asked the Secretary of State for Trade what preparations he is making for the conference in 1977 on the Common Fund for Commodity Stabilisation.

We shall play a constructive part in the UNCTAD meeting, which starts today, to prepare for next year's negotiating conference.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now publish the names of the members of the committee under the chairmanship of Mr. K. R. Cork examining the insolvency laws of England and Wales.

Consultations about the membership of the committee are continuing and its composition has not been finally settled. The names of the members will, however, be published as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will provide details of the French Government's arrangement to tax aircraft using French airports as from April 1977 differentially according to the amount of noise they make; and if he will make a statement as to whether similar arrangements are feasible for the United Kingdom.

I am not aware that the French Government have announced any scheme along the lines suggested by the hon. Member. We are discussing with the French, and other Governments, the possibility of introducing noise-related landing charges for aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proposals he has received which relate to aircraft taking off from Heathrow being allowed to climb on full power to cruising height; and how this would affect the amount of noise experi- enced three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and 10 miles from the runway exit.

No recent proposals have been submitted to me formally, although this is a subject which has been considered extensively in the past. We are looking again at the various possibilities, in the light of suggestions made at the recent conference of the Guild of Air Traffic Controllers. The variation in the noise experience could only be calculated on the basis of a detailed assessment of a particular proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the value and volume of imports of beef for the last 12 months, showing the countries from which they came.

Information for beef, including veal, can be obtained from Table III of the relevant monthly issues of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom under SITC(R) heading 011.1.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he intends to introduce a new Merchant Shipping Bill.

I am anxious to introduce a new Merchant Shipping Bill with a number of important provisions as soon as possible, but at this stage I cannot say that time will be found for it this Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will give a general direction to full-time chairmen of nationalised industries not to make public speeches of a politically controversial nature;(2) if he will take steps to bring members of hoards of nationalised industries within the rules on political activity applicable to senior civil servants.

It is standard practice when inviting persons to serve as members of the boards of nationalised industries to give them guidance on political activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what criteria he applies when making appointments as chairmen of nationalised industries.

The criteria are those of relevant experience and ability for the task to be performed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in view of the political content of the speech recently made by the new Chairman of British Airways, he will ask for his resignation.

No.

asked the Secretary of State, for Trade what representations he has received about the blacking of the Brittany Ferries service between Portsmouth and St. Malo;and whether he will make a statement.

I have received no representations, but I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will now take the initiative to convene a European Conference of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in regard to establishing a common shipping policy in accordance with a recent recommendation by the Assembly of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement.

No. Adequate international machinery already exists for discussing these questions, and I doubt if a further conference of the kind envisaged would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if the Portuguese Government have accepted the British Government's recent offer of a capital aid loan of £5 million; and, if so, when payment will be made.

The Government of Portugal have accepted an offer of a loan of £5 million. The loan is for project aid and no specific proposals for financing under it have yet been received.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what proportion of overseas aid results in increased trade for British industry as against aid which is provided regardless of direct return to the United Kingdom.

In 1975, 60 per cent. of British bilateral aid was effectively tied to procurement of British goods and services. In accordance with an international understanding, aid given through multilateral organisations—which accounted for 31 per cent. of British aid last year—is not tied. But as a result of our membership of these organisations British firms are eligible to compete for procurement from their funds, and we estimate that in total such procurement is broadly equivalent in value to our contributions.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what provision he has made for the contingent liability of public funds arising out of his assurances of support for the Crown Agents; and if he will make a statement.

Token provision has been made in the Winter Supplementary Estimates to cover the liability on Her Majesty's Government arising from the technical insolvency of the Crown Agents. My predecessor made a statement in the House on 18th December 1974 announcing the Government's support for the Crown Agents, and I reaffirmed this assurance of support on 16th October 1975. The Crown Agents have not so far needed to seek additional financial support from Her Majesty's Government, and the Supplementary Estimates provision is necessary now only as a formal indication of the continuing contingent liability. This overall liability takes account of certain contingent liabilities on the Crown Agents arising from contracts for the supply of British goods and services, including defence equipment, undertaken by one of their wholly-owned subsidiaries, Millbank Technical Services Limited, to which I have given my specific agreement.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the action being taken by his Department to help students from developing countries studying in the United Kingdom to pay the increased tuition fees announced by the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

My Department will continue to meet fee increases for all those students accepted for training under our regular programmes, without reducing the number of such awards planned for 1977–78. I also propose to replace the Overseas Students Fees Awards Scheme (OSFAS), under which up to about 300 new full fee awards have been available each year since 1975 to privately financed students nominated by university and other institutions, by a fee support scheme. Under this scheme, 600 awards will be available to assist, on grounds of hardship, selected postgraduate students from developing countries otherwise supported solely from personal or family resources. They will receive annual grants of £325 as a fixed annual contribution towards the fee increase, for up to three years starting in 1977, provided they are now enrolled for courses commencing or continuing in 1977–78 which, in the view of my Department, are of developmental value. All those to whom OSFAS awards were granted in 1976 or in previous years will, however, continue to receive them until they complete the courses which they are now following.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development when a decision will be taken about the extension of the airport in the Falkland Islands as recommended in the Shackleton Report.

My colleagues and I are still considering the recommendation on the extension of the Falkland Islands airport in the context of the Shackleton Report as a whole. The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that this long and closely argued document calls for study in depth, and I am unable now to give the exact dates on which the Government's con- sideration will be completed or on which a final decision on the airport can be given.

asked the Lord President of the Council what have been the activities, to date, of the Counter-Inflation Publicity Unit.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister on 18th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker) on the standing down, for the time being, of the Counter-Inflation Publicity Unit—[Vol. 919, c. 668–9].— The unit, which was set up in July 1975, launched the first phase of its publicity campaign on 20th August 1975 when the main features of the £6 pay policy were explained in an advertisement in the national Press, followed by a house-to-house distribution of about 21½ million copies of a simplified version of the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation" (Cmnd 6151). The second phase lasted from the end of October to the beginning of December 1975, and consisted of advertisements in national newspapers and a wide range of provincial newspapers. In these advertisements leading industrialists and trade union leaders give their reasons for supporting the fight against inflation. The third phase was in February and March 1976 and consisted of the price check campaign. Press and TV advertisements were used and display material sent to retail outlets.Research was undertaken in regard to the various facets of these phases of the campaign. No paid publicity in advertising or pamphlets has been used in regard to stage 2 of the pay policy. Research has, however, been undertaken and the unit has acted in an advisory rôle.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many paid officials are engaged on the activities of the Counter-Inflation Publicity Unit.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister on 18th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker) on the standing down, for the time being, of the Counter-Inflation Publicity Unit—[Vol. 919, c. 668–9]. Prior to the standing down of the unit five paid officials were engaged on its activities.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the estimated cost to public funds of the construction work, security arrangements and other consequential activities resulting from the attendance of Her Majesty Queen at the Palace of Westminster to make the Speech from the Throne in 1975 and 1976, respectively.

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

asked the Lord President of the Council by what authority television cameras were introduced into the Chamber of the House on 24th November.

Following consultations through the usual channels I advised Mr. Speaker that it would be acceptable to follow the precedents of 1966, 1970 and 1974 in allowing cameras into the Chamber of the House as part of the televising of the State Opening of Parliament.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the cost to public funds of the advertisement sponsored by Her Majesty's Government in the Morning Star of 24th November.

£74.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what independently audited circulation figures were considered before the insertion of an advertisement in the Morning Star of 24th November sponsored by Her Majesty's Government; and if such circulation figures include a break- down of sales in the United Kingdom and sales in Communist countries.

The independently audited circulation figures were those supplied by the Morning Star and which are now regularly published in the standard reference publication "British Rate and Data" (BRAD). The current —November—issue quotes a circulation of 40,796, recorded over the period January-June 1976. The Morning Star has also provided a breakdown of this figure, quoting 26,290 home and 14,506 overseas circulation, stating that these statistics will be included in the next quarter's audit and published in BRAD.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Statutory Instruments have been made in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the number of Statutory Instruments made, and the number classified as general or local, in the years 1971–75, and to 31st October 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pensioners in Northern Ireland are in receipt of a 5p concessionary television licence.

2,671 on 31st October 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Bill, mentioned in the Gracious Speech, to amend the criminal law in relation to conspiracy will contain offences of entering and remaining on property similar to those recommended by the Law Commission in its final report on conspiracy and criminal law reform; and if he will make a statement.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what are the names and nationalities of the persons deported under the same regulations as Messrs. Agee and Hosenball; and what were the reasons for their departure;(2) how many people have been deported from Great Britain under the same regulations as Messrs. Agee and Hosenball since February 1974.

No one has so far been deported under a deportation order made under Section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 where the ground of the decision was that that person's deportation was conducive to the public good in the interests of national security.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent the capital cost of the oxide fuel reprocessing plant at Windscale will be met by (a) Government borrowing, (b) borrowing from private institutions in the United Kingdom and (c) borrowing from abroad; and what total sum is envisaged.

The total capital cost of the plant is estimated to be between £500 million and £600 million at current prices. Approximately half of this capacity will be used for overseas customers, and will be completely financed by their advance payments. The remainder, which is required to meet the needs of our own domestic nuclear programme, will be financed from a number of sources, including internally generated funds and private sector borrowing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet officials of the Offshore Supplies Office.

I regularly meet officials of the Offshore Supplies Office in the normal course of business, and I frequently visit OSO headquarters in Glasgow when I am in Scotland on official duties or visiting my constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further estimate of the number of oil platform orders which can be expected by United Kingdom yards during 1977.

As I announced after the recent Offshore Industry Liaison Committee meeting, there is now a reasonable possibility of four, perhaps five, oil platform orders during 1977 and the first half of 1978. In addition, we hope to see ordered a floating production system. We will continue to ensure that United Kingdom yards get a full and fair opportunity to compete for these orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the likely yield of fuels including liquefied petroleum gas from the North Sea; and what discussions he has held with motor car manufacturers about their future engine manufacturing programme.

Most North Sea crudes are lighter than the average crude oil currently being refined in the United Kingdom, and the increasing availability of North Sea oil could eventually lead to a marginal increase in the yield of gasoline and diesel oil at United Kingdom refineries. I do not in any case foresee any difficulty in the availability of either of these fuels in the United Kingdom. LPG supplies will be increased by the recovery of associated gas from North Sea oilfields. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry and his Department are in constant touch with the motor industry about its future engine manufacturing programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the NUM leaders; and if he will make a statement.

I am in regular contact with the leaders of the NUM as a matter of policy and intend to maintain close unity with them on all matters of concern to them and to myself.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to reach a decision on power plant ordering by the CEGB.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to make a statement about the ordering policy of the nationalised power industries for power generating and turbine equipment.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the CEGB and BNF have contingency plans to replace the uranium ordered from Namibia in the event of the cancellation of the Rossing contract.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 26th October.—[Vol. 918, c. 186–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether in the interest of economy and efficiency, he will issue a direction to the British Gas Corporation requesting it to submit accounts which show respectively the details of their direct labour activities.

I understand that British Gas will on request show the charges for materials and labour separately in bills for work done on a time and materials basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to ensure that both local authorities and his own Department are receiving scientifically objective advice on the hazards and dangers of nuclear radiation on agriculture and on public health.

My Department makes full use of the services of the National Radiological Protection Board, which was set up by statute to be the national authoritative point of reference on radiological protection for the United Kingdom. The Board is available to advise all bodies with responsibilities for the protection of the community from radiation hazards, including local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what new arrangements he is making to receive advice on energy policy; and when he hopes to make a statement.

I have been considering what form a permanent energy advisory body might take, and consulting some of the interests concerned. The process is not yet complete, but I hope to be able to make a further statement in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what has been the cost to public funds, to 22nd November 1976, of the Organising Committee of the proposed nationalised company, British Aerospace;(2) what has been the cost to public funds, to 22nd November 1976, of the Organising Committee of the proposed nationalised company, British Ship-building.

The cost to public funds of the Organising Committees for the British Aerospace Corporation and the British Shipbuilders Corporation up to 22nd November 1976 is estimated to be £393,675.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is now able to make a statement about further support for the wool textile industry.

I am pleased to announce a further scheme of assistance for the wool textile industry under Part II of the Industry Act 1972.The original wool textile scheme, introduced in July 1973, was successful in generating substantial investment in plant and machinery, and buildings, but the provisions designed to encourage structural change secured only a limited response. The Economic Development Committee for Wool Textiles therefore proposed to my Department a second limited scheme aimed mainly at further encouraging rationalisation and restructuring in order to secure the fullest benefit to the industry and the economy from the investment stimulated by the first scheme. The scheme I am now announcing largely reflects the EDC's proposals.It provides, first, for assistance to restructuring and rationalisation projects in the form of loans at preferential rates of interest, or interest relief grant in lieu, for up to 50 per cent. of approved costs, less any regional development grant or re-equipment and building grants for which the applicant may be eligible. Where a project involves expenditure on re-equipment or new buildings, extensions or alterations to buildings grants of 20 per cent. for new plant and machinery, new works and alterations to buildings and of 30 per cent. for new buildings and/or new extensions will be available for approved expenditure, subject to specified minimum project values.The cost of retraining within the firm arising from a project may be included in the qualifying expenditure for that project if the training is not already receiving assistance from public funds. As in the earlier scheme, the demolition of existing buildings will be a condition of assistance. In addition the scrapping of equivalent machinery will be a condition where a separate re-equipment grant is paid.Secondly, it offers 50 per cent. grants towards the cost of obtaining external professional advice in order to improve company performance by a firm with less than £500,000 total assets.The scheme will have effect from today's date, and we shall require applications to be submitted by 30th September 1977 and projects to be completed by 31st March 1979.Up to £5 million is to be provided for this further scheme from within the sums set aside for industry schemes. The assistance will be selective, and will be dependent on my Department being satisfied with the viability of the company and the commercial soundness and desirability of the project.Firms in assisted areas may apply for regional selective assistance for projects not qualifying under the new scheme or as an alternative. Such applications will have to meet the criteria applicable to selective financial assistance.We are confident that this further assistance will accelerate the vital process of rationalisation and restructuring of the industry. A copy of the scheme has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry to what extent the longterm plans of British Leyland will increase the degree of vertical integration in the company; and whether he will itemise the major investment projects of the company, both agreed and proposed, which meet this description.

British Leyland's present organisational structure and range of activities are broadly those recommended in the Ryder Report. Information about future investment projects would be a matter for the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will confirm that it is not and will not be Government policy to seek to make compulsory planning agreements with British companies.

As the Government have made clear on a number of occasions, the Government believe that planning agreements should be voluntary. Despite the disappointing lack of progress so far I am still hopeful that industry will respond to this approach. The Government have no present plans to introduce legislation to make planning agreements compulsory.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish for the United Kingdom and for other industrialised countries of which he has knowledge, the following figures, on an annual basis: (a) cold steel production per employee, (b) letters delivered per Post Office employee and, (c) telephone calls per telephone employee.

No. Information is not available from which meaningful comparisons could be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the stockpiling of nerve gases by the Warsaw Pact forces; and whether he is satisfied that his plans for defence against such gases are adequate.

The USSR has both the weapons and munitions for offensive chemical warfare, together with stocks of nerve agent. All our NATO assigned forces are equipped with protective equipment to a high standard.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he is satisfied with the present level of profit margins (a) in manufacturing industry generally, and (b) in the food industry.

The latest quarterly report of the Price Commission showed a significant improvement in profit margins in manufacturing industry, with average margins in the food and drink sector closer to reference levels than the average for all industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will make a further statement about the progress being made towards implementation of the recommendations of the Monopolies Commission's report on cross-Channel car ferry services.

The House will recall that on 18th December 1975 the then Minister of State made a statement about the progress made in implementing the recommendations made in the Monopolies Commission's report on cross-Chan- nel car ferry services. He then said that he was asking the Director General to continue negotiations with the United Kingdom operators.One of the Commission's recommendations was that when any application for an increase was being considered the possibility of introducing improvements in the fare structure should be reviewed, in particular the possibility of introducing modifications, which, while having regard to social considerations, would give greater recognition to the differences in costs associated with differences in demand within the summer period.The Director General has reached agreement with the operators that they will introduce a system of "weekend surcharges" in the peak summer season of 1977. The arrangements, which involve amendments to the three-tier tariff agreed a year ago, divide the year into a "summer season"—4th July to 4th September —and a "standard season"—the remainder of the year. During the "standard season" the operators will, as in 1976, be free to charge reduced rates at periods of low demand. During the "summer season" the operators will charge car rates which will not be less than 120 per cent. of the rates charged during that part of the standard season immediately preceding the "summer season".Within the "summer season" there will be a "peak summer season"—15th July to 27th August—during which the rates charged for cars travelling on Fridays and Saturdays will be not less than 140 per cent. of the rates charged during that part of the standard season immediately preceding the "summer season". However, the weekend surcharges will not apply on Sundays or to motorists who both book and pay for their "peak weekend" journeys before 1st May 1977.There are no agreed differentials on passenger fares, but the operators are free to make seasonal variations in these fares if they wish. The operators are simplifying the arrangements for charging for cars according to length. I have agreed to changes in the maximum rates and fares to be charged which reflect both the new structure I have described and changes in costs.The new arrangements will apply to all reference services from Dover, Folkestone, Harwich and Newhaven except that British Rail Hovercraft will be free if it wishes to operate a longer "summer season" on its Dover-Boulogne service. British Rail's Newhaven-Dieppe service will follow broadly the same pattern as its other sea ferry routes. Slightly different arrangements will apply to services from Southampton, where the "weekend surcharges" on car rates will apply to night services only on Fridays and Saturdays in the peak summer season. Daytime railings will be charged at the summer season rates.The new arrangements will help ensure that those who travel at the peak times of the year will meet the extra costs of providing the capacity needed to convey them. Motorists will have incentives either to travel in June or September, that is to say before or after the main summer season, or to travel in the midweek or on Sundays during the peak summer season. This should in due course help to even out traffic flows and reduce the demand for new ferry capacity which might be under-used for much of the year. Families with schoolchildren who are obliged to travel at weekends in the peak summer season will have an opportunity to avoid the burden of weekend surcharges by travelling on Sundays, or by day on Saturdays from Southampton. Those with fixed period holidays will be able to avoid weekend surcharges if they book and pay in advance.I consider that the new arrangements constitute a major further step towards implementation of the Monopolies Commission's report. I believe that further improvements may none the less be possible in later years, and I have asked the Director General to continue negotiations accordingly. However, I have indicated to the operators that I am willing to consider a reduction or even elimination of supervision in the light of experience gained in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to him that powers should be taken to make it a condition of future planning consents that gas and/or electric meters be fitted on the outside of buildings.

None, except from the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the Government's plans for the final dumping of nuclear waste in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigations he is making about possible permanent sites to dump nuclear waste.

Low-activity waste is at present disposed of to landfill, mainly at the site at Drigg operated by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.; some medium-activity waste is disposed of to sea in accordance with international conventions. Other waste is at present stored under constant surveillance at the sites at which it originated.A process is being developed by BNFL to convert the liquid waste into a vitrified form. It is expected that it will be possible to dispose of the waste to the deep ocean bed or to deep stable geological strata on land or under the ocean. As part of a preliminary programme of research the Atomic Energy Authority is trying to identify sites for granite test drillings to examine the suitability of the geological strata against criteria already published by the Institute of Geological Sciences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time taken by inspectors in his Department to announce a decision following an appeal.

With appeals decided in October 1976 the average period from receipt to decision was 26 weeks where a local inquiry was held and 23 weeks where the appeal was decided on the basis of written representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been (a) the total cost of wages and salaries for all services in local authorities in England and Wales for each year since 1970–71, (b) the total gross expenditure for all local authorities in England and Wales for each year since 1970–71 and (c) the cost of wages and salaries expressed as a percentage of total gross expenditure.

Because of the great variation in the proportion of total expenditure represented by wages and

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce the rate support grant allocation for Surrey County Council for 1977–78.

Local authorities will be sent details of the basis of their needs element allocations as soon as the 1976 rate support grant order is laid in early December. The grant amounts are

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that there is no material change as far as Surrey County Council is concerned in the rate support grant distribution formula for 1977–78.

Our proposals for grant distribution take account of the differences in expenditure need between authorities. I cannot single out individual authorities for special treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the cost of a mock-up of Cardiff's new Crown Offices built by the Property Services Agency;and what he estimates to be the cost of the project.

No representations have been received. The estimated cost is £80,000. It may in due course be used as permanent office accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he intends to undertake before making appointments to replace the members of the Northumbria Water Authority for which he is responsible and whose terms of office expire on 31st December 1976.

There is no statutory requirement to hold consultations before making these appointments, but I have, naturally, undertaken informal discussions with a range of interests involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many residential properties were in the ownership of his Department in Greater London, Greater Manchester, Avon, Sussex and Warwickshire on 1st January 1975, 1st August 1975 and 31st January 1976.

The information requested is set out hereunder:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will introduce a statutory instrument under Section 2(3) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to extend the schedule to the Act to include sub-committees of local government authorities;

No. The Government have no power to compel authorities in this matter, although they have made it clear that sub-committees should be open save only where the council resolves to exclude the public on grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest. I am sure local authorities act responsibly and that there is no need either for an amendment to primary legislation or a statutory instrument to compel them to open their sub-committees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to ensure that the direct labour departments of local authorities compete on the same basis as outside contractors.

I propose that there should be powers enabling regulations to be made prescribing the arrangements under which local authority direct labour organisations may be awarded work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to ensure that direct labour departments are fully and openly accountable to ratepayers.

Local authorities are already fully accountable in relation to the activities of their direct labour organisations, and their accounts are subject to audit and open to inspection. To enable the financial effects of these activities to be more easily identified I propose to require the details to be kept in separate accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ensure that genuinely independent inspection of work is carried out so that the results of direct labour operations are judged by the same standards as those of outside contractors.

The inspection of work carried out by local authority direct labour organisations is one of the matters I am considering in relation to the operation of these organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the passenger transport executives which employ direct labour departments, giving in each case the number of manual and non-manual staff employed.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to him today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for what commercial purposes the Romanian ship "Moldoveanu" was admitted to Bramley Moor Dock, Liverpool, on 7th July 1976.

I have been asked to reply.I am told by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company that the Romanian trawler "Moldoveanu" docked at East Candon basin Liverpool on 7th January 1976 for repairs.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to meet the Prime Minister of Belgium.

I expect to meet M. Tindemans at the European Council meeting in The Hague on 29th and 30th November and again on 7th December when he will call on me during a private visit to London.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will take steps to ensure that the art loans from the Victoria and Albert Museum to schools, colleges and arts associations outside London are maintained.

When the Director's final proposals for effecting reductions in the staff of the Victoria and Albert Museum are received, my right hon. Friend and my noble Friend will consider them in relation to all the issues involved, including that of the loans service to educational institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the art loan service at the Victoria and Albert Museum was established.

The first loan collection went out in 1855 from the Department of Science and Art, which was the predecessor of the Victoria and Albert and Science Museums.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the progress made so far by the Taylor Committee.

The Committee is making good progress and is aiming to submit its report by next Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what calculations she has made of the teacher supply indications of a teacher training plant of 45,000 outside the universities.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a paper which has been prepared for my Advisory Committee on the Supply and Training of Teachers indicating the implications for teacher supply and for staffing standards during the 1980s of a training plant of this size. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with EEC Ministers.

I shall be attending the meeting of the European Council which is to be held in The Hague on 29th and 30th November. My colleagues and I will wish to discuss a wide range of current international and Community questions. I shall take an early opportunity to report to the House.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now appoint an additional Minister at the Welsh Office of Minister of State rank.

The hon. Member may assume that I do not intend to make any ministerial changes unless and until I make a statement to the contrary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current annual revenue to the Exchequer from the duty on spirits; and what proportion of that accrues from the duty on Scotch whisky.

The 1976 Budget estimate of duty receipts from spirits in the financial year 1976–77 is £790 million. The duty on whisky is expected to account for rather more than half of this.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of raising the threshold at which value added tax becomes payable from £5,000 to £15,000.

About £75 million in a full year, assuming that the change applied to all classes of traders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the percentage increase in VAT necessary in order to bring in an extra £1,000 million, £2,000 million and £3,000 million in revenue.

The standard rate of VAT would need to be raised to 11 per cent., 15 per cent. and 18 per cent. respectively. The larger increases in the rate of VAT would cause considerable changes in the economy and estimates for them are correspondingly uncertain.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if any other EEC country allows essential expenditure on travel to work to be set off against in- come tax; and if he will publish abbreviated details of each such scheme;(2) if any other EEC country allows relief against company taxation on assistance given to employees in respect of their travelling to and from work; and if he will publish abbreviated details of each such scheme.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which departmental Vote the cost of fluoridation of water supplies falls;and under which subheading it is shown in the Estimates.

Such costs fall on the Votes of the Health Department. In England provision is included in Class XI Vote 1, Subheads Al and A2 and in Wales in Class XI Vote 4, Subhead Al"Advances to Health Authorities". In Scotland provision is made under "Community Services: Current Expenditure" —Class XI, Vote 2, Subhead B1(3).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down and itemise the per capita public expenditure figures for England, Scotland and Wales published in the Official Report on 12th November.

The information is below. This year's analysis of information from Departments is now completed;the figures for 1974–75 are final and those for 1975–76 are also revised, as compared with those I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedwellty (Mr. Kinnock) on 12th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 292–3.] —The figures for these two years include capital expenditure by British Steel Corporation and are not strictly comparable with those for 1973–74 and earlier years for which this information is not available. I regret that attention was not drawn to this point in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedwellty, or in my hon. Friend's reply on 22nd November to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Price).—[Vol. 919, c. 892.] In 1974–75, capital expenditure by British Steel Corporation per head of the population was £4 in England, £7 in Scotland and £20 in Wales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, for each block of expenditure subject to cash limits, the increase in expenditure in real terms and current prices between 1974–75 and 1975–76, the increased financial provision in current prices between 1975–76 and 1976–77 and his latest estimate of the increase in costs between those two years.

I regret that this exercise would require an excessive expenditure of official resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to take appropriate measures to reduce or forgo increases in the rate of excise duties on light still wines, pursuant to Recommendation 76/2/EEC dated 5th December 1975.

As I told the hon. Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 2nd February 1976—[Vol. 904, c. 451]—the Government have noted the EEC Commission's recommendation to member States concerning the levels of their excise duties on wine. I cannot now comment further on any measures concerning indirect taxation which my right hon. Friend may consider it necessary to take.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has in mind for the building in Plymouth, now in course of construction, intended to house staff administering the wealth tax.

The Government have decided that they should not introduce a wealth tax in the life of this Parliament, but the tax will continue to be an important part of their programme. The work which has been done will be of considerable value when the time is right for introducing the tax. Meanwhile, alternative uses will be found for those buildings in Plymouth and elsewhere which have been acquired, or are under construction.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what tariff heading Her Majesty's Customs can admit hardened Norwegian marine oil.

Hardened oils from fish or mammals are classified under heading 15.12 of the United Kingdom tariff, and within that heading according to their form of packaging, their composition, and the fish or mammal from which they are derived.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when work started on the preliminary report on the All between Newmarket and Cringleford; for how long it has been under way; when he expects to receive it; and if he will take steps to accelerate official consideration of the accident record in that section of the route through Red Lodge and Freckenham.

A scheme for the improvement of the All between Newmarket and Cringleford was accepted into the trunk road preparation pool in June 1971. The preliminary report for the Attleborough bypass is expected to be completed shortly. Traffic and economic evaluations of the remainder of the route are continuing, and accident figures are among the factors being taken into account. It is too early to forecast when the preliminary report on the improvement of this part of the route will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated monthly financial saving of the fuel economy speed limits.

Probably about £1·25 million to the import bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will lift the 50 mph and 60 mph speed limits that are presently in operation.

A decision on the future of the present temporary limits must await the outcome of the consultation now in progress. Representative bodies have been asked to submit their views by the end of January. Copies of the consultation letter have been placed in the Vote Office, and I shall be happy to consider any points that the hon. Member may wish to make on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents are known to have occurred on the All in the vicinity of Red Lodge and Freckenham, Suffolk, in each of the past five years; and how many people were injured in each.

The information regarding casualties cannot be given in the precise form requested without undue cost but the following information is available:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate of the overall cost of the Tyneside Metro; to what extent the cost has been increased from the original estimate; to what extent the increase has been caused by the delay in work due to union blacking; and whether he will make a statement.

Tyne and Wear County Council's estimate, which I accept, puts the overall cost at £161 million, at November 1975 prices. This represents an increase in real terms of about 15 per cent. on the feasibility study's estimate, made in 1972. No estimate has been made of the extent to which industrial disputes have contributed to increased costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what number and grades of British Rail employees are involved in the removal of blue asbestos from locomotives; how many such personnel qualify for a blue asbestos allowance; and what consultation has taken place with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that all work on British Rail, concerning blue or white asbestos, is carried out subject to the provisions of the Asbestos Regulations 1969.

The British Railways Board informs me that normally some 40 employees in workshop grades are engaged on this work, all of whom receive a special allowance; and that they constantly consult the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost and the cost per mile of the barriers being erected along the M3 motorway, one mile from Sunbury on the southbound carriageway and on the north-east carriageway close to the M25 interchange at Thorpe; and why this work has been deemed necessary.

Four lengths of acoustic fencing, totalling just over one and a quarter miles, are being provided at a cost of £114,235 or approximately £90,000 per mile. These are part of the measures being taken by my right hon. Friend in compliance with his obligation under the Land Compensation Act 1973 to protect nearby properties against noise from the Lightwater-Sunbury length of the M3 motorway.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what limits he has set on the purchase by his Department of property allegedly blighted by the planning proposals for the M1 extension west of Leeds; and whether these limits include a ceiling price or a fixed budget or both.

There are no limits to the number of blighted properties the Department may purchase nor is there a limit to the amount which may be spent for this purpose. Negotiations are conducted on the Department's behalf by the Valuation Office of the Board of Inland Revenue. The properties already acquired on the alternative corridors to the west of Leeds have been purchased under discretionary powers at current market value, disregarding any depreciation which might be caused by the road proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the purchase of a property in Horsforth, he will publish the total number and cost of properties bought by his Department in connection with the proposed Ml extension west of Leeds.

The Department has purchased three properties on the alternative corridors to the west of Leeds at the request of the owners. The total cost to public funds is about £40,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what volume of construction work has been carried out since 1968 by direct labour for each passenger transports executive;and what proportion of total construction work this represents;(2) what is the total value of construction work carried out by direct labour departments for each passenger transport executive.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the French Government about the blacking of the Brittany Ferries service between Portsmouth and St. Malo; and whether he will make a statement.

Representations were received from the French Government on 14th September and 17th November seeking the intervention of Her Majesty's Government in the dispute between South Coast port workers and Brittany Ferries. The Government have been in touch informally with the parties to the dispute but can see no grounds for formal intervention. We have fulfilled our international obligations by providing a berth for the French vessels concerned. We are prepared to continue to do so. We cannot, however, ensure that such a vessel will be able to enjoy the services of port workers if action is taken in furtherance of a industrial dispute.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he will not publish details of the location of stocks of beef in intervention.

The storage arrangements are made under commercial transactions with cold store operators and are commercially confidential.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many members of his Department's staff are at present serving in Brussels as advisers to the Commission on fishing matters.

The EEC Commission normally employs its own advisers. Special arrangements have been made, however, for a principal scientific officer from my Fisheries Department periodically to give scientific advice to the Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the adequacy of tests under the pesticides safety precautions scheme prior to the marketing of new products; if he will publish the testing procedures under the scheme; and if he will assess the risk for each of the chemicals listed as dangerous in the regulations governing the use of pesticides.

We have every confidence in the tests which the Government's independent advisory committee uses to assess any potential risk, whether to users, food consumers and the public generally; to domestic animals, beneficial insects and other wild life; or to our soil, air and water. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the pesticides safety precautions scheme booklet describing the general test procedures and methodology— a copy of this booklet has also been placed in the Library of the House; and wherever necessary the advisory committee will, of course, prescribe further or special test régimes. The booklet illustrates not only how risks are assessed to establish whether a product can safely be marketed at all; but also the type of safeguards, such as regulations and labelling provisions, which are introduced on the basis of the committee's medical and scientific advice.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department intends carrying out an epidemiological study to establish the community health of farm workers.

My responsibilities for the health and safety at work of workers in agriculture were transferred to the Health and Safety Commission and its Executive as from 1st March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which specific part of the Government's voluntary pay policy would be breached by implementation of the agreement between the management of the Trustee Savings Banks and the National Union of Bank Employees, concerning pay increments for additional responsibilities for staff controlling the proposed personal lending service authorised by the Trustee Savings Bank Act 1976.

The pay guidelines permit increases to be negotiated within an individual weekly limit of £2·50 or 5 per cent. of total earnings, whichever is the greater, subject to a maximum of £4. There is no provision for new pay restructuring schemes or for the introduction of incremental scales as proposed in this agreement.