asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list of television receiver sets in the Palace of Westminster; which of these are coloured programme receivers; who has the use of them; what is the total expenditure; whether television licences are paid for each set; and whether the users make any contribution towards these costs.

Three colour television sets are provided for the use of Members of Parliament on the Upper Committee Corridor. These are paid for out of the Vote of the House at a total annual rental of £287·88p. One colour set is provided in the Families' Room off the Lower Waiting Hall without charge to public funds. I understand Mr. Speaker's Art Fund pays a rental of £181·12p for this.Some television sets are installed in the various residences by private arrangements made by the occupants at their own expense.The Department of the Environment provides sets in 22 Ministers' Rooms. The annual rental of these sets is approximately £770.The Palace of Westminster is exempted from the need to pay a licence fee.The arrangements for installing television sets in the House of Lords is a matter for that House.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will discuss with the Lord Great Chamberlain the possible use of the Royal Gallery for the provision of catering facilities for the public; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 18th May.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to refer to the Committee on Procedure the practice whereby parliamentary Questions are not accepted in relation to the activities of public corporations.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion, but the practce of the House in this field has already been carefully examined on a number of occasions.

asked the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has for changing the management and the policy of the House of Commons Catering Department

My right hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) announced on 6th August that a Committee of Enquiry under the Chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Mr. Mikardo) had been set up to consider urgently the present system of financial and operational control over the Refreshment Department of the House and to make recommendations with a view to achieving its financial viability. The Committee is expected to complete its work in the near future and I think we should await its report.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he has any plans to reduce the loss made on catering in the private dining rooms on the Terrace and the Harcourt Room for the year ended 31st March 1976 which amounted to £70,591.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Carlton (Mr. Holland).

asked the Lord President of the Council on how many occasions the private dining rooms on the Terrace have been used by public relations organisations; and what was the average charge made, to the most recent practicable date in 1976.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that the information requested is not available. All hirings of private dining rooms are sponsored by hon. Members.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce regulations to prevent the use of the private dining rooms on the Terrace for public relations organisations; and if he will publish a list of all bookings by Members and the organisations they represent.

I have been asked to reply.No. Nor is it the policy of the Catering Sub-Committee to release details of functions sponsored by Members.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) what is the brand name and retail price of the beefburger offered for sale on the menu of the Harcourt Grill;(2) if he will give the latest price per pound of the minced flank beef used in the preparation of veal escalopes Viennois on the menu of the Members' Dining Room, House of Commons;(3) if he will give the brand name of the cream of chicken soup and the number of fresh eggs used in the preparation of chicken omelette on sale in the House of Commons Members' Dining Room.

I have been asked to reply.It is not the Catering Sub-Committee's policy to disclose the brand names of goods sold by the Refreshment Department or the details of costs.The preparation and content of menu items are under the direction of the Head Chef.

asked the Lord President of the Council what a portion of strawberries served in the strawberry teas on 19th May 1976 cost the Refreshment Department; and at what price per portion they were charged to Members.

I have been asked to reply.The Refreshment Department always tries to buy provisions at the most advantageous price. However, it is not the policy of the Catering Sub-Committee to disclose details of its purchasing and pricing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy at what proportion of total capacity the United Kingdom power station network is currently operating; and if he will give separate figures for oil-fired stations, coal-fired stations and dual-fired stations.

The utilisation of the CEGB's system varies according to time of day and year. At any one time a proportion of plant will be unavailable for use through, for example, breakdown and maintenance. The latest figures for operating capacity relate to 10.00 hours on Wednesday 19th May 1976 at which time the system was operating at 50·4 per cent. of the total capacity. This was made up of:

Coal-fired plant	68·1 per cent.
Oil-fired plant	15·2 per cent.
Dual-fired plant (coal/oil and gas/oil)	3·5 per cent.
Nuclear	9·4 per cent.
Others (gas turbine, pumped storage, diesel and hydro)	3·8 per cent.
For purposes of comparison, at the time of maximum peak demand in 1975–6 the system was operating at 72 per cent, of total capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the net output, expressed in £ million, of the electricity supply industry as at the end of 1975.

The net output—i.e. total income less the value of goods and services bought in, and allowance for stock changes—of the electricity supply industry in England and Wales for the year ended 31st March 1975 was £1,089 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the recoverable reserves of natural gas by field likely to be connected to the North Sea pipeline system, giving any revision of estimates since the Brown Book was written and including unnamed fields likely to be added to the network.

These are matters which I hope will be clear after further detailed studies have been completed. As the hon. Member knows it is not the practice to publish revised reserve estimates except in the official Brown Books.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate what percentage of total funds required for the North Sea natural gas pipeline network are likely to be derived from Government sources, or whether it is contemplated that all the moneys in his opinion are expected to be derived from the private sector and the international market.

It is too early to say. As my right hon. Friend said in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Campbell) on 13th May—[Vol. 911, c. 252–4]—more detailed studies will be needed before any decision to go ahead with a project can be taken. And I have invited the views of interested parties on a number of important aspects including organisation and financing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he envisages a Crown Company for the construction and operation of the North Sea natural gas pipeline project.

At present all options are open. I have invited all interested parties to let me have their views by the end of July, and this includes those of the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the market price for natural gas in Europe in pence per therm and the approximate retail prices paid for the product in the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, France and Italy.

There is no single market price for natural gas in Europe. Close international comparison of retail prices can be very misleading because of differing national consumption patterns, wide variations in prices within individual countries and fluctuating exchange rates. The latest published figures for industrial tariff users of 40,000 therms a year were given in the reply to the hon. Member for Caernarvon on 23rd March.—[Vol. 908, c. 168–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the approximate difference in the price paid by the BGC for natural gas from the southern fields and that agreed to be paid for gas supplied from the northern sector of the Continental Shelf: (a) to the United Kingdom and (b) to the Continent.

Beach prices both in the United Kingdom and on the Continent are commercially confidential matters for the buyers and sellers concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate in reference to the Williams-Merz Report relevant to the pipeline network for North Sea gas his estimate of the upper range of costs; and what increment would have to be added to the price of gas if the lower figure of £1·59 billion were accepted as the cost of the project.

It is not possible at this stage to give an estimate of the upper range of costs. But, using the same simplifying assumptions in each case, the cost of most of the gas from the proposed gathering systems is calculated as no greater than that of some of the gas recently brought under contract to British Gas.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what quantities of coal and oil, respectively, were consumed in dual-fired power stations in the United Kingdom during 1975 and each of the preceding four years.

The figures for the CEGB are as follows:

Year	Coal (tonnes)
1971–2	1,350,487
1972–3	928,793
1973–4	1,692,023
1974–5	1,114,478
1975–6	1,626,716
Total 1971–2—1975–6	6,712,497

Year	Oil (tonnes of coal equivalent)
1971–2	—
1972–3	—
1973–4	—
1974–5	3,288,603 (a)
1975–6	3,641,335 (a)
Total 1971–2—1975–6	6,929,938
(a) Oil burned at Kingsnorth where one unit has had a coal-burning capability since 1975. It is hoped that the remaining three units will have a coal-burning capability within the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department furnishes the ECSC or the Commission with full and sufficient information of the operation of the State corporations within his responsibility to enable the European authorities adequately to monitor their operations and ensure compliance with the fair trading provisions of the Rome Treaty.

My Department regularly supplies the Commission with information it properly requires for the discharge of its responsibilities under the Treaties of Paris and Rome.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress the British Gas Corporation has reported to him in its renegotiations with ICI on its long-term contract for supply of gas; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed that British Gas has had a number of meetings with ICI during recent months concerning this contract and that these discussions, to which the corporation attaches high priority, are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what total revenue in oil royalty payments he expects to receive during 1976; and what the figure will be in five years' time.

On latest estimates, I expect the oil royalties payable in 1976 to amount to about £7 million, of which £0·3 million has already been received. These royalties will relate to oil produced between July 1975 and June 1976.As for the estimate for 1981, I cannot add to the answer given on 25th February by my right hon. Friend, the then Paymaster-General, to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet).—[Vol. 906, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average price per therm of gas paid by domestic and industrial users, respec tively, including all those on interrupt-able or other contracts at the latest available date.

Final figures of average revenue from gas sales are not yet available for 1975–76, but present indications are that they will be about one third higher for industrial users, but barely one quarter higher for domestic users, than the 1974–75 figures of 3·88 pence per therm (industrial) and 11·63 pence per therm (domestic).Since these are averages over the whole year, they will not, however, fully reflect in the increases in tariffs from October 1975 or the significantly larger increases—in accordance with the corporation's policy of renewal at market related levels—in prices under special contracts renewed in the course of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has made a decision about the merging of electricity and gas showrooms.

Yes. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection and the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have received advice from the British Gas Corporation, the Electricity Council, the Scottish electricity boards, the National Gas Consumer Council, the electricity consultative councils, and the representatives of the workers in the two industries, who all made a detailed study of the question. They are unanimously against the merging of electricity and gas showrooms. But the consumer representatives have suggested that where one of the industries has to close an uneconomic showroom, the possibility of maintaining some service through the showroom of the other industry should be considered. We accept this advice and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I will commend these conclusions to the chairmen of the gas and electricity industries.The consumer representatives also suggested that both industries should accept through their showrooms payment of accounts for either industry and I have asked that this possibility should be considered in the review of payment and collection methods for fuel bills.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about his proposals for the next round of offshore licensing.

I propose that between 50 and 60 blocks should be put on offer for the next round of offshore petroleum production licensing. This is to be the start of a more orderly licensing strategy, aimed at maintaining activity at a reasonably stable level in the future through the licensing of smaller amounts of territory at more frequent intervals. I have today placed in the Libraries a consultative document setting out the arrangements I propose for the round. Copies of the document are also available in the library of my Department at Thames House South, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QJ.I am approaching the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association, the Confederation of British Industry, and the trade unions to suggest consultations on the basis of the document. I hope to complete these consultations during June, and then to prepare Regulations, to be laid in due course before Parliament prior to inviting applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether any further participation agreements have been concluded with North Sea oil companies.

I am pleased to inform the House that the Government and BNOC have today concluded a participation agreement with Ranger Oil (UK) Limited in respect of their interest in the Ninian field. This is the first participation agreement in Ninian although BNOC is of course already a partner in the field through the recent purchase of the Burmah interest.Through this agreement, BNOC becomes a licensee of licence P199 which covers block 3/8. BNOC also becomes a party to the Operating Agreement regulating the management of this block and a member of the Ranger Group Agreement with 51 per cent. of Ranger's vote. Operation of the Ninian field, which straddles blocks 3/3 and 3/8, will be governed by a unitisation agreement. Arrangements have been made for BNOC, through its participation interest, to become a party to that agreement when it comes into force. Meanwhile BNOC is a member of the existing Ninian Management Committee. By virtue of these arrangements, Ranger have assigned to BNOC 51 per cent. of their interest in the Ninian field on a basis which leaves Ranger with the full financial benefits and liabilities relating to that interest. BNOC may, at its option, retain at market price sufficient oil from the assigned interest so that, should royalty be taken in kind, BNOC will have access to 57 per cent. of Ranger's oil. The Government's rights under the licence to royalty are not affected by the participation agreement. The participation agreement will, therefore, entail no increase in public expenditure, except in the event that Ranger are unable to meet the financial commitment.My right hon. Friend has also consented today to a financing arrangement for Ranger's share of the development costs of the Ninian field. A syndicate of banks have agreed to advance to Ranger sums of up to $120 million. This bank loan is to be guaranteed by Chevron Petroleum (UK) Limited and by Chevron's parent company Standard Oil of California. The amounts advanced to Ranger under a bank loan guaranteed by me and announced to the House on 25th November 1975 (

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what order of increase in Civil Service pensions he expects will be awarded in July under the current formula; and whether he has any plans to alter that formula.

Under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 public service pensions, including Civil Service pensions, may be increased from 1st December each year. No decision has yet been taken about the size of any increase for this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give consideration to the automatic provision of postal votes, without need for special application, to blind persons, the severely disabled, and those over 75, by means of a certificate included in the electoral registration application form.

We hope that the new Speaker's Conference will be able to consider these and other questions relating to absent voting. Consultations between the leaders of the parties on the terms of reference for the new conference are in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a separate record is kept of each category of immigrants' dependants admitted for settlement from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan since 1965; and, if not, what is his estimate of the proportions represented by each category in the overall figures of dependants given in his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Orpington on 3rd May, Official Report, column 228 et seq.

Information relating to categories of dependants other than children and, from 1st September 1974, wives is not centrally recorded. Statistics for children and, from 1975, wives were given in my reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 3rd May. Sufficient information on which to base estimates is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Members of Parliament have been refused security clearance in each year since 1946; and at what level this security clearance was refused.

Members of Parliament are as such not subject to security clearance. If an hon. Member is appointed a Minister the arrangements described in paragraph 42 of the Security Commission's Report of July 1973 (Cmnd. 5367) apply. If for any reason it is desired to give an hon. Member access to classified information the Minister concerned is responsible for satisfying himself that there are no security objections to make the information available in confidence to that hon. Member. Figures are not kept of the number of hon. Members from whom access of classified information has been withheld on security grounds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ensure that the Independent Broadcasting Authority requires complete programmes to be shown without interruption by advertising, and specifically to ensure that feature films are transmitted without such intrusions.

We have no plans to introduce any such legislation pending consideration of any recommendations the Annan Committee may formulate on this topic in its report expected early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require an indication of the British Board of Film Censors category of films to be given prior to transmission of feature films on television and to include such indication in printed programme material.

We have no plans to do SO.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the status of the British Board of Film Censors' Certificate.

We receive occasional letters calling for changes of various kinds in the film censorship system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a working party to examine the function of the British Board of Film Censors and the powers of local authorities relating to the showing of films.

No. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his Question on 11th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 95.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Hawley report on immigration.

I have been asked to reply.No. It is not the practice to publish reports of this type.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people born in member countries of the EEC live in the United Kingdom listed by nationality.

I have been asked to reply.The following figures from the 1971 Census of Population give numbers of persons born in relevant countries. No figures are available for persons born in Denmark, nor are separate figures available for the two parts of Germany. No detail by nationality is available.

Country of Birth	No. of persons
	(a) enumerated in Great Britain and resident in the United Kingdom	(b) enumerated in and resident in Northern Ireland
Belgium and Luxembourg	15,475	not available
France	35,910
Germany1	157,680
Irish Republic2	709,235	46,400
Italy	108,980	not available
Netherlands	19,465
United Kingdom3	50,630,270	1,457,225
1. Includes both German Federal Republic and the German Democratic Republic.
2. Includes persons giving birthplace as "Ireland".
3. Includes Isle of Man and Channel Isles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children of Italian parents have been born in the United Kingdom since 1956; and, of the total, what are the percentages between 10 years of age and 18 years of age, and over 18 years of age, respectively.

I have been asked to reply.Information on the country of birth of the parents was not collected at birth registration until April 1969. Provisional information for England and Wales is as follows:

Births to Italian Parents
	Both parents born in Italy	One parent only born in Italy
1st April 1969 to 31st December 1974	11,452	14,878
1st January 1975 to 30th June1975	633	1,127

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in view of the fact that the Port of London Authority is dumping rubble in the Surrey Docks, as a result of which large quantities of fish—carp, roach, eels and pike—are being destroyed.

None. I understand the fish are not being destroyed but transferred to other water, with the full cooperation of the PLA.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) by what authority the Minister for Sport sought to impose a ban on the Ridgebacks Cricket Club from Rhodesia playing cricket in England as a team, starting their tour on 15th May 1976;(2) whether he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's policy in regard to sporting tours to Great Britain by Rhodesians.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. Urwin) and the right hon. and learned Member for Hexham (Mr. Rippon) on 20th May 1976.—[Vol. 911, c. 1711–15.]

asked the Secretary et State for the Environment if, pursuant to his Written Answer of 18th May, he will list Her Majesty's Government's reasons for their policy that cost benefit tests rather than commercial ones are suitable for road improvements and construction, while commercial criteria, as usually applied to nationalised industries, must be applied to capital for major improvements to, or construction of, multipurpose waterways.

Financial appraisal is appropriate where the major effects of an investment decision are reflected by the cash flow of the agency concerned. Cost benefit tests are used where this is not the case. I would again refer my hon. Friend to Paper 5 in Volume 2 of the Consultation Document on Transport Policy for a full discussion of this topic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which statutory body is studying the need for national regulations for controlling the treatment and storage of hazardous substances in harbour areas; what are the precise terms of reference of that study; when it was commenced; when its completion is expected; and whether he will then make the findings available to Parliament.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that a working party comprising representatives of port authorities, the shipping, chemical and petroleum industries, trade unions and relevant Government Departments, was set up by the Health and Safety Executive and held its first meeting on 14th January 1976 with the following terms of reference:

"To develop regulatory proposals for the control of dangerous goods in harbours, ports and berths".

The purpose of the working party is to help the Executive formulate proposals to go before the Commission. If the Commission decides to make regulatory proposals they will go through the full consultative procedure as required by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and any draft regulations will be laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the estimated cost to British Railways, in each year since 1968, of industrial action on the railways.

The Railways Board's estimate of loss or revenue arising from industrial action on the railways is tabled below. Comparable estimates of reductions in operating costs are not available.

	£ million
1968	5·1
1969	Nil
1970	Nil
1971	1·1
1972	13·2
1973	16·7
1974	19·7
1975	7·2

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have so far issued certificates in respect of football ground safety.

None. The first step is for stadia to be designated under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Home Affairs and the Secretary of State for Scotland have the necessary Orders under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to widen the footpath at Burscough Bridge on the A59.

My right hon. Friend has recently asked the Departments Agent, Lancashire County Council to forward details of a proposal to widen this footpath. On approval of the proposal the improvement will be carried out as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to improve the A59 at Burscough Bridge.

My right hon. Friend proposes to relieve the traffic problems at Burscough by the construction of a by pass. Alternative proposals were published for comment by the public in autumn last year. The results of the consultation are still being assessed. In particular the Department is examining further alternative routes supplied by the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has met representatives of oil companies to discuss the content of lead in their petroleum products.

Officials of the Government Departments concerned met representatives of the oil industry recently and are now studying their comments on the proposed regulations for the lead content of petrol.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those local housing authorities which achieved satisfactory house building programmes, according to his Department's definition, during 1975–76; and if he will name the 10 authorities with the largest programmes proportionate to their populations;(2) if he will make a statement on the size of a council's house building programme which he would regard as achieving a satisfactory level in 1975–76; and if he will express this in terms of the number of houses completed or under construction per 100,000 population.

The desirable size of building programmes should be decided

ACCIDENTS ON THE A57*: 1967–1975
Number of accidents
A. Between the M1† intersection and the Rotherham/Sheffield boundary
			1967–69	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Fatal	…	…	N/A	2	—	—	2	2	—
Serious	…	…	N/A	7	4	6	4	2	2
Slight	…	…	N/A	17	11	20	15	13	10
All accidents	…	…	59	26	15	26	21	17	12

B. Between the M1‡ intersection and the Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire boundary
			1967–69	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Fatal	…	…	N/A	1	3	—	—	1	1
Serious	…	…	N/A	1	6	4	11	5	7
Slight	…	…	N/A	6	15	12	26	10	8
All accidents	…	…	65	8	24	16	37	16	16
* The M18 and M1 Motorways merge at Brampton and continue south as the M1, meeting the A57 at junction 31.
† Excluding accidents on the M1/A57 roundabout.
‡ Including accidents on the M1/A57 roundabout.
N/A = Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many accidents have occurred on the A57 between the M18 intersection and the boundary between Rotherham and Sheffield during each of the last 10 years;(2) how many accidents have occurred on the A57 between the M18 intersection and the South Yorkshire-Nottinghamshire boundary in each of the last 10 years.

The information is not available in the precise form requested, but the following is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he expects to learn from the Road Traffic and Travel Survey commissioned by his Department that was not known to the authors of "Transport Policy: A Consultative Document"; how many members of the public are to be interviewed in their homes; what will be the total cost of the survey; and if he will make a statement.

"Transport Policy: A Consultative Document" is concerned with national transport policy. The Road Traffic and Travel Survey now being undertaken will provide detailed regional information. The objective will be to obtain 50,000 interviews.The total cost of the survey, including roadside interviews, is expected to be about £1,600,000. This survey will, for the first time, provide comprehensive regional data to a common standard and should reduce the need for future surveys.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding his talks with Birmingham City Council concerning the proposed staging of the Commonwealth Games in 1982.

Following my talks with Birmingham City Council the Sports Council has offered a record £4 million grant towards the cost, estimated in January 1976 to be £8·4 million, of developing the necessary additional sports facilities in Birmingham should the city's current application to stage the 1982 Commonwealth Games be successful. The grant offered includes special funds made available by the Government through the Sports Council and will be available over the period of six years from 1977 to 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has completed his consideration of amendment to the building regulations regarding the use of calcium chloride as a setting agent in reinforced concrete; and if he will make a statement.

We are still awaiting the outcome of the British Standards Institution Committee's consideration of this matter. It is not yet clear whether sufficient grounds exist for recommending that calcium chloride should not be used on concrete containing embedded metal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer of Monday 24th May concerning distribution of the Layfield Report, how many advance copies were given to the parliamentary Lobby; and whether they were issued to individuals or to the Lobby en bloc.

140 advance copies were given to the parliamentary Lobby en bloc.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that local authorities cannot give 100 per cent. rate relief to former direct-grant schools which have become independent.

My right hon. Friend will be considering this matter in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the course of his rieview of local government finance following the report of the Layfield Committee of Inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses, flats and other local authority buildings were affected by the use of asbestos in construction which has subsequently caused concern for residents or users.

Residents or users of local authority buildings are likely to have expressed any concern about the use of asbestos in their construction to the local authority rather than to my Department. We have not asked local authorities for this information nor do we think the degree of risk involved calls for doing so at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to control the use of propellants in aerosols to ensure that the environmental dangers arising from their use are minimised.

Not at present. The report issued by my Department outlines the many uncertainties which surround the continued use of the chlorofluorocarbons 11 and 12 in aerosol containers. Until these uncertainties have been resolved by further research, which is now being undertaken, firm conclusions about the need for controls on chlorofluorocarbons cannot be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the nature, scope and cost of the research into consultation procedures for road planning inquiries being conducted on behalf of his Department by Mr. Peter Springer of the University of Surrey.

The University of Surrey is carrying out two studies, one to determine the part played by pressure groups in public participation, the other to evaluate methods of communicating information on road proposals to the public. The estimated overall cost of the first is £16,000 and of the second £40,000. The work was commissioned by the Department as part of a general programme of research into the effectiveness of current public participation procedures. Formal public inquiry procedures fall outside the scope of this research.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the data on which the location and contours of the Government's proposed 12 to 50-mile exclusive fishing zone are based.

The Government will be ready whenever appropriate to provide supporting information to our Community partners for the position we have adopted on future arrangements under the common fisheries policy. I do not think it would be in the interests of our fishing industry to publish such information at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on developments over discussions on the common fisheries policy.

I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 6th May.—[Vol. 910, c. 1480–91.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest state of that part of the fishing industry for which he is responsible.

The strong upward movement in quayside prices since 1974 has contributed to substantially improved prospects. Earnings for the major ports in England and Wales for the first four months of 1976 were 18 per cent. up on the same period last year. Although costs continue to rise and areas of difficulty may remain, there are no indications that the fleets generally will fish unprofitably this year, unless circumstances change drastically.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the certification of fat cattle in Northern Ireland to be brought again into line with the rest of the United Kingdom.

The arrangements at present operating in Northern Ireland for the certification of fat cattle are working satisfactorily and there are no current plans to alter them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, as the United Kingdom is not self-sufficient in dairy products, he will take steps to ensure that no penalties are imposed on United Kingdom milk producers in order to secure a reduction in output as a contribution to decreasing European surpluses.

We shall be concerned to see that any scheme evolved for producing a better balance between milk production and consumption in the Community will operate equitably for the United Kingdom, bearing in mind the high level of efficiency in our dairy industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate the possibility of the univeral inoculation of dogs against rabies.

We have done so and have concluded that, so long as we remain free from rabies, it would be unwise to permit the vaccination of animals other than those in quarantine or for export to countries that require it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the outbreak of "mad itch" among pigs in Holland constitutes a potential threat to British herds; and what contingency plans have been made to deal with an outbreak in the United Kingdom.

As this disease, generally known as Aujesky's disease, has been recognised here since 1961, a contingency plan is not needed. We do not import live pigs from Holland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps are being taken by the United Kingdom, both nationally and internationally, to preserve whales; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens (Mr. Spriggs) on 21st May.—[Vol. 911, c. 748–9.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the actual or estimated costs on an annual basis of the 800 to 900 poultry meat inspectors who will be needed in August 1979 to carry out the implementa- tion of the Poultry (Meat) Hygiene Regulations under EEC Directives 71/118 and 75/431; what will be the back-up costs for offices, staffs and training, &c.; and whether, in view of the Government's call for cuts in public expenditure, he will take steps to postpone implementation of these directives.

As to estimated annual inspection costs, which we propose should be borne by the trade, I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 22nd March and to my hon. Friends the Members for West Bromwich, West (Miss Boothroyd) and Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 25th March and 25th May respectively.—[Vol. 908, c. 79,227–8; Vol. 912, c. 151–2.] The estimate given on 22nd March included allowance for local authority overheads but not training costs, which we estimate will total around £1·5 million over the three-year period to August 1979. This date already represents a substantial deferment from the date accepted during the EEC entry negotiations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the tonnage of beef imported from Australia in each year from 1972 to date; and whether, as Australia has a surplus of beef, he will arrange to improve the estimated £12½ million of beef now available.

The quantity of beef imported by the United Kingdom from Australia in the years referred to was as follows:

1972	67,532 tons
1973	85,975 tons
1974	22,735 tons
1975	10,102 tons

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.Under the present Community arrangements imports of carcase beef from non-member countries are limited to those under the EEC GATT quota for frozen beef, quotas of beef from ACP countries and imports under the "jumelage" scheme. However, the Commission has produced proposals for a new system of variable import levies for beef which, if implemented would allow resumption of trade on a normal basis between the Community and third country suppliers, including Australia. It is intended that the Council of Ministers should reach a decision on these proposals before the summer break.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at which British ports the 15,362 store cattle and calves exported to Italy in January/ March 1976 were embarked; what destinations were shown on the export licences; what was the longest journey travelled by a consignment; what was the estimated time of travel after embarkation in the United Kingdom; and by what means they were transported.

The animals concerned were exported by air, more than half of them going from Manston Airport and most of the remainder from Stansted, Southend and Exeter airports. They went to various airports in Italy, selected as being the most convenient to their final destinations. I cannot, for reasons of commercial confidence, indicate each exact final destination, but the veterinary staff of my Department who are required to examine the stock before departure were satisfied on each occasion that the animals concerned could be conveyed to their final destination without unacceptable stress. The average flight time was three hours. In all cases the animals were rested, fed and watered before their journey and given an official veterinary examination to ensure that they were fit to travel.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what price butter produced in the United Kingdom was taken into intervention during April; and at what tendered price butter was sold out of intervention in the same period.

The Intervention Board received offers of butter into intervention during April 1976 at £973·22 per ton. Acceptance of these offers depends on the results of testing after a two month interval. The Intervention Board had no butter to sell in April 1976.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what approximate date he considers that decisions on the reorganisation of the sugar industry will need to be implemented.

It is hoped that any Government decisions concerning reorganisation of this industry will be taken before the Summer Recess. Implementation will depend upon the solution arrived at and is likely to be spread over a period.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's role in the reorganisation of the sugar industry which they are currently discussing with Tate and Lyle, Manbre and Garton and the British Sugar Corporation; and how they intend to ensure that the reorganisation of beet and cane capacity is carried out in a co-ordinated and equitable manner taking full account of changes in demand as well as in supply.

Reorganisation has substantial implications for employment and other matters of economic and social significance. It was appropriate that the two refining companies sought the views of the Government on this issue. It is expected that consultation with the industry will continue until reorganisation is completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the production and consumption figures for lime in member States of the EEC.

I have been asked to reply.A complete set of published comparable figures for all member States of the EEC is not available, but a limited amount of information is given below:

Production of Limestone, 1974
	million tonnes
Belgium	24
Denmark	—
Luxembourg	0
West Germany	59
United Kingdom	93

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the tonnage of limestone used in the United Kingdom for the following purposes: (a) agriculture, (b) road making, (c) cement, (d) iron and steel, (e) chemical industry and (f) for miscellaneous purposes.

I have been asked to reply.The following table gives the latest information available:

Production of Limestone, 1975
Great Britain	Million Tonnes
For agriculture	2·2
For chemical use	2·5
For iron and steel manufacture	3·6
For cement	10·1
For roadstone	35·9
For other purposes	36·8*
Total production of limestone	91·0
* Of which 31·8 for other constructional purposes, mainly for concrete aggregate and for fill.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what price beef produced in the United Kingdom was taken into intervention during April; and at what tendered price beef was sold out of intervention in the same period.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Members for Banbury (Mr. Marten) and Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Henderson) on 26th May 1976.—[Vol. 912, c. 266–7.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to make the penalty for smuggling animals into the United Kingdom the destruction of such animals.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Circencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 6th May.—[Vol. 910, c. 448.]

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

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20th May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 650], gave the following information.No further notifications of convictions during the month of April have been received.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the surplus on invisible exports is being offset by interest payments on overseas borrowings by: (a) central Government and (b) nationalised industries.

The current invisibles surplus is about £360 million a quarter. The quarterly interest on foreign current borrowing by the Government is at present about £50 million, and by the nationalised industries about £70 million. These are approximate figures because some interest rates float and the cost depends also on the exchange rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the cost of child benefit after April 1977 will appear in the Government's statistics on total public expenditure after deduction of any saving as child tax allowances or not.