asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value of foodstuffs that have been taken off the market and held in storage in accord with the common agricultural policy; and what has been the cost of providing storage facilities during the last two years for which figures are available.

Details of the United Kingdom expenditure on support buying under the common agricultural policy are given in the Consolidated Operating Accounts and Balance Sheets for intervention buying undertaken by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce. These accounts also show the costs of providing storage facilities, including insurance of stocks and the receipts from FEOGA for losses incurred on sales and for incidental expenses. The accounts were published in Classes I-V of the Appropriation Accounts for 1973–74 (pages 326 and 327) and in Volume I of the Appropriation Accounts for 1974–75 (pages 214 and 215). Information in more detail for the calendar years 1973 and 1974 is contained in Table M of the Annual Report of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce for the

(1)			(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
			Infected Herds in Great Britain excluding the South-West	Herds in (2) which had received Irish animals	Infected herds in the South-West	Herds in (4) which had received Irish animals
1974		…	28	11	93	—
1975	…	…	50	21	99	—
Total	…	…	78	32	192	—

These figures relate only to those herds in which reactors were disclosed at routine tuberculin tests carried out in 1974 and 1975 and positive diagnosis of tuberculosis were made when material from those reactors was examined at the laboratory. The figures in column (3) are of herds known to have received cattle in 1972 and/or 1973 from the Irish calendar year 1974 (Cmnd 6033). This table also shows the incidental expenses of the support buying operations, including expenditure on storage. Receipts from FEOGA appear at Table L of the report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many EEC regulations appertaining to the food industry are now in force in the United Kingdom.

Most regulations on the setting up and operation of the common market organisations for agricultural products affect the food industry to a greater or lesser extent. It would require a disproportionate effort to identify all these regulations, particularly as many Commission regulations are of short duration and are continuously superseded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases have occurred in each of the last two years where tuberculosis has broken out on farms; and how many of those farms had imported cattle from the Irish Republic during the previous two years.

The following table contains the information requested:Republic or, in a few cases, possibly from Northern Ireland. Information about infected herds in the South-West of England has been provided separately because a high proportion of the cases occurring there can be attributed to the existence of bovine tuberculosis in local badger colonies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps, if any, have been taken in the interests of the consumer to ensure that the lowering of gravities by the brewing industry does not result in a reduction in the quality of the product.

Figures published in the 66th Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise show that the average gravity of beer produced in the United Kingdom is not declining. I am advised that there is not necessarily any direct relationship between the original gravity of a beer and its quality. The Food Standards Committee is carrying out a full review of the composition and label-ling of beer. During its review the committee is considering whether additional controls should be recommended.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the tonnages of fish caught in 1974 for sprats, mackerel, Norway pout, sand eels and blue whiting, respectively; and what steps he is taking to encourage increased catches for the purpose of producing fishmeal and fish oil.

In 1974 landings of the species mentioned by United Kingdom vessels were as follows:

Sprats	82,702 tonnes
Mackerel	30,124 tonnes
Norway Pont	38,354 tonnes
Sand eels	15,494 tonnes
Blue Whiting	2·8 tonnes

Subject to any internationally agreed conservation measures it is a matter for commercial judgment whether increased catches are justified of fish for processing into fishmeal and fish oil.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to alter the EEC Cod Import Regulation No. 1019/76 regarding suepension of imports of fresh or chilled cod and to protect the British market from the imports flood of processed frozen cod fillets.

We consider the most productive way to deal with the problems which may arise from imports is revision of the marketing aspects of the common fisheries policy. My right hon. Friend has already taken the initiative on this point in the Council of Ministers on 6th April and I am glad to say his colleagues supported him in calling for early proposals from the Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to amend the law on restrictive practices relating to agriculture.

I have nothing to add to the assurances I gave on 8th April when this matter was raised by the hon. Member during the Committee stage of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.—[Official Report, Standing Committee C; c. 1199.] For the reasons given then I cannot at the moment hold out any early prospect of amending legislation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will restore the ½p per pint differential between the retail price of Channel Islands milk and ordinary milk: and why the Government decided not to maintain the differential.

No. The premium on Channel Islands milk over ordinary pasteurised milk was raised from l½p to 2p per pint last November to forestall the possibility of a shortage of supply during the winter. The increase was subject to review after six months. In the event, supplies have increased whilst consumption has declined markedly, such that there is now a substantial excess of production over demand. It was, therefore, decided that the premium should revert to its former level of l½p per pint, with the objective of establishing a better balance between supply and demand. The level of the premium will be reviewed later in the year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies have been made of the feasibility of developing the fishing industry around British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean.

The possibilities of developing a British fishery in the South Atlantic have been examined extensively in recent years and are kept under continuous review. All the evidence is that this area is unlikely to provide the domestic British industry with viable fishing opportunities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional uses for limestone have materialised in the past five years; and to what extent these new uses have reflected an increased tonnage consumption.

I have been asked to reply.I am not aware of any significant new use for limestone either as an aggregate or in converted form as lime.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service in how many cases the Top Salaries Review Body has recommended increases in pay which have had to be deferred due to the present economic situation; and in how many of these cases, apart from Members of Parliament, increases in pensions for those retiring while the restrictions are in force have been approved.

Increases recommended by the Top Salaries Review Body have been deferred in two cases.Report No. 6 of the Top Salaries Review Body in December 1974 recommended increases for the Higher Civil Service, the Judiciary and senior officers of the Armed Forces. It was decided to stage these increases at the higher salary levels. The first stage was paid from 1st January 1975, but the second stage, due from 1st January 1976, has been deferred. Action on the increases recommended in the same report for the chairmen and members of the boards of nationalised industries has been deferred and is now being considered in the light of the report on higher incomes of the Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth.Report No. 7 of the Top Salaries Review Body recommended in July 1975 that Members of Parliament should receive a parliamentary salary of £8,000. The House decided on 22nd July 1975 that Members of Parliament should for the time being draw a lower salary, though £8,000 was accepted as the proper rate for the job.As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister indicated in his Written Answer of 20th December 1974, pensions payable in the case of the Higher Civil Service, the Judiciary and senior officers of the Armed Forces will be based on the full rates recommended by the Top Salaries Review Body and accepted by the Government as the true rate for the job. In the case of the nationalised industry board chairmen and members, however, the Government have not yet taken a decision on the Top Salaries Review Body's recommendations on which increased pension provision could be based.

asked the Minister of the Civil Service if pension increases under the 1975 Annual Review of the Pension (Increases) Act 1971 have been paid to all those whose pensions began before 1st July 1975 who are eligible by age to receive increases; and if not, why not.

I am not aware of any Civil Service pensioners who retired before 1st July 1975 and who are aged 55 or over who have not received the 1975 increase payable under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he could write to me.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what is the percentage of professional Civil Service staff staying over the age of 65 years who were entitled to retire;

The information is not readily available in the form requested. However, information for the non-industrial Civil Service, relating only to staff attaining the ages specified in the year 1975 is below. The minimum retirement age for these grades is 60, though retirement can take place at any time thereafter.

	Percentage not retiring
Professional staff attaining age 60	81
Professional staff attaining age 65	17
Higher Executive Officers attaining age 60	69
Senior Executive Officers attaining age 60	70
Principals attaining age 60	65

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is his policy toward the recommendation of the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration as expressed in paragraph 11 of their First Report for the Session 1974–75 published on 23rd October 1975 that the restrictions imposed by paragraph 10 should be removed; and if he will take steps to implement the proposal.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Sir J. Rodgers) on 18th March.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list of television receiver sets in Government offices; which of these are coloured programme receivers; who has the use of these; what is the total expenditure on them; wheher television licences are paid for each set; and whether the users make any contribution towards these costs.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware of the disturbances to local civilian population in South Angus caused by late night firing of heavy weapons at the Barry Buddon Army Firing Range; and if he will take immediate steps to prevent future recurrence of this situation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson) on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if pension increases payable to former members of the Armed Services under the 1975 Annual Review of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 have been paid to all those whose pensions began before 1st July 1975 who are eligible by age to receive increases; and if not, why not.

Pensions increases for Armed Forces pensioners are not governed by the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 but are paid in an analogous manner, taking account of the Services pension code system. Under these arrangements, pensions increases for pensioners retiring on the 1975 pension code are payable to those eligible with effect from the introduction of a new pension code. Eligible pensioners who retired or were discharged before the 1975 pension cede became effective—1st January 1975 for senior officers; 1st April 1975 for others —were paid pensions increases stemming from the 1975 review from 1st December 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-level flights have been made over each of the national parks in each quarter of 1975 and in the first three months of 1976.

I regret that the information cannot be provided without a disproportionate amount of effort, as no separate records are kept of flights over national parks.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the areas of outstanding natural beauty which are overflown within a distance of two nautical miles by low-level training flights.

Some 20 per cent. of the area of England and Wales outside built-up areas consists of national parks or areas of outstanding natural beauty. Moreover, this 20 per cent. tends to be more thinly populated than the rest of the country and inevitably, therefore, if the disturbance caused by low-level flights to indigenous populations is to be minimised these areas must bear their share. The incidence of low-flying changes from time to time and areas of outstanding natural beauty are apt to be affected, though restrictions on the height and maximum speed are imposed in order to keep the disturbance to a minimum. If my hon. Friend has in mind a problem at any particular locality I should be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education arid Science (1) what would be the net cost of abolishing all discretionary awards and converting them into mandatory awards; and what would be the cost of abolishing discretionary awards for students aged 18 years and over;(2) how many students in Great Britain are receiving discretionary awards from local education authorities; and, of those students, what percentage is aged 18 years or over.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report a breakdown of

No previous qualifications	Qualifications up to and including the Scottish Certificate of Education (Higher Grade), or its equivalent	Diploma or Certificate beyond Scottish Certificate of Education (Higher Grade)	First degree	Not known
12	120	235	42	4

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what guidance he has given to colleges running NNEB courses regarding their intake of students in view of the cutback in the nursery education expansion programme;(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the number of students admitted to NNEB courses is matched to the requirement of the education service to avoid waste both of human and financial resources.

My right hon. Friend has not given any guidance, nor is it necessary for him to do so. It is for individual colleges and their maintaining authorities to decide on the level of annual intake appropriate to meet the local needs of the education, health and social services and private employers. Local education authorities collectively employ about one-third of newly trained NNEB certificate holders each year and the demand of the education service for those so qualified is expected to remain at approximately this level.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how those who have graduated in Scotland for the Open University, giving a breakdown into those who had not previously undertaken post-school education, those holding a diploma and those holding a first degree.

The number of students in Scotland who have so qualified for the Open University's B.A. degree is as follows:

1972	58
1973	251
1974	376
1975	413
Total	1,098

Information is available in the form requested only for the year 1975. The figures are:many students are currently engaged on the NNEB course and expected to complete the course in summer 1976 (

An estimated 4,350 students in England/Wales are expected successfully to complete NNEB courses this summer. Separate figures for Wales are not available. My Department does not make estimates of vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students were admitted to teacher training courses on the understanding that their tuition would be free; and when they are expected to complete their courses.

Tuition fees for teacher training courses were introduced in the academic year 1975–76, consequent upon changes in the student support arrangements made by the Education Act 1975 which brought teacher training students within the mandatory awards system. Most of the students admitted in previous years will under the new arrangements have their fees paid by local education authorities as part of their mandatory awards. It is not possible to estimate the number admitted on the understanding that tuition would be free who may have been assessed as liable to pay part or all of a tuition fee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to complete his consultations with local authorities on the payment of tuition fees by students admitted to teacher training colleges on the understanding that tuition would be free.

I have consulted the local authority associations and understand that they have issued advice to their members on this matter. My Department will shortly be giving guidance to voluntary colleges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the disparity between the respective levels of postgraduate award and the undergraduate award, when evaluated on a weekly basis; and when he expects the postgraduate award to be reviewed;(2) if he will make a statement on the reason for the disparity between the respective levels of the London allowance for postgraduate students and that for undergraduates, when evaluated on a weekly basis; and when he expects the postgraduate allowance to be reviewed.

In general, the postgraduate grant is related to a 52-week year, and the undergraduate grant to 30 weeks of term-time study; but the latter also includes a contribution to maintenance during the vacations, so a valid comparison on the basis of weekly rates cannot be made. Rates of postgraduate grant for the academic year 1976–77 are now being reviewed, and I expect an announcement to be made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the representations he has received from interested parties in Tameside about present uncertainties regarding the arrangements for secondary education for September 1976.

My right hon. Friend has received some 70 letters and telegrams of protest, mainly from parents and local teacher, trade union and Labour Party organisations. He has also received two petitions containing some 280 signatures. Three letters have been sent supporting the new council's proposals.The protests relate, mainly, to the reintroduction of selection, to the possible waste of public money if reorganisation is halted, and to concern that the education of the children will be adversely affected by uncertainty and disruption.My right hon. Friend invited members of the authority to meet him on Monday 24th or Wednesday 26th May. This they were unable to do. He has now asked the authority to provide, a precise and detailed statement of their intentions for September 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of children he estimates to be leaving school at the spring bank holiday in the administrative county of Suffolk; and how many of these. approximately, live in the Bury St. Edmunds, Haverhill, Newmarket and Mildenhall-Brandon areas, respectively.

The Suffolk education authority estimates that within its area 3,200 children will leave school at the spring bank holiday. Estimates for the localities comprising the Western area of the authority are:

Bury St. Edmunds	350
Haverhill	150
Newmarket	90
Mildenhall-Brandon	100
Sudbury	220

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the total Government funds allocated to universities for research in each of the last five financial years, broken down into contributions to each university from the research councils and Government Departments in the form of grants, and from the UGC within the recurrent grant.

Universities' income from research grants and contracts awarded by government depart-

University		1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74
		£	£	£	£	£
Aston	…	92,023	114,899	151,396	154,712	179,277
Bath	…	113,742	176,188	174,967	143,385	178,295
Birmingham	…	915,532	1,338,522	1,301,364	1,434,767	2,101,708
Bradford	…	72,096	130,697	159,653	183,806	240,724
Bristol	…	1,057,280	688,373	904,561	814,078	889,701
Brunel	…	80,119	136,106	185,348	192,434	212,702
Cambridge	…	1,459,452	1,747,202	1,945,895	2,125,561	2,425,608
City	…	81,585	99,629	89,842	114,267	132,589
Durham	…	239,239	193,285	203,373	219,170	272,408
East Anglia	…	97,062	128,113	172,993	164,121	188,773
Essex	…	175,322	177,120	215,652	213,899	247,360
Exeter	…	128,279	202,609	213,445	214,134	227,954
Hull	…	84,143	120,658	152,610	203,917	166,908
Keele	…	96,033	109,341	103,961	120,731	93,452
Kent	…	91,090	113,899	189,074	240,887	210,466
Lancaster	…	141,286	159,155	157,077	196,945	218,429
Leeds	…	424,364	509,841	631,715	1,071,445	827,300
Leicester	…	232,519	328,365	287,692	369,732	349,181
Liverpool	…	560,638	798,970	892,944	1,043,320	976,685
London Graduate School Business Studies	…	22,086	35,667	47,019	75,433	77,209
London University	…	4,641,704	6,096,297	6,679,796	7,812,852	7,955,570
Loughborough	…	163,912	177,806	255,963	394,661	433,013
Manchester Business School	…	41,122	46,840	72,943	49,556	21,064
Manchester University	…	745,739	1,538,620	1,807,194	945,649	1,065,187
Manchester Institute of Science and Technology	…	554,855	382,876	356,317	480,474	486,817
Newcastle	…	545,874	543,179	669,671	765,643	723,372
Nottingham	…	381,114	482,388	454,617	624,312	648,282
Oxford	…	1,836,897	2,344,873	2,630,007	2,907,770	3,001,424
Reading	…	213,850	257,475	411,698	434,870	514,002
Salford	…	90,816	150,019	149,626	214,289	238,916
Sheffield	…	449,343	549,218	630,625	650,056	778,803
Southampton	…	613,989	843,016	903,086	998,383	1,298,704
Surrey	…	108,341	123,330	146,962	187,645	286,783
Sussex	…	479,452	644,415	801,261	751,293	848,074
Warwick	…	169,818	308,050	243,341	303,735	346,929
York	…	329,632	370,827	342,489	300,721	283,839
Total England	…	17,530,348	22,167,868	24,709,177	27,118,653	29,147,508
Wales	…	785,624	894,969	966,847	1,177,323	1,322,908
Aberdeen	…	328,884	350,071	307,821	317,945	295,936
Dundee	…	135,506	184,475	183,036	204,932	322,969
Edinburgh	…	899,943	1,385,839	1,384,615	1,473,894	1,683,444
Glasgow	…	587,072	876,395	893,890	1,026,957	1,472,453
Heriot-Watt	…	64,544	136,340	140,131	151,374	198,842
St. Andrews	…	52,085	84,483	106,929	122,499	186,655
Stirling	…	55,244	68,086	84,407	101,304	115,457
Strathclyde	…	339,869	436,657	458,337	524,121	512,093
Total Scotland	…	2,463,147	3,522,35	3,559,166	3,923,026	4,787,849
Total Great Britain	…	20,779,119	26,585,183	29,235,190	32,219,002	35,258,265

Recurrent grant from the University Grants Committee is merely one, though the largest, component of universities' income for general purposes, including teaching and research, which are interdependent functions. It is not possible

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the level of Government grant towards research into Freidreichs ataxia.

The Medical Research Council is not supporting research on this rare inherited disease but would be prepared to consider any proposals which may be put to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of members of the board of the British National Oil Corporation is located for the greater part of the time in Scotland and in London, respectively.

That is a matter for individual members. Most members of the BNOC are part-time, and their principal residences are likely to be determined by their other commitments.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a breakdown of the figures for estimated research and development by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for the year 1975–76 totalling £84·2 million.

The authority has provided the following breakdown:

£ million
Nuclear Power Programme
Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors	4·3
Water-moderated systems	10·8
Fast systems	33·2
Nuclear safety and environment	9·4
Other work in direct support of the nuclear power programme	8·5
Other Research and Development etc.
Underlying	7·3
Plasma physics and fusion	4·6
Other activities	6·1
Total	84·2

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, in view of the saving of energy by the use of water-wheel power, what steps his Department will take to encourage this form of power and seek to safeguard its use; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is ready to encourage the use of any renewable source of energy which can be shown to be economically sound. Water wheel power is, however an established technology and I would not expect any special encouragement to be needed. I am of course aware of the memorandum submitted by the National Association of Water Power Users on the question of water abstraction charges, and in this connection I Would refer the hon. Member to the reply he received from my hon. Friend the Minister of state at the Department of the Environment on 26th April. I understand that my hon. Friend is considering the National Water Council's reply

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish an analysis of the figures for estimated research and development by the Electricity Council and Electricity Boards for the year 1975–76 totalling £35·9 million.

Whilst the general programme of research into matters affecting the supply of electricity is settled in consultation with me, the detailed allocation of resources is a matter for the Electricity Council and I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how the £8·3 million spent on research and development by the coal industry in 1975 was allocated, showing the funds spent on leading projects and estimated figures for the current year.

Whilst the National Coal Board conducts its research activities on lines settled in consultation with me, the detailed allocation of resources is a matter for the board and I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) why the next round of licensing for Continental Shelf areas has been delayed;(2) what is the attitude towards the eligibility of overseas State entities in the next round of licensing;

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 27th May to the Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Campbell) which informed the House that I was making available a Consultative Document setting out my proposed arrangements for the Round.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Government propose to take advantage of Community funds as recommended by the Commission for exploration on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf during the next round of licensing.

Commission proposals are still under examination in Brussels and I am not in a position to say whether the outcome would have any relation to the next round of licensing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will bring forward legislation to enable him to defray the electricity boards' charges for service calls, in the case of retirement pensioners and others in receipt of State benefits.

Boards do not charge for calls to service their own wiring or equipment. In servicing consumers' wiring and appliances they are in competition with private contractors and their charges are set to cover their costs. Any financial assistance to particular groups of people in special need is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of public disquiet about the continued breeding of dogs for scientific research and the export of such dogs to countries where legal controls fall short of what is considered necessary in the United Kingdom for humane treatment, he will set up an inquiry into the matter.

No. We are not aware that there is any justification for disquiet. We are, however, considering whether arrangements could be made to improve the information available, subject to the concurrence of the local authorities which license dog breeding establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what statistical basis the Minister of State on 11th May informed a deputation protesting against the proposal to build a remand centre for women at Woodgate Valley, Birmingham, that the numbers of women remanded from the courts were increasing steeply.

At the meeting on 11th May to which the hon. Member refers my noble Friend drew the delegation's attention to trends in the number of women and girls coming before the courts. In 1966 some 33,565 women were proceeded against at the magistrates' courts. The corresponding total in 1974 was 58,203 and in 1975 was 66,015. The average rate of increase over the period 1966 to 1975 was 8 per cent. per annum and in the period 1974 to 1975 was 13 per cent. per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the actual or estimated number of immigrants who have settled in the London Boroughs of Brent, Haringey, Newham and Southall, and in York, Leicester, Bradford, Bournemouth, Boscombe and Bath.

The latest information available, derived from the 1971 census is shown below. Southall is part of the London borough of Ealing, and Boscombe was, in 1971, part of the county borough of Bournemouth.

	Place of Birth
	New Common-wealth (including Pakistan)	Other Countries outside United Kingdom
London boroughs of
Brent	39,000	40,000
Ealing	33,000	30,000
Haringey	35,000	21,000
Newham	20,000	7,000
County boroughs of
Bath	2,000	3,000
Bournemouth	2,000	6,000
Bradford	21,000	11,000
Leicester	23,000	12,000
York	1,000	2,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Italians are living in the United Kingdom; and how many Italian citizens have applied for naturalisation since Great Britain joined the EEC.

According to the 1971 census the number of people born in Italy who were enumerated in Great Britain and resident in the United Kindom was 108,980.There is no available record of the nationality of applicants according to the date on which they apply for naturalisation. Since 1st January 1971, 381 Italians have been granted naturalisation in the United Kingdom and 18 refused.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if establishments in which animals are bred for laboratory purposes are licensed.

There is no general provision which requires establishments in which animals are bred for laboratory purposes to be licensed as such. The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, however, requires any person who carries on a business of breeding dogs for the purposes of sale to obtain a licence in respect of the premises where that business is conducted, and this requirement applies whatever the purpose for which the dogs are sold.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that laboratories licensed to perform experiments on animals do not use stolen pets.

We have no jurisdiction as regards the supply of animals for experimental purposes. My information is that most laboratories where experiments on living animals are performed either breed their own animals or obtain them from reputable dealers. The handling of stolen goods—including pets—is an offence under the Theft Act 1968, and evidence of any suspected offence should be brought to the attention of the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of Great Britain's membership of the European Economic Community, the Government will consider legislation to enable citizens of member countries who have been living in the United Kingdom for at least 15 years and paying taxes, to vote in local government elections

The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Britons resident in EEC countries and domiciled there for more than 10 years retain their British franchise; and whether nationals of EEC countries apart from Ireland retain the right to exercise their franchise in their countries of origin assuming they have been resident and domiciled in the United Kingdom for over 10 years.

British subjects resident abroad, unless Service voters, would be unlikely to retain their franchise in the circumstances described. France has a system of proxy voting for nationals resident abroad. Italy and Luxembourg have provision for nationals resident abroad to return to their country to vote. Danish nationals normally resident in Denmark but temporarily resident abroad may vote at Danish consulates and embassies. Germany and Belgium have restricted service voting facilities similar to our own. The Netherlands have no arrangements for their nationals resident abroad to vote.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of a foreign national applying for naturalisation to the State in processing the application and in making the necessary inquiries and to the applicant in complying with the legal formalities, respectively.

The estimated average cost of processing on application, including making inquiries, is £107. The fee payable by a successful applicant, which is under review, is at present £40. If an application is witnessed, or the oath of allegiance administered, by a justice of the peace there is no charge, but other authorised persons may charge a fee of 50p for each of these legal formalities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to provide for more severe sentences for those guilty of violence against public-house licensees and their staff; and if he will provide information about criminal assaults against licensees, their families and staff.

On the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 3rd March to a Question from the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby)—[Vol. 906, c. 658]—and on the second part, to that given on 12th March to a Question from the hon. Member for Harrow, Central (Mr. Grant).—[Vol. 907, c. 345–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. Roy Came, a prisoner in Her Majesty's Prison, Dartmoor, is being kept in solitary confinement in an unfurnished room for 23 hours a day; and when he will be given psychiatric treatment.

Mr. Came is not in solitary confinement: he is a patient in a room in the prison hospital which, for his own protection, has limited furnishings. He spends two or three hours a day out of his room and is able to associate with other patients. A place is being sought for him in a psychiatric hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will provide a table setting out the penalties imposed by magistrates' courts and by Crown courts, respectively, upon companies and individuals, respectively, convicted of offences under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act as at the latest date for which records are available.

Provisional figures for 1975, the latest available, of those proceeded against under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 are as follows:

NUMBERS OF COMPANIES AND PERSONS FOUND GUILTY AT MAGISTRATES' COURTS OF OFFENCES UNDER THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974—BY TYPE OF SENTENCE 1975
		Sentence
	Found guilty	Absolute discharge	Conditional discharge	Fine
Companies	113	1	—	112
Persons	31	1	3	27
TOTAL	144	2	3	139

No companies or persons were tried at the Crown court for offences under the Act in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the allowances paid to police officers for handling dead bodies in an advanced state of decomposition are likely to be revised.

Any proposals to revise the gratuities paid to police officers for this duty would be a matter for the Police Council in the first instance. I understand that there are no such proposals before the council at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of police officers per head of population in Suffolk; and how this compares with other forces.

There was one police officer to 552 inhabitants of the police area on 30th April. The national average for all forces in England and Wales was one to 456. Figures for individual forces outside London vary between one to 384 and one to 593. Full details are published in the Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present authorised establishment in the Suffolk police force; and how far this has been increased over the past five, 10 and 20 years, respectively.

1,085. The corresponding figures for 1971, 1966 and 1956 were 998, 957 and 703 respectively, the last two figures being the total for the three forces which were not then but are now combined in the present force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints made by members of the public against the Suffolk police have been substantiated.

The number of substantiated complaints against members of the Suffolk Constabulary in each of the three years 1973–1975 was 21, 15 and 42 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Horne Department (1) what are the approximate figures for reported crimes of violence, grievous bodily harm, assaults, etc., burglaries and larcenies in each of the past 10 years in Suffolk;(2) what are the approximate figures for juvenile offences know to the police for each of the years 1950 to 1975 in suffolk.

Figures in the form requested are not available, but we are obtaining some relevant information and my noble Friend will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish a committee to examine the constitution, rules and operation of building societies.

No. I believe that these matters and the activities of the building societies are adequately supervised under the Building Societies Act 1962.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of Government handouts which Scotland receives expressed in £ sterling on an annual per capita basis.

Scotland does not receive Government handouts. The people of Scotland pay tax and receive benefits according to need in the form of services, grants and subsidies on the same basis as other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will dismiss all Government-appointed directors of British Petroleum Limited.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the practice of his Department so as to reduce the time it takes to provide information in reply to parliamentary Questions on tax matters to a period similar to that taken by the Library.

The revenue Departments already give priority to the preparations of material for replies to Parliamentary Questions, but I have noted by hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in view of allegations that para-military organisations are manipulating co-operative and other enterprises in Belfast, what criteria are laid down, and what directions have been given, for the granting of planning permission for such enterprises; and whether he will make a statement.

Planning applications in Northern Ireland are determined in accordance with the planning law, and under land use planning criteria which are applied to all applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many special investigators are employed investigating cases of suspected fraud and abuse of the social security system in Northern Ireland, and whether he has any proposals to increase this number.

Twenty. There are no plans for an increase.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the approximate total cost of a three-bedroom, five-person dwelling in Northern Ireland built by public authority, including administration and design cost;(2) if he will give an estimate from tenders received during the past three months of the approximate average contract price for three-bedroom, five-person dwellings in Northern Ireland built by public authority.

It is estimated that the average total cost of a three-bedroomed, five-person house built by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is £10,585; the average contract price based on tenders received in January, February and March is £9,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the total amounts collected in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years in respect of: (a) road tax and (b) tax on petrol and diesel fuel; and what was the total expenditure on roads in Northern Ireland in the same periods.

Vehicle excise duty is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. However, I understand the duty raised in Northern Ireland in the last three years was:

	£ million
1973–74	8·58
1974–75	11·43
1975–76	16·83

The collection of duty on petrol and diesel fuel is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I understand, however, that the amount of hydrocarbon oil duty falling on expenditure by residents of Northern Ireland was about £40 million in each of the last three years. The revenue raised from duty on road fuels was of the order of 90 per cent. of this figure.Value added tax has been payable on petrol sold for private use since 1st April 1974, but I understand that it would not be possible without disproportionate effort to calculate the revenue raised in Northern Ireland from this source.The total expenditure on roads in Northern Ireland in the last three years was:

	£ million
1973·74	31·17
1974–75	36·42
1975–76 (provisional)	49·70
Total	117·29

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Consultative Document on Services for the Mentally Handicapped in Northern Ireland, which was referred to during the debate of the Northern Ireland Committee on 3rd March 1976, has been published.

Yes. This Consultative Document is being issued widely to the various interests in Northern Ireland and to Northern Ireland Members at Westminster. Copies of the Document are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of money received in Northern Ireland by grants from the EEC.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20th May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 707], gave the following information:About £7·25 million has been received in Northern Ireland directly from EEC funds. A further £25·699 million has been allocated to Northern Ireland and claims for payment have been or will be submitted to the relevant Fund in accordance with standard EEC procedure. However, a large proportion of grants from the EEC are made to the United Kingdom as a whole and it is not possible to calculate precisely Northern Ireland's share of these receipts.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Questions designated "W" have been tabled to him in the first four months of this year; and to how many of these questions the substantive answers have been deferred.

Of the 129 tabled, 69 have had a deferred answer because the information could not be obtained in the time available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much has been paid out in ex gratia payments to relatives of persons killed by the security forces;(2) how much has been paid out in compensation to relatives of persons killed by the security forces;(3) how much public money has been paid out in

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 743], gave the following information:No

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether in view of the importance of detailed consideration and the widespread public interest, he will introduce legislation on complaints procedure in Northern Ireland in the form of a Bill and not a draft Order in Council.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 744], gave the following information:The decision on whether to proceed by way of Bill or Order is taken on the merits of the case. I point out that an Order on the Complaints procedure would be largely identical to the Police Bill now before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims have been made against his Department for wrongful arrest, ill-treatment or deprivation of liberty; and how many of these have been made under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland).

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 743–44], gave the following information:No claims have been made solely against my Department for wrongful arrest or ill-treatment. Since August 1971, 131 claims have been made to my Department or the previous Northern Ireland Ministry of Home Affairs for deprivation of liberty. There have been 1,826 claims under one or more of the three headings against the Ministry of Defence, the RUC and others, jointly or separately. All claims of this latter kind are handled on a common law basis by the Claims Commission of the Ministry of Defence. If settlements are made on this basis the costs are shared jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the Police Authority for Northern Ireland.A claim on these grounds under the Criminal Injuries to Persons Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 could be considered only if the court determined that a criminal act had been committed. To establish whether any such awards have been made would entail an examination of 17,042 files relating to cases of compensation for criminal injury to persons which have been settled under the Act since its commencement on 1st March 1969, which would be a disproportionate use of staff resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage new jobs established in Northern Ireland were of new jobs promoted in each of the last five years.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 743], circulated the following:Since time elapses between the promotion of a project and the materialisation of employment in it, it is not possable to relate the number of new jobs promoted by government in any year to the number of new jobs created in the economy generally.The number of jobs promoted by the Department of Commerce and the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) under the Northern Ireland Industries Development legislation in each of the last five years was as follows:

1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
7,925	8,030	6,796	5,936	3,391

It is not possible to give an exact total for the number of jobs created from all sources in these years. However, it is estimated that the following numbers of jobs were provided by firms which had received assistance under the same legislation from the Department or LEDU.

1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
6,306	5,794	8,690	8,488	3,652

The above figures do not include some 300 jobs which are currently being provided in a project assisted by the Northern Ireland Finance Corporation. The figure for 1975 relates only to firms assisted by the Department; information for that year about firms assisted by LEDU is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been created in each of the last five years by the Urban and Rural Improvement Campaign, the local Enter- prise Unit and Enterprise Ulster, respectively.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 742], circulated the following:The average number of persons employed in each year under the Urban and Rural Improvement Campaign during the last five financial years was as follows:

1971–72	2,183
1972–73	4,066
1973–74	4,064
1974–75	3,261
1975–76	2,818

These figures are averages of four quarterly figures.It is not possible to say precisely how many jobs have been created with assistance from the Local Enterprise Development Unit; but it is estimated that in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 respectively, 344, 721, 1,050 and 749 jobs were provided in projects supported by LEDU. Figures are not yet available for 1975.Between 14th September 1973, when Enterprise Ulster became a statutory body, and 31st December 1973 it provided a monthly average of 873 jobs. During the calendar years 1974 and 1975 the monthly average was 1,241 and 1,360 respectively. From 1st January 1976 to date the monthly average was 1,628. Enterprise Ulster is currently providing 1,700 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were annual average unemployment figures in Northern Ireland for each of the last 10 years; and how they compare with remote areas in Great Britain.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 743], gave the following reply:The average annual unemployment rates in each of the last 10 years for Northern Ireland and for Great Britain are shown in the table below. The second table shows the Northern Ireland rate and the rate in each of the 10 planning regions in Great Britain as a percentage of the rate for Great Britain. Quarterly unemployment rates for Northern Ireland, Great Britain and each of the planning regions are published in Economic Trends (HMSO).

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average annual increase in the cost of electricity in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and how much profit or loss was made by the NIES in each of these years.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 742], circulated the following:The NIES did not come into operation until 1st April 1973, but the following information is obtained by aggregating that available in the annual reports of its predecessors:

Year	Percentage increase over previous year in average price per unit sold	Loss £ million
1971–72	8·3	1·4
1972–73	Nil	2·5
1973–74	1·4	18·1
1974–75	60·5	28·7
1975–76(estimate)	49·1	22·0

The losses reflect national price restraint policy during these years and the totals shown have been, or will be, subject to compensation payments by the Department of Commerce.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what would be the cost to the United Kingdom of a debt moratorium for the benefit of: (a) least developed countries and (b) the most seriously affected countries, as defined by the United Nations.

The cost to the United Kingdom of forgoing payments of interest and repayments of capital due in 1976, in respect of past aid loans, would be £4·683 million for the least developed countries, and £48·645 million in the case of the most seriously affected countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to assess the relative advantages and disadvantages of various systems for electing the Scottish Assembly.

The Government considered carefully the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the constitution on the use of some form of proportional representation for election to the Scottish Assembly but concluded in favour of following existing arrangements for elections to the House of Commons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what his estimate is of the current cost involved in keeping a pupil at school during the year immediately prior to his or her stautory leaving date.

Information is not collected from authorities in sufficient detail to enable such an estimate to be made. The average annual cost per secondary school pupil in terms of current expenditure is estimated at £540 in 1976–77.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the percentage pass and failure rates among pupils presented for examination at O and H grade respectively (a) in the period September 1962 to September 1972 and (b) from September 1972 until the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will detail the H grade information in terms of the percentage of A, B and C levels awarded;(2) what were the numbers of pupils presented for examination at O and H grade, respectively (

I have asked the Director of the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board to provide the hon. Member with this information which is not readily available in the form requested. Information about candidates, subject presentations, and awards in the Scottish Certificate of Education examinations is given in the annual reports of the Scottish Education Department 1962–64 and the annual reports of the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board 1965–75. These reports are available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds have been made available to the urban deprivation unit in Scotland from (a) central government sources and (b) local authority sources.

I refer to the reply on 4th July 1975 to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Welsh).—[Vol. 894, c. 546–7.] In addition, the Urban Renewal Unit now administers the urban programme in Scotland.