asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recent warning by the Chief Constable of Northumbria about the theft of firearms, he will give the public an opportunity to hand in firearms they have no use for, or are not entitled to hold.

There is no bar to a person lawfully disposing of a firearm for which he no longer has a use. We see no need at present for another amnesty for those who possess firearms illegally. The last amnesty was in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the relatively small sums involved in respect of fees paid under Section 112 of the Magistrates' Court Act 1932 and bearing in mind the cost of collection, he will take the earliest opportunity to abolish these fees.

I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion, but the matter is not straight forward. Abolition of all the remaining fees would not be appropriate because some of them, such as those relating to services provided in copying documents, may need to be retained or perhaps increased, and relativity with fees prescribed for corresponding services in other types of court will also need to be taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, for the latest register available to him, the total number of electors and the total number of parliamentary seats, in England and Wales.

The total number of electors on the 1976 register is 33,928,417 in England and 2,046,404 in Wales. England has 516 parliamentary seats and Wales has 36.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that all prisoners involved in proceedings before the Board of Prison Visitors arising from incidents at Her Majesty's Prison, Hull, between 21st August and 2nd September last, are fully informed of their right of appeal to the Queen's Bench Divisional Court.

I understand that the powers of the Divisional Court of the Queen's Bench Division in relation to adjudications by boards of visitors will shortly be considered by that court, to which a prisoner has made an application. When I know the court's decision, I shall give further thought to the matter raised by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his inquiry into the circumstances leading up to the shooting of a prisoner being transferred from Leicester gaol will include an investigation into the reasons why a man with a record of violence and instability was classified as a Category B prisoner, and also a reappraisal of the economies imposed on the police and prison service and how these may have affected the handling and searching of this prisoner.

The inquiry by the Chief Inspector of the Prison Service into the security arrangements at Leicester Prison, and for the escort of prisoners to court at that establishment, will take all the relevant circumstances into account.The Chief Constable of Derbyshire has assured me that restrictions of expenditure did not affect the police operations in response to the escape of Hughes, and I do not believe that they would affect the capacity of other police forces to deal with incidents of this kind

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to visit Luxembourg.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy) on 18th January.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to take the chair at NEDC.

I hope to take the chair at the next meeting of the NEDC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the TUC.

I expect to meet some of the leaders of the TUC when I take the chair at the next meeting of the NEDC. Other meetings will be arranged as necessary.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden) on 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the interests of posterity and future historical research, he will arrange for copies of all the evidence presented by former Prime Ministers, and any submitted by himself, to the Royal Commission on the Press to be placed in the library of Number 10 Downing Street.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 20th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 20th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 20th January.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Shoreham (Mr. Luce).

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the Heads of EEC Governments.

I shall be having talks at Chequers with the Federal German Chancellor on 23rd and 24th January. I shall, of course, be meeting all my Community colleagues at the next European Council, which is now likely to be held under British chairmanship in Rome towards the end of March.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the CBI.

I expect to meet some of the leaders of the CBI when I take the chair at the next meeting of the NEDC.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Silvertown.

I visited Silver-town on 14th January in the course of my tour of East London and Docklands. At present I have no plans for a further visit.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will appoint a specialist in power station economics to the CPRS.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 13th January.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (Mr. Steel) on 13th January 1977, column 1639, he will list the principal occasions since February 1974 on which he has in public referred to the restriction or denial of human rights in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, together with the words used on each occasion.

For examples of statements culled at random which I have made on the implementation of the CSCE Final Act, I refer the hon. Member to the speech which I made in this House on 10th November 1975; to the answer which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) on 31st March 1976; to the answer which I gave to a Question by the right hon. Lady the Leader of the Opposition on 28th October 1976; to the message which I issued to the Soviet News Agency TASS in July 1976, on the anniversary of the signature of the CSCE Final Act;

				Landings	Take-offs
Total aircraft movements:
January	…	…	…	10,666	10,672
February	…	…	…	10,002	9,998
March	…	…	…	11,065	11,074
April	…	…	…	11,324	11,328
May	…	…	…	12,094	12,086
June	…	…	…	12,036	12,036
July	…	…	…	12,972	12,990
August	…	…	…	12,825	12,814
September	…	…	…	12,598	12,603
October	…	…	…	12,278	12,257
November	…	…	…	10,511	10,525
December	…	…	…	10,355	10,344
Jet movements in restricted night hours:
1st January-31st January	…	…	…	508	Movements
1st February-28th February	…	…	…	459
29th February-31st March	…	…	…	454
				Landings	Take-offs
1st April-28th April	…	…	…	155	18
29th April-2nd June	…	…	…	155	16
3rd June-30th June	…	…	…	134	21
1st July-28th July	…	…	…	165	25
29th July-1st September	…	…	…	250	27
2nd September-29th September	…	…	…	190	17
30th September-31st October	…	…	…	217	20
1st November-28th November	…	…	…	387	Movements
29th November-27th December	…	…	…	478
The hours during which the numerical restrictions on night jet movements apply are:
Departures
23.30–06.30 hours (local) Monday-Saturdays, except that noise certificated aircraft are exempt between 06.00 and 06.30 hours. 23.30–08.00 hours on Sundays.
Arrivals
23.30–06.00 hours every day.
During the winter period (1st November-31st March), the Department does not record night jet landing separately from night jet takes-offs. Information on the hour before and the hour after the night period is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total cost for the year 1976 of timber and timber product imports.

The latest figures available relate to January-November 1976, when imports were valued at £1,800 million cif.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a table giving the total number of landings and of departures in respect of Heathrow for each month during 1976 together with the figures for the night period and for the hour before and for the hour after.

The statistics available give the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what arrangements have been made to monitor the noise levels associated with the approach procedures for aircraft landing at Heathrow; and whether he is satisfied that residents in Hounslow, Isleworth, Brentford and Chiswick are not subjected to increased disturbance.

Measures will be taken under the approach paths. The revised procedures introduced recently on a trial basis are designed to reduce noise where possible. Changes in engine thrust may occur over different areas but nowhere will higher noise levels be experienced.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many people are currently employed in the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and what categories of staff are included in the 40 additional posts envisaged in this Department as a consequence of the International Finance, Trade and Aid Bill.

There are currently 1,946 people employed in the Export Credits Guarantee Department. It is expected that up to 40 extra staff in the Administration Group, ranging from clerical officer to senior principal, will be required as the new foreign currency facilities develop.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the annual tonnage and the sterling value of imports of: (a) new potatoes, (b) main crop potatoes and (c) potato products in the last five years, 1971 to 1976 inclusive, giving estimates where actual figures are not available, and the best estimate for 1977.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how the proposed changes in the Coastguard service will affect the existing coastguard stations at Rame Head, Looe and Polruan; and what changes are envisaged involving the number and status of manpower, equipment and other technical aids, and hours of regular watch.

The details requested are at present under consideration in consultation with the Departmental Staff Side. I shall write to the hon. Member after officials have met the Staff Side on 28th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how much food prices have risen in the last 12 months.

The food index has risen by 22·0 per cent between 11th November 1975 and 16th November 1976, being the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what has been the cost to public funds, to date, of the Office of Fair Trading.

£2,269,503 to 31st December 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's investigation into wholesale supplies of petrol.

The reference made by the Director General of Fair Trading on 2nd February 1976 requires the commission to report within two years from that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when it will be illegal to sell goods affected by the Metrication Act in imperial measures; and when it will be illegal to mention imperial equivalents on goods.

I made it clear during the passage of the Weights and Measures, etc. Act 1976 that my Department will report to Parliament each year on the progress so far made in metrication. These reports will also include a forecast of further developments in the metrication programme and how they will be linked with consumer protection, information and education. These forecasts, which will inevitably be tentative, will set the stage for consultation with trade, industry and consumer organisations and will provide a background against which each step towards metrication can be seen in perspective. I hope to make the first report before Easter but I cannot anticipate its contents, since it is still a subject of preliminary consultations with interested organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many complaints from consumers were dealt with by the Office of Fair Trading during 1976; and how many of these complaints were upheld.

I understand that the Director General of Fair Trading proposes as hitherto to publish in his report for 1976, which he is statutorily required to make to my right hon. Friend as soon as practicable after the end of the calendar year, an analysis of consumer complaints he has received from local authorities and other reporting agencies. However, the Director General and his staff do not normally investigate or adjudicate on complaints from individual consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the amounts of money paid by the British Shipbuilding Organising Committee to companies, or their employees, which are scheduled by the Government to be nationalised under the Bill before Parliament, giving the reasons for these payments.

£34,480 in respect of salaries and expenses of members, staff, and Working Party of the Organising Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the amounts of money paid by the British Aerospace Organising Committee to companies, or their employees, which are scheduled by the Government to be nationalised under the Bill before Parliament, giving the reasons for these payments.

£15·65 in respect of expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give a detailed breakdown of the cost of the British Aerospace and British Shipbuilding Organising Committees to date.

Payments by the Organising Committees for British Aerospace and British Shipbuilders up to 31st December 1976, are as follows:

British Aerospace			£
Gross salary costs	…	…	76,200
Accommodation	…	…	22,500
Other expenses	…	…	5,800
			104,500

British Shipbuilders			£
Gross salary costs	…	…	151,200
Accommodation	…	…	114,500
Other expenses	…	…	116,300
			382,000

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on his discussions with the leather industry on using sperm oil from whales.

I have recently had discussions with representatives of the leather industry and oil refiners to determine more clearly the effects of a restriction in sperm whale oil supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what he estimates would be the repercussions on trade and employment if the use of sperm oil were discontinued in Great Britain.

From discussions with industry it has been estimated that United Kingdom exports of leather and leather goods could decline perhaps by as much as 20 per cent.-25 per cent. and between 10 per cent. and 20 per cent. of the work force in the leather industry may be affected if supplies of sperm whale oil were totally cut off. There may also be some effect on other sectors of industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what research is being conducted to find substitute oil for certain processes in the leather industry for which sperm oil is currently used.

The report commissioned by the Department of Industry, entitled "The Utilisation of Sperm Oil by the Leather Industry" prepared by the British Leather Manufacturers Association, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, highlighted the difficulties companies in the leather industry would face in finding substitutes for sperm whale oil.Officials of the Department of Industry are attempting to encourage a coordinated approach to research into substitutes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he is having with the leather industry on contingency plans for the time when there are no more whales to produce sperm oil.

My discussions with the leather industry have not been conducted on the basis that the sperm whale will cease to exist. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Agriculture has stated the sperm whale is not endangered and its exploitation is strictly controlled by quotas through the International Whaling Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has any plans to provide a State-owned commercial on-line computer company to offer access to technical and scientific information.

The Department of Industry has joined in sponsoring a company, Info-Line Ltd., to develop and operate "on-line" computer-based information retrieval services.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, pursuant to his statement that as far as practicable all public corporations and local authorities should adopt a policy of buying British—Official Report, 10th January, c. 1051—he will state: (a) to what extent he intends this advice to override financial objectives set for public corporations and (b) to what extent he intends local authorities to incur increased costs as a result of using British equipment in those cases where it is less economic so to do; and if he will define the word British in this context, and, in particular, whether British means made in Great Britain by a British company only, or made in Great Britain by a foreign company, or made abroad by a British company.

Recognition of a product as "British" depends on the proportion of value added to it in the United Kingdom. Central and local government and nationalised industries are fully aware of the need to pursue value for money in their purchasing decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Textile Machinery Scheme: how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants;(2) what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Printing Machinery Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

No grants had been made up to 31st December 1976. Details of selective financial assistance, including assistance offered to the textile and printing machinery industries, are published quarterly in the Department of Industry's publication Trade and Industry as announced by my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Industry, on 31st July 1974.—[Vol. 878, c. 371.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Poultry and Meat Processing Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

Offers of grant made up to 31st December 1976 under the Poultrymeat Processing Industry Scheme amounted to £681,700. Fourteen projects were covered by these offers, the principal purpose of which is to assist the applicants to improve or modify their premises and equipment in response to the requirements of EEC Directive 71/118 as amended by 75/431.No offers have yet been made in respect of the Redmeat Processing Scheme announced on 9th November 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Machine Tool Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

Formal offers of grants totalling £2,517,000 were made under the Machine Tool Scheme up to 31st December 1976. These offers related to 15 projects covering product development, the purchase of plant and machinery and the extension or modification of factory premises.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Wool Textile Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

The total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Wool Textile Scheme was £10,458,237. This amount covered 263 projects. The principal purpose of these grants was to encourage re-equipment, rebuilding and rationalisation within the wool textile industry and to eliminate marginal capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Ferrous Foundry Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

£22,122,620 had been offered towards 135 projects. The purpose of the scheme is to encourage modernisation and development of the ferrous foundry industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Paper and Board Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

The total value of assistance approved under this scheme by 31st December 1976 was £4,103,000, covering 15 projects. The principal purpose of the grants is to assist the paper and board industry to increase its use of indigenous fibres, thus improving its competitiveness, and providing savings on the balance of payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when it is proposed to commence the proposed small firms counselling service scheme in Cornwall; and whether the location of this office will be in Bodmin or elsewhere.

The Small Firms Counselling Service commenced operations throughout the South-West Region, including Cornwall, on 22nd November 1976. The service is administered by the Department of Industry regional office in Bristol, but offices have been made available in Truro where counselling can take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total value of grants made up to 31st December 1976 under the Clothing Industry Scheme; how many different projects these cover; and what is the principal purpose of these grants.

The total amount of assistance offered under the Clothing Industry Scheme up to 31st December 1976 was £827,300, of which £170,800 had actually been paid. Of this total, £120,700 was offered towards 64 consultancy projects and the remaining £696,600 towards the cost of 29 investment and restructuring projects. The purpose of the scheme is to promote the improvement of productivity and efficiency and to encourage rationalisation and restructuring in the clothing industry.The House was informed, on 7th December 1976, of improvements to the terms of assistance available to firms under this scheme, and the above figures include some projects where offers of assistance have been made at the new higher rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give a specific direction to the NEB to investigate whether the Cambridge Instrument Company has exceeded its borrowing limits.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that the Chrysler Corporation is honouring its assurances to Her Majesty's Government that Chrysler UK would be fully integrated into its worldwide organisation.

My Department is in close touch with all aspects of Chrysler UK's forward programme to 1980. I am satisfied that integration, particularly within Europe, is a central feature of Chrysler's policy and is being actively pursued.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made in the implementation of Clause 9(4) of the agreement of 5th January 1976 between the Government, Chrysler UK Limited and the Chrysler Corporation relating to Chrysler United Kingdom's export trade to Iran.

Under Clause 9(4) of the agreement of 5th January 1976 between the Government, Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd. and Chrysler Corporation, Chrysler Corporation undertakes to

"use its best endeavours to procure that the Iran National Industrial Manufacturing Company shall continue to obtain from Chrysler UK as heretofore KD packs and parts for assembly into passenger motor vehicles".

Chrysler has kept me informed of discussions with INIM directed to improving its joint working arrangements and safeguarding future volumes of supply to 1980 and beyond. In return for these improvements and at the request of its Iranian partners, Chrysler has agreed to waive the provision in its contract with INIM, which limits the latter to trading in their cars only.While in Iran last week for the Fifth Session of the Iran/UK Joint Ministerial Economic Commission, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade discussed with the Iranian Government, within the context of the Joint Commission, the relationship between the two companies and their intentions for future development. I am satisfied that the modification proposed in the agreement between the two companies does not diminish the safeguards for the supply of packs and parts from this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what bodies he is consulting on the future of the power plant manufacturing industry.

I am consulting the relevant managements, trades unions, constituency MPs and local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list those spheres and industries and companies in which the Government and GEC and its subsidiaries have a joint interest; and what is the Government's interest.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th January 1977; Vol. 924; c. 59], gave the following information:GEC and the Government have a joint interest in the National Nuclear Corporation. The shareholdings are as follows:

asked the Attorney-General, whether, in the light of the increasing complexity and variety of cases before industrial tribunals, he will seek to extend the legal aid scheme to cover plaintiffs appearing with legal representation before such tribunals, subject only to a vetting procedure to prevent frivolous and vexatious claimants being granted such aid.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) on 9th December 1976.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) how many civil servants are employed within the parliamentary constituency of Camden, Holborn and St. Pancras, South;(2) if he will list the Government Departments and the number of civil servants in each Department with offices within the parliamentary constituency of Camden, Holborn and St. Pancras, South;(3) how many civil servants employed within the parliamentary constituency of Camden, Holborn and St. Pancras, South are designated mobile; and how many are designated non-mobile.

I am having the information assembled and shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants employed within the parliamentary constituency of Camden, Holborn and St. Pancras, South are scheduled to have their jobs dispersed to other parts of the country.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many jobs will be lost within Greater London through the Government's policy of dispersal.

The programme of dispersal announced by the Government in July 1974 provides for some 31,000 Civil Service posts to be dispersed from the London area. It is not possible at this stage to estimate the numbers of posts that will be transferred from particular parliamentary constituencies.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if the cuts announced by the Government on 15th December will affect the programme of dispersal of office work to Blackpool and the Fylde.

It is not possible at this stage to say what effect, if any, the announced reductions in capital expenditure will have on the dates for dispersal of Government work to the Blackpool area. The timings for the dispersal programme as a whole are being reviewed as a matter of high priority and a revised timetable will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science 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 her Department.

The introduction of the cash limits system is intended to contain public expenditure within specified ceilings consistent with Government policy and has thereby intensified the attention given to the need for economy. My Department's manpower ceiling—including the University Grants Committee but excluding the Victoria and Albert and Science Museums—for the end of the current financial year shows a reduction of 82 posts on the ceiling for the end of the previous year. This adjusted manpower ceiling can be contained within the appropriate cash limits for the financial year ending 31st March 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there is any programme of public meetings undertaken by her Department on "The Need for the Department of Education and Science Today", similar to the programme being undertaken by the Admiralty Board on "The Need for the Royal Navy Today".

No. But I have arranged in consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales a series of conferences throughout the country on matters of concern in education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of O-level passes, including CSE grade 1, obtained by boys and girls in maintained schools in Norfolk expressed as a percentage of the eligible age group, during the year 1975–76 school year compared with the national figures for England and Wales in maintained schools over the same period.

Information is not collected in exactly the form requested but my Department does collect information of examination achievements from a one in 10 sample of school children at the point when they leave school. The sample is designed to produce national and regional figures only; in general due to sampling error figures for individual counties are unreliable.Figures relating to GCE and CSE achievements by School Leavers from East Anglia and England and Wales for 1974–75 (the latest year available) are as follows:

	East Anglia	England and Wales
All School Leavers without 'A' level passes with:
(a) 5 or more 'O' level higher grade results*	2,060	58,970
(b)1–4 'O' level higher grade results*	6,240	176,090
(c) Leavers aged 15 and 16 years	19,320	548,270

		Per cent.	Per cent.
(a) as percentage of (c)	…	10·7	10·8
(b) as percentage of (c)	…	32·3	32·1
* GCE 'O' level grades A-C, CSE grade 1.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the total cost of providing careers teachers in schools;

I regret that this information is not available. The vast majority of secondary schools have designated one or more careers teachers but many of those so designated have other teaching responsibilities and the proportion of their time devoted to careers work varies widely.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the extent of new coal reserves discovered in the United Kingdom within the last five years that can be exploited by extending the workings of existing mines; and to what extent exploitation of those reserves is being undertaken.

Between April 1972 and April 1975 there was a net reduction in reserves at existing mines, classified as economically recoverable under existing market conditions with existing technology, of 30 million tonnes—from 3,732 million tonnes to 3,702 million tonnes. This takes account of extraction, new provings and reclassification due to changing market conditions and further geological information. The assessment of reserves classified after 1975 has not yet been completed but is expected to show an increase in this total.Exploitation of these reserves is taking place under Plan for Coal, which foresees the creation of additional capacity at existing mines to produce about 22 million tonnes per annum by the mid-eighties.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cost of producing electricity by the AGRs at Hinkley Point and Hunterston; and how these figures compare with: (a) the most recently-built coal-fired power station and (b) the estimated cost of a coal-fired station incorporating current technology.

The first reactors at Hinkley Point and Hunterston have been producing electricity for only about a year and the second reactors have yet to reach full power. Comparison with other plant is therefore difficult. Experience so far suggests that the cost of generation from these two AGRs is comparable on an historic cost basis with that from our earlier nuclear stations. I am asking the Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to the hon. Member further. Hunterston is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland who will ask the Chairman of the South of Scotland Electricity Board to write.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to introduce legislation in the light of the recommendations of the Plowden Report on the reorganisation of the electricity supply industry.

Discussions are still in progress. My right hon. Friend will make a statement when these are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, in the light of assurances given by him during the Committee stage of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipelines Act, how many of the approximately 400 people now employed by BNOC are working in Glasgow; and how many are employed in London.

The Glasgow headquarters of the BNOC is now operational, and the number employed there is expected to rise rapidly over the next year. I would ask the hon. Member to seek any other information he may require directly from the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement about the arrangements for giving a 25 per cent. discount on charges for electricity to certain consumers.

The Government will give a discount of 25 per cent. of the charges for electricity consumed in a three-month period ending in February, March or April to all recipients of supplementary benefit or family income supplement who pay directly to an electricity board. People who use a prepayment meter to pay for electricity will get a statement from their electricity board of the amount of money collected from their meter. They should take this statement to their Post Office when claiming their supplementary benefit or family income supplement and will then be given a cash sum equal to 25 per cent. of the amount they have already paid for their electricity. People who receive their electricity from an electricity board on credit and settle their bills afterwards should take a bill issued in respect of a period ending in February, March or April to their post office when they go to claim their benefit. They will then be given a voucher which they may use to pay 25 per cent. of the electricity charges in their bill.From next week leaflets giving details of what people need to do to claim their discount will be given to everybody on supplementary benefit or family income supplement when they collect their allowances from the post office. The leaflet should be retained for reference when the electricity bill arrives or when the prepayment meter is emptied during the coming three months. Corresponding arrangements are being introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland.I am grateful to the Electricity Council, area electricity boards, the Post Office and its unions for making their resources available and helping in the preparation of the arrangements for the discount scheme. I am placing copies of the explanatory leaflets in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the fact that only 6 per cent. of building society mortgages in the last year have been granted on houses costing less than £6,000, if he will raise the issue of the need to grant more mortgages on older houses in his discussions with the building societies.

The building societies are now lending a substantial amount at the lower end of the market. Recently over 20 per cent. of their loans—approximately £1,300 million annually—have been on pre-1919 property. The 6 per cent. figure quoted represents a considerable absolute volume of mortgages granted, an annual rate of about 40,000 —of £150 million—which is roughly the same as the number and amount granted by local authorities in 1975 on the same price range of property. It also conceals wide regional variations—the comparable percentage figure for the North-West Region was 15 per cent.—approximately £45 million. I believe that the building societies' replacement of local authority lending has contributed to the movement of lending down market and I hope that the new arrangements for 1977–78 will strengthen this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants would have occupied the six leaseholds in various parts of the country and the new Crown building in Plymouth intended by the Property Services Agency for the conjectured introduction of the wealth tax.

As stated by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary on 20th May 1975 in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Thornaby (Mr. Wriggles-worth)—[Vol. 892, c. 334]—the number of staff who would have occupied this accommodation to administer wealth tax and capital transfer tax would have been broadly as follows:

Stockton-on-Tees		…	…	200
Stockport	…	…	…	400
Derby	…	…	…	200
Solihull	…	…	…	200
Wrexham	…	…	…	350
Plymouth	…	…	…	400

There would have been about 125 new posts in the capital tax office in Edinburgh, which incorporated the existing Scottish Estate Duty Office.No accommodation for capital tax purposes has been taken in Sheffield and Worthing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what date has been fixed for the public inquiry into the application by the Oakdale Company of Nassau, Bahamas for planning permission to develop land adjacent to the River Stour at Shotley as a 500-berth marina; and if, in advance of this, he will publish general criteria for such developments in view of their increasing impact on estuarial and coastal life.

No date has yet been fixed for the inquiry but I shall let the hon. Member know when one has been agreed. I have no proposals at present to publish general notes of guidance on the development of marinas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will advise local authorities to discourage the practice of building houses without chimneys.

No. Local authorities are responsible for selecting appropriate heating systems and for designing their new housing in the light of their experience and the local situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following the representations he has received from the Richmond upon Thames Borough Council, he will call in the planning application relating to Broadmead, Hampton.

My right hon. Friend is carefully considering Richmond's representations. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what decision he has now reached, in the light of the judgment in another place on 28th January 1976, in Vandyck v. Oliver (Valuation Officer [1976] AC 659, on rating relief for the disabled; and when he expects to introduce any necessary legislation.

My right hon. Friend hopes to reach a decision soon. If legislation is necessary, the timing of its introduction must depend on the parliamentary timetable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he is giving to devising special forms of public inquiry into planning applications submitted by the National Coal Board which would enable national need, and energy policy generally, to be considered, rather than solely the terms of the individual application itself; and whether he will make a statement regarding his policy on this matter.

I have not so far been persuaded that it would be useful to go beyond the existing planning procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many of the tenders submitted by British contractors in respect of contracts advertised in the EEC for member countries other than the United Kingdom since British entry into the EEC and for the last year for which information is available were successful; and what is their total value;(2) how many tenders were submitted by British contractors in respect of contracts advertised in the EEC for member countries other than the United Kingdom since British entry into the EEC and for the latest year for which information is available; and what was the total value of those tenders for the same periods.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenders submitted by contractors based in EEC countries other than the United Kingdom in respect of contracts advertised for the United Kingdom have been successful since British entry to the EEC and for the last year for which information is available; and what was the total value of those tenders.

No works contract advertised in the Official Journal of the Communities by a public authority in the United Kingdom is known to have been placed with a contractor based in an EEC country other than the United Kingdom since British entry into the EEC.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many tenders from contractors based in EEC countries other than the United Kingdom have been received in the United Kingdom in respect of advertised contracts (a) since British entry into the EEC and (b) for the last complete year for which information is available;(2) what is the total value of tenders submitted by contractors based in EEC countries other than the United Kingdom in respect of advertised contracts since British entry into the EEC and for the last complete year for which information is available.

The information available for the last six months of 1973 and for 1974 is incomplete, but our records show the following:

1973–74. Four advertised contracts of estimated values of £3 million, £7·2 million, £0·5 million and £12 million attracted one tender each from contractors based in EEC countries other than the United Kingdom.

1975 (The last complete year for which records are available). One advertised contract of an estimated value of £20·5 million attracted seven tenders from contractors based in EEC countries other than the United Kingdom.

No further information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of each member country's total construction output since British entry into the EEC and for the latest complete year for which information is available; what the value of the advertised contracts for each country represents and what proportion of each country's public works contracts this represents.

Advertisers are not required to give the estimated value of the contracts and many do not do so. I regret, therefore, that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public works contracts over 1 million units of account in value in accordance with EEC directives in EEC publications for each of the member countries (a) since British entry into the EEC, and (b) during the last complete year for which information is available; and what is the total value of such contracts under (a) and (b).

An analysis of the advertisements appearing in the Official Journal gives the following numbers of public works contracts published by each member State since July 1973:

Belgium	…	…	584
Denmark	…	…	127
France	…	…	972
Germany	…	…	1,652
Italy	…	…	10
Luxembourg	…	…	18
Netherlands	…	…	296
Ireland	…	…	99
United Kingdom	…	…	3,196

Values are not available.The numbers for 1976 are:

Belgium	…	…	197
Denmark	…	…	27
France	…	…	262
Germany	…	…	394
Italy	…	…	4
Luxembourg	…	…	1
Netherlands	…	…	76
Ireland	…	…	34
United Kingdom	…	…	920

Values are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the average delay incurred in letting contracts in the United Kingdom owing to the EEC requirement to advertise contracts throughout the Community;(2) what is the total annual cost incurred in the United Kingdom by public agencies in satisfying the EEC obligation to advertise.

There is no evidence that the advertising requirement of the public works directives has caused delay in the placing of public works contracts or that extra costs have thereby arisen. The total cost of advertising United Kingdom public contracts is not available but is likely to be small in relation to the expenses necessarily incurred in designing projects and placing contracts for their construction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to review the boundaries of the 32 London boroughs.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is responsible for reviewing local government boundaries. It is under a statutory duty to review the boundaries of the London boroughs during the period 1984–9.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now able to give consideration to the request of the West Midlands County Council concerning the use of his powers in respect of the redevelopment of the main post office, Victoria Square, Birmingham.

The report called for by the Birmingham City Council into the cost of revoking planning permission for the redevelopment is still under consideration by the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to compile statistical information on special schools in Scotland similar to those available on primary and secondary schools in areas such as pupil-teacher ratios and staff shortages.

There are about 13,000 pupils in special schools in Scotland. For statistical purposes these pupils are considered in 10 categories of handicap for which different pupil/ teacher ratios are recommended, and special schools are divided into 17 categories. Pupil/teacher ratios for these 17 categories of school are published on a national basis in "Scottish Educational Statistics".Educational statistics generally are under review, but the production and publication of statistics for each of these categories and for each education authority area would require considerable effort and expense and would in certain respects be misleading because of the very small numbers involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to upgrade the new Monklands General Hospital to the status of a teaching hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Monkland District General Hospital was not designed to fulfil a medical teaching function, although I expect that as with similar hospitals elsewhere there will be some clinical teaching of medical students there. The extent to which the clinical teaching will be undertaken there is principally a matter for the Lanarkshire Health Board and Glasgow University to determine.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many additional consultants he proposes to appoint to the Lanarkshire Health Board area during the year 1977; and in which hospitals they will be engaged.

The initiative in establishing new consultant posts in Lanarkshire lies primarily with the Lanarkshire Health Board subject to my right hon. Friend's approval on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Hospital Medical Establishments and the Advisory Committee on Dental Establishments, and I understand that the board will shortly be seeking approval for a number of new posts. Appointments have still to be made by the board to a number of posts already approved in principle. The timing of these appointments depends on a number of factors, including the availability of candidates qualified in the specialities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the amount of money per head of the population in the Greater Glasgow Health Board and the Lanarkshire Area Health Board, respectively, being spent by the National Health Service at the most recent convenient date.

In 1975–76 the expenditures per head by Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow Health Boards were £82·09 and £135·93, respectively, but the latter provides a much greater range of services, and many Lanarkshire patients continue to be treated in Glasgow hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the extent of dental disease in each of the member countries of the European Economic Community, and showing Scotland's figures as separate from the remainder of the United Kingdom.

The generally accepted international standard of dental disease is the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth, but though this has been used in local surveys in many countries national statistics on this basis are not available for the member countries of the European Economic Community or within the United Kingdom. Another indicator of the extent of dental disease within a country is the proportion of the adult population that is without natural teeth. A report for 1972 revealed that in Scotland 44 per cent. of all adults have lost their natural teeth, whereas a comparable study had shown the figure to be 37 per cent. for England and Wales. Corresponding figures are not available for the other countries in the European Economic Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Football Association about the proposed match between Scotland and Chile; and if he will make a statement.

The Association has been sent a copy of a letter from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education to my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrewshire, West (Mr. Buchan) indicating that, while the Government cannot interfere in arrangements for international matches, he hopes that the Association will have regard to the views expressed by my hon. Friend and other bodies. I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is writing to the Association giving an assessment of the political background and suggesting that the Association would wish to take it into account in considering its plans for the proposed match.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out for the latest register available to him, the total number of electors and the total number of parliamentary seats in Scotland.

3,763,194 and 71, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many gallons of standard grade petrol could be bought with the disabled drivers' fuel allowance when it was first introduced; and how many gallons it will buy at present.

An earlier petrol allowance, of £5 per year, was discontinued for new cases by the previous Administration with effect from February 1972.The present petrol allowance of £10 a year was introduced in November 1974 to provide a partial exemption from the effect of the additional value added tax imposed as an energy conservation measure. About 16 gallons could be purchased with the restored allowance in November 1974 and about 12 gallons at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many special investigation officers were employed by his Department in, respectively, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, on 1st January 1973, 1st January 1974, 1st January 1975, 1st January 1976 and 1st January 1977.

The number of special investigation officers employed by my Department at 1st January during each of the years in question was:

		England	Wales	Scotland
1973	…	240	21	24
1974	…	265	25	24
1975	…	283	25	28
1976	…	307	24	31
1977	…	329	24	30

Social Security in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total sum included in the financial allocation of funds to the Brent Health District for the years 1976–77 and 1977–78 in respect of the cost of training medical students.

I am informed by the North West Thames Regional Health Authority that allowance was not specifically made for the numbers of medical and dental students in financial allocations to areas for 1976–77. The allocations for 1977–78 have not yet been determined.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures he will take to ensure that community health councils are provided with reports prepared by area health authorities and district management teams relating to matters within the scrutiny and jurisdiction of community health councils.

The regulations governing the functions of community health councils (SI 1973, No. 2217) lay a duty on area health authorities to provide councils with the information they reasonably need to carry out their duties, with the exception of confidential information about the diagnosis and treatment of individual patients, personnel matters relating to individual members of staff or other information which the area authority regards as confidential. If an area authority refuses to supply information asked for by a council an appeal may be made to the regional authority whose decision is final. These provisions apply to information held by the district management teams. My Department has asked area authorities and district management teams to respond promptly to requests for information from councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why those responsible at the Abbeyfields Mental Hospital, Studley, Warwickshire did not inform Mr. and Mrs. C. Pearce, of Leamington Spa that their daughter Andree Pearce, a patient in their care, had been found dead after disappearing from the hospital, or give any explanation to them over her disappearance;(2) whether he will institute an inquiry into the case of a Leamington Spa woman who disappeared from the Abbeyfields Mental Hospital, Studley, with another patient who had been detained under the Mental Health Act, and whose body was subsequently found in a derelict house 13 days later.

The staff of Abbeyfields Hospital did inform Mr. and Mrs. Pearce as soon as it was realised that their daughter had disappeared from the hospital, but did not inform them of her death because they knew that the police had already done so. The Warwickshire Area Health Authority have been making inquiries into the circumstances of Miss Pearce's disappearance and will consult my Department in deciding whether there is a need for a formal inquiry. I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of supervision of voluntary patients and of those who are allowed a certain amount of freedom in mental hospitals, in view of two recent cases in Gloucester and Studley where patients walked out without notifying the supervisory staff and were subsequently found dead from exposure.

As indicated in my reply to the hon. Gentleman's other Questions today the particular events at Abbey-fields Hospital are being looked into. As regards mental hospitals generally the degree of supervision possible is of course largely dependent on the staff numbers available, their training and how they are managed. I am satisfied that in general and in normal circumstances this is adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that general practitioners and consulting physicians in Hampshire are being prevented from admitting psycho-geriatric patients to Brookwood Hospital, Surrey, owing to the action of the Confederation of Health Service Employees members employed at that hospital.

This is a matter for Surrey Area Health Authority in the first instance but I understand that it is anxious to reduce numbers of beds at Brookwood in the long term. I understand that, following recent discussions between the area health authority, the district management team and representatives of COHSE arrangements were agreed for reducing the numbers of beds per ward at the hospital (in order to achieve reasonable work loads for nurses) without preventing the admission of those patients considered by the consultant psychiatrist concerned to be in most urgent need of hospital care.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the health authorities, retained boards of governors and hospitals which employ their own consultant public relations officers, with the annual fees and other costs in each case;(2) if he will list the health authorities, retained boards of governors and hospitals which are considering retaining consultant public relations officers; what circulars have been issued by his Department concerning the retention of consultant public relations officers or public relation agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Information on public relations consultancies retained by NHS authorities is not held centrally. I am attempting to obtain this information, and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the benefits available to a person who attains pensionable age yet continues working for a further five years before drawing his or her pension.

Most of the social security benefits which are available to those under pension age are also available to those who defer their retirement, although there may be differences in the conditions for entitlement. A number of benefits—supplementary benefit or attendance allowance for example—are of course also available to those who have retired. If the hon. Lady has any particular aspect in mind and will let me know I shall be glad to write to her.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements he has made to ensure that families including dependent children over 19 years of age, especially those in full-time education, will be no worse off as a result of his child benefit scheme.

Child benefit like family allowance which it replaces is not payable for children over 19.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the British Insurance Association or the British Insurance Brokers' Council on the levy on motor insurance policies relative to NHS charges for hospital treatment arising out of road accidents; whether any suggestions have been made of alternative means of collecting the levy; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations from the British Insurance Association, Lloyds and the British Insurance Brokers Council about the Government's proposals and my officials have had numerous meetings with representatives of insurers and of brokers. In the course of these discussions alternatives both of principle and in detail to the Government's proposals have been explored. I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services further to his answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley), Official Report, 11th January, column 450–1, on cohabitation investigations, what was the total cost to public funds of the employees investigating the 10,182 cases in 1975; what was the total amount of benefit withdrawn in 4,062 cases; what were the costs in relation to the investigations of the 6,822 cases in the first nine months of 1976 as opposed to the amount of benefits withdrawn in 2,726 cases.

I am having the available information collected and will circulate it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for implementing and enforcing EEC regulations on the fitting of tachographs to lorries.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Jones) on 12th January 1977.—[Vol. 923, c. 1428–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest all-in cost estimates for the proposed Ipswich southern bypass including river crossing; and what is the anticipated return on such outlay.

The estimated cost of the scheme at current prices is £39 million, including £14·1 million for the River Orwell bridge. The economic assessment is now being updated and will be available before any public inquiry opens.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the delay in the opening of the South Harlow section of the M11.

The South Harlow-Loughton section of the M11 cannot be opened in advance of the adjoining section south to Redbridge, as the Loughton interchange does not provide for southbound traffic to leave, or for northbound traffic to enter, at that point. Work on the Redbridge section was affected by the three-day working week and adverse weather conditions in 1974 and again this winter. Both sections are expected to be opened to traffic this spring.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make available any reports in his possession regarding campaigns to recall automobiles due to doubts about safety standards; and to what extent secrecy has prevented publication of these details being made available in the past.