asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any further statement to make on the Government's offer to purchase the North Sea assets of the Burmah Oil Company.

pursuant to his replies [Official Report, 18th December 1975, Vol. 902, c. 774; and 10th March 1976, Vol. 907, 216–8], gave the following further information:Agreement has been reached with Burmah, the effect of which is that BNOC will purchase 65 per cent. of Burmah's interest in the Thistle field and two adjacent areas through the medium of a subsidiary company and a 95 per cent. interest in Burmah Oil Development Limited ("BODL") the company which is the operator of Thistle field. BODL will continue its present operatorships, including that for the Thistle field with its existing staff.The consideration payable for the purchase will be about £87 million. An advance payment of £25 million is being made by BNOC today, and the balance will be paid, subject to any necessary retentions, as the documentation is completed over the next few weeks.In announcing in December 1975 the Government's decision to negotiate with Burmah for the purchase of all or part of its North Sea assets, I made clear the Government's intention to negotiate a fair arm's length price. I have throughout the negotiations had the benefit of the advice of Lazard Brothers and, through them, of independent expert technical advice in this field. The BNOC has informed me that its judgment of the valuation of the assets would have resulted in a lower price. Valuations of this kind cannot be precise. I have concluded that the agreed price is a fair arm's length price taking into account all the advice I have received. Accordingly I am issuing specific direction to the corporation under Section 4(1) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975 in connection with the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement as to BNFL's investment plans over the next 10 years, and the means of providing the capital required.

The company envisages gross capital spending of about £165 million over the next two years in relation to investment projects recently agreed by the Government. These involve a total investment of about £700 million over the next 10 years on its fuel cycle facilities, including extensions and improvements to reprocessing facilities for the home nuclear programme. Much of this investment will be financed from internal resources. Proposals for certain further investment on facilities for the home nuclear programme are still under consideration. In addition the company intends, subject to the availability of overseas business, to invest about £330 million in providing reprocessing facilities for overseas customers this investment will be customer financed.The company expects to be able to cover a major part of its net capital requirements by borrowing in the private market. The Government propose to introduce legislation early next Session to provide the necessary power to guarantee the repayment of such borrowing by the company both as to principal and interest. The draft of an order was laid yesterday under Section 13 of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1971 to raise the limit on Government capital advances to the company from its present level of £50 million to £75 million. This is to ensure that, given the uncertainty as to the amount and timing of loans from the private sector, there will be no risk of being unable to meet the company's capital requirements as they arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has completed his consideration of the application by Shell United Kingdom Limited, under the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975, for authorisation of a 36-inch gas pipeline from the Brent field to St. Fergus.

Consideration of this application has been a lengthy process since there are a number of important issues which have some bearing on this first ever application for the authorisation of a major submarine pipeline. One part of the route of this line has not yet been settled. In order to enable construction to begin this year I have decided to issue an authorisation for that part of the line which is not affected by any further possible changes of route.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the shareholdings in the National Nuclear Corporation.

The Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) has acquired on behalf of the Government a further 20 per cent. of the National Nuclear Corporation's (NNC) shares from the General Electric Company (GEC). This increases the AEA's shareholding from 15 per cent. to 35 per cent. and reduces that of the GEC from 50 per cent. to 30 per cent. GEC will continue to exercise a supervisory role in support of NNC's operating company, the Nuclear Power Company.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will introduce regulations under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 for the operational safety, health and welfare of those working on offshore installations of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

I laid the Offshore Installations (Operational Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1976, which were made on 29th June, before the House today. These regulations govern the day-to-day safety, health and welfare of people working on and from offshore installations on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf and the safety of equipment and working procedures on those installations. They lay duties and obligations on licensees, owners and managers of offshore installations employers and employees to ensure that operations on and near installations are carried out safely and that the provisions of the regulations are observed, These regulations were prepared after long and detailed consultation with the offshore industry, trade unions and other representative organisations, and with other Government Departments and agencies, in particular the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Attorney-General to what legislative or policy factors he attributes the increase in non-industrial staff in the Land Registry from 4,868 on 1st January 1976 to 5,001 on 1st April 1976.

The 133 stall were recruited to handle the additional work resulting from the Registration of Title Order 1975 (S.I. 1975 No. 160) which extended compulsory registration of title on sale to areas comprising a population of almost 2 million. That order followed the Government's policy for the extension of the system to the whole of England and Wales announced by my noble Friend on 26th July 1974.

asked the Lord President of the Council why hon. Members have not yet received the Official Report for Friday 2nd July.

It is regretted that the normal printed copies of the Official Report for Friday 2nd July are not yet available to hon. Members. This was due to production difficulties, as yet unresolved, arising during the course of the night. Copies in an alternative form were made available in the Vote Office and further copies will be made available, if required. The Official Report in the normal form will be printed as soon as practicable without detriment to the printing of other current papers essential to the business of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will give, for the longest stated period of time, the annual amounts

SECTION 11 GRANTS PAID TO ALL AUTHORITIES IN ENGLAND (TO THE NEAREST £100,000)
£m.
1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76
1·4	1·8	3·7	4·4	5·5	7·0	9·4	10·2	13·8

SECTION 11 GRANTS PAID TO—
Year			Bradford	Brent	Ealing	Haringey	Leicester City	Leicester shire	Newham
			£	£	£	£	£	£	£
1967–68	…	…	48,998	60,705	78,018	54,335	18,434	Nil	24,332
1968–69	…	…	58,374	78,178	88,876	57,841	31,082	Nil	37,048
1969–70	…	…	86,017	151,277	165,988	117,773	63,456	9,055	74,933
1970–71	…	…	183,592	181,125	197,313	138,259	156,597	7,806	61,953
1971–72	…	…	205,902	144,448	246,922	169,333	152,580	11,828	73,839
1972–73	…	…	273,087	169,375	388,157	240,151	160,233	20,510	87,371
1973–74	…	…	407,289	205,325	488,999	272,261	338,673	25,026	120,919
1974–75	…	…	540,438	220,766	586,913	406,311	243,286	381,310	179,317
1975–76	…	…	641,815	312,854	721,442	544,990	9,391	932,842	263,431

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total annual cost of (a) the motorway police, (b) non-motorway traffic police and (c) traffic wardens; and what were the comparable figures five years ago.

The cost of salaries and related employers' expenses for traffic wardens in England and Wales is estimated to be £14,100,000 for the financial year 1975–76. The corresponding figure for 1970–71 was £5,363,000. The rest of the information is not avail-

Most forms of central Government assistance do not have regard to the origins of those who live in the areas assisted. Grants under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, referred to in my reply to my hon. Friend's Question on 29th June—[Vol. 914, c. 88]—were as follows:able centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report those prisons in the United Kingdom that are both overcrowded and under-staffed, indicating the degree of overcrowding and understaffing in each case.

The following table shows those penal establishments in England and Wales which at 31st May both had a population in excess of their certified normal accommodation and were short of

Establishment		Certified Normal Accommodation	Population	Authorised Strength	Staff in Post
Male—
Albany	…	296	302	269	251
Ashwell	…	400	423	48	46
Aylesbury	…	294	310	105	98
Bedford	…	179	308	93	89
Brixton	…	649	982	430	400
Camp Hill	…	323	459	149	145
Cardiff—Prison	…	273	371	148	146
Cardiff—Remand Centre	…	67	90
Durham	…	665	1,046	251	250
Exeter—Prison	…	327	512	155	152
Exeter—Remand Centre	…	44	57
Hindley Borstal	…	312	324	80	79
Leeds	…	592	1,095	245	242
Liverpool	…	1,041	1,544	296	295
Low Newton Remand Centre	…	159	203	54	53
Manchester—Prison	…	916	1,389	289	281
Manchester—Borsta	…	205	306
Norwich	…	312	428	142	129
Oxford	…	159	285	94	87
Stafford	…	570	754	140	138
Thorp Arch Remand Centre	…	101	158	47	45
Winchester—Prison	…	424	568	195	185
Winchester—Remand Centre	…	62	90
Wormwood Scrubs—Prison	…	1,007	1,548	383	338
Wormwood Scrubs—Borstal	…	201	236
Female—
Bullwood Hall Borstal	…	108	126	58	54
Holloway	…	288	363	133	105
Styal	…	204	220	88	68

asked the Prime Minister whether he will announce the terms of reference of the Committee of Privy Councillors under the chairmanship of Lord Houghton to inquire into the procedures for handling Cabinet documents.

The terms of reference of the Committee of Privy Councillors are as follows:

"To examine the procedures for handling Cabinet and Cabinet Committee papers inside the Government, and matters arising therefrom, to see whether these procedures are adequate and appropriate to protect the confidentiality of the documents in question."

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many registered disabled workers retired, resigned or were dismissed from each of the four

During the 12-month period 1st April 1975 to 31st March 1976 the number of employees in the four Royal dockyards known to be registered disabled persons who retired or resigned and the number who commenced employment is as follows:

		Retired/Resigned	Commenced Employment
Portsmouth	…	22	3
Devonport	…	11	3
Chatham	…	12	Nil
Rosyth	…	Nil	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees were employed on light duties at each of the four Royal naval dockyards on the latest date for which figures are available; how many of these were registered disabled workers; how many were previously registered; and how many were judged as a result of medical examination to be likely to qualify for registration.

In the four home dockyards the number of employees employed on light or restricted duties as at 7th July 1976 was as follows:

			(1)	(2)
			Numbers employed on light or restricted duties	Numbers in Column (1) declared to be registered disabled
Portsmouth	…	…	711	55
Devonport	…	…	1,008	53
Chatham	…	…	515	30
Rosyth	…	…	371	18
			2,605	156

The numbers of those currently employed on light or restricted duties who were previously registered disabled persons are not readily available and would take a disproportionate amount of effort to obtain.Although a proportion of those employed on light or restricted duties may have been judged as a result of medical examination to be likely to qualify for registration as disabled persons, this information is not recorded.I regret that further investigation has brought to light discrepancies in the figures which I gave on 18th May—[Vol 911, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what legislative or policy factors he attributes the increase in non-industrial staff in his Department from 9,942 on 1st January 1976 to 10,024 on 1st April 1976.

Of the increase of 82, 68 is attributable to improvement in Prison Service requirement an d13 to State Hospital recruitment. The remainder of one is the net effect of changes elsewhere in the Scottish Office. The total fell to 9,986 on 1st June.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of lives lost because of a shortage of kidney machines over the past 12 months for which figures are available.

No such estimate is practicable. It has proved possible in most cases to offer a place on the renal transplant-dialysis programme to those patients who are urgently in need of treatment and for whom it is indicated.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales to what legislative or policy factors he attributes the increase in non-industrial staff in his Department from 1,489 on 1st January 1976 to 1,521 on 1st April 1976.

Primarily the increase arises from recruitment to unfilled posts throughout the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in addition to existing offices in Cardiff and Edinburgh, he will urge EEC authorities to establish offices to serve the English regions, including one for the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

No. In addition to the Commission's Information Office in London, which serves the whole of England, there are five European Documentation Centres in the Yorshire and Humberside Region alone. These are sited at universities, polytechnics and libraries and are supplied with material from the Commission's London office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 31,000 registered dock workers on the permanent register and of the 1,230 registered dock workers on the supplementary register in the fourth quarter of 1975, as reported in Table 1 of the Annual Report of the National Dock Labour Board, were not medically fit to perform all work likely to be required of a registered dock worker and hence were categorised as restricted; and what percentage of the total register such men represented.

I understand from the National Dock Labour Board that the board does not operate a national system of medical categorisation of registered dock workers. Information supplied to the board by registered employers in December 1975 indicated 1,608 dock workers on the permanent register were able to undertake only light duties. In addition there were 1,016 men categorised as "A Restricted" in the Port of London; this categorisation is used only in London and relates to men who for medical reasons are in some way restricted as to the work they can perform. Taken together these figures represent 8·2 per cent. of the total register of 31,968 in December 1975. No supplementary workers were notified to the board as falling within these categories.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been paid out in redundancy pay in each of the last five years.

Rebate and direct payments from the Redundancy Fund for the years shown gave rise to payments to employees estimated at approximately:

Year	…	…	£
1971	…	…	108,273,000
1972	…	…	97,513,000
1973	…	…	66,573,000
1974	…	…	73,560,000
1975	…	…	178,284,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been paid out in redundancy pay in 1976 to date.

Rebate and direct payments from the Redundancy Fund for the period shown gave rise to payments to employees estimated at approximately 1st January 1976–31st May 1976, £92,269,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish the figures for unemployment in Eastleigh in June 1976; and how they compare 'with similar figures for June 1975, 1974, 1973 and 1972;(2) if he will publish the figures for registered job vacancies in Eastleigh in June 1976; and how they compare with similar figures for June 1975, 1974, 1973 and 1972.

The following table shows the numbers registered as unemployed and notified unfilled vacancies in the Eastleigh employment office area. The vacancy figures relate only to vacancies notified to the employment office and careers office and are not a measure of total vacancies in the area. Because of possible duplication the two series should not be added together.

			Notified vacancies remaining unfilled at
		Numbers unemployed	Employment Office	Careers Office
June 1972	…	337	239	143
June 1973	…	225	366	258
June 1974	…	230	627	284
June 1975	…	356	71	76
June 1976	…	914	85	31

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what the effects of employment in the public sector in the years 1977–78 and 1978–79 will be arising from the recent White Paper on public expenditure.

Public service manpower will be kept broadly steady in 1977–78 and 1978–79 at the 1976–77 levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will enter into a planning agreement with the British Shoe Corporation.

I would want to see the conclusions and recommendations of the Footwear Industry Study Steering Group before considering this possibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps are being taken to improve the employment situation in the telecommunications industry.

Employment in the telecommunications manufacturing industry is very much dependent upon the level of demand for equipment by the Post Office. I regret that there is no immediate prospect of any increase in the Post Office's ordering programme because the Post Office already has a substantial margin of spare capacity installed or on order. Increasing its exports is the best way the industry can improve the employment situation in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the definition of the Furniture Industry Development Council Order 1948 (as amended) of the word "furniture" includes television sets with or without doors and with or without legs.

It is for the Furniture Development Council to decide in the first instance which products fall within the statutory definition. I understand that the council regards television cabinets of all types as furniture for the purposes of the order.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many new telephones have been installed in the first six months of 1976; and how this figure compares with the equivalent period of 1974.

This is a matter for the Post Office and I am asking the Managing Director (Telecommunications) to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the terms of reference and objectives of the proposed Small Firms Counselling Service scheme for the South-West Region; what are the proposed locations for these offices; and if he will ensure that an office is located in the town of Bodmin.

The terms of reference and objectives of the Small Firms Counselling Service were outlined by my hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Department of Industry on 14th April in answer to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson). The location of the counselling centres in the South-West Region has not yet been decided, but it is intended to seek sites which will enable the majority of business men to use the service with a minimum of inconvenience. I cannot at this stage say whether or not Bodmin would meet this criterion.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what help has been given to the woollen textile industry in West Yorkshire during the last six months: and in what form this help has been granted.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report 25th June 1976, Vol. 913, c. 682], circulated the following information:Grants under category I are paid at the rate of 20 per cent. of expenditure on equipment; grants under category 2 at the rate of 20 per cent. of expenditure on the re-equipment element, 20 per cent. of expenditure on building adaptations and 30 per cent. of expenditure on new buildings. The amount paid out under realisation is compensation to firms either closing down production units.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what representations she has received from local authorities and local authority associations regarding the cost to local authorities of enforcing the Consumer Credit Act.

This matter was among those discussed at a meeting that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had on 21st May with local authority association representatives, and I am proposing to continue the discussions with representatives of the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade to what legislative or policy factors he attributes the increase in non-industrial staff in his Department from 7,683 on 1st January 1976 to 7,916 on 1st April 1976.

The increase is almost entirely attributable to the dispersal of the Companies Registration Office. The build-up of staff at Cardiff and the rundown in London will give rise to a temporary overlap of about 200 during the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he is satisfied with the proper implementation of the regulations governing currency exchange at London Airport;(2) whether he has any evidence that any improper or illegal currency exchange transactions have taken place or are taking place at London Airport.

I have been asked to reply.Authorised banks and certain authorised travel agents have been given permission under the Exchange Control Act 1947 to buy and sell foreign exchange. Certain of these authorised issuers operate at Heathrow and other airports within the current rules applicable to this business. There was recently a suggestion that it was quite common for unauthorised persons employed at Heathrow Airport to buy and sell foreign currency. The only evidence available has been of one very minor case some months ago. The British Airports Authority, whose staff were not involved, circulated a notice in May at the Treasury's request reminding all those working at airports managed by the Authority of the exchange control rules and putting them on guard against any suggestion that would involve breaking the law. The full text of the notice read as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what percentage of student teachers did not take up posts in maintained schools on completion of their training courses in each of the last five years for which figures are available;

The Department collects information about the first appointments of newly trained teachers in respect of appointments to maintained primary and secondary schools only. The percentage of student teachers who successfully completed courses of initial teacher training, but had not taken up teaching posts in maintained primary and secondary schools by the September following the completion of their courses, was as follows:

				Per cent.
1970	…	…	…	19
1971	…	…	…	24
1972	…	…	…	26
1973	…	…	…	22
1974	…	…	…	26

It is estimated that between 1970 and 1974 a small proportion—perhaps 3 per cent. per annum—of newly qualified teachers may have taken up their first teaching posts in non-maintained schools; and a similar proportion in maintained special schools or FE establishments. Information is not available to answer the remainder of the second Question in the form in which it is asked; statistics collected by the Department of Employment do not include details about the qualification dates of teachers registered as unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the light of his recent changes in tuition fees, he will now explain the working of the parental contribution on maintenance awards; and what are to be the levels of maintenance grant for the academic year starting 1st September 1977.

The proposals, which are subject to consultation, mean that students with mandatory awards will not be required to pay any tuition fees, irrespective of the level of parental income; this will supersede the present minimum award of £50. The parental contribution scale will continue to apply to grants for maintenance. I expect the rates of maintenance grant for the academic year 1977–78 to be settled in the spring of 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is now in a position to reply to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw's request to meet a deputation from the Sturton-le-Steeple school managers near Retford protesting about the closure of the school.

I refer my hon. Friend to the letter I sent him on this subject on 13th July in which I agreed to meet a deputation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by what criteria he determines that the names of persons should be included in List 99 as unsuitable for employment as teachers; and if he will make a statement.

The grounds on which persons are determined as unsuitable for employment as teachers are limited to those laid down in the Regulations, namely misconduct, for example an improper sexual relationship between teacher and pupil that did not constitute a criminal offence, or conviction of a criminal offence. While our overriding concern has to be for the welfare of the children and young people in the schools and colleges, we endeavour to carry out our responsibilities in this matter with humanity.Before a person is determined to be unsuitable for employment as a teaches he or she is given the opportunity of making representations either in writing or at an interview or both. At an interview with officers of my Department the teacher may be accompanied by a friend of his choice, who may be a relative, a legal representative or a representative of his teachers' association.List 99 contains the names of about 1,200 persons; it gives only names, reference numbers, dates of birth and in cases of partial exclusion, the kinds of teaching employment to which the ban does not apply. It is circulated on a confidential basis to local education authorities and certain other employers of teachers and to certain school and teacher organisations. This is done to enable local authorities and other employing bodies to observe their statutory duty not to employ teachers determined as unsuitable.All teachers included in the list have first been informed in writing of their exclusion from teaching employment. Hitherto, they have not necessarily also been told that their name will appear in List 99 but my right hon. Friend has decided that in future this will be done in all cases.It is our practice to consider applications for re-instatement after a period of time, the length of which depends upon the seriousness of the misconduct or offence which led to exclusion. If a person is reinstated his or her name is removed from List 99.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will pay an official visit to Calderdale, West Yorkshire, in order to meet representatives of the education authority and representatives of teachers and parents, to discuss the delays to which the reorganisation of secondary education is being subjected, in view of concern being expressed about recent policy decisions affecting secondary education.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so. My predecessor made an official visit to Calderdale on 22nd October last and discussed these matters fully with representatives of the education committee and teachers. As the law at present stands initiative in making reorganisation proposals lies with the local education authority.

asked the Secretary of Staet for Education and Science (1) if he will make a statement on the progress in the reorganisation of secondary education within Calderdale, West Yorkshire;(2) if he will provide information about his Department's comments on the last Section 13 notices, issued by Calder-dale Education Authority, affecting the future reorganisation of Ryburn Secondary Modern School, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden Grammar School; and if he will make a statement.

Since the Calderdale Education Authority's response to Circular 4/74, outlining plans for comprehensive reorganisation throughout its area, Section 13 approval has been given for the Holy Trinity (Church of England, Aided) School, Halifax, to become comprehensive from September 1976, while the Roman Catholic (Aided) High School, Halifax, will admit its first comprehensive intake in September 1977.I am informed that reorganisation proposals for Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden, and the Holmfield site have been considered by the local education authority, and provisional capital allocations have been made by my Department for building projects at Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden to assist progress towards reorganisation. Final approval for these projects is dependent on the receipt of satisfactory Section 13 proposals relating to the schools concerned. A proposal to enlarge the Sowerby Bridge Grammar School has been submitted but has not yet been approved because the authority has so far given insufficient evidence of its intention regarding the future of the school in its reorganisation scheme.Section 13 proposals for the reorganisation of secondary schools in Todmorden and for a change in the age range and enlargement of the Ryburn Secondary Modern School are understood to be under consideration by the authority but have not yet been submitted.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider intervening under Section 68 of the Education Act, to stop proposals, confirmed by Calderdale Education Authority, whereby parents within Greater Elland will be able to apply for their children to be selected to attend schools, other than Brooksbank School, Elland, in Halifax, Brighouse and Rastrick.

Long-standing arrangements in the area have allowed a limited number of children to attend other schools if their parents so wished, provided that these are suitable for the children concerned and their attendance does not involve unreasonable expense to the local education authority. I hope that when the Education Bill becomes law selection by ability and aptitude will soon cease to be the basis of admission to any school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations have been received from governors of Brooksbank School, Elland, West Yorkshire, primary school managers, teachers and parents about limitations being imposed on the future growth of the school.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils now attend Brooksbank School, Elland, West Yorkshire; and what numbers are anticipated by 1980, 1985 and 1990.

The January 1976 return shows 1,326 registered pupils attending Brooksbank School. On present housing, and maintaining the present catchment area, the local education authority estimate future numbers to be: 1980–1,557, 1985–1,488, 19901,320.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list and publish all exchanges of correspondence between his Department and Calderdale Education Committee and Education Department, concerning the reorganisation of secondary education within Calderdale since May 1975.

It is not the practice of Government Departments unilaterally to publish their correspondence with other bodies or with individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what contingency plans exist for the closure of Roomfield School, Todmorden; when this school is to close; if his Department is satisfied with the current arrangements for the transfer of pupils to other accommodation; what are the reasons for the delay in such a transfer taking place; and how many pupils are affected.

The premises will be closed in December of this year. 150 infants will transfer in September to the Stile Youth Service Centre, which will be converted and enlarged by the provision of temporary classrooms. 190 juniors will move in January 1977 to purpose-built accommodation on the Scaitcliffe site. I am informed that transport will be provided as necessary.My Department has made special building allocations available to deal with the emergency arising from the poor condition of the Roomfield premises, and I am satisfied that the authority has made the best arrangements possible in the circumstances. The delay in provision of the junior accommodation was caused by difficulties in placing the contract for building work.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when Calderdale Education Authority last had consultations, formal or informal, with his Department regarding the publication of Section 13 notices relating to the reorganisation of Ryburn Secondary Modern School, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden Grammar School; and what information is available to his Department as to when such notices are to be published.

In May the Council notified me that it intended to make proposals regarding Todmorden Grammar School and Ryburn Secondary Modern School. My Department commented on the draft proposals in June. I have no information as to when proposals will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the statutory provisions by which local authorities may provide temporary accommodation for anticipated school growth, as in the case of Calderdale LEA and Brooksbank School, West Yorkshire; what is the estimated cost of the provision of such accommodation in this case; and if his Department has been consulted by the LEA about possible assistance in partly offsetting such expenditure.

It is open to the local education authority to make provision by means of temporary accommodation within the annual lump sum capital authorisations for school building sanctioned by my right hon. Friend. I understand that at the Brooksbank School the Calderdale authority, within its 1976–77 authorisation, is providing two temporary classrooms and converting an existing classroom to a science laboratory at a cost of £18,000. My right hon. Friend does not pay specific grant on expenditure at county schools but loan charges arising from expenditure within an authorised building allocation are relevant expenditure for rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will authorise a national survey of school catering departments;(2) if he is satisfied that his Department's protein and calory targets for school meals are being met by school catering departments; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans for such a survey. The advice on nutritional standards issued by the Department is intended to assist local education authorities in carrying out their duty to provide on every school day a midday dinner suitable in all respects as the main meal of the day. I have reason to believe that the great majority of authorities are carrying out this duty satisfactorily, but the Department is always prepared to examine a situation in which there is a serious failure to achieve the recommended standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he gave to the applicability of Article 2 of the First Protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Individual Freedoms before the introduction of the current Education Bill.

My right hon. Friend considered the article in question and concluded that the Education Bill is not inconsistent with the United Kingdom's subscription to the first protocol.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to reduce the staffing of his Department; and in which areas of his Department's work such reductions are likely to take effect.

Decisions have not yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider implementing Section 2 of the Control of Pollution Act at an early date in view of the potential profitability of a properly organised system of collection and disposal of waste.

My right hon. Friend intends to implement Section 2 as soon as the constraints on local authority expenditure allow. Meanwhile the licensing system we have now introduced for waste disposal sites will provide some of the information which Section 2 requires waste disposal authorities to collect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the statutes which impose obligations on contractors using refuse tips to dispose of waste material and provide for supervision; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will initiate an inquiry into the hazards to residents on Summerhill Bank, Blaydon-on-Tyne, caused by private and local authority tipping of waste material;(3) what consideration has been given by his Department to the threat to the safety of residents of Summerhill Bank, Blaydon-on-Tyne, through the use of the refuse tip there; what are the safeguards imposed on such operations; and what advice he has given of the need for greater care in the disposal of waste material and protection of the environment;(4) if he will raise with the Waste Management Advisory Council the need to ensure that the current operation of refuse tipping such as that at Summerhill Bank, Blaydon-on-Tyne, conforms to set standards; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any hazard from the disposal of waste at Summerhill Bank. Waste disposal sites are currently subject to controls under planning and environmental health legislation, the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. By June 1977 all sites will have had to be licenced under the Control of Pollution Act 1974; the waste disposal authority, in this case Tyne and Wear County Council, will be able to impose operating conditions as necessary.My Department has given wide-ranging advice, formally and informally, on the environmental aspects of waste disposal so as to ensure that suitable standards are adopted. It would not be appropriate to put this matter before the Waste Management Advisory Council at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many fatal motoring accidents involving a driver with more than the permitted quantity of alcohol in his or her blood have occurred in the first quarter of this year.

The most recent information available is for 1975, when at least 35 per cent. of drivers killed in accidents were over the legal limit. The number of other road users killed in accidents caused by such drivers is not known, but it is likely that total fatalities due to drinking and driving exceeded 1,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the European Council of Ministers for Transport will next meet.

The date of the next meeting has yet to be fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has sent to the letter addressed to him on 15th June 1976 by the leader of the Council of the London borough of Bromley, Councillor Simon Randall, following the council's receipt of Circular 45/76 on the subject of local government expenditure.

The reply explained the nature of the guidance given in the circular and the implications of giving more explicit detailed advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now indicate how he intends to apportion between local authorities any short-fall in rate support grant next year as a result of some local authorities overspending in 1975–76 and 1976–77.

It is too early to say what action will be needed until the revised returns from the local authorities have been received and analysed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the road programme.

My right hon. Friend will make a statement when his consultations on transport policy are sufficiently advanced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on rail transport.

My right hon. Friend intends to make a statement on transport policy generally after full consideration of all the comments made by interested bodies and individuals on the transport policy consultation document.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to give the Ordnance Survey further guidance on its pricing policy for maps.

I am sorry that I cannot yet say when I shall be able to make a statement on this matter. However, if the hon. Member has any particular point in mind, I shall be glad if he will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish all relevant information which was available to him prior to his decision to order the demolition of the new telephone exchange in Chester.

As my hon. Friend explained in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 10th June—[Vol. 912,c. 741–2]—the decision to demolish the Chester telephone exchange extension was taken by the Post Office, not by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment with whom he is consulting about proposals for the creation of a designated national lorry route; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions have been held with the main interested bodies representing transport users, both sides of the road haulage industry, local authorities, the police and amenity interests. I am considering the results of those discussions.

Month
Year			January	February	March	April	May	June
1971	…	…	109	33	67	55	50	106
1972	…	…	103	73	79	67	73	76
1973	…	…	44	40	24	66	84	63
1974	…	…	117	98	47	14	40	65
1975	…	…	117	32	86	71	47	21
1976	…	…	61	40	43	22	56	18

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which area of England and Wales has recorded the lowest rainfall so far this year; and what was the amount of rainfall in that locality recorded in the same period in each of the last five years.

The region which has had the least rainfall so far this year is South-East England. The provisional value for rainfall over the region during the first six months of the year is 100 millimetres.During the same period in the five years 1971–75, the value averaged 332 millimetres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any evidence that Great Britain is likely to experience markedly lower rainfall during the years ahead; and if he is taking any action to ensure that future water supply will be abundant.

I have no evidence to this effect. But my Department maintains close touch with the Meteorological Office on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average total rainfall in each of the last five years, in each of the first six months of those years and in the first six months of 1976.

The general value for rainfall over England and Wales in each of the last five years was:

1971	…	…	…	902 mm
1972	…	…	…	848 mm
1973	…	…	…	736 mm
1974	…	…	…	989 mm
1975	…	…	…	755 mm

The general value for rainfall over England and Wales in each of the first six months of the years 1971–76 was, in millimetres:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage increase in local government spending since February 1974.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) and the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further consultations he is planning with local authorities over the overspending referred to in Circular 45/76.

Further consultations will take place at the next meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on Tuesday 27th July 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now introduce a cash limit for the expenditure of every local authority.

No. The cash limit is applied with some exceptions in the aggregate Exchequer grants in the rate support grant main Order for 1976–77. I have no powers to go beyond this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the results of his inquiry into local government expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) and my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the level of private house starts at the latest available date compares with that in 1972.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to make further changes in the membership of the British Railways Board.

I am considering with the chairman and the chairman-designate what further appointments should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much he expects the water authorities to exceed their budgets in the current financial year; and what action he proposes to take in this regard.

I have received no information to suggest that water authorities are likely to exceed their budgets during the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for increasing housing mobility.

Work has already begun in the Department to find ways of increasing by administrative means the housing mobility of local authority tenants. Broader questions of housing mobility are being examined as part of the housing finance review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects that his department's current review of housing finance will be completed.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given earlier today to the hon. Members for Daventry (Mr. Jones) and the Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now make a statement on the future of the attendance allowance system for local authority members.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) on 23rd June.—[Vol. 913, c. 1571–3.] I shall make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce a decision on the method of relief for South Street, Lewes; and whether he will make a statement.

The inspector's report is being studied, following the public inquiry held in February. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement regarding a rail co-ordination committee for London.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make an announcement, but hope to do so soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an official visit to Central Lancashire New Town.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so, but I now hope to visit all of the North-West Region's new towns, including CLNT, in the early autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the advertisement for a drawing office assistant for his Department, with a salary of between £1,492 and £2,461, which was advertised in the Evening Standard and the Daily Mirror on 1st April 1976.

£484 and £660 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any research is being undertaken at present in relation to the construction of a national water grid; and if he will make a statement.

The development of inter-regional transfers of water on an increasing scale is something that we take very seriously. Work is going ahead on the follow up to the Water Resources Board's report on water resources in England and Wales, and the proposals in the consultation document on the water review for a strengthened central authority are highly relevant to this longer-term issue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the aver- age cost of providing 1,000 gallons of water in England and Wales in 1975.

The average cost of providing 1,000 gallons of water in England and Wales in 1975–76 was 45p.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the consumption of water per person in England and Wales in 1975; and how this compares with the amount consumed 10 and 20 years earlier.

The average consumption of water taken for all purposes from public supplies in England and Wales was approximately 44 gallons per person per day in 1955 and 55 gallons per person per day in 1965. Consolidated information for 1975 is not yet available, but my hon. Friend may be interested to know that the corresponding figure for 1974 was 67 gallons per person per day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of weeks of normal water consumption which could be met from present reserves in each water authority area.

Estimates in this form are meaningless. Water supply situations are highly localised and depend on assumptions about rainfall, demand and operational flexibility. In particular, no reliable figures can be given for underground water because of the difficulty in estimating what proportion of the water in the ground can in fact be exploited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those areas where present water supplies can be assumed to be abundant and those where shortages are, or seem likely to be, acute.

The situation varies across the country and was described by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Planning and Local Government in his statement to the house on 2nd July, although the latest indications also suggest a deterioration in the situation in parts of Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average cost of water per 1,000 gallons in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years and the estimated consumption of water per person during those years.

The average cost of water supplied by water authorities in England and Wales was 29p per thousand gallons in 1974–75 and 45p per thousand gallons in 1975–76. Corresponding information for earlier years is not readily available.The average consumption of water taken for all purposes from public supplies in England and Wales in the period 1965 to 1974 was, in litres per person per day:

Year					Consumption
1965	…	…	…	…	251
1966	…	…	…	…	256
1967	…	…	…	…	261
1968	…	…	…	…	269
1969	…	…	…	…	281
1970	…	…	…	…	288
1971	…	…	…	…	290
1972	…	…	…	…	294
1973	…	…	…	…	302
1974	…	…	…	…	304

Consolidated information for 1975 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his present plans for the M42 motorway.

The present intention is to build the M42 Motorway between the M5 —near Bromsgrove—and the M1—near Kegworth—as quickly as the resources allocated to the road programme permit. The route is being prepared in four sections and the current position on each is as follows:

a. Bromsgrove Section: A decision on the proposals considered at the public inquiries held in 1973–74 is expected to be announced later this summer.

b. Solihull Section: Is under construction and should be open to traffic by the end of this year.

c. Tamworth Section:

1. Water Orton part—public inquiries into draft compulsory purchase orders opened on 29th June.

2. Kingsbury part—draft compulsory purchase orders are expected to be published early next year.

3. Polesworth part—draft compulsory purchase orders are expected to be published this autumn.

d. Castle Donington Section: Following the withdrawal of the earlier published proposals, consultation with the public on alternative proposals for a route leading to the MI at Keg- worth is expected to commence before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the extension of the Fleet Line.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on this subject on 26th May last.—[Vol. 912, c. 431.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to reduce the level of expenditure on British membership of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the River Rhine.

As I told my hon. Friend on 5th November 1975, I shall continue to keep expenditure at the minimum level consistent with our treaty obligations and our interests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has not yet used his powers to acquire any empty office blocks compulsorily under the Community Land Act 1975; and in what way commercial circumstances have changed since the original publication of the Bill which contained those powers.

I shall not hesitate to use them if I judge that the circumstances of any particular case warrant it. The commercial situation has changed to the extent that the bursting of the property boom fuelled by the last Conservative Government has made it far less attractive to developers to go in for speculative office building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for introducing more stringent noise levels for motorbikes.

I attach great importance to reducing the amount of noise caused by motorcycles and am about to propose to the other member States of the EEC the introduction into Community law of maximum permitted noise levels appreciably lower than those currently in force in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for employment in the local authority sector in the years 1977–78 and 1978–79 arising from the latest White Paper on public expenditure.

The implications for local authorities of the expenditure figures in Cmnd. 6393 are currently being studied by the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the work to date of the New Town Staff Commission in connection with the effect on staff of the transfer of housing and related assets from the Commission for the New Towns to district councils.

The appointment of the New Towns Staff Commission is dependent on enactment of the New Towns (Amendment) Bill now before Parliament. I understand that the New Towns Staff Advisory Committee—the New Towns Staff Commission-designate —has conducted extensive consultations with representatives of employers and employees about the effect on staff of the transfer of housing assets and hopes to submit a first report to me in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidelines to local authorities on the granting of planning consents for out-of-town shopping sites, especially in relation to the risk of the growth of a monopoly in the hands of a limited number of firms.

The existing advice about the planning considerations affecting proposals for out-of-town shops and shopping centres was issued four years ago in Development Control Policy Note 13. I have been reviewing this, with my right hon. Friends concerned with retailing and with prices, in the light of experience gained since that time. My Department will now be consulting the bodies concerned on a revision of the note. This revision will necessarily be confined to planning issues and any question of a monopoly arising from the development of large new stores is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection. When the consultations on this draft revision are complete, we will send a circular to local authorities conveying both the revised planning advice and the lessons that can be drawn, in the fields of retailing efficiency and prices, from experience of the stores already built.In 1972 local authorities were asked to notify my Department of all proposals for edge-of-town or out-of-town shopping developments with gross floorspace of 50,000 sq. ft. or more. Only a few of the proposals so notified have in fact been called in for decision by Ministers and there is, of course, now considerably more experience of this kind of development. I have accordingly decided that it is now appropriate to raise the notification level to 100,000 sq. ft. The circular telling local authorities of this also contains summaries of the cases that have been decided by Ministers.Copies of the papers I have mentioned are being placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring in legislation to deal with the anomalous position of the pollution of rivers by water authorities who are also responsible for sewage disposal; and if he will make a statement on the subject.

No. Water authorities' discharges are already subject to control under Section 17 of the Water Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which rivers and streams in the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire are classified as gravely polluted; and which have been improved to reach a higher classification during the last five years.

The following rivers and streams in the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire have stretches in Class 4—grossly polluted—of the River Pollution Survey classification. The total length of watercourse in Class 4 is 137·6 km, which is 13·9 km less than the length in that classification some five years ago. The streams where some improvement has taken place are marked with an asterisk.

River	Tributory
Don	Mill Dike, Blackwater Dike, Greasbrough Dike*, Chapel Flat Dike, Blackburn Brook, Sickley Brook*, Car Brook, Little Don.
Went	Great Common Drain*.
Dearne*	Hound Hill Dike, Knoll Beck*, Blacker Dyke.
Rother	Whiston Brook*, Shire Brook, Pigionbridge Brook.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the criteria employed by the Historic Buildings Council for England to determine whether or not a conservation area is outstanding.

Each area is considered on its merits; the quality of the buildings, type of street pattern and the overall townscape and cohesion of the component parts are the criteria used to assess the area's architectural and historical quality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will implement the proposals contained in Early-Day Motion No. 496; what is the earliest date that this could become operative; and what is his estimate of the cost involved.

No. Drivers are not obliged to carry driving licences with them, and many people who travel on the roads do not hold driving licences. I would suggest as an alternative that organ donor cardholders carry their cards with them at all times.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make an interim statement to up date and summarise the Government's transport policy; and when he expects that the policy will be finalised.