asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement concerning his proposed changes in Standing Order No. 73A.

As promised in my statement of 4th August 1976, amendments have been tabled to Standing Order No. 73A to permit debates in Standing Committee on EEC documents to run for two and a half hours, with provision for a further two and a half hours on another day.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he has come to any conclusion on what action needs to be taken to secure catering facilities in the House which both meet the needs of Members and are actually used to the maximum.

I still have under consideration the recommendation on this matter made by the Committee under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Mr. Mikardo). I would welcome the views of all hon. Members on that Committee's proposals.

asked the Lord President of the Council what estimate he has made of the total cost of all official telephone calls made by hon. Members in 1976–77.

The total cost of the House of Commons telephone service in 1976–77 is estimated at £580,000.

asked the Attorney-General to what extent the Director of Public Prosecutions conducts police prosecutions in Northern Ireland; and when he expects all police prosecutions to be conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Director has undertaken responsibility for all prosecutions tried on indictment.Article 5(1)(

asked the Lord Advocate if, in view of the Stock Exchange report that there is prima facie evidence of breaches of Sections 27 and 33 of the Companies Act 1967 by Sir Hugh Fraser's company, Scottish and Universal Investments, he will prosecute Sir Hugh Fraser and the Hon. Nicholas Redmayne for such breaches.

I am studying the report which has now been submitted to me. I cannot at this stage state whether or not there will be any prosecution.

asked the Lord Advocate how many prosecutions there have been against police officers in Scotland in each of the last 10 years in connection with alleged offences committed during the course of their duty.

Records of prosecutions against police officers in Scotland are not available before 1969. However, the number of prosecutions in the years since records were kept are as follows:

asked the Lord Advocate whether he will make a statement on the rôle of the procurators fiscal with regard to complaints by the public against police officers.

If the complaint contains an allegation that a police officer has committed a criminal offence an investigation is carried out by the procurator fiscal for the district concerned. If he finds any substance in the complaint he reports the case to Crown counsel for their instructions. The procurator fiscal is not concerned with complaints which do not include an allegation of commission of a criminal offence.

asked the Lord Advocate how many prosecutions there have been over the past six months for breaches of the Companies Act 1967.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as the information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increasing the budget allocated to the Equal Opportunities Commission.

We have no plans to increase the grant to the Equal Opportunities Commission in the current year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many meetings of the Equal Opportunities Commission have been held since 29th December 1975;(2) how many formal investigations have been commenced by the Equal Opportunities Commission since 29th December 1975; and what are the terms of reference of each of these investigations;(3) how many non-discrimination notices have been issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission since 29th December 1975; and what are the terms of these notices;(4) in respect of how many summonses taken out in a county court under the Sex Discrimination Act the Equal Opportunities Commission has received notification;(5) how many complaints and inquiries received by the Equal Opportunities Commission have been (

As these Questions relate to the day-to-day business of the Equal Opportunities Commission, I have asked the chairman to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current position concerning re-warding proposals for each of the Kent districts; and when he expects to approve each set of proposals submitted to him by the Boundary Commission.

Orders have been made providing new electoral arrangements for 10 districts in Kent—Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Gillingham, Maidstone, Medway, Sevenoaks, Swale, Tonbridge and Mailing, and Tunbridge Wells. Consideration is currently being given to the Commission's report on Thanet. My right hon. Friend has not yet received reports on Dover, Gravesham and Shepway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out details of those forces which lost more than 100 officers resigning from the police without pension or gratuity in 1975.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out the average number of hours of overtime worked by constables in (a) the Metropolitan Police, (b) the West Midland Police and (c) the Nottinghamshire Police in the last available 12-month period, distinguishing between the uniformed branch and the CID.

I regret that comparable figures for the three forces are not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. However, I am able to tell the hon. Member that since May of this year the average overtime worked by uniformed police constables in the Metropolitan Police was nine hours; detective constables over the same period worked on average 18 hours' overtime. In the West Midlands Constabulary the average overtime worked from 1st April 1975 to 31st March 1976 by all ranks up to and including chief inspector was about six and a half hours; separate figures for constables are not available. In the Nottinghamshire Constabulary from 1st November 1975 to 31st October 1976, uniformed police constables worked on average 1·53 hours overtime and detective constables 4·67 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the further revelations concerning Mr. Tungsun Park in connection with bribery charges and KCIA connections following a United States Federal Justice Department inquiry, he will invoke the Immigration Act 1971 to prevent his visiting or staying in the United Kingdom.

We have no grounds at present for taking the action suggested by my hon. Friend. I shall keep the matter under review in the light of any information that I receive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been reported to the police in England and Wales in each of the past five years of (a) owner-occupiers, (b) public tenants and (c) private tenants being unable to gain entry to their homes because of the activities of squatters; in how many cases there have been prosecutions and with what result; and whether he will make a statement.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) reports to the police, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there have been in England and Wales in each of the last five years involving trespass on (i) domestic property, (ii) commercial property and (iii) industrial property.

I regret the information as requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to police authorities regarding their policy of purchasing motor cycles and cars for police use from British suppliers.

In Home Office Circular No. 107/1975, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, police authorities and chief officers of police were told that it was assumed that they would wish to survey the market carefully before buying foreign vehicles and satisfy themselves that no suitable British-made vehicles of comparable specification and price were available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British-born people have lost United Kingdom citizenship since 1960; and in what circumstances.

I regret that an exact figure could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. However, a

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many deaths have been caused by the actions of persons released or escaped from sentences of imprisonment for: (a) murder and (b) manslaughter since 1965;(2) how many criminals are currently detained in prison following sentences for: (

I shall write to the hon. Member when I have ready such information as is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much land was

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints there have been against the police in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years; and how many of them led to disciplinary action or criminal charges.

The following table gives the information readily available about the number of complaints made and the number of cases in which criminal or disciplinary charges resulting from complaints were brought, in each of the years 1969–75. I regret that similar information for earlier years is not available.required for motorways during each of the last five years; and what is the current forecast for the current year in the United Kingdom.

I regret that detailed figures are not readily available. Assuming an average land take of 20 acres per mile, English trunk road motorways took just under 11,000 acres between 1971–76 and are expected to take about 1,100 acres this year. Roads in the rest of the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the respective Secretaries of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are his latest estimates for the dates for start of construction and completion of all sections of the M20 motorway.

Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of funds, work is expected to start on the West Kingsdown to Addington section in the spring of 1977, on the Maidstone to Ashford section in 1981, and on the Ashford to Folkestone section in the summer of 1977, with completion in the spring of 1980, in 1983, and in the summer of 1979 respectively. The Swanley to West Kingsdown section is under construction and is expected to be completed in the spring of 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will inquire into the number of road accidents on Wednesday 1st December in the West Midlands; and whether he will make a statement.

Information about road accidents is collected by the police. The number of accidents which took place on 1st December is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what difficulties were experienced in road gritting on motorways and roads for which he is responsible on Wednesday 1st December in the West Midlands; and whether he will make a statement.

There were no abnormal difficulties in the gritting of motorways and trunk roads for which the Secretary of State is responsible in West Midlands except on some trunk roads in the Rugby division of Warwickshire County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Embassy in Peking delayed issuing visas to the Chinese basketball team for four days, causing disruption of tour arrangements in the United Kingdom.

Our embassy in Peking did not delay issuing visas for four days. Visas were issued on 5th November before the departure time originally notified. However, there seems to have been a change of flight plan to an early flight on that day and it was not possible to issue visas in time for that. Travel arrangements after the issue of the visas on 5th November were a matter for the Chinese. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office nevertheless regrets any inconvenience caused to the British organisers and to the Chinese team.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Nations arrangements for the administration of the Voluntary Fund for International Decade for Women have yet been endorsed, so that the United Kingdom grant promised to projects for women in poorer countries in rural areas during International Women's Year can be paid.

The General Assembly of the United Nations is expected to adopt the resolution on the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade on Women in the next few days. As soon as the resolution has been adopted, the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations will make a formal offer of our contribution of £200,000 to the Secretary-General and, when we have had the Secretary-General's reply confirming that our conditions have been accepted, the transaction will be completed and an announcement made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any British citizens or citizens holding dual British-Jamaican nationality held in Jamaica without trial under emergency regulations; and for how long each has been detained.

No such detentions have been reported to our High Commission in Kingston.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take immediate action to instruct the Property Services Agency to start work restoring Wellington Barracks in view of the dilapidation of the facade; and what plans he has for the use of the building and the estimated date for completion of the barracks scheme.

In the light of current constraints on the defence budget I have recently set in hand a further examination of the proposal to rebuild the barracks behind this facade. Until this study is concluded, I am unable to announce any firm plans. The facade which is a statutorily listed structure was secured when the barracks were demolished, but our studies recognise that it will require further attention quite soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the pay in deutschemarks of an unmarried private soldier serving with BAOR in November 1971; and what is the current rate.

Income tax, national insurance, food and accommodation charges are all deducted at source in sterling. After these deductions and taking into account local overseas allowance a typical unmarried private serving in BAOR in November 1971 would have been able to draw up to about DM7,700 a year locally. The corresponding figure in November 1976 is DM10,500 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the pay in deutschemarks of a married corporal with two children serving with BAOR in November 1971; and what is the current rate.

Income tax, national insurance and quartering charges are all deducted at source in sterling. After this deduction and taking into account local overseas allowance a typical married corporal with two children serving in BAOR in November 1971 would have been able to draw up to about DM 15,000 a year locally. The corresponding figure in November 1976 is DM19,400.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the draft Memorandum of Understanding on the US/United Kingdom "Harpoon" project; and if he will undertake to publish the final version after signature so that all British companies can be made aware of the business opportunities it produces against which they can enter bids.

A Memorandum of Understanding relating to the procurement of "Sub Harpoon" is still under negotiation with the United States Government. The negotiations are confidential. The question of publishing the final text has yet to be decided although it has not been the normal practice to publish such memoranda in the past. If in due course the memorandum is signed, there will be a wide range of sub contract work for which United Kingdom firms can compete. Information on these opportunities, which would not be given in the Memorandum of Understanding itself, is already being made available to British industry; and only this week the United States "Harpoon" prime contractor, McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation and its major sub-contractors, gave a presentation to about 100 representatives of United Kingdom companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his best estimate in (a) deutschemarks and (b) £ sterling of the cost of improving the runways at RAF Gutersloh.

Our studies have shown that, by combining the task with routine runway maintenance work, the extra cost of developing RAF Gutersloh to accommodate heavy wide-bodied jets would be about DM 3 million, or approximately £0·75 million at current exchange rates. We have decided that this expenditure would be worth while and work is now scheduled to start in April 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why former soldiers who volunteered for service in the British Army as long ago as 1940 and served for up to six years still have not received their campaign stars and medals; why applications for such decorations are taking approximately two years to process; and how many former World War II soldiers he estimates, on actuarial figures, may not live long enough to receive such medals during their lifetime.

The rapid demobilisation at the end of World War II meant that many servicemen and servicewomen left the Forces before campaign stars and medals were ready for issue. When these became available, those eligible were urged to apply for them on special postcards available in all Post Offices, and the Army Medal Office staff was increased to deal with the applications. Despite wide publicity in the national Press, many thousands failed to apply then for their medals.As a result, belated applications are still being received, at the rate of about 5,000 a year. The Service records of each applicant have to be carefully checked to assess his or her eligibility and entitlement, but it has not been possible to provide additional staff to handle these claims. Although they are dealt with as quickly as possible, and in strict order of receipt, the current period of delay is approximately two years.It is not possible to answer the last part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which units, apart from 66 Plant Squadron Royal Engineers, are specialists in heavy plant; whether he still intends to disband this squadron; if so, what unit will take its place; and what will be the reduction in the engineers' heavy plant capacity.

There is no directly comparable regular unit containing a similar concentration of specialist plant expertise, but specialist capability exists in parts of various regular field and base units in the United Kingdom, BAOR and elsewhere. In addition, there are two TAVR plant squadrons. As a consequence of the Defence Review, 66 Plant Squadron, Royal Engineers will disband by early 1978, but most of its heavy equipment will be taken over by other engineer units notably in the TAVR.There will be some reduction in the capacity of the Royal Engineers to plan and conduct major projects in peacetime.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present number of the Guards infantry battalion; whether it is proposed to maintain this number after the defence cuts; how many battalions are at present stationed (a) in Germany and (b) elsewhere overseas; and whether it is intended to change the pattern of their overseas deployment as a result of the defence cuts.

There are eight guards infantry battalions, and on present plans this number is to be retained. Two guards battalions are currently stationed in Germany, one of which is temporarily redeployed to Northern Ireland, and one battalion is stationed in Hong Kong. There is no intention to change the pattern of overseas deployment of guards battalions as a result of the Defence Review, though, in common with all infantry battalions, there will be longer intervals between tours overseas other than in Germany, consequent on the reduction of our overseas commitments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian scientists have left his Department in the last two years; and how many of these posts were subsequently filled by Service personnel.

1,056 civilian scientists have left the Ministry of Defence by retirement, resignation or dismissal in the last two years. Only a very small proportion were replaced by Service personnel. I will let the hon. and learned Gentleman have the exact number as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many persons were employed by the Defence Sales Organisation in 1966, 1971 and 1975;(2) what proportion of the staff of the Defence Sales Organisation was working outside the United Kingdom in 1966, 1971 and 1975.

The Defence Sales Organisation was set up in 1966 and initially comprised 204 staff in the Ministry of Defence. Ministry of Aviation Supply staff were transferred to the Organisation in October 1971. The total number of staff was 375 in November 1971 and 397 in November 1975, of whom 11 and 13 respectively were working abroad, including local support staff.The number of staff working abroad in 1966 is not available without a disproportionate amount of effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total administrative cost of running the Defence Sales Organisation for each year since 1966.

The estimated administrative cost of running the Defence Sales Organisation for each year since 1967–68 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total value of sales of armaments through the Defence Sales Organisation in each of the years since 1966; and what is the projected figure for the year 1976–77.

The estimated total value of exports of Defence equipment by the Ministry of Defence in each of the years 1966–67 to 1975–76 and the projected figure for 1976–77 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware of the anxiety caused by the proposed closure of the production workshops at the Admiralty compass station in Slough and its effect on the efficiency of the repair facilities for the older type of compass equipment still in use in the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary which cannot be repaired by industry; and if he will reconsider the decision to close it.

The proposed closure of the production workshops at the Admiralty Compass Observatory, Slough has, understandably, caused some anxiety amongst the employees. Consultations about the ways in which the decision can be implemented are at present taking place with the staff and trade union sides of the Whitley Council. One of the main factors underlying the closure decision has been the fact that the requirement for repair facilities for the older types of compasses is declining. It is appreciated that a number of items which industry cannot currently repair will still be in service after closure in 1980. The most suitable arrangements for handling such items are now under study.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in placing orders for the last two Type 42 destroyers, he was satisfied that the vessels would be built at the least cost by the two chosen yards rather than by other firms.

The two most recent orders for Type 42 Destroyers were placed earlier this year after competitive tendering. I am satisfied that neither ship could be obtained more economically to the required timescale had the orders been placed elsewhere. In placing orders, against the background of our stated warshipbuilding policy, we take account of a number of factors including price, timely completion of the vessel, the capacity and past performance of shipbuilders, and the contractual terms offered.

asked the the Minister for the Civil Service how many people are currently working for the Pay Reesarch Unit.

The Civil Service Pay Research Unit at present employs 20 full-time staff.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to deal with the forthcoming reduction in Civil Service manpower, due to public expenditure cuts, by way of reducing recruitment, early retirement and the like.

Recruitment both by Departments and by the Civil Service Commission is being adjusted as necessary to take account of the manpower economies. Departments and the Civil Service Department are also co-operating to ensure that staff who might otherwise become redundant are considered for vacancies before any necessary recruitment takes place.Existing age retirement policy in the Civil Service already provides for a minimum retirement age of 60, with departmental discretion to retain individual

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his responsibilities for ensuring compliance with the social contract in the public sector industries for which he is responsible, he collects information concerning the emoluments other than salary paid by the NCB to members of the NUM.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, under the Government's programme for the dispersal of Civil Service posts from London arising from the Hardman Report, what is the number of posts coming to the Northern Region, giving Department and location; and what further posts are planned to be transferred to the Northern Region.

Posts to be dispersed from London to the Northern Region as a result of the Government's decisions on the Hardman Report announced on 30th July 1974 are:

My right hon. Friend is kept informed by the NCB of all changes in wages and salaries. Few emoluments are paid in addition, and where there is doubt about their admissibility under the pay policy, the NCB normally consults the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the significant research projects concerned with the development of and conservation of energy now proceeding within the United Kingdom.

No comprehensive list on a project basis is available and some of the research is not in the public sector. Much information about energy research projects in the public sector is published in the annual reports of the nationalised fuel and power industries, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the research councils, and the annual research and development reports of Government Departments. These reports are in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the functions of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation; and how much money has been given to the Council by the Government in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

As regards the functions of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton) on 17th November. No funds have been made available to the Council, though expenses incurred on Council business are met from public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now reallocate 61 surplus Royal Air Force married quarters at Hornchurch to the Havering Borough Council, the primary housing authority for the borough, rather than to the Greater London Council.

No. I am writing to the hon. Member about this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what circular has been issued by his Department on local government superannuation gratuities; why a draft of the relevant regulations was published before the necessary consultation had taken place; and what reply he has sent to the National Association of Local Councils which has written to him on this subject.

Circulars 133/73 and 47/75 indicated that regulations would be made to secure the former gratuity expectations of local authority employees who had such expectations before becoming compulsorily superannuable. Draft regulations to this effect have been sent to the bodies. My right hon. Friend is required to consult under Section 7 of the Superannuation Act 1972, and also, as a matter of courtesy, to the National Association of Local Councils, even though the draft regulations do not affect parish or community council employees. This has now been pointed out to the Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the cost of maintaining local consumer advice centres and price information surveys will be regarded as relevant local authority expenditure in rate support grant calculations when direct government grants for these purposes cease.

Yes, all rate fund expenditure except for the exceptions listed in the Local Government Act 1974 qualifies as relevant expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference of the committee he has appointed to examine the local councillor attendance allowance system; and when he expects it to report.

The terms of reference of the Committee of Inquiry into the Remuneration of Members of Local Authorities are:

"To examine all aspects, other than travelling and subsistence allowances, of the present system of payment under the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 of local authority elected and co-opted members, including any anomalies in the system, consideration of its alleged abuses and its social security implications, to consider alternative systems and their consequences; and, having regard to the requirements of pay policy and the present severe constraints on local authority expenditure, to make recommendations".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the names and qualifications of the members of the committee he has recently appointed to examine the local councillor attendance allowance system.

With the exception of the Chairman, Mr. Derek Robinson, the members of the committee have yet to be appointed. My right hon. Friend hopes to announce their names shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the survey of telephone usage in his Department, which reveals that 360 telephone calls for the Test Match score were made from one of his offices in one week in the summer.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate of the number of domestic residences (a) privately owned and (b) publicly owned which have been unoccupied for three months, six months, 12 months and two years in England and Wales.

The most recent comprehensive estimate of the number of empty dwellings is provided by the 1971 Census, which recorded 675, 880 dwellings in England and Wales, about 3·9 per cent. of the total housing stock, as "vacant on Census night". Information about vacant council dwellings in England and Wales is obtained annually from the Department's relets enquiries. The provisional results for 1975 show that on 31st December about one-half of 1 per cent. of local authority housing revenue account dwellings, approximately 25,000, were vacant and available for letting, and about a further three-quarters of 1 per cent., approximately 37,000, were vacant for modernisation, repair or conversion. There is no equivalent annual survey of empty houses in private ownership. Neither the 1971 Census information nor that in the annual relets enquiries indicate how long dwellings had been empty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average domestic rate bill in England and Wales in each year since 1972–73; and what was the percentage increase over the previous year in each case.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the proportion taken by rate bills of average personal disposable income of householders paying rates in England and Wales in each year since 1950.

Information on personal disposable income restricted to householders paying rates is not available, but domestic rate payments have represented the following proportions of total disposable incomes in England and Wales in recent years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will explain the new use of habitable rooms per acre as a measure of the density of residential development in, for example, his comments on the Birmingham structure plan.

A measure, based on habitable rooms per acre, should give local plan authorities in Birmingham and the Black Country more flexibility to secure the construction of dwellings of the most appropriate sizes to meet local needs than the more usual historic measure, based on dwellings per acre. As my hon. Friend will be aware a measure based on dwellings per acre would not take account of the general trend towards smaller families and smaller homes. I will write to my hon. Friend in more detail.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total area of commercial and industrial premises held by the development corporations in the new towns of England and Wales.

At 31st March 1975 the commercial and industrial premises held by development corporations totalled 259 hectares.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total acreage of open space held by the development corporations in the new towns of England and Wales.

At 31st March 1975 the development corporations in England and Wales held about 3,550 hectares of public open space.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total acreage of undeveloped land held by the Commission for the New Towns in the Commission towns.

At 31st March 1975 the Commission held about 690 hectares of land awaiting development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environament what is the total acreage of development land held by the development corporations in the new towns in England and Wales.

At 31st March 1975 the development corporations in England and Wales held about 16,300 hectares of land awaiting development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of full-time and part-time staff employed by the GLC and London boroughs in each year since 1970.

I regret that this information is not available to my Department, but I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the annual profit or loss of the Ordnance Survey in the last year before the recent rise in copyright fees; and what extra revenue he expects the new fees to engender.

For the financial year 1975–76 the total costs of the Ordnance Survey were £23,565,000 and the total receipts from sales, services and copyright fees was £7,853,000, the balance of £15,712,000 being borne by the Exchequer. Revenue from copyright fees in 1975–76 was £1,547,000, and it is currently expected that the increase in such revenue in 1976–77 will be about £1·1 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the extra revenue to the Ordnance Survey which will arise from the increase in the copyright fee charged for the reproduction of the Survey's maps in local authority tourist guides/maps.

This revenue would be included in the figure of £1·1 million quoted in the reply to the hon. Member's Question today. It is not possible to separate the element of the extra revenue deriving from local authority tourist guides/maps but it is likely to be a very small proportion of the increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the additional cost to the producer of 120,000 tourist guides/maps a year as a result of the increase in the Ordnance Survey's copyright fee from 0·05 pence per guide/map to 0·8 pence.

On a print run of 120,000 copies the additional royalty charge would be £900 plus VAT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment under the special scheme to supplement local authority lending in England and Wales in 1975–76, how many applicants were referred by councils to nominated building societies; which councils referred applicants; how many advances were offered by building societies; and how many, respectively, have been declined by the applicant or refused by the societies.

Information in the amount of detail requested is not available centrally. At the end of October this year 15,424 applicants in England and Wales had been offered advances totalling £106 million in value.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take all possible steps to ensure that quality objectives rather than uniform standards are applied when the draft EEC directive on the reduction of water pollution caused by pulp mills in member States is considered by the Council of Ministers at their December meeting.

The United Kingdom has consistently sought to ensure that all EEC measures on water pollution control are based on quality objectives rather than uniform standards for discharges and will continue to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to resume the practice of publishing the output of the private and direct labour construction industries separately, as was the case up to August 1974.

The analysis introduced after August 1974 provides more comprehensive figures for the various types of work than had been publishel previously. Statistics on the output of public sector direct labour have been provided, on request. I am considering whether to publish these data regularly in Housing and Construction Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider the use of the wealth tax building for housing the Land Registry, and so release the site of the former Millbay station in Plymouth for other purposes.

All possible alternative uses for the Crown building under construction in Plymouth will be considered, including the possibility of its use by the Land Registry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list how each county council in England and each London borough council has individually complied with the provisions of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 and has provided permanent sites to which gypsies and other itinerants can be directed.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd December 1976; Vol. 921, c. 282], circulated the following additional information:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he intends to take to prevent the Civil Aviation Authority from ceasing to give radar coverage to all aircraft entering and leaving Eastleigh (Southampton) Airport as from the 1st January 1977, while continuing to provide coverage to all aircraft entering and leaving Hurn (Bournemouth) Airport.

This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.

asked the Secretary of of State for Trade if he will name the British ships recently found to have unhygienic kitchens; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that the Question refers to recent Press reports regarding a survey carried out by the Environmental Health Officers' Association in 1974 and 1975 of standards of food hygiene on a number of British and foreign ships. The report on this survey is not yet complete but my Department has asked to see a copy when it is ready; I cannot, therefore, name ships.United Kingdom shipowners are concerned to observe high standards of hygiene, and they are in fact co-operating with the Department of Health and Social Security and my Department in the preparation of a Code of Practice on the Hygiene of Food and Drinking Water Supplies on Passenger Ships. Standards for the accommodation, food and water provided for the crews of all United Kingdom foreign-going ships are laid down in regulations made by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion in megawattage of British exports of power plant have been produced by GEC and C. A. Parsons Limited, respectively, in each of the last 10 years.

The information is not available as the overseas trade statistics do not record exports by company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, what action his Department is taking under the Companies Act in respect of the Stock Exchange inquiry into Sir Hugh Fraser's Scottish and Universal Investment Trust.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take action under the Companies Act following the Stock Exchange statement on Scottish and Universal Investments Limited; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he proposes to take under the Companies Acts following the publication of the Stock Exchange report revealing, inter alia, that there is prima facie evidence of a breach of the law in certain dealings involving Sir Hugh Fraser's company, Scottish and Universal Investments.

I am considering the Stock Exchange report together with other information available to my Department. The company is registered in Edinburgh, and accordingly I am also consulting my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he proposes to rely on deflationary measures to remedy the deficit in trade in manufactures with Japan.

No. The Government believe it to be preferable to reduce the current imbalance by expanding trade on a more balanced basis than hitherto. We will, however, need to seek Japan's continued co-operation over her sensitive exports as well as to encourage her to buy more from us.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total of manufactured and semi-finished products imported by the United Kingdom from East Germany, West Germany, France, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Poland in the years 1974 and 1975, respectively, stated as a percentage of gross domestic product.