asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners have absconded in each of the last 10 years from open prisons; how many have absconded this year to date; and what ratio these figures bear to the number of prisoners in such prisons;(2) how many long-term prisoners have escaped in each of the last 10 years from secure prisons; how many have escaped this year to date; and what ratio these figures bear to the number of such prisoners in such prisons;(3) how many prisoners have absconded in each of the last 10 years from Leyhill Prison; how many have absconded this year to date; and what ratio these figures bear to the number of such prisoners in such prisons.

It has not proved possible to provide the information in the time available, but I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what negotiations he has had with the broadcasting authorities regarding the establishment of a Welsh television channel; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of the views of the broadcasting authorities who were members of the Siberry Working Party which was set up to consider the detailed arrangements and estimated costs of giving effect to the recommendations of the Crawford Committee on the establishment of a Welsh language television service. This service is dependent on the availability of Government finance. The Government's decision in the context of the current review of public expenditure, to which my predecessor referred in his answer on 19th February to a Question from my right hon. Friend the Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) has not yet been made.—[Vol. 905, c. 788.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement on the Government's proposals for future action on the report of the Law Commission on the matrimonial jurisdiction of magistrates' courts.

I have now had an opportunity to consider this valuable report. The report contains important recommendations which would remove the existing anomalies between the matrimonial law administered by the magistrates and the divorce jurisdiction of the higher courts. Other recommendations would enable magistrates' courts to grant orders for the protection of battered spouses or their children, and would simplify and improve procedures in matrimonial cases. A draft Bill annexed to the report would give effect to these recommendations.The Government believe that the proposals in the report should be accepted. They would introduce useful and necessary reforms in an important area of the law, and would be widely welcomed. Legislation to implement the Law Commission's recommendations will be introduced when parliamentary time permits.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many dismissals were made by British Railways in the last 12 months.

I understand from the British Railways Board that 3,790 staff were dismissed from British Rail and British Rail Engineering Limited in the 12 months ending 9th October 1976. This total includes termination of seasonal and probationary employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether there are any exceptions to existing regulations to allow drivers of private and commercial vehicles to park while loading and unloading; and whether such exceptions are subject to the discretion of the police.

Traffic regulation orders prohibiting or restricting waiting fre- quently contain exemptions for loading and unloading of vehicles generally. The class of vehicle exemption is not subject to the discretion of the police.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the development and implementation of the road safety programmes required of local authorities under the terms of the Road Traffic Act 1974: and if he intends to recommend any additional programmes or activities to combat the increasing level of fatalities in non-built-up areas.

Expenditure on road safety is necessarily limited by the present constraints on public expenditure, but my right hon. Friend looks to local authorities to make adequate provision for their responsibilities under Section 8 of the Act, within the total resources available to them. He has no plans in present circumstances to recommend new activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he now proposes to take to implement the recent road safety recommendations in the 1976 annual report of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory to the effect that engineering might be more influential in aiding the road user than education or enforced legislation.

The context of this remark was that about a quarter of all road accidents are caused by drivers errors in association with the deficiency in the road environment. Successive Governments have emphasised to highway authorities the scope for improving the safety of the roads by small engineering schemes, carefully researched and designed, which often yield marked benefits in reducing accidents and which are both more durable than other solutions and less easy to ignore.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many toll bridges there are in the United Kingdom by name; how much is each toll; and what was the construction cost of each bridge.

The information for England is below. Bridges in other parts of the United Kingdom are the concern of the respective Secretaries of State.

			Toll Charge (pence)
Bridge	Cost	Heavy goods	Coaches	Motor cars (with caravan)	Motor cycles (with sidecar)	Cycles
Severn Bridge	£17 million	12	12	12	5	Free
Tamar Bridge	£2 million	40–70	70	15	4	1
Dunham Bridge	Not known*	15–30	Not known	10 (12)	5	Free
Selby Bridge	Not known*	4 per ton	Not known	4(7½)	1 (2½)	Free
Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge	Not known*	4 per ton	4 per ton	5	2(3)	Free
Sandwich Bridge	Not known*	7½–10	10	5(6)	2½ (3½)	Free
Shard Bridge	Not known*	5–10	10	2(4)	2	1
Clifton Suspension Bridge	Not known*	5	5	5	2	Free
Rixton and Warburton Bridge	Not known*	12½	12½	5	2½(5)	Free
Whitchurch Bridge	Not known*	3–5	3–5	3	1	Free
Whitney Bridge	Not known*	7–10	9–20	5–6	3 (3½)	1½
Aldwark Bridge	Not known*	4 per ton	4 per ton	4	1	½
Batheaston Bridge	Not known*	9	15	4(9)	2(4)	1
Cartford Bridge	Not known*	10	10	3(5)	2(2½)	1
Eling Bridge	Not known*	2½	2½	2½	2½	Free
Swinford Bridge	Not known*	1 per ton	5	2	1	Free
* Only the Severn and Tamar bridges were constructed this century

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the present arrangements for ensuring adequate alternatives where rural bus services are withdrawn or severely curtailed; and, if not, what further steps he proposes.

I am not at all satisfied with the position that people are left in when rural bus services are withdrawn or severely curtailed, and am pressing on with setting up the rural transport experiments to find how best to help people in these circumstances without further undermining the bus services which remain.Meanwhile, some useful initiatives have already been taken to meet the need in particular areas, notably the Norfolk village bus. I am glad to hear that this undertaking, with a year of successful operation behind it, is breaking even, and that two other similar projects are now running.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if the contract recently placed with Plasser Theurer by British Rail is open-ended;(2) if British Rail's order with Plasser Theurer was placed on the basis of a fixed rate of exchange with the pound sterling or not;

The contract placed by British Railways with Plasser United Kingdom Limited in January this year for 14 track relaying machines and 30 rail cranes is subject to variation in currency values on the import content and to cost price adjustment. Changes in exchange rates have led to an increase of about £500,000 on the original order price of £6·3 million. Over 70 per cent. of the order represents work being done in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will place a copy of the latest annual report of each regional road construction unit in the Library.

The road construction units, which are an integral part of the Department of Transport, are not required to make individual annual reports. The work of the highways directorates including that of the road construction units, is reported annually to Parliament by the Secretary of State in " Roads in England ". The report for the year ending 31st March 1976 was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 28th July 1976 and was published the following day.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the annual expenditure by road construction units on computers and other equipment, excluding site equipment.

This expenditure is included in the cost of design and preparation of individual road schemes. It could be separately identified only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the number of staff employed by road construction units divided into (a) engineering and professional and (b) clerical, administrative and other support.

On 1st July 1976 the six road construction units employed 2,184 engineering and professional staff and 663 administrative, clerical and other support staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the cost of legal fees incurred by road construction units in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976 in respect of schemes which led to planning inquiries.

Legal advice to road construction units is provided by the Department's legal directorate as part of its normal service to the Department as a whole. No separate costs are apportioned to such advice. Fees for counsel engaged to appear on behalf of the Department at some local inquiries into trunk road proposals are paid out of the Law Charges Vote. A disproportionate amount of work would be involved in ascertaining and attributing these legal fees.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the annual expenditure by road construction units on site equipment.

No. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision on the proposed designation of the A52 Nottingham to Grantham road as a trunk road.

My right hon. Friend hopes to publish an order for the trunking of the A52 between Nottingham and the Al near Grantham early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the grounds for the failure by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea to return £33·33 the value of the surrendered road fund licence for 333 EYE to Dr. P. Zacharias of 54 Rodney Street, Liverpool, following full supply of all necessary documents on 30th July last.

There was no such failure. A payable order was sent to Dr. P. Zacharias at the address stated on 26th August and it was cashed on 8th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications for provisional driving licences for motorcyclists have been made in the latest 12-month period for which figures are available; how many of these applications are made by persons in the 16 to 20-year age group; and how many of these applicants have passed the driving test within the following 12 months.

As applicants for provisional driving licences are not required to say which types of vehicle they propose to drive or ride. I regret that I have no information to enable me to answer the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) why there is no reference to Fashion Forwardings Limited included in the National Freight Corporation Annual Report for 1975;(2) whether Fashion Forwardings Limited, the specialist carrying company, is controlled by National Carriers Limited.

The National Freight Corporation has no subsidiary of this name. The hon. Member may have in mind a subsidiary of National Carriers Ltd., known as Fashionflow Ltd., which was not set up until 24th May this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if in his present consideration of a co-ordinated transport policy he will take into account the proposals from various sources, including the House Committee on Nationalised Industries, to merge the activities of National Carriers Limited and Roadline UK Limited, into one operating company, thereby avoiding the duplication of cartage services and wasteful employment of vehicles, staff and premises.

Of course, I shall consider all suggestions which hon. Members put forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will take action to ensure that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre answers questions and deals with drivers' queries more promptly and efficiently.

I have no hard evidence that such questions and queries are not already being dealt with to most people's satisfaction.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give examples of public service pension increases effective under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 since its implementation; and what is the effect of the Act in percentage terms on pension levels overall including the increase payable subsequent to 1st December next.

The Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 brought all pensions which had come into payment in or before 1968 up to the level of the original purchasing power as at 1st April 1969. The Act applied an increase of 18 per cent. to pensions beginning before 2nd April 1969 to bring them up to the level of purchasing power as at 1st September 1971. Since then, the annual reviews carried out under the Act have resulted in the following increases:

Year	Percentage
1972	9·9 (covered 15 months)
1973	9·3
1974	16·5
1975	26·1
1976	13·8

Therefore a pension of £100 per annum as at 30th November 1971 would have been increased as follows:

Year, Percentage increase and Amount
December 1972	9·9	£109·90
December 1973	9·3	£120·12
December 1974	16·5	£139·94
December 1975	261	£176·46
December 1976	13·8	£200·81

Thus, the percentage increases since 1971, including the 13·8 per cent, payable from 1st December next, total 100·82 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the estimated cost of the increase of 13·8 per cent. effective from 1st December 1976 in public service pensions, including payments to widows, children and other dependants.

£114 million for the year 1st December 1976 to 30th November 1977.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) if he will publish a list of the Government-sponsored independent bodies which are entitled to the free facility of posting their letters On Her Majesty's Service; and what are the upward limits of their allowance;(2) which independent organisations are provided with On Her Majesty's Ser vice envelopes for which they are not charged;(3) if he will publish a list of the nationalised industries which are entitled to free post On Her Majesty's Service, showing the upward limit in each case.

The Government pay for their use of the postal services at rates agreed with the Post Office. In the case of mail bearing the "Official Paid" cachet, in which I presume the hon. Member is primarily interested, payment is at a composite rate agreed with the Post Office following a sample of Government mail and regularly amended to reflect changes in the charges to the public. The use of this system is restricted to certain central Government Departments and a few closely related organisations. I am informed by the Post Office that the nationalised industries use public methods of payment for their mail.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number and amount of payments made to civil servants in respect of additional expenses incurred by them consequential upon the operation of the Rent Act 1974.

I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. However, I am having it collected and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether all national, provincial and local papers will carry similar advertisements to those that it is intended will appear in the Morning Star; and what is the circulation needed for Government advertisements to be placed in a publication.

Any decision to use the Morning Star for Government advertising would most likely be taken in the context of a national campaign seeking maximum coverage of the adult population; and in such a circumstance all or most other national newspapers would probably be used. It would not follow that all provincial and local newspapers would also be used because of the heavy duplication of readership with the national Press. But, depending on the campaign, there might be occasions when selected regional newspapers would be required. There is no minimum circulation which qualifies a publication for consideration for Government advertising. Advertising media schedules are drawn up on a value-for-money basis in the light of the audience objectives of the particular campaign.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what journals or publications with a circulation of under 50,000 are considered for Government advertising.

Any publications can be considered for Government advertising if it is likely to reach or add to the defined audience for a particular campaign at an economical cost. Decisions to use a particular publication are based on independently audited circulation figures. Exceptionally, publications which do not produce such figures are used when they are the only ones covering a particular area or sector of the population.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will outline the present procedure for security vetting of applicants for Civil Service posts.

An outline of security vetting arrangements which apply to applicants for certain Civil Service posts is given in the leaflet "General Information for Candidates" issued by the Civil Service Commission, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy. This explains that in order to ensure the reliability of persons to be employed in exceptionally secret work, Departments make special enquiries known as positive vetting. These entail completion by the person of a security questionnaire, and certain background enquiries by special investigating officers. These enquiries are concerned not only with political sympathies or associations of the kind mentioned above but also with revealing any characteristics which might be a potential risk to security.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to make an announcement about salary levels of Ministry of Defence chief police officers.

It is hoped that the Chief Police Officer's Association, which represents these ranks, will have a reply to its representations on this matter at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are being trained to teach science; and what proportion this is of the total number of teachers in training.

In 1975, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,908, or 18 per cent. of the 10,658 students following full-time postgraduate courses of initial teacher training were specialising in science subjects. Students on non-graduate teacher training courses often study more than one main subject. Of 123,324 main options recorded in 1975, 10,621 or 8·6 per cent. were in science subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision she has made for Scottish universities to be represented in the EEC when matters affecting university education are being discussed.

The Commission of the European Communities has arranged two meetings with representatives of national rectors conferences in the EEC to consult them on matters arising from the Action Programme on Education. Scottish universities were represented by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many full-time and part-time students have completed higher education courses in agriculture and allied subjects in the last five years; and what proportion of them has found employment in agriculture;(2) how many full-time and part-time students are currently following higher educational courses in agriculture and allied subjects.

The total numbers of students who satisfactorily completed full-time Higher National Diploma courses, and full-time and part-time courses for first and higher degrees in agricultural and allied subjects, are available only for the three-year period from 1973. The figures are:

Year	H.N.D.	First Degree	Higher Degree	Total
1973	155	496	308	959
1974	204	489	330	1,023
1975	232	465	329	1,026
Total for period 1973–75				3,008

Of the above the proportion known to have found employment in agriculture was:

Year	H.N.D.* Per cent.	First Degree† Per cent.	Higher Degree† Per cent.
1973	69·0	13·9	3·2
1974	69·6	13·9	0·9
1975	76·7	14·6	1·5
* On average 15 per cent. of HND students proceed direct to higher studies—i.e., post-HND or degree courses.
† Excludes employment in Government-controlled concerns or university research.

No figure for students completing post-HND courses at agricultural colleges is included above as this statistic has been collected only since 1975, when the total number was 90. No information about their subsequent employment is available.The latest available figure of all full-time and part-time students following higher educational courses in agriculture and allied subjects is for the academic year 1974–75 when the total number was 3,668, made up as follows:

Higher National Diploma students	930
Post Higher National Diploma students	90
Undergraduate students	1,762
Postgraduate students	886
	Total 3,668

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assumptions she made about the maximum class sizes which could be achieved in the 1980s when she came to her provisional view that a further contraction of teacher training to about 45,000 places will be necessary.

My right hon. Friend's view took account of teacher demand in the 1980s in terms of pupil-teacher ratios, not of class size. The contraction to 45,000 places outside the universities is calculated to be sufficient to allow an improvement on present ratios in the 1980s. I will send the hon. Member a copy of a paper which is to be prepared for the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Training of Teachers indicating the implications for teacher supply and for staffing standards of a teacher training plant of 45,000 places outside the universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the future of teacher training colleges in the North-West.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on 9th November—[Vol. 919, c. 133–4.] My right hon. Friend considers that it would be premature to make any more detailed statement until she has considered the result of the meeting of the advisory committee arranged for later this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the Official Report a list of university institutions at which dental research is currently being undertaken, showing in each case the total funds available for such research.

Expenditure against research grants and contracts in departments of clinical dentistry in the academic year 1974–75, the latest year for which figures are available, was:

University	£
Birmingham	17,409
Bristol	18,099
Leeds	16,497
Liverpool	16,586
London	289,697
Manchester	59,399
Newcastle upon Tyne	5,160
Sheffield	1,593
Welsh National School of Medicine	8,779
Dundee	7,013
Edinburgh	5,963
Glasgow	12,827
	459,022

In addition, research is undertaken by academic staff as part of their departmental work. This research is supported by universities' general income, which is mainly recurrent grant through the University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest indications as to the quantities of natural gas off the Lancashire coast that would be available for commercial development.

I am informed by British Gas that the results of drillings carried out in the area are being evaluated. It is too early to say whether the gas discovery is commercial, and further appraisal drilling will be required.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of (a) total EEC energy supply and (b) total EEC energy demand could be met from United Kingdom sources in 1980 and 1985, respectively, according to the best and latest available estimates.

Based on the latest available estimates, United Kingdom indigenous production may amount to between 40 per cent. and 45 per cent. of total EEC energy supply in 1980 and between 35 per cent. and 40 per cent. in 1985. The corresponding estimates of United Kingdom indigenous production as a proportion of total EEC energy demand are around 20 per cent. in 1980 and between 15 per cent. and 25 per cent. in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to be able to decide whether or not to approve the construction of the Drax B power station.

The question is currently under consideration in the context of the CPRS report on the power plant industry. Decisions arising from that report will be taken as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Third Division Football Association grounds have a crowd capacity of more than 10,000; and how many have had an average attendance of more than 10,000 during the current season.

I am informed that all the 24 Third Division clubs' grounds have a crowd capacity of more than 10,000 and that three of them have had an average attendance of more than 10,000 so far this season.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Fourth Division Football Association grounds have a crowd capacity of more than 10,000; and how many have had an average attendance of more than 10,000 during the current season.

I am informed that all the 24 Fourth Division clubs' grounds have a crowd capacity of more than 10,000 and that none has had an average attendance of more than 10,000 so far this season.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Second Division Football Association grounds have a crowd capacity of more than 10,000; and how many had an average attendance of more than 10,000 during the current season.

I am informed that all the 24 Fourth Division clubs' grounds have a crowd capacity of more than 10,000 and that 16 of them have had an average attendance of more than 10,000 so far this season.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of council house tenants is receiving financial assistance in the forms of (a) rent rebate and (b) supplementary benefit related to housing; and if he will give the global sums of money in each case.

About 20 per cent. of council tenants in England and Wales were receiving rent rebate at April 1976; the total amount of rebate granted in the financial year 1975–76 was about £130 million. A further 24 per cent. of council tenants were receiving supplementary benefit, but because entitlement to sup- plementary benefit is assessed as the difference between a person's total requirements and his income it is not possible to allocate the specific amount paid for housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the Government's policy is with regard to the adaptation of buildings to allow access for disabled people.

Sections 4 to 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 require access for disabled people on provision of buildings open to the public and schools and universities. The Department of the Environment stated in a circular on the Act that it regards this requirement as covering the conversion of buildings to these uses, and it will act accordingly in the case of the buildings which it provides.A Private Members' Bill which received the Royal Assent last month extended the scope of these requirements to places of employment. In addition, the Manpower Services Commission has been asked by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment to introduce a scheme whereby employers who modify their premises to install special or modified equipment to enable disabled people to enter or remain in their employment might receive capital grants. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has undertaken to consider amendments to the Standards for School Premises Regulations and Further Education Regulations in order specifically to include reference to the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and will be prepared to issue design guidance on these matters. These regulations would apply to major works at existing buildings as well as new buildings. My Department is considering the practicability of using the powers in Part III of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to make building regulations on the subject.While it would be impracticable to require by law that all existing buildings should be adapted to allow access for disabled people, some building owners have already done this and we hope that more will be encouraged to do so in future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will refer to the Fine Arts Commission for examination and comment the proposals of the Lake District Special Planning Board for the pedestrianisation of Hawkshead in view of the architectural interest of the village and the alteration in visual relationship of buildings to open space which the use of differing surfacing materials will effect.

It is open to the Planning Board to refer the proposals to the Royal Fine Art Commission without first consulting me. The Lake District Special Planning Board did, however, apply to the Department for a pedestrianisation order in March 1975. The proposal appeared to be one of traffic management, and the Board was advised to consult the highway authority, Cumbria County Council, with a view to implementing a traffic regulation order, under the Traffic Regulation Act 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the working party report on dogs.

Comments on the working party's recommendations are still coming in and it is too early to say what decision will be reached about implementing them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure by his Department in 1975–76 on buildings used by the House of Lords.

In 1975–76 my Department spent £4·2 million on the Houses of Parliament, of which about £1·2 million may be attributed to the House of Lords.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to make a state- ment about local authority members' attendance allowances.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 28th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright).—[Vol. 918, c. 306.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the planning application concerning Windscale that was referred to him by Cumbria County Council.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I made to the hon. Member for Sutton, Carshalton (Mr. Forman) on 3rd November—[Vol. 918, c. 1386–88.] I shall report to the House as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state what proportion of the needs element of rate support grant for Wales and England for 1976–77 has been allocated to the metropolitan areas.

In the distribution at main order stage of the needs element grant for 1976–77, 26 per cent. of the total grant is being paid to metropolitan districts and 19 per cent. to London boroughs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the annual growth rate for the output of the British brick and cement industry for each year from 1970 to 1975 measured at 1970 prices; and what further growth rate he anticipates for each year from 1976 to 1979.

Annual changes in the numbers of bricks and the weight of cement produced in Great Britain are as follows:

Percentage change from previous year
	Bricks	Cement
1971	+ 8	+ 3
1972	+ 6	+ 2
1973	+ 4	+ 11
1974	-22	-11
1975	- 9	- 5

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants are directly and indirectly involved with the English house condition survey.

As with any project of this nature, staffing needs vary from the initial design stage, through the main execution of the survey, to the subsequent analysis and presentation of the results. Within my Department there is a core of five officers who have been fully employed on the survey over a period of time. In addition, two others have been temporarily employed upon the design of the linked attitude survey, and a further two are at present temporarily attached to the survey team to assist with the short-term task of processing the completed questionnaires.I cannot quantify more indirect involvement. However, this comprises quite a small number who have been consulted in some way in the preparation or execution of the survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an order under Section 11 of the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act 1975 restricting or preventing increases in rent by local authorities who develop and own housing estates which are not financed out of their housing revenue accounts.

I see no reason to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his responsibilities for river fisheries, with special reference to anadromous fish.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost to central Government and local authorities, respectively, in Great Britain of discretionary house improvement grants to private owners in 1974–75 and 1975–76; and what is his latest forecast, assuming no change in policy for 1976–77 and 1977–78.

In the time available it has not proved possible to provide the information requested. However, I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will instruct British consulates abroad to inform British citizens travelling abroad of the assistance which they are able to give if they should find themselves robbed of their money and possessions.

Information about the nature and extent of consular assistance is better given before British travellers leave this country. An explanatory leaflet accompanies all passports issued and every opportunity is taken. For example, through the media and the Association of British Travel Agents, of explaining what consuls may and may not do. Consulates abroad will give this information if requested but have no facilities for informing British tourists generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he expects to receive the Report of the Turner Committee dealing with Hong Kong;(2) what organisations and persons have submitted evidence to the Turner Committee on Hong Kong;(3) if the findings of the Turner Committee on Hong Kong will be made public.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 15th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 359–60.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the names of the members serving on the Turner Committee on Hong Kong.

Professor H. A. Turner, Burton Professor of Industrial Relations at the University of Cambridge, is being assisted in his study of labour relations in Hong Kong by Dr. Patricia Fosh of the University of Bath and Dr. J. K. Hart of the University of Yale.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to the Governments of Canada, Taiwan and other countries regarding extradition proceedings against individuals wanted in Hong Kong under the Independent Commission against Corruption Ordinance; and if he will make a statement.

Two applications have been made to the Canadian authorities for the arrest of persons wanted for offences under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. One of these persons has been arrested. No representations have been made to the Governments of other countries or to the authorities in Taiwan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons there are involved in extradition proceedings under the Hong Kong Independent Commission against Corruption Ordinance; and what countries are involved.

None. Extradition proceedings are in train in Canada in respect of one person wanted in Hong Kong for offences under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to announce the Government's views on the proposals contained in the Shackleton Report on the Falkland Islands.

We are still studying Lord Shackleton's Economic Survey of the Falkland Islands, which, as the hon. Member will know, is a long and detailed document. An announcement will be made as soon as our considerations are complete, but I cannot yet forecast when this is likely to be.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will make a statement setting out the decision of the EEC Council of Ministers in respect of disbursements from the European Development Fund to non-ACP States.

The European Development Fund is established under the Convention of Lomé and exclusively reserved for the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries which are or may become parties to that Convention. Out of its general budget the Community has also negotiated or is negotiating a financil element in its agreements of association with various Mediterranean countries and gives food aid to a number of countries including some non-associates; it is also currently considering the question of other aid to non-associates.Since before Accession it has been a major United Kingdom objective to get Community development policy put on a more world-wide basis, extending beyond the ACP and Mediterranean countries having "associate" status, and reflecting the priorities of relative poverty and need. Specifically, this means an ongoing programme of Community financial aid for non-associates; and in April 1974 the United Kingdom called for a broadly equal balance in the distribution of Community aid as between the non-associates and those countries benefiting from the various association agreements. Although the non-associates have not been precisely defined the United Kingdom believes that most of this aid should go to those countries which are poorest, most populated and under-aided—particularly in South Asia.In July 1974 the EEC Council of Ministers approved a Resolution accepting the principle of Community financial aid for the non-associates. The Commission subsequently produced specific proposals for a five-year programme of financial aid amounting in all to 730 million units of account. The Council was unable to agree to this; but a small step forward was made when a provision of 20 million units of account was inserted into the 1976 EEC budget at the insistence of the European Assembly. Following various discussions during the year the Council of Ministers (Foreign Affairs) on 18th and 19th October decided that the 20 mua in the 1976 budget could be spent, subject to the qualifications that spending of the 20 mua was only to go ahead after the Council had discussed with the Commission the allocation of the money and provided that the Council made sufficient progress on the harmonisation and co-ordination of member States' development co-operation policies. This decision was also made on the understanding that the 20 mua was not to be considered as the beginning of an on-going programme: a future Council decision, based on a formal Commission proposal, would have to be taken to introduce and establish a policy for financial and technical aid to non-associated countries. The Council also agreed to include a provision of 30 million units of account for non-associates in the 1977 budget, but this was to be frozen until the Council policy decision in favour had been made.On the 1976 programme the intention had been that the qualifications on the agreement reached at the Council should be resolved at the Council of Development Ministers on 8th November. In the

TEA PROJECTS
Country		Project	Approximate cost (£)	Duration
Malawi	…	Smallholder Tea Development: to encourage small farmers to grow tea as a cash crop.	75,000 in 1976–77	The present phase began in 1973 and is likely to continue at least until 1978.
Malawi	…	Research study of Physiological Responses of tea to water stress.	14,500	1972–73 to 1976
Bangladesh	…	Appraisal of tea estates and factories in order to formulate proposals for rehabilitation and development.	50,000	April-December 1976
Bangladesh	…	Allocation from commodity grant for equipment for the Bangladesh Tea Board.	500,000	1976-
India	…	Study of improvement in participation of small growers in the production of tea and other cash crops in the Nilgiri Hills. Four man team.	4,000	August-September 1975
Nepal	…	Adviser to the Nepal Tea Development Corporation.	26,000	1973–75
Nepal	…	Survey of smallholder tea development and estates rehabilitation in the Ham area of Eastern Nepal.	8,000	January-March 1976
Indonesia	…	Rehabilitation of tea industry (Government tea estates, private estates and smallholders). Four man advisory team.	120,000	1971–75
Indonesia	…	Supply of tea processing equipment for the Kali Gua tea factory (Java).	90,000	1972–76

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will list those projects financed or aided by his Department which involve (a) tea production or (b) diversification out of tea production.

The following is the information requested. The projects included are currently under way or have recently been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a progress report on the study "Services for the Elderly" being conducted by the Information Services Division of the Scottish Health Service Common Services Agency in Clackmannan district.

It is expected that the field work which began at the end of September will be completed about the end of this month; thereafter a substantial volume of data will require to

District Councils		Number of Referrals	Number where offer made by Building Society	Number where offer declined by applicant	Number refused by Building Society	Number where applicant withdrew application
Ross and Cromarty	…	4	1	—	—	—
Banff and Buchan	…	1	1	—	—	—
Kincardine and Deeside	…	1	—	—	—	—
Dunfermline	…	1	—	—	1	—
North East Fife	…	2	—	—	—	—
Edinburgh City	…	6	1	—	4	1
West Lothian	…	1	—	—	—	—
Clackmannan	…	1	—	—	—	—
Falkirk	…	14	2	—	—	—
Stirling	…	17	—	—	6	—
Argyll and Bute	…	31	—	—	—	—
Bearsden and Milngavie	…	1	1	—	—	—
Dumbarton	…	33	17	11	3	—
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	…	4	—	—	—	—
Glasgow	…	139	27	16	99	19
Hamilton	…	1	1	—	—	—
Inverclyde	…	3	2	—	—	1
Kyle and Carrick	…	6	2	1	—	—
Lanark	…	8	8	—	—	—
Monklands	…	22	2	—	20	—
Motherwell	…	29	11	—	1	—
Renfrew	…	94	78	3	11	2
Orkney	…	20	—	—	—	—
Shetland	…	27	13	1	—	—
Western Isles	…	1	—	—	1	—
Total	…	467	167	32	146	23

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much research is presently taking place at plant breeding stations and research institutes in Scotland into developing strains of maize suitable for the production of maize silage.

The Scottish Plant Breeding Station is not itself undertaking research into breeding new varieties of maize but is in close contact with the Plant Breeding Institute, Cambridge, which is the main centre for

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report an updated version of his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central on 6th August, Official Report, column 1047–8, on local authority lending.

The latest figures, covering the period 1st April to 1st November 1976, are as follows:breeding new varieties of that crop. The Scottish Plant Breeding Station has an ongoing programme to assess the silage potential under Scottish growing conditions of established and new varieties of maize.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to public funds of provision of student grants in the tertiary sector of education in each of the past five years, giving breakdowns, where possible, into recognised sectors.

The following tables give the cost to public funds of student grants in the academic sessions 1971–76.

A. Student grants awarded by the Scottish Education Department for advanced courses.

Type of Establishment and Total Cost
Session 1971–72
Universities	£9,738,118
Colleges of education	£3,966,002
Central institutions	£2,087,791
Other establishments	£1,547,759
Total	£17,339,670
Session 1972–73
Universities	£9,881,182
Colleges of education	£4,058,280
Central institutions	£2,277,085
Other establishments	£1,771,984
Total	£17,988,531
Session 1973–74
Universities	£10,680,742
Colleges of education	£4,497,936
Central institutions	£2,525,508
Other establishments	£2,136,735
Total	£19,840,921
Session 1974–75
Universities	£14,507,300
Colleges of education	£5,892,192
Central institutions	£3,628,514
Other establishments	£3,405,885
Total	£27,433,891
Session 1975–76
Universities	£17,118,112
Colleges of education	£7,083,450
Central institutions	£4,797,087
Other establishments	£3,720,315
Total	£32,718,964

B. Bursaries awarded by education authorities for non-advanced courses of further education:

Session	Total Cost
1971–72	£1,255,511
1972–73	£1,838,757
1973–74	£1,618,796
1974–75	£1,983,905
1975–76	£2,970,913

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average length of time elapsing between the start of the educational sessions in the tertiary sector and the completion of payment of student grants.

The great majority of students are paid their grants at the start of the academic session. Payments may be delayed for varying periods for a minority of students, mainly because of late application or delay in supplying information about academic progress or parental income.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time students in the post-school system have not yet received their grants for session 1976–77.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) on 10th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 184.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school pupils continuing studies after the recognised leaving age qualify for public authority grants; and what is the total cost to public funds.

For session 1975–76, 2,889 secondary school pupils over the statutory leaving age were granted higher school bursaries at a total cost of approximateley £471,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to the Shell-Esso combine on choosing a site for building a natural gas liquids separation plant.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the grants made payable by the European Development Fund in respect of infrastructure projects in Scotland in 1975 was wholly additional to funds available or potentially available from central Government sources.