asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied that the rules governing the job creation programme are not unduly restrictive in preventing local authorities from undertaking additional work in areas for which they have statutory responsibility, such as the compilation of housing surveys.

The job creation programme is designed to create new jobs by undertaking work which would not otherise be done. The majority of projects under the programme are sponsored by local authorities and meet this criterion, but I shall draw the attention of the Manpower Services Commission to the point which the hon. Member has raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied that the unemployment statistics reflect adequately the position of women aged between 56 years of age and 60 years of age and men aged between 61 years of age and 65 years of age who are unemployed but have exhausted their unemployment benefit; and if he proposes any change.

The latest available results of the twice-yearly analysis of the unemployed by age and entitlement to benefit relate to May 1975. They show appreciable numbers in the groups referred to, namely, 36,300 men aged 60 to 64, and 2,800 women aged 55 to 59, who had exhausted benefit, of whom 14,500 men and 1,600 women were receiving supplementary benefit and 21,800 men and 1,200 women were not receiving supplementary benefit. Since April 1975, it is likely that the numbers registering may have been reduced on account of new arrangements arising from the Social Security Act 1973, whereby it is possible for men over 60 and women over 55 who are unemployed to obtain a maximum State pension without needing to pay national insurance contributions or receive credits by registering as unemployed during the last four to five years of their working lives. I do not propose any change.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many breaches of factory regulations occurred in Coventry during the first quarter of 1976; what is the comparison with the same period in 1975; in how many cases those responsible were successfully prosecuted; and what was the total value of the fines imposed for such breaches.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that records of suspected breaches of factory regulations are not kept in a form in which they can be quantified. In Coventry in the first quarter of 1976 convictions were obtained in respect of 14 offences and the total value of the fines imposed was £1,550. In the first quarter of 1975 prosecutions were also successful in respect of 14 offences, and the total value of the fines imposed was £1,500. In addition, in the first quarter of 1976 ten improvement notices and five prohibition notices were issued compared with two improvement notices and one prohibition notice in the same period of 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any provisions of the new pay policy affect the implementation of the Fair Wages Resolution of the House of Commons.

No. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear on 5th May, in general the rules for the £6 limit will continue to apply, and the operation of the Fair Wages Resolution will, therefore, continue undisturbed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to make his report on school transport.

I have been asked to reply.I cannot usefully add to what I said on this subject in reply to Questions on 30th March.—[Vol. 908, c. 1080–1083.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he intends to provide further funds to British Leyland, in view of the failure of the company to meet targets set up by the Government.

The Government will take their decisions in the light of reports and recommendations yet to come from the NEB on British Leyland's progress and future plans. I do not intend to prejudge the issue now.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what major investment has been approved during the last 12 months for modernisation of the publicly-owned ship repair yards on Tyneside; and whether he will make a statement.

One major modernisation scheme was approved by my Department last year, but the management of the company decided to postpone the scheme because of a sharp deterioration in the ship repair market.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he has had with the Chairman of the Post Office regarding the future of the parcel service.

My most recent discussion with the chairman about the parcels service was during my recent consideration of the Post Office's proposal to increase its parcel tariffs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what changes occurred in the volumes of parcels carried by the Post Office following the last two increases in postal charges.

The volume of parcels traffic is published annually in the Post Office's Report and Accounts. The provision of more detail would, in the Post Office's view, be of commercial value to its competitors.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the present number of personnel employed by the Industrial Estates Corporation.

On 1st April last the English Industrial Estates Corporation employed 258.The Scottish and Welsh Industrial Estates Corporations were dissolved and their functions and staffs subsumed within the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies from 1st December 1975 and 1st January 1976 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give an explanation of the £214,000 of bad and doubtful debts incurred by the Industrial Estates Corporation in the accounts for the year ended 31st March 1975.

These debts are rents and other outstanding payments not recovered from tenants who have gone into liquidation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what percentage increase or decrease there has been in new industrial development, expressed in per capita terms, in Great Britain since 1st March 1974; and what information he has regarding comparable figures for France, West Germany, Holland and Denmark since that date.

In the seven quarters between 1st April 1974 and 31st December 1975, the latest date for which information is available, the volume of investment per employee in manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is estimated to have been about 5 per cent. more than the preceding seven quarters, and about the same as in the corresponding phase of the previous investment cycle in 1970–71.Comparable information in respect of the other countries is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the amount of private industrial investment in England during the last 12 months; and if he will estimate the effects of this on the economy.

This information is not available. However, capital expenditure in 1975 in the United Kingdom by all manufacturing industry, including the British Steel Corporation and excluding investment in the North Sea, was £3,585 million. In the first half of the year investment in England was 80 per cent. of the United Kingdom total. The CBI Survey, the results of which were published this week, broadly agrees with my Department's November-December intentions survey that an upturn in investment can be expected in the course of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the amount of private investment in industry in the West Midlands during the past 12 months; and if he will estimate the effects of this on the economy.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he will make a statement on the criteria governing the choice of Government directors appointed to the boards of public companies;(2) if he will publish a White Paper setting out the duties which he expects Government directors appointed to the boards of public companies to carry out additional to those statutory duties imposed upon such directors by statutory company law.

No. Government directors are chosen on the basis of having the relevant experience and ability to contribute to the success of the business, having regard to the purposes of the finance provided by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what he expects to be the vesting dates for the British Shipbuilding Corporation and the British Aerospace Corporation.

Subject to the passage of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Bill I expect the vesting dates for both corporations to be in the late summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why Her Majesty's Government have not responded to the European Communities Document 319/75 for an action programme for the European aeronautical sector, published in October 1975.

The EEC Commission has submitted this report in response to a request by the Council of Ministers. This report has yet to be discussed by the Council, but in preparation for their discussion they have referred it to the European Assembly for its opinion on its recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry which divisions of his Department it is now proposed to disperse to Merseyside under the Hardman proposals, giving details of the numbers involved and the time phasing of such transfers; and, in cases where a decision to disperse a particular section or sections to the Merseyside area has been agreed in principle but no decision taken on the recipient town or district, if he will seriously consider the claim of Skelmersdale New Town.

Under the Government's dispersal programme which was announced in the House on 30th July 1974 no divisions of this Department are due to be dispersed to Merseyside.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if the British Plastics Federation has been involved in discussions concerning the industrial strategy for the 30 industrial sections; and, if not, why not.

The Director of the British Plastics Federation is a member of the Sector Group for Synthetic Resins and Plastics Materials which is dealing with the industrial strategy for the sector covering plastics materials. Plastics processing is not among the sectors at present covered in the industrial strategy exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the names of the firms and the amount of money granted to each, so far, under the accelerated projects scheme.

As the hon. Member will know from the reply given to him by the Minister of State, Department of Industry on 1st April 1974, such information will be published in each case during the quarter after the first payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the current share valuation, as defined under paragraph 6 of Schedule 2 to the Industry Act 1975, of the following companies, now vested in the National Enterprise Board: Durnford & Elliott Limited, Ferranti Limited, Herbert Limited, Cambridge Instruments Limited, British Leyland Limited, Rolls-Royce Limited and Brown Boveri Limited.

The arrangements set out at paragraph 6 of Schedule 2 to the Industry Act 1975 apply only on the transfer of publicly-owned property to the National Enterprise Board. I would refer the hon. Member to the statements which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry laid before the House on 27th February and 8th March and the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave on 8th March in answer to a Question from the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the services his Department renders to firms in the United Kingdom in order to encourage them to export manufacturing products and technical know-how to Kuwait and other Middle East countries.

The full range of the British Overseas Trade Board's services described in the "Export Handbook" is available. There is a heavy and increasing demand for these services from firms which wish to explore and develop trade opportunities in Middle East markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether consultations have taken place between his Department and the Post Office regarding shipments of mail between the United Kingdom and Africa in Russian vessels; on what dates any such consultations took place; and at what level they were conducted.

There were no prior consultations on this matter, but it was discussed on 6th May at a meeting chaired by an Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the cost to the balance of payments of the nationalised industries using Russians ships; and which nationalised industries do so or propose to do so.

Precise information is not available, but the balance of payments cost is negligible. While I would like to see nationalised industries using British ships, they are entitled to use their commercial judgment in matters of day-to-day management except that they are expected to follow Her Majesty's Government's traditional policies of free and fair competition. The Government are watching the position carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, in setting up the interim committee to maintain progress in the setting up of the British Film Authority, he will undertake to include therein representatives of trade associations concerned with the production, distribution and exhibition of films.

I have nothing to add to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 29th April 1976.—[Vol. 910, c. 183–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he proposes to introduce a Bill to enable the United Kingdom to ratify the European Patent Convention.

I have nothing to add to what I said in the House on 30th April.—[Vol. 910, c. 805–809.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish his latest estimates of the quarterly share of the United Kingdom in world exports of manufactures in each quarter since the first quarter of 1974.

The following table shows the share of United Kingdom exports of manufactures (SITC) 5–8) in the exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries since the first quarter of 1974:

1974
Quarter 1	8·5
Quarter 2	8·9
Quarter 3	8·9
Quarter 1	8·8
1975
Quarter 1	9·5
Quarter 2	9·2
Quarter 3	9·0

Source: OECD Statistics of Foreign Trade Series B.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider regular publication in Trade and Industry or some other suitable publication, of estimates of the share of United Kingdom exports in world trade.

A regular quarterly article is published in Trade and Industry on trade and production in industrial countries. I have asked that the most recent estimates of the share of United Kingdom exports in world trade should be specifically included forthwith.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the position of Baginton Airport, Coventry, in the Government's overall airport policy.

Part 2 of the consultation document "Airport Strategy for Great Britain", dealing with regional airports, will be published within the next few weeks. It will refer to Coventry Airport and provide an opportunity for those concerned to express their views about its future. No decisions will be taken on airports policy in advance of the consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he is satisfied with the current progress of the implementation of the Anglo-Soviet trade deal negotiated by the former Prime Minister in 1975; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the British companies now trading with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as a direct result of the trade deal negotiated in 1975 by the then Prime Minister.

Contracts to a total value of approximately £29 million have already been signed, and further substantial contracts are under discussion. A meeting of the UK-USSR Joint Commission under the chairmanship of myself and Academician V. A. Kirillin is taking place this week, during which I will be emphasising the need to bring current negotiations to a speedy and successful conclusion.I am not prepared to list the British companies involved. It has been the practice of successive administrations not to disclose details of individual transactions entered into within the framework of trade agreements, since these are confidential to those parties having a commercial interest in the particular transaction concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the Government have been made aware of the objections of the pilots to their proposals making the liberal issue of pilotage certificates and the proposed removal of the present automatice restriction of the issue of them to British subjects.

Yes. Discussions will be held shortly with pilots' representatives on this and other matters related to the Government's policy statement on marine pilotage.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if his Department has a section dealing with any aspect of franchised operations in the service and distributive trades; and, if so, which areas are covered.

My Department has a general responsibility for the distributive trades, other than food and drink, and certain personal service trades. If my hon. Friend has a particular point on franchising perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why public funds are used to subsidise the purchase of military equipment by Chile.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 4th May 1976; Vol. 910, c. 360], gave the following information:On the general question of the supply and control of arms for Chile I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 21st May 1975. Subject to policy on this general question, ECGD cover is allotted in the normal way to insured exporters.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report any guidelines which have been given since 4th March 1974 to the British Tourist Authority and to the English and Welsh Tourist Boards.

The key considerations of policy which the Government would wish to guide the four statutory tourist boards in planning for a satisfactory period ahead were set out on 21st November 1974 in a Written Answer by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Dean).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress has been made by his Department with regard to the anti-dumping application submitted to him regarding the imports of high-speed and tool steels.

The matter is a highly complex one which my officials are studying carefully. They expect to be in touch with the trade association shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to receive the findings of the full investigation into applications for anti-dumping measures in the case of special steels as announced in column 368 of the Official Report dated 29th March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress has been made on the full investigation which he stated in a Written Answer to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 29th March is being carried out by his Department, with regard to the application submitted to him by United Kingdom special steels producers for anti-dumping action against the imports of stainless steel bars from Japan.

The inclusion of special steels in the answer on 29th March was an error. The correct list will be found in the Official Report of 4th May, col. 358.We have discussed extensively with the British Independent Steel Producers' Association its application for anti-dumping action against Japanese steels, but have not decided whether to accept it for full investigation.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he remains satisfied with the implementation of the recommendations of the Radcliffe Report on security in the Civil Service.

Yes.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how much expenditure was incurred by the Government in employing business men on short contracts in the years 1973, 1974 and 1975.

Expenditure incurred in employing businessmen in the Civil Service on short contracts for periods up to one year was—in round terms—£53,000 in 1973, £49,000 in 1974 and £14,500 in 1975. If my hon. Friend is interested in expenditure for longer period contracts, I will write to him.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what complaints he has had from Civil Service unions concerning bias in the selection of staff for accelerated promotion under the Administration Trainee scheme.

None.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what were the approximate sums expended by the Civil Service in the most recent year for which figures are available for travel by rail, road and air, respectively; and how expenditure on each mode has varied over a 10-year period.

Information is not collected centrally in a form which would enable us to extract expenditure by Departments on the different methods of travel Departments have recently been urged to exercise the maximum economy in expenditure on travel and ensure that only essential journeys are undertaken, by the most economic means of transport.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report the pension receivable by a Member of Parliament who retires on 5th May at the age of 58 years after 31 years' service; and how this pension compares with a civil servant on the same salary scale as a Member of Parliament who retires on the same basis.

The Member would be due for a pension of £2,833 a year preserved for payment from age 65 which is the normal retiring age for the scheme. This is based on an accrual rate of 1/60th of relevant terminal salary for each year or part year of reckonable service. Pensionable salary has been taken as £8,000 a year from 13th June, 1975, and reckonable service as 21 years and 162 days, given that not more than 10 years may reckon prior to 16th October 1964. Part of the pension could be commuted for a lump sum up to a maximum rate of 3/80ths of relevant terminal salary for each year of reckon-able service.If all the 31 years were fully pensionable a civil servant on an equivalent pensionable salary would be due for a pension of £3,072 a year and a lump sum of up to three times the pension preserved for payment from the normal retiring age of 60, at which age his Department has the right to require him to retire. The pension accrues at the rate of 1/80th of pensionable pay a year. With the 3/80ths lump sum this is broadly the equivalent, in actuarial terms, of a 1/60ths pension.In both cases the benefits would attract increases under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971. These would accrue notionally until the preserved benefits came into payment.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, what are the terms of reference of the Public Appointments Unit.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 4th December, the main task of the Public Appointments Unit is—in conjunction with Departments generally and in cosultation with representative bodies—to improve the recruitment of able people from all sections of the community for public service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a further progress statement on the transfer to Glasgow of Civil Service jobs in the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office.

The Departments concerned are continuing to make good progress with detailed planning for the moves that have been announced, which are due to take place for the Ministry of Defence in 1982 to 1984, and for the Ministry of Overseas Development in 1980.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the amount of the average incremental increase for Civil Service grades paid during the period of the £6 policy.

Many civil servants have not received increments during the period of the policy for example because they had only just entered their grades or were on their scale maximum. Of those who did, the average increment in the main general service groups was about £100. These increments continue to be paid because they do not result in any increase in the overall wage bill.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what will be the total cost to public funds of automatic increments to civil servants during the year commencing 1st August 1976.

It is not possible at this stage to determine the precise cost effects of such increments for the year commencing 1st August 1976.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the present basis of calculation of pension for the retiring Head of the Civil Service.

Civil servants of all grades, from the lowest industrial grade to the Head of the Civil Service, are eligible on retirement for a pension calculated on exactly the same basis under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. Each reckonable year of service gives rise to a pension of 1/80th of the salary over the last year of service and a lump sum of up to three times that amount. Actuarially, a pension of 1/80th with a lump sum of 3/80ths is broadly equivalent to a pension of 1/60th.

asked the Attorney-General (1) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Brown and Sweetgrove Limited concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(2) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Barton concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(3) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Masterton concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(4) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Holt, Ball, Hart, Goodman and Silverside concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(5) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Pereda concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(6) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Davies concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(7) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Leith concluded at the Central Criminal Court in Octo- ber 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(8) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Byrne concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(9) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Giles concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(10) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Hughes concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(11) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Cullimore and Cullimore concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(12) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Pile concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(13) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Berry, Stuppe and Burrows concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(14) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. McDermott and McKeown concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(15) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Mifsud concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(16) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v, Clarke and Maher concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(17) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. McClann and McClann concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(18) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Kerr and Kerr concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(19) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Quinto concluded at the Central Criminial Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(20) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Burns concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which the defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(21) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Osborne concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which the defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(22) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Stockwin and Harris concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(23) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Lennard and Dorman concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(24) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Lazar concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(25) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Gordon concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(26) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Coughlin concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1965; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(27) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Palmer concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(28) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Rhodes and Rhodes concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(29) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Kelly concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(30) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Frazer and Hilder concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(31) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Ibrahims and Griffin concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(32) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Beattie and Fenton concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case;(33) if charges were reinstituted after being thrown out in magistrates' courts in the case of Regina v. Braithwaite concluded at the Central Criminal Court in October 1975; what were the charges on which defendants were acquitted; and what was the cost to public funds of the case.

It would not be possible to obtain the information asked for in the time available without a use of resources which would be wholly disproportionate to its value.

asked the Attorney-General how many county court judgment summonses for arrears of maintenance were issued in each of the years 1973, 1974 and 1975; how many of those summonses were heard; in how many of those cases an order for committal to prison was made; and in how many cases the debtor was in fact committed to prison.

The number of county court judgment summonses for arrears of maintenance issued in 1973 was 25, of which 19 were heard; in 1974 it was 28, of which 25 were heard; and in 1975 it was 144, of which 116 were heard. Statistics of adjudications made are not available, and to ascertain in how many of the cases which were heard an order for committal was made, and in how many of those cases the debtor was actually conveyed to prison, would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated cost to public funds of automatic increments to teachers during the year commencing 1st August 1976.

The latest statistics of teachers by salary group and scale available relate to 31st March 1975 and no reliable estimate of the cost of increments for the year beginning 1st August 1976 can be made at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement on the negotiations with the Norwegian Government concerning the joint development of the Frigg offshore gas field.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th December 1975; Vol. 902, c. 322], gave the following information:The Frigg Gasfield Agreement between the United Kingdom and Norway is to be signed today. Mr. Tomlinson, Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and I will sign on behalf of Her Majesty's Government Herr Muller, Secretary General at the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Industry, will sign on behalf of the Norwegian Government. The agreement will be laid as soon as possible. Meanwhile copies of the agreement will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish latest available figures of the percentage of electricity generated in each of the EEC countries, in the public and private sectors, respectively, by combined electricity and heat production.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th April 1976; Vol. 909, c. 53], gave the following information:The latest data available for publication is based on the 1972 data to which the hon. Member has already referred. The percentage of electricity generated from thermal stations by combined heat and power schemes in the EEC countries is:

	Public Sector	Industrian Sector
Belgium	33·7	19·7
Denmark	34·9	7·1
France	0·6	64·7
Germany	7·9	54·6
Ireland	0	90·0
Italy	—	60·7
Netherlands	—	72·9
United Kingdom	0·1	72·2

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the cost to public funds of the latest report from the Metrication Board entitled "Going Metric".

the report was published for sale at £1·35 by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, whose costs were approximately £2,250. Receipts from sales will of course be set against these costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether her proposals for a new price code include any provisions affecting discounts offered exclusively to members of societies, trades unions and other similar organisations.

I have no such proposals. It is open to those interested to put any proposals they wish to make before me at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will take steps to make it an offence to sell tickets for sporting and other entertainments at above face value.

I do not think this is a suitable matter for the criminal law.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when the Government expect to bring forward legislation to deal with the regulation of estate agency; and whether she will now make a statement.

My Department is giving careful consideration to the comments received and is in the process of having meetings with a number of representative bodies to consider those comments further. It is too early to give a firm indication on timing, but I would hope to introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time permits.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how much of the £1,200 million granted for food subsidies in the Prices Act 1975 has been spent up to the latest available date.

Expenditure up to 30th April 1976 amounts to about £1,029 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she is satisfied that there is no cause to refer to the Monopolies Commission the bid which has been made by the Metal Box Company Ltd. for Venesta International Holdings.

I will announce my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the Potardulais Bypass; and what is the expected date of the official opening.

Approximately £27 million. The work should be completed by February next.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to ensure that the smaller engineering contractors in North Wales are awarded a larger proportion than at present of his Department's contracts relating to civil engineering projects, and particularly small roadworks, in the North Wales area.

The Welsh Office seeks competitive tenders for highway improvement schemes from a selected list of contracts. The normal basis for the award of a contract is that it goes to the lowest tenderer. We shall bear in mind the claims of firms in North Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities in Wales concerning the need for the immediate allocation of the fourth television channel in Wales for Welsh language programmes.

I have received representations from one county council and one district council in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what authorisation he has given to the owners of the Porthmadog Cob for raising the toll charges above the maximum level laid down in Section 22 of the Portmadoc Embankment Act; and if he will make a statement.

The tolls levied on Porthmadog Cob are not subject to authorisation by my right hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales why he refused to meet a deputation from Gwynedd County Council which wished to make representations to him challenging the validity and the relevance of the Road Research Laboratory's evidence of the effects on road safety of bilingual road signs.

It was only after the request to receive a deputation was refused that Gwynedd County Council intimated that it wished to raise questions about the validity and relevance of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory's evidence. A further letter is being sent to the council.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff there are at present in the Welsh Office; and how this compares with the figure 12 months previously.

1,523 on 1st April 1976, compared with 1,291 on 1st April 1975. The increase includes the transfer of staff from the Department of Industry's office in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take a census of the number of foxes killed by fox destruction societies in Wales over the past five years.

I do not propose to extend existing arrangements under which the Welsh Department of the Ministry of Agriculture receives annual returns from grant-aided societies. For the five financial years 1971–72-1975–76, kills thus reported totalled 6,349, 5,859, 5,931, 7,193 and 6,270, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated annual running cost of the proposed Welsh Committee of the Health Service Board.

£25,000, approximately.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the publicity abroad, especially in Europe, given to the recent negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the TUC, what special steps have been taken through diplomatic missions to publicise the outcome of these negotiations and Her Majesty's Government's policy in this field.

British missions abroad constantly seek to ensure that Her Majesty's Government's actions and policies are accurately and fully presented. In regard to the negotiations with the TUC, the text of the statement made in the House on 5th May by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor, together with other guidance, was telegraphed to missions within a few hours of its being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries which have achieved independence from British rule since 1776, giving in each case the date upon which such independence was achieved.

The following countries have achieved independence from British rule since 1776:

Country and Date of Independence

Canada—1st July 1867.

Australia—1st January 1901.

New Zealand—26th September 1907.

South Africa—31st May 1910.

Irish Free State (later Republic of Ireland)—6th December 1921.

India—15th August 1947.

Pakistan—15th August 1947.

[Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) separately independent—4th February 1972].

Burma—4th January 1948.

Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon)—4th February 1948.

Sudan—1st January 1956.

Ghana—6th March 1957.

Malaysia (formerly Federation of Malaya)—31st August 1957.

[Singapore (achieved independence separately from Malaysia)—9th August 1965].

Cyprus—16th August 1960.

Federal Republic of Nigeria—1st October 1960.

Sierra Leone—27th April 1961.

Tanganyika (now united with Zanzibar as Republic of Tanzania)—9th December 1961.

Jamaica—6th August 1962.

Trinidad and Tobago—31st August 1962.

Uganda—9th October 1962.

Zanzibar—10th December 1963.

Kenya—12th December 1963.

Malawi—6th July 1964.

Malta—21st September 1964.

Zambia—24th October 1964.

The Gambia—18th February 1965.

Republic of Maldives—26th July 1965.

Guyana—26th May 1966.

Botswana—30th September 1966.

Lesotho—4th October 1966.

Barbados—30th November 1966.

Mauritius—12th March 1968.

Swaziland—6th September 1968.

Fiji—10th October 1970.

Bahamas—10th July 1973.

Grenada—7th February 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his latest estimates of the number and main countries of residence of British protected persons who are not patrial and have no other citizenship.

There are about 184,000 British protected persons in the Solomon Islands, which is the sole remaining British protectorate. Numbers of British protected persons residing elsewhere are not on record, but the total for all other countries including the United Kingdom, but excluding those in Brunei who are Brunei nationals, may be in the region of 350,000.No British protected person can be patrial unless he also has the status of Commonwealth citizen. Several hundred British protected persons in the Solomon Islands are believed to possess other citizenships, but very few of them are likely to be patrial. It is not known how many British protected persons elsewhere have other citizenships, but the proportion who are patrial is small.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report each of the public bodies for which he is responsible, the names of the chairmen of each of these bodies appointed by him, the names of the members of these bodies appointed by him, and the salaries of the chairmen and members these bodies receive, stating whether these salaries are for full or part-time service.

My right hon. Friend makes the following appointments to the public bodies named for which he is responsible:

The Commonwealth Institute

My right hon. Friend as a trustee; (Chairman) Sir David Hunt; (Vice-Chairman) Sir L. Lindo;

Governors

Rt. Hon. Lord Tweedsmuir, Rt. Hon. Malcolm MacDonald, Mr. F. H. Tate, Rt. Hon. Arthur Bottomley, MP, Sir Bernard Braine, MP, Prof. E. A. Shepperson, Mr. D. Taylor, Mr. D. Ingram. Miss M. E. Garvie, Miss F. Gwilliam, Dr. G. O. Jones, Mr. G. F. Smith.

Assessors

Mr. E. N. Larmour, Mr. E. C. Burr, Mr. R. H. Bird, Mr. G. A. D. Philip.

Trustees

Rt. Hon. Lord Lloyd, Sir Kenneth Bradley, Sir Alan Burns.

All the above appointments are honorary.

Mr. J. K. Thompson (Director): Salary £11,000 per annum for full-time service.

The Advisory Committee on Rhodesian Travel Restrictions

Chairman—Mr. Brian Neill.

Members

Sir William Murrie, Sir Frederick Pedler, Sir William Oliver.

The appointments are all honorary.

The Unofficial Advisory Group on United Nations Affairs

Members

Mr. David Steel, MP, Rt. Hon. F. T. Willey, MP, Mr. T. E. Graham, MP, Mr. C. Tugendhat, MP, Rt. Hon. Lady Gaitskell, Mrs. Stella Alexander, Dr. Rosalyn Higgins, Mr. F. Field, Mr. A. Boyd, Sir F. Vallat, Sir E. Shuckburgh, Mr. S. Bailey, Miss J. Little.

The appointments are all honorary.

The Marshall Scholarship Commission

Chairman—Sir Colin Crowe.

Members

Mrs. E. M. Chilver, Dr. W. A. Deer, Mr. James Potter, Dr. Frank Thistlewaite, Prof. A. C. Wardlaw, Prof. E. Wright, Sir Eric Roll.

The appointments are all honorary.

The Advisory Panel on Arms Control and Disarmament

Members

Prof. Coral Bell, Prof. Max Beloff, Mr. J. C. Garnett, Mr. D. E. Greenwood, Prof. F. H. Hinsley, Mr. M. Howard, Prof, Lawrence Martin, Prof. P. Nailor, Prof. Jack Spence, Mr. Philip Windsor, Prof. A. Nove, Mr. S. Bailey, Mr. H. C. Hainworth, Brigadier K. Hunt. Mr. I. Smart, Mr. P. A. R. Blaker, MP. Mr. R. Cooke, MP, Mr. T. Dalyell, MP, Lord Kennet, Mr. J. F. H. Roper, MP, Mr. Alan Lee Williams, MP.

The appointments are all honorary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any restriction is imposed on citizens of the United Kingdom of Pakistani descent who desire to settle in Pakistan.

United Kingdom legislation and regulations impose no such restrictions. Pakistani regulations governing this subject are, of course, a matter solely for the Pakistani authorities. So far as I am aware, in practice there have been no special problems for citizens of the United Kingdom of Pakistani descent who wish to settle in Pakistan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any restriction is imposed on citizens of the United Kingdom of Caribbean descent who desire to settle in their country of origin.

United Kingdom legislation and regulations impose no such restrictions. The regulations of the Caribbean territories governing this subject are of course, a matter solely for the Government in each country concerned. So far as I am aware, in practice there have been no special problems for citizens of the United Kingdom of Caribbean descent who wish to settle in their country of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any restriction is imposed on citizens of the United Kingdom of Bangladeshi descent who desire to settle in Bangladesh.

United Kingdom legislation and regulations impose no such restrictions. Bangladeshi regulations governing this subject are, of course, a matter solely for the Bangladeshi authorities. So far as I am aware, in practice there have been no special problems for citizens of the United Kingdom of Bangladeshi descent who wish to settle in Bangladesh.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has instituted inquiries into reports that the National Coal Board has been importing Rhodesian timber in breach of sanctions; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is urgently considering whether there is a case for formal investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what compensation is paid in Hong Kong to workmen affected by silicosis.

Compensation is not generally paid at present to employees affected by silicosis. The Hong Kong Government are currently discussing with the Accident Insurance Association of Hong Kong a scheme whereby compensation would in future be paid under an amended Workers Compensation Ordinance. Government employees affected by silicosis are covered under existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are taken in Hong Kong to regulate conditions of apprenticeships.

The Apprenticeship Ordinance, enacted in February 1976, and subsequent Apprenticeship Regulations provide for the promotion and regulation of the employment and training of apprentices in designated trades and occupations, as well as such ancillary matters as apprenticeship contracts. This legislation is expected to come into effect in July 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to ensure the safety and health of workers engaged in the tunnelling operations connected with the Mass Transit Railway in Hong Kong.

Workers engaged in tunnelling operations in Hong Kong are covered by existing safety legislation. In addition, a specially trained officer of the Factory Inspectorate has been designated to liaise with the Mass Transit Railway authorities on safety matters and the Labour Department has begun a series of courses on work in compressed air for the benefit of the employees of the Mass Transit Railway Scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to add vitamin D supplement to chapatti flour.

Representations have been made both to my Department and to the Department of Health and Social Security about the addition of Vitamin D to chapatti flour, in view of the problem of vitamin D deficiency among the Asian community. The representations are being considered by the Nutrition Panel of the Chief Medical Officer's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department intends being represented at the resumed public inquiry relating to the use of Dartmoor by Her Majesty's Forces on the 11th May 1976; if it is his Department's intention to submit evidence; and, if so, what view will be taken in respect of the possible alternative sites for training areas, including firing ranges located on Bodmin Moor and south east Cornwall.

No, but my Department is prepared to provide a representative at the inquiry if so requested by Lady Sharp. Mr. Higham's report, annexed to Lady Sharp's statement of 6th April, deals briefly with the agricultural land use aspects of each site. As the statement makes quite clear, a Government decision on the use of a particular site, if pursued, would be a matter for the normal planning process. This process includes a statutory provision for consultation with my Department over proposals inconsistent with specified development plans affecting 10 or more acres of agricultural land.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish details relating to the United Kingdom negotiations position in respect of the modification of the EEC Common Fisheries Policy as it is expected to affect the coastal waters off Devon and Cornwall; and if the United Kingdom Government support an exclusive zone of 50 miles in these specific waters.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said at the meeting of the EEC Council of Ministers held in Luxembourg on 3rd-4th May that an examination of relevant regional factors might justify an exclusive coastal belt of as little as 12 miles or as much as 50 miles in different areas. It would not be in the national interest at present for the Government to reveal their negotiating position in more detail.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the total cost of the scheme to incorporate skimmed milk powder into animal foodstuffs; and what will be the cost to the United Kingdom, in particular.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, Vol. 910, c. 499], gave the following information:On the basis of the Commission's estimate of the cost of its original proposal, revised to take account of the agreed reduction in the scope of the scheme and to take account of price adjustments, the cost of the scheme to the European Communities' 1976 budget could be about 170 million units of account. A proportion of this expenditure would be in respect of skimmed milk powder incorporated in the United Kingdom. Contributions are made to the Communities' expenditure as a whole and for 1976 the United Kingdom's contribution rate is 16·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tied houses are represented by the exemptions specified in Part I, Clause 6, of the Rent (Agriculture) Bill.

From the information available to me it appears that approximately 1,600 cottages in England and Wales are represented by the exemptions specified in Clause 6(1) of the Bill. I do not have figures for the other bodies mentioned in Clause 6.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advise he has given to district councils about the avail- ability of EEC assistance and the means by which they should make applications.

Advice about applications to the Regional Development Fund has been given to local authorities mainly through the Department's regional offices. The local authority associations have also been kept informed. Discussions have also taken place with local authority associations on providing housing authorities with information about the European Coal and Steel Community scheme for housing loans for the benefits of coalminers and steel-workers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the cost of preparing land accounts, as required under Sections 43 and 44 of the Community Land Act 1975, and as described in Circular 5/76 will be admissible expenditure.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment who is responsible for preparing the estimated value of leases for land accounts required to be kept under Sections 43 and 44 of the Community Land Act, 1975, and as described in Statement V of Circular 5/76; and what directions he intends to give as the basis of valuation.

Land accounts will be drawn up by local authorities. Final details of the procedures are under discussion with the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that building standards will be maintained on low-cost housing projects such as the Liverpool scheme.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how' many town expansion houses are standing empty in Haverhill, Bury St.. Edmonds, Mildenhall and Brandon,. respectively; and what estimate he has from the local authorities concerned of the approximate numbers likely to be empty in these towns in one year from now.

There are the following numbers of empty town development houses at:

	New Houses	Relets (older houses which have been vacated by Londoners and are now available for new tenants)
Haverhill	174	4
Bury St.Edmunds	85	—
Mildenhall	31	10
Brandon	15	4

The local authorities concerned have no estimates of the numbers likely to be empty in a year's time. Since they are unlikely to let further housing contracts until the economic recession is over, they do not expect to have more than a small surplus necessary to meet day to day demands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many computers are currently in use in local government in England and Wales.

It has been estimated by my Department that there are currently some 450 computers in use in local government in England and Wales. The figure includes computers of all sizes but not terminals, accounting machines or other less sophisticated items of data processing equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties were acquired by local authorities in Hertfordshire during the three months ended 31st December 1975.

Authorities have reported acquiring 29 dwellings for continued housing use during the December quarter of 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the total cost at 1975 Survey prices of completing the 3,100 mile road network shown in his Department's consultation paper on lorry routes published in 1974, from the position reached at the end of the financial year 1975–76.

About £1,500 million excluding land acquisition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the rate of car ownership per household in Great Britain in 1975, broken down by region.

Figures are given below.

Region	Cars per 100 Households
	1975
Northern	63
Yorks and Humberside	59
East Midland	73
East Anglia	85
South Eastern	79
South Western	85
West Midland	79
North Western	61
England	74
Scotland	61
Wales	74
Great Britain	73
The figures are not comparable with those given in previous years, because of changes in planning region boundaries and revisions to estimates of the number of households in each region.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now bring the proposed limit under the Community Land Act 1975 for class 4 development into line with the exemption limit for office development permits.

No.