asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report of the Franks inquiry into the feasibility of a register for the dependants of immigrants.

I cannot give a date for publication, but I understand that the report has just been completed and I therefore expect to receive it very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a family from Zambia arriving at Heathrow Airport on 3rd November were permitted entry into the United Kingdom despite the fact that they had no contacts in the United Kingdom and very limited funds.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the case of Mr. Shambmubhai Patel and his wife and two children who arrived at London Airport on 30th October. Mrs. Patel has the right of abode in this country under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 and she is, therefore, free from immigration control. Under the Immigration Rules her accompanying husband and children were entitled to admission to this country with her for settlement and in these circumstances there could have been no question of refusing the family admission on the ground that they were unable to support themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds 9,642 Commonwealth citizens, who originally entered the United Kingdom on condition they remained for a limited period, were allowed to become permanent settlers between 1st January and 30th June 1976.

Of the 9,642, 4,683 were accepted for settlement by reason of their marriage to someone settled in the United Kingdom; and 3,042 because they had become immune from deportation by virtue of Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971. The remaining 1,917 fulfilled various other criteria for settle- ment, mainly that of dependency as the children, parents or grandparents of someone already settled here.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers of people from the new Commonwealth, including Pakistan (a) admitted for settlement in the United Kingdom and (b) accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom by revocation of conditions in 1975 and 1976, the figure for 1976 being estimated on the basis of the latest available monthly totals calculated at an annual rate.

During 1975, 34,510 citizens of the New Commonwealth and Pakistan, including non-patrial United Kingdom passport holders, were accepted for settlement on arrival and 18,755 were accepted for settlement on the removal of the time limit attached to their stay. The estimated figures, by normal statistical methods, for 1976 are 38,500 and 19,500 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he now proposes to take to strengthen the law on squatting.

Some provisions on offences of entering and remaining on property are included in part II of the draft Bill annexed to the Law Commission's report on conspiracy, published in March this year. I hope that it may be possible to introduce legislation to amend the law of conspiracy early next Session, but I cannot anticipate the content of the Queen's Speech.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he is considering to reduce the numbers in Her Majesty's prisons.

A wide range of alternative non-custodial measures is available to the courts and our main current concern is to maintain and where possible develop these as best we can in the present difficult financial situation. We have under consideration proposals for increasing certain of the powers of the courts to impose financial penalties. As regards untried and unsentenced prisoners, the Bail Act will reinforce efforts to avoid remand in custody wherever possible. But it must not be forgotten that the size of the prison population is largely determined by the number of detected and convicted offenders and the use by the courts of their sentencing discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a review of the general operations of the immigrant advisory and welfare services in the London borough areas.

No. I see no need for such a review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to announce the ending of the remanding of boys and girls aged 14 to 16 years to Prison Service establishments.

I refer my hon. Friend to replies to similar Questions given by my hon. Friends the Minister of State and the Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security on 9th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 125–7 and 147.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to implement to deal with the increase in crimes of violence by persons under the age of 21 years.

The best deterrent to crime, including violent crime committed by those under 21, is the probability of being caught and convicted. This depends largely on the effectiveness of the police, and the Government are making considerable efforts to improve recruitment, with every sign of success.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the courts have adequate powers to deal with crimes of violence by teenagers.

In general, yes. The courts have a variety of powers available to them when dealing with young offenders found guilty of crimes of violence. Custodial measures include imprisonment for those over 17; borstal training for those aged 15 and above; and detention centres for boys of 14 and over. In certain very serious cases there is a power to order long periods of detention in such places as the Secretary of State may direct. Other measures include committal to local authority care and a range of non-custodial orders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new detention centres are planned.

None. The existing six junior detention centres provide adequate accommodation, and there is some surplus accommodation in the 12 senior centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify in the next phase of the urban aid programme a minimum of 50 per cent. of the total allocation to be passed on by local authorities for voluntary work.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now revise the Judges' Rules and make them statutory.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my predecessor gave to his Question on 22nd July.—[Vol. 915, c. 525.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations have taken place during 1976 with organisations interested in and concerned with firearms.

There have been discussions with representatives of the Long Room Committee, the Wildfowlers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland, the Deer Society and the manufacturers of air weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of illegally-held pistols which have been confiscated by the police since the end of the war.

No central record is maintained or firearms confiscated by, or surrendered to, the police in the normal course of their duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received any request at a place of entry by Mr. J. J. Thorsen to enter the United Kingdom; and what action has been taken as a result.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that it is proposed that clergy of all denominations may stand for election as members of the Scottish and Welsh Assemblies, if he will seek the repeal of those sections of the Catholic Emancipation Act which prevent Roman Catholic clergy from standing for election to the House of Commons, and the House of Commons (Clergy Disqualification) Act, 1801, relating to clergymen of the Church of England.

Select Committees in 1953 and 1956 recommended no change in respect of the disqualification of the clergy from election to Parliament. The Government have no plans at present for altering the law on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy that notice to quit should be issued to widows whose husbands die while they are the tenants of service houses attached to Her Majesty's prisons.

Yes. It is not unfortunately possible in an operational service to allow the widow of a deceased officer to retain his quarter indefinitely, and in order to protect its position in relation to future use of the house the Department has no option but to issue a notice to quit. Every effort is made, however, to delay the recovery of possession for as long as possible and to assist the widow, through the Department's Staff Welfare Service, in her resettlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Chief Constable of Bedfordshire about the case of the former PC Betteridge of the Bedfordshire Police; and if he will make a statement.

The Chief Constable of Bedfordshire wrote to my predecessor about this case, and has received a full reply. It would not be appropriate to go into details of the correspondence, but the reply once again expressed regret for the delay in reaching a decision on Mr. Betteridge's appeal, and referred to the consideration which, as my predecessor informed the House on 7th June, formed the basis of his decision on the appeal.—[Vol. 912, c. 979–82].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the powers of local authorities in connection with house-to-house collections; and, in particular, what representations he has received regarding the Age Action Fund.

Since 1974 it has been represented by and on behalf of local licensing authorities that they should be able to regulate the number of house-to-house collections in their areas, and that their power to refuse licences for such collections is inadequate. Representations on the latter point have been made mostly in the context of applications for licences by Aged Action Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has satisfied himself that the presence of Mr. Tongsun Park in the United Kingdom, when his activities are being examined by a Federal and Congressional inquiry, are unconnected with the fund raising, bribery and intelligence operations with which he is currently charged in the United States of America.

If my hon. Friend has any evidence of such a connection perhaps he would send it to me so that I can consider whether any action is called for on our part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of the Government on granting asylum to refugees from South Africa.

Applications for admission by people who do not otherwise qualify under the Immigration Rules and who claim refugee status are considered in accordance with the terms of Article 1 of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The cases are decided individually in the light of the facts presented.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been in respect of Sunday trading offences in contravention of the Shops Act 1950.

The information readily available is as follows:

PERSONS PROCEEDED AGAINST FOR OFFENCES AGAINST PART IV (SUNDAY TRADING) OF THE SHOPS ACT 1950—ENGLAND AND WALES
Years	Number of Persons
1971	167
1972	491
1973	661
1974	496

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to state whether he has decided to increase the penalties for contravention of the anti-rabies laws, following his discussions with chief constables; if he will empower magistrates to imprison deliberate offenders against the animal quarantine regulations; and if he intends generally to raise the level of fines to keep abreast of inflation.

My Department has reviewed certain maximum summary fines, including those which may be imposed on conviction of an offence under the Rabies (Dogs, Cats and other Mammals) Importation Order 1974. We have concluded that there is a case for increasing the maximum summary fines for rabies offences and for some others, and we intend to do so at a suitable legislative opportunity. As to imprisonment, I would refer the hon. Member to The answer I gave to his Question 12th October.—[Vol. 917, c. 85.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. and Mrs. R. G. Kerswell, who were born in Great Britain and possess British passports, were detained at Heathrow Airport and repatriated to Rhodesia; and what form of appeal is open to them.

Mr. Kerswell was refused entry on 1st September 1976 by virtue of Article 5 of the Southern Rhodesia (Immigration Act 1971) Order 1972. He has no right of appeal against the refusal. He was informed how he might apply to be removed from the category of persons dealt with under Article 5. Mrs. Kerswell was not refused entry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet completed his consultations on the law relating to identification evidence in criminal proceedings; and when he expects to bring forward legislation on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has completed the consultation his predecessor announced when the Devlin Committee Report on Identification (Criminal Cases) was published; if not, when he expects to complete the consultation; and, if it is complete, what action he intends to take.

These consultations are almost complete. Guidelines for cases involving evidence of visual identification were laid down in the Court of Appeal's judgment in R. v. Turnbull (1976), 63 Cr App R 132. I do not expect to bring forward legislation until there has been an opportunity to assess the impact of these guidelines. I do, however, intend to issue a new circular to the police about the conduct of identification parades and the showing of photographs revising the current guidance along the general lines recommended by the Devlin Committee and to consider whether any other desirable changes can be effected by administrative means.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the continuing delay in convening the new Speaker's Conference, he will now seek to amend the Representation of the People Act 1949 so as to delete the requirement that the voter's electoral number be marked on the ballot paper counterfoil, in order that any such amendment can become operative in time for the next General Election.

No. We do not believe that such an amendment should be made in advance of consideration by a new Speaker's Conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for strengthening the specialist advice he receives on the subject of defence against nuclear attack; how many advisers he has, and how often they meet; and whether he will make a statement.

Officials of my Department and those with honorary scientific appointments number together about 20. They meet regularly. On the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Horn-church (Mr. Williams) and the hon. Gentleman the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) on 11th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 211.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the present prison population of over 42,000, he will institute an early release scheme as in Northern Ireland for those short-term prisoners not eligible for parole.

No. The scheme to which my hon. Friend refers was devised for the special circumstances of Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action to remedy the position of members of the Metropolitan Police who are required to work on Boxing Day, 26th December 1976, and on New Year's Day, 1st January 1977, without compensation.

No remedial action is required because they will be entitled to public holidays on 27th and 28th December and 3rd January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas Her Majesty's Government have undertaken to make available to political refugees from Chile; how many have been applied for; and how many have been granted for the last convenient period.

There is no quota for political refugees from Chile. Each application is considered on its merits. Up to 31st October, a total of 3,996 letters of consent, involving 10,456 people, had been applied for, of which 1,285 involving 2,339 people, had been granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in order to give motorists the same rough guide as to fitness to drive as is given to the police, he will publish where breathalysers used by the police can be purchased by the public.

The device used by the police is available from Draeger Safety, Sunnyside Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire. But we do not advise motorists to test themselves: the breathalyser is only a screening device, and use in untrained hands could give misleading results and induce drivers to drink beyond safe limits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firemen were killed and injured by the inhalation of toxic fumes in each of the last five years; whether the origin of the fumes was identified in each case; and if so with what result.

I regret that information in the form requested is not available. Research on health hazards to firemen is being carried out as part of the Home Office Fire Research Programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to standardise protective equipment issued to both fire service and police officers who may be involved in fires where there is danger from toxic fumes.

Prime responsibility rests with the fire service and not the police who, although they may be present at the scene of an incident, do not engage in fire-fighting operations as such. Protective equipment for use by fire brigades at fires, including those involving toxic hazards, is provided by fire authorities. On the advice of the Central Fire Brigades

	Metropolitan Police (from 1st April 1975)	West Midlands (from 1st April 1976)	Nottinghamshire (from 1st April 1976)
	£	£	£
Federated ranks (Constable to Chief Inspector)	987	839	644
Superintendents	1,065	917	722
Commander	1,091	—	—
Deputy Assistant Commissioner	1,116	—	—
Assistant Commissioner	1,166	—	—
Deputy Commissioner	1,191	—	—
Assistant Chief Constable	—	1,070	887
Chief Constable	—	1,220	1,043

Rent allowances within those limits, which are reviewed every two years, are based on the district valuer's assessment of rental values of officers' houses. Single officers are entitled to half the maximum limit for their rank.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department

NUMBER RESIGNING WITHOUT PENSION OR GRATUITY
Year (a)			Total(b)	Years of Service less than
				1	2	3	4	5	10	15	25
1970*	…	…	3,665	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1971*	…	…	2,610	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1972	…	…	2,782	699	603	266	191	179	523	225	96
1973	…	…	3,513	770	709	362	265	225	771	288	123
1974	…	…	3,657	831	589	378	297	260	837	332	133
1975	…	…	2,701	853	520	228	169	175	481	188	87
1976
(to 30th September)			2,301	766	569	150	130	131	349	154	52
* Details for 1970 and 1971 could not be provided save at disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has any plans to increase the present limits on election expenses before the county council elections in 1977;

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the rates of rent allowance paid to the police in (a) the Metropolitan Police area, (b) the West Midlands Police area and, (c) the Nottingham Police area.

The maximum limits of annual rent allowances for married officers in the areas concerned are as follows:whether he will set out details of the policemen who resigned from the service without pension or gratuity in each of the years from 1970 showing (

The figures are as follows:(2) whether he will conduct a review into the present levels of election expense allowances for parliamentary and local elections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will increase the maximum figures which candidates at parliamentary and local government elections are permitted to incur by way of election expenses so as to take account of the rate of inflation since the existing figures were originally established;(2) if he will increase the figure for items of parliamentary and local government election expenditure above which receipts must be produced, to take account of the rate of inflation since the existing figure was originally established.

Increases in the expenses limits would require legislation. So far as expenses for parliamentary elections are concerned, it would be appropriate for the matter to be considered by a new Speaker's Conference before such legislation were prepared.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will encourage the use of collars as an alternative to ear-tagging as a means of affixing identification numbers to cattle.

Article 16(1) of the Tuberculosis Order 1964 requires all cattle to be permanently marked in an approved manner from the age of 14 days. This is to facilitate the identification and tracing of cattle for disease-control purposes. Some types of ear tag have been approved under this article, but not collars, since they do not constitute a sufficiently reliable method of marking. My Department does, however, recommend the use of collars in appropriate cases for herd management purposes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will ban fishing by fishing vessels exceed- ing 85 feet in length in the 12-mile limit on the Irish Sea coast of the United Kingdom.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now considered the proposal to extend the Holy Island jetty; and when he expects to announce his decision.

There are a number of technical matters still to be clarified but it is hoped to write to the Holy Island Fishermen's Society shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest available figures for the total milk production consumed in the home manufacture of butter and cheese; what are the levels of stocks of such commodities; how much of such commodities are imported from member countries of the European Economic Community; and how this affects the balance of payments.

The latest information is as follows.The quantity of milk utilised for the manufacture of butter in the United Kingdom in the 1975–76 marketing year —April-March— was 329·7 million gallons, whilst the quantity of milk utilised for the manufacture of cheese in the same period was 489·7 million gallon.Commercial stocks of butter and cheese at 1st October 1976 were 97,200 and 100,600 tonnes respectively. In the first nine months of this year 194,256 tonnes of butter and 78,433 tonnes of cheese were imported from the European Community at a cost of £188·7 million and £76·7 million respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to derive some benefit for British consumers from the various surplus foodstuffs in the EEC that are imported into the United Kingdom, in order to offset higher food prices.

Community measures which have been of benefit to United Kingdom consumers include the beef token scheme— December 1974-April 1975—and the present butter subsidy scheme where the contribution from Community FEOGA funds is currently at a rate of £28·48 per tonne. United Kingdom consumers have also derived benefit from other programmes affecting butter, such as disposal to non-profit making organisations, pastry manufacturers and Service men, which help to keep down prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the amount of milk produced in 1974 and the amount consumed as liquid milk now compares with the amount in the same period of the first six months of 1976.

The information requested is as follows:

	Million gallons
	1974 (January-June inclusive)	1976 (January-June inclusive)
Total sales of milk in the United Kingdom through the Milk Marketing Boards	1,507·9	1,620·4
Amount sold for liquid consumption	834·6	852·6

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tons of potatoes and potato products were imported into the United Kingdom in 1975 and 1976; what were the sources of such supplies; for what purposes they were used; and what was the cost per ton.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the figures published in the Overseas Trade Accounts of the United Kingdom. It is assumed that the potatoes and potato products imported this year and last were used for human consumption, but no details are available on the precise outlets.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish figures showing the quantities of powdered milk being held in store by EEC intervention agencies at the latest date for which figures are available and at the corresponding dates in each of the last four years.

According to information given by member States' delegates to the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products on 28th October 1976, stocks of skimmed milk powder held by EEC intervention agencies totalled 1,279,000 metric tons. The levels at this time in the previous four years were:

1975	1,050,000	metric	tons
1974	350,000	"	"
1973	184,000	"	"
1972	38,000	"	"

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the volume of eggs exported from and imported into the United Kingdom in the first nine months of 1976 and of the previous three years.

United Kingdom trade in shell eggs for human consumption in the first nine months of each year since 1973 was as follows:

	(Boxes of 360 eggs)
	Imports	Exports
January-September—
1973	664,994	64,701
1974	642,480	89,596
1975	670,292	218,653
1976	172,902	259,453

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of eggs produced in the United Kingdom during the third quarter of 1976 and during the same period in each of the last three years.

The total number of eggs produced for human consumption during the third quarter of the years 1973–1976 was as follows:

July-September	(million dozen)
1973	293·6
1974	219·2
1975	283·0
1976	281·2

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many million gallons of milk were sold through the Milk Marketing Board for liquid consumption and how many gallons went for manufacture in 1975; and how this compares with the first nine months of 1976.

SALES OF MILK IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THROUGH THE MILK MARKETING BOARDS
Million gallons
	1975 (January-December)	1975 (January-September)	1976 (January-September)
For liquid consumption	1,729·6	1,294·2	1,281·5
For manufacturing utilisation	1,159·3	909·4	1,020·2

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there has been a decline in the size of the national pig herd during 1976; and what action he has taken and is taking to secure an improvement in the position.

Both the June 1976 census results and the September 1976 sample inquiry for England and Wales showed that the size of the pig breeding herd had increased compared with a year earlier but there has recently been an increase in sow slaughterings. Our main concern is to secure agreement in the Community to a fairer basis for calculating monetary compensatory amounts on imports of bacon and other pigmeat products. This would be good both for United Kingdom processors and pig producers. The recently agreed reduction of 8 per cent. in these amounts is a step in the right direction, but my right hon. Friend will be pressing hard for further changes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the recent extent and pattern of bank lending.

The figures for banking-October show a continued growth of bank lending to the private sector at a level which is inconsistent with my objectives for the growth of the money supply. Further monetary restraint is therefore necessary. Accordingly, the Bank of England, with my approval, is reactivating the Supplementary Special Deposit Scheme, under which a guideline is set for the growth of each bank's sterling interest bearing eligible liabilities, and a bank is required to pay such deposits if it exceeds that guideline.

The information requested is as follows:The existing guidance to banks on the direction of their lending remains in force, so that manufacturing industry should continue to be able to satisfy its needs for funds for investment and exports. The scope for banks to meet the essential needs of industry within the guideline will be increased by the rundown of their sterling advances to finance third country trade, following the exchange control ban on such advances which is also being announced today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the actual or estimated amounts of sterling sent from Great Britain to stated countries of Asia and the amount of aid for any stated period of time.

Information is not available on which an estimate could be based of remittances from the United Kingdom to individual countries in Asia. Details of United Kingdom aid are given in the latest edition of "British Aid Statistics", a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage of GNP spent on all social security benefits, including unemployment benefit, in each of the EEC countries, respectively, in 1975, or as nearly comparable basis as possible to that which shows United Kingdom figure as 20·2 per cent.

Comparable figures for other countries are not available because of wide differences between their social security schemes.Figures derived from the national accounts of OECD Countries, 1974 are given below. Differences reflect, inter alia, differences in methods of organising social and health services and income support.

Social security benefits* as a proportion of GNP (market prices) in 1974
	per cent.
Belgium(1)	15·5
France	15·5
Germany	10·7
Italy(2)	15·6
Netherlands	18·7
United Kingdom(3)	8·3
* including assistance grants
(1) includes transfers to non-profit making bodies
(2) 1973 data
(3) includes benets paid abroad.

I assume in referring to 20·2 per cent. the hon. Gentleman has in mind my answer to his Question on 3rd November 1976—[Vol. 918, c. 558]. As he will be aware, this percentage related to central Government expenditure and was not a percentage of GNP.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer to Written Question on 2nd November 1976, Official Report, column 558. to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South, if he will now estimate what other single item of Government spending will exceed the 20.7 per cent. of Government spending he estimates will be spent on social security and unemployment benefits in 1976–77; and if he will give his latest estimate of the percentage to be spent in the same period on education, housing, hospitals, roads and defence.

In 1976–77 no other single item is expected to exceed 20.7 per cent. of total central Government expenditure, including all debt interest payments. Expenditure on education and libraries science and arts, housing, health and personal social services, roads, and defence in 1976–77 is estimated as 29 per cent of total central Government expenditure on the same basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Board of Inland Revenue to modify its plan for the automation of tax collection work to provide for the setting up within Wales of a computer centre which will take on the PAYE and Schedule D work of the 16 tax collection offices which will eventually be integrated into the Welsh Region envisaged in the recent report of the Price Committee.

No. The automation of the routine work connected with the assessment and collection of Schedule D and PAYE collection requires the setting up of three. Inland Revenue accounts offices to cover the whole of Great Britain. Each of these offices will cover several of the regions being set up following the recommendations of the Price Committee. They are to be located at Cumbernauld, Shipley and Bootle and the buildings are at an advanced stage of development. No modification is proposed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will extend the 15 per cent. tax free concession on pensions contributions granted under the Finance Act 1970 to self-employed marine pilots beyond 1980.

The arrangement under which the Pilots National Pension Fund has been allowed to retain tax approval notwithstanding that it includes self-employed pilots, and under which those pilots have been allowed tax relief in respect of their contributions to the fund, has been permitted as a special concession while the fund or its predecessors remained within the "old code" of tax approval for occupational pension schemes. With the transition to the "new code" tax approval, which is to be completed by April 1980, it will not be possible for the Pilots National Pension Fund to retain tax approval whilst including self-employed pilots amongst its members. If tax approval of the fund is to continue therefore pension arrangements for self-employed pilots will need to be made outside the provisions of the fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the total revenue from direct taxation, expressed as a percentage of GDP, in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and West Germany, excluding local income taxes where they apply;(2) what is the total revenue from indirect taxation expressed as a percentage of GDP, in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and West Germany.

Per cent, of GDP
				Netherlands	Denmark*	Sweden	West Germany†
Receipts of direct taxes by:
Central Government	…	…	…	17·8	n.a.	10·9	6·2
Local government	…	…	…	—	n.a.	13·1	8·1
Total	…	…	…	17·8	33·0	24·0	14·3
Indirect taxes (total)	…	…	…	12·8	18·9	15·3	14·5
Social security contributions	…	…	…	20·3	1·0	9·7	13·5
Total taxes‡ and social security contributions				50·9	52·9	491	42·4
* The estimates for central government receipts alone are not available.
† West Germany's figures are published on the basis of the former UN System of National Accounts (Former SNA), while the other countries' figures are on the basis of the revised system. The difference is likely to have only a small effect on the above percentages.
‡ Excluding taxes on capital.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish estimates of the calculations lying behind the remarks of the Chief Secretary in his speech to the National Saving Committee on 4th November; and in particular if he will specify the basis of his calculations on council rents, prescription charges, school meal payments, hospital beds, pensions and short-term benefit, and the remaining £2½ billion of economies not secured by reductions in transfer payments.

No. I believe that on any reasonable interpretation my full speech makes it clear that I was commenting on suggestions for immediate but unspecified reductions in public expenditure totalling about £5,000 million a year. I gave examples of some of the possible consequences.

International comparisons of taxation may be significantly affected by the extent to which social security schemes are financed by contributions or general taxation. The relative incidence of central and local taxation may also vary. The following table shows estimates of direct and indirect taxes, and social security contributions, expressed as percentages of gross domestic product at factor cost in each country in 1974, the latest year for which figures are available. Direct taxes exclude those classified by the United Nations as taxes on capital.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of road fund licence duty paid in the Western Isles in 1975.

I regret that this information cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the average weekly household expenditure on food items is now subject to VAT.

It is estimated that VAT is charged on about 20 per cent. of consumers' expenditure on food.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in the cost of collecting revenue of value added tax, since 1973–74 and to the latest available date.

The cost of administration per pound collected was 2·4p in 1973–74, when less than a full year's revenue was collected. Since then it has been about 2p.

NET ACQUISITIONS OF FINANCIAL ASSETS AS A PROPORTION OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT FACTOR COST
Per cent.
		1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954
Personal sector	…	..	..	..	..	-0·27	-0·62	-200
Overseas sector*	…	-1·56	-1·37	-3·80	2·51	-1·16	-0·96	-0·73
Company sector	…	..	..	..	..	5·11	4·59	4·51
Public sector	…	..	..	..	..	-3·92	-4·64	-2·72
Per cent.
		1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961
Personal sector	…	1·69	0·13	-0·10	-0·67	-0·40	1·19	2·39
Overseas sector*	…	-0·91	-1·12	-1·19	-1·68	-0·72	1·07	-0·09
Company sector	…	2·84	2·70	2·14	2·65	2·24	1·39	-0·15
Public sector	…	-2·31	-2·94	-2·71	-2·19	-2·60	-309	-3·04
Per cent.
		1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968
Personal sector	…	1·88	1·80	2·00	3·06	3·43	2·64	1·72
Overseas sector*	…	-0·50	-0·48	1·20	-0·08	-0·30	-0·84	-0·72
Company sector	…	-0·30	1·57	-0·50	-0·46	-0·64	-0·21	—
Public sector	…	-2·06	-3·04	-3·39	-2·69	-2·89	-4·66	-3·01
Per cent.
		1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Personal sector	…	1·96	2·88	1·61	2·42	3·84	6·94	6·67
Overseas sector*	…	-1·15	-1·66	-2·19	-0·28	1·23	4·57	1·78
Company sector	…	-1·31	-2·61	-0·43	1·63	-0 08	-4·27	-0·63
Public sector	…	-0·84	1·61	-0·63	-3·09	-4·51	-7·07	-8·80
* Equals, apart from the change of signs, the current balance of payments accounts plus capital transfers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all outstanding foreign loans to each of the nationalised industries, showing in respect of each loan, the lender, the amount borrowed in £ sterling, the foreign currency concerned and the rate of interest being paid.

Lists of all such foreign currency loans up to end-September 1976 have already been placed in the House of Commons Library. I will now arrange for a separate list detailing

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish estimates of the net acquisition of assets of the personal sector, overseas sector, company sector and public sector as a percentage of national output in each year since 1948.

The table below shows estimates of the net acquisition of financial assets of the sectors shown as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost in each of the years 1948 to 1975:all outstanding nationalised industry foreign currency borrowing, both on the basis of the currencies actually drawn and the sterling equivalents at exchange rates prevailing when the loans were drawn, to be deposited there.It is for the parties to each individual loan agreement to decide whether details of individual loans are published, but at current interest and exchange rates interest on outstanding nationalised industry foreign currency loans is running at about £0·3 billion per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the level of tax allowances in respect of (i) two children under 11 years of age and (ii) two children under 11 years of age and two children over 11 years of age for 1963–64 and for each year since 1969–70 and express these figures in real terms related to 1964 prices and (b) the level of the single person's tax allowance, the married couple's tax

		Two children not over 11		Two children not over 11, two over 11 but not over 16		Single persons allowance/wife's income allowance (maximum)		Married allowance
			Value at 1964		Value at 1964		Value at 1964		Value at 1964
		Allowance	prices	Allowance	prices	Allowance	prices	Allowance	prices
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
1963–64	…	296	296	656	656	286	286	440	440
1969–70	…	296	231	656	511	328	256	482	376
1970–71	…	296	215	656	477	418	304	598	435
1971–72	…	399	265	862	573	418	278	598	398
1972–73	…	399	248	862	535	592	368	772	479
1973–74	…	400	225	870	489	595	335	775	436
1974–75	…	480	229	1,030	491	625	298	865	412
1975–76	…	480	184	1,030	394	675	257	955	366
1976–77	…	600	199	1,270	421	735	244	1,085	360

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what developments he looks towards reducing inflation, accruing from meetings with representatives of the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

My right hon. Friend has frequent discussions with representatives of both sides of industry about every aspect of the continuing attack on inflation, to which we are all firmly committed. I am confident that those discussions will prove fruitful.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the rate of inflation over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.