asked the Lord President of the Council how many registered disabled persons are employed in the House of Commons; and what percentage this figure is of the total number employed.

The information is as follows:

	No. of RDPs	%
Staff employed by the House of Commons	7	1·4
Refreshment Department Staff	1	0·6
PSA Staff	8	4·3
Car Park Attendants employed through the British Legion	5	62·5

asked the Attorney-General what effect the operation of cash limits (a) has had in the current year and (b) will have had to the end of the current financial year upon the number and location of staff in his Department.

The effect of cash limits on my very small Department has been that it has been unable to employ law students on a casual basis during vacations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he now expects completion of the Thames Flood Barrage.

The Greater London Council has recently announced that it expects the barrier to be in operation for the 1981–82 flood season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest position in relation to the green pound.

The Commission's proposal for a 4·5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound remains on the table, but we do not consider now to be an appropriate time to make such a change.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the operation of cash limits (a) has had in the current year and (b) will have had to the end of the current financial year upon the number and location of staff in his Department.

None, because the numbers of staff in post throughout the year have been lower than originally forecast as a result of factors other than the operation of cash limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the infant mortality rate in Argyll for the past 10 years.

The information for the latest available 10 years is set out in the table below. Figures for 1974 are given both for the former Argyll County and for Argyll and Bute District, and the figure for 1975 relates to the latter.

INFANT MORTALITY RATE PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS, 1966–75
Year		Area		Rate
1966	…	Argyll County	…	26
1967	…	Argyll County	…	16
1968	…	Argyll County	…	22
1969	…	Argyll County	…	23
1970	…	Argyll County	…	14
1971	…	Argyll County	…	13
1972	…	Argyll County	…	15
1973	…	Argyll County	…	29
1974	…	Argyll County	…	17
		Argyll and Bute District	…	14
1975	…	Argyll and Bute District	…	16

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) of those persons discharged from mental illness and mental handicap hospitals in Scotland in 1975, how many were discharged to nursing homes, after-care homes and other residential accommodation; and what percentages these figures represent of the total numbers discharged;

DISPOSAL OF IN-PATIENTS ON DISCHARGE IN 1975
	Mental illness hospitals and units		Mental handicap hospitals
	Persons	Percentage	Persons	Percentage
Discharged home	18,980	75·3	634	61·6
Died	2,086	8·3	143	13·9
Transferred to other hospitals	1,168	4·6	120	11·7
Discharged to hostels	549	2·2	65	6·3
Transferred to penal institutions	66	0·3	2	0·2
Unspecified	2,345	9·3	66	6·3
Total discharged	25,194	100·0	1,030	100·0

Discharges to nursing homes are not separately identified. Discharges to aftercare homes are included in discharges to hostels.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to cater for the needs of disabled children within the ordinary school system, with special reference to: (a) setting up resources centres in selected schools so that children with particular handicaps can get the help they need, (b) ensuring that parents are fully involved in choosing their child's school and in developing integration schemes and (c) determining that all future educational buildings should be fully accessible for the disabled.

It is established policy that disabled children should attend ordinary schools wherever it is practicable and in their best interest to do so. Circular No. 782, of which I am sending a copy to the hon. Member, published in February 1971, drew the attention of education authorities to the requirement in the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 that schools should so far as practicable and reasonable be provided with access and facilities suitable for disabled pupils; authorities are implementing this requirement to the extent that their resources allow.Subject to problems of access or facilities, the parents of disabled children have the same rights of choice of school as other parents, except in cases of disability so severe that the child is ascertained as requiring special education. In

The available information is set out in the table below:such cases the parents have a statutory right of appeal to the Secretary of State under Section 66A of the Education (Scotland) Act 1962 as amended. Educational provision for the handicapped is at present under consideration by the Warnock Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken pursuant to the announcement in 1972 by the Ancient Monuments Inspectorate in Scotland that arrangements were being made to investigate the unique complex of prehistoric monuments on the Huntingtower site threatened by the Perth Western Bypass.

Access to the relevant sites has not been obtained, but a compulsory purchase order has been promoted which would permit investigation to proceed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many accidents have taken place on the A74 since 1st October 1976 at or near lane restrictions due to road repairs or pipe-laying operations.

In the period 1st October 1976 to 31st December 1976, six accidents involving injury.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sections of the north and southbound carriageways, respectively, of the A74 were restricted on 21st December; what was the approximate length of each section; and whether there is co-ordination between the regional authorities, the gas board contractors and the Scottish Office as to how much of this road is under repair at any one time.

Seven sections of the northbound carriageway extending to 3·1, 2·0, 2·0, 1·4, 2·0, 0·9 and 0·7 kilometres; and three sections of the southbound carriageway extending to 1·6, 2·4 and 3·2 kilometres. The gas board, which was responsible for only one of the restrictions, co-operates with the regional councils and my Department on the timing of its operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will state the number of entrants, graduates and non-graduates respectively, who entered colleges of education in Scotland in each of the years 1974, 1975 and 1976; and what is his estimate for 1977;(2) if he will give an estimate of the number of new entrants to the teaching profession required to staff primary schools, secondary schools, and other educational establishments, respectively, to "Red Book" standards in each of the school years beginning in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

The numbers of graduates and non-graduates who entered courses of initial teaching training in colleges of education in Scotland in 1974, 1975 and 1976 are as follows:

Year	1974	1975	1976*
Graduates	2,150	2,495	1,658
Non-graduates	3,233	3,232	2,271
Total	5,383	5,727	3,929
*Provisional.

In the consultative paper on intake to teacher training courses in 1976–77 which was published in March 1976 my right hon. Friend estimated on the basis of information then available to him that to staff schools in 1976–77 and 1977–78 to the standards agreed with education authorities the number of new teachers required to qualify from colleges in the previous sessions would be:

	New teachers required
	Primary	Secondary
1976–77	1,200	2,220
1977–78	750	2,420

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now provide monthly statistics on the number of teachers employed in local authority schools in Scotland, including the number of secondary teachers employed in each subject category and the shortfalls and surpluses in individual categories and specific subjects.

Consideration is being given to the possibility of linking the lists of full-time permanent teachers entering and leaving employment which are submitted monthly by education authorities with data derived from the annual school census in September. This would provide information in changes in the teaching force during the course of each session but not on the position in individual subjects. Production of information about specific subjects on a monthly basis would place an unreasonable burden on education authorities and head-teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the current shortage of secondary mathematic teachers in Scottish local authority schools, given that the schools' census figures do not detail the number of teachers employed on specific subjects.

Estimates of shortages and surpluses of teachers by subject are submitted by head teachers as part of the annual school census each September. For some years information about pupil and teacher numbers and pupil-teacher ratios has been published as soon as practicable after the census without reference to specific subjects, and this was done last month on the usual basis. An analysis is now being made of estimates of subject shortages and surpluses in September 1976 and will be completed within the next few weeks. I shall send the hon. Member information about the shortage of mathematics teachers when it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish his views on teacher supply and training in Scotland from 1977 onwards.

A consultative paper will be sent to all interested bodies on Monday 17th January and placed in the House of Commons Library and released to the Press at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday 18th January.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter which has been sent by his Department to the Civil and Public Services Association concerning politically motivated industrial action by members of the Civil Service.

Yes.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the need to pay full pensions against the total time served by temporary and permanent civil servants.

Under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, which came into operation on 1st June 1972, the old distinction between established and unestablished service was abolished for pension purposes and most civil servants then in service became pensionable. Service given before 1st June 1972 continues to reckon, however, only to the extent that it was permitted to reckon under the previous statutory provisions. Under these provisions un-established service preceding establishment, which then conveyed pension-ability, was allowed to reckon only as to one-half if it were served before 14th July 1949.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give the total costs of pensions to retired civil servants and the number on pension at a date in October 1974 and similar figures for a date in December 1976.

The number of pensions in payment to retired civil servants—that is, excluding widows and other dependants—on 30th September 1974 was 221,000 and the annual rate of these pensions was £119 million. The number in payment on 30th September 1976 was 223,600 and the annual rate of these pensions was £203 million. The number will not have increased significantly by December 1976, but the annual rate will have increased to about £230 million as a result of the pension increases payable from 1st December.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, in the light of the revised and higher inflation figures now quoted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he proposes to make changes in the inflation-proofing of Civil Service pensions for 1976–77.

As my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Privy Seal said in another place on 15th December 1976, the Government will have to look very carefully at indexed pensions. Moreover, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made it clear in his statement on the same day that he would want to consider the inter-relationships between a range of topics, including pensions, with the TUC and other interested bodies.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he can estimate the expenditure incurred by the Government on sums above pay policy limits in 1975 and 1976 on Civil Service pensions; and whether he will indicate items relating not only to the Civil Service pensioners but to all recipients of inflation-proofed pensions in the public sector.

The pay policy limits did not apply to increases in pensions. Had they done so, however, it is estimated that for the Civil Service the annual cost of the increases paid from 1st December 1975 and 1st December 1976 would have been reduced as follows:—

by £8 million if the 1st December 1975 increase had been restricted to a maximum of £6 a week;

by £5½ million if the 1st December 1976 increase had been restricted to £4 a week and the minimum of £2·50 a week had been ignored.

I regret that detailed information in respect of other schemes for which I have a responsibility is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the cost of the December 1976 pension increase, respectively, for the Civil Service and for local government and for the other bodies that uprate either because they are obliged to by the Act of 1971 or do so through the custom of following the practice of the Civil Service.

For those public service pensions for which I have a responsibility, the cost over a full year of implementing the increases payable from 1st December last is estimated to be £114 million, as follows:—

Civil Service	£31 million
Local authorities	£22 million
Armed Forces	£22 million
Teachers	£12 million
National Health Service	£13 million
Police and fire services	£10 million
Other small schemes	£4 million

I have no responsibility for schemes in the wider public sector which may follow the 1971 Act.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the number of Civil Service staff on 1st January 1977; and how this figure compares with the figures on 1st January 1976 and 1st January 1975, including the percentage increase or decrease.

The 1st January 1977 figure will not be available until mid-February. Until then the latest available figure is that for 1st October 1976.The figures for 1st January 1975, 1st January 1976 and 1st October 1976, with the percentage increases, are:

1st January 1975	693,921
	7·4 per cent. increase
1st January 1976	745,120
	0·1 per cent. increase
1st October 1976	746,107

The 1st January 1976 figure includes 20,862 staff of the Manpower Services Commission and its Agencies, which were not part of the Civil Service on 1st Janu- ary 1975. If the increase due to the change in status of these staff is disregarded, the percentage increase between 1st January 1975 and 1st January 1976 is 4·4 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many people ceased to be civil servants during 1976 as a result of (a) retirement, (b) death and (c) voluntary resignation; and what were the comparable figures for each of the previous five years.

The details in respect of non-industrial civil servants for the period 1972 to 1976 are set out below. There are no comparable figures for 1971. The corresponding figures for industrial civil servants are not available centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

	Retirement	Death	Voluntary resignation
1972	11,761	1,814	30,986
1973	12,465	1,836	44,208
1974	10,751	1,662	30,402
1975*	12,953	1,866	29,421
1976*†	14,450	1,641	25,750
* The figures for 1975 and 1976 exclude the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
†The figures for 1976 are as at October 1976 and these may be revised when the outstanding reports are processed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will give a general direction to align domestic gas tariffs between the regional boards since the quarterly minimum tariff is at present twice as high in Scotland as certain regions of England.

Tariff formulation is a matter for the British Gas Corporation, who have made considerable progress in the last two years in reducing tariff differentials between regions. The only respects in which the domestic tariffs in Scotland remain higher than their equivalents in the majority of other Gas Regions are a 75p differential in one quarterly standing charge, and a difference of ½p a therm in the charge for the first block of consumption on the "prepayment" tariff.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to encourage the use of electrically-operated air conditioning in industry and commerce, in order to improve the load factor of the electricity supply system and to increase working efficiency and productivity in places of work.

I share the electricity supply industry's concern to increase its load factor. It is for the industry to assess the particular prospects for increasing the use of electrically-operated air conditioning in industry and commerce.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from trade unions following the publication of the CPRS Report on the power generating industry; and when he expects an announcement will be made on the Drax B project.

My right hon. Friend and I have received various representations from trade unions. Decisions on the CPRS Report will be taken after Ministers have consulted interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, what effect the operation of cash limits (a) has had in the current year and (b) will have had to the end of the current financial year upon the number and location of staff in his Department.

The effect of cash limits in 1976–77 will be to restrict the amount of resources that can be made

	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	Total
United Kingdom sector	1	1	2	5	6*	8	23
Norwegian sector	2	—	—	4	2	—	8
Irish sector	—	—	—	1	—	—	1
Dutch sector	—	—	—	—	1	—	1
Totals	3	1	2	10	9	8	33
* Includes one death from natural causes.

I must also draw attention to an error made in previous statements on the numbers of divers killed in the North Sea, in particular in the latest edition of the "Brown Book" published in April 1976.

asked the Secretary of Sate for Energy under what authority he will introduce his proposed winter electricity discount scheme.

The authority for the scheme, which was first announced to Parliament on 2nd August last, rests on the Estimates and the confirming Appropriation Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has yet issued the necessary directive to the Gas Council to impose the price increase announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th December; what increase in profits and return on capital these new charges will produce; and what the resultant effect will be on the current financial arrangements between the Council and the Government.

Details of the increase have still to be worked out in agreement with the British Gas Corporation, but it will result in a reduction in the level of Government financing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many divers died in connection with oil and gas exploration and exploitation operations in the waters off Northern Europe last year and in the previous five years.

The following table gives the information known to me.A figure of three was given for deaths in the United Kingdom sector in 1971 in Table 4 on page 15 of the Brown Book, but recent researches by my Department have revealed that two deaths which occurred in the Norwegian sector has inadvertently been recorded as having occurred in both the United Kingdom and the Norwegian sectors. The table above reflects the correction of this error.The figures given should be considered both in relation to the much higher levels of activity in the United Kingdom sector as against other areas and the marked increase in the number of divers working offshore and the greater working depths achieved since 1971. For example, in 1971 I estimate that about 80 divers were working in the North Sea of whom perhaps 10 per cent. or less were diving deeper than 100 metres. In 1976 I estimate that there were some 1,000 to 1,200 divers of whom about half were diving deeper than 100 metres. However, even when due regard is paid to these higher levels of activity, I am sure the House will join me in deploring the number of divers who have lost their lives in the United Kingdom and other North European offshore sectors.Diving in the often treacherous conditions of the North Sea will always involve a level of risk. For its part, the United Kingdom Government are committed to making offshore diving as safe as possible through the introduction of high standards of operating safety and practice.To this end, the Government have introduced comprehensive regulations which are the first of their kind in the world. I believe they are already helping to make offshore diving in United Kingdom waters a less hazardous occupation. It is gratifying to learn that our regulations are being used as a basis for standards being adopted by many other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received replies to the questions he put to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive on fast reactor safety.

I have received answers to these questions and have placed copies of them in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies are being made available to the Press. Arrangements will also be made for the answers to be published by HMSO as soon as possible. I would like to express my thanks to all those who have taken part in the work of preparing these answers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that Robin Storey, a British passport holder, now in Salisbury, Rhodesia, is being prevented from coming to Great Britain by the illegal Smith regime; how many British passport holders are in Rhodesia; and what action he has taken or intends taking to enable Mr. Storey and others in a similar situation to come to Great Britain.

Her Majesty's Government have no information about Mr. Storey's case and are unable therefore to take any action on it. However, in general United Kingdom passport holders resident in Rhodesia, of whom we estimate there are about 75,000, have long been aware that Her Majesty's Government are unable to extend to them any form of consular protection. Those United Kingdom passport holders who check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before their departure for Rhodesia are advised of Her Majesty's Government's inability to assist them while they are beyond our consular jurisdiction.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Official Report precise details of all cases of British subjects, other than Mrs. Bloch, living or staying in Uganda who had or are known to have disappeared or who have now been traced since 1st August 1976 to the present date.

No United Kingdom citizen other than Mrs. Dora Bloch is known to have disappeared in Uganda. Mr. Graham Clegg, a United Kingdom citizen, was arrested on 26th July 1976 and released on 25th August 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Official Report what representations he has made to the Ugandan authorities about the disappearance of Mrs. Dora Bloch; and what replies he has received from them since 1st October 1976 to the present date.

On 5th July 1976, the British High Commission in Kampala made oral, and subsequently written, representations about Mrs. Bloch's disappearance to the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ugandan High Commissioner in London was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to receive parallel representations.On 6th July 1976, in the absence of a satisfactory reply from the Ugandan authorities, further representations were made in Kampala and in London.On 9th July, the British High Commission informed President Amin that Her Majesty's Government could not accept the Ugandan denial of responsibility for Mrs. Bloch's disappearance.On 15th July 1976, the British High Commission delivered a Note to the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating Her Majesty's Government's inability to accept the further Ugandan denial of responsibility for Mrs. Bloch's disappearance and urging a full and exhaustive search for Mrs. Bloch or her body.No reply to our representations has been received from the Ugandan authorities since 1st October 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the intentions of the Government towards the inhabitants of Ocean Island in the light of recent legal proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made by Her Majesty's Government to compensate the Banaban people for losses resulting from the exploitation of phosphate on their island.

Her Majesty's Government will continue their consultations with the Governments of Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, as well as the Government of the Gilbert Islands and the Banaban leaders, in their efforts to reach a solution of the problems affecting the future of the Banaban community. The comments of the Vice-Chancellor in his recent judgment will be taken into account. My right hon. and noble Friend said in another place on 7th December that Her Majesty's Government will do everything that is possible and in equity to help the Banaban community, as they will to help the Gilbertese community.Phosphate revenues paid to the Banaban community up to the middle of 1976 total some $A12 million and on current phosphate prices they are likely to receive a further $A10 million before mining ceases.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legislation or rule of international law protects British citizens from claims of jurisdiction in foreign courts in respect of offences committed or alleged to have been committed in the United Kingdom.

Under customary international law there are limits to the circumstances in which a State may exercise jurisdiction over foreign nationals in respect of offences committed or alleged to have been committed outside its territory. Difficult questions may arise as to the territory in which the constituent elements of an offence occurred. Certain treaties provide for the exercise of jurisdiction by contracting parties over foreign nationals in respect of offences committed outside their territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied that adequate liaison exists between industry, teaching unions and local education authorities over the fixing of school summer holidays.

Local education authorities do take account of the view of parents, teachers and major local employers, as well as the incidence of national and local "traditional" holidays in deciding the timing and duration of summer holidays.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give the necessary assurances to Derbyshire County Council that the Matlock Teacher Training College will not be closed as a result of current Government policy.

No. My right hon. Friend intends to make a statement later this month about the future of the teacher training system as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he accepts that the effect of a free pardon in the exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy is to quash the conviction.

A free pardon does not quash a conviction in the same way that the Court of Appeal can quash a conviction, because that is a judicial process and the exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy is outside the judicial process. It is, however, generally accepted that a free pardon has the effect of wiping out the conviction and all its consequences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the case of Michael Davis, now on hunger strike in Armley Prison, Leeds, with a view to action being taken; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Davies refused solid food from 12th December 1976 until the morning of 12th January 1977 when he accepted the normal prison diet and indicated his intention of continuing to do so. His refusal of solid food was apparently in protest against the outcome of disciplinary proceedings. Since Mr. Davies began to refuse solid food he has been kept under close medical supervision, but I understand that his health gives no grounds for immediate concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were unemployed in Northern Ireland on 31st December 1976.

On 9th December 1976, which is the latest date for which figures are available, the total number of unemployed in Northern Ireland was 55,101, or 10·4 per cent. of all employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many special investigators are currently employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Security.

The Department has 18 special investigating officers on duty at present. The imminent filling of one vacant post will bring the complement up to full strength.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what British representation there is on the Standing Committee on Desalination.

To avoid duplication and to ensure that technical matters concerning desalination are dealt with in the wider context of water treatment generally, the Desalination Committee has been constituted as the Desalination Working Party of the Standing Technical Committee on Water Treatment. The representation is entirely British. Members are drawn from the Central Water Planning Unit, the National Water Council, the Water Research Centre, water authorities, water companies, consulting engineers, the Central Electricity Generating Board, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Research Establishment and the Department of Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if a list of the judges of Charles I can be displayed in Westminster Hall.

Consideration of this request is a matter for the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord Chancellor and Mr. Speaker, in whom the control of Westminster Hall is vested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the operation of cash limits (a) has had in the current year and (b) will have had to the end of the current financial year upon the number and location of staff in his Department.

The operation of cash limits has affected neither the number nor the location of the staff in the Department of the Environment, nor is any such effect forecast for the remainder of the current financial year. In general, however, the effect of cash limits has been to add impetus to the drive for economy and increased efficiency in the administration of the Department's services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated amount of the funds that will be transferred from the Thames Water Authority under the equalisation scheme envisaged in the Water Equalisation Bill to benefit the Welsh, Anglian and South-West Water Authorities for the year 1977; and what will be the expected increase in water charges to unmetered consumers.

The Department's estimates of equalisation transfers to and from individual water authorities in 1977–78 are as follows:

Levies to be paid by authorities	£'000
North West	941
Severn-Trent	1,219
Yorkshire	1,131
Thames	3,972
Southern	1,073
Wessex	104

Payments to be received by authorities
Northumbrian	224
Anglian	3,018
South West	1,662
WNWDA	3,536

As far as the effect of the scheme on charges next year is concerned, I calculate that the scheme would cost the average consumer in the area of the Thames Water Authority about 2p per week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the financial effect on the domestic consumer in the Greater London area resulting from the Water Charges Equalisation Bill; what consideration is being given to the introduction of rebates for water charges; and if he will make a statement.

The impact of transfers of money under the Bill on particular parts of a water authority's area will depend on the internal charging policies of the authorities concerned. As to the effect on domestic consumers in the Thames Water Authority area as a whole, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him today. On the subject of rebates of water charges, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 9th December to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price).—[Vol. 922, c. 301–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the report of the Mobile Homes Review Body; and if he will arrange for early publication of this report.

I now hope to receive the report within the next few weeks and to make it available as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has now concluded his consideration of entering into an agreement with the USSR to prevent the danger of a nuclear war breaking out accidentally similar to the USSR-United States agreements, and an agreement averting the accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons similar to the USSR-France agreement.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 17th November 1976.—[Vol. 919, c. 583.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider switching some or all of the 300 employed by the Defence Sales Organisation from promoting the export of arms to promoting the export of non-military engineering and other products; and if he will make a statement.

The promotion of non-military engineering exports and other non-defence products is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the average number of visits made during each working day during 1976 by civil servants and members of Her Majesty's Forces to contractors supplying goods and services to Her Majesty's Government;(2) what was the average number of employees from contractors supplying goods and services to the Department and Her Majesty's Forces visiting the Department's headquarters offices in the London area during each working day in 1976.

I regret that it would require disproportionate effort and cost to public funds to provide this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of occasions when a specially chartered RAF plane has been sent to return to home a disabled ex-Service man who was taken seriously ill whilst on holiday, the ranks of such persons and the costs involved; and what principle is involved in such persons being able to claim such transport arrangements.

There have been no such cases during the past three years. Persons who are not normally entitled to travel in RAF aircraft, including ex- Service men, may be provided with passages exceptionally if it is medically essential for them to be moved and there is no other means of transport. Five such passages have been granted in the past three years. Payment is required by the patients or by a responsible sponsor who is prepared to meet the costs involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient period of time, the number of Service men, and their ranks, who, whilst on holiday, have had specially chartered RAF planes sent to them for a personal return home when becoming seriously ill; and at what costs to the Exchequer.

There has been one such case during the past three years involving a chief petty officer who was taken ill while on holiday in Romania. The cost to the Exchequer was £1,421·80,

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the total inclusive costs involved, including costs of staff employed in sending a RAF VC10 aircraft to and from Miami, Florida.

The additional cost to the Exchequer of providing the RAF VC10 and the medical team was £17,850. Twenty-five Ministry of Defence duty passengers also returned to the United Kingdom in this aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the operation of cash limits (a) has had in the current year and (b) will have had to the end of the current financial year upon the number and location of staff in his department.

Cash limits constitute a further discipline on Departmental management in addition to existing financial and manpower controls. It is not possible to identify their effect on staff numbers and location in the current financial year separately from other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the respective costs of Great Britain's share in the airborne warning and control system using the Boeing E-3A and the AEW system using the Nimrod.

I have nothing to add to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the effect will be of the further cuts in defence expenditure announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in December on orders for ships for the Royal Navy which have been or were to be placed with British shipyards;(2) what is the extent of orders for new ships for the Royal Navy now placed with British shipyards; and what further orders he expects to place during 1977.

At the present time the Royal Navy has two ASW cruisers, three nuclear-powered submarines, six Type 42 destroyers, four Type 21 and three Type 22 frigates, and a mine countermeasures vessel under construction in United Kingdom shipyards, in addition to a number of smaller vessels. This programme will not be affected by the latest public expenditure cuts. We intend to announce the programme for 1977–78 in the forthcoming Defence White Paper as usual.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he had received approaches from the Peruvian Government for the purchase of the aircraft carrier HMS "Bulwark" and what response had been made.

Our response to any approach by the Peruvian Government or by any other country regarding the possible purchase of HMS "Bulwark" would need to await a decision about the future of the ship. This decision will have to take into account current studies into the Royal Navy's antisubmarine capability in the period before HMS "Invincible" joins the Fleet.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make arrangements with the United States Government to enable Parliament and British industry to receive copies of the United States Department of Defence "Implementing Instructions" relating to the United States-United Kingdom memorandum of understanding on sales of defence equipment to the United States of America.

The United States Department of Defence has agreed that these instructions can be given a wide distribution. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House and for all appropriate United Kingdom defence firms and defence trade associations to receive copies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for a special study of the nature and problems caused by unemployment in Hastings as this has now risen to twice the national average given in his Department's returns.

The latest available figures, for October 1976, show that the unemployment rate in Hastings was 6·8 per cent.—10·1 per cent. for males. While this rate is far too high, it is considerably less than twice the national average, which last October was 5·7 per cent.—7·0 per cent. for males. I am not convinced that a special study in the area would be likely to bring any direct benefit to those who are currently unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the totals of the various grants, loans and subsidies given to firms in: (a) the North-West (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby and (d) Ormskirk in each of the last three years; how many jobs have been saved; and how much they amount to per head of the employed population.

The following information relates to the various schemes and subsidies administered by my Department: I regret that it is not possible in all cases to give the information in the form requested.The approximate number of persons assisted in each area so far by means of the temporary employment subsidy, the recruitment subsidy and youth employment subsidy schemes which all involve payments to employers and the estimated costs are as follows:

	Number of persons assisted	Estimated cost*	Estimated cost per head of total employees in employment in the area
		£	£
North-West region	53,000	42,990,000	16·07
Merseyside	9,470	6,363,000	9·13
Kirkby†	1,040	774,000	25·09
Ormskirk†	26	2,900	0·20
* Estimated cost assumes payment of subsidy for the maximum period in each case.
† The figures for Kirkby and Ormskirk refer to Employment office areas.

The following estimated amounts of Regional Employment Permium were paid to firms in Merseyside SDA:

Financial year	Estimated amount paid	Estimated amount paid per head of total employees in employment in the area
	£ million	£
1973–74	20	28·16
1974–75	27	38·01
1975–76	36	51·66

In addition, direct assistance paid to firms under the scheme to encourage training in industry in assisted areas was as follows:

NORTH-WEST REGION
Financial year	Amount paid	Amount paid per head of total employees in employment in the area
	£	£
1973–74	403,000	0·15
1974–75	1,344,000	0·50
1975–76	673,000	0·25

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to introduce regulations for notification of accidents and dangerous occurrences arising from work activities.

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that certain accidents and dangerous occurrences arising from work activities in premises subject to the Factories Act 1961 and the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 are already required to be notified to the appropriate enforcing authority, this being the Health and Safety Executive. Notification is also required for certain accidents within the scope of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963, the Explosives Act 1875, and the Petroleum Consolidation Act 1928. Dangerous occurrences at licensed sites are required to be notified under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. The enforcing authority for all these acts is the Health and Safety Executive except for the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act where, in certain circumstances, it may be the local authority.Consideration is being given to proposals to extend the requirements to notify accidents and dangerous occurrences to all work activities subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and following earlier extensive consultation, the proposals are now being reviewed before being presented to the Health and Safety Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what projects will be advanced for the £3 million EEC grant to help the British newspaper industry.

The money has been allocated to assist vocational retraining, under the auspices of the joint Standing Committee for the National Newspaper Industry, of workers remaining in that industry who need different or higher skills to cope with new techniques and methods of production.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether regional and local newspapers will be able to apply for assistance from the £3 EEC grant.

No, the grant is specific to the national newspaper industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what total amount the

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
(thousands)
Financial year					£ million	Males	Females	Total
1967–68	…	…	…	…	1		Not available
1968–69	…	…	…	…	2		Not available
1969–70	…	…	…	…	2	21·6	6·1	27·7
1970–71	…	…	…	…	2	23·4	6·7	30·1
1971–72	…	…	…	…	2	23·7	7·1	30·8
1972–73	…	…	…	…	2	21·5	7·2	28·7
1973–74	…	…	…	…	2	23·4	7·7	31·1
1974–75	…	…	…	…	3	22·7	8·0	30·7
1975–76	…	…	…	…	4	24·1	7·6	31·7

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what priority he is giving in the programme of measures to alleviate unemployment to the needs of disabled people requiring assistance with transport if they are to secure and remain in employment.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the review of the fares to work scheme, announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 7th December 1976 is being actively pursued as a matter of some priority.—[Vol. 922, c. 174–75.]This is a review of an ongoing scheme and while the scheme helps certain disabled people to secure and retain employment the review does not form part of the programme of measures being taken to relieve unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the extent to which improvements to enhance job security, such as improved redundancy payment schemes, and sick pay schemes which are allowable outside the pay limits, have taken place since 1st August 1976.

No information on this is available. As I have previously South-West assisted area has received from the regional employment premium for each year that payments have been made; and how many employees were involved in each case.

The estimated payments made in request of regional employment premium and the approximate number of employees involved in the South-West development area were:explained, under the voluntary pay policy there is no general obligation on negotiators to report details of their settlements to my Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now able to confirm that the taxation of benefits in the way of cars, travel warrants, houses and flats will apply to Ministers of the Crown in the same way as to other taxpayers.

The general treatment of houses and flats is under review, following the setting up of the interdepartmental working party on representative occupation last year; but, subject to any proposals which may emerge from this review, I can confirm that the same rules regarding the taxation of the benefits referred to will apply to Ministers as to other taxpayers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer in the current financial year if the maximum rate of income tax on; (a) earned income and (b) unearned income were reduced to: (i) 55 pence and (ii) 50 pence.

Assuming that the investment income surcharge is retained at its present level in addition to the general income tax rate, the approximate costs would be as follows: for earned income £165 million and £235 million, and for unearned income £135 million and £180 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people paid income tax at a rate in excess of 60 per cent. in the last financial year.

It is estimated that for 1975–76 the number of taxpayers liable to income tax at rates in excess of 60 per cent.—excluding the investment income surcharge—was about 180,000, counting married couples as one.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of income tax paid at rates in excess of 60 per cent. in the last financial year.

It is estimated that for 1975–76 the amount of income tax paid at rates in excess of 60 per cent. —excluding the investment income surcharge—was £950 million.

Percentage of total reduction
				Expenditure on Goods and Services
Programme				1977–78	1978–79
Defence	…	…	…	100	100
Overseas aid and other overseas services	…	…	…	6	9
Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry	…	…	…	—	2
Trade, industry and employment	…	…	…	4	3
Nationalised industries	…	…	…	—	—
Roads and transport	…	…	…	100	100
Housing	…	…	…	—*	64
Other environmental services	…	…	…	100	100
Law order and protective services	…	…	…	100	100
Education and libraries, science and arts	…	…	…	71	80
Health and personal social services	…	…	…	100	100
Common services	…	…	…	100	100
Northern Ireland	…	…	…	100	100
* There is a small increase in housing expenditure in 1977–78.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a breakdown of the reductions in public expenditure, on each programme, announced on 15th December into current and capital expenditure, and into

£ million at 1976 survey prices
Programme				1977–78	1978–79
Defence:
Current expenditure	…	…	…	100	200
Capital expenditure	…	…	…	—	—
Goods and services	…	…	…	100	200
Transfer payments	…	…	…	—	—
Overseas aid and other overseas services:
Current expenditure	…	…	…	31	32
Capital expenditure	…	…	…	19	18
Goods and services	…	…	…	—	—
Transfer payments	…	…	…	50	50

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer in the current financial year if: (a) the income tax threshold were raised to £500 and (b) the starting rate of tax was lowered to 30 per cent.

I shall let the right hon. and learned Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of the expenditure reductions on each programme announced on 15th December which represent a reduction in purchases of goods and services from the private sector.

The following table provides an estimate of the reductions on current and capital goods and services, excluding savings in expenditure on the Civil Service but allocating to programmes savings by the Property Services Agency, as a proportion of the total reduction on each programme announced in my right hon. Friend's statement of 15th December 1976.expenditure on goods and services and transfer payments.

The following table gives the required breakdown of the announced reductions.