follow the Act by analogy, as do many other small public sector bodies for whose schemes I have responsibility. There are very approximately 71,000 employees in these small bodies. About 1,800,000 former employees and dependants currently receive pensions which are increased, directly or indirectly, under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make it his practice to regulate the amounts of money spent on television advertising by different Government Departments.

Advertising for Government Departments is managed by the Central Office of Information. Its selection of media is based on a judgment of the most cost-effective way of meeting the publicity objectives set by the Departments concerned. Any regulation of the amounts spent on television advertising would distort the normal considerations of media selection and result in poorer value for money.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

All settlements within my Department's field have been within the £6 limit.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the maximum number of Members at any one time who sat on Standing Committees in 1971–72 Session, and what was the corresponding figure on 1st March 1976.

On 29th February 1972 208 Members, including Chairmen, were summoned to attend Standing Committees. 132 of them, again including Chairmen, were summoned to attend second meetings of Standing Committees on that day, making a total of 340, the highest for Session 1971–72.On 24th February 1976 158 Members, including Chairmen, were summoned to attend. Thirty-two of them, again including the Chairman, were summoned to attend a second meeting of a Standing Committee on that day, making a total of 190, the highest for this Session up to 1st March.Meetings of the Standing Committee on Regional Affairs, which all Members for English constituencies can attend, have been excluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the percentage increase in charges for the supply of electricity for use in floodlighting sports grounds between April 1974 and April 1976.

I am informed by the Electricity Council that electricity for floodlighting sports grounds of all kinds is charged under a variety of tariffs and a definitive figure is not available. However, it is estimated that commercial tariffs generally increased by about 70 per cent, on average between April 1974 and April 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimate of the value of Great Britain's North Sea oil and gas reserves at current prices.

On current estimates of total recoverable reserves from the presently designated areas, and at present equivalent oil prices, the value may lie between £180 billion and £300 billion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now make a statement on the progress of his negotiations with the oil companies in relation to his policy objective of securing the refinement of two-thirds of North Sea oil in this country.

Consultations with the oil companies last year on the refining of North Sea oil suggested that the industry's plans were broadly consistent with our expectations. It is, however, too early to forecast the pattern that will emerge as production approaches the level of national demand. Discussions with the industry are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how he proposes, consequent upon Mr. Ray Willmott's statement in a speech in San Antonio, to implement the proposal that two-thirds of North Sea oil production should be refined in the United Kingdom; and under what section of a current Act of Parliament he would inhibit exports of crude oil to existing customers in the Community;(2) up to what volume of production of crude oil from the North Sea he will insist that two-thirds of Continental Shelf production must be refined in the United Kingdom.

The Government's policy on the refining of North Sea oil was announced by my right hon. Friend, the previous Secretary of State, on 6th December 1974—[Vol. 882, c. 646–8]. He said that it would be reasonable to expect up to two-thirds of North Sea oil to be refined here, depending on the level of production, and that it was our aim to implement this policy through discussions with the companies concerned. These points were repeated in Mr. Willmott's San Antonio speech, which also made it clear that the two-thirds expectation applied up to the point where production at least reaches the level of national demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the contract negotiated between the United Kingdom AEA and Rio Algom Mines Ltd. in 1968 to buy 7,500 short tons of uranium oxide between 1977 and 1982 and later assigned to Rossing Uranium, Ltd., of Swakopmuno, Namibia, will be honoured by Her Majesty's Government.

As was announced on 9th December 1974—[Vol. 883, c. 23]—the Government do not propose to disturb this contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of United Kingdom total requirements of uranium concentrates will be obtained from Rossing Uranium Ltd. by 1980 on the assumption that contractual obligations are observed.

This information is commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the price agreed to be paid for uranium concentrates from Rossing, Namibia, is substantially below the current market price.

It is not normal to disclose prices or other detailed provisions of a commercial contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the percentage stake held by the United Kingdom AEA in Rossing Uranium Ltd.; and what information he has as to the holdings of other EEC countries in that firm.

There is no UKAEA shareholding in Rossing Uranium Ltd. I understand that a French company has a shareholding.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consultation the Government have had with the British Gas Corporation regarding coal gasification as a source of future supply; if he will publish the results of such consultation; and if he will make a statement.

No formal consultation has taken place. However my Department is in close touch with work at the Westfield Development Centre of the BGC. I am satisfied that excellent progress is being achieved there in the development of coal gasification technology with American sponsorship. This greatly strengthens the Corporation's long-term planning strategy should the large scale manufacture of substitute natural gas ever be required.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of monthly consignments of plutonium from Dounreay to the BNFL plant at Windscale.

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent consultations he has had with the appropriate authorities regarding the freer release of information about the potential environmental dangers of increased nuclear power operations; and what plans he has to introduce a system for more open public discussion of the technical issues relating to nuclear safety.

I am anxious that there should be a wider knowledge and understanding of the facts about nuclear power, including its safety and environmental problems. Much technical and other information about this is already publicly available. My officials are considering with other Departments and organisations concerned how the facts can be made more widely known.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish figures of the thermal efficiency of electricity generation in the public sector in the EEC countries for each of the past five available years, in order to indicate if the percentage gap between the thermal efficiency in the United Kingdom and other EEC countries is narrowing or widening.

AVERAGE THERMAL EFFICIENCY
				1970	1971	1972	1973	(Percentage 1974
Germany	…	…	…	33·3	33·9	33·9	34·3	34·5
France	…	…	…	36·9	37·2	37·5	37·5	37·7
Italy	…	…	…	35·7	36·1	36·4	36·6	36·3
Netherlands	…	…	…	35·0	35·5	35·7	36·4	36·6
Belgium	…	…	…	35·5	35·1	35·5	36·1	36·3
Luxembourg	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—
United Kingdom	…	…	…	29·6	30·6	30·8	31·7	32·0
Ireland	…	…	…	30·3	29·2	30·9	30·1	30·6
Denmark	…	…	…	36·6	38·2	38·4	37·5	38·2
Europe 9	…	…	…	32·6	33·3	33·7	34·3	34·5

As I told the hon. Member on 5th April—[Vol. 909, c. 52]—it is extremely difficult to make meaningful international comparisons of thermal efficiency, and changes in the percentage gap between the United Kingdom and other countries could be quite misleading. In discussing the CEGB's efficiency, the Plowden Report acknowledges—4.15–4.19—the difficulty of putting comparisons on to a fair basis. One must, for instance, take into account the proportion of hydroelectric plant in a given system.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

To the best of my knowledge there has been none.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what he estimates to be the quantity of gasoline saved during the past year through the continuance of SI 1973/2051; and if he will express the result as a percentage of total energy consumption.

Figures of average specific consumption of fuel per net KWh generated in conventional public supply power stations in the EEC countries during the years 1970–73 were published by the Statistical Office of the European Communities in its "Energy Statistics Yearbook 1974". The following figures have been derived from this published data together with provisional data provided by the Statistical Office for 1974:

I have been asked to reply.There was less traffic in the first 10 months of 1975 than in the corresponding period of 1973, but after allowing for the resultant fuel saving, the consumption of motor spirit fell by about 500,000 tonnes through other causes. It is impossible to say how much of that saving was due to the temporary speed limits of 60 mph and 50 mph, introduced in December 1974. The figures suggest that the saving in a full year would be 600,000 tonnes, representing about 0·3 per cent, of total energy consumption on a primary fuel input basis.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that at a recent inquest into the death of a man who died after being apprehended in a struggle with police officers and others the coroner sat without a jury; and whether he considers this procedure to be satisfactory.

The circumstances in which a coroner has a discretion to sit without a jury are regulated by statute and amendment of the law is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. If there is an irregularity in proceedings before a coroner, it is open to any aggrieved person to seek my authority for an application to the High Court to quash the inquisition.

asked the Attorney-General, in view of the fact that he has provided information about cases concluded at the Central Criminal Court on previous occasions for particular months in 1975, on what grounds he now bases his judgment that to do so for January or February 1976 would involve disproportionate cost.

To continue to provide this information involves an expenditure in terms of staff time which is disproportionate to the value of the information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what range of staff-student ratios his Department considers appropriate for schools and departments of music in higher education; and whether there are any difficulties involved in observing a 1: 10 ratio of staff to students in such schools and departments.

The pooling committee established by the local authority associations has recommended a staffing ratio of between 1:7·5 and 1: 8·5 for a group of subjects including music; it was not intended to apply specifically to individual departments or subjects. However, the recent White Paper "Public Expenditure to 1979–80", Cmnd 6393, indicated that there will be little if any scope for increasing total staff in higher and further education after 1976–77 and, although the teaching situation varies from institution to institution, there can be no guarantee that it will be possible to match the levels of staffing recommended by the pooling committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children there are of a severely disturbed nature; and what is Government policy about their education.

In January 1975 returns from local education authorities in England showed 18,190 children who had been found to be maladjusted and some of these would be severely disturbed. The education of these children is primarily the responsibility of authorities. They may consider that some severely disturbed children need to receive their education in a hospital or other non-school setting.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the effect of the declining birth rate on the number of teachers required in the 1980s and on the need for school building.

The Advisory Committee on the Supply and Training of Teachers is considering the size of the teacher force which should be planned for the maintained primary and secondary schools during the 1980s in the light of the impending decline in the number of pupils. It aims to tender advice to my right hon. Friend towards the end of this year. Declining expenditure on school building is reflected in the capital expenditure forecasts for schools in the recent White Paper "Public Expenditure to 1979–80" (Cmnd 6393).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce a system of comprehensive secondary education for all blind and partially sighted children in State schools.

My Department's view has long been that no handicapped child should attend a special school if his needs can be met by an ordinary school, and I am anxious to further this policy. It is not, however, at all easy to provide in ordinary schools the special facilities which some handicapped children require if they are to thrive and make good educational progress. The Vernon Committee on the Education of the Visually Handicapped in its 1972 report recommended that further systematic experiments should be carried out with the education of visually handicapped children in ordinary schools. The regional conferences on special education have had this recommendation drawn to their attention, and I am now considering what more we can do to encourage experiments in the integration of the handicapped. I have no doubt that any such experiments would be welcomed by the Warnock Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he

ANNUAL RESEARCH EXPENDITURE BY THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 1972–73 TO 1976–77
	Expenditure by Research Institutes and Units			Grants to University Department			Total Research Expenditure
Financial Year	Agricultural Research	Food Research	All Research	Agricultural Research	Food Research	All Research	Agricultural Research	Food Research	All Research
	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s
1972–73*	18,544	2,280	20,824	800	7	807	19,344	2,287	21,631
1973–74*	19,801	2,626	22,427	853	16	869	20,654	2,642	23,296
1974–75*	24,359	3,262	27,621	840	15	855	25,199	3,277	28,476
1975–76†	26,921	3,612	30,533	987	34	1,021	27,908	3,646	31,554
1976–77‡	32,408	4,353	36,761	1,472	58	1,530	33,880	4,411	38,291
Totals	122,033	16,133	138,166	4,952	130	5,082	126,985	16,263	143,248
* Actual.
† Provisional.
‡ Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give a list of university and research centres carrying out work on production of protein concentrates from indigenous United Kingdom sources for animal use, human use or both, and also a list of grants given by the Agricultural Research Council or other research councils for such work for each of the years 1972 to 1976, distinguishing between agricultural research and food research, and between grants or financial support to research institutes and grants to university departments.

I regret that an authoritative list could not be provided without disproportionate cost. The ARC finances work on protein concentrates from indigenous United Kingdom sources at seven institutes. The Plant Breeding Institute, the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, the Rothamsted Experimental Station and the John Innes Institute are concerned with the breeding, agronomy and composition of high protein crops; and the will give details of the annual research expenditure by the Agricultural Research Council in each of the years 1972 to 1975 and that planned for 1976, distinguishing between agricultural research and food research, and between grants or financial support to research authorities and grants to university departments.

The information is set out in the attached table.National Institute for Research in Dairying, the Grassland Research Institute and the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering with the extraction, feeding and mechanisation of leaf protein. The work is not the subject of specific financial allocations and some of it forms part of larger programmes so that it cannot be costed separately.The Council has also made grants of £7,500 to the University of Aberdeen for the microbial treatment of barley straw to produce a high protein animal feed and of £10,500 to the University of Durham for the sequential synthesis of proteins in developing seeds of field peas and beans.The Science Research Council has awarded grants totalling £170,000 over the period 1971–79 for research into the mechanisms of microbial growth on petroleum products which is also relevant in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the recent award to 43 Birmingham educational advisers and educational psychologists was approved on the grounds that negotiations began before the policy limiting pay increases to £6 was introduced in July 1975; what will be the immediate cost of the award; and what will be the annual cost when the award is implemented nationally.

This award was not subject to current pay limits as it was the result of arbitration commenced before 11th July 1975 on the annual settlement for the previous pay round for a group with an operative date prior to 11th July 1975. I understand that the immediate cost for the 43 educational advisers and 25 educational psychologists employed by Birmingham is £87,000. The annual cost, nationally, will be a little over £3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which authorities he consulted on the subject of fees to be charged to overseas students; and whether they included the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

My Department consulted the local authority associations before the issue of Circular 14/75 recommending fee levels in 1976–77, and we also took into account the advice of the University Grants Committee and the views of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals. We did not consult the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total expenditure from public funds on primary and secondary schools arising as a result of vandalism and wilful destruction of school property.

The Department does not regularly collect or receive information on the cost of vandalism and wilful destruction of school property.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settle- ments in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

Settlements in my Department's field have been within the £6 limit with the exception of those listed below which are covered by the transitional arrangements in the White Paper: university non-clinical academic and related staff; educational advisers and psychologists, school meals organisers and youth service officers employed by local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether members of industrial training boards, industrial tribunals and disablement advisory committees, respectively, receive salaries or allowances in respect of their services; how much they receive; and whether it is in respect of full or part-time service.

Chairmen of industrial training boards work part-time and may receive payment on the basis of £1,320 per annum for one day's work per week pro rata. They may also receive travelling expenses and subsistence allowances. At present two boards have deputy chairmen who are paid on the same basis. Ordinary board members receive only travelling expenses, subsistence allowances and, where appropriate, an allowance for loss of remunerative time.Members of industrial tribunals are paid a fee of £20 for each day on which they are required to attend a tribunal. This service is part-time and on average members are called to attend only 15 days a year.Chairmen of industrial tribunals may be either full-time or part-time. Fulltime chairmen are paid an annual salary of £11,750. Part-time chairmen are paid a fee of £45 for each day on which they are required to attend. Both members and chairmen of industrial tribunals may be paid travelling expenses and subsistence allowance.Neither chairmen nor members of disablement advisory committees, all of whom work part-time, receive payment other than travelling expenses, subsistence allowances and, where appropriate, an allowance for loss of remunerative time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers are currently unemployed (a) nationally, (b) in the North-West, (c) on Merseyside and (d) in Kirkby.

Following is the information at March 1976:

	Unemployed school leavers aged under 18 years
Great Britain	21,696
North-West Region	3,764
Merseyside	2,598
Kirkby Employment Office area	246

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the first report of the Advisory. Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

I have received a report from the ACAS covering its activities up to 31st December 1975. The report is being published today and I have arranged to put copies in the Library and in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much

			Hours of overtime worked by operatives in manufacturing industries: week ended 10th January 1976	Column (1)divided by 40	Numbers unemployed: manufacturing industries January 1976
			(1)	(2)	(3)
South-East	…	…	3,572,500	89,300	79,491
East Anglia	…	…
South-West	…	…	668,900	16,700	21,146
West Midlands	…	…	1,350,000	33,800	54,444
East Midlands	…	…	875,000	21,900	23,178
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	…	1,272,700	31,800	34,271
North-West	…	…	1,654,600	41,400	55,830
North	…	…	563,200	14,100	25,930
Wales	…	…	335,200	8,400	19,446
Scotland	…	…	931,200	23,300	39,228
Great Britain	…	…	11,223,300	280,600	352,964

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish has been paid out in Wales in the last year in redundancy pay, compared with the previous year.

The following information relates to employees in respect of whom rebates to employers or direct payments were made from the Redundancy Fund by the Department of Employment's Finance Officer for Wales. Payments known to be relevant to South-West England have been excluded.

Year	Total (to nearest thousand) received by the employees concerned from their employers or the Fund
1974	£2,723,000
1975	£10,086,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the full-time job equivalent, assuming a 40-hour week, of the hours of overtime worked in each region by employees in manufacturing industry at the latest convenient date; and how these figures compare with the numbers of registered unemployed in manufacturing for the same regions at a similar date.

Following is the information at January 1976. The overtime hours shown are those worked by operatives in all manufacturing industries; the numbers unemployed comprise all workers registered for employment whose last job was in manufacturing industries.details of all wages council settlements reached since 11th July 1975 excluding any amounts due to equal pay.

The following wages councils have agreed earnings supplements for adult full-time workers from the dates shown. In addition, 12 wages

Wages Council		Supplement	Date
		£
Licensed Non-Residential Establishment	…	6·00	22nd December 1975 (bar staff)
			23rd February 1976 (club stewards)
Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making	…	5·80	1st December 1975
Laundry	…	5·90	20th February 1976
Boot and Shoe Repairing	…	6·00	12th February 1976
Pin, Hook and Eye, and Snap Fastener	…	6·00	24th November 1975
Retail Bespoke Tailoring (Scotland)	…	5·00	3rd February 1976
Ready-Made and Wholesale Bespoke Tailoring	…	6·00	19th January 1976
Rubber-proofed Garment Making	…	6·00	24th February 1976
Corset	…	6·00	17th April 1976
Shirtmaking	…	6·00	16th January 1976
Wholesale Mantle and Costume	…	6·00	16th January 1976
Made-up Textiles	…	6·00	29th January 1976
Retail Bespoke Tailoring (England and Wales)	…	6·00 (skilled)	19th February 1976
		5·20 (unskilled)
Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (England and Wales)	…	6·00	25th March 1976
Aerated Waters (England and Wales)	…	6·00	18th February 1976
Hat, Cap and Millinery	…	4·50 plus	1st April 1976
		1·50	1th July 1976
Retail Newsagency, Tobacco and Confectionery Trades (Scotland)		5·80	5th April 1976
Perambulator and Invalid Carriage	…	6·00	26th April 1976
Unlicensed Place of Refreshment	…	6·00	21st June 1976
Road Haulage	…	6·00	29th February 1976
Cotton Waste Reclamation	…	2·60 plus	28th April 1976
		2·60	28th July 1976
Sack and Bag	…	6·00	12th June 1976
Lace Finishing	…	6·00	26th June 1976
Rope, Twine and Net	…	6·00	26th July 1976
Toy	…	6·00	23rd June 1976
General Waste Materials Reclamation	…	6·00	28th July 1976
Retail Drapery, Outfitting and Footwear Trades	…	6·00	7th July 1976

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details of ACAS arbitration awards which have resulted in pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit, indicating public sector and private awards separately.

The ACAS is an independent statutory body. It does not publish awards of arbitrators it appoints, which are the property of the parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in the present negotiations on pay policy, increment scales will continue to be regarded as self-financing and therefore exempt.

Under the current policy, already established incremental and wage-for-age scales are payable provided that this does not raise the overall wage bill by more than £6 per head. It is too soon to say what the next policy will be. councils' settlements reached before 11th July 1975 came into effect during the present pay policy under the transitional arrangements in the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the arrangements for notifying British embassies of the participation of British teams in sporting events in those countries.

Sporting organisations were reminded in 1975 by the Sports Council and the Central Council for Physical Recreation of the desirability of letting the Foreign and Commonwealth Office know of visits overseas by teams of their members. This information is passed on to the appropriate diplomatic or consular post. I am sure that the Sports Council and the Central Council for Physical Recreation are aware of the advantages of this procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet the Foreign Minister of Cuba.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

All settlements within my right hon. Friend's Department's field have been within the £6 limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Russians with diplomatic immunity are at present residing within (a) the Greater London area and (b) the London borough of Camden as at 1st March 1976, and how many Russians without diplomatic immunity are residing within (c) the Greater London area and (d) the London borough of Camden on 1st March 1976 or at latest dates for which information is available.

On 5th March 1976 the following Soviet citizens were resident within

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the United Kingdom to ratify the European Judgments Convention.

This matter involves complex negotiations with the other member States, which are in progress, and will have to be followed by legislation: this is unlikely to be completed before 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the comparative percentages of prisoners in (a) Scotland, and (b) England and Wales whose length of sentence is less than three months, less than one year, less than three years, and over three years.

The percentage distribution of sentence lengths of persons received on direct prison sentence in 1974 in (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales is shown in the table below:

	(a) Scotland	(b) England and Wales
Up to 3 months	65	14
Over 3 months and up to 1 year	27	45
Over 1 year and up to 4 years	6	37
Over 4 years	2	4

The figures for the exact sentence bands requested are not available without incurring disproportionate costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many families have been evicted for rent arrears in the Strathclyde and Central Regions, respectively, since the reorganisation of local government in Scotland.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

Settlements within my Department's field have been within the £6 limit with the exception of the police and craftsmen plumbers. These groups were covered by the transitional arrangements set out in Command 6151.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will make a statement about the effect of the Price Code on investment.

I amended the Price Code 15 months ago to introduce a new investment relief, and on 22nd January of this year I extended the relief for a further period. In reviewing prices policy I am taking full account of the importance of industrial investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will increase the butter subsidy to reduce the impact on needly consumers of recently announced price increases.

I am at present reviewing the rate of subsidy and I shall make an announcement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is her estimate of the anticipated rise in the retail price index when the present price check agreement comes to an end.

The movement of the Retail Price Index in the second half of 1976 will depend primarily on the extent of continued restraint on all forms of pay-I expect the rate of inflation to continue to fall as we work towards our target of an annual rate of increase in the RPI no greater than 10 per cent, next winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the latest available monthly rise in the retail price index.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Gow) and my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts).

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she is satisfied with progress toward a steady diminution in the rate of inflation throughout the whole of this year as the Government forecast.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member on 9th April 1976.—[Vol. 909, c. 343.]

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether she will now make a statement on the Price Commission's Review of the cost of fish.

The report will be published tomorrow. I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library and I shall send a copy to my hon. Friend. I will be discussing it with the trade, and will welcome the views of hon. Members with an interest in this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what changes she intends to make to the price check scheme in view of the Budget.

I hope it will be possible to maintain price restraint on the items affected by increases in duty, and I am consulting industry about the implications for the price check scheme of the proposals in the Budget Statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, pursuant to the Written Answer in the Official Report on 26th March 1976, c. 317, if she will publish in the Official Report the full text of the letter that the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) wrote to the Minister of State on 1st March 1976.

I cannot. The hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) only felt able to send me the letter on "Strictly Private Personal and Confidential" basis. The hon. Member for Gloucester made it quite clear that I would be held personally responsible should the entire contents or the name of the writer of the letter be divulged to anyone. I suggest the hon. Member approaches the hon. Member for Gloucester if the hon. Member wishes to see a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, pursuant to the Written Answer from the Minister of State, Department of Prices and Consumer Protection on 26th March 1976, column 317, if she has now received the full text of the letter from the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim); and if she will publish the extract deleted from the original copy that was sent to her.

I now have. J am unable to publish it since the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs Oppenheim) insists that I treat the copy letter on a "Strictly Private and Confidential basis".

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, pursuant to the Written Answer in the Official Report on 26th March 1976, column 317, if the letter that the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) sent to the Minister of State, Department of Prices and Consumer Protection at his request, contained and confirmed the authenticity of the quotation she read out in the debate on the Price Code on 18th February 1976, columns 1413–4.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans she has to introduce legislation to regulate the conduct of mail order business; and if she will make a statement.

The provisions of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which apply generally to credit transactions involving mail order, will become fully operative over the next 18 months. I shall also publish tomorrow the report of the Consumer Protection Advisory Committee on the proposals by the Direc- tor General of Fair Trading to control prepayment in mail order transactions and shops, and will shortly be laying before Parliament a draft order reflecting the action I propose to take on the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if, in the light of representations from finance houses associations, she will introduce legislation to seek to amend the criteria for the registration of credit intermediaries; and if she will make a statement.

I have received no such representations. The Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for licensing under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and if experience shows that amendment is needed he will, no doubt, advise me in accordance with his statutory duty.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom she is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

There has been none.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish the values in £ million, and indices of the volume and values, of United Kingdom imports and exports of petroleum and petroleum products, using the SITC classification of table 12 of the current monthly Press notice on the balance of payments, for 1960 to 1975.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade has written to the hon. Member, and will reply to his Question later.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proposals he has under consideration for dealing with non-tariff barriers to international trade.

The reduction and removal of non-tariff barriers to international trade is one of the main objectives of the multilateral trade negotiations currently taking place in Geneva, under the auspices of the GATT. In addition, the Government take every convenient opportunity to seek the removal of particular non-tariff barriers affecting United Kingdom exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will appoint an investigation into the affairs of Bage-court Limited, of Welling, Kent, and Marcastle Limited of Ashtead, Surrey;(2) if he will appoint an investigation into the affairs of Tokengate Investments Limited.

I have no evidence which would justify the use of my right hon. Friend's powers under the Companies Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when Wapping Pier Head Properties Limited last filed its accounts at Companies House; and what is the last known state of solvency of the company.

The company has so far failed to file accounts, despite repeated reminders from the Registrar and several undertakings of compliance. A promise has now been secured to file accounts immediately after Easter. It is not for me to express an opinion on the solvency of this company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report those groups of workers for whom he is responsible who have received pay settlements in excess of the £6 limit during the period of operation of the limit; and what are the reasons for such excess payments.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why he has not yet answered the Question put to him for answer on 29th March by the hon. Member for Salford, East concerning the £8 million in contract between British Marconi and the South African Defence Department to supply long-range military communication equipment for use in Namibia similar to that used by the United States forces in Vietnam to detect the movement of weapons, individuals and vehicles.

Government policy in respect of the sale of defence equipment to other countries and the granting of export licences for such equipment is not solely a matter for my department. As the hon. Member was informed by letter on 1st April, an answer to his Question put down for answer on 29th March will be provided as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has plans to fit AEW equipment in Sea King helicopters with a view to replacing the AEW Gannets after the withdrawal of HMS "Ark Royal"; and, if not, how he proposes to provide AEW cover in future for the Royal Navy.

No. The Gannets in HMS "Ark Royal" are there to provide organic AEW for that vessel; is is complementary to the general AEW cover for the Fleet provided by the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the range of COD Gannet; whether it is intended that helicopters will be used for carrier onboard delivery with HMS "Invincible". and its sister ships of the same class; and by what percentage the range will be reduced compared with the Gannets.

Carrier on-board delivery, if by RN Gannet, can be made to ranges of up to 500 miles. In the case of HMS "Invincible" and class, COD will be by helicopter, with no reduction in range.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of people employed in Royal ordnance factories who are older than the recognised retirement age; and in what grades and categories such people are employed.

The number of ROF staff above the recognised retirement age, analysed to grades and categories, is as follows:

Grade	Number
Director Executive Middle Band	1
Assistant Director (Professional and Technology Group Superintending Grade)	1
Principal Professional and Technology Officer	1
Professional and Technology Officer Grade I	17
Professional and Technology Officer Grade II	27
Professional and Technology Officer Grade III	50
Professional and Technology Officer Grade IV	59
Drawing Office Assistant	2
Photoprinter Grade I	2
Senior Scientific Officer	1
Higher Scientific Office	2
Senior Executive Officer	3
Higher Executive Officer	2
Executive Officer	6
Clerical Officer	88
Clerical Assistant	5
Secretarial Grades (including Typists)	4
Nursing Grades	4
Medical Officers	2
Process and General Supervisors Grade A	4
Process and General Supervisors Grade B	22
Process and General Supervisors Grade C	24
Process and General Supervisors Grade D	29
Stores Supervisory Grade A	2
Stores Supervisory Grade B	—
Stores Supervisory Grade C	2
Stores Supervisory Grade D	9
Total Non-Industrial	369
Industrial Craft	18
Industrial Non Craft	80
Total Industrial	98