asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with progress in the development of the MRCA aircraft and in particular of its undercarriage.

The development programme is going well, and I am satisfied with its progress.Modifications introduced to the aircraft's undercarriage and undercarriage fittings are under test. No delay in the in-service date is foreseen.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he expects the MRCA aircraft to go into squadron service with the British and German air forces at the time, in the numbers, and up to the operational standards originally specified to NATO.

No changes have been made in the original force declarations made to NATO.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment at 1st January 1976 and at 1st January 1977.

At 1st January 1976 the strength of the UDR was 7,793. The figure for 1st January 1977 is not yet available; I shall write to the hon. Member when I receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations or other reports he has received in the past six months about the standards of operational readiness of British-built Harrier aircraft now in service with the United States Marines; and what arrangements he is making to ensure that aircraft of this type now in use by British and United States forces are provided with an adequate supply of spare parts and facilities for speedy repair.

None.Although the Ministry of Defence has taken a close interest in the supply of Harriers to the US Marine Corps, the US Government places orders for spares and repairs direct with the United Kingdom companies concerned.The provision of spares and repair facilities for the RAF's Harrier force remains satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is now in a position to make a statement setting out the Government's views on the pace and scale of nuclear reactor ordering over the years ahead to the end of the century.

No. My right hon. Friend is still taking stock of progress with the SGHWR programme and reviewing our policy on the fast reactor.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, arising out of his recent meeting with the NUM leaders, he will announce the payment of aids for coke stocks similar to the payments made for stocking coal.

No. The situation has not changed since I replied to the hon. Member's question on the 3rd December 1976.—Vol. 921, c. 322.]My hon. Friend and I have frequent meetings with the leaders of the NUM, but we have not discussed stocking aid for coke.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the value of North Sea gas royalties in each year that they have been payable (a) on a receipts basis and (b) on an accruals basis; and what the value is estimated to be on both bases for 1976–77.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th January 1977; Vol. 923, c. 501], gave the following further information:Gas royalty accrues in respect of six monthly chargeable periods ending on 30th June and 31st December in each year, and payments are due within two months of those dates. Accruals, therefore, relate to calendar years whereas receipts fall into financial years. Separate accrual figures are not available for years before 1972–73 when the method for ascertaining admissible conveying costs was settled; the figures are as follows:

£ million
Royalty received in financial year 1967–68	0·3
Royalty received in financial year 1968–69	1·3
Royalty received in financial year 1969–70	1·5
Royalty received in financial year 1970–71	3·4
Royalty received in financial year 1971–72	6·3
Royalty received in financial year 1972–73	10·5
Total	23·3
Royalty accrued to 31st December 1972	23·8
Royalty received in financial year 1973–74	12·1
Royalty accrued for year to 31st December 1973	12·4
Royalty received in financial year 1974–75	15·4
Royalty accrued for year to 31st December 1974	15·8
Royalty received in financial year 1975–76	19·4
Royalty accrued for year to 31st December 1975	19·5
Estimated royalty receivable in financial year 1976–77	21·4
Estimated royalty accrued for year to 31st December 1976	20·0

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the improvement in detecting and identifying seismic phenomena, he will take the initiative at the United Nations for the banning of all nuclear weapon tests.

Her Majesty's Government attach importance to the achievement of an effective comprehensive test ban. At present we believe the best prospects for practical progress are at the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament which will resume its work in Geneva on 15th February, with this subject given high priority. Complex problems remain which require expert study, notably verification of any ban. The United Kingdom participates in the group of experts established by the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to study international co-operation in detecting and identifying seismic events. This group is a useful means of exploring what form the verification machinery for any comprehensive test ban might take.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the convention on the prohibition of bacteriological weapons, he will take the initiative within the United Nations for the banning and destruction of chemical weapons.

The Government have already taken an initiative. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department told my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 23rd December, we have tabled a draft convention on the comprehensive prohibition of chemical weapons at the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva. This was done on 12th August 1976, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs drew this to the attention of the United Nations in his speech to the First Committee on 2nd November. The General Assembly subsequently adopted by consensus a resolution on chemical weapons which requested the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to

"continue negotiations as a matter of high priority, taking into account existing proposals, with a view to reaching early agreement".

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support within the United Nations the 1975 USSR proposal for an international agreement precluding the development and production of new types and systems of weapons of mass destruction, such as radiation weapons affecting blood and intra-cellular plasma, infrasonic weapons which have a harmful effect on internal organs and behaviour and genetic weapons which may disrupt the mechanism of heredity.

Her Majesty's Government share in principle the objective behind the Soviet Union's proposal to prohibit the development of "new weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons". However, we and other Governments doubt whether the present Soviet proposal for a single all-embracing convention is likely to lead to effective international agreement. The United Nations General Assembly has remitted the subject to the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament at Geneva. That Conference has yet to agree on an acceptable definition of the subject and is holding a series of expert meetings to examine the best approach to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press inside the United Nations for the implementation of the proposal approved by the United Nations General Assembly for a 10 per cent. reduction in the military budgets of States which are permanent members of the Security Council and the allocation of part of the funds saved to aiding the developing nations.

Her Majesty's Government did not support the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 1973 in these terms, because it ignored the different bases on which military budgets are calculated and the absence of adequate information on the budgets of some states. However, we supported the 1975 United Nations General Assembly resolution which commissioned a study of how military budgets could be compared, as a preliminary to considering their reduction. A British expert participated in that study. We also supported the 1976 United Nations General Assembly resolution inviting comment on the study.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Mauritian Government have yet been able to respond to British proposals for the resettlement of exiles from Diego Garcia.

Yes. As a first step towards the implementation of the Report submitted last year by Mr. Prosser, Adviser on Social Development at the Ministry of Overseas Development, the Mauritius Government have set up a Committee of all interested parties, including the former residents of Diego Garcia, under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Mauritian Cabinet. This Committee has met several times. One of the matters it is currently considering is the provision of new housing.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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 number of staff in post in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including the Passport Office and Government Communications headquarters, and in missions overseas fell from 10,171 on 1st April to 10,060 on 1st October 1976, the latest date for which complete figures are available. No significant variation from the October figure is expected between now and the end of the financial year. It is impossible to quantify the precise effect on these figures of the operation of cash limits, but they have reinforced other factors tending to reduce the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's manpower totals.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are currently imprisoned in foreign prisons.

At 31st December 1976 there were 502 United Kingdom citizens imprisoned overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are currently imprisoned in Moroccan prisons.

There are at present 14 United Kingdom citizens serving prison sentences in Morocco.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate the grade and the function of the Greek national employed in the British Embassy in Moscow.

The Greek national in question—who was born in Russia of Greek parents and is permanently domiciled in the Soviet Union—is employed as a locally engaged officer Grade I. His duties include day-to-day supervision of the Russian locally engaged staff of the Embassy, comprising clerks, translators, cleaners, drivers, repairmen, etc., and liaison with Soviet organisations on administrative matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what countries are known to him to have tortured British citizens charged with or convicted of civil offences in the last year for which figures are available; and what action he is taking against such countries.

I know of no case where a United Kingdom citizen has been tortured in connection wth a civil offence.There are, however, two United Kingdom citizens who have been convicted in Morocco for smuggling drugs, and who have alleged torture during interrogation by the police. Our Embassy has asked the Moroccan Government to investigate the allegations, and is awaiting a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government proposes to take in the matter of the Banaban people displaced in the Ocean Islands.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13th January to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby).—[Vol. 923, c. 555ndash;56.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours per week the Chairman of the Horserace Totalisator Board attends to his part-time duties; what is his salary and other stated emoluments; and what is the total annual cost of all expenses connected with the Horserace Totalisator Board.

The Chairman's salary of £8,480 is calculated on the basis of a four day a week commitment. The expenses paid to the Chairman and other members of the Board in 1975–76 amounted to £2,763. In that year, the Board received stakes of £49,343,505, distributed £39,752,350 among persons making winning bets, paid £3,136,073 in betting duty and levy, and met operating expenses of £6,526,268, which included the salaries and expenses of the Board and its staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present procedures covering communications from the police to the emergency gas services about suspected gas leaks.

The question of communication between the police and emergency gas services is a matter for the chief officer of the force concerned. I am, however, looking into the particular incident concerning which the hon. Gentleman wrote to me on 30th December and shall send a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those held in detention pending a decision upon their application for entry into the United Kingdom absconded during 1976, and from which countries they came; what were the comparable figures for the previous three years; and how many are estimated still to be in the United Kingdom.

I regret that the statistics relating to persons seeking entry to the United Kingdom who absconded pending a final decision whether or not to remove them do not distinguish between those who escaped from custody and those who failed to report as directed

PASSENGER ABSCONDERS
				1974		1975		1976
Country				Absconded	Not traced as at 12th January 1977	Absconded	Not traced as at 12th January 1977	Absconded	Not traced as at 12th January 1977
Australia	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
Bangladesh	…	…	…	—	—	6	6	—	—
Cyprus	…	…	…	1	1	5	5	4	1
Egypt	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
Finland	…	…	…	—	—	1	—	—	—
France	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
Germany	…	…	…	—	—	2	2	—	—
Ghana	…	…	…	11	11	1	1	1	1
Hong Kong	…	…	…	—	—	2	2	—	—
India	…	…	…	4	4	11	9	18	17
Iran	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	2	1
Iraq	…	…	…	—	—	1	—	—	—
Israel	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
Italy	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
Nigeria	…	…	…	3	3	4	4	1	1
Pakistan	…	…	…	—	—	2	2	3	3
Rhodesia	…	…	…	1	—	—	—	3	3
Senegal	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
South Yemeni	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	1
Turkey	…	…	…	—	—	2	1	—	—
Total	…	…	…	20	19	37	32	39	34

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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.

In common with all Government Departments, the Home Office has been required to keep expenditure on staff and associated costs within a prescribed cash limit. This restriction has been achieved by exercising tighter control over such matters as complementing, overtime working and general administrative expenses. It has not been and will not be necessary during the current financial year to impose any arbitrary restrictions on staffing levels solely on account of the need to keep expenditure within the prescribed cash limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now permit Miss Mariko Oshimo, of 146 Haven Garden Court,

I understand that the invitation was withdrawn last October, but if it is renewed I shall be willing to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Working Party on Water Safety to report.

I expect to receive the report next month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest estimate of the cost of conducting the EEC referendum in 1975.

The exact cost is still not know because some accounts have yet to be received. We have, however, no reason to believe that the final figure will differ significantly from the previous estimate of £5 million for the costs incurred by returning officers and counting officers at the referendum. This figure excludes costs incurred by the Post Office in connection with postal votes and the delivery of poll cards

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people of British nationality and foreign nationality have been convicted of drug offences in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many in each category have been granted parole at: (a) the first application and (b) the second or subsequent application.

Information about the nationality of persons granted parole is not available, but I will write to the hon. Member with such information as can be obtained on persons convicted of drug offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to introduce legislation requiring certain standards to apply to portable fire extinguishers in factories.

Following the coming into operation on 1st January 1977 of the Fire Precautions (Factories, Offices, Shops and Railway Premises) Order 1976 (S.I., 1976 No. 2009), fire certificates for factory premises will be issued under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and will specify by number and type all fire extinguishing apparatus approved for the premises. All portable fire extinguishers so specified will be required to conform to British Standards specifications where these are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the fire at Wensley House, Hessle, which cost 10 lives.

I have been asked to reply.Wensley Lodge, West Hill, Hessle, consisted of three houses converted into a residential home partly of three stories and partly of two. The accommodation provided 61 places for elderly men although at the time of the fire only 50 men were in residence. The fire was discovered at 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday 5th January 1977 by a care assistant reporting for night duty. He immediately informed the officer in charge of the home, who was off duty The officer in charge raised the alarm, summoned the emergency services and proceeded with the assistant officer in charge and care assistant to evacuate residents, only four or five of whom were in the ground floor lounges, the remainder except for one resident who was out visiting a public house, having gone to their bedrooms. The staff were able to get to the upper floor only once before being driven back by smoke and flames. The fire appliances arrived approximately six minutes after being summoned.After 15 minutes, firemen already hampered by falling debris had to be evacuated from the top floor because the roof was caving in. Fifteen appliances, 10 of which were pumping appliances, were used to tackle the fire which took two hours to get under control.Of the 50 residents, 10 died, 19 had to be admitted to hospital, and 20 were admitted to other homes in the area. One other resident has since died in hospital. One fireman was injured as a result of falling down a lift shaft, an ambulance man suffered from an eye injury and the officer in charge of the home was admitted to hospital suffering with shock and the effects of smoke.I am sure that hon. Members would wish to join me in expresing our deepest sympathy with all the bereaved, a speedy and full recovery to all those injured and our sincere appreciation of the prompt and efficient task performed by the emergency services, the staff of the County Social Services Department and the voluntary services.The cause of the fire which is thought to have originated in a single bedroom on the first floor is being investigated. The county council is aware that I consider a formal inquiry will be necessary. The Council is to discuss this on 17th January, in the light of recommendations of its Social Services Committee and will then let me know what form it considers the inquiry should take.

asked the Lord President of the Council by what authority hon. Members are prevented from entering that part of the Interview Room Corridor now used to accommodate some hon. Members' secretaries.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Fourth Report of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) of Session 1974–75.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the cost to his Department of the wooden columns with notices advising hon. Members that they may not enter that part of the Interview Room Corridor which is now used to accommodate some secretaries.

I understand that the cost of these notices was some £200 and that this will be borne on the Vote of the Department of the Environment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received suggesting that the limits of income which may be set against tax by self-employed persons is to low; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total costs and the cost of the concessionary free post for candidates incurred in Wales for the last General Election in October 1974.

Returning officers' expenses in the 36 Welsh constituencies for the October 1974 election totalled £259,000. In addition, the cost of the concessionary free post for candidates was £135,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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 enhances the continual responsibility of management to ensure that the public service is both economical and efficient, and deployed to those ends.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the official figures for the following occurrences in Northern Ireland in 1975 and 1976: (a) Regular soldiers killed, (b) UDR soldiers killed, (c) policemen killed, (d) known or suspected terrorists killed, (e) shooting incidents, in 1,000s, (f) bomb explosions, (g) bombs neutralised, (h) weapons recovered and (i) explosives recovered, in tons.

For 1975 I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell) on 29th October 1976.—[Vol. 918, cc. 412–16]. The figures for 1976 are as follows:

Regular soldiers killed	14
UDR soldiers killed	15
Policemen killed	23
Shooting incidents (total)	1,908
Bomb explosions	766
Bombs neutralised	426
Weapons recovered	837
Explosives found and neutralised (tons)	16·9

Whether a person is a member of a terrorist organisation often cannot be established with certainty. No reliable figures therefore exist in respect of terrorists killed.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent the Chairman and Members of the Committee he has appointed to investigate financial matters connected with the City will be able to draw expenses and payments; on what basis and what amounts; and whether these payments will be additional to those received from Government sources for other part-time activities.

As with other Government committees and commissions, the chairman and members of this Committee will be able to claim travel expenses between home and place of official duty. While on the business of the Committee they will be entitled to receive subsistence allowances, subject to the normal Civil Service rules, and in certain circumstances they may also be entitled to limited compensation for loss of earnings. Reimbursement of travel expenses will reflect the actual costs incurred and, in the case of allowances, the relevant Civil Service rates in force at the time claims are made. Such payments do not constitute payment for services, and will therefore be additional to any payments received from Government sources for other part-time activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the higher domestic element of the rate support grant in Wales is attributable to higher water and general service charges.

November 1975 prices (£ million)
			Accepted expenditure
County	Total	Capital	Revenue support to British Rail	Revenue support to buses	Highway maintenance	Other current expenditure	Grant	November 1976 prices (£ million) Grant
Gwynedd	5·196	2·365	—	0·467	2·310	0·054	2·196	2·489
Clwyd	7·942	2·747	0·034	1·096	4·033	0·032	3·142	3·561
Dyfed	7·876	2·119	—	0·764	4·700	0·293	3·451	3·911
Powys	4·577	1·731	—	0·159	2·670	0·017	2·589	2·934
West G.	6·175	2·333	—	1·000	2·800	0·042	1·902	2·156
Mid-G.	8·829	3·975	—	0·848	3·996	0·010	2·662	3·017
South G.	6·645	4·257	—	0·625	1·755	0·008	2·111	2·393
Gwent	6·960	3·036	—	0·475	3·431	0·018	2·002	2·269
Totals	54·200	22·563	0·034	5·434	25·695	0·474	20·055	22·730

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement detailing the proposed economies in the administration of school meals mentioned in the Chancellor's statement of 15th December, column 1528.

My right hon. Friend will shortly be seeking the views of all those concerned on how these economies can best be achieved. She will not be able to make a detailed statement until these consultations have been completed.

None. The differential forms part of the rate support grant settlement as a whole and is not attributed in particular ways.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total anticipated cost to the Welsh Development Agency of the new Hoover factory; and what are the terms on which this factory is to be made available to Hoover.

These are matters for the Welsh Development Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his proposed transport supplementary grant allocations in respect of each of the Welsh counties.

The following is the information which has been given to county councils in Wales:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is aware that the Association of Education Committees has made representations to her on the subject of making charges for privately-run school buses; and what reply she has given.

In correspondence last Autumn the Association was informed that the Department was in consultation with the Department of Transport on this matter. Subsequently, on 22nd December last, a Private Member's Bill on the subject was presented by the hon. Member for Wirral (Mr. Hunt). Both Departments are carefully considering whether the measures proposed can be given Government support.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the total number of school teachers who will be unemployed during 1977 in England and Wales.

I cannot usefully offer any estimate of the number of unemployed teachers over the next year, since the determining factors are too uncertain. The next count of persons registered by the Department of Employment as seeking teaching posts will be in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the continuing problems of truancy in schools and on regular national absence returns to monitor the problem.

Following the meeting last June between Ministers and representatives of the teacher and local authority associations and other interested bodies, Her Majesty's Inspectorate, in consultation with the local education authorities, has set in train studies of special units provided in some areas for truants and disruptive pupils, and of successful practice in dealing with these problems in the schools. National returns on absence would be subject to considerable difficulties of definition and comparability, and it was agreed on all sides at the meeting last June that the effort needed to produce them would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on why postgraduates in universities and colleges of higher education are charged higher tuition fees than undergraduates; and whether she will consider reassessing the different costs involved between the social sciences and the scientific and engineering fields.

Post-graduate courses are in general more expensive. My right hon. Friend does not consider it practicable to distinguish between particular fields of study.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the criteria for calculating the fees for foreign students at universities and colleges of higher education.

In recommending the level of tuition fees for foreign students in 1977–78 my right hon. Friend had regard to the rapid rise in the numbers of these students, and the consequential cost to public funds, as well as to the total of public expenditure savings which was required.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims for recognition have been referred to the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service under Section 11 of the Employment Protection Act 1975; and with what result.

I am informed by ACAS that at the end of December 1976 the service had received 461 such recognition references. Eight-four of these had been withdrawn on settlement of the recognition issues involved, of which ACAS understands that over half resulted in the recognition of a trade union or unions. Eleven had been the subject of formal reports by ACAS and in eight of these cases the service recommended that the company concerned should recognise a trade union or unions. The remaining references were still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the industrial inaction by his staff which has been preventing the publication of unemployment statistics will be included in the statistics of industrial disputes.

No; the dispute did not involve loss of working days. Most staff engaged on statistical work in local offices spend only a small part of that time on it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present balance in the Redundancy Fund; and what was the balance at the end of each of the last 12 months.

As at 7th January 1977, the redundancy fund was in credit £5,854,406. The state of the fund on the last Friday of each of the previous 12 months was as follows:

		£
30th January 1976	deficit	59,403
27th February 1976	deficit	1,248,746
26th March 1976	deficit	4,231,636
30th April 1976	deficit	4,618,525
28th May 1976	deficit	6,938,024
25th June 1976	deficit	7,595,256
30th July 1976	deficit	7,835,410
27th August 1976	deficit	7,933,457
24th September 1976	deficit	6,872,065
29th October 1976	deficit	5,184,904
26th November 1976	deficit	4,889,110
31st December 1976	credit balance	5,270,467

] A weekly allocation is made to the redundancy fund from the Department of Health and Social Security based on estimated receipts of secondary Class I earnings-related contributions. Adjusting payments are made as appropriate. One such payment of approximately £6 million was received during December 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans legislation to restrict the concentration of hydrogen in battery charging rooms in factories.

No. I am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the risk is well-known, and that the provisions of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 allow Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate to control this hazard. If the hon. Member has any particular case or incident in mind about which he is particularly concerned, I would be grateful if he would let me know of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he received last December an application from Grafton Manquest Limited for assistance under the Temporary Employment Subsidy Scheme; what decision was reached; if he was satisfied at the material time that given such assistance from public funds the company was likely to remain solvent; what sums of money, if any, have been paid to the company; and what proportion of these, if any, he expects to recover from the receivers now that Grafton Manquest has gone into liquidation.

An application for temporary employment subsidy from Grafton Manquest Limited was approved from 15th November 1976. Payment, amounting to £6,920, was made in respect of 127 jobs up to and including 17th December 1976. A check made at the time of application indicated that the conditions of the scheme were satisfied and during the period of payment there was no evidence that the company was insolvent or about to become insolvent. Repayment will not be sought because all the jobs were maintained for the full period for which subsidy was paid.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when decisions are likely to be taken on the new international standard design of plugs and sockets which is being discussed within the International Electrotechnical Commission so far as the United Kingdom is concerned; whether the proposals will have to be discussed in Parliament prior to any final decisions; and what the current estimate is for the costs of the introduction of such a system in the United Kingdom and over what period.

International Electrochemical Commission (IEC) proposals for a new international standard design of plugs and sockets, when they are received in the United Kingdom, will require a decision within six months on whether or not the United Kingdom supports the proposals. The IEC will subsequently decide, depending on the outcome of the overall response from member countries, to publish or otherwise a voluntary international standard. These proposals do not have to be discussed in Parliament prior to the above decisions, nor are the decisions binding.Costs of introducing such a system in the United Kingdom would depend heavily on the period involved and the manner of implementation and until these issues are clearer cannot usefully be estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he remains satisfied with the voluntary agreement with the firework manufacturers on the sale of fireworks.

I am satisfied that the firework manufacturers co-operated fully in implementing their undertakings in the voluntary arrangements for 1976. I shall review the effectiveness of those measures and discuss arrangements for this and future years when the 1976 injury statistics become available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and which water authorities in England equalise unmetered water supply charges, or other charges, within their own areas or have declared their intention of doing so.

Eight water authorities have adopted policies for the full equalisation of water supply charges. The remaining two—the North-West and Thames—have equalised increases in charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward legislation to compel building societies to disclose their deposits and mortgages by geographical area if petitioned to do so by 25 or more depositors, along the lines of the recent directive by the Massachusetts Bank Commissioner.

I am concerned that a reasonable amount of building society lending should be made in each locality. I believe that the liaison arrangements between societies and local autthorities, which we shall be developing this year, are helping to ensure that particular places receive adequate mortgage provisions, especially in relation to older property. I shall watch the situation carefully, and meanwhile I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing the U.S. provision to my attention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the survey by the National Water Council of water authorities to computing needs; and if he will publish its report before allowing water authorities to purchase new data processing equipment for direct billing of customers.

My right hon. Friend has already received a report from the National Water Council reviewing the current position and the future plans of the water authorities with regard to the use of computers.It would not be appropriate to publish the report as such. My right hon. Friend has no power to give directions to water authorities about their individual computer systems; these are matters for the authorities themselves to decide and to justify. But in the light of the importance of the issues he has stressed to all authorities that their computer plans should be evolved within the framework of a computer plan for the industry as a whole, and he has asked the National Water Council to prepare such a plan, paying particular attention to the scope for sharing of facilities and for making further use of existing capacity before new commitments are entered into.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of the Layfield Report on Local Government Finance have been sold and distributed free, respectively, since publication.

We have no information to hand about the number of copies of the Layfield Report which have been sold to date. As is the normal practice with publication of an important document of this kind, copies were provided on a "need-to-know" basis at no charge, to members of the Layfield Committee and their main advisors, to Members of both Houses, to local authorities and their associations, to the national Press and specialist journals. Including official use copies, some 1,500 copies of the Report were distributed on this basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of owner-occupied private dwellings built during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the equivalent figure for the previous 12 months.

151,700 private dwellings were completed in Great Britain between December 1975 and November 1976. The corresponding figure for the previous 12 months was 148,000. Almost all these dwellings were built for sale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of municipal dwellings completed during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the equivalent figure for the previous 12 months.

147,200 dwellings were completed by local authorities and new towns in Great Britain during the 12 months ending on 30th November 1976; the corresponding figure for the previous 12 months was 143,500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish a further report by the Waste Management Advisory Council.

Since issuing its first report, the Waste Management Advisory Council has published two on special subjects and I expect others to follow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the new office development in the area of the GLC which is currently at the planning stage and which DHSS intends to occupy in whole or in major part on completion.

No new Crown buildings are in planning in the GLC area for occupation by the Department of Health and Social Security.Negotiations are in progress with the developers of three proposed new buildings which, subject to agreement on terms and the availability of funds, the Property Services Agency proposes to lease for occupation by DHSS local offices in Dulwich, Eltham and Richmond. The present deferment of building works announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th December may, however, delay the necessary occupational services and this could affect the negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money he estimates will be spent during each of the financial years 1976–77 and 1977–78, respectively, on adapting the Cardiff Coal Exchange building for use by the proposed Welsh Assembly, and from which Vote such expenditure will be met.

Estimated expenditure in 1976–77 is £60,000 and in 1977–78 £2,400,000. The expenditure will be met by Vote 14.1.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the contract between the Department of Transport and Heesan Civil Engineering for the construction of the 5·6 mile A3(M) motorway between Horndean and Bedhampton in Hampshire was signed; who signed the contract on behalf of the Department of Transport; and what is the cost to public funds of the contract to build the 5·6 mile A3(M) motorway between Horn-dean and Bedhampton.

The contract was signed on 14th December 1976 by a duly authorised officer of the Department. The tender sum was £11,032,762.

asked the Secretary of State is for Transport what are the comparable details of road traffic accidents and railways accidents, both passenger and freight,

ROAD TRAFFIC CASULTIES AND COSTS, AND RAILWAY CASUALTIES, 1971 TO 1975: GREAT BRITAIN
							Road		Rail
							Numbers	Cost £ millions	Numbers
1971—
Killed	…	…	…	…	…	…	7,699	213	112
Seriously injured	…	…	…	…	…	…	90,868		207
1972—
Killed	…	…	…	…	…	…	7,763	265	83
Seriously injured	…	…	…	…	…	…	91,338		179
1973—
Killed	…	…	…	…	…	…	7,406	287	82
Seriously injured	…	…	…	…	…	…	89,478		141
1974—
Killed	…	…	…	…	…	…	6,876	294	70
Seriously injured	…	…	…	…	…	…	82,030		217
1975—
Killed	…	…	…	…	…	…	6,366	374	115
Seriously injured	…	…	…	…	…	…	77,122		238

The road casualty costs include—at prices current in each year quoted—the costs of lost output, medical and ambulance costs and a minimum allowance for pain, grief and suffering. They exclude police and administration costs and damage to property. They also exclude costs associated with other persons slightly injured in fatal or serious accidents. I regret that information on rail casualty costs is not available in a comparable form.

CASUALTIES IN ROAD ACCIDENTS: GREAT BRITAIN, 1971–75
				1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Killed	…	…	…	7,699	7,763	7,406	6,876	6,366
Seriously injured	…	…	…	90,868	91,338	89,478	82,478	77,122
Slightly injured	…	…	…	253,460	260,626	256,896	235,696	241,462
All casualties	…	…	…	352,027	359,727	353,780	324,602	324,950

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many private sidings would be required to accommodate 50 per cent. of the heaviest road haulage lorries or wagon loads.

It is not possible to estimate the number of private sidings required. The number would depend on such factors as the origin, destination, timing and nature of the traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on which date, or dates,

I regret that the information cannot be given in the form requested, but the following is available:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the number of road traffic accident deaths, serious injuries and minor injuries, respectively, including pedestrians, for each of the last five years for which he has details.

Following are the details:he met the railway trade unions for the specific purpose of consultation about Government transport policy.

The latest meetings were on 12th, 17th and 22nd November and 1st December.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a general direction to British Railways to continue with the carriage of pigeons.

No. The British Railways Board, in consultation with my Department, is reviewing the carriage of unaccompanied livestock, including pigeons, in the light of the recommendations made by the Central Transport Consultative Committee. In the meantime, it is continuing to carry this traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what economies his Department has effected in the past 12 months in the collection of road traffic statistics; and what further economies are now planned.

There has been no reduction in the scale of road traffic enumeration by my Department in the past 12 months, but careful control has continued to be exercised over payments to agent authorities. Sampling techniques are used in order to obtain the essential data at minimum cost, and the purposes and methods for the future collection of these statistics are currently under detailed review.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects work to be completed on each of the outstanding sections of the M25 motorway in Surrey.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Sir S. McAdden) on 11th January.— [Vol. 923, c. 439.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if there is to be a six-month moratorium on new road building affecting the A13 to A12 section of the M25;(2) if he will now state the date on which it is expected the construction of the A13 to A12 section of the M25 will commence.

The detailed implications for the road programme of the recent cuts in public expenditure and of the consequent moratorium on the letting of new trunk road contracts are still being examined, but my right hon. Friend intends to give high priority to construction of the M25 London outer orbital route.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the findings of the public inquiry into the A30 (Camborne-Polstrong) improvement proposals held in December 1975; and if he will give the reason for the delay in making an announcement.

Consideration of the Inspector's report has taken longer than expected, but my right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the likely trend in the volume of traffic on the road in 1977 as between cars and taxis commercial vehicles, coaches and buses, and two-wheeled vehicles.

It is estimated that car and taxi traffic will rise by about 4 per cent. and commercial vehicle traffic by 2 per cent. while bus and coach traffic remains unchanged. I regret that no estimate is available for two-wheeled vehicle traffic, but last year's rise was about 24 per cent. for motorised two wheelers and about 7 per cent. for pedal cycles.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the totals for each county council in England and the Greater London Council of local transport expenditure which he has accepted for the purposes of transport supplementary grant for 1977–78, broken down by the main categories of expenditure; if he will list the totals of transport supplementary grant; and if he will make a statement.

Following is the information:The total of TSG, and the principles of its distribution, are fixed as part of the rate support grant settlement, and county councils have already been notified informally of their individual shares, both of the expenditure on transport I have accepted for TSG purposes and of the grant itself. Formal decision letters are being sent to them today.This year's TSG total of £205 million compares with £265 million for 1976–77—both at November 1975 prices. This reduction, and the comparable reduction in expenditure accepted for grant, reflects the necessary cut back in the overall resources available for transport in line with general public expenditure savings. In addition, loan sanctions have also been adjusted so as to reflected the need for a continued standstill on

Accepted expenditure—TSG (November 1975 prices)
Country	Total £m.	Capital £m.	Revenue To BRB £m.	Support Bus etc. £m.	Highway maintenance £m.	Other current expenditure £m.	TSG £m.	TSG revalued to Nov.1976 prices
Greater London	180·000	75·000	Nil	48·000	57·000		80·680	91·437
Greater Manchester	42·900	17·090	7·000	4·200	14·150	0·460	12·403	14·057
Merseyside	27·000	4·340	6·000	7·100	9·320	0·240	8·555	9·696
Tyne and Wear	41·000	24·987	1·950	5·800	8·200	0·063	21·301	24·141
West Midlands	45·000	12·814	3·400	12·000	16·676	0·110	13·448	15·241
South Yorkshire	11·300	1·000	Nil	Nil	10·130	0·170	0·291	0·330
West Yorkshire	37·080	11·815	3·900	5·300	15·930	0·135	12·427	14·084
Avon	9·174	2·897	Nil	0·848	5·410	0·019	0·350	0·397
Bedfordshire	5·892	1·955	Nil	0·382	3·480	0·075	0·910	1·031
Berkshire	8·570	4·141	Nil	0·509	3·890	0·030	1·695	1·921
Buckinghamshire	4·288	0·063	Nil	0·534	3·668	0·023	0·009	0·010
Cambridgeshire	5·799	1·477	Nil	0·600	3·708	0·014	0·403	0·457
Cheshire	12·300	3·640	Nil	1·600	6·960	0·100	2·623	2·973
Cleveland	7·650	2·924	Nil	0·800	3·900	0·026	1·640	1·859
Cornwall	5·163	0·380	Nil	0·660	4·090	0·033	0·972	1·102
Cumbria	6·845	1·000	Nil	0·948	4·888	0·009	1·682	1·906
Derbyshire	11·491	3·326	0·034	1·294	6·634	0·203	2·196	2·489
Devon	11·426	2·342	Nil	0·721	8·154	0·209	1·830	2·074
Dorset	6·688	2·528	Nil	0·750	3·400	0·010	0·912	1·034
Durham	7·119	1·641	Nil	0·598	4·840	·0040	0·955	1·082
East Sussex	7·650	2·284	Nil	0·546	4·650	0·170	1·028	1·165
Essex	12·483	2·722	0·002	0·889	8·730	0·140	0·036	0·041
Gloucestershire	5·353	1·442	0·004	0·339	3·493	0·075	0·526	0·596
Hampshire	16·646	6·442	Nil	1·584	8·330	0·290	2·109	2·390
Hereford/Worcester	10·355	4·782	Nil	0·510	4·968	0·095	3·420	3·876
Hertfordshire	12·580	2·751	0·002	1·909	7·769	0·149	2·651	3·004
Humberside	9·215	2·438	Nil	0·850	5·585	0·342	0·849	0·962
Isle of Wight	1·540	0·438	Nil	0·238	0·860	0·004	0·348	0·394
Kent	15·642	5·092	Nil	0·800	9·610	0·140	1·411	1·599
Lancashire	19·000	6·670	Nil	2·300	10·030	Nil	4·288	4·860
Leicestershire	8·189	1·241	Nil	0·978	5·930	0·040	0·202	0·229
Lincolnshire	6·358	0·287	Nil	0·379	5·625	0·067	1·014	1·149
Norfolk	8·000	2·500	Nil	0·424	5·045	0·031	1·270	1·439
Northamptonshire	5·189	0·548	Nil	0·611	3·870	0·160	0·318	0·360
Northumberland	5·350	1·664	Nil	0·356	3·300	0·030	1·884	2·135
North Yorkshire	11·932	2·366	Nil	0·765	8·456	0·345	4·121	4·670
Nottinghamshire	10·973	3·224	Nil	1·391	5·983	0·375	1·210	1·370
Oxfordshire	5·769	2·073	Nil	0·133	3·447	0·116	0·476	0·540
Salop	5·011	1·460	Nil	0·403	2·845	0·303	1·173	1·329
Somerset	5·104	1·314	Nil	0·254	3·522	0·014	0·925	1·048
Staffordshire	16·810	9·492	Nil	1·018	6·255	0·045	5·302	6·009
Suffolk	6·723	2·096	0·034	0·458	4·099	0·036	0·942	1·068
Surrey	12·950	3·620	Nil	2·130	7·200	Nil	2·480	2·811
Warwickshire	4·924	0·973	Nil	0·424	3·093	0·434	0·336	0·381
West Sussex	7·710	2·436	Nil	0·594	4·610	0·070	1·310	1·485
Wiltshire	4·759	1·149	Nil	0·286	3·157	0·167	0·034	0·039
Total England	722·900	246·864	22·326	113·213	340·497		204·945	232·270

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many loan applications: (a) have been made, (b) are being processed or considered and (c) have been granted by the United Kingdom

The only loans which have been made by ECGD or are being processed or considered are those to the London and Scottish clearing banks under the refinancing scheme in connection with their provision of fixed rate export finance. The amounts outstanding under this scheme are included in the ECGD Quarterly Statutory Return published in "Trade and Industry", which also includes details of amounts outstanding under economic assistance arrangements made by ECGD prior to the establishment of the Ministry of Overseas Development. ECGD's main function remains the provision of guarantees to support British exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what efforts have been made to secure some share of the joint research and development programme on desalination recently announced by the USA and Saudi Arabia.

We are aware of Saudi Arabia's strong interest in desalination and the matter was one subject of discussion when a team from the Atomic Energy Authority visited the country last autumn. The Authority is now considering, in association with appropriate companies, the possibility of formulating British proposals for submission to the Saudia Arabian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether any further progress has been made towards the harmonisation of international tariffs on titanium products.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 23rd December.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of imports of ladies rubberised raincoats for the year ended 31st December 1976; and what was the approximate number of garments imported.

Ladies rubberised raincoats are not separately distinguished in the overseas trade statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why he is extending the facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department to exporters to agencies of the Government of the Transkie when that Government is not recognised by Her Majesty's Government.

The facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department are in principle available to support British exports wherever these can be conducted on a sound commercial basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is aware of the closure of the Grafton Manquest Clothing Manufacturing Company of Bury St. Edmunds; if he will publish the representations made to him last March by the Clothing Manufacturers Federation about the dumping of clothes from East European countries; why, by 10th January 1977, he had taken no action and sent no reply; what further representations he has received from the Federation and the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers; and if he will make a statement on the talks he is currently holding with them.

I have heard of this closure from a recent Press report, though no information is available as to how far it was caused by import competition or by recession or shifts in demand on the domestic market. A summary of the anti-dumping application by the Clothing Manufacturers Federation was published in "Trade and Industry" on 1st October 1976. The representations made in March contained insufficient information to allow a proper assessment of the case. Since that time there has been continuous correspondence and frequent discussion between my Department and the Clothing Manufacturers Federation, and our preliminary findings in the case were discussed with the Federation two days ago. A representative of the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers accompanied an all-party delegation on textiles with which I discussed the problem on 27th July. The result of the application will be made known shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will bring forward proposals to impose penalties on those airlines guilty of violations of the tariffs of IATA.

The enforcement of TATA tariffs is, in the first place, a matter for IATA itself. Court actions in 1975 demonstrated that Her Majesty's Government already have strong powers to enforce Government-approved fares and conditions, whether or not the airlines concerned are members of IATA. Efforts made by the airlines and travel trade with my Department's support to stop illegal discounting have had considerable success.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he plans to extend the range of securities which insurance companies may classify as assets; whether these will include equity shares or debentures; if he plans to increase the admissibility limit from mortgage loans to individuals above 1 per cent. for the purpose of determining assets; and if he will make a statement.

						Imports of metal-working small tools, dies and jigs (£ million cif)	Exports of second-hand metal-working machine tools (£ million fob)
1974	…	…	…	…	…	37·1	8·9
1975	…	…	…	…	…	39·0	8·2
January-November 1976	…	…	…	…	…	40·5	8·9

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what have been the total legal costs incurred by Her Majesty's Government since their statement in 1976 in the House that they would not permit Skytrain to be operated.

This information is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade in which EEC countries there are resale rights for painters and sculpters; and what is the extent of these rights.

Painters and sculptors have resale rights—droit de suite—in Belgium, France, Federal Republic of Germany and Italy.Belgian law provides an inalienable right for such artists throughout the term of copyright on paintings and sculptures sold at public auctions. The scale of payment ranges from 2 per cent. of sums

I have no plans to extend the admissibility limits on assets for the purpose of calculating insurance companies' solvency. Equity shares and debentures are already admissible and I have recently increased the limit on owner-occupied mortgage loans to 1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will make a statement regarding the level of imports of tools, dies and jigs in 1976 compared with previous years;(2) if he will make a statement regarding the level of exports of second-hand machine tools in 1976 compared with previous years.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th January 1977; Vol. 923, c. 473], gave the following information:The value of trade was as follows:realised from 1,000 to 10,000 francs to 6 per cent. of sums in excess of 50,000 francs.French law gives a similar right in respect of public sales, but the rate is fixed at 3 per cent. of the gross price of the work.In Germany when a dealer or auctioneer participates in the resale of a work of art—either as buyer, seller or broker—the artist has an inalienable right to require the seller to pay him a 1 per cent. share of the proceeds of any sale exceeding 500 DM.Italian law gives artists an inalienable right to a percentage ranging from 1 per cent. to 5 per cent. of the amount by which the price at the first public sale exceeds the price at the first sale and to percentages ranging from 2 per cent. to 10 per cent. of the increases in value at successive sales, subject to certain minimum limits.The whole question of

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total of offers of assistance to industry made under the Accelerated Projects Scheme; how those offers were distributed amongst industrial sectors and regions; and what

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
(£m.)
Country/Region		Number of cases	Assistance	Total Project Costs
Scotland	…	6	2·0	33·5
Wales	…	2	2·5	16·0
Northern	…	5	3·0	31·5
NorthWest	…	14	8·0	59·0
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	11	22·0	138·5
East Midlands	…	11	1·5	18·0
West Midlands	…	24	8·5	75·0
Eastern	…	13	15·5	113·0
London and South East	…	10	2·0	23·0
SouthWest	…	11	3·0	33·0
National (i.e. mixed)	…	13	16·0	100·5
Total	…	120	84·0	641·0

INDUSTRIAL SECTOR BREAKDOWN
		Number of cases	Assistance	Total Project Costs
Chemicals	…	23	25·0	197·0
Petroleum	…	2	20·0	144·0
Mechanical engineering	…	31	15·5	94·0
Vehicles	…	9	7·5	67·0
Metal manufacture and goods	…	15	6·0	46·5
Electrical engineering	…	13	3·5	29·5
Pottery, glass, etc.	…	6	2·5	21·5
Food and drink	…	13	2·5	26·5
Miscellaneous	…	8	1·5	15·0
Total	…	120	84·0	641·0

To date, payments totalling £4·4 million have been made under the Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what percentage of assistance given to industry under the Accelerated Projects Scheme has been taken by way of concessionary loans and interest relief grants, respectively.

Ninety-three per cent. of the total amount offered has been in the form of interest relief grants, and the remainder in the form of loans.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now announce the names of the remaining members of the Organising Committee for British Aerospace.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon.

A preliminary analysis of the results of the Accelerated Projects Scheme shows that 120 projects with costs totalling about £640 million have been brought forward with assistance of £84 million. The breakdown by region and industrial sector is shown below:Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker) on 10th January.—[Vol. 923, c. 1043.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what effect Draft Instrument R/2697/76 of 12th November 1976 concerning a proposed EEC Council decision on a four-year programme for the development of data processing in the Community will have on existing Government support schemes for the United Kingdom computer hardware and software industries and on United Kingdom regional aid schemes when such direct and regional aid schemes do not complement those schemes contained in the proposed EEC four year programme.

The Commission's proposals recognise the existence of national support schemes for the hardware and software industries and envisage complementing them with a Community programme. The content of the Community programme and the scope for co-ordination with national efforts will be discussed in the forthcoming examination of the Commission's proposals through the normal Council procedures. Questions of regional aid are unlikely to arise in this context.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the proposed contribution by the United Kingdom to the programme for the years 1978 to 1981 inclusive as set out in Draft Instrument R/2697/76 of 12th November 1976 concerning a proposed Council decision on a four year programme for the development of data processing in the Community compares with the sums of monies spent during the last three financial years and budgeted for expenditure in the current financial year by Her Majesty's Government; and what would be the total United Kingdom expenditure envisaged by Her Majesty's Government and by the EEC in the United Kingdom in the years in 1978 to 1981 in the areas covered by the proposals.

The EEC Commission's proposals for a four-year programme to develop the European data processing industry have still to be discussed through the normal Council procedures; the coverage and cost of the programme are therefore not yet firm. The United Kingdom share of the programme as set out in the Commission's document would be about £11½ million in total for the years 1978 to 1981, including some support for the electronic components industry. United Kingdom Government expenditure in support of the United Kingdom data processing industry is expected to total some £50 million in the years 1973–74 to 1976–77 inclusive. The total provision for such Government expenditure in the years covered by the Commission's proposals has not yet been established. It is not possible to estimate how much of the EEC support might be spent in the United Kingdom.