asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next intends to meet the BBC Chairman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange a meeting with the Chairman of the BBC.

I always am happy to meet the Chairman of the BBC, which I do quite frequently.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will re-examine the plans to site a remand centre at North Weald and consider alternative locations if the need still exists.

The need for a remand centre to serve north-east London and Essex remains, and I am not aware of any suitable alternative to the site in our possession at North Weald.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of recent fatal accidents, due to the consumption of methanol, he will consider having this substance designated as a drug within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

No. Methanol is so widely used by industry and members of the public for legitimate purposes that restrictions on sales would require evidence of widespread misuse of which we are not at present aware.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amplify the statement he made on 5th May 1976 in reply to Questions from the hon. Members for Mitcham and Morden, and for Ilford, North (Mrs. Miller) as to the principles he will apply in dealing with representa- tions on behalf of individual prisoners convicted solely on identification evidence, having regard to the report of the Committee on Identification Evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Devlin Report on identification procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the Devlin Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Devlin Report.

When the necessary consultations with interested parties are completed I shall bring proposals for change before Parliament as soon as possible. In the meantime, in considering representations on individual cases, I shall certainly bear in mind the risks involved where convictions have been obtained wholly or mainly on eye-witness evidence of identification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to set up an independent tribunal to review cases where people have been convicted on identification evidence and which are currently unsuitable for reference to the Court of Appeal.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mr. Douglas-Mann) on 5th May—[Vol. 910. c. 383–4.]—and today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of occasions Metropolitan Police have been issued with firearms.

I am informed by the Commissioner that in 1975 firearms were issued on 3,174 occasions for particular incidents involving criminals or other persons known or believed to be armed. Regular issues of firearms were also made to officers on protection duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total prison population at the latest available date compared with the CNA; and what steps he is taking to reduce overcrowding.

At the end of April the certified normal accommodation was 36,689 and the population was 41,451. The current prison building programme is expected to provide some 5,000 extra places by 1980–81, and 1,600 of these should be completed within the next 12 months. We are doing all we can to make resources available for non-custodial treatment in the present difficult situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to intensify the Government's programme for tackling urban deprivation.

The Government are continuing to develop programmes already announced for tackling urban deprivation, but progress must be limited by the need to maintain rigorous control of public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken on urban deprivation in the last two years; and whether he is satisfied with the working of his Urban Deprivation Unit.

In addition to the direct assistance to areas of special social need provided through the Urban Programme, my Department has sponsored the community development projects and other studies aimed at improving our understanding of urban deprivation. It has also put in hand the development of comprehensive community programmes as the basis of a co-ordinated attack on this problem involving the large number of central and local government departments and other agencies concerned. I am satisfied that this programme of action, which is the responsibility of the Home Office Urban Deprivation Unit, is as much as could be achieved within existing constraints on financial and manpower resources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make the British Board of Film Censors the regulatory body governing the showing of films in the United Kingdom.

I have no plans to introduce a statutory national system of film censorship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the recent advertising campaign by the Metropolitan Police for the recruitment of coloured police officers; how many coloured police officers have since been recruited; and if he will make a statement.

£39,000. Eight applicants have so far been offered appointments; other applications are still being considered. The Commissioner will assess the results of the campaign in due course and he intends to continue his efforts to attract more coloured officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will pay an official visit to Holloway Prison.

I have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total public expenditure cost for which his Department is responsible incurred in respect of the visit of General Geisel, President of Brazil, to the United Kingdom.

The cost for the police cannot be accurately identified separately without disproportionate effort. It was not out of line with what is usual for a State Visit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fatalities have been caused by fire in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and how this compares with the previous 12 months.

The number of deaths from fires attended by local authority fire brigades in the United Kingdom was 1,047 in 1974 and 1,041 in 1973. The corresponding figure for 1975 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been apprehended in the past 12 months.

During the period January to December 1975, the latest period for which figures are available, 188 persons—86 Commonwealth citizens and 102 foreign nationals—were detained as illegal entrants, either on arrival or on subsequent discovery.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to make regulations under the Lotteries Act 1975, and to bring this Act fully into operation.

A consultative document setting out our proposals for these regulations has now been issued. We will make the regulations as soon as possible after comments on our proposals have been received and considered. Comments have been requested by the end of June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that both the present Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission are women, he will give the reasons why, in the interests of equal opportunities, he will not take steps to appoint a man to one of these positions.

Appointments to the Equal Opportunities Commission are not made on grounds of sex but on grounds of personal suitability.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a separate breakdown of the total figures for indictable crimes and violent robberies within the Metropolitan Police area in respect of each of the Greater London boroughs.

The answer is in the following statistical table:

CRIMES KNOWN TO POLICE IN LONDON BOROUGHS 1975
	All Indictable Crime*	Robbery†
Barking	6,374	51
Barnet	12,726	81
Bexley	6,588	30
Brent	14,410	197
Bromley	11,438	76
Camden	20,907	206
Croydon	14,581	93
Ealing	15,269	159
Enfield	9,303	68
Greenwich	10,693	75
Hackney	14,604	342
Hammersmith	13,071	145
Haringey	13,740	181
Harrow	6,501	31
Havering	9,873	45
Hillingdon‡	8,864	23
Hounslow§	10,085	58
Islington	14,876	200
Kensington and Chelsea	23,248	196
Kingston	5,409	14
Lambeth	23,847	524
Lewisham	16,426	165
Merton	6,175	47
Newham	12,128	158
Redbridge	8,189	53
Richmond	6,984	38
Southwark	19,804	240
Sutton	5,077	12
Tower Hamlets	15,069	230
Waltham Forest	8,341	74
Wandsworth	15,881	153
Westminster	55,416	424
* Excluding criminal damage where property to the value of less than £20 was damaged. The figures exclude 46 crimes known—none being robberies—which were reported by Thames Division and cannot be attributed to any particular London borough.
† This category includes offences of robbery contrary to Section 8 of the Theft Act 1968, and offences of assault with intent to rob. It is not possible to distinguish offences in which violence was actually used, but in all offences classified as robbery there is an act or threat of violence.
‡Excluding that part of Heathrow airport which is in the borough of Hillingdon.
§ Excluding that part of Heathrow airport which is in the borough of Hounslow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Radio Regulation Department is taking to deal with the interference and jamming of the London Amateur Radio Repeater Station at the Crystal Palace.

We are taking steps to combat this nuisance, but it would not help to make the details public at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he remains satisfied with the working of the Acts controlling immigration into the United Kingdom.

The relevant statute is the Immigration Act 1971. My concern in operating the immigration control is to do justice to the claims of potential immigrants while recognising the limited capacity of this country to absorb further immigration. Striking the balance is not easy, and for this reason I keep the operation of the Act constantly under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can now give the outcome of the inquiry by Sir Claus Moser into the signficance of the figures for arrivals and embarkations of people subject to immigration control; and if he will make a statement.

I have received Sir Claus Moser's report on this matter. Following is a summary which he has prepared of his main findings and of his findings in his earlier report on the error which affected the figures of embarkation during 1973 and part of 1974. Copies of both reports have been placed in the Library.As I said in reply to Questions on 12th February—[Vol. 905, c. 594–6]— I am satisfied by the first report that the error which occurred in the embarkation figures was due to lack of clarity in instructions and to defects in the supervision of those concerned in the counting. There was also an imprecise division of responsibility within the Home Office for the interpretation and presentation to Ministers of statistics on the immigration control. This has been remedied.Sir Claus Moser found in his second report that the embarkation figures, and hence the net balance between figures of admissions and embarkations, are inherently unreliable, unlike the figures for settlement. In view of this finding, which confirms the view that this Government and its predecessors have taken, I have decided not to publish in future the embarkation figures, previously included in Table 2 of the annual White Paper on statistics relating to immigration control. The White Paper for 1975 will be published in the near future.I am grateful to Sir Claus for undertaking this examination of our procedures. Some of his proposals for improvement have already been put into effect. I am giving careful consideration, in the light of their resource implications, to the remainder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is at present having discussions with Commonwealth Governments, Pakistan, and the Commonwealth Secretariat concerning the citizenship review.

As I said in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 14th May—[Vol. 911, c. 292]—the review of nationality law is well advanced. At the appropriate stage I shall consider with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation with other Governments and official bodies would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete the review of citizenship; in what form he expects his proposals to be published; and when he expects to draft new legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the report of the working party on the review of the law of citizenship; and whether it is still the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to amend the law of nationality in the next Session.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply I gave on 14th May to a Question by the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle).—[Vol. 911, c. 292.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had from the British Broadcasting Corporation about the charge for television licences; and if he will make a statement.

None. The BBC is of course well aware that when I announced the current fees to the House on 29th January last year—[Vol. 885, c. 396–406]—I made it clear that the settlement must last for at least two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of evidence he has received, he will make a statement on the involvement of a foreign diplomat in a scheme to discredit British politicians.

I received a letter from the Editor of The Guardian, with

Projects for which capital expenditure was approved prior to 1st April 1976 and which have not yet been completed. Tenders have been let in each case.
Country	Providing Authority	Location	Financial year of start	Type of work	Total estimated cost	Estimated completion
					£'000s
North-West Region
Cheshire	Cheshire	Runcorn	1973–74	New courthouse	355	1976
Cheshire	Cheshire	Sandbach	1975–76	Adaptations	23	1976
Greater Manchester	Tameside	Ashton-under-Lyme.	1975–76	Extension	21	1976
Greater Manchester	Bolton	Bolton	1975–76	Adaptation	24	1976
Greater Manchester	Manchester	Manchester	1975–76	Adaptation	28	1976
Greater Manchester	Oldham	Oldham	1975–76	New courthouse	1,047	1977

Yorkshire and Humberside Region
South Yorkshire	Barnsley	Barnsley	1975–76	New courthouse	1,003	1978
South Yorkshire	Sheffield	Sheffield	1975–76	New courthouse	1,907	1976
West Yorkshire	Leeds	Leeds	1975–76	Adaptation	43	1976
West Yorkshire	Wakefield	Wakefield	1975–76	Extension	87	1976

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is expected that the report of the interdepartmental working party examining the law on indecent displays as parts of its general review of the law on vagrancy and street offences will be published.

We have received the report and, when we have had the opportunity of studying it, will consider whether to publish it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report all planned projects for replacing, renovating or extending law courts in the next five years in the Yorkshire and Humberside and North-West regions, respectively; and if he will indicate the anticipated expenditure and completion date for each project.

Information regarding magistrates' courthouses is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of establishing and operating the Ugandan Resettlement Board including the cost of accommodation provided at the various transit camps.

Final costs are not yet available, but total expenditure arising directly from the establishment and operation of the Uganda Resettlement Board from August 1972 to the end of the financial year 1975–76 amounted to £7·46 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations are currently being undertaken through Interpol or other channels to ascertain the whereabouts of 6-yearold Lisa Hayder, who was taken from the United Kingdom on or about 19th April contrary to the provisions of a court order which had awarded custody of the child to her mother, Mrs. S. E. Hayder, of Sheffield.

I understand that the Hampshire Constabulary are continuing to make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the revised total number of immigrants and their dependants from the New Commonwealth who have entered the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years.

The relevant figures, none of which has been subject to revision since first publication, are:

NEW COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS ACCEPTED FOR SETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
	On arrival	On removal of time limit
1966	46,602	1,502
1967	57,648	2,985
1968	56,203	4,417
1969	40,191	4,312
1970	33,401	4,492
1971	35,175	9,086
1972	59,850	8,669
1973	24,264*	6,681*
1974	21,754	16,385
1975	28,350†	17,210†
* Pakistan excluded after 31st August 1973.
† Provisional figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of vouchers allocated to Asian heads of families in each of the countries participating in the system for the year ended 31st December 1975;(2) what is the allocation of vouchers to Asian heads of families in each of the countries concerned for the current year;(3) to what extent he has revised the allocation of vouchers to Asian heads of families as a result of the expulsion and consequent immigration to Great Britain of United Kingdom passport holders living in Malawi.

It is not the practice to disclose how the total quota of vouchers is distributed between countries. As stated by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the House on 17th May—[Vol. 911, c. 964–74.]—recent events in Malawi have not called for any increase in the total quota of 5,000 vouchers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the obligations Her Majesty's Government have to a British passport holder.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to holders of United Kingdom passports. It would not be practicable, in the compass of a parliamentary reply, to detail Her Majesty's Government's obligations to such persons. The nature of those obligations generally is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the present value of the candidate's deposit for parliamentary elections adjusted to take account of inflation since its introduction.

About £22.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 20th May.

There was a meeting of the Cabinet this morning and I shall be holding further meetings during the course of the day. I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen this evening.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the official engagements he has carried out at No. 10 Downing Street up to the present time.

No. It is not in accordance with previous practice to do so. My public engagements are, of course, regularly reported in the Press.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC and CBI.

asked the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the leaders of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the CBI and the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the TUC and the CBI.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) on 18th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will seek to pay an official visit to Jerusalem.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister on how many occasions on average in a week he holds official lunches and dinners at No. 10 Downing Street.

The number of such occasions varies greatly but I offer official entertainment at 10 Downing Street as my official duties require.

asked the Prime Minister if he will assume personal responsibility for the content and enforcement of the rules governing political conduct by civil servants.

As Minister for the Civil Service, I am already responsible for the content and enforcement of these rules.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to attend the NEDC.

I hope to take the chair at the meeting of the council on 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to make a speech on the economy.

I have made three such speeches in the last two days to the Confederation of British Industry, the Inland Revenue Staff Federation and the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers and I shall continue to take every opportunity, as I pledged in my broadcast of 5th April, to explain the facts and to consult the people.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to visit Singapore.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will allocate responsibilities to the Minister for the Disabled in connection with co-operation between various Government Departments in the application of various advanced technologies to help the disabled and elderly.

My hon. Friend the Minister for the Disabled is already responsible for promoting such cooperation. Ministers in charge of Departments have been asked to view new technologies with these problems in mind so that developments of potential benefit to the disabled may be investigated.

asked the Prime Minister if he plans to meet representatives of the TUC again before the special congress to discuss the agreement concerning taxation, wages and school meal prices between his Government and the TUC.

I have at present no plans for a further discussion of this kind. But I am, of course, always ready to consider meeting representatives of the TUC to discuss topics of common concern.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the coordination between the Secretary of State for Social Services, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Lord Chancellor regarding policies towards one-parent families.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any further proposals for changes in the allocation of ministerial responsibilities.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any further proposals for changes in the allocation of ministerial responsibilities.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson).

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Govan.

I shall be visiting Scotland next week, but I have at present no plans for an official visit to Govan.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet EEC Heads of Government.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet the Heads of the Common Market States.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Faversham (Mr. Moate) on 27th April.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to visit other oil-producing countries.

I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 29th April and 11th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now agree to meet the National Consumer Council on those matters on which he consults the CBI and TUC.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 13th April.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on counter-inflation policy on 5th May in London represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will call a conference of Commonwealth leaders to review Commonwealth citizenship and the citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies, following the review of the law of citizenship.

The review of the nationality law of the United Kingdom and Colonies is not yet complete. When it is and when the Government have had time to consider it, my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary will consider how best to consult other Commonwealth Governments.

asked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a Royal Commission to consider whether any changes in the law are necessary in order to ensure that Rhodesian holders of British passports cannot be prevented from entering the United Kingdom for private and personal reasons, including, in particular, the purpose of playing cricket at their own expense and without causing any burden on public funds; and if he will make a statement.

No. So long as Rhodesia is under an illegal régime, the Government's policy will remain as set out in Mr. George Thomson's statement to this House of 27th June 1968. That policy has been followed by successive Governments; and the entry of sports teams from Rhodesia was, for example, discouraged in 1971 and 1972 by the Government of which the right hon. and learned Gentleman was a member.

asked the Prime Minister what was the total cost of running the Cabinet Office in the financial year 1975–76.

Some £4,476,000.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what is the total number employed in the Cabinet Office;(2) how many employees in the Cabinet Office have a basic salary in excess of £5,750 per annum.

On 1st April 1976 the strength of the Cabinet Office was 680, of whom 178 were in receipt of a basic salary in excess of £5,750 per annum.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Ministers of Health and Social Security and Employment concerning the age of retirement pensions, and its demographic considerations.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people were convinced for smuggling animals during the month of April.

Five convictions during April have been reported so far. I will let the hon. Member know the final figure as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement upon his negotiations at the EEC Agriculture Ministers meeting on 17th and 18th May, with particular reference to any suggested changes in the common fisheries policy.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend yesterday.—[Vol. 911, c. 1430–40.] No fisheries matters were discussed at this meeting of the Agriculture Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many reports he has received of the illegal cutting of warps of British trawlers off Iceland by Icelandic gunboats;(2) if he will publish the estimate of the damage to British trawlers and their gear caused by the illegal action of Icelandic gunboats to the latest date for which figures are available.

There have been 42 incidents of warp cuttings, including one occasion when a trawler was forced to cut away a warp in which a gunboat's cutter had become entangled. The total cost of lost fishing gear is now estimated at about £100,000. Only three British trawlers are reported to have been involved in collisions but the total cost of any damage is not known.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost per annum of employing veterinary surgeons and support staff required to carry out the inspection and control procedures necessary under the draft regulations arising from EEC Directives 71/118 and 75/431 on poultry meat; and why it is necessary to employ veterinary surgeons rather than environmental health officers for this purpose.

I would refer my hon. Friend to information on costs in my reply to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 22nd March.—[Vol. 908, c. 79.]The use of veterinary surgeons to supervise hygiene standards in poultry meat production premises is an essential part of the EEC arrangements which are designed to enable poultry meat produced in any part of the Community to meet public health standards in any other part of the Community. This compares with the present situation where separate veterinary supervision has to be arranged for specific consignments when poultry meat is exported.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been done into the possible effects on beer drinkers of the use of asbestos for the purpose of filtering beer; and what recommendations his Department has made.

Research into the effects of the possible ingestion of asbestos in food and drink has been undertaken in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, in recent years. This research has so far provided no reason to suspect that the incidence of asbestos fibres is greater in beer filtered with asbestos than in unfiltered beer, neither being sufficient to give any cause for concern.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the contingency plans he has made to reduce the number of foxes in the South-East in view of the threat of rabies.

In the event of a rabies outbreak in wildlife anywhere in Great Britain, our contingency plans provide for the destruction of foxes in the infected area. The methods employed would be those calculated to be most effective and humane to suit the local circumstances, while presenting the minimum hazard to other species of wildlife and to farm and domestic animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to amend the Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973 so as to facilitate the conveyance by British Railways of unaccompanied cage birds by rail.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall) on 12th May. This applies to the transit of cage birds as well as to pigeons.—[Vol. 911, c. 166.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further consultations he has had with the Governments of France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and West Germany about measures to prevent the arrival in the United Kingdom of animals suffering from rabies.

There is a full exchange of information on rabies with all our EEC partners as well as with other countries, including Spain. Their Governments assist us in the dissemination of information about our import regulations with the aim of discouraging people from bringing rabies-susceptible animals to this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has requested the EEC Commission to impose import restrictions on the frozen cod imported into the United Kingdom from non-community countries.

Last month the Council of Agriculture Ministers, on the initiative of my right hon. Friend, requested the Commission to bring forward proposals for the improvement of the market situation for fish, with particular regard to the reference price system. Circumstances hitherto have not justified the Government's taking more specific action.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what stocks of cereals are currently held by the EEC; and whether those amount to 17 or 18 per cent. of annual consumption as recommended by FHO for world food security.

The FAO estimate of 17–18 per cent. of stocks required for world food security relates to carry-over stocks, which are the stocks in hand at the end of each season. In August 1975 the EEC held 16 million tonnes of cereals as carryover stocks, which amounted to 21·68 per cent. of its 1975–6 forecast consumption —1st August 1975–31st July 1976.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the criteria by which areas of the United Kingdom coastline are graded regarding the full, limited or prohibited use of detergents or dispersants around United Kingdom shores; and to which areas of the coastline the various gradings apply.

The use of dispersants depends upon the circumstances of the area threatened by an oil spill, and the prevailing conditions at the time. Local authorities exercise responsibility for dealing with oil spills in consultation with the Nature Conservancy and the Ministry's Fisheries Inspectorate. No standard criteria would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is her latest estimate of the cost to public funds of the Price Commission during the current financial year; and what was the cost in each of the previous financial years since the commission was set up.

The information is as follows:

1973–74	£3·0 million
1974–75	£4·6 million
1975–76	£6·4 million
1976–77 (Estimate)	£6·5 million

The figures include the cost of supporting services not borne on the Vote of the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection. Those for 1973–74–1975–76 are at historic prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether she will introduce legislation to make it illegal to offer tickets for sale above the listed prices; and if she will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 10th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 25–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if, in view of the failure by voluntary means to prevent young people obtaining toxic glue for glue sniffing practices which have resulted in a recent fatality, she will introduce legislation to prohibit the sale of this product to young persons; and if she will make a statement.

I fully share my hon. Friend's concern about this dangerous practice. But there are so many products, in addition to adhesives, which can be misused in this way that it would be neither effective nor practicable to ban their sale to young persons, the great majority of whom use them quite properly and safely for their intended purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection pursuant to the Written Answer on metrication of 26th March last, column 318, which transactions will not be "authorized" and which she expects to continue with full protection of consumer protection legislation.

The Units of Measurement Directive and the draft amending directive are concerned only with the units of measurement used in transactions. If the draft directive is adopted the Government will have to ensure that the imperial units listed in the Written Answer of 26th March last will cease to be authorised for legal purposes by the relevant dates. The appropriate metric units will thereafter be the units of legal measurement required for transactions. This would mean that whichever way a consumer in practice might ask for a certain quantity, all contracts would be in metric units. The full protection of consumer protection legislation will be maintained whatever units are in use. As I told my hon. Friend on 17th May, I am considering what amendments or clarification should be sought to the draft directive.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether the long-expected bid of Prestcold Ltd. for the Searle Manufacturing Company has been made with the full knowledge and approval of the Monopolies Commission; and what percentage of the home market for domestic and for other products the conjoint companies are currently considered to command.

This acquisition has only just been announced and I cannot, therefore, give an immediate decision concerning reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. But I hope to announce my decision shortly. I understand that the combined companies would possess a technical monopoly—in excess of 25 per cent.—in the supply of one kind of commercial refrigeration component.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what action she will take to protect consumers from the practice of chain stores in taking them away from checkout desks, as if they were shoplifters, in order to check the efficiency of sales staff concerned.

None. Apart from an incident reported in the Press last November I know of no other case where a store has been said to have acted in this way. If, of course, my hon. Friend has any evidence that this is in fact a common occurrence the matter could be considered further.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if the wages arrears discovered by wages council inspectors and refused by the workers concerned is included in profit margin calculations.

Net profit margins under the Price Code take account of costs actually incurred in the relevant period, including wage costs, and profits in excess of firms' reference levels however they arise must be passed on to the consumer through price reductions. Most firms are currently operating well below reference levels, so this provision is of limited effect at present.

asked the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to advertise the small claims courts; and whether he will send a letter to all firms of solicitors pointing out the existence of these courts.

My noble and learned Friend and his officials and my hon. and learned Friend and I take every available opportunity to bring the scheme to the attention of advice giving agencies especially citizens' advice bureaux and consumer advice centres as well as the public. Copies of the booklet "Small Claims in the County Court" are widely available and posters and leaflets which mention the scheme and are issued by the Office of Fair Trading are available in public libraries, citizens' advice bureaux and at other places to which the public may go for help. Articles have appeared on the scheme in most newspapers and legal and consumer periodicals. Solicitors generally are very well aware of the scheme. Accordingly my noble and learned Friend does not think that the cost of circulating solicitors' offices could be justified by the results of doing so.

			Barristers	Solicitors
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary	…	…	7	—
Lord Chief Justice	…	…	1	—
Master of the Rolls	…	…	1	—
President of the Family Division of the High Court	…	…	1	—
Lords Justices of Appeal	…	…	15	—
High Court Judges	…	…	70	—
Circuit Judges	…	…	269	—
Stipendiary Magistrates	…	…	41	9
Masters of the Supreme Court	…	…	10	14
Assistant Master, Queen's Bench Division	…	…	1	—
Deputy Master Court of Protection	…	…	1	—
Registrars of the Supreme Court	…	…	10	8
County Court Registrars	…	…	—	131
Judge Advocate General	…	…	1	—
Vice Judge Advocate General	…	…	1	—
Assistant Judges Advocate General	…	…	8	—
Deputy Judges Advocates	…	…	3	—
President and Legal Members Immigration Appeal Tribunal	…	…	2	1
President and Full-time Chairmen Industrial Tribunals	…	…	35	22
President and Legal Members Lands Tribunal	…	…	3	—
President Pensions Appeal Tribunal	…	…	1	—
President Transport Tribunal	…	…	1	—
President and Full-time Chairmen VAT Tribunals	…	…	3	2
Chairman and Members Foreign Compensation Commission	…	…	2
National Insurance Commissioners	…	…	8	—

asked the Attorney-General if he will enlarge the terms of reference of the Pearson Commission on Civil Liability to enable it to make retrospective recommendations.

Announcing the appointment of the Royal Commission on 19th December 1972— [Official Report, 19th December 1972, c. 1121]—the right hon. Member for Sidcup (Mr. Heath) made it clear that the recommendations of the Royal Commission were not intended to have retrospective effect. Any enlargement of the terms of reference of the Royal Commission at this

asked the Attorney-General how many barristers and solicitors are currently in post in pensionable employment of a judicial or quasi-judicial nature; and if he will take these separately; and what are the posts they hold.

The number of banisters and solicitors in England and Wales who hold pensionable judicial or quasi-judicial posts which come within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister or my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is as follows:stage of its work would delay its report and is undesirable. It remains open to the Government to consider whether any recommendations of the Royal Commission should be implemented with retrospective effect.

asked the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker), representing the Church Estates Commissioners, if he will now make a statement on the disposal of the Hampstead Estate by the Church Commission.

I can confirm that the Church Commissioners have decided to sell the Hampstead Estate as part of a selective policy of reducing their investment in residential property. Arising from this decision the Commissioners have recently agreed terms with representatives of the tenants for the sale of 57 houses and four blocks of flats to a company formed expressly by the tenants for the purpose.The Commissioners wish to emphasise that, while economic factors have led to this reduction in their residential property portfolio, they nevertheless intend to retain for the foreseeable future a significant stake in this type of property, and will continue to provide some 6,000 homes in London at moderate rents as their contribution to London's housing problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students are at present in teacher-training colleges; and how this figure compares with each of the three preceding years.

The estimated total number of students on all courses for the initial training of teachers in October 1975 was 105,418. The actual numbers on such courses in previous years were 112,249 in 1974, 117,978 in 1973 and 120,172 in 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are employed by the Cleveland Education Authority; how this compares with each of the previous three years; and if he will publish the numbers of qualified teachers unemployed, both nationally and in the region.