asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete his negotiations on the rate support grant for the next year; and if he will make a statement.

I intend to make a statement as soon as the negotiations are completed on 22nd November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to date of the "English House Condition Survey" carried out by Room N8/15 of his Department; what is its purpose; and if he will discontinue it immediately.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 15th October [Vol. 917, c. 271–8]. I estimate that some fourth-fifths of the total cost has so far been incurred.

asked the Secretary State for the Environment what was the cost to the ratepayers in England and Wales each year since 1971, arising from the implementation of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971, including the increase of 13·8 per cent. effective from 1st December 1976.

The cost to ratepayers in England and Wales in each financial year since 1971, arising from the implementation of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971, in respect of pensioners under the local government superannuation scheme, the police pensions regulations and the firemen's pension scheme is estimated as follows:

	£ million
1971–72	11·8
1972–73	13·8
1973–74	17·5
1974–75	20·8
1975–76	26·3
1976–77	39·4

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of housing starts for each year since 1945, breaking the figure into public and private starts, and giving his latest estimates for starts in 1976 and 1977.

Following is the information:

DWELLINGS STARTED IN ENGLAND AND WALES:
1945—SEPTEMBER 1976
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS
Thousands
	Public Sector	Private Sector	Total
1945	14	6	20
1946	138	65	203
1947	135	30	165
1948	133	17	150
1949	153	30	183
1950	159	19	178
1951	164	25	189
1952	213	50	263
1953	227	81	308
1954	190	104	294
1955	154	124	277
1956	133	116	249
1957	124	122	246
1958	99	133	232
1959	125	164	289
1960	105	176	280
1961	104	181	285
1962	115	178	293
1963	138	192	330
1964	151	239	390
1965	148	202	350
1966	158	185	343
1967	178	225	404
1968	160	190	350
1969	145	158	304
1970	125	157	282
1971	115	196	310
1972	103	214	317
1973	96	200	296
1974	124	96	220
1975	154	137	291
1976 (to 30th September)	129	113	243

Estimates of private sector starts for 1976 and 1977 are not available, but starts in the public sector are likely to be higher this year than last, but lower in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent research has been undertaken into the toxicity of polyurethane foam materials involved in fires; what views on the subject have been expressed by fire service chiefs; and in how many instances coroners' verdicts following fatalities caused by fire state or imply that inhalation of toxic fumes from such materials was the cause of death.

The Department's Fire Research Station has an extensive and continuing programme of work on the behaviour of plastics materials, including polyurethane foams, in fires. This includes detailed laboratory examination of products of combustion at various temperatures and oxygen supply conditions; investigation of toxic materials produced in real fire situations by the burning of furniture and fittings; and assessment of toxicity of the products of combustion. Because of its concern with these matters the Fire Service is kept fully informed of the research programme.I regret that information on the last point is not available, as it is not normally possible to identify which of the burning substances originated the fumes causing death.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps his Department has taken since September 1974 and the publication of "War on Waste", Command Paper No. 5727, to implement that report;(2) what measures he has taken as a result of recommendations and studies by the Waste Management Advisory Council and the Advisory Group on Waste Paper Recycling.

The proposals in the Green Paper are being developed by the Waste Management Advisory Council, which was set up at the end of 1974 for this purpose, and by the Director of the National Anti-Waste Programme, who was appointed at the end of 1975. Measures taken by my Department as a result of studies and recommendations by the Council and by the Advisory Group on the Recycling of Waste Paper have included the commitment of £1·4 million towards the cost of two pilot plants for the mechanical sorting of household waste; further work on the use of waste as fuel; and advice to local authorities about the collection of waste paper. Other measures have been taken by the Department of Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much money his Department spent on publicising the need to reclaim waste and methods of reclaiming waste during the last five years;(2) what plans he has to increase publicity and make information available on the need to reclaim waste and the methods available to do it.

Publicity is only one of the ways by which we can hope to increase the amount of waste that is reclaimed. There was no expenditure by my Department until the beginning of 1975; since then it has totalled just over £10,000. Now that we have progressed further in identifying markets for the different types of waste the Government are planning a much larger programme. The cost will, however, be met from Department of Industry funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money the Government have spent during the last five and the last two years, respectively, on research into waste reclamation.

My Department has spent approximately £590,000 since the beginning of 1973–74. Earlier expenditure fell elsewhere. Of the total, about £530,000 has been spent since the beginning of 1974–75. Most of the expenditure has been on the mechanical sorting of household waste.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in what areas and at what frequency checks have been carried out to assess the radiation levels in the vicinity of Windscale.

British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. measures radiation levels in an area of about 30 miles around Windscale on a basis agreed by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Frequency varies from daily to quarterly, according to the nature and location of the measurements. Results are reported monthly to my Department and MAFF and annual reports are available publicly from British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. In addition my Department and MAFF carry out independent measurements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, now that the European otter has been added to the 1st Schedule of the Washington Convention on Endangered Species, he will see that it receives similar protection in the United Kingdom by adding its name to the Schedule in the Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975.

As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Hooson) on 29th July—[Vol. 916, c. 407]—the Nature Conservancy Council is currently assessing all available evidence on the status of the otter in Britain. No doubt it will take into account the evidence presented to the recent conference on the Washington Convention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of water consumed annually in the United Kingdom derives from rivers; what percentage from cisterns; and what percentage derives from other sources.

The distribution of the surface water sources percentages between rivers and impounding reservoirs is not readily available. In the public sector in 1975 62·5 per cent. of water supplies were derived from surface water sources and 37·5 per cent. from underground. In the case of non-statutory abstractors the values were 93·5 per cent. and 6·5 per cent. respectively.

asked the Prime Minister if he will recommend to Her Majesty the Queen the immediate creation of enough peers to provide a Government majority in the House of Lords.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which 1 gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Grocott) on 2nd November.

asked the Prime Minister what was the cost of the investigations into the Child Poverty Action Group's alleged leak of Cabinet secrets; and whether he will cause an investigation to be made into how this secret report on this leak was itself leaked to unauthorised persons.

There were two separate investigations, one by Sir Douglas Allen and one by the police. It is not possible to calculate the cost of either investigation except at disproportionate cost. So far as I am aware the report of neither investigation has been leaked to unauthorised persons.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the Official Report details of the number of Members who have served on Standing Committees in the Session 1975–76 out of those eligible for service.

This is a matter for the Committee of Selection.

asked the Attorney-General, in view of the fact that minutes of meetings of advisory bodies at the head of Government Departments include a sederunt of the persons present at the meetings, if he will indicate on whose authority the records are destroyed.

The records of advisory bodies appointed by Ministers are public records. The Public Records Act 1958 requires the responsible Minister to make arrangements for the selection of those records which ought to be permanently preserved and for their safekeeping. Records which are not selected for permanent preservation are destroyed once their value for current administrative purposes has expired. In the case of advisory bodies the records of the secretariat are treated as the official record, and any copies held by other Departments are destroyed in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of fines imposed by magistrates' courts in the Greater London area has not been recovered in each of the previous five years; and what is the current percentage of fines unpaid at the latest convenient date.

I regret that information in the form requested is not available, but I am having further inquiries made and will write to hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Romford of 4th November 1976,

Name		Period at Hull	Subsequent Posts
Mr. E. A. Esquilant	…	March 1962—February 1968	Governor, The Verne Prison, February 1968—November 1975. Now retired.
Mr. W. Perrie	…	February 1968—August 1970	Governor, Long Lartin Prison, August 1970—February 1975. Now Governor Birmingham Prison.
Mr. E. R. Cooper	…	August 1970—April 1973	Governor, Standford Hill Prison.
Mr. A. C. Kearns	…	April 1973—August 1976	Governor, Stafford Prison.
Mr. H. Parr	…	August 1976 to date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the members of the board of visitors at Hull Prison, stating also their occupations, age and how many are magistrates.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were sent to borstal in 1969, 1974 and 1975, respectively.

The numbers of persons aged 15 or 16 years sentenced to borstal training by all courts in England and Wales in 1969, 1974 and 1975 were 818, 1,622 and 1,854 respectively.

Because of the nature of the accounting arrangements in the inner London courts, which are not such as to enable these figures to be produced. The accounting system in inner London is being reorganised, but it will be some considerable time before this reorganisation is completed. I have no reason to believe that general trends in inner London differ substantially from those in outer London.Responsibility for the administration of magistrates' courts in inner London rests with the Committee of Magistrates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the Governors of Hull Prison since 1965, their period of service there and their current position in the prison service.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the law regarding prisoners' rights to appeal against prison rules; and if he will make a statement.

We have no proposals for amending legislation in this respect, but if my hon. Friend has any specific point in mind I shall be ready to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many roof demonstrations at prisons have taken place in each year since 1968; how many have taken place at Hull Prison; and when they occurred.

Our records show that there have been 70 roof demonstrations at prisons since 1968—

1968	3
1969	7
1970	1
1971	8
1972	13
1973	10
1974	6
1975	7
1976 (to 31st October)	15

Four of these occurred at Hull Prison: on 25th June 1971, 6th August 1974, 13th April 1976, and between 31st August and 3rd September 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of the Irish Republic are resident in the United Kingdom and entitled to vote in the United Kingdom elections.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to repeal or amend Section 16 of the Farriers Act 1975 to make it easier for part-time farriers to shoe horses.

The Farriers Registration Council is already discussing with my officials proposals for the amendment of the qualifications for registration prescribed in this Act, Section 16 of which is not yet in force. If the hon. Member will let us have details of the amendments he proposes, I undertake to convey these to the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he is making in the regulations about the entry of overseas students into the United Kingdom; and what extra powers he will give to immigration officers in this matter.

We are making no such changes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tests in the English language are applied to applicants from overseas for student training; what officers of his Department carry out such tests; what training these officers have in such matters; what steps he is taking to avoid uneven treatment of students; and whether he will make a statement.

No such tests are applied by our officers.Where a question arises about a passenger's eligibility under the Immigration Rules for admission to the United Kingdom as a student, and this concerns his ability to follow a course of studies given in English, the matter is referred for a decision on his linguistic ability to the principal of the college at which he has been enrolled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Commonwealth citizens are believed currently to be overstaying illegally in the United Kingdom;(2) how many Commonwealth visitors in the United Kingdom at present are regarded as possible overstayers in the United Kingdom.

The available information relates to those people lawfully admitted to the United Kingdom subject to a time limit on their stay and found to have overstayed their leave. It is held on a case-by-case basis and it would he practicable neither to assemble it in the form requested, save at disproportionate cost, nor to speculate about the numbers of visitors whose leave has yet to expire but who may overstay when it does.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers are employed in preventing overstaying in the United Kingdom by Commonwealth citizens.

A large part of the work of the headquarters of the Immigration and Nationality Department is the prevention of overstaying. Since this normally forms part of the full range of its duties, it is not possible to estimate separately the amount of staff time spent on this particular task whether for Commonwealth citizens or generally. The essential task of the 1,130 immigration officers stationed at ports of entry to the United Kingdom is to control admission to this country. They are not ordinarily concerned with identifying or tracing overstayers. They contribute to the prevention of overstaying by refusing leave to enter in doubtful cases and by imposing conditions of entry which facilitate after-entry control and which may act as a deterrent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are employed in preventing overstaying in the United Kingdom by Commonwealth citizens.

Individual police officers who assist in enforcing the immigration law normally do so as part of their full range of police duties. It is not therefore possible, save at disproportionate cost, to estimate the amount of police time spent on this task.

asked the Secretary for the Home Department how many Commonwealth visitors were required in 1976 to register with the police in order to prevent their overstaying.

As the law stands, no Commonwealth citizen is required to register with the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps were taken to prevent Mr. Piara Singh, about whom the Under-Secretary of State has already corresponded with the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West, from overstaying illegally.

The usual check in the record of departures was made as soon as Piara Singh's leave to enter had expired. Since it proved negative, the police at once were asked to make inquiries to trace him. These inquiries have been proceeding since then, and will continue as long as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria which entitle leaders of parliamentary parties, other than the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition, to receive official invitations to attend and lay wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day.

It has been the practice to issue invitations to leaders of parliamentary parties which operate on a United Kingdom basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the adequacy of existing legislation for the control of authorised street trading.

Existing legislation for this purpose is contained in local Acts obtained and enforced by local authorities. I am not aware of any general dissatisfaction with its operation in the areas where it applies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what year he now expects work to commence on the degaussing station at Amble; and to what extent his intentions in this respect have been changed as a result of public expenditure cuts.

According to present planning, work on the fixed degaussing Dock at Amble is expected to commence on site at the end of 1977. Public expenditure cuts have caused no change in intentions for this project.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many surveys, questionnaires, censuses or similar investigations have been carried out, either wholly or partly, at public expense, on behalf of or by his Department, or by any public bodies for which he is responsible in 1974, 1975 and in 1976 to date, respectively, specifying their nature and purpose and the total cost to public funds.

Three inquiries of the kind listed have been undertaken on behalf of the Ministry of Defence: (a) a survey of ex-Service men in 1974 to provide information for the Resettlement Branches of the Services on all aspects of resettlement into civilian life; (b) a quarterly survey each year, as part of a large "omnibus" survey organised by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, to assess the attitude of the general public towards the Armed Services; (c) a number of projects undertaken by the Central Office of Information for the purpose of developing and evaluating publicity material for the Armed Services.The total costs to public funds for 1974 was £63,310, for 1975, £67, 840, and for 1976, £36,250.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the percentage increase or reduction in passengers travelling by rail on an annual basis since 1972.

Passenger journeys on British Rail as measured by ticket sales increased by 0·7 per cent. in 1974 and fell by 0·4 per cent. in 1975. The figures for 1972 are not comparable because of an improvement in through-booking facilities in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish revised proposals for the Castle Donington section of the M42 motorway.

Work towards identifying revised alternative solutions is expected to be completed in time for the normal public consultation procedures to take place in about a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the interests of road safety, he will encourage the introduction of more low speed limits in those villages which now suffer from heavy, rapidly moving through traffic and also the introduction of humps in roads to reduce the speed of such traffic.

My right hon. Friend supports the introduction of a 40 mph speed limit in villages on main roads where the accident rate and the speed of traffic show this to be justified. Speed control humps, however, are still experimental, and there is no power to install them permanently.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of the current subsidy given by his Department to the RAC/ACU training scheme for motor cyclists.

£30,000 in 1976–77. This includes a grant of £13,000 towards the cost of purchasing motor cycles and a per capita grant of £3 for each pupil who takes the proficiency test at the end of the course.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many acres of land have been used for (a) motorways and (b) major road projects, in England and Wales, and in Scotland, for each year since 1968 to date; and how much of this was farm land.

Detailed information is not readily available on the amount of land taken for road building, or the proportion that was formerly in agricultural use. It is estimated that about 14,000 acres and 4,000 acres of rural land of all types has been used for motorway building, and all-purpose trunk road building, respectively, in England since 1968.Roads in Scotland and Wales are the responsibilities of the respective Secretaries of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the seasonally adjusted index of industrial production in Wales and the United Kingdom, respectively, for all industry and each of the major sub-sectors, at the latest date for which data are available and for each quarter of the previous three years.

The information required is attached:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those local authorities in Wales which did not submit a bid for an extra allocation of resources for mortgage lending and house improvement purposes.

The following authorities did not seek an additional allocation for work under Section 105 of the Housing Act 1974:

• Cynon Valley District Council
• Llanelli Borough Council
• Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council
• Meirionydd District Council
• Monmouth District Council
• Montgomery District Council
• Neath Borough Council
• Preseli District Council
• Radnor District Council
• Swansea City Council
• Newport Borough Council

The following authorities did not seek an additional allocation for mortgage lending:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will place in the Library a copy of the latest annual report of the Welsh Office Road Division.

The latest report published in June 1974 in "Cymru: Wales" is available in the Library. A further report will be available later this month and will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the number of Government factories built in Wales during the year and the total number of such factories in existence and the number empty during each of the last 12 years.

Detailed information in the form requested covering all Government factories could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Information is readily available for the number of empty advance factories at end October only for the period since 1970. This is given in the table below:

(i) Advance factories completed 1st January 1976 to 31st October 1976	44
(ii) Advance factories authorised since November 1964 and completed at 31st October 1976	132
(iii) Advance factories vacant at:
31st October 1970	5
31st October 1971	10
31st October 1972	14
31st October 1973	7
31st October 1974	6
31st October 1975	16
31st October 1976	45

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what United Kingdom personnel were serving in former High Commission territories and Malawi at the time of independence; and how many are serving there at present.

The following table shows the number of persons wholly and partly financed under the aid programme on the dates in question:

	At Independence	At End of 1975 (a)
Botswana	201	415
Lesotho	95	79
Malawi	687	606
Swaziland	174	186
(a) latest date of collated statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make, a statement giving his views upon the status and role of youth exchange programmes.

Her Majesty's Government are very much in favour of the maximum possible exchanges between young people as an element in improveing international co-operation and understanding, and we will continue to do all that we can to encourage and actively support such exchanges and contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards self-government and independence in the New Hebrides following the recent by-elections.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Anglo-French joint ministerial message of 29th June, published in the Official Report on 6th July, and to the joint communiqué issued after the ministerial talks on 6th and 7th October, published in the Official Report of 26th October, which outline the constitutional development envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has now studied the Franco-Soviet Agreement to reduce the risk of either country launching an accidental nuclear attack on the other and to warn each other immediately on the hot line of any such accident if it occurs; and if he will now consider proposing a similar agreement between Great Britain and the USSR.

I will inform my hon. Friend when the Government have completed their consideration of an initiative of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Nepali relations.

We enjoy close relations with the Government of Nepal and there are no problems between our two countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied as to the safety of British citizens in Angola; and if he will make a statement.

In the absence of diplomatic relations we are not in a position to exercise normal consular protection of British subjects in Angola. People who remain or travel should be, of course, aware of this. We have been doing our best, through the International Committee of the Red Cross, to assist the seven British mercenaries who are in prison in Angola.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet President Stroessner of Paraguay in the near future.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's Consul in Athens has recently rendered to Mr. Chapman in making contact with the Greek authorities in connection with elucidating the mystery surrounding the murder of his daughter in 1971.

Her Majesty's Embassy in Athens has recenly made further enquiries of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and I understand that the Greek judicial authorities are examining information furnished by Mr. Chapman's lawyer in order to decide whether there are grounds for reopening this tragic case Her Majesty's Consul has not recently been asked for specific assistance by Mr. Chapman or his lawyer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many surveys, questionnaires, censuses or similar investigations have been carried out, either wholly or partly, at public expense, on behalf of or by his Department or by any public bodies for which he is responsible in 1974, 1975 and in 1976 to date, respectively, specifying their nature and purpose and the total cost to public funds.

No such surveys, questionnaires, censuses or similar investigations have been undertaken by my right hon. Friend's Department or public bodies for which he is responsible during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way Her Majesty's Government consider the Transkei not to be fully internally independent pursuant to his answer of 28th October.

Our view is that the circumstances surrounding the purported independence of the Transkei, including South African and Transkeian legislation, appear to represent a continuation of South African Government policy in this particular homeland and do not clearly show the Transkei to have full internal independence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way Her Majesty's Government consider the Transkei not to be fully externally independent pursuant to his answer of 28th October.

Our view is that the Transkei does not possess the full internal autonomy necessary to permit full freedom of action in respect of external relations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what plans he has, in the event of a breakdown of the Geneva Conference on Rhodesia over the question of control of the police forces in any interim Government, to propose that a Briton should be appointed as a transitional minister in charge of this portfolio;(2) what plans he has, in the event of a breakdown of the Geneva Conference on Rhodesia over the question of control of the defence ministry in any interim Government, to propose that a Briton should be appointed as a transitional minister in charge of this portfolio.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to hold in the EEC with other Foreign Ministers of the member States on the matter of possible EEC economic and financial assistance to Rhodesia once a majority-rule government is achieved and Her Majesty's Government have presented the necessary legislation in Parliament.

At this stage none. But we shall naturally keep these matters under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make available to hon. Members the information that is being collected by NATO and the Nine as to the compliance by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of the agreements and undertakings entered into at Helsinki in 1975.

Her Majesty's Government cannot enter into any undertaking regarding the provision of information which is provided on a confidential basis by other Governments of the European Community and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Alliance. But the Government remain ready to provide information they have themselves collected on Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe implementation. It will be recalled that a Note containing information about Soviet implementation of the Final Act was circulated on 10th March. This remains broadly accurate, the main new development having been the Soviet Government's notification of a second major manoeuvre which took place in the Leningrad military district in June. If the hon. Member would like such further information about particular aspects of implementation as is at Her Majesty's Government's disposal, this will be made available to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Government aid is currently spent annually on foreign language broadcasts; and if he will itemise this expenditure.

In the current financial year, the net cost to Her Majesty's Gov-

					£	£
Arabic Service	…	…	…	…		2,853,000
East European Service
Russian	…	…	…	…	888,000
Romanian	…	…	…	…	430,000
Yugoslav (Serbo Croat and Slovene)	…	…	…	…	398,000
Bulgarian	…	…	…	…	358,000
						2,074,000
Central European Service
Czechoslovak (Czech and Slovak)	…	…	…	…	630,000
Polish	…	…	…	…	562,000
Hungarian	…	…	…	…	495,000
Finnish	…	…	…	…	257,000
						1,944,000
Eastern Service
Hindi	…	…	…	…	458,000
Persian	…	…	…	…	337,000
Urdu	…	…	…	…	313,000
Bengali	…	…	…	…	248,000
Burmese	…	…	…	…	209,000
Tamil	…	…	…	…	41,000
Nepali	…	…	…	…	25,000
						1,631,000
Far Eastern Service
Chinese	…	…	…	…	592,000
Indonesian and Malay	…	…	…	…	345,000
Vietnamese	…	…	…	…	276 000
Japanese	…	…	…	…	235,000
Thai	…	…	…	…	171 000
						1,619,000
South European Service
Italian	…	…	…	…	276,000
Greek	…	…	…	…	264 000
Spanish	…	…	…	…	250,000
Turkish	…	…	…	…	227,000
Portuguese	…	…	…	…	213,000
						1,230,000
Latin American Service
Spanish	…	…	…	…	778 000
Brazilian	…	…	…	…	432,000
						1,210,000
French Service	…	…	…	…		1,148,000
German Service	…	…	…	…		991,000
African Service
Hausa	…	…	…	…	255,000
Swahili	…	…	…	…	253,000
Somali	…	…	…	…	201,000
						709,000

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the increase of gross domestic product in real terms of 1975 over 1974 and the estimated increase of 1976 over 1975 in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.

The increase in gross domestic product in real terms for 1975 over 1974 was plus 3 per cent, in the case of Hong Kong, and minus 1·4 per cent, in the case of the United Kingdom. The

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Government of Hong Kong intend to provide three years of secondary education for all students: how many new places have been provided in 1976 to date: and how many new schools will be constructed by the Government in the next two years.

Three years' secondary education for all will be available by 1980. An additional 11,500 new secondary education places have so far been provided in 1976. A further 45 new secondary schools, providing a total of 48,100 places, and a further 22 new primary schools will have been completed by September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Government of Hong Kong hope to provide decent self-contained housing within the means of all living in the colony: and if he will make a statement on the Hong Kong Government's housing policy.

The Hong Kong Government plan to build additional public housing for about 1·5 million persons by 1984–85, by which time decent self-contained housing, at subsidised rents, will be available for the majority of lower-income families. About 2 million persons or 45 per cent, of the population of Hong Kong currently live in subsidised housing: the number is expected to rise to 65 per cent. in 1984–85. In addition, the private sector is being encouraged to build and develop self-contained housing. I am satisfied with the efforts being made by the Hong Kong Government to improve the volume and quality of public housing.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Governor's plans for tertiary education by expansion of the polytechnics and universities in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Government plan to increase the number of students at the two universities in Hong Kong from 8,500 in the current academic year to 10,350 in the academic year 1980–81. The number of students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic will increase from the present 7,259 to 11,400 full-time and part-time equivalent—including evening students—by 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of his policy regarding full support for the present social policy of the Hong Kong Government.

Her Majesty's Government welcome the Hong Kong Government's plans for further progress in social, labour and allied fields in Hong Kong, as set out by the Governor of Hong Kong in his statement to the Legislative Council on 6th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occupations of the members of Hong Kong Legislative Council today and those of their predecessors in 1946, 1956 and 1966.

The occupations of the unofficial Members of the Legislative Council for the years concerned are as follows:

• 1946.—2 businessmen, 2 solicitors, 1 barrister, 1 banker, 1 doctor (7).
• 1956.—3 businessmen, 2 doctors, 2 bankers, I solicitor (8).
• 1966.—8 businessmen, 2 solicitors, 1 engineer, 1 social worker, 1 educationalist (13).
• 1976.—10 businessmen, 2 bankers, 2 barristers, 2 solicitors, 1 doctor, 1 social worker, 1 school principal, 1 missionary, 1 trade unionist, 1 transport supervisor (22).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the actions the Hong Kong Government have taken to improve terms and conditions of employment within the colony.

Approximately 130 items of legislation designed to improve conditions of employment and the safety and health of workers have been enacted over the past nine years. Further legislation is in preparation for this session of the Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the comparative incomes and social benefits of workers in manufacturing industry in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea.

The information requested is as follows:

	Comparative hourly wage rates: March 1976
	HK Dollars	Comparative Indexes
Hong Kong.	3·76	100
Japan	13·36†	335
South Korea.	2·42†	64
Philippines	1·42*	38
Taiwan	2·58	69
Singapore	Not available	Not available
* June 1976 figure.
† Includes salaried employees and family allowances.

In the field of social security, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan all have schemes which provide benefits in cases of old age, invalidity and death. Hong Gong has no statutory contributory scheme but its non-contributory scheme, financed from general revenue and providing for the payment of public assistance and disability and infirmity allowances, compares favourably with contributory schemes in neighbouring Asian countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the figures of manufacturing industry unemployment in both Hong Kong and the United Kingdom for the years 1974, 1975 and 1976: what was the annual rate of inflation in 1974, 1975 and 1976 for Hong Kong and the United Kingdom; and what was the percentage of the GNP or gross Government expenditure, including nationalised industries, compared with the private sector in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.

I regret that figures for the number of unemployed in the manufacturing industry in Hong Kong are not available. The figures for the United Kingdom are as follows:

1974 (November)	166,000
1975 (December)	328,000
1976 (August)	350,000

The annual rate of inflation in Hong Kong, based on the Consumer Price Index, and United Kingdom, based on the Retail Price Index, is as follows:

	1974 per cent
Hong Kong	14·0
United Kingdom	16·9

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what are the activities of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation: what is its overall cost to public funds; and what fees are paid to its chairman and members:(2) what was the cost to public funds in 1975 of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation.

The terms of reference of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation were set out in Appendix A to the Council's Report to the Secretary of State for Energy (Energy Paper Number 3) of July 1975. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library.The Council is continuing to explore, in consultation with a wide range of bodies including Government Departments, the scope for savings in all areas of energy consumption and use, and the means by which they can be realised. Its report to my right hon. Friend was published last year, and it has begun publishing a series of discussion papers based on work by its six specialist working groups. They are now directing attention increasingly to issues with medium and longer-term effect.No fees are paid to the Council's chairman or members. The cost of meeting expenses incurred on Council business in 1975 was £3,057. The costs of the staff of the Departments of Energy and the Environment employed full time in servicing the Council and its subordinate bodies are estimated at £44,000 for the same period. These staff costs include salaries, superannuation, accommodation and use of common services of four members of the Department of Energy, and one of the Department of the Environment. The cost of staff employed part-time in connection with the Council cannot be readily calculated.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current estimate of economically workable coal reserves in Scotland: and what proportion of these reserves is likely to be developed.

The current estimate of " classified " coal reserves in Scotland—i.e., reserves which are accessible from existing collieries and which are economically workable under current marketing conditions and with present mining technology—is 224 million tons. In addition, there are reserves suitable for opencast mining of about 19 million tons. The 50 million tons of potentially workable reserves in the recently proved Musselburgh prospect is additional to the above figures.It is not possible to say what proportion of these reserves is likely to be developed. This must depend largely on the future market for Scottish coal, particularly the demand for coal for power stations which is currently the subject of discussion between the NCB, the SSEB and the Government. The NCB estimates the total physically workable reserves in Scotland—those at depths of up to 4,000 ft. and in seams over 2 ft. thick—at about 12,000 million tons. This takes no account of the costs of extraction, of available markets or of access.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the difference between the maximum retail prices set out in the Schedule to the Paraffin (Maximum Retail Prices) (Amendment) Order 1976 No. 1840, and the market price of the product.

All retailers are free to sell at less than the maximum retail price, and in some competitive areas some outlets, particularly garages, do so. However, there is evidence that the retail price would generally rise if control were lifted.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, of the 2 billion pounds considered to be required for the North Sea gas pipeline network what percentage of the total is scheduled for the purchase of pipe.

The Williams-Merz provisional estimate was that about 40 per cent, of the total capital cost of about £1·6 billion would be for the purchase and laying of pipe. A more detailed breakdown is given in Appendix B of the report. These and all other estimates will need to be reconsidered before a decision to proceed with the project can be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the pipe intended for use in the North Sea gas pipeline network will have to be purchased abroad: and when he anticipates that the BSC will have capacity to manufacture pipeline of the required specification for use on the Continental Shelf for the movement of oil and natural gas.

It will not be known whether any pipe will be needed for a gas-gathering system until further detailed studies have been completed. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry that the BSC already has the capacity to manufacture undersea pipe below 20 inches diameter and is carrying out studies into the possibility of enhancing capacity to include the manufacture of larger diameter pipe.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest estimate for opencast coal tonnage mined in the current year; and what is the target for 1977.

I am informed by the National Coal Board that its latest estimate for opencast coal production in 1976 is some 11·5 million tons. For 1977 it hopes to get up to around 12 million tons.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied that adequate powers exist to protect the public against dangers arising from faulty gas installations.

The Gas Safety Regulations 1972 continue to provide valuable safeguards, but if the gas industry cannot secure the householder's co-operation it lacks authority in the last resort to enter, inspect, and cut off appliances and installations which might endanger the user and others besides. Following the recommendations of the Morton Report in 1970, the Gas Act 1972 made express provision for such powers, subject to extensive safeguards, and the Gas Safety (Rights of Entry) Regulations 1976, which have today been laid before Parliament, will confer them with effect from 7th March 1977. I am arranging for a publicity campaign at that time to inform gas consumers of the rights and obligations which these and the 1972 regulations have established for their protection.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he can now give further details of the scheme to allocate £25 million to give a discount on the cost of electricity used by poor households in the winter.

One-quarter of the amount payable to electricity boards by householders on supplementary benefit or family income supplement in respect of electricity meter readings made in February, March or April next year will be met by Her Majesty's Government. Practical details of the scheme by which this will be done are now being worked out in discussion between my officials, electricity boards and the Post Office Corporation and with trade union representatives.In broad outline it is planned that, after 1st February, when an account arrives, the householder should take it to the post office when collecting his or her supplementary benefit or family income supplement allowance. He or she will then be given a voucher for the amount of the discount, which electricity boards will accept towards payment of the account.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in vinyl chloride monomer production to protect workers against angiosar-coma: and what steps are being taken to detect carcinogenic potential in chemical products.

When the relationship between exposure to Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) and angiosarcoma was established in 1974 Her Majesty's Inspector of Factories set up a tripartite working group to consider what action should be taken. By February 1975 the working group had produced the Vinyl Chloride Code of Practice for Health Precautions. Before the carcinogenicity of VCM was established the threshold limit value had been set at 200 parts per million (ppm). The code of practice set an interim hygiene standard of 25 ppm time weighted average over an eight-hour shift with a ceiling value, which was not to be exceeded, of 50 ppm, with a provision that wherever practicable concentrations should be brought as near as possible to zero. In addition, the code required stringent monitoring and recording procedures, medical supervision, joint consultation, training and education of workers exposed to VCM.The working group revised the code in the light of developing knowledge and agreed in October 1975 that the hygiene standard should be reduced to 10 ppm time weighted average—ceiling 30 ppm—with the same proviso that wherever practicable concentrations should be brought as near as possible to zero.Experts from industry and the Health and Safety Executive have been in frequent contact with their counterparts in Europe and the USA to pool knowledge on this subject. They are also actively engaged in the drafting of an EEC vinyl Chloride Directive largely based on the United Kingdom code of practice.Section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 imposes a duty on manufacturers of substances for use at work to carry out or arrange for the carrying out of any necessary research with a view to the discovery and, so far as is reasonably practicable, the elimination or minimisation of any risks to safety or health to which the substance may give rise. This duty extends to carcinogenic potential.Widespread use is made of the results of animal experiments and the possibilities of rapid screening for carcinogenic potential using micro-organisms are currently being investigated both by industry and by the Health and Safety Executive through the Medical Research Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost to public funds in the latest 12 months for which figures are available of all the leaflets, posters, advertising and all other information sources, issued by, or on behalf of his Department, or any semi-autonomous or autonomous body for which he is the responsible Minister, regarding how to claim benefits, removal expenses, tax rebates and similar payments.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the cost of leaflets, posters, advertising and exhibition and display material for the Employment Transfer Scheme for the period November 1975 to October 1976 is as follows:

	£
Leaflets	18,900
Exhibition and Display Material (including posters)	2,893
Advertising (Press and Radio) (November 1975 to March 1976)	81,700
Direct Mail Marketing (2 leaflets and letter in reply to newspaper coupon response)	1,120

My Department is not responsible for any other benefit of the kind listed by the hon. Member. The production of literature on unemployment benefit is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the employment opportunities of immigrant teachers: and what replies he has made.

Representations have been made by the Society of Immigrant Teachers to ask whether a survey could be carried out on immigrant teachers similar to the study on women teachers' pay published in the Department of Employment Gazette.A study similar to that in the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the ratio of employers' national insurance contributions to the unit cost of labour for each of the years since 1970.

The information available in this Department comes from labour cost surveys conducted every few years. For manufacturing industries the most recent information relates to the year 1973, when employers' national insurance contributions formed 4·9 per cent, of their total labour costs. The full results of this survey were published in the issues of the Department of Employment Gazette for September and October 1975. Similar surveys were made in 1968 and 1964, when the comparable percentages were 4·4 and 3·6 respectively. The results of a further survey, relating to the year 1975, will be published in due course.Labour cost surveys have also been conducted in a number of other industries and services. Insurance and banking were covered in 1964, 1968 and 1974 and national insurance contributions represented 2·5, 3·2 and 4·3 per cent, of employers' total labour costs in the three years, respectively. The distributive trades were covered only in 1974, and the comparable percentage was 6·3.