asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether there is to be a public holiday in Scotland on Monday 6th June to celebrate the Royal Jubilee;(2) whether there is to be a public holiday in Scotland on Tuesday 7th June to celebrate the Royal Jubilee.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. White) on 29th July last.—[Vol. 916, c. 286–7.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants past retiring age are still in full employment in the Civil Service.

I am having the information assembled and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will name the members of the Northern Ireland Lands Tribunal; and if he will publish the amount of their individual salaries and allowances.

The information is as follows:

Name		Salary
Sir Frank Harrison (President	…	£13,500
Mr. F. M. McKibbin (member)	…	£13,150

No allowances are payable, but travelling and subsistence expenses incurred on official business are paid at normal Civil Service rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been brought before the Northern Ireland Lands Tribunal in 1973, 1974, 1975 and to 1st October 1976, respectively; and of these cases how many appeals were rejected.

Following is the information:

Number of Cases
1973	…	…	86
1974	…	…	87
1975	…	…	126
To 1st October 1976	…	…	88
		Total	387

Number Rejected
1973	…	…	5
1974	…	…	7
1975	…	…	9
To 1st October 1976	…	…	3
		Total	24

Some of these cases were for determination of compensation and could not be described as appeals. Of the appeals cases a significant proportion was withdrawn or agreed prior to hearing.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of staff employed by the Northern Ireland Lands Tribunal.

Five.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what was the cost of operating the Northern Ireland Lands Tribunal during 1975.

In the financial year 1975–76, £52,601.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons excluded from Great Britain under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Act have been sent to Northern Ireland at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many have been subsequently detained or charged with offences in Northern Ireland.

As at 3rd November 1976, 55 persons excluded from Great Britain had been removed to Northern Ireland under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976; 11 of these were held on arrival but all were released after questioning.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many have been sent to Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, respectively.

As at 3rd November 1976, two persons had been removed from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland in pursuance of orders excluding them from the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been detained in Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act at the latest date for which figures are available; how many have subsequently been charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.

As at 3rd November 1976, 221 persons had been held in Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. 114 of these persons were subsequently charged with the following offences:

Offences	No. of Charges
Murder	27
Attempted murder	13
Conspiracy to murder	2
Explosives offences	33
Conspiracy to cause explosion	2
Firearms offences	30
Membership of a proscribed organisation	10
Burglary	1
Robbery	3
Offences against the person	2
Unlawful collection of information	1
Theft	4
Hijacking	2
Malicious damage	1
Taking part in illegal procession	1

Some of the 114 persons were charged with more than one offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many per- sons have been charged under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in Northern Ireland at the latest date for which figures are available; and under which section of the Act they have been charged.

As at 3rd November 1976, none.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the casting of a veto by Her Majesty's Government at the United Nations against the resolution which would have imposed a mandatory arms embargo on sales to the Republic of South Africa.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a similar Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 1st November.—[Vol. 918, c. 499–500.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the expulsion by Denmark of the North Korean diplomats in Copenhagen, he will seek to ensure that all EEC Governments withdraw diplomatic recognition from North Korea.

The final decision on recognition must, of course, rest with the individual Governments of the Nine. Among the Nine, no Government, other than Denmark, have recognised North Korea.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government are seeking to find a place for the Welsh language on future uniform EEC passports issued in Wales or the United Kingdom.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any agreement has been reached between the EEC member States on which languages should be featured on uniform EEC passports, regardless of country of issue.

The question of the languages to be used by member States in their national version of the European Economic Community uniform passport is still under discussion. As yet no decision has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the total profit of 65 per cent. of the company about which he has received information from the hon. Member for Brent, South is due to sale of medicines to the National Health Service.

The figure of 65 per cent. does not refer to the total profit of the company but to the increase in profit in the year ended 30th June 1976 over the profit of the previous year. The relatively small part of the company's total business which is devoted to the sale of medicines to the National Health Service, and which is subject to the voluntary price regulation scheme, contributes only a small part to the reported increase in profit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ex-mental patients from local authorities outside Essex have been sent to Clactonon-Sea over the last two years.

I am assembling relevant information and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what extra supervision has been allotted to deal with increased numbers of ex-mental patients that have recently come to Clacton-on-Sea.

After-care for discharged hospital patients forms part of the total of community services provided by the local health and social services authorities, either directly or through voluntary organisations, for those resident in their area. It will be for the Essex authorities to consider whether any expansion of their services is required when they have assessed the number of ex-patients coming into the Clacton area, and other relevant factors. Meanwhile I understand that the Clacton and District Mental Health Association has recently opened a day centre which it hopes will ultimately provide some 30 day places.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many members of the police force are receiving FIS;(2) how many members of the Armed Forces are receiving FIS; and, of these, how many are commissioned.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is now the case that persons who decide to give up work before retirement age may be required to continue paying national insurance contributions, even though they are willing to accept a diminution in future benefits.

No. Since 6th April 1975 the payment by non-employed persons of Class 3 contributions has been voluntary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress the Central Council for the Disabled has made with its proposal to make it possible for disabled people to buy cars or tricycles with their mobility allowance.

The Central Council's exploratory work has covered hire arrangements and discount arrangements; and good progress has been made. Various aspects of its studies have recently been discussed with my officials, and I hope shortly to participate myself in talks about these studies. I am in no doubt as to the value of the work the Central council is doing, both in providing information and information and exploring possibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many heads of households are living on incomes below the appropriate FIS level in each case; what percentage of the total heads of household this represents; and how this compares with the previous year.

Based on the 1974 Family Expenditure Survey, which is known to contain large proportionate sampling errors for small estimates, the best approximation possible is of the order of 20,000 families^* or less than one-half of 1 per cent. of all working families. Estimates for the previous year are not significantly different.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for the future use of the Grange Hospital, Weaverham.

The Cheshire Area Health Authority has no plans for any change in the present use of the Grange Hospital at Weaverham.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why a lady resident in east Twickenham, particulars of whom will be received in his Department shortly, has had to wait in pain and anxiety for four years for an operation on her foot at St. Mary's Hospital, Roehampton; and what action he proposes to take.

I understand that when this patient first attended Queen Mary's Hospital early in 1974 the case was classified by the consultant concerned as being of relatively low urgency. There is unfortunately a considerable waiting time for such cases. Following further examination earlier this year the patient was transferred to the urgent list, and I understand that the hospital hopes to be able to admit her in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement about the dispute in Gibraltar between United Kingdom Government locally-entered staff in his Department and Her Majesty's Government;(2) if he will investigate the circumstances in which members of the CPSA have been locked-out of their employment in his Department in Gibraltar;(3) if he considers the level of pay for CPSA members employed in his Department in Gibraltar remains adequate, in the light of the recent offer made to their staff by the Gibraltar Government;(4) if he will end the lock-out of CPSA staff in his Department in Gibraltar pending negotiations to resolve the dispute.

The locally-entered members of the Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA) employed by the Ministry of Defence in Gibraltar are in dispute with the Department over a pay claim which seeks to reopen an agreement reached as recently as April 1976. The staff concerned have been taking industrial action in support of their claim for the past six weeks. On 21st October they were informed that, unless they resumed normal working within 24 hours, they would be taken off pay. When they reported at their place of work on 25th October they were invited to give an undertaking that they would resume normal working. The majority of the staff involved in the dispute refused to give such an undertaking and were requested to leave official premises and were taken off pay. They were informed that their pay would recommence as soon as they resumed normal working. A senior official of the Department has gone to Gibraltar to make an assessment of the situation, including the effect of the recent offer made to their staff by the Gibraltar Government, and will report his findings on his return.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy to allow the firing of rifles containing rubber pellets by schoolchildren in the course of visits by representatives of the Army to schools.

Visits to schools by members of the Army are made with the consent of the education authorities and headmasters concerned. The aim of such visits as took place in Luton on 6th and 7th October is to present a realistic picture of Army activities, and this naturally involves displaying weapons in current use, which are, of course, modified to render them safe. Appropriate safety precautions are taken and there is adequate supervision at all times.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many fishery protection vessels are at present on station round the coasts of the United Kingdom.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 28th October.—[Vol. 918, c. 367.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed by users of air weapons in 1971 and in 1975, respectively, where the value of the damage did not exceed £100.

Changes in legislation have resulted in the reclassification of offences, and I regret that information in the form requested is not available. In 1975 there were 550 indictable offences recorded as known to the police in which air weapons were reported to have been used and criminal damage exceeded £20; it is not known how many similar offences in which criminal damage was £20 or less occurred in that year. Comparable figures for 1971 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the accuracy of the police authorities' reports to him on offences involving the use of air weapons as firearms before 1971 and between 1971 and 1975; and if any inadequacy should be noted in considering recently published statistics and comparisons.

I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the police reports. Of course, the police can record only such offences as are brought to their notice. In interpreting the statistics, the effect of legislation needs to be taken into account. As regards offences involving airguns, the Criminal Damage Act 1971 made indictable certain offences of malicious damage which had previously been summary offences only, and this has changed the basis of recording and classification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will have discussions with the Retail Consortium to examine ways in which Government action might contribute to a reduction in shoplifting.

I should be pleased to consider any suggestions by the Retail Consortium for Government action which might help retailers to reduce shoplifting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consult with police representatives and private security firms to examine what further action might be taken to reduce the high incidence of shoplifting; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied with the cooperation between his Department, police authorities and representatives of the retail trade on matters relating to shoplifting.

The police, the retail trade and the British Security Industry Association were represented on a working party of the Home Office Standing Committee on Crime Prevention which considered this subject and reported in 1973. Action to implement the recommendations of its report "Shoplifting and thefts by shop staff" is a matter for individual retailers, to whom the advice of the Crime Prevention Department of local police forces is always available.I should be glad to consider any suggestions from the hon. Member about further action which he thinks my Department might usefully take.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many offences pistols were used and how many involved long-barrelled shotguns in each of the last three years; and how many persons were licensed to keep shotguns and pistols.

The number of indictable offences recorded as known to the police in England and Wales in which pistols and long-barrelled shotguns were reported to have been used is as follows:

PISTOLS
1973	…	…	…	…	247
1974	…	…	…	…	350
1975	…	…	…	…	476

LONG-BARRELLED SHOTGUNS
1973	…	…	…	…	326
1974	…	…	…	…	339
1975	…	…	…	…	437

Statistics of persons authorised to possess firearms are not prepared annually, and we have no means of distinguishing between firearm certificates granted in respect of pistols and those relating to other weapons. In 1974, 185,865 firearm certificates and 766,952 shotgun certificates were held by persons in England and Wales, but I regret that comparable figures for 1973 and 1975 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will discuss with local education authorities the introduction of self-defence courses in girl's secondary schools, in view of the recent increase in physical assaults, including rape.

Such matters are decided locally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial aid has been given for educational projects, including schools and other educational institutions, to Liverpool over the past 10 years.

Details of capital expenditure on the education service by the Liverpool local education authority in the last 10 years are as follows:

Financial Year			£000 (Outturn Prices)
1966–67	…	…	…	2,828
1967–68	…	…	…	2,743
1968–69	…	…	…	2,920
1969–70	…	…	…	2,420
1970–71	…	…	…	2,907
1971–72	…	…	…	3,706
1972–73	…	…	…	3,040
1973–74	…	…	…	3,152
1974–75	…	…	…	3,986
1975–76	…	…	…	4,217

These amounts represent actual capital expenditures, including the cost of land, building, professional fees, equipment and furniture, vehicles, plant and machinery at all the authority's schools and other educational institutions. Financial aid in respect of this expenditure was provided through rate support grant, which is, however, paid to a local authority in aid of the revenues of the authority generally, and no part of it can be attributed to specific items of expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the policy of her Department towards Army visits to schools, particularly in regard to the firing of weapons by schoolchildren.

It is for the local education authorities and authorities of individual schools to decide whether to permit visits to schools by teams from the Armed Services and what activities shall be included in those visits.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if it is Government policy to allow the Army to recruit in Bedfordshire schools with Press coverage by encouraging boys and girls to play with firearms.

It is for the local education authorities and the authorities of individual schools to decide whether to permit visits to schools by teams from the Armed Services and the nature of the activities included during those visits.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships in the engineering industry.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the total working populations of each town where saturation wage inspections have so far been carried out by his Department's wage inspectorate.

Information on the total working population, which includes Her Majesty's Forces and the self-employed, is not available for local areas. The following table shows the total numbers of employees, including the unemployed in the employment office areas which include the towns specified.

Employment Office Area		Employees, employed and unemployed, at June 1975
Luton	…	79,400
Cheltenham	…	62,800
Burton-on-Trent	…	36,300
Blackpool	…	52,900
Wakefield	…	60,100
Sunderland	…	77,900
Dundee	…	97,800
Newport (Mon)	…	69,800
Loughborough	…	42,800
Northwich	…	21,400
Shipley	…	19,600
Brighton	…	98,900
Ayr	…	47,300

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 350 employers found to be paying below the legal minimum in the first phase of the investigations carried out by the Wages Inspectorate in September 1976 are being actively considered for prosecution.

Three. Many employers, where second offences were disclosed, were visited 10 or more years earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 350 employers found to be underpaying workers in the first phase of the investigation carried out by the Wages Inspectorate in September 1976 had been found on a previous inspection to be paying below the legal minimum.

Fifty-four.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons in Great Britain employed in local government in December 1955, December 1973 and December 1975; and what percentage of the total national work force those numbers were in each of the years in question.

For 1955 and 1973, the information requested is available from inquiries carried out in June of each year by this Department. Similar information is now collected in the Joint Manpower Watch Surveys carried out by the local Authorities Conditions of Service Advisory Board, for England and Wales, and by the Scottish Office, for Scotland, March 1976 is the earliest date at which figures in this new series are availble for Great Britain as a whole. The information provided by the new series is not strictly comparable with that obtained from the earlier inquiries. In addition, changes in local authority responsibilities over the years will have affected the figures.Following is the information available:

Numbers employed by local authorities in Great Britain, excluding police forces
June 1955	…	…	…	1,441,000
June 1973	…	…	…	2,587,000
March 1976		…	…	2,754,000

Percentage of all employees in employment
June 1965	…	…	…	6·8
June 1973	…	…	…	11·7
March 1976	…	…	…	12·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the industrial dispute at the Courtaulds Aintree factory.

I understand that a joint working party of management and workers' representatives has had its first meeting to discuss productivity. I very much hope that it will prove possible to remove any likelihood of the closure of this plant. I am not aware of any current stoppage of work at the factory.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the Home Heating Group of the Heating and Ventilating Contractor's Association in connection with the use of direct labour by the British Gas Corporation; and what response he has given.

I have received a letter from the Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association about this matter which I have referred to the Chairman of British Gas for answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a general direction to the British Gas Corporation to stop using direct labour for the installation of home central hearting in competition with its own bonded heating installers.

No. The installation of central heating systems by the Corporation's own labour is a longstanding practice, and, I am informed, currently accounts, on average, for about 11 per cent. of the systems it sells, and just over 3 per cent. of the total gas central heating market.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a general direction to ensure that the overheads are fully charged in the accounts where direct labour is used for home central heating installation by the British Gas Corporation.

No. This is a matter for the Corporation, but I am assured that an appropriate allocation of overheads is included in the charges made by the Corporation for installing central heating systems with its own labour.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the total cost to the Exchequer in 1975–76 and 1976–77 of increases in excess of the £6 and £4 pay limits paid to (a) Civil Service and other public sector pensioners, (b) recipients of long-term national insurance benefits, (c) recipients of short-term national insurance benefits and (d) recipients of supplementary benefit.

Detailed information for all public service pensioners is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, for Civil Service pensioners it is estimated that a saving of some £8 million in 1975–76 and £5 million in 1976–77 would have resulted if the 1975 and 1976 increases had been restricted to £6 and £4 respectively.None of the personal rates of social security benefits increased by more than £6 at the November 1975 uprating and none will increase by more than £4 at 1976. The increase paid to particular recipients will depend on family circumstances and consequent entitlement to dependency benefits, and the information on benefit entitlement necessary to estimate the size of such increases is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what investigations are being carried out into a possible merger of National Giro and the National Savings Bank;(2) if the Paymaster General's office will be included in his study of the possibility of a merger of banking organisations in the public sector.

Following the statement at Blackpool by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, officials have been asked to undertake a study of the advantages which might accrue from a merger of the National Giro and the National Savings Bank, and the practical implications of such a merger. The study will take in the possibility of including some or all of the functions of the Paymaster General's office in the combined organisation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the organisations consulted by his Department in connection with the White Pape: "The Licensing and Supervision of Deposit-Taking Institutions".

Consultations on the proposals outlined in the White Paper are being carried out both by the Treasury and by the Bank of England. Officials of the Treasury or the Bank are in touch with the main banking associations and with each of the classes of institutions which were specifically mentioned in paragraph 17 of Cmnd 6584. The Treasury and the Bank are, of course, happy to receive any representations on the issues covered by the White Paper which any other interested body or individual institution may wish to make.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider abolishing the special car tax on vehicles purchased by disabled people for their own use who are drawing mobility allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Such vehicles would be subject to the normal car tax payable on passenger cars generally. A

		On 1st May			On 1st November
In the rice and cereals sector	…	10	05	A	10	05	A	Maize for sowing
					10	07	A	Buckwheat
		10	07	D	10	07	D	Certain other cereals
In the sugar sector	…	12	04					Sugar beet
		17	03		17	03		Molasses
In the processed cereals sector	…	19	01					Malt extract
		19	02	BI a)1	19	02	BI a)1	Certain preparations of flour
		19	02	BI c)1
		19	07	DI
		19	08	B II a)
		21	07	B II a)
		21	07	F I a)2aa				Certain low starch products
		21	07	F I a)2bb
		21	07	F I b)1

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net saving in manpower and public expenditure in a full financial year, caused by the deci-

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider abolishing VAT on vehicles purchased for their own use by people who are drawing mobility allowance; and if he will make a statement.

In a broadly-based tax such as VAT I am afraid that such a relief could not be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the foodstuffs imported into the United Kingdom in respect of which levies had to be paid on 1st November 1976 and on 1st May 1976.

Agricultural levies are raised on a wide range of imported foodstuffs, which are identified in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise tariff of symbols, the interpretation of which is explained in Part 3A of the preamble to that publication. On many of these items monetary compensatory amounts are payable as a subsidy and abate any levy chargeable.On 1st November 1976 and 1st May 1976 there were charges on all leviable items other than the following, for which the levies were nil:sion to withdraw Civil Service staff support on the work of the national savings movement; and if he will make a statement.

The Civil Service support staff to the national savings movement will be completely withdrawn by 31st March 1978 and the resulting saving in manpower will amount to about 580 staff. The estimated saving in salaries and allied costs amount to £2·7 million in a full financial year. The net saving in public expenditure from the withdrawal of the official staff will depend on the extent of any continued financial support the Government then give to the movement. We believe that the voluntary movement will still have a worthwhile educational part to play, particularly in the teaching of saving, and sound management of personal finances, to young people in schools and places of employment. The movement is currently considering what its future role should be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimated annual cost of raising the exemption level for VAT from £5,000 to £8,000, £9,000, £10,000, £20,000 and £25,000, respectively.

For the loss of revenue I would refer the hon. Member to replies given to him on 6th February—[Vol. 904, c. 775]—and 3rd May—[Vol. 910, c. 256]. It is not possible to estimate with any reasonable accuracy the number of registered traders who might seek deregistration if the VAT exemption limit were raised, and for this reason estimates of the saving in administrative costs are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how great a trade-weighted depreciation of sterling results from a fall of one US cent in the dollar value of sterling, on the assumption that the dollar's exchange rate against all other major currencies remains unchanged.

On the basis of exchange rates currently prevailing, depreciation of one US cent in the dollar value of sterling would depreciate the trade-weighted sterling rate by just under 0·4 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he expects public sector bodies' overseas borrowing to be on a larger or smaller scale in 1976–77 than in earlier years;(2) if he will continue to permit public sector bodies to continue the policy of borrowing foreign currency.

Our present plan is to continue with this programme, though the amounts that may be involved are inevitably highly uncertain.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amounts of input tax was disallowed in the year ended 31st March 1976 by reason of businesses being partially exempt for VAT purposes; and what proportion of that amount related to (a) retail shops principally supplying goods, and (b) businesses supplying only services.

The amount of input tax not deducted in the year ended 31st March 1976 because businesses were partially exempt for VAT purposes was approximately £20 million. Of that amount, some 5 per cent. related to retail shops principally supplying goods, and some 75 per cent. related to businesses supplying only services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when calculating the cost to the Exchequer of various alternative schemes of relief for some proportion of travel-to-work expenses, what estimate he has made of the likely extra revenue of public transport undertakings, owing to the extra number of people liable to be attracted by such a scheme of tax relief to travel to work by public transport.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2nd November 1976; Vol. 918, c. 560], gave the following information:The estimates given to the hon. Member of the cost of tax relief on travel-to-work expenses under alternative schemes have been based on the information about patterns of travel derived from the National Travel Survey 1972–73, the latest available. The costs refer to increased relief from tax and do not include any adjustments for changes in the revenue of public transport undertakings.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport under what rules of the EEC there was serious doubt whether the support system preferred by the British Railways Board and rejected by the Government in 1974 would have been acceptable.

The main EEC legislation governing the financial support of national railways is Articles 75, 77 and 92 of the Treaty of Rome, EEC Regulations 1191/69, 1192/69, 1107/70 and the Council decisions of 13th May 1965 (65/271/ESC) and of 20th May 1975 (75/327/EEC).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when the decision was taken to dispose of the Mole machine used for tunnelling work in the Channel Tunnel; how the value of the machine has been determined; and what amount of money has been estimated to reflect the value of the unique British technology contained in the design features of the Mole machine;(2) if he will publish in the

I have been asked to reply.The machine is the property of the British Channel Tunnel Company, now Government owned. The patent rights protecting the technology belong to Messrs. Edmund Muttall Ltd.Although an inquiry was recently made by a potential purchaser of the machine, no decision has been made either to sell it or to do so without seeking tenders. Nor has the value of the machine been determined.If need be my right hon. Friend could call on appropriate professional advice from the staff of his Department or from outside consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment within how many days of receiving a driving licence from a court which has endorsed it the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea should despatch it to the licence holder; and what is the current lapse of time, in fact, on average.

I have been asked to reply.No specific period has been laid down, but this transaction is at present taking the centre an average of three-and-a-half working days from receipt to despatch.

asked the Prime Minister when he proposes next to meet the CBI.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Conway (Mr. Roberts) on 12th October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the present safety regulations covering the treatment of domestic cattle with fattening agents and antibiotics.

The marketing of veterinary medicinal products, which include antibiotics and growth promoters for use in cattle, is controlled by the licensing provisions of the Medicines Act 1968. Expert advice on safety, quality and efficacy is given, and reviewed as necessary, by the Veterinary Products Committee. I am fully satisfied with these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the approximate advantage to the United Kingdom in the green pound arrangement over a convenient recent period; and what is his estimate of the disadvantage accruing to the United Kingdom of paying EEC prices instead of world prices for food imported from non-EEC countries.

It is not possible to give any overall assessment of the effect of the arrangements referred to by my hon. Friend. However, monetary compensatory amounts paid under the green pound arrangements reduce the cost of imports into the United Kingdom, and in the first half of this year the net claims by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce on Community funds amounted to about £61 million. During the same period the levies and duties raised on United Kingdom trade in food and feed with non-EEC countries amounted to about £65 million, a proportion of which will be passed to Community funds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the present and future effect of the variations of the green pound on the trade in live cattle, beef, pigs and pigmeat between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland: and whether he will give an assurance that the trade flows between the two countries will not be affected to the disadvantage of the United Kingdom agriculture industry.

Trade in live cattle, beef, pigs and pigmeat between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland can be affected by changing differentials between United Kingdom and Irish Republic representative rates. There is a particular risk of trade distortion in Northern Ireland because of the problem of controlling movements of livestock across the border with the Republic. Measures have been taken to meet this particular problem. I am not aware of any evidence that the agricultural industry in the United Kingdom is being damaged by the current differential in the representative rates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the incident involving the death of sheep which were part of a consignment exported from Felixstowe en route for Germany; and if he will describe the steps being taken to prevent a repetition of this happening.

On 25th March 1976, 232 sheep destined for Germany were carried in a road vehicle aboard the motor vessel "Viking II" from Felixstowe to Zeebrugge. On disembarkation 40 sheep were found to be dead and a further four died shortly afterwards.In the absence of an immediate postmortem, it has not been possible to establish the exact reason for the deaths of these animals. All sheep in this consignment had been rested, fed and watered prior to embarkation. They had also been examined by a Ministry veterinary inspector and certified as fit to be shipped. Both the road vehicle and the vessel involved had previously been inspected by Ministry veterinary officers and Marine Superintendent and had been found fit to be used for the carriage of livestock. During the last 12 months 80 consignments totalling approximately 20,000 sheep have been carried in roll-on/roll-off ferries from Felixstowe under similar conditions without any other reported ill effects.Veterinary officers of the Ministry keep a careful watch on the conditions under which animals are transport, and study carefully any cases where deaths have occurred, with a view to taking further action where appropriate. Following the incident referred to, veterinary officers of the Ministry carried out a detailed survey of the roll-on/roll-off transport of farm animals. The results are now being studied in order to determine whether any amendment to the regulations on the transport of livestock by sea or other action is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total sum of money his Department has advanced to Courtaulds Ltd. and any of its subsidiaries during the last five years by way of (a) grant and (b) loan; and if he is satisfied that these grants and loans were used for the purposes intended in making them.

Since 1st January 1972 grants totalling £5,395,040 and loans totalling £700,000 have been advanced to Courtaulds and its main subsidiary companies under the Local Employment Acts and under Sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972. All these grants and loans have been monitored by my Department. I regret it is not possible, without a disproportionate amount of time and effort, to calculate the total amount of investment and regional development grant paid to Courtaulds and its subsidiaries over this period. However, over the past two years a total of at least £2·1 million in regional development grants has been paid to Courtaulds and seven major subsidiaries. This total does not include sums of less than £25,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set out the procedures currently adopted by Her Majesty's Treasury in its role as intermediary between the European Regional Development Fund and those organisations to which fund assistance has been allocated.

Responsibility for case work arising from the European Regional Development Fund is dependent upon the nature and location of individual projects. The Departments directly concerned are the Departments of Industry, which also has a co-ordinating role, Environment and Trade, the Scottish and Welsh Offices and the Department of Commerce for Northern Ireland. All payments from the Com- mission are made to my Department and the appropriate shares are transferred to other Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has received a report from the NEB regarding irregularities in the sales of British Leyland products; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement on the talks held with the French Secretary of State for Transport in London on 2nd November.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade—the hon. Member for Hackney, Central (Mr. Davis)—and I met M. Marcel Cavaille, the French Secretary of State for Transport, on 2nd November 1976 in London to review progress on the Concorde project and to discuss further the possibilities of collaboration on civil aircraft projectsOn Concorde we noted with satisfaction the very successful entry into service of the aircraft, and its wide acceptance; we affirmed our determination to complete to schedule the 16 aircraft programme, while maintaining production facilities in the best possible condition; and we looked forward to the opening of further routes, notably to New York, Melbourne and Tokyo. Noting the manufacturers' decision on a joint promotional effort we agreed to carry further current work on an active commercial strategy.On subsonic aircraft, we agreed that, as part of the review of the options open to the two countries in this field, we would urge our industries, in consultation with our officials, to pursue as a matter of priority investigations into the possibility of collaboration on the 200-seats medium range aircraft—in the Airbus family—and the 160-seats short- to medium-range aircraft. The studies should cover, among other things, prospective profitability, financing, and sharing of design, development and production work, as well as market prospects We will be asking our industries to try to conclude their studies within two months.We also reviewed the scope for an aircraft of approximately 100 seats, and noted that this was a field in which the United Kingdom would appropriately seek the lead in a single collaborative European project; it was one in which the French Government, without committing themselves, would be prepared to consider partnership. We agreed that this issue would also be pursued urgently.We then discussed the prospects for an advanced supersonic transport for the 1990s in the light of the technological advantage acquired through collaboration on the Concorde project. We agreed that, in principle, the co-operation in this area should continue on a basis of mutuality between the two countries. The British Government considered that it should consolidate the knowledge and experience gained on Concorde. The French Government agreed, and intend to explore, through their manufacturers, the conditions on which this matter should be pursued. We agreed that we would continue to keep in touch on developments in this field. We decided not to proceed with the manufacturers' proposals for a derivative of the Concorde, for production in the 1980s, to he developed.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his answer in the Official Report, column 423 of 29th October, that funds have been advanced by Parliament as assistance to industry, why it is not possible to have the amount advanced to companies and the projects for which the amounts were advanced published in the Official Report, as well as in Trade and Industry.

I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry in view of the difficulty in tracing details, if he will indicate in which editions of Trade and Industry details appeared of moneys advanced to Lucas Industries, Ransome Hoffman and Pollard, Cyanamid of Great Britain, Dow Chemicals, BP Chemicals International Ltd. and Lindsey Oil Refinery Ltd, and of the projects for which the moneys were advanced.

I am surprised that the hon. Member needed to ask about the editions. The offers made to Lucas Productions Ltd., Ransome Hoffman and Pollard Ltd., Cyanamid of Great Britain Ltd., and Dow Chemicals Ltd., were published in Trade and Industry on 8th October, page 120. These projects concern the production of diesel engine components, ball bearings, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural chemicals respectively.As yet no payments have been made to BP Chemicals International Ltd. and Lindsey Oil Refinery U.K., so that offers have not been published in

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his policy on permitting the leasing of Concorde to foreign airlines.

We, together with the French Government, are examining this question as a matter of priority.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made in discussions to consider production of a successor to Concorde; with whom the discussions have taken place; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Brown).

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the latest monthly rise in the Retail Price Index; and if he will make a statement.

The Retail Price Index rose by 1·3 per cent. between 17th August and 14th September 1976. We have already made considerable progress in bringing down the rate of inflation. The increase in the Retail Price Index for the 12 months to September 1976 was 14.3 per cent. However, we are unlikely to see much improvement in this over the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what plans he has to give a general direction to the British Airports Authority to require foreign airlines to transfer to Gatwick as their London airport; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to give a direction to the British Airports Authority about the distribution of traffic between Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received from foreign airlines regarding use of Gatwick rather than Heathrow as their London terminal.

None. Discussions about the distribution of traffic between Heathrow and Gatwick are continuing, but no decisions have been taken about the airlines to be affected.