asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the results of his Department's efforts to promote energy conservation.

I am confident that the Government's energy conservation measures, including the "Save It" publicity campaign, have encouraged more efficient energy use. However, we are not in any way complacent, and will continue to develop our energy conservation programme as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the progress of his discussions with local authorities and the electricity and gas undertakings regarding plans for protecting pensioner consumers during the coming winter.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) and West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 10th June.—[Vol. 912, c. 727–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the effectiveness of the measures he introduced to stop the disconnection of gas and electricity to retirement pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the measures he has taken to prevent the disconnection of gas and electricity to consumers so far; and if he will make a statement.

The measures announced on 16th February were widely publicised and resulted in old-age pensioners and the welfare agencies concerned making their status known to the gas and electricity industries, which also made their own inquiries. The industries, in liaison with the social services, made suitable payment arrangements which lightened the burden of the quarterly bills and removed any question of disconnection. I am sure that the industries will continue to deal on these lines with old-age pensioners or indeed other consumers in payment difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what meetings he has held with the Welsh Oil Council and the companies which have held licences for oil exploration in the Celtic Sea; and if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between his Department and these bodies.

My Department is in touch with various organisations interested in the exploration of the Celtic Sea, and with the companies which have offshore licences in the area. In particular I made a number of contacts among interested parties when I attended the Offshore Wales Conference in Cardiff on 25th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the current level of coal stocks; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the current level of coal stocks.

I recognise that coal stocks are high due to the depressed demand for electricity. But, on present forecasts of consumption of coal at power stations, the further increase in stocks this year should not be great. I have asked the CEGB to increase its consumption of coal in South Wales so as to prevent any further increase there in stocks of power station coal.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has considered the recommendations contained in the Third Report of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries relating to tariff structures of the CEGB and the Gas Council; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are still considering this report as well as the recent reports by my hon. Friend the Member for Widnes (Mr. Oakes) and by the National Consumer Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide additional finance for the pneumoconiosis benefit scheme; and if he will open discussions with the relevant trades unions and the National Coal Board with the aim of bringing into the ambit of the scheme some of the excluded widows and commuted cases.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on 15th January 1976 [Vol. 903, c. 226–7].

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the latest cost estimates indicate that the SGHWR reactor will be competitive with coal-fired power stations.

As my right hon. Friend told my hon. Friend the Member for Dearne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 26th January—[Vol. 904, c. 28–9]—precise cost estimates for SGHWR are difficult to predict in advance of the receipt of tenders and contract negotiations. We shall need to rely increasingly on coal and nuclear power to meet future electricity demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what calculations his Department has made about the emergence of an energy gap in terms of the supply of fossil fuels; and when this gap is estimated to occur in the light of present knowledge about oil, gas and coal reserves.

Indigenous fossil fuel supplies could fall short of home demand towards the end of the century. The uncertainties surrounding any such fore-cast are necessarily very great. Next week's National Energy Conference will provide a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views on the prospects.

CURRENT DOMESTIC TARIFFS
(Quarterly charges in pence)
		Gold Star		General Credit Rate per therm			Prepayment Rate per therm
Region		Rate per therm	Standing charge	Initial* number of therms	Further therms	Standing charge	First 39 therms	Further therms
Natntral gas
North Thames	…	12·2	550	19·7	14·7	125	25·7	20·7
South Eastern	…
Southern	…
Eastern	…
South Western	…					200	27·2
Wales	…
Scottish	…
Northern	…		300	17·2		100	22·2	18·2
North Eastern	…
North Western	…
East Midlands	…	11·7		16·2			20·2	16·7
West Midlands	…							20·2
Manufactured gas†
Scottish	…	13·33	550	20·26	15·26	200	27·76	21·26
North Thames	…	12·77		20·27	15·27	125	26·27	21·27
West Midlands	…	11·70	300	16·20	14·70	100	20·20	20·20

asked the Minister for Overseas Development whether his Department has given any aid to the Government of India for the Furkha Dam scheme; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Farakka barrage scheme in West Bengal. My Ministry has not given any aid to the Indian Government for this scheme.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will make

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the average price of manufactured and of natural gas, respectively, in England, Scotland and Wales.

Average prices reflecting different tariff types, consumption levels and regions within England are not available in respect of current tariffs. Details of current charges on domestic tariffs are summarised in the table below.a statement about Great Britain's contributions to the resources of the Caribbean Development Bank.

Britain is a member of the Caribbean Development Bank and has subscribed the equivalent of US$27 million to the bank's equity capital. US$5 million of this is in paid-up shares and the remainder in callable shares.Her Majesty's Government have also made two contributions totalling £4·1 million to the bank's special development fund which is used to make loans of high developmental priority on softer terms than is available in the bank's ordinary operations. The first contribution of £2,083,333·33 was made in 1971 when the fund was established and the second of £2,030,456·85 in 1973 towards the first replenishment of the fund. In each case the amount was the equivalent of US$5 million at the time of commitment. Those previous contributions to the special fund are now fully committed to projects and Her Majesty's Government have now agreed to provide £2,706,506·44—the equivalent of a further US$5 million—to help replenish the fund.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what was the British contribution to UNRWA for the financial year 1975–76; and what is its contribution for the current year.

Our regular contribution in the financial year 1975–76 was 2¼ million, in addition to which we are making a special contribution of £744,431. Our regular contribution for the current year is £3 million.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will review his policy of aid to Indonesia, having regard to the continued violation of human rights by the Government of that country.

I fully share the concern of the House about violations of human rights, wherever they may occur. We take such violations into account when considering our aid programme. In the case of Indonesia, we have concluded that a sudden reduction of our aid on that account would increase the hardship of many poor people whom our aid is designed to help, but would not necessarily lead to any changes in governmental internal policies.

asked the Attorney-General how many civil servants in his Department and in the Lord Chancellor's Department and at what ranks have (a) an official car allocated to them, (b) first call on official cars from a pool and (c) other than occasional access to an official car on any other basis.

In respect of my noble Friend's Department, the answer to all three parts of the Question is "None". In respect of my own Department, so far as civil servants in London are concerned, the answer to all three parts of the Question is again "None"; in Belfast the Property Services Agency car pool provides vehicles to meet the Department's needs as they arise.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what proportion of Government printing was carried out in Scotland, Wales and England in 1975–76.

The proportion of Government printing procured by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1975–76, carried out in Scotland, Wales and England was as follows: Scotland, 4·3 per cent.; Wales, 0·9 per cent.; England, 93·4 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the value of Government printing in 1975–76; and what sums were expended in Scotland, Wales and England, respectively.

The value of Government printing procured by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1975–76 and the amounts expended for this purpose in Scotland, Wales and England respectively are as follows:

			£'000
Total expenditure	…	…	56,076
Scotland	…	…	2,427
Wales	…	…	480
England	…	…	52,383

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what proportion of Government printing was carried out by the private sector of the printing industry in Scotland, Wales and England, respectively, in 1975–76.

Of the total of Government printing carried out in Scotland, Wales and England the proportions undertake by the private sector were as follows: Scotland, 73·2 per cent.; Wales, 100 per cent.; England, 63·8 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish details of the educational background, by type of school and university, of the recruits to the Diplomatic Service in the years between 1971 and 1975.

The information is not readily available for the 1,500 or so recruits to the Diplomatic Service over the period concerned. School and university backgrounds are not relevant to selection for the Diplomatic Service; subject to the criteria for eligibility of age, nationality and academic achievement being met selection is solely on merit.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps have been taken to promote the employment of more disabled people in the Civil Service following the statement by the Under-Secretary of State for Employment in the House on 10th December 1975.

I have consulted my colleagues the Minister with special responsibility for the disabled and the Under-Secretary of State for Employment, on the ways in which the performance of Departments might be improved in this field. My Department has recently issued guidance on a package of proposals which is designed to ensure that suitably qualified disabled people are fully aware of the opportunities in the Civil Service, and that particular care is taken in the career development of disabled people.To encourage recruitment, Departments will ensure that national and regional offices are aware of the potentialities of disabled people; more formal links will be established with the Disablement Resettlement Service of the Employment Services Agency so that opportunities available in the Civil Service are more widely known; and advertisements in the media directed at disabled people will be considered. In addition, applicants for employment will be reminded that a physical handicap or disability is no cause for rejection provided that it will not prevent satisfactory service, and registered disabled applicants for clerical vacancies may sit special tests if they lack the formal educational qualifications. A code of practice will be issued to each Government Department covering the whole range of the employment of disabled people.The Minister with special responsibility for the disabled has also been in touch with ministerial colleagues in all Departments of State about the appointment of suitably qualified or experienced disabled people to public boards and other bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints have been received by his Department about the siting of galvanising plants.

My Department has received five objections to a proposal in my lion. Friend's constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public inquiries were held as a result of planning applications to erect galvanising plants; and with what result.

Within the last five years there have been no public inquiries held by my Department into proposals for galvanising plants in the Wolverhampton area. Information on whether any were held elsewhere is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether Fleetbank House, Salisbury Square, has yet been fully occupied by MOD(PE); how long this building remained empty after it was leased by his Department; how long after the start of the lease work actually began on occupational services; what these occupational services were, and how much they cost; and what was the total rent paid while the building remained unoccupied.

Fleetbank House was handed over by the developer in October 1974. The occupational services began in January 1975 and were completed in January 1976. MOD(PE) completed its occupation by Easter 1976. Rent was payable from February 1975, but it is not the practice to disclose rents paid for individual buildings. The occupational services cost £1·8 million; they included partitioning for cellular accommodation with necessary alterations to the air conditioning. lighting systems and suspended ceilings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce a maximum percentage ceiling for rent increases in the private sector of residential accommodation, based on the rent at the time of application.

This has been considered, but the Government decided instead to introduce the phasing provisions of the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act 1975. These mean that, if there is a substantial increase in a private tenant's rent as the result of a new rent being registered by a rent officer or rent assessment committee, the tenant will not be faced with paying the new rent in full until the beginning of the third year from the date of registration. Nevertheless we fully recognise the need to re-examine the present system of rent fixing and this is one of the principal matters to be con- sidered in the course of the review of the Rent Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table analysing by local authority the excess of £525 million in the level of local government expenditure in the current year above the accepted level in the RSG settlement, as indicated in Annex 1 of his Circular 45/76.

The accepted expediture level in the RSG settlement is a national figure and cannot be broken down authority by authority. I cannot, therefore, analyse any national expenditure figure which is in excess of that level authority by authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the budgeted level of local authority capital expenditure for 1976–77 and the latest estimated outturn of this expenditure analysed by function.

A table setting out estimates of the contribution of the capital expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales to public expenditure programmes in 1975–76 and 1976–77 was given in Table 35 of the recent White Paper on Public Expenditure to 1979–80 (Cmnd. 6393). We do not have as yet reliable information of the outturn for capital expenditure in 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will order an inquiry into the activities of the London Rent Assessment Panel; and if he will make a statement.

No. I have no reason to believe that rent assessment committees drawn from the London Rent Assessment Panel are carrying out their duties under the Rent Acts other than in accordance with the requirements of those Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many driving examinations have been taken at the Ministry of Transport Driving Examination Centre in Nelson since its inception as the sole centre in north-east Lancashire; what percentage of the examinees were successful; and what is the national average of successful examinees over the last 12 months.

Between 30th June 1975 and 31st May 1976, 6,615 driving tests were conducted from the centre in Cobden Street, Nelson. 47 per cent. of them were passed. The national average pass rate for the year ended 31st May 1976 was 45 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total annual mileage covered by Ministers' official cars; and of this how much related to private use including home to work journeys.

Minister's official cars cover on average some 13,000 miles per annum. Detailed records are not kept of individual journeys within the central London area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what were the average and greatest private mileages undertaken by Ministers' cars over a recent period of weeks when the House was sitting, including as private mileage any journeys between home and work and vice versa;(2) what is the maximum private mileage, including journeys to and from home, made in his official car by a Minister during a recent period of weeks while the House has been sitting.

The information requested is not available, as detailed records are not kept of the individual journeys made by Ministers' allocated cars within the central London area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many drivers of Ministers' official cars are earning more on a weekly basis than a Member of Parliament.

In terms of basic weekly pay, none.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in order to save public funds and reduce the burden of overtime on the chauffeurs concerned, he will withdraw from Ministers the use of their official cars to take them home after sittings of the House and substitute hired taxis for this purpose.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is (a) the maximum and (b) the minimum distance regularly travelled from Westminster to his home by a Minister in an official car.

Distances regularly travelled from Westminster to his home by a Minister in his allocated car are: maximum, 22 miles; minimum, three-quarters of a mile.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost in the current financial year of British membership of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the River Rhine.

The British subscription for 1976–77 to the Central Rhine Commission is estimated at £34,106.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether Mr. T. H. Shearer, Mr. A. J. Rosenfeld and Mr. E. G. Barnard being members of the board of Maplin Development Authority, are civil servants.

Mr. Shearer and Mr. Rosenfeld are civil servants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last received from the National Ports Council advice under Section 1, subsection 1(d) of the Harbours Act 1964 concerning the provision and improvement of harbours.

I regularly receive advice from the council on these and other matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated duration and cost of the original and now reopened public inquiry into the proposed widening of the M1 motorway between Breakspear and Berry-grove in Hertfordshire.

I regret that information on the cost of the original inquiry which lasted seven sitting days is not available. No estimate has been made of the cost of the reopened inquiry which is expected to last nine sitting days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the range of cost estimates is for the range of options being considered for improving the A646 between Halifax and Todmorden; and what the projected start and completion dates are for the same range of options being considered.

Accurate information will not be available until the full technical assessment has been completed. Dual carriageways on the sections between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge and between Mytholmroyd and Luddenden Foot are unlikely to be justified and would be very expensive—in the order of several million pounds. Single carriageway bypasses of Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge are likely to cost in the order of £1·5–£3 million each. Any such new construction is unlikely to be completed before the early 1980s. Where small scale improvements only are justified these will be of fairly low cost and will be carried out, subject to the completion of any necessary statutory procedures and the availability of funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of the operational arrangements, including siting and duration of automatic traffic counts, being carried out by his Department's NE Road Construction; and whether present counts are being made in comparable circumstances to the previous survey carried out by the West Riding County Council in 1972.

Automatic counters were installed, in March 1976, at Luddenden Foot, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. The counters at Luddenden Foot and Hebden Bridge were removed at the end of April, but the counter at Todmorden is still operating. The survey carried out by West Riding Council in 1972 was of a different type—an origin and desination survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the essential differences are between current traffic forecasting procedures being used in respect of the A646, between Halifax and Todmorden, to the predicted traffic forecasting procedures, used for the Elland bypass, which have now been superseded; and what caused such procedures to be revised.

Because the parameters which affect traffic forecasts alter, the Department's traffic forecasting procedures are kept constantly under review and modified when necessary. The procedures used for the Elland bypass were current at that time. The Department's present procedures, which were introduced last year and are being used for the A646 schemes, are based on the latest advice from the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. These allow for the effect of incomes and motoring costs on car ownership and traffic levels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to Chester before taking a final decision on the new telephone exchange.

The decision to recommend demolition was taken by my Department's engineers only after the most careful and detailed consideration of the results of the investigations carried out on the building, and of the possible alternative courses of action. The same conclusion was reached by the Post Office's independent professional advisers. In these circumstances I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by my right hon. Friend's visiting Chester.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he proposes to take steps to encourage the use of British underwater pipes in the development of offshore oil and gas fields.

Submarine pipeline for the deep water areas where oil and gas developments are currently taking place in the North Sea must meet very stringent specifications. There is at present no United Kingdom source of supply for a product to this standard. The British Steel Corporation is keeping under review the economic case for enhancing its 44-inch pipe mill at Hartlepool to make pipe to the required specification taking into account the report on a possible gas-gathering pipeline system recently published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the latest figures for the value of production per employee in manufacturing industry in Wales, Scotland and England, respectively.

The latest year for which the information is available is 1972. It is estimated that in that year net output per person employed in manufacturing industry was as follows: Wales, £3,079; Scotland, £2,922; England, £2,921. Little significance should be attached to the differences between the above figures since they reflect the differing industrial structures, and capital-intensities, of the separate countries and also incorporate a substantial estimation for census returns covering addresses in two or more of the countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is taking to deal with the detrimental effects on the tinplate industry arising from the delays in proceeding with the development of the steel industry in Port Talbot; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement on the British Steel Corporation's development plans for Port Talbot very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress he is making in the arrangements to fly the Olympic team to Canada in the Concorde aircraft.

It is for the British Olympic Association to make arrangements direct with British Airways.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion of overseas tourists visited the North-West Region during 1976.

It is estimated that in 1973 about 4½ per cent. of visitors to the United Kingdom visited the North-West Region. Figures for later years are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has formed of the effect on trade between the United Kingdom and Iran of the prevailing delay of 36 hours or more on telephone calls from London to Teheran.

I am not aware of any loss of trade resulting directly from such delays and it would be extremely difficult to make an estimate of the effects. Iran remains one of the United Kingdom's top 20 export markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will seek an early opportunity to raise, in an appropriate international forum, the need to establish emergency machinery to deal immediately with major oil pollution disasters at sea; and if he will make a statement.

I wrote to the hon. Member on 7th June on this topic. Regional agreements exist in certain parts of the world, including one between the eight States bordering the North Sea. These provide for such matters as respective responsibilities, exchange of information and mutual assistance in oil spill clearance. The Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation through its Marine Environment Protection Committee is encouraging States to be prepared to deal with spills, and to conclude regional agreements where appropriate. However, the initiative for action must lie with the State whose coastline is threatened by the spill, calling on others for assistance where necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many pairs of shoes have been imported from Hong Kong over the last five years.

Shoes are not separtely distinguished in the overseas trade statistics. Following is the information for all types of footwear:

					Million Pairs
1971	…	…	…	…	38·3
1972	…	…	…	…	31·9
1973	…	…	…	…	27·1
1974	…	…	…	…	18·8
1975	…	…	…	…	18·3

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what interim measures he proposes to make in advance of the introduction next Session of legislation to ratify the treaty on the setting up of a European Patent Office.

The necessary legislation will be introduced as soon as circumstances permit. Meanwhile we shall continue to participate in the work preparatory to setting up the European Patent Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now take action to restrict the imports of bulbs for motor vehicles in cases where the imported price of such bulbs is no more than the cost of the materials required to manufacture the same kind of bulb in the United Kingdom.

If the industry concerned can make an application for antidumping action supported by reasonable prima facie evidence of dumping which is causing or threatening material injury, my Department ready to consider taking the appropriate action. I understand that the motor vehicle lamp bulb industry is in the process of making such an application. But low-priced imports are not necessarily dumped. Under our legislation dumping is considered to be taking place when, in the case of market economy country, the ex-factory price of the goods when sold domestically in the country of export is higher than the ex-factory price of the same goods when sold for export to the United Kingdom. In the case of a State trading country it is usual to compare the prices of goods coming from that country with the price of comparable goods coming into the United Kingdom from a third country.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what is the estimated cost of processing the returns of accounts for each company by the Registrar of Companies in respect of receiving the documents;(2) what is the estimated cost of processing the returns of accounts for each company by the Registrar of Companies in respect of filing the documents;(3) what is the estimated cost of processing the returns of accounts for each company by the Registrar of Companies in respect of examining the documents;(4) what is the estimated cost of processing the returns of accounts for each company by the Registrar of Companies in respect of dealing with delays;(5) what is the estimated cost of processing the returns of accounts for each company by the Registrar of Companies in respect of usefully using the documents.

No separate figures are maintained for the costs of processing returns of accounts under the Companies Acts 1948 to 1967. As for provisions in the Companies (No. 2) Bill for expediting the filing of accounts, although it is not possible to isolate costs in the detail requested, the cost of dealing with the processing of returns of accounts is likely to average some 50–60p a year per company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what discussions British Caledonian had with his Department before the purchase of the DC10 aircraft; what is the number and size of the contribution of British firms to this aircraft; if he will advise British purchasers of wide-bodied aircraft to consider the British contribution; and if he will make a statement.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th June 1976; Vol. 912, c. 792–3], gave the following information:The company informed my Department that it needed to acquire wide-bodied aircraft quickly and that no British-engined aircraft was available which suited its network. It has announced that its agreement with the manufacturer contains an option to purchase further aircraft which would incorporate Rolls-Royce engines.I am confident that other British airlines will give the closest attention to the desirability of supporting the British manufacturing industry when considering the purchase of wide-bodied aircraft. Detailed information about the British-manufactured content of the DCl0s is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if, in the light of the fact that Rolls-Royce engines have been or are to be fitted to Lockheed and Boeing aircraft and that the Douglas Aircraft Company has publicly indicated its willingness to fit Rolls-Royce engines to the DC10 without additional cost to the United Kingdom balance of payments, he will take steps to ensure that no foreign aircraft shall be purchased by British companies without such aircraft having a substantial proportion of British produced parts; and if he will make a statement;(2) if, in view of the fact that British Caledonian is intending to purchase DC10 wide-body aircraft which have a very low proportion of British content, he will take steps to prevent purchases which substantially adversely affect the balance of payments without providing any real employment prospects for British workpeople; and if he will make a statement.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th June 1976; Vol. 912, c. 792–3], gave the following information:My right hon. Friend has no powers to prohibit purchase of particular aircraft nor does he propose to seek them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue he expects, at current prices, from North Sea oil exploitation over the next five years.

The revenue from North Sea oil will depend on a number of factors which cannot be precisely estimated. These include changes in the price of oil, costs and the production programme. On the basis of the current price of oil and the latest cost and production forecasts, the combined yield from royalty, petroleum revenue tax and corporation tax to the end of 1980 is expected to be in the region of £3,500 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the value of the tax credits now in existence because of the imposition of dividend restraint.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the value of the tax credits now in existence because of the imposition of dividend restraint.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list any countries that have higher starting rates for income tax than the 35 per cent. rate in the United Kingdom and any countries that have a top limit of income tax above the 83 per cent. in the United Kingdom.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to rates of tax on earned income. I am not aware of any country with a starting rate higher than 35 per cent. I understand that top marginal rates higher than 83 per cent. apply in the following countries:

Algeria, 100 per cent.

Egypt, 96.6 per cent.

Japan, 83.7 per cent. (inclusive of local income taxes).

Portugal, 84 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer in the current financial year if the maximum rate of income tax on (a) earned and (b) unearned income were reduced to (i) 70p, (ii) 65p and (iii) 60p in the pound.

Income tax is charged on the total taxable income, and there are difficulties in distinguishing the tax on earned income from the tax on investment income. For 1976–77, assuming the conditional as well as the unconditional increases proposed in the allowances, the cost would be as shown in column 1 below, if the maximum rate of income tax on all taxable income were restricted but the investment income surcharge were retained. On the arbitrary assumption that the earned income formed the bottom slice of any mixed income, the cost in relation to earned income only would be as shown in column 2 below. Column 3 shows the difference between these two figures, which is the best estimate that can be made in relation to unearned income, excluding the investment income surcharge.

£ million
	Col. 1	Cost Col. 2	Col. 3
Maximum rate	If applied to all taxable income	If applied to earned income	If applied to unearned income
70	85	40	45
65	145	75	70
60	220	120	100

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect of the fall in value of the £ sterling on the retail price index between the end of February 1974 and the latest available date.

Between the end of February 1974 and 10th June 1976 the effective sterling rate fell by 25·8 per cent. This change in the exchange rate could be expected in due course to result in a rise of about 7 per cent. in the retail prices index. The effect of the most recent fall in sterling will not yet have been felt in domestic retail prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the fall in the value of the £ sterling in actual and percentage terms between the end of February 1974 and the latest available date.

The sterling dollar rate and sterling's effective exchange rate, calculated on the basis of a trade-weighted basket of the currencies of our 10 major trading partners, at the close on 10th June were 1·7707 and 60·8 respectively, compared with 2·3050 and 82·0 on 28th February 1974. These figures represent falls of 23·2 per cent. and 25·9 per cent. respectively in the sterling/ dollar and effective exchange rates over the period in question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he has any evidence that recent fluctuations in sterling have any connection with political and diplomatic factors;(2) whether he has any evidence that the decline in the value of sterling has been exacerbated by withdrawals on the part of the Nigerian Government.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of raising the thresholds at which higher rates of taxes apply, as proposed in his Budget speech of 6th April 1976.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which OECD countries the central bank is prohibited by statute from purchasing foreign currency.

To the best of my knowledge, in none.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount received in stamp duties was on the sale of private dwellings during the last financial year; and what the cost of administering the collection were.

The estimated net receipts of stamp duties on the sales of private dwellings in the United Kingdom in 1975–76 were £60 million. The costs of administering the collection cannot be estimated precisely but are thought to have been about £1 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums have been collected in respect of capital transfer tax, death duties, and capital gains tax, respectively, in Northern Ireland in each financial year since the year 1969–70; and, of these sums, what amounts were collected in respect of the estates of persons, other than members of the security forces, who were killed by terrorist activity.

The tax receipts are shown in the following table:

Year (to 31st March)		Capital Gains Tax (£m.)	Estate Duty (£m.)	Capital Transfer Tax (£m.)
1969–70	…	1·2	3·0	—
1970–71	…	1·4	3·0	—
1971–72	…	1·3	3·5	—
1972–73	…	1·5	4·2	—
1973–74	…	2·2	3·9	—
1974–75	…	2·3	4·5	—
1975–76	…	3·0	2·3	1·6

The capital gains tax figures refer to taxes actually paid in Northern Ireland and do not include payments made by Northern Ireland residents to tax offices in Great Britain.I regret that it is not possible to provide an estimate of the amounts of estate duty and capital transfer tax paid by the estates of civilians killed as a result of terrorist activity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his present intention regarding the date of the appointed day for the Development Land Tax Bill.

My right hon. Friend the present Secretary of State for Trade stated on 25th February 1976—[Vol. 906, c. 520–1.]—that, provided the legislative process is completed in time it is hoped the appointed day for development land tax will be 1st August 1976. That remains the Government's aim.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the rate of recruitment in the Armed Forces in Scotland in each of the last five years.

The numbers of Service men and Service women, excluding Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service, recruited in Scotland were as follows:

		Service men	Service women
1971–72	…	5,965	850
1972–73	…	4,671	611
1973–74	…	3,045	465
1974–7	…	3,737	590
1975–7	…	3,983	586

Regional figures for officer entrants to the three Services and for non-commissioned entrants to Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service are not readily available, as these are recruited centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving the full-and part-time appointments made by his Department which are held by peers of the realm, the names of the holders, the salaries and expenses paid to the holders of these appointments and when such appointments were made.

The information is not readily available, but I will publish it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time consultants and how many part-time consultants are employed at the 16 Service hospitals which his Department administers.

There are 133 full-time and seven part-time consultants. These figures exclude local NHS consultants at the plastic surgery unit, RN Hospital Plymouth, which is used by both Service and National Health Service patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are any private beds in the 16 Service hospitals which his Department administers.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities exist for the practice of private medicine at the 16 hospitals run by his Department.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to increase the special daily payment to members of the Armed Forces serving in Northern Ireland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the sale of gift cottages situated in Northern Ireland belonging to the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust.

I have been asked to reply.The sale of cottages belonging to the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust is permitted at the discretion of the trust in accordance with a scheme approved by the Treasury.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to parliamentary art in the schools of Leicester, West to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Yes. I have completed arrangements with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report those local authorities which currently administer schemes by which children can obtain mid-day meals during holiday periods.

The latest information available relates to the financial year 1974–75 when the following local education authorities in England and Wales provided meals for school pupils on days when the schools did not meet:

Cumbria, Durham, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, Manchester, Stockport, Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Staffordshire, Leeds, Humberside, North Yorks, Avon, Dorset, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Newham, Waltham Forest, I.L.E.A., Gwent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount of money spent by the Government on cancer research in each of the years from 1970 to date; and what proportion he estimates this represents of the total.

Identifiable public expenditure on cancer research in each of the past five financial years has been:

Financial year		Medical Research Council (MRC)*	United Kingdom contribution to International Agency for Research on Cancer (through MRC)*	Health and Hospital Authorities in England and Wales, excluding equipment
	…	£m.	£000	£000
1970–71	…	2·166	80·5	344·0
1971–72	…	2·546	100·5	309·0
1972–73	…	2·929	105·0	401·0
1973–74	…	3·507	100·0	606·0
1974–75	…	4·833	133·0	670·0
* Funded from my Department's science budget.

Further cancer research supported by public funds is carried out in the universities and medical schools. Details of expenditure by voluntary cancer research organisations, of which the major bodies are the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the Cancer Research Campaign, are to be found in their annual reports. Much of the information which would be needed to estimate the proportion of total expenditure on cancer research represented by Government expenditure is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what the total number of trained teachers qualifying in the Hull College of Education and Institute of Education was in 1975; how many were offered teaching appointments on qualification; and how many are still seeking their first teaching post;(2) what is his estimate of the number of teachers qualifying in the Hull College of Education and Institute of Education in 1976; how many have already been provisionally offered teaching posts; and how many he expects not to receive their first teaching posts before the academic year 1977–78.

596 students from the three teacher training institutions in Hull were recommended for qualified teacher status at the end of last academic year. The corresponding number for this year would be about 580 if previous patterns of staying on for a fourth year and of examination success continue. Employment details are not collected, and I cannot make any useful estimate of the kind requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the extension of the participation of trade unions in the work of research councils.

The Research Councils are included in the studies of industrial democracy in the public service announced on 11th February last by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Civil Service Department, in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Thornaby (Mr. Wrigglesworth).—[Vol. 905, c. 240–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on fees in higher education in the light of the fact that he is considering a fourfold increase for undergraduates.

No decisions have been taken in respect of fees in higher education for 1977–78, and I cannot yet say when my right hon. Friend will be ready to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places will be available within the maintained secondary schools in the borough of Redbridge from 1st September 1976; and what is the estimated number likely to be taken up from that date.

On 1st September there will be 15,895 secondary school places and it is anticipated that all of these will be taken up.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total unemployed at the time of the introduction of the £6 pay policy; and what is the total at the latest available date.

The numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain, seasonally adjusted and excluding school-leavers, were 929,500 on 14th July 1975 and 1,200,400 on 13th May 1976.Unadjusted and including school-leavers, the figures were 944,382 and 1,220,360, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will issue instructions to central Government Departments and advise local authorities that while unemployment remains at its present high levels preference must always be given to employing the bread-winner in a family, followed by a single person, and only then should consideration be given to a married person in a family where there is already one partner in full-time employment.

No. The aim should be to recruit the person best qualified to do the job. In this connection regard must be paid to the Sex Discrimination Act, under which it is unlawful to discriminate in employment on grounds of sex or marriage.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will advise the Health and Safety Executive that companies or persons to be charged with offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act, which have resulted in death or serious injury to employees or to third parties, should be tried on indicment.

It is for the commission to advise the executive, and I am informed by the chairmen of the commission that guidance has been given to the executive as to the criteria to be adopted in deciding whether a particular case should result in summary prosecution or prosecution on indictment. These criteria include:

(a) the gravity of the offence;

(b) the adequacy or otherwise of the powers of sentence of the summary court for this offence;

(c) the record of the offender and his previous response to advice.

It would not be appropriate to regard the seriousness of injury as the deciding factor in this decision, as the injury may bear little relationship to the gravity of the legal contravention, if any, from which it has resulted, or the relative culpability of the offender.I agree with the guidance that the commission has given to the executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list those trades unions which have been certified as independent by the certificate officer, under the procedures of the Employment Protection Act 1975.

As the number of trades unions to whom the certification officer has issued certificates of independence as at 9th June 1976 exceeds 100, I am arranging for copies of the list to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated number of males and females, respectively, currently in employment who will reach retiring age over the next 12 months; and what is the estimated number of male and female school and college leavers who it is forecast will seek work over the next 12 months.

It is estimated that about 214,000 males and 145,000 females currently in employment will reach the qualifying age for retirement pension during the next twelve months. During the same period about 410,000 males and the same number of females are expected to complete full-time education in schools and colleges in Great Britain and the majority of these will be seeking employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost through strikes per 1,000 employees in 1975 and up to the latest available date in 1976 compared with Japan, EEC countries and the United States of America.

I regret that comparative data for 1975 and 1976 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the number of days' work lost on account of industrial disputes in each year from 1968 to 1975, inclusive, and the figure for the first quarter of 1976.

Following is the information:

STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES: UNITED KINGDOM
	…	Working days lost in all stoppages in progress
1968	…	4,690,000
1969	…	6,846,000
1970	…	10,980,000
1971	…	13,551,000
1972	…	23,909,000
1973	…	7,197,000
1974	…	14,750,000
1975	…	6,012,000
1976 (January-March)*	…	907,000
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving the full and part time appointments made by his Department which are held by peers of the realm, the names of the holders, the salaries and expenses paid to the holders of these appointments and when such appointments were made.

No peer of the realm holds an appointment in my Department. Lord Briginshaw was appointed a part-time member of the council of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service on 2nd September 1974, at a salary of £1,000 per year. He is reimbursed his necessary travelling and subsistence expenses incurred on the business of the council.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total estimated cost to public funds in each case of the Manpower Services Commission, the Training Service Agency and the Employment Service Agency and the number of staff employed in each of these bodies; and what is the number of jobs they have provided or authorised for the general public.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the estimated total cost of the commission for the financial year ending 21st March 1977 is £363,220,000, made up as follows:

	£
Manpower Services Commission (Central Expenses)	1,711,000
Employment Service Agency	112,226,000
Training Services Agency	249,283,000
Total	363,220,000

The number of staff employed at 1st May 1976 was as follows:

Office of the Manpower Services Commission	…	207
Employment Service Agency	…	14,593
Training Services Agency	…	7,717

The Manpower Services Commission's Job Creation Programme had created 24,107 jobs as at Friday 4th June. In addition, the number of placings provided by the employment offices in Great Britain in the first quarter of 1976 was 265,063. The number of people completing training courses under the Training Opportunities Scheme in the same period was 18,694.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of which Kent districts he has already aproved re-warding proposals; and when these will be implemented.