asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic wardens are required in the London metropolitan area to bring recruitment up to full strength.

Following is the information for the Metropolitan Police District:

Authorised establishment	2,152
Strength currently permitted*	1,863
Strength on 31st March 1976	1,808
Deficiency in establishment	344
Deficiency in permitted strength*	55

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the salary of a traffic warden working in the London metropolitan area (a) on joining, (b) after five years' service and (c) after 10 years' service.

The annual salary is £1,920 on joining, £2,000 after one year, £2,060 after two years and £2,140 from three years onwards. London weighting of £465 a year (inner) and £275 a year (outer) is payable in addition. A supplement of £6 a week is to be paid from 1st July 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence there is that agents or accessories of the South African security services are operating in Great Britain.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my answers to Questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Wellbeloved) on 12th February 1976 and my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on 26th February 1976 and to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson), as Prime Minister, gave to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 24th February 1976.—[Vol. 905, c. 287; Vol. 906, c. 281–2; Vol. 906, c. 117–18.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been referred to the Court of Appeal under Section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968—or previous similar legislation—in each year for the last 15 years.

The numbers are as follows:

1961	Nil
1962	3
1963	5
1964	11
1965	6
1966	3
1967	1
1968	6
1969	6
1970	7
1971	5
1972	6
1973	4
1974	4
1975	8
1976 (to date)	7

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken in the light of the remarks of the Court of Appeal in the case of Regina v. Melville reported in [1976] 1 All England Reports at page 395.

We are currently considering representations made by solicitors acting for Mr. Melville.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report an itemised list of the 20 offences against prison rules proved against Mr. Dennis Warren which resulted in forfeiture of remission of sentence together with the period of forfeiture for each offence.

Following is the information:

Paragraph of Rule 47	Number of offences	Number of days Remission forfeited				Total
6	4	2;	7;	14;	3*	26
13	1	3	…		…	3
14	3	3;	2;	3*	…	8
18	11	3;	7;	21;	2;
		14;	7;	14;	14;
		14;	7;	7	…	110
20	1	7	…		…	7
	20					154

Of the total of 154 days, 28 days were subsequently restored and two suspended awards of three days each marked

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Mr. Dennis Warren has now been imprisoned; and what proportion of his prison sentence this is.

Mr. Warren has served 729 days of a sentence of 1,096 days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of their prison sentence was actually served by the convicted train robbers: Roy James, Ronald Edwards, James White, James Hussey, Thomas Wisbey, Gordon Goody and Roger Cordrey, respectively;(2) what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. Roy James for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison;(3) what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. Ronald Edwards, for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison;(4) what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. Thomas Wisbey for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison; what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. James Hussey for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison; what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. Roger Cordrey for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison; what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. James White for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison; what prison sentence was imposed on Mr. Gordon Goody for his part in the Great Train Robbery; and how much of that sentence he had served on the date of his release from prison.

The following periods of imprisonment were served—sentences shown in parentheses:

Mr. R. James (30 years) served 4,243 days of a sentence of 10,957 days.

Mr. R. C. Edwards (15 years) served 3,093 days of a sentence of 5,479 days.

Mr. J. E. White (18 years) served 3,249 days of a sentence of 6,575 days.

Mr. J. Hussey (30 years) served 4,390 days of a sentence of 10,957 days.

Mr. T. W. Wisbey (30 years) served 4,488 days of a sentence of 10,957 days.

Mr. D. G. Goody (30 years) served 4,404 days of a sentence of 10,957 days.

PREMISES IN ENGLAND AND WALES LICENSED FOR THE RETAIL SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR, AND REGISTERED CLUBS (1960, 1970, 1975)
		On-licensed premises (other than licensed clubs)
Year	…	Part IV licence	Other on-licence	Licensed Clubs	Registered Clubs	Off-licensed Premises
1960	…	69.184		23,773		23,670
1970	…	103,313	64,702	2,511	23,521	27,910
1975	…	14,892	64,559	2,797	24,787	31,629

What are now known as Part IV licences were introduced by the Licensing Act 1961. Separate figures for premises which would now have a Part IV licence, and for licensed and registered clubs, are not available for years before that Act was in force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received regarding legislation to reduce the age of consent for homosexual or heterosexual

Mr. R. J. Cordrey (14 years) served 2,694 days of a sentence of 5,113 days.

Mr. Edwards, whose parole licence was revoked, has recently been released again on licence after serving a further 166 days of his sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the fingerprints of several hundred school-children taken by the Northumbrian Constabulary in January 1976 in connection with a murder investigation are now part of the National Fingerprint Collection held at Scotland Yard.

No. I understand that with the exception of the fingerprints of a person who has been charged with the murder all the fingerprints taken in the course of this investigation have, as promised, been destroyed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many premises in England and Wales were licensed for the retail sale of intoxicating liquor, showing (a) full or licensed premises (b) Part IV licensed premises, (c) registered clubs and (d) off-licence premises in each of the years 1960, 1970 and 1975.

The information is as follows; figures for 1975 are provisional.relationships; and if she will make a statement.

A large number of organisations and individuals have sent in views on the age of consent. Among these are some who have proposed that the age of consent for homosexual acts should be reduced, while others advocated no change. Those commenting on the age of consent to heterosexual intercourse are mainly opposed to any change. All these views are being considered by the Policy Advisory Committee on Sexual Offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prisoners remanded without bail at the latest available date and the comparable figure for each of the last five years.

The number of unconvicted prisoners in custody in remand centres and local prisons on 31st March 1976 was 3,219. Comparable figures for each of the last five years are given below:

31st March 1971	3,007
31st March 1972	2,781
31st March 1973	2,746
31st March 1974	3,103
31st March 1975	3,554

In addition there were 1,769 persons in custody who had been convicted and were awaiting sentence. The equivalent numbers in earlier years were:

31st March 1971	1,664
31st March 1972	1,568
31st March 1973	1,594
31st March 1974	1,890
31st March 1975	2,096

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) of those prisoners on remand without bail at the latest available date, how many have been on remand for: (a) one to three

CONVICTIONS FOR OFFENCES OF DRIVING ETC. AFTER CONSUMING ALCOHOL OR TAKING DRUGS—ALL COURTS ENGLAND AND WALES
Number of convictions
Offence type	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
Unfit to drive etc., through drink or drugs (impairment)	1,185	1,163	1,267	1,626	1,727	2,315	2,703
Driving etc. with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit	16,080	21,174	23,483	35,240	43,215	50,090	50,163
Driving and failing to provide specimen for laboratory test	1,139	1,341	1,490	2,082	2,299	2,914	3,075
In charge of motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs (impairment)	213	187	198	193	196	330	295
In charge of motor vehicle with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit	672	588	558	675	806	805	875
In charge of motor vehicle and failing to provide specimen for laboratory test	208	255	246	263	415	752	893
Failing to provide specimen for initial breath test	1,460	1,684	1,728	2,180	2,657	3,624	4,180
Total	20,957	26,392	28,970	42,259	51,315	60,830	62,184

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether

We are having the available information analysed and my noble Friend will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for drunken driving and drunk in charge offences, excess alcohol in the blood and breath test offences in England and Wales in each of the years since the passage of the Road Safety Act 1967.

The available information is as follows. Figures for 1975 are not yet available.he will institute an investigation into the allocation of finances for refuges for battered women under the Urban Aid Scheme.

We see no need at present for such an investigation to be undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many traffic wardens there are in Wales;(2) how many traffic wardens are required in Wales to bring recruitment up to full strength;(3) how many traffic wardens there are in Dyfed and Ceredigion, respectively.

Two hundred and forty-one traffic wardens were employed in Welsh police areas on 23rd April, 69 fewer than the establishment. Thirty-three were in Dyfed, of which four were in Ceredigion

asked the Secretary of State for Energy which nuclear missions have been and which are expected to be received in the United Kingdom other than the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingdom.

From the early days of United Kingdom interest in nuclear power, there have been frequent visits of missions for discussions on scientific, technological and industrial co-operation and on trading opportunities. It would require a disproportionate effort to compile a record of all of these. Likewise, I cannot predict the number of missions to be expected in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what plans he has to meet the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingdom;(2) which officials of nuclear establishments the Soviet nuclear missions, currently in the United Kingdom, are expected to meet; and what their discussions are to be about;(3) whether any officials of his Department or the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority are expected to meet the Soviet nuclear mission, currently in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement:(4) how long the Soviet nuclear mission, currently in the United Kingdom, is expected to stay;(5) if he will list the members of the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingrom together with their positions;(6) which nuclear establishments the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingdom is expected to visit.

There are long-standing links between the United Kingdom and the USSR in the nuclear field, deriving from the agreement concluded in 1961, during the premiership of Mr. Harold Macmillan, between the UKAEA and the State Committee for Utilisation of Atomic Energy which provided for cooperation in areas of mutual interest in nuclear research. More recently, under the aegis of the Anglo-Soviet Joint Commission for Co-operation in the Fields of Applied Science, Technology, Trade and Economic Relations, there has been growing interest in the scope for economic and technological co-operation on nuclear power. Delegations have been exchanged to explore the possibilities, particularly in the light of the similarities between our SGHWR and the Soviet RBMK—graphite-moderated, pressure tube reactor—of which two 1000-MW examples are already in operation.A British Nuclear Forum mission visited the Soviet Union from 26th October to 5th November 1975. The return mission, invited by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade, in his capacity as joint Chairman of the Anglo-Soviet Joint Commission, will be in the United Kingdom from 25th April to 6th May. Its membership is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is yet in a position to ratify the UNESCO Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and national heritage; and if he will make a statement.

I am unable to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member on 30th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the decision to delay the introduction of a more democratic constitution in the Falkland Islands until some time after the pending general election, he will announce before that election is held a timetable for early constitutional change which makes plain that the islands are entitled to full democratic control of their own affairs as other comparable communities in the Commonwealth.

I would refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply of 28th April. The changes will be implemented as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much British taxpayers' money has been or will be committed to the provision of facilities in the Falkland Islands for the Argentine State Oil Company (YPF) which has been given a monopoly in the supply of petroleum products to the islanders; and under what Vote this expenditure is carried.

Her Majesty's Government have committed no expenditure for this purpose. If any future recommendation is made, we shall have to consider whether such expenditure is justified in the context of the development of the Falkland Islands and the availability of aid funds as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest estimate of the minimum cost of extending the permanent airfield at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands to permit an alternative means of external travel if this were authorised in the near future.

Her Majesty's Government have received no official estimate so far. If an extension of the present airfield, now nearly completed, could be justified on economic grounds, we would be prepared to examine this in the light of the overall availability of aid funds.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants are employed in both Yorkshire and Humberside and in the county of South Yorkshire as a result of dispersal policies.

As a result of policies of dispersing Civil Service work from London and setting up new work away from London wherevere possible, over 1,500 posts were established in Yorkshire and Humberside—including 85 in South Yorkshire—between May 1963 and October 1975. Current plans provide for the establishment of a further 2,850 posts in Yorkshire and Humberside, including 1,800 in South Yorkshire.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will list the total amount of aid given to foreign countries for each of the years 1964 to 1975.

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE—NET DISBURSEMENTS
						£ million
	Bilateral
			Commonwealth	Non-Commonwealth	Multilateral	Total ODA
1964	…	…	145	13	15	173
1965	…	…	137	13	19	169
1966	…	…	139	15	20	174
1967	…	…	139	15	19	173
1968	…	…	139	15	19	173
1969	…	…	131	16	33	180
1970	…	…	152	14	20	186
1971	…	…	177	23	30	231
1972	…	…	156	37	51	243
1973	…	…	147	34	66	246
1974	…	…	175	42	91	309
1975	…	…	189*	59*	137*	385*
*Provisional.
Figures are rounded to the nearest million and components may not add up to the totals shown.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if his Department is intending to contribute to the $30 million United Nations High Commission for Refugees programme for Vietnam; and, if so, what that contribution will be.

The British Government gave £250,000 to the joint UNHCR/ UNICEF emergency programme for Indo-China and £150,000 to the UNHCR programme for refugees outside Indo-China in 1975, and we continue to make regular contributions to the UNHCR budget. We have no plans at present for making another special contribution to this UNHCR programme.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will consider contributing to the World Health Organisation campaign to raise $75 million for medical aid to the Vietnamese people.

The British Government make a regular annual contribution to the budget of the World Health Organisation. We have no plans at present for making an additional voluntary contribution to his campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances members of the Territorial Army were permitted to engage in manoeuvres with

The information is as follows:—the Nazi paramilitary group Column 88, details of which were forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Home Department by the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley and whether he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on Thursday 29th April.—[Vol. 910, c. 180.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the approved establishment of skilled manual workers employed by the Quality Assurance Directorates at Woolwich Arsenal at 31st March 1976; and how many of these posts remained unfilled at that date.

There is no approved establishment for industrial staff at Woolwich Arsenal. The numbers employed vary with the estimated work load. On 31st March 1976 there were 227 skilled manual workers in the Quality Assurance Directorates and four temporary vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many skilled manual workers were employed at the various establishments at Woolwich Arsenal West at the end of each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

The following table shows the establishments in Woolwich Arsenal West employing skilled manual workers (craft industrials) and the number:

	31st March 1970	31st March 1971	31st March 1972	31st March 1973	31st March 1974	31st March 1975	31st March 1976
Quality Assurance Directorate (Weapons)	191	204	185	165	142	130	133
Quality Assurance Directorate (Fighting Vehicles and Engineering Equipment)	96	96	92	84	75	90	94
Royal Air Force Electrical Workshop	*	49	49	49	49	49	49
Directorate of Naval Ordnance Services (South)	22	20	23	24	17	12	11
*Figures not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many apprentices were recruited by the various establishments at Woolwich Arsenal during each of the last seven years for which figures are available: and how many are

	31st March 1969	31st March 1970	31st March 1971	31st March 1972	31st March 1973	31st March 1974	31st March 1975
Quality Assurance Directorate (Weapons)	13C	13C	13C	10C	5C	12C	14C
		1S		1S		1S	2S
Quality Assurance Directorate (Fighting Vehicles and Engineering Equipment)	4C	4C	4C	2C	2C	3C	4C
Royal Air Force Electrical Workshop	—	7C	8C	7C	7C	8C	8C
Notes:
C = Craftsman, S = Student.
Student Apprentices differ from Craft Apprentices in having specified qualifications at "O" Level.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the annual number of stores issued in 1975 from Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell, Central Ordnance Depot Donnington and Central Ordnance Depot Bicester, respectively.

The number of stores issues made from each of the central ordnance depots in 1974–75, the latest financial year for which complete statistics are available, were as follows:

Chilwell	1,067,220
Donnington	2,537,664
Bicester	901,901

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost per issue, respectively, from Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell, Central Ordnance Depot Donnington and Central Ordnance Depot Bicester.

The following tables shows the recruitment of apprentices at Woolwich Arsenal. The intake this year is expected to be broadly similar to that of 1975.

The administrative cost per issue for the central ordnance depots in 1974–75, the latest financial year for which complete statistics are available, was as follows:

Chilwell	£3·09
Donnington	£1·13
Bicester	£4·88

These figures are not a measure of the cost effectiveness of the depots concerned, as differences in type, weight, quantity held, method of handling and so on of the stores involved make a simple comparison of cost per issue meaningless.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the housing stock of the Ministry of Defence by year of construction of the various types of dwellings.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the income and expenditure for each of the last five years attributable to his Department's management of its housing stock.

The cost of managing Service married quarters and civilian houses in the United Kingdom, covering structural repair and minor works improvements schemes, but excluding administrative and furnishing costs and also contributions in lieu of rates, was as follows:

	£ million
1971–72	15·6
1972–73	16·2
1973–74	18·4
1974–75	21·9
1975–76	27·9
	(estimate)

Accommodation charges recovered in respect of Service married quarters and civilian houses in the United Kingdom are estimated to have been as follows:

	£ million
1974–75	26·7
1975–76	35·3

Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence houses were constructed in each of the last five years.

During the last five years the Ministry of Defence acquired the following houses in the United Kingdom:

Financial Year	Number of Houses
1971–72	2,062
1972–73	2,021
1973–74	1,693
1974–75	1,246
1975–76	1,008

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of Ministry of Defence houses in the United Kingdom are currently occupied by (a) military personnel and (b) civilian personnel.

According to the latest available information, some 88 per cent. of the 98,000 Service married quarters and 96 per cent. of the 5,700 civilian houses in the United Kingdom are occupied. Some Service married quarters are occupied by civilian personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of tenancy of a Ministry of Defence house.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence houses there are at Fauld in Staffordshire; and how long they have been empty.

There are 10 Ministry of Defence houses at Fauld in Staffordshire, all of which have been vacant for about four years. They will be disposed of when the site, a former RAF ammunition depot, has been cleared. Some 600 other Ministry of Defence houses in the area have been disposed of in the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to take over any part of Cornwall and Devon for use by the Army as firing ranges; and if he will make a statement.

None. I presume that the Hon. Member has in mind the next stage of the Dartmoor public inquiry, which is due to open in Exeter on 11th May. The purposes of the resumed inquiry were set out in Lady Sharp's statement of 6th April 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the forecast level of capital expenditure on schools in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, for the current financial year, and the scheduled level for 1979–80.

Capital expenditure on schools, including provision for the under-5s, in 1976–77 is expected to be £324 million in England at 1975 survey prices. The comparable forecast of expenditure for 1979–80 is £184 million. I am informed by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland that comparable figures for Wales and Scotland respectively are £18 million and £58 million in 1976–77, and £9 million and £30 million in 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the Scottish universities have expressed any views to him about whether they wish to maintain their link with the University Grants Committee, as opposed to being put under the jurisdiction of a Scottish Assembly.

The principals of the eight Scottish universities issued a joint statement in April. This reaffirmed the overwhelming support within the universities for the recommendations of the White Paper, in particular that the Scottish universities should remain associated with a single United Kingdom University Grants Commmittee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next intends to meet the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.

I have no immediate plans for a meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make a statement on the future of private fee paying schools in relation to their charitable status.

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right. hon. Friend to a question by the hon. Member on 2nd March 1976.—[Official Report, Vol. 906, c. 522.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he is making in encouraging more business sponsorship of the Arts.

My noble Friend the Minister for the Arts will be in close touch with the CBI and the TUC and hopes that improved machinery for encouraging business sponsorship will soon be established.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the Taylor Committee on the administration of schools to report.

My right hon. Friend hopes that the Committee will report within the next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the effects of Command Paper No.6440 "Cash Limits on Public Expenditure" upon local education authority schools over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Cash limits apply to the total amount of recurrent financial assistance provided to local authorities by Central Government in 1976–77 through the rate support grant system. Because RSG is not attributed directly to a particular service it is impossible to define exactly how cash limits on RSG will affect education services, in all areas. Apportionment of RSG money is a matter for local decision. Cash limit arrangements after 1976–77 have yet to be decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she has any proposals for further research into the efficacy of teaching methods in primary schools, in the light of the recent publication "Teaching Styles and Pupil Progress", by research workers at the University of Lancaster.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 3rd May.—[Official Report, Vol. 910, c. 269–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made towards the establishment of the proposed theatre museum.

The nucleus of the Theatre Museum is at present temporarily established in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Department of the Environment is negotiating a lease and building agreement with the Greater London Council for the basement of the former Flower Market, Covent Garden and the ground floor premises on the corner of Russell Street and Wellington Street. Plans for the conversion of these premises are currently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to ensure that local authorities are guided by his undertaking, given in the House of Commons on 27th October 1975, Official Report column 1191, that capitation grants in respect of children presently in direct grant schools will continue until these children complete their secondary education; and whether this includes children studying in direct grant schools up to A level.

Capitation grants will continue to be paid until the children leave their present schools in the ordinary way. The great majority of them will no doubt stay up to A level. The Government's intention is that the ending of the direct grant system should not involve any avoidable upset of an individual child's education. I have no doubt that local education authorities will observe the same principle in relation to children for whom they have taken free places at direct grant schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider extending the statutory responsibility of his Department for ESN and SSN youths to the age of 19 years.

My right hon. Friend's responsibilities already extend to these young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is now the scale of the national research and development programme both private and public; if he will express this as a percentage of gross national product; and how this compares with the average in the EEC, USA and Japan based on statistics available to him.

In 1972–73, the latest year for which comparisons covering the public and the private sector can be made, United Kingdom expenditure on scientific research and development totalled £1,310 million, equivalent to 2·3 per cent. of the gross domestic product. The percentage for the United States of America was 2·4 per cent. Comparable official figures for the European Economic Community and Japan are not available but the percentage for Japan is believed to be approximately 1·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are now the total funds available for expenditure on research; how much is spent in Government laboratories whether defence or otherwise, universities, colleges of technology and other learned institutions, research associations, and the laboratories of private industry, respectively, and in total.

The last survey covering the whole economy related to the financial year 1972–73.Figures are given below.

Sector	Research performed in each sector Sector (£ million)
Government:
Defence	133
Civil	204
Total Government	337
Universities	110
Further Education	5
Research Associations	19
Public Corporations	69
PrivateIndustry	739
Other	31
Total	1,310

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are now the total funds spent on pure research, applied research and development, respectively, and in total; what percentage this represents of gross national product; how much of these

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, of the total funds spent on research and defence development, how much is spent on defence, and how much on industrial and other research both private and public.

In 1972–73 spending totalled £1,310 million, of which 23 per cent. was spent on defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what are the locations of the field offices of the Institute of Geological Sciences which have responsibility for geological mapping in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and each of the standard regions of of England;(2) if he will publish in the

The present locations of the field offices are as follows:

North Wales and North of England: Leeds.

South Wales and South of England: London.

Scotland: Edinburgh.

Northern Ireland: Belfast.

No date for the completion of the Geological Mapping Survey of Wales or

Information is given below for the financial years 1969–70 and 1972–73. The analysis of expenditure as between pure research, applied research and experimental development relates to current expenditure only.other parts of the United Kingdom can be given. Progress depends on requirements and priorities worked out by a consortium consisting of representatives of the Natural Environment Research Council, the Welsh Office and other Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further consideration he has given to the provision of travel warrants for pupils to travel free to and from State schools; and if he will now make a statement on school bus fares.

My consultative document on revised school transport arrangements, copies of which are available in the Library, envisaged a locally determined flat-rate charge for all pupils other that those qualifying for free travel on grounds of hardship or handicap. But there is a continued absence of consensus among local authorities and other interested parties as to future policy and I have at present nothing to add to what I said in answer to questions by the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 30th March—[Vol 908, c. 1080–1083].

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what income tax revenue would be lost if that annual income up to £5,000 were taxed at £35 per cent., £5,000 to £7,500 at 37·5 per cent., £7,500 to £10,000 at 40 per cent., £10,000 to £15,000 at 42·5 per cent., £15,000 to 20,000 at 45 per cent., £20,000 to £25,000 at 47·5 per cent., £25,000 to £35,000 at 50 per cent., and £35,000 and above at 60 per cent.;(2) what income tax revenue would be lost if that annual income up to £5,000 were taxed at 35 per cent., £5,000 to £7,500 at 37·5 per cent., £7,500 to £10,000 at 40 per cent., £10,000 to £15,000 at 42·5 per cent., £15,000 to £20,000 at 45 per cent., £20,000 to £25,000 at 47·5 per cent. and £25,000 and above at 50 per cent.

On the basis of the conditional and unconditional proposals in the Budget, and assuming that the rates indicated apply to taxable income, the estimated costs for 1976–77 are about £730 million and £760 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Treasury if income tax started at incomes of two-thirds of average industrial earnings.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates available to him for: (a) public expenditure in total and (b) as a direct call on resources, excluding transfer payments, expressed as a percentage of GNP for the following countries: the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, Italy, Sweden, West Germany, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.

Other countries, in general, do not use in their national accounts the concepts of the public sector and of total public expenditure which are employed in the United Kingdom. International comparisons can be made only on a general Government basis—central and local government plus social security funds—and, in the case of total expenditure, excluding certain transfer payments such as capital grants and net lending. The table below shows figures on this basis for 1973, the latest year for which information is available. Differences between countries are partly due to institutional factors.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE AS A PER CENTAGE OF GNP AT MARKET PRICES, 1973
	Goods and Services	Total Expenditure
United Kingdom	23·5	39·9
United States	21·7	32·7
France	16·1	37·3
Italy	17·2*	40·0*
Sweden	27·9	46·0
West Germany	21·6	38·4
Belgium	18·2*	39·1*
Ireland	20·1	39·4
Netherlands	20·4*	47·5*
Denmark	26·6*	41·1*
Norway	21·8	46·7

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the method by which the Treasury's exchange cover scheme operates.

Under the exchange cover scheme the proceeds of any foreign currency borrowing by the United Kingdom public sector are sold to the Exchange Equalisation Account in exchange for sterling at the exchange rate then prevailing. The EEA undertakes to provide foreign currency for the service and repayment of such borrowing at the same rates of exchange, rather than the market rates at the time of the payments. In return the borrower surrenders to the EEA a proportion of the interest rate advantage of the foreign borrowing. This proportion is adjusted from time to time, with the broad objective of allowing borrowers an interest benefit of about 1 per cent. compared with the cost of their sterling borrowing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what has been the cost since 1st March 1976 to the Treasury by reason of the Treasury's exchange cover scheme as a result of the depreciation of the £ sterling;(2) what has been the estimated benefit and the estimated cost since 1st March 1974 of the Treasury's exchange cover scheme.

The sterling costs and benefits to the Exchange Equalisation Account of the exchange cover scheme depend upon the exchange rate relationships between sterling and the various currencies borrowed at the beginning and at maturity of individual loans and the movement in United Kingdom and overseas interest rates throughout the period of the loans. During the life of the loans the EEA benefits as the result of higher interest rates paid by the public sector borrowers. The cost to the EEA of the scheme consists of the increased sterling liability of the foreign currency borrowing when the loans mature. The assessment of any eventual net cost to the Exchange Equalisation Account can be completed only when a loan undertaken through this arrangement has been repaid.Loans under the exchange cover scheme which were outstanding on 1st March 1974 are currently—30th April—equivalent to £1·7 billion, compared with £1·1 billion when the individual loans were negotiated. For 1st March 1976 the corresponding figures were £3·7 billion and £2·8 billion respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the amount of overseas loans by public sector bodies currently outstanding in Swiss francs;(2) what is the amount of overseas loans by public sector bodies currently outstanding in United States dollars;(3) what is the amount of overseas loans by public sector bodies currently outstanding in deutschemarks;(4) what is the amount of overseas loans by public sector bodies currently outstanding in Dutch florins;(5) what is the amount of overseas loans by public sector bodies currently outstanding in European units of account;(6) what is the amount of overseas loans by public sector bodies currently outstanding in Belgian francs;

At the end of March 1976 the amounts outstanding—to nearest 5 million—were:

	Million
US dollars	6,830
deutschemarks	1,030
Dutch florins	105
Belgian francs	1,190
Swiss francs	930
Japanese yen	1,875
European units ofaccount	5

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to facilitate the merging of small building societies.

I am not convinced of the need for special powers for this purpose. The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies already encourages mergers between societies where this would lead to greater efficiency. Thirty-two societies with assets of less than £1 million have merged with larger societies within the last two years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated minimum value of the assets that would accrue to the United Kingdom reserves if all overseas fixed assets were to be sold off during the course of the next two years; and what is the estimated minimum of value to the reserves if all privately owned overseas portfolio investments were to be incorporated in them.

Estimates of the United Kingdom's direct, oil company and portfolio investments overseas are published in Table 35 of the CSO's Pink Book, "United Kingdom Balance of Payments 1964–74", a copy of which is available in the Library. The 25 per cent. surrender requirement on foreign currency securities yielded a benefit to the official reserves of the order of £180 million in 1975, but no assessment has been made of the possible proceeds of any hypothetical realisation of overseas assets beyond this. There would be neither justification nor need for so extreme an approach. Fully adequate external financing is available through conventiontal channels, and in this connection I have arranged with the IMF for the standby of SDR 700 million —equivalent to about $800 million—to be drawn shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the measures being adopted by householders to improve the acoustic and thermal insulation of their properties, he will issue instructions to district valuers that in the national interest such measures should not be subject to increased valuation assessments for rating purposes.

No, but it is unlikely that such measures will lead to any increase in rating assessments for a current valuation list.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many VAT officials entered the private living accommodation of the tenant of the Black Cap public house in Camden Town in order to carry out a VAT search; to what extent they searched diaries, handbags and other personal effects of those on the premises; whether the search was carried out in accordance with the Department's normal rules and, if so, whether he will amend the rules.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report 29th April 1976; Vol. 910, c. 188], gave the following answer:Four officers of Customs and Excise searched the public house on 13th April 1976. They were assisted to some extent by two other officers who were already present on the premises by appointment to make a VAT control visit. One further officer was brought in when it became necessary to take stock at the premises, but he did not join in the search.The premises consist in all of four floors and a cellar, and documents concerning the business and a substantial quantity of stock were stored in certain of the rooms primarily intended for private use. Diaries, handbags and other items of a personal nature were examined, but only superficially to ensure that they contained nothing of relevance to the business. The search was carried out in accordance with departmental rules and under the authority of a search warrant issued by a justice of the peace under Section 37(3) of the Finance Act 1972.Subsequently, on 27th April, a further visit was made by two officers to pursue some excise duty questions in regard to the stock at the public house. They found it necessary to seek help from the police, and the tenant was subsequently arrested and charged with obstructing the police in the course of their duty. He was also charged with similarly obstructing the Customs officer. He appeared in court on 28th April and was then remanded on bail.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many war widows have been brought into the tax net by his recent legislation on war widows' pensions.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate of tax revenue from war widows' pensions.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had regarding the recent uplifting of war widows' pensions into the tax-net.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement of the following countries: West Germany, Japan, France, Italy and the United States of America.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will express his Budget estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement as a percentage of gross domestic product and per head of population for the United Kingdom; and if he will give comparable figures for West Germany, Japan, France, Italy and the United States of America.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish, as a Command Paper or otherwise, the Government's comments on the criticisms and proposals in the Fifth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules together with an indication of the steps to be taken in consequence.

No. The Office of Examiner of Statutory Rules was established by resolution of the Northern Ireland Assembly. With the dissolution of the Assembly the functions of the Examiner lapsed, but he was asked to continue to compile reports as before. His reports—copies of which are placed in the Library—guide Northern Ireland Departments in preparing and making statutory rules and are not the sort of document that calls for formal comments from the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the latest available figures for emigration from Northern Ireland; and what are the principal countries to which emigrants go.

No precise figures are available between censuses of the number of people emigrating from Northern Ireland. The estimated figure for 1975 was 16,000, but it is not possible to break down this figure between those going to Great Britain and other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure of the industry training boards in 1974–75; how this compares with expenditure in 1972–73 and 1973–74; and what are the activities on which the additional expenditure has been incurred.

Following is the information:

	£
1972–73	2,175,933
1973–74	2,336,332
1974–75	2,664,447

Apart from the effects of inflation, the increase in expenditure has resulted from the opening of a new training centre and an increase in the direct and advisory training services offered by industrial training boards in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are employed by the Northern Ireland Industrial Training Executive and by the industry training boards, showing the main categories of employees separately; and what proportion of the total expenditure on salaries and wages is related to staff directly responsible for training and retraining.

Since 1st April 1975 the Northern Ireland Training Executive has been the employer of all administrative and training staff required by industrial training boards to discharge their functions.At 1st April 1976 the Northern Ireland Training Executive employed a total of 208 persons, as follows:1 Director.1 Assistant Director.80 Administrative Staff (including three Board Secretaries).9 Training Managers.63 Senior Training Advisers and Training Advisers.25 Instructors.29 Others (security, maintenance, drivers, part-time staff, cleaners, mechanics and labourers).In the financial year 1974–75 the proportion of the total expenditure on salaries and wages related to staff directly responsible for training and retraining was 68 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to introduce for Northern Ireland legislation comparable to that contained in the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26th April 1976; Vol. 910, c. 38], gave the following information:There are at present no plans to introduce legislation on these lines.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount of variable premiums paid to fatstock producers in Northern Ireland for cattle marketed (a) through the meat packing plants and (b) through the livestock auction markets during the past 12 months.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd May 1976; Vol. 910, c. 264], gave the following information:The total amounts of variable premium paid in Northern Ireland for cattle marketed during the year ended 27th March 1976 on (

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the total amount of money paid out in compensation to dependants of members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary killed by Irish Republican Army terrorists during each of the years 1970 to 1975, inclusive;(2) what was the total amount of money paid out in compensation to members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary maimed by Irish Republican Army terrorists during each of the years 1970 to 1975, inclusive;(3) what was the total amount of money paid out in compensation to dependants of members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserves killed by Irish Republican Army terrorists during each of the years 1970 to 1975, inclusive;(4) what was the total amount of compensation paid to dependants of those killed by Irish Republican Army terrorists for each of the years 1970 to 1975 inclusive;(5) what was the total amount of compensation paid to those who were maimed by Irish Republican Army terrorists for each of the years 1970 to 1975 inclusive;

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd May 1976; Vol. 910, c. 263–4], gave the following information:Compensation payments to dependants of persons killed or to persons maimed as a result of criminal injuries are made under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968. The information requested is not available because it is not necessary to attribute the criminal injury to a particular person or organisation, for a compensation claim under this Act to succeed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake a feasibility study of the possibility of establishing national machines for advertising and arranging transfers of council tenants.

Ways of facilitating the movement of local authority tenants are already being reviewed as part of the work of the Housing Services Advisory Group.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those independent commercial bureaux known to him operating exchange arrangements for council tenants and what charge they make.

I am aware that commercial exchange bureaux have been set up, but my Department has no direct contact with them and I have no information about their charges.

No applications were received in 1974.

Schemes accepted for grant so far are as follows:

Company			Amount £	Grant aided facilities
1975	…	Containerbase (Liverpool) Ltd., Bootle	198,000	Sidings, 2 cranes, tractor, hard standing, floodlighting, drainage.
		Stockton Haulage Ltd., Stranraer*	66,900	2 cranes and ancillary equipment, fork lift truck, tractor, hard standing and roadways, control office.
		Sheerness Steel Co. Ltd., Sheerness	218,500	Crane, rail weighbridge, sidings and new main line connection, wagons.
1976	…	Dower Wood &Co. Ltd.	9,500	Rail weighbridge.
		Forth Ports Authority, Leith Docks, Edinburgh*	303,000	Coal handling conveyors, under-ground chambers, sidings, ancillary electrical equipment, internal road diversion.
		T. I. Chesterfield Ltd., Chesterfield	17,900	Siding, side loader.
		Robert Smith & Sons Ltd., Birkenhead	220,000	Sidings, 3 cranes, land, hard standing, signalling equipment, floodlighting, drainage.
* Approved by Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the proportion of houses that are owner-occupied in (a) England and Wales and (b) the rest of Europe, with separate figures for each European country, including those in Eastern Europe.

The following is the available information:

Estimated percentages of dwellings which were owner occupied
	%
England and Wales	55 (1975)
Belgium	55*
Germany (Federal Republic)	34*
France	43*
Italy	53*
Netherlands	36*
Ireland	69*
Denmark	47*
Hungary	63*
Portugal	45 (1960)
Sweden	36 (1965)
*about 1970

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many grants were made in 1974 and 1975 under Section 8 of the Railways Act 1974 to provide private sidings; and if he will list in the Official Report the sum granted in each case, the firm concerned in each case, and the facilities provided by the grant.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of all housing is provided by local government in rural as opposed to urban areas in England and Wales.

Immediately prior to local government reorganisation in 1974, it was estimated that housing authorities in England and Wales provided 20 per cent. of all housing in rural districts and 31 per cent. elsewhere. Later information is not available; present local authority districts are not classified as urban or rural.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many fatal and serious casualties caused by road accidents in which alcohol intake was a factor were recorded in each of the eight years before the passage of the Road Safety Act 1967; and how many were recorded in each of the eight succeeding years.

I regret that the information is not available in the precise form requested by the hon. Member. However, the following is available:

FATAL AND SERIOUS CASUALTIES 10 p.m.–4 a.m., AND PERCENTAGE OF DRIVER FATALITIES WHERE THE DRIVER WAS OVER THE LEGAL LIMIT OF ALCOHOL IN BLOOD: 1960–1975, GREAT BRITAIN
Fatal or serious casualties
Year	Number	10 p.m.–4 a.m. Percentage of all fatal or serious Casualties (i.e. of total)	Percentage of driver fatalities where the driver was over legal limit of alcohol in blood
1960	17,806	20	NA
1961	18,649	21	NA
1962	19,143	21	NA
1963	20,817	22	NA
1964	23,824	23	NA
1965	24,566	23	NA
1966	26,325	25	NA
1967	23,143	23	25
1968	18,955	20	17
1969	20,637	21	22
1970	22,316	22	21
1971	22,763	23	26
1972	23,333	24	26
1973	23,465	24	30
1974	21,942	25	33
1975*	20,471	25	35
*Provisional.
NA—Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he held discussions with the National Ports Authority prior to its giving evidence to the EEC Working Party on ports dealing with competition between ports within the Community; and when he expects the Commission's report to be available.