asked the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to ensure that a reasonable supply of polyunsaturated fats is available in the Tea Room and other catering facilities of the House, to safeguard the health of Members and staff.

I have been asked to reply.Margarine high in polyunsaturates is available on request in the Members' Tea Room and other catering facilities of the House. Unsaturated oils are also used in the preparation of foods in the kitchens.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were held in adult prisons on 1st June 1976.

On 31st May, the nearest date for which information is available, 55 juveniles aged 14–16 years were held in local prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many prisoners held in either voluntary or involuntary solitary confinement drugs have been used in the last two years to modify behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

Drugs are prescribed and offered to prisoners on the authority of the responsible medical officer in the same way as in ordinary National Health Service medical practice. They are neither prescribed nor given to prisoners for the express purpose of modifying behaviour, but for the restoration of health or the relief of symptoms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

The information is set out in the accompanying table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances are on record in the last two years or other convenient period of squatting by unauthorised persons in occupied residential premises when the lawful occupier, usually resident, is temporarily away.

This information is not collected centrally. The limited evidence available suggests that instances of this type of squatting are rare.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the 1975 embarkation figures, by nationality or citizenship, which are not included in Cmnd. Paper No. 6504 but which he undertook to make available.

The information is as follows:

EMBARKATIONS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS (1975)
(Thousands of journeys)
Country or territory issuing passport			000's
Australia	…	…	267
Bangladesh	…	…	11
Barbados	…	…	8
Canada	…	…	328
Cyprus	…	…	18
Ghana	…	…	17
Gibraltar	…	…	4
Guyana	…	…	6
Hong Kong	…	…	20
India	…	…	110
Jamaica	…	…	36
Kenya	…	…	16
Malaysia	…	…	34
Malta	…	…	20
Mauritius	…	…	18
New Zealand	…	…	58
Nigeria	…	…	50
Rhodesia	…	…	1
Sierra Leone	…	…	4
Singapore	…	…	17
Sri Lanka	…	…	12
Tanzania	…	…	8
Trinidad and Tobago	…	…	14
Uganda	…	…	4
West Indies Associated States	…	…	3
Zambia	…	…	5
U.K. passport holders	…	…	14
All other territories	…	…	13
Total	…	…	1,114

EMBARKATIONS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM FOREIGN NATIONALS (1975)
(Thousands of journeys)
Nationals of			000's
Argentina	…	…	50
Austria	…	…	102
Belgium	…	…	425
Brazil	…	…	55
Chile	…	…	10
China	…	…	2
Colombia	…	…	11
Cuba	…	…	1
Czechoslovakia	…	…	13
Denmark	…	…	150
Egypt	…	…	44
Finland	…	…	46
France	…	…	1,173
German Democratic Republic	…	…	3
Germany (Federal Republic)	…	…	939
Greece	…	…	83
Hungary	…	…	13
Indonesia	…	…	11
Iran	…	…	122
Iraq	…	…	21
Israel	…	…	71
Italy	…	…	405
Japan	…	…	186
Luxembourg	…	…	8
Mexico	…	…	46
Netherlands	…	…	654
Norway	…	…	159
Pakistan	…	…	44
Peru	…	…	8
Poland	…	…	39
Portugal	…	…	67
Romania	…	…	4
South Africa	…	…	124
Spain	…	…	252
Sweden	…	…	262
Switzerland	…	…	190
Turkey	…	…	42
U.S.A	…	…	1,541
U.S.S.R.	…	…	8
Venezuela	…	…	20
Yugoslavia	…	…	39
Other foreign countries	…	…	278
Total	…	…	7,725

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the level of fines which can be awarded for offences against the Protection of Birds Act.

The penalties are currently under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances of trespass by more than one person on the premises of a foreign mission in the United Kingdom there have been in the last two years—or other convenient period; which foreign missions were involved: whether the trespassers used or displayed weapons; if so, what they were; whether any actual bodily injury was caused to any person by the trespassers, and if so, what injuries; how they were caused; and how many people were injured.

There have been six instances known to the police in London in the last two years involving the Embassies of Cuba, Iran, Bangladesh, Libya (twice) and Syria; no weapons were used or displayed; and there was no actual bodily injury. Figures outside London are not available.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members to his knowledge did not draw the full amount of allowance for secretaries and research assistants in the year ended 31st March 1976, in comparison with the 293 Members in this situation in 1974–75.

285 hon. Members have not claimed the maximum amount available to them for the year ended 31st March 1976.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he is satisfied with the conditions under which persons undertaking clerical duties in the Refreshment Department of the House of Commons have to work.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will report progress on his talks with the French aerospace industry on collaborative projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if in view of the delays in the progress of the Bill to nationalise the aerospace construction industry he will make a statement on the Government's intentions towards the support of the collaborative projects currently advocated by United Kingdom companies and by the EEC Commission and other European and United States manufacturers.

I met General Mitterand, Chairman of Aerospatiale, on 1st June, and M. Cavaille, Secretary of State for Transport, on 2nd June for talks in Paris following visits to DassaultBreguet, Aerospatiale and Airbus Industrie in Toulouse. Discussions on possible future projects and collaborative arrangements are progressing on the industrial and official fronts, both in Europe and with the US companies, with the Organising Committee of British Aerospace taking the lead. The Government stand ready to take decisions on any properly supported proposals which the industry might bring forward as a result of these discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied with the foreign currency borrowing powers of the nationalised industries for which he is accountable.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his latest estimate of sales of Concorde; and how far these meet earlier estimates of such sales.

Five aircraft have been sold to British Airways and four to Air France. Negotiations are continuing for the sale of two Concordes to Iranair, and discussions about a lease of two aircraft are taking place with Japan Air Lines. A number of other airlines are interested in buying or leasing Concorde, and the manufacturers are in touch with them. There has been no substantial change in sales estimates since the present 16 aircraft programme was authorised in July 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the amount of money spent on research and development in the computer industry over each of the past six years; and what was the amount contributed by the Government during each year.

The latest estimate available of total expenditure is from the 1972 survey of industrial expenditure on research and development when industry reported expenditure of £27 million.The Government contribution over the past six financial years was as follows: 1970–71, £3·88 million; 1971–72, £2·70 million; 1972–73, £10·95 million; 1973–74, £10·90 million; 1974–75, £11·08 million; and 1975–76, £9·27 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what new aviation projects are to be commenced during 1976.

The United Kingdom industry is currently engaged in a detailed examination of all the options for future civil aircraft projects. They have not, as let, come forward with any specific proposals. Among the options are collaboration on derivatives of the Airbus, the HS146 and a European 150-seat aircraft, one possibility for which is a derivative of the BAC 1–11.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether any planning agreements have been concluded with public manufacturing companies.

On 13th April my hon. Friend announced that eight companies had agreed to move to operative discussions on planning agreements. On 17th May my right hon. Friend announced that three nationalised industries are also to enter into planning agreement discussions. When planning agreement has been concluded a statement to that effect will be laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total value of manufacturing production in 1960, 1973 and 1975 at current prices and at 1975 prices.

Estimates of the value of the contribution to the gross domestic product by manufacturing industry for the years 1960, 1973 and 1975, at current and 1970 prices, are as follows:

£ billion
		Current prices	1970 prices
1960	…	8·2	10·6
1973	…	18·7	15·6
1975	………	24·1	14·3

The information is not available at 1975 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the total public expenditure incurred during each of the last seven years to promote investment in the steel industry.

I regret that not all the information is available in the form requested. The bulk of investment in the last seven years has been made by the British Steel Corporation, whose capital expenditure has been as follows:

Year	£ million
Oct. 1968-Sept. 1969	74
Oct. 1969-March 1970 (six months)	39
1970–71	143
1971–72	237
1972–73	198
1973–74	187
1974–75	311

BSC's annual report for 1975–76 is not yet available, but the corporation estimates it spent over £500 million in that year on capital investment.In addition, the steel industry has benefitted from Government assistance to industry in general. Such assistance has been given in the past under the Industrial Development Act 1966 and the Local Employment Acts, but no detailed figures are readily available. Assistance is now primarily available under the Industry Act 1972; details may be found in the annual reports to Parliament on the operation of the Act.Expenditure on regional development grants under the first part of the Act for the entire metal manufacturing sector (SIC Order IV), including BSC, has been as follows:

Year				£ million
1972–73	…	…	…	0·1
1973–74	…	…	…	19·9
1974–75	…	…	…	31·2
1975–76	…	…	…	64·2

No separate figures are available on expenditure on selective financial assistance under Section 7 of the Act for the metal manufacturing industry, but offers of assistance under this section have been as follows:

Year	…	…	…	£ million
1973–74	…	…	…	5·9
1974–75	…	…	…	9·6
1975–76	…	…	…	6·5

Finally, £40 million has been provided under Section 8 of the Act for a scheme of selective financial assistance to the ferrous foundry industry. Between the introduction of the scheme on 5th August 1975 and 31st March 1976, £3,868,000 of assistance had been committed towards investment of £19,544,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from manufacturing and retailing interests in the textile industry for the promotion of British textiles for sale to foreign tourists in British shops; what replies he has sent to such representations; if he will give an assurance that his Department will do everything within its power to promote such activities which substantially assist the balance of payments; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no representations from textile manufacturers. I agree that this is an important trade and the personal export and over the counter schemes provide facilities to assist it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he is satisfied with the present policy on aid to the regions;(2) whether he plans to make any change in his regional policy.

Our regional policy is continuing to make a useful contribution to tackling the long-term problems of the assisted areas. Its effectiveness is constantly monitored so that I can judge the need for modifications in detail, but I see no case for altering the policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

Authorised officials of my Department may at all reasonable times enter and inspect any premises in which there is or should be any asset in respect of which an investment grant or a regional development grant has been made and require the asset to be produced or identified for inspection. The statutory authorities are, respectively, the Industrial Development Act 1966, Section 8(5), and the Industry Act 1972, Schedule 1 paragraph 2.In addition to these statutory powers there are a number of agreements and contracts freely entered into by both parties which provide similar rights of entry to business premises.Officials of the Post Office may enter buildings for the purposes of constructing or maintaining any telegraphic line. The Post Office is required to endeavour to make an arrangement with the occupier before entering, but this requirement does not apply in cases of emergency—(Telegraph (Construction) Act 1916 Section 4). Telephone and telex subscribers are required to permit persons engaged in the business of the Post Office to enter upon their premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of constructing, inspecting, maintaining, altering or removing telecommunications installations—Post Office Act 1969 Section 28, and the Post Office Telecommunications Scheme 1976, paragraph 15. Post Office officials may also, under the authority of a search warrant, enter premises as agents for the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The statutory authorities are the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, Section 15, and the Post Office Act 1969, Section 91.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take immediate steps to use such power as he possesses to prohibit the parking of out-of-commission oil rigs in British territorial waters for which his Department is responsible, until all or any such proposals, such as that currently contemplated in the Solent, have been approved or otherwise by the adjacent local authority or authorities.

I cannot give such an undertaking because my right hon. Friend's powers under the Coast Protection Act 1949 relate to navigational hazards rather than environmental questions and consultation is, therefore, only with navigational interests. On 24th May I refused consent to the laying up of an oil rig in the west Solent on navigational grounds.

	Annual salary	Appointment	Date of appointment
British Airports Authority
Lord Allen of Fallowfield	£1,000	Member, part-time	1st January 1976
Civil Aviation Authority
Lord Boyd-Carpenter	£18,989	Chairman, full-time	1st April 1972
National Film Finance Corporation
Lord Remnant	£1,000	Non-executive director, part-time	1st October 1970

Information about expenses reimbursed is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many countries were served by express service freight shipping facilities from Glasgow in each year over the past five years; and if he will make a statement as to his policy regarding expansion;(2) how many countries were served by shipping freight services from Glasgow in

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the balance of trade between Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China.

The following is the information. Trade between Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China in 1975 is in millions of Hong Kong dollars as shown. On the basis of the Financial Times quotation of 4·96 for the rate of exchange between the Hong Kong and the US dollar, the trade deficit was US $1,340 million.

Trade between Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China in 1975
			(Hong Kong $ million)
Imports (cif)	…	…	6,805
Exports	…	…	28
Re-exports(fob)	…	…	137
Balance	…	…	-6,640

asked the Secretary of State for Trade 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 as follows:each year over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on his policy regarding future expansion.

Information is not available on an annual basis, nor does it distinguish between express and other shipping services. I understand that shipping services from Glasgow directly serve about 100 countries, and that this has been generally the position for the last five years. The expansion of these services is a matter for the commercial interests involved to judge in the light of demand. I do not intend to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to ensure that the noise regulations at Heathrow Airport are observed by Concorde.

As my hon. Friend knows, Concorde was exempted from the Heathrow noise limits. Apart from this the aircraft complies with the noise abatement regulations at Heathrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies lodged their annual returns during 1975 within the following periods: (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months,(d) one year, (e) two years and (f) over two years; and if he will show the figures for England and Scotland, separately.

During 1975 some 220,000 companies registered in England and Wales lodged returns which were due to have been delivered in 1974; 41,000 returns were received which were due in 1973 and 17,000 for periods before 1973. I regret that further information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies are currently registered in England and Scotland, respectively, at the most recent convenient date.

As at 28th May there were 648,533 companies on the live register maintained by the Registrar for England and Wales. The comparable figure for Scotland was 31,669.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what is the current United Kingdom trading account, in manufactured goods, with each member State of the EEC to the latest available date; and what was the position for 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971 and 1970;

Figures for the value of imports (cif) and exports (fob) of manufactured goods—consisting of Sections 5 to 8 of the trade classification—are published for individual countries in Tables II and V respectively of the following volumes: For 1970 to 1973, Annual Statements of Overseas Trade of the United Kingdom; for 1974 and 1975, December 1974 and 1975 issues of the Overseas Trade Statistics; for January-April 1976, April 1976 issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

Officials of my Department have search and entry powers as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what decisions he has taken following the publication of the report by the Civil Aviation Authority on "Future Airport Development in South Wales and the South West of England "(CAP 380); and if he will make a statement.

The Civil Aviation Authority's advice on future airport developments in South Wales and the South-West of England has been taken into account in the consultation document on regional airports to be published shortly. No decisions concerning the future role of particular airports will be taken in advance of the consultations on that document.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade in deciding whether to give financial assistance to trade missions to overseas countries, how much account is taken of the results which such missions are likely to achieve in terms of orders for British goods and services.

In making its decisions the British Overseas Trade Board takes into consideration the prospects in the market to be visited for the products and services of each intending participant.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he plans to publish all the volumes of the census of distribution for which inquiries were completed in 1972.

12 of the 13 parts of the printed report have now been published. Part 1 covered the shop and other outlet tables for Great Britain as a whole. Parts 2 to 12 contained tables about Scotland, Wales, the standard regions of England and area summary tables. Part 13, giving tables about retail organisations and the service trades, is expected to be published in October of this year. Summary figures will be released in an article in Trade and Industry within the next two months. Much of the delay has been due to the time spent in following up outstanding returns; even now it has been necessary to make estimates for the 22 per cent. of retailers enumerated—reckoned to account for 12 per cent. of total turnover—who failed to make good returns.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, how much financial assistance was given to the Luton, Dunstable and District Chamber of Commerce in respect of its trade mission to South Africa in February and March 1976.

£5,700.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of exports of aluminium from the United Kinedom in 1975.

For unwrought aluminium and alloys, £31·7 million.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make arrangements to dispense with the services of the 1,574 officers in Whitehall currently employed in public relations and employ them otherwise.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, in view of the loss of jobs caused by the transfer of local taxation offices to the Vehicle Licensing Centre, Swansea, he will issue guidance to Government Departments to give priority to applications from those formerly employed in local taxation offices.

Arrangements are already in hand to enable local authority staff affected by the run-down of Local Taxation Offices to be specially notified of competitions to fill the remaining vacancies in the Department of the Environment's local vehicle licensing offices, which are taking over some of their work. It would not accord with the principles of fair and open competition for Civil Service posts to give these local authority staff a prior claim to be considered for general posts in Government Departments.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will issue guidance to Government Departments to provide details of all posts advertised in the Press to local authorities in the area concerned.

No. All vacancies in the Civil Service—both those which are filled by the Civil Service Commission and advertised nationally, and those filled by individual Government Departments under delegated recruitment arrangements, and normally advertised locally—are notified to the Department of Employment. Details of local vacancies can be obtained either from the departments themselves or from local Job Centres.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) if he will issue instructions to all civil servants to give their names to telephone inquirers, if requested to do so, in view of the success reported from the Swansea Licensing Centre where names are freely provided to callers;(2) what instructions are given to civil servants about not revealing their names to members of the public who need to telephone Government Departments.

Because the nature of the work differs between Departments, it would not be appropriate to make it obligatory for civil servants to give their names on request. They are, however, generally encouraged to do so.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give details of the membership of the advisory committee on the appointment of advertising agents.

The chairman of the committee is Sir David Barran, who has agreed to continue to serve until January 1978. Other members whose appointments are continuing are Sir George Pope, Mr. Howard Thomas and Mr. W. B. Morrell.Mr. Frank Rogers has offered to resign from the committee since he has changed his area of profesional operation since his appointment. I have accepted his resignation and am grateful to him for the services he has rendered the committee.Three new members have accepted my invitation to join the committee. These arfe Sir Denis Hamilton (Times Newspapers Limited), Mr. John McClean (International Publishing Corporation Limited), and Mr. Barry Silverman (Co-operative Wholesale Society Limited).

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the current range of salary and increment stages of assistant secretaries in the Civil Service; what changes in these have been made since 1st July 1975; and what proposals for changes are under consideration.

The current national incremental scale for assistant secretaries is as follows: £8,650, £9,200, £9,800, £10,400, £11,000. No increments have been paid at this level, however, during the current period of counter-inflation policy in view of the £8,500 cutoff requirement. No changes have been made to the scale since July 1975 and there are none under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to public funds of the ceremonies of Trooping the Colour.

The cost to public funds of The Queen's Birthday Parade, including Trooping the Colour, on Horse Guards' Parade on 12th June was approximately £4,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if Her Majesty's Government will reconsider their ban on the export of jaguar aircraft to India; and whether the present ban present ban prevents the French, as partners in the programme, from selling the aircraft to India.

There is no such ban. We would be prepared to agree to the sale of jaguars to India provided the financial terms were right.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the Morning star to be asked to press showings of new weapons, as in the case of the Army's demonstration of the individual weapon.

The morning star has normal newspaper access to unclassified Press briefings or demonstrations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what part the United Kingdom is to play, in the context of the Anglo-Portuguese alliance or of NATO, in the reorganisation and re-equipment of the Portuguese armed forces.

In common with our other NATO allies, we have offered the Portuguese authorities such help as we can give in the restructuring of their armed forces. We have asked the Portuguese to let us know the areas in which they would like assistance from the United Kingdom. Individual offers of assistance to Portugal will be monitored and co-ordinated by NATO.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

The Ministry of Defence Police, under the Metropolitan Police Act 1860, as amended and ex- tended, may exercise the full powers and privileges of a constable within 15 miles of a defence establishment in Great Britain in respect of Crown property or of persons subject to Service discipline. A search warrant issued by a justice of the peace is necessary before they may search premises for these purposes without the consent of the occupier.In Northern Ireland, members of Her Majesty's Forces on duty have certain powers of search and entry under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1973 and the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) (Amendment) Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

There are no circumstances in which officials of my right hon. Friend's Department or public bodies for which he is responsible have such search and entry powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes holding talks with representatives of the Gilbert Islands with a view to the introduction of internal self-government.

Talks will take place in London on 14th and 15th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are applied by Her Majesty's Government in considering the recognition of a new country, as contrasted with the recognition of a new régime in an existing country.

The criteria have not changed since the answer given by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 27th February 196; to a similar Question, namely:

"The general practice which Her Majesty's Government have followed in relation to sovereign States in Africa, as elsewhere, is to recognise de jure a Government, established by revolutionary action, when Her Majesty's Government consider that the new Government enjoy, with a reasonable prospect of permanance, the obedience of the mass of the population and the effective control of much the greater part of the territory of the State concerned. Her Majesty's Government must, of course, take due account of any specific instance, including any United Nations or other international action."—[Vol. 742, c. 7.]

The criteria are similar in the case of the establishment of a new State.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the report of the Shackleton mission to the Falkland Islands will be made public.

I am not yet able to say how soon it will be possible to arrange publication.

As part of the provisions for enforcement of the legislation on Trade Descriptions and Hallmarking officials of my Department are included amongst those who may be authorised for this purpose to enter premises, other than premises used only as a dwelling and to inspect and seize goods and documents.(Prime responsibility for enforcement rests with local authorities).	Trade Descriptions Act 1968, Section 28.
	Trade Descriptions Act 1972, Section 3.
	Hallmarking Act 1973, Section 9.
	Textile Products (Indications of Fibre Content) Regulations 1973—S.I. 1973 No. 2124.
	Crystal Glass (Descriptions) Regulations1973—S.I.—1973 No. 1952.
For the purpose of securing compliance with hire purchase and credit sale regulations authorised officers of my Department have, subject to the issue of a warrant from a Justice of the Peace, the power to enter business premises and to search for and take possession of any books or papers which appear relevant.	Emergency Laws (Re-enactments and Repeals) Act 1964, Section 1 and Schedule 1.
	Hire Purchase and Credit Sale Agreements (Control) Order 1973
	Control of Mining Order 1973.
For the purpose of enforcing Section 23 and Part XI of the Fair Trading Act 1973, officers of my Department are included amongst those who may enter any premises other than those used only as a dwelling, and to inspect and seize goods and documents, and, subject to the issue of a warrant by a Justice of the Peace, to enter any premises for those purposes.	Fair Trading Act 1973. Sections 29 and 123.
For the purpose of determining whether the provisions of an order or notice under Section 6 of the Counter-Inflation Act 1973 are being complied with authorised officials of my Department and of the Price Commission have powers to enter any land or any premises other than premises used only as a dwelling.	Counter-Inflation Act 1973, Schedule 4(3).
	Counter-Inflation (Designation of Officers) (No. 2) Order 1973.
In connection with the payment of food subsidies, authorised officials may enter any land or any premises other than premises used only as a dwelling.	Prices Act 1974, Schedule, Article 3(2).
For the purpose of inspecting and testing the calibration of tanks of vessels, authorised officials may enter any premises, other than premises used only as a private dwelling house, which it is reasonable to enter to gain access to the vessel.	European Communities Act 1972. Section 2.
	Calibration of Tanks of Vessels (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1975—S.I. 1975 No. 212–5.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the proposed length of the airstrip now being built in the Falkland Islands.

The paved runway length of the permanent airfield now being built in the Falkland Islands will be 4,100 feet—1,250 metres.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will list every different circumstance in which officials of her Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to herself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

Officials of my Department and of public bodies ultimately answerable to me have search and entry powers as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will initiate an inquiry to establish the extent to which household purchases of food have changed in consequence of rising prices; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the pattern of consumption and level of expenditure on food in the home is provided by the National Food Survey, which is published quarterly. There has been no marked change in the total value of purchases in real terms over the last 18 months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the likely impact upon the producer, and the wholesale and retail price of lamb and mutton, if the proposed Community régime for sheepmeat were to be implemented as it now stands; and if he will make a statement.

Although the Commission proposals are not in sufficiently precise terms to make more than a broad assessment of their impact, we are satisfied that they do not meet the essential interests of the United Kingdom, and my right hon. Friend told the Council of Ministers he cannot accept them as they stand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what discussions he has had regarding the need to provide finance for the expansion of the British Agricultural Export Council;(2) when he expects to complete his consideration of the Strutt Report on agricultural exports; and if he will make a statement.

The proposal in the Report of the Advisory Council for Agriculture and Horticulture that there should be an increase in the financial resources of the British Agricultural Export Council is related to the fundamental recommendation in that report that a new central promotional body for agricultural exports should be established, based on the British Agricultural Export Council, and financed by a levy on the industry. It therefore falls to be considered with the recommendation as a whole, and, as my right hon. Friend announced in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Watkinson) on 25th May—[Vol. 912, c. 154.]—we are seeking comments on them from industry and others concerned. We have asked for comments to be submitted not later than 27th August 1976.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

It is not practicable to detail all the possible circumstances in which officials of my Department and of public bodies ultimately answerable to me have powers of search and entry into private property. The Acts of Parliament under which such authority is conferred upon certain officials, and is used for the proper exercise of statutory functions, are listed below.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will conduct a feasibility study on the desirability of growing beet sugar in the North-West Region of England.

My Department has been consulted about the terms of a survey being undertaken by independent agricultural consultants into the possibilities of growing sugar beet in the North-West Region. The result of this survey will be made available to us and a separate feasibility study by my Department is therefore unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of unemployed persons possessing a teaching qualification in Wales.

In March, 290 unemployed school teachers were recorded at employment offices in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make it his policy to collect information on trends in wastage from and reentry to the teaching profession in order to enable him to give reliable estimates of likely teacher unemployment in future.

Information is already regularly available on past wastage from, and re-entry to, the teaching profession from records of teachers' service and salary which are held mainly for pension purposes. However, trends in wastage rates, reflecting as they do the economic and employment situation prevailing in past years, cannot at the present time be accepted as a reliable basis for framing estimates of likely teacher unemployment in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of severely physically handicapped children of school age attends normal schools in England and Wales according to the latest estimates available; and what are the corresponding figures for each of the preceding five years.

We have no information concerning specifically the severely physically handicapped. Physically handicapped pupils are, however, to be found in normal schools, both in ordinary classes and in designated special classes. Figures for the latter, which are the only ones available, show that 2·5 per cent. of all physically handicapped pupils in England and Wales included in LEA returns were in such classes in 1975. The corresponding percentages for 1974 and 1973 were 1·9 and 1·4. Comparable figures for earlier years are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will advise local education authorities to waive all fees for lip-reading courses for persons on the register of social services departments, in accordance with the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

Local education authorities are conversant with the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and are known generally to be sympathetic in exercising their discretionary power to waive or reduce fees for persons attending their courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the level of means test below which parents may have assistance towards the cost of special clothing for children to attend school; and how this financial limit has increased over the past 15 years.

This information is not available in my Department. Local education authorities' powers to assist with the provision of school clothing are entirely discretionary and each authority may adopt and vary its own criteria of eligibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

There are no such circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has reached a decision on the rates of grant for postgraduate students for 1976–77; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided that the rates of grant for postgraduate studentships awarded by the Education Departments and the Research Councils will be increased as follows: for students living away from home attending a London institution, from £1,180 to £1,380; for students living away from home attending an institution outside London, from £1,085 to £1,270; for students living in the parental home, from £790 to £925. These increases are in keeping with those recently announced for undergraduate students. Supplementary grants will be similarly adjusted.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will extend the temporary additional posts allocated to the careers service to March 1978.

I have been asked to reply.This matter is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) why he proposes to make provision for losses incurred by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board under the Electricity (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill in relation to supplying electricity to the Invergordon smelter of the British Aluminium Company Limited, and not for similar losses incurred by the CEGB for supplying power to the Holyhead smelter in Anglesey;(2) what are the accumulated losses incurred by the CEGB in supplying electricity to aluminium smelters in Lyn-mouth, Northumberland, and Holyhead, Anglesey, pursuant to subsisting contracts.

The Government are making this provision because losses under the aluminium smelter contract, which the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board segregates from its general revenue account, have an overwhelming significance for that board and the general body of its consumers which is not present in the case of CEGB's contract. The effects of CEGB's losses on its Anglesey smelter contract have been absorbed in CEGB's general revenue account and they have, therefore, hitherto been effectively offset directly or indirectly by the payments which the Government have made to the electricity boards in England and Wales under the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1975. The CEGB has no contract to supply the aluminium smelter at Lynmouth.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy with regard to the BNOC claim, in its contribution to the pending energy debate, that for maximum freedom of action in the development of management of Great Britain's offshore oil reserve the oil sector should be completely State managed like the coal, gas, electricity and nuclear energy industries.

The statement referred to by the hon. Member is taken out of context. BNOC's paper explains the importance of the private sector contributing, in partnership with the public sector, to North Sea exploration and development. As the hon. Member knows, the Government's policy towards public ownership in the North Sea in current licences is to negotiate majority State participation with the private sector companies in commercial oilfields. In the fifth round of licensing, to be held later this year, applications will be invited on the basis that the State corporations will between them have a 51 per cent. share in every licence.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the results of drilling operations off the Lancashire coast in the Irish Sea.

Six exploration wells have been drilled off the coast of Lancashire. One discovered gas. Two appraisal wells have since been drilled on the gas bearing structure but further drilling will be necessary to assess the full potential of the discovery.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list every different circumstance in which officials of his Department, and of all public bodies ultimately answerable to himself, have search and entry powers into either the homes or the business premises of British citizens, with in each case reference to the appropriate statutory authority for the exercise of such powers.

The information as it relates to the nationalised energy industries is as follow: