asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he has made since April 1976 in the operation of the rules concerning the admission into the United Kingdom of the dependants of immigrants.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it is not his Department's practice to publish estimates of the number of dependants of immigrants eligible for entry into the United Kingdom.

Only a proportion of the dependants of those settled in the United Kingdom come to join them. Estimates based on the numbers eligible to come would not, therefore, have been a reliable guide to the numbers who have, in fact, arrived. Many variable factors have affected and will continue to affect the timing and proportion of applications by dependants seeking to join sponsors in the United Kingdom, and any forecasts must necessarily be speculative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on recent representations made to him by hon. Members regarding their concern about the inadequacy of police powers, and of penalties relating to contraventions of the animal quarantine regulations, about which he is consulting chief constables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the recent increase in the number of convictions for people attempting to smuggle animals into the United Kingdom, and the consequent risk of an outbreak of rabies in this country, if he will now increase the penalties to include imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the recent increase in the number of convictions, he now plans to introduce heavier penalties for illegally bringing pets into the United Kingdom.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I met a number of hon. Members on 27th May, when there was a discussion of matters connected with the enforcement of the animal quarantine regulations.We have consulted the Association of Chief Police Officers about the adequacy of the powers of arrest available to the police under Section 71 of the Diseases of Animals Act 1950 in respect of contraventions of the animal quarantine regulations; we are at present considering the association's reply.We are satisfied that the higher penalties now available on conviction on indictment are adequate; but the level of fine on summary conviction, at present £400, is being considered by our Department in the context of a general review of summary fines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the legislation which would be required to be amended in order to ensure that those accused of contravening the animal quarantine regulations were brought before courts with the power to hear cases on indictments.

To make trial on indictment mandatory two Acts would need amendment—the Rabies Act 1974, in respect of offences against the Regulations made for the purpose of preventing the introduction of rabies into Great Britain, and the Diseases of Animals Act 1950, in respect of offences against other animal quarantine Regulations.Proceedings may already be taken on indictment under the Rabies Act 1974 where there is evidence of deliberate intent to evade its provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the legislation which would be required to be amended in order to empower magistrates' courts to send to prison people convicted of contravening the current animal quarantine regulations.

The Deceases of Animals Act 1950. This Act, as amended, already empowers magistrates' courts to impose a term of one month's imprisonment on conviction of a second or subsequent offence of a similar nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the assertions made by Mr. Donald Hawley in his report on immigration procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Hawley Report.

I am at all times willing to deal with substantive issues arising on immigration but I would not think it desirable or appropriate to single out for comment an internal report that forms only one element in the range of advice available to the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys and girls, respectively, have been remanded to adult prisons since July 1975.

Figures so far available for the period 1st July 1975 to 30th April 1976 indicate that of first receptions of young people between 14 and 16 on remand at local prisons 183 were boys and 135 were girls.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider extending the Community Service Scheme to offenders aged 14 to 16 years.

We do not entirely rule out this possibility for the future; but the proposal presents problems of both policy and resources, and, for the present, priority must be given to extending and consolidating the existing schemes for offenders aged 17 and above. Moreover, schemes of intermediate treatment under the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 can and do already provide for work of service to the community, which it is the Government's policy to encourage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a control system to ensure that students and short-term visitors to the United Kingdom do not overstay.

Arrangements already exist to check on the departure of all overseas students and of visitors on whom such a check is thought to be desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he remains satisfied with the state of the prison hospital service; and, if not, what steps he intends to take to improve the service.

Yes, within the limits of the resources at present available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiries are made to ensure that immigrants to whom entry vouchers are issued have adequate means to support themselves and their entitled dependants.

If the hon. Member has in mind the admission of United Kingdom passport holders under the special voucher scheme the answer is "None". A very small proportion of these families may be unable to provide for themselves on arrival but it would be undesirable and inconsistent with the object of the scheme to refuse them admission on that account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the name of the chairman of the Data Protection Committee.

Sir Norman Lindop, Director of the Hatfield Polytechnic, has accepted my invitation to serve as chairman of this committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had about the law relating to rape.

The discussions I have had have confirmed that there is a wide measure of support for the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons under the age of 18 years were convicted for acts of vandalism in the years 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.

The readily available information is in terms of offenders aged under 17. There is no specific criminal offence of vandalism, and the following table shows the numbers of persons aged under 17 found guilty of offences of malicious damage and criminal damage between 1971 and 1974. The figure for 1975 is not yet available.

Persons aged under 17 found guilty of offences of malicious damage and criminal damage—England and Wales, 1971–74
Year		Numbers
1971 (malicious damage)	…	4,909
1972	…	7,680
1973	…	9,678
1974	…	10,133

The figure for 1971 is not comparable with those for later years, because of changes in the definition of offences brought about by the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will confer with the police authorities in European countries in an effort to end the traffic in illegal immigrants into the United Kingdom.

We have already developed close and effective working relationships with the police and other authorities in neighbouring European countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to bring the amnesty for illegal immigrants to an end.

There is no general amnesty for illegal entrants to this country. The limited amnesty my right hon. Friend announced on 11th April 1974 applied only to those who entered this country illegally before 1st January 1973 and who, as the law stood before that date, had acquired legal immunity from removal. The number of applications currently coming forward under this arrangement is very small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been traced in each year from 1966; how many of these have subsequently been deported; and how many of the remainder have been allowed to stay in the United Kingdom under the terms of the amnesty.

The available information about illegal entrants detained and removed is given in the following table. Figures for years before 1968 are not available and figures for the years before 1973 do not include foreign nationals, as no records of these were kept.

1968	…	…	32	32
1969	…	…	41	41
1970	…	…	99	99
1971	…	…	84	84
1972	…	…	59	59
1973	…	…	258	176
1974	…	…	157	139
1975	…	…	188	154

Up to 30th April 1976 there were 1,990 applications to benefit under the decision that my right hon. Friend announced on 11th April 1974 affecting people who entered illegally before 1st January 1973. Of these, 1,376 have been granted, 398 found ineligible, and the remainder are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants from the New Commonwealth were admitted to the United Kingdom for permanent settlement up to 31st May 1976.

From 1st July 1962—when control of immigration from the Commonwealth began—until 31st December 1975—the latest date for which figures are available—657,900 citizens of New Commonwealth countries were accepted for settlement on arrival or on removal of time limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the strength of the Fraud Squad.

The strength of fraud squads is primarily a matter for chief officers of police. I understand that the strength in London has recently been increased, and small increases are being considered in some provincial forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now introduce legislation to implement the unanimous recommendation of the Speaker's Conference of 1973 that multiple registration for parliamentary elections should be prohibited.

There are practical difficulties that would have to be overcome to implement this recommendation effectively. The Government have no immediate plans for legislation on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will recommend the setting up of a Speaker's Conference to consider the matters contained in the report of the Hansard Society Commission on Electoral Reform.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Rathbone).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the methods of collecting and publicising statistics on immigration.

Methods of collecting and publicising statistics on the control of immigration are kept under review. Some of the recommendations made by Sir Claus Moser in his recent report have already been adopted and I am considering others; the collection of statistical information has to be kept in balance with the need to operate an efficient immigration control with the least possible delay to passengers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he recognises the responsibility to accept non-patrial holders of British passports into the United Kingdom if they are expelled from the land of their birth or residence.

Successive Governments have accepted a responsibility to admit such persons from East Africa who have nowhere else to go. That responsibility is discharged by controlled and orderly admission under the special voucher scheme.

asked the Secretay of State for the Home Department whether he will seek to amend the law so as to limit the powers of chief constables and make them answerable to county council police committees.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure the continuance of good race relations in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to encourage a diminution of the racial unrest which has been witnessed in recent weeks.

The Government's policies for promoting racial harmony were set out in the White Paper on Racial Discrimination. We shall continue to make absolutely clear the Government's determination to pursue these policies and to give a lead in encouraging the tolerance and understanding on which good community relations depend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been prosecuted and convicted under the various Acts of Parliament since their inception concerned with offences in connection with race relations under the following headings: English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, citizens of the Republic of Ireland and immigrants.

Up to December 1975, 19 persons have been subject to prosecution under Section 6 of the Race Relations Act 1965. Convictions were obtained in 12 cases; one of these convictions was quashed on appeal. The readily available information does not distinguish the origin of those involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines he has laid down covering the use by Metropolitan Police officers of tape recorders during interviews with persons suspected of criminal offences; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the committee which is considering the introduction of tape recordings in police stations; and if he will name the members of the committee and state the number of times it has met to date.

The committee is considering the feasibility of an experiment in the tape recording of police interrogations. I understand that its twelfth meeting will be held next month, when a draft report will be considered. The membership is now as follows:

• Mr. W. N. Hyde (Chairman), Home Office.
• Mr. J. Marriage, Q.C., Bar Council.
• Mr. J. D. Clarke, Law Society.
• Mr. D. H. Kidner, Clerk to the Justices, Coventry, Justices Clerks' Society.
• Mr. J. S. Wilson, O.B.E., Assistant Commisisoner Metropolitan Police.
• Mr. B. Pain, Q.P.M., Chief Constable of Kent, Association of Chief Police Officers. Mr. A. A. Clarke, Assistant Chief Constable South Wales Constabulary.
• Mr. C. M. Cooksley, C.B.E., Q.P.M., D.L., H.M. Inspector of Constabulary.
• Mr. F. J. McLaren, Chief Probation Officer, Northumbria.
• Mr. K. Dowling, Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
• Mr. C. Jones, Lord Chancellor's Office.
• Mr. N. M. Johnson. Home Office.
• Mr. D. J. Belfall (Secretary), Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the main drugs used to modify behaviour; what is the average course of treatment for prisoners in either voluntary or involuntary solitary confinement and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on whose authority drugs are used to control the behaviour of prisoners held in involuntary solitary confinement; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent drugs are used to modify or control the behaviour of prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply that I gave to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Orenden) on 21st June—[Vol. 913, c. 312].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the new Race Relations Bill is adequate to deal with those aspects of racist propaganda which are likely to stir up racial hatred.

Yes, but I shall consider carefully the views expressed in debate as the Bill goes through Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek an early opportunity to amend Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act and introduce a Freedom of Information Bill.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 11th March to a Question from the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith)—[Vol. 907, c. 614].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the authorised establishment of the Northumbria Constabulary.

3,322.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies exist on the authorised establishment of the Northumbria Constabulary.

Ninety-eight on 30th April 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Northumbria Police Authority suspended its recruitment.

On 11th September 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the police authorities in the United Kingdom operate cadet force training centres.

Twenty-nine police authorities in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police, at present run their own cadet training schools, usually as part of the force headquarters or training complex.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police authorities in the United Kingdom have suspended cadet force recruitment;(2) whether he will issue advice to chief constables of police about the suspension of cadet recruitment.

It is for each police authority to decide the number of its cadets and the rate at which they should be recruited. Factors that they will take into account include the number of regular officers whom they wish to gain from this source and the availability of finance. Police authorities must judge their own priorities in the present situation regarding recruitment and finance, but I understand that many authorities in England and Wales have decided to reduce the intake of cadets. We see no need for central advice at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of vacancies in each area of the police force in the United Kingdom.

The following table shows the number of vacancies in police forces in England and Wales on 30thApril 1976:

Force			Vacancies
Avon and Somerset	…	…	35
Bedfordshire	…	…	83
Cambridgeshire	…	…	8
Cheshire	…	…	30
Cleveland	…	…	38
Cumbria	…	…	47
Derbyshire	…	…	148
Devon and Cornwall	…	…	33
Dorset	…	…	12
Durham	…	…	14
Dyfed Powys	…	…	15
Essex	…	…	77
Gloucestershire	…	…	57
Greater Manchester	…	…	625
Gwent	…	…	4
Hampshire	…	…	27
Hertfordshire	…	…	61
Humberside	…	…	191
Kent	…	…	179
Lancashire	…	…	25
Leicestershire	…	…	52
Lincolnshire	…	…	23
Merseyside	…	…	216
Norfolk	…	…	69
Northamptonshire	…	…	14
Northumbria	…	…	98
North Wales	…	…	51
North Yorkshire	…	…	19
Nottinghamshire	…	…	11
South Wales	…	…	84
South Yorkshire	…	…	215
Staffordshire	…	…	30
Suffolk	…	…	53
Surrey	…	…	19
Sussex	…	…	2
Thames Valley	…	…	70
Warwickshire	…	…	45
West Mercia	…	…	54
West Midlands	…	…	874
West Yorkshire	…	…	477
Wiltshire	…	…	29
City of London	…	…	191
Metropolitan	…	…	5,119

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the prison service staff have been supplied with the new style prison officer's uniform; when it was introduced; at what total cost to the prison service; and what were the reasons for the change.

The new uniform, first issued in November 1974, has been supplied to some 11,000 officers at a cost of about £570,000.The aim was to provide something more durable, comfortable and distinctive than the old uniform, and better suited to production by modern techniques.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the figures showing the geographical size of the 20

A. 20 ENGLISH CONSTITUENCIES WITH LARGEST ELECTORATES
Constituency				Area (land and inland water)	Percentage difference from average size of English constituency (25,266 hectares)
				Hectares	Per cent.
Newton	…	…	…	16,339	-35
Ormskirk	…	…	…	32,649	+29
Meriden	…	…	…	40,932	+62
Basildon	…	…	…	10,986	-57
Horsham and Crawley	…	…	…	32,809	+30
Norfolk, South	…	…	…	136,814	+442
Wirral	…	…	…	10,760	-57
Rother Valley	…	…	…	22,789	-10
Lichfield and Tamworth	…	…	…	36,090	+43
Norfolk, North	…	…	…	96,848	+283
Abingdon	…	…	…	79,630	+215
Bromsgrove and Redditch	…	…	…	27,402	+9
South Fylde	…	…	…	34,440	+36
Somerset, North	…	…	…	51,535	+104
Don Valley	…	…	…	36,115	+43
Basingstoke	…	…	…	78,219	+210
Brigg and Scunthorpe	…	…	…	61,437	+143
Hertfordshire, East	…	…	…	38,059	+51
Thurrock	…	…	…	16,413	-35
Bury St. Edmunds	…	…	…	116,892	+363

B. 20 ENGLISH CONSTITUENCIES WITH SMALLEST ELECTORATES
Constituency				Area (land and inland water)	Percentage difference from average size of English constituency (25,266 hectares)
				Hectares	Per cent.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central	…	…	…	787	-97
Gateshead, West	…	…	…	985	-96
Liverpool, Scotland Exchange	…	…	…	1,232	-95
Birmingham, Ladywood	…	…	…	1,094	-96
Manchester, Central	…	…	…	1,511	-94
Salford, East		…	…	933	-96
Liverpool, Edge Hill	…	…	…	667	-97
Holborn and St. Pancras South	…	…	…	531	-98
Manchester, Openshaw	…	…	…	1,540	-94
Islington, North	…	…	…	472	-98
St. Pancras, North	…	…	…	730	-97
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North	…	…	…	1,034	-96
Islington, South and Finsbury	…	…	…	487	-98
St. Marylebone	…	…	…	595	-98
Berwick-upon-Tweed	…	…	…	205,618	+714
Islington, Central	…	…	…	530	-98
Battersea, North	…	…	…	645	-97
Liverpool, Kirkdale	…	…	…	667	-97
Vauxhall	…	…	…	572	-98
Liverpool, Toxteth	…	…	…	892	-96

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether, in the light of the judgment in

The information is as follows:Warrington County Court of Judge David Lloyd-Jones, that three individuals whose home address is Winwich Hospital in the Newton parliamentary constituency, are entitled to be included on the electoral register, he will seek to amend the Representation of the People Act 1949 to this effect; and if he will make a statement;(2) if, in view of the ruling of Judge David Lloyd-Jones of Warrington County Court that individuals resident in State psychiatric hospitals who are not suffering from mental illness are entitled to vote at local and parliamentary elections, he will issue instructions to electoral registration officers throughout the United Kingdom to take immediate steps to enfranchise the estimated 50,000 people in this category who have hitherto been disenfranchised.

The Government have already accepted in principle—subject to the satisfactory resolution of certain practical problems—the recommendation of the 1973–74 Speaker's Conference that patients resident in mental hospitals should be allowed to use the hospital as their qualifying address. The judgment of the Warrington County Court appears to relate primarily to the particular circumstances of the three persons concerned. We have no authority to give instructions to registration officers; but we shall consider, when a transcript of the judgment is available, whether any guidance is needed.

Name	Present Appointment	Previous Occupation
Miss Betty Lockwood	Chairman of Equal Opportunities Commission	Chief Woman Officer of Labour Party
Lady Howe	Deputy Chairman of Equal Opportunities Commission
Mr. Mark Bonham Carter	Chairman, Community Relations Commission	Chairman, Race Relations Board
Sir Geoffrey Wilson	Chairman, Race Relations Board	Deputy Secretary General, Commonwealth Secretariat

The information in respect of part-time appointments is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many United Kingdom citizens have been imprisoned for contempt of court over the last three years; what was the average term of imprisonment served; and what was the longest such period served.

The following table shows the number of receptions into prison arising from contempts of court in the three most recent years for which information is available:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost in salaries and fees of the paid public appointments for which he is responsible.

In 1975–76, about £275,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names and previous occupations of all those appointed to the public bodies for which he is responsible.

I refer the hon. Member to the information given in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Pudsey (Mr. Shaw) on 11th May.—[Vol. 911, c. 89–94.] Since that information was provided, Professor Gordon Borne has ceased to be a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission and I have appointed Sir Alexander Glen to be a part-time member of the Horserace Totalisator Board.Details of the previous full-time occupations of the board chairmen and members whom I have appointed on a full-time basis are as follows:

1973	…	…	…	…	518
1974	…	…	…	…	562
1975	…	…	…	…	766

I regret that information regarding the citizenship of, and periods spent in prison by, persons in this group could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls aged 14 years were in prison establishments at the latest available date; and how many of these were in local prisons.

On 27th May, the latest date for which information is readily available, one 14-year-old girl, who had been sentenced under Section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, was being held in Her Majesty's prison, Holloway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many schoolgirls were in: (a) local prison and (b) remand centres at the latest available date.

On 27th May, the latest date for which information is readily available, one girl aged 14 and three girls aged 15 were in Her Majesty's prison, Holloway. There were no girls of school age in any other Prison Department establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many schoolboys were in local prisons at the latest available date.

On 27th May, the latest date for which information is readily available, there were four boys aged 15 in local prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have been recommended for deportation following conviction for criminal offences; and how many recommendations have been confirmed in each year from 1966.

The relevant information is as follows:

Year		Number of recommendations for deportation by courts	Number of deportation orders made following court recommendations
1966	…	569	300
1967	…	531	321
1968	…	659	346
1969	…	764	479
1970	…	795	496
1971	…	824	498
1972	…	809	482
1973	…	677	423
1974	…	638	284
1975	…	875	361
1976*	…	431	188
*To 31st May.

The number of deportation orders made in a calendar year are not all related to court recommendations made in that year.

asked the Secretary of of State for the Home Department what has been the total expenditure from public funds used annually on assisting appeals under the Immigration Act 1971.

Grants for this purpose, made under Section 23 of the Immigration Act 1971 and corresponding provision in earlier legislation, are as follows:

				£
1970–71	…	…	…	51,610
1971–72	…	…	…	75,000
1972–73	…	…	…	85,000
1973–74	…	…	…	104,000
1974–75	…	…	…	142,000
1975–76	…	…	…	212,000

asked the Secretary of of State for the Home Department what is the present average delay in the hearing of appeals under the Immigration Act 1971: (a) by the single adjudicator, (b) the appeals tribunals and (c) by the Court of Appeal.

The information is as follows:

(a) Five to six months.

(b) About two months.

(c) Decisions taken under the Immigration Act 1971 may be challenged by way of application to the High Court for certiorari or other prerogative remedy. Only a small number of such cases reach the Court of Appeal; the most recent was heard about one month after leave to appeal to the Court was granted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many consultative documents have now been issued by the Executive under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The Health and Safety Commission is required under Sections 16 and 50 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act to consult with appropriate organisations before submitting proposals to the Secretary of State for the making of Regulations or seeking his consent to the approval of codes of practice. In fulfilment of this obligation the commission has issued six major consultative documents. The commission has also consulted on other issues less formally.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in respect of what type of contract, and in how many cases, contractors other than construction contractors have been asked to attend his Department or one of its regional offices to explain why they breached the £6 pay limit, following the Chief Secretary's reply of 8th June; whether they were permitted to be represented by counsel, solicitor or officials of their trade association; whether any independent observers other than civil servants were present to ensure that natural justice was done during these hearings; and whether in all cases such contractors were present to hear an oral reasoned statement of his Department's decision in the matter, followed by written confirmation in sufficient detail to allow such a contractor to challenge the decision in court, if necessary.

Officials of my Department have had discussions about breaches of the pay limits with three companies known to have supply contracts with Government Departments. Discussions took place on a free and informal basis, with no restrictions on representation. All three companies accepted the Department's views, which were explained orally and in writing, and modified the pay settlements in question to conform with the pay limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what hours constitute night working for the purposes of any restrictions on night work for women in the United Kingdom.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st June 1976; Vol. 913, c. 377.], gave the following information:The Hours of Employment (Conventions) Act 1936 defines "night" as a period of at least 11 consecutive hours, including the interval between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, what has been the full extent of job loss in the constituency of Houghton-le-Spring and in the Northern Region since January 1970.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st June 1976; Vol. 913, c. 379.], gave the following answer:Precise information about job gains and job losses is not available but an indication of the net change can be obtained by comparing levels of employment at different dates.For local areas, estimates are normally compiled annually from the censuses of employment, but are not available for June 1974, owing to difficulties in allocating local government employees, following the reorganisation in that year. The latest figures, therefore, relate to June 1973 and show an increase for the area covered by the Seaham and Houghton-le-Spring employment offices of about 900 employees in employment, compared with June 1970. As soon as the estimates for June 1975 are available I shall arrange for their publication in the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will postpone the implementation of the Wages Council Order HU(50) relating to hairdressing undertakings and, in particular, to revised provisions for apprentices and students who have completed a two-year full-time training course at an approved college, in order to allow time for further consultations.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23rd June 1976: Vol. 913, c. 536–37.], gave the following information:My right hon. Friend has no power to postpone the implementation of wages councils' orders. Orders are made by the councils under Section 11 of the Wages Councils Act 1959, as amended by the Employment Protection Act 1975, and it is for the councils to decide the dates of operation of orders. A wages council proposing to make an order must publish its proposals and consider any written representations made by the specified date. The Hairdressing Undertakings Wages Council (Great Britain) has indicated in its proposals that the provisions set out in proposal HU(50) are intended to come into effect on 23rd June 1976. I am informed that representations have been received on the point raised and that the council is meeting on 28th June 1976 to consider them.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on further British aid to the Asian Development Bank for lending on concessional terms to its developing member countries.

The British Government intend to contribute towards the replenishment of the Asian Development Fund, which was established by the bank in June 1974. Concessional loans from this fund are made to the poorest and least developed of the bank's developing member countries. Existing funds will shortly be fully committed.The bank has by Resolution invited contributions to a replenishment target of $830 million, to be paid in three equal annual instalments. The first stage of the replenishment will come into operation only when instruments of contribution representing at least US$475 million have been deposited with the bank.The total proposed British contribution is £18,905,778, made in sterling, of which £6,301,926 is to be provided in the first stage. It is proposesd that the contribution shall be in the form of non-interest-bearing, non-negotiable notes encashable by the bank as required for the operations and to meet the liabilities of the fund. Estimates provision will be sought in due course as required to cover encashment of these notes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he has now made to fulfil his undertakings reiterated in the House of Commons on 9th June 1976 for a series of meetings with representatives of the fishing industry to work out a future size and structure for the industry.

A statement on future fishing policy will be made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the exploitation of resources of aggregate in Scotland by the construction industry in England.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in order to supplement the information in the recent report on Future Airport Development in South Wales and the South-West of England, he will seek to establish how many flight diversions there were from Bristol Airport, and from Rhoose Airport, Glamorgan, respectively, for each of the last five years.

The number of diversions of air transport movements from Bristol and Rhoose Airports, reported to the Civil Aviation Authority, were as follows:

		Bristol	Rhoose
1971	…	47	6
1972	…	60	6
1973	…	55	13
1974	…	44	10
1975	…	6	3

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now take steps to expedite publication of the Lonhro Report

I am not yet ready to make an announcement regarding publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total cost in salaries and fees of the paid public appointments for which he is responsible.

Salaries total £319,211 per annum. The annual total of any fees payable is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will seek the views of local authorities and others concerned on the contribution that regional airports can make to the handling of the future growth of air traffic; and if he will make a statement.

The first of two consultation documents designed to facilitate discussions with local authorities and other interested organisations about airports policy was published last November. This covered the London area. The second, dealing with regional airports has been published today and I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library and the Vote Office.This second document provides a wide range of information about the principal airports in England outside the South-East, in Wales and in Scotland and examines the contribution that they might make to the handling of the future growth of air traffic in Great Britain. It takes into account advice from the Civil Aviation Authority on airport development in a number of regions as well as the views received from local authorities, amenity groups and other organisations during the course of the preliminary consultations which followed the decision to abandon the Maplin airport project.Four main issues appear to the Government to require particular attention: the way in which the regional airports can increase their share of air traffic, taking into account studies that have been carried out on the scope for diverting traffic from the London area; the alternative possibilities for the coherent development of the regional airports in the context of a national strategy; the effects of these on aircraft noise disturbance, planning, employment and access; and the future ownership and financing of the regional airports. The development of airports in Scotland, where somewhat different circumstances prevail, and which are considered separately in the document, is also an issue for consultation.The document indicates that in general there is no shortage of airport capacity in the regions. It suggests that the natural growth of air traffic at regional airports and the prospect of attracting traffic from the regions which at present uses the London airports might best be encouraged by the concentration of air services at a limited number of airports. It examines a number of alternative ways in which such a policy might affect the development of the regional airports and outlines the possible environmental and other implications of such developments.Consistent with the assessments for the London airports contained in Part 1 of the consultation document, the noise levels forecast for the regional airports generally suggest a reduction in the period to 1990 in the number of people affected by aircraft noise. However, the reduction is less marked than in the London area, and in a few cases very large increases in traffic over and above forecast growth levels might lead at some airports to some increase in the number of people affected by aircraft noise. With the possibility that a few regional airports might in the next 15 years develop into important airports with a range of international services, the document considers the merits of such airports being owned and operated by the British Airports Authority.The consultations on this document will be conducted jointly by my Department and the Department of the Environment, and in respect of Scotland and Wales by my Department and the Scottish and Welsh Offices. It is the Government's intention that all those concerned should have an adequate opportunity to express their views on all aspects relevant to the development of airports. It is proposed to allow about six months for the consultations and the Government will take into account the views expressed in the consultations on both this document and Part 1 before putting proposals to Parliament on future airports policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the consequences for the staffing of his Department of his reappraisal of the roads programme.

Priorities within the road programme are currently being reviewed in the light of the reduced resources for road building announced in Cmnd. 6393. It is too early to say what consequences will be for staffing of the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the ownership and facilities for access by the public to the historic houses and buildings which have received grant aid since the inception of the scheme, in view of the absence of these details in annual reports of the Historic Buildings Council for England, sent to the hon. Member for Richmond in answer to a Question on 17th June, Official Report, column 209.

Since over 2,000 buildings are involved, the answer could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. If the hon. Member writes to me I shall let him have this information for any particular house or houses in which he is interested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his latest estimates of the costs of road accidents and of road congestion to the nation.

The costs of road accidents in 1975 are provisionally estimated to be at least £850 million. The costs of road congestion over the entire network were last estimated for 1966 in "Road Track Costs", a report by the Ministry of Transport published in 1968, and these estimates are now out of date. Reductions in delay costs are, however, taken into account in the assessment and justification of individual road improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of railway have been approved for electrification since March 1974.

Fourteen route miles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received since December 1975 about the future of rail services.

About 42,000, of which some 41,000 were printed slips.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average current cost of a local authority three-bedroomed house; what would be the economic rent necessary to meet all debts charges, management costs, &c.; and what is the average rent charged for accommodation of this sort.

About £12,500 for a newly-built house, including land, design and site development costs; about £27 a week to cover all revenue costs; the average unrebated rent of all post-1964 council houses of the size quoted would be a little under £6 a week, but for a newly-built house would be higher. More specific information is not at present available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Vehicles Licensing Centre at Swansea has decided that Welsh versions of prescribed English language forms, which are correct otherwise, are not acceptable, if they are typewritten.

On legal advice. Unless Welsh forms have themselves been prescribed, typewritten Welsh versions of prescribed English forms do not meet legal requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given by his Department to the issuing of driving licences in Wales in a fully bilingual format, including the Welsh version of the details filled on to the pro forma document.

The Department has considered on a number of occasions the extent to which the Welsh language is used on driving licences. I do not think that any change is justified on the evidence at present available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action the Government propose to take on the report entitled, "The Effects of Airborne Sulphur Compounds on Forests and Freshwaters".

The report entitled "The Effects of Airborne Sulphur Compounds on Forests and Freshwaters" was published by my Department as a contribution to the scientific understanding of a complex and difficult environmental problem.The report identifies certain topics requiring research and further consideration is being given to these in conjunction with other relevant ongoing research.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) who has the use of the 11 television sets in his Department; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(2) who has the use of the five television sets in the Welsh Office; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(3) who has the use of the five television sets in the Department of Energy; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(4) who has the use of the seven television sets in Her Majesty's Treasury; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(5) who has the use of the 12 television sets in the Department of Trade; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(6) who has the use of the three television sets in the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(7) who has the use of the two television sets in the Scottish Office; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(8) who has the use of the television set at the Department of National Savings; what was the cost: and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of this television set;(9) who has the use of the four television sets in the Privy Council Office; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets.(10) who has the use of the six television sets in the Northern Ireland Office; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(11) who has the use of the 11 television sets in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; what were the costs; and whether, considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to these television sets;(12) who has the use of the three television sets in the Department of Social Security; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(13) who has use of three black and white television sets in the Home Office; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of these television sets;(14) who has the use of the television set in the Law Officers Department; what were the costs; and whether, when considering cuts in Government expenditure, he will put an end to the use of this television set;(15) why it is necessary for two coloured television sets to be in the Home Office; and whether, in the interests of

Department	Number of Sets	For use of
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	3	Minister.
		Press Office.
		Duty Office.
Cabinet Office	2	Minister (CDL).
		Duty Intelligence Officer.
Central Office o f Information	1	News Room.
Civil Service Department	3	Lord Privy Seal.
		Chief Information Officer.
		Counter Inflationary Publicity Unit.
H.M. Customs and Excise	1	Information Officer.

Ninety-six black and white television sets have been provided in Government offices for official purposes as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current national level of expenditure by all local authorities on free landscape advisory services; what proportion of this expenditure is financed through grants from the Countryside Commission; and whether he will give figures to the latest available date.

I am not aware that local authorities provide free landscape advisory services as such. I understand that it is a recognised practice for county councils to provide specialist landscape advice to district councils and that they may sometimes offer advice to private individuals in connection with tree planting schemes. I do not receive information of the expenditure involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available the final report and recommendations of the Building Research Establishment concerning the drainage system to the council flats in Tiverton Road, Tottenham, London N15, in the London Borough of Haringey.

This investigation is being carried out by the Building Research Establishment's Advisory Service for Haringey council. The final report has not yet been submitted to the council but it is hoped that this will be done within the next fortnight. It will, in the first instance, be the property of Haringey council but as there is thought to be general interest in the problem the Building Research Establishment have obtained the council's permission to make the report available to other authorities with similar problems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will list the qualifications of the directors of the National Bus Company for appointment to the board of that company;(2) on what dates the appointments of each of the directors of the National Bus Company expire.

The NBC Board consists of a chairman, a full-time chief executive and part-time members. The present composition of the board, together with dates of termination of appointments, is given below:

	Appointment terminates
Mr. F. A. S. Wood (Chairman)	31.12.76
Mr. S. J. B. Skyrme (Chief Executive)	3.5.77
Mr. A. P. De Boer	31.12.76
Mr. A. E. Orchard Lisle	31.12.76
Mr. I. S. Irwin	31.3.78
Cllr. W. F. Higgins	31.12.78
Mrs. M. Wilkinson	31.12.78
Mr. A. M. Evans	31.12.80

In making appointments, my right hon. Friend has regard to the criteria set out in the First Schedule of the Transport Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his latest estimate of the loss of the National Bus Company during the year ending 31st December 1976;(2) what proposals he has to reduce, during the current year, the loss of £19 million made by the National Bus Company in 1975.