asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he has made with the building societies to help to maintain the level of local authority lending for house purchase during 1977–78.

Following the reduction in the Government's provision for local authority lending for house purchase in 1977–78, I have now agreed arrangements with the building societies aimed at maintaining lending through local authorities at the level originally envisaged before the cuts. Under these arrangements English local authorities will receive mortgage allocations totalling £273 million for 1977–78. Of this sum the building societies expect to be able to provide £157 million. Separate arrangements are being made for Scotland and for Wales.The new arrangements will cover both direct lending by local authorities and lending by building societies to applicants referred to them by authorities. The allocation for each authority will continue to reflect the needs of the area, with particular emphasis on lending in respect of older properties. Loans will be restricted to applicants who come from within the existing defined priority categories and who are unable to obtain building society mortgages by normal means. Details will be notified to local authorities in the course of the next few days.I welcome the co-operation of the building societies and the authorities which has made these arrangements possible, and I look forward to the development of close working relationships between them at local level. In particular I hope that the development of the building societies' commercial guarantee scheme will be of help to those who cannot afford large deposits, and that these arrangements will also help to resolve the difficulties which arise out of so-called "red-lining".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in his review of the Rent Acts, he will give attention to the problem of young single homeless; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. One of the objectives of the review, as set out in the consultation paper issued last week, is

"to promote the efficient use of housing, particularly to meet needs not otherwise adequately catered for (for instance lettings to the young, single and mobile)".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the findings of the ministerial committee concerned with urban problems.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Hall (Mr. Eyre) and Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Green) on Wednesday 19th January 1977.—[Vol. 924, c. 199].

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish his proposals for the reallocation of powers to the large towns within the shire counties.

In my speech at Harrogate on 29th January I suggested that the possibility of returning functions to some authorities who previously ran them should be seriously examined. Other possible changes are set out in the consultative document "Devolution: The English Dimension" on which the Government are seeking comments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish the Cripps Report; whether he is satisfied with the powers enjoyed by local authorities to provide land for gipsy encampments and the clearing of illegal encampments; and whether he will make a statement.

As I said in answer to a Question on 10th January 1977 from my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mr. Douglas-Mann), the report is now being printed and it is expected to be published within the next two months.Local authorities have sufficient powers to provide sites for gipsy encampments, but it was because not nearly enough sites were being provided that Mr. Cripps was appointed to study the effectiveness of the arrangements to secure adequate accommodation for gipsies. Eviction of gipsies from illegal encampments is no solution until there are official sites to which they can move. My right hon. Friend does not propose to make a statement at present.—[Vol. 923, c. 392.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his definition of a "minor development" as it relates to development by local authorities under the Community Land Act.

The term is not a statutory one. It has sometimes been used to cover "exempt" development—which is broadly small scale development that does not require specific planning permission—and "excepted" development—which includes a wide range of development that is not large enough to justify it being brought within the community land scheme. These latter terms are defined respectively in Schedule 1 of the Act and in Section 3(2)(b) of the Act and the Community Land (Excepted Development) Regulations, 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy towards the sale of freehold tenure to industrialists on publicly-owned industrial estates.

Once land for industrial development has been acquired by a local authority the freehold should remain in public ownership. My right hon. Friend's policy is that the land should be leased, normally for not more than 99 years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria he has advised should be applied by county councils and district councils towards assisting ratepayers with the cost of felling elm trees killed by Dutch elm disease.

My right hon. Friend has not given any advice: councils' assistance in these circumstances is a matter for their own discretion. I understand that some councils are assisting owners and I am sure that others will view applications sympathetically, subject of course to current financial constraints.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the chairmanship of the working group to review public policies on pop festivals.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked Lady Stedman to take up the chairmanship of the working group following Lord Melchett's resignation from that position because of pressure of other work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's intention to support the Housing (Homeless Persons) Bill published by the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross).

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction announced the Government support for the Bill on 23rd December. The Government welcome its main provisions as regards England and Wales which accord with the proposals outlined by my right hon. Friend on 26th November 1976, [Official Report, c. 438–39], which would have been brought forward had the pressures on the Parliamentary timetable permitted Government legislation this Session. I have made clear that the Government want to see effective legislation this Session in relation to England and Wales. In the Government's view the position in Scotland has developed quite differently and we believe it is more appropriate in Scotland to support the work of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to develop joint working agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the decision was taken to develop the new Government Press Centre at Little St. James's Street, London, S.W.1; how many meetings per annum were anticipated being held there; where these meetings have been held before; what were the cost savings that persuaded the Government to take this decision; and what has happened to staff in other Government Departments made redundant by the Government's decision to centralise their Press conference facilities.

The centre including conference accommodation is available for use by all Government Departments, their agencies and quasi-Government bodies. Adequate specialised facilities were not previously available and it is not possible to say precisely the anticipated intensity of future use. In the past ad hoc arrangements were made within existing Government holdings and by hiring facilities in the private sector. These arrangements could not meet the increased and particular needs for this year, neither were they considered satisfactory in the longer term. No staff redundancies will arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment under what parliamentary Vote the running costs of the new Government Press Centre in Little St. James's Street, London, S.W.1, is carried; and what is the annual expected cost.

Class XIV Vote I. £30,000 p.a.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the decision was taken to develop the new Government Press Centre in Little St. James's Street, London, S.W.1.

In August 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving the Goodman Report on charities.

Lord Goodman's indepenedent committee on Charity Law and Voluntary Organisations reported in December 1976 to the National Council of Social Serevice. The Government will study the report carefully in conjunction with the Expenditure Committee Report and will take into account any views that the council may express on the committee's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those subject to community service orders fail to complete their service.

During 1975, the latest year for which figures are available, the number of persons found, under Section 16 of the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973, to be in breach of community service orders in that year, expressed as a proportion of the number of persons given orders in that year, was 3 per cent.; but the giving of an order and its breaking may not, of course, take place in the same year. Figures from criminal statistics in respect of persons whose orders were revoked under Section 17 of the 1973 Act are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will review his decision to refuse prison inmates the facility of selling their paintings through the agency of the Burnbeck Trust.

The arrangements at Gloucester Prison with the Burnbake Trust for the sale of prisoners' art are continuing and we are also proposing to extend them to another prison in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number employed by the Gaming Board and their total remuneration, in each of the last three years.

The number of persons employed by the Gaming Board for Great Britain on 31st March 1974, 1975 and 1976 was 68, 70 and 78, respectively. The salaries and the employers' national insurance contributions paid in respect of these persons totalled, in 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1975–76, £186,502, £258,180 and £368,144, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Royal Observer Corps posts are situated in (a) the North-West Region, (b) Greater Manchester, (c) Lancashire, (d) Cheshire, and (e) the parliamentary constituency of Maccles-field.

United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation monitoring posts number 55 in the North-West Region, five in Greater Manchester, eight in Cheshire, 13 in Lancashire and two in the Macclesfield constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there are to be any cuts in the Civil Defence budget for 1977–78 and 1978–79.

As part of the need to reduce public expenditure, some economies are being made in 1977£78. Public expenditure in later years is still subject to review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he regards the period of two days for Civil Defence organisations and installations to be fully operational as satisfactory in the event of an emergency.

We regard the two days within which the whole of the United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation would be fully operational as satisfactory. Parts of the organisation connected with the warning system are operational now.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the exercise by the Governor of Ranby Prison, Nottinghamshire, of the power to award prisoners loss of remission.

I have no reason not to be satisfied, but if my hon. Friend will write to me about any individual case which causes him concern we shall gladly have it looked into.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by which means and in precisely what terms he has referred to Criminal Law Revision Committee the question of rape of wife by husband.

The terms of reference to the Criminal Law Revision Committee of the law on sexual offences embrace all aspects of this subject and include the matter raised by my hon. Friend and other hon. Members in the course of debates on the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill. I have, however, arranged for it to be brought specifically to the Committee's attention when it begins its study of rape offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has suggesting that Hong Kong is a significant source of supply of heroin or other drugs illicitly traded in the United Kingdom.

The bulk of the heroin circulating illicitly in the United Kingdom is believed to originate from South-East Asia. There is no evidence, however, to suggest that any significant amount of heroin or other drugs specifically now comes from Hong Kong.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the working party on updating the electoral register; and if he intends to publish it.

I understand that the working party's report will be submitted to me shortly. I expect that it will be published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are employed by Her Majesty's Treasury; and how many are based in Scotland.

The number of staff employed in the Treasury at 1st February 1977 was 1,094, none of whom was employed in Scotland. These figures exclude offices such as the Exchequer Office, Scotland and the Paymaster-General's Office which, although borne on the Treasury Vote, are not part of the Treasury itself; and certain Departments, such as Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise, for which Treasury Ministers are responsible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table analogous to table 4.2 of Command Paper No. 6393 for the spending plans in Command Paper No. 6721-I.

Such a table, covering the years 1975–76 to 1978–79, will be included in the second volume of the White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take the necessary steps to facilitate the transfer of shares to employees within a company by freeing such transactions from liability for capital transfer tax.

Exemption from capital transfer tax is already available in some cases for gifts of shares to trusts for the benefit of employees, under Section 90 of the Finance Act 1976. Alternatively, a gift of shares may fall within the exemption provided by Section 89(1) of that Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to make a further statement about the future of stock appreciation allowances.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Treasury stock of new issues have been made since 1st October 1976; what amounts have been bought by (a) overseas residents, (b) individuals, and (c) institutional buyers; and what is the rate of interest payable.

Since 1st October 1976 issues for cash by Her Majesty's Treasury have totalled £6,100 million of stock. The details are as follows:—

	Rate of interest (coupon) Per cent.
£400 million Treasury Stock 1982	3
£600 million Treasury Loan 1998	15½
£600 million Treasury Stock 1982	14
£600 million Treasury Loan 1996	15¼
£800 million Exchequer Stock 1980	13
£500 million Treasury Loan 1998 (further tranche)	15½
£750 million Treasury Loan 1996 (further tranche)	15¼
£600 million Exchequer Stock 1981	12¾
£1,250 million Treasury Loan 1993	13¾

I regret that the information requested as to holders is not available. Latest available estimates are published in Financial Statistics.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any proposals for changing the provisions of the proposed new tax treaty with the United States of America so far as it would affect the United Kingdom tax position of women with United States citizenship who before 1974 married husbands domiciled within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Discussions have been held with the American authorities and agreement has been reached at official level about the text of a further protocol to the treaty and protocol which were considered by this House on 12th January. [Official Report, Vol. 923, c. 1573–1604.] So far as American wives are concerned, the effect of the further protocol will be that those who, before 1974, married husbands domiciled within the United Kingdom will be treated from 6th April 1976, in determining their domicile for United Kingdom income tax and capital gains tax purposes, as if the marriage had taken place in 1974. This means that for these purposes they, like those women who married in 1974 or later, will not be regarded as having acquired their husband's domicile; their domicile will be determined by reference to the same factors as in the case of any other individual capable of having an independent domicile.The protocol also clarifies the effect of the treaty provisions on the tax treatment of income paid out of trusts.Since the text of the protocol is rather long for incorporation in a Written Answer I have arranged for copies to be made available in the Library and from the Inland Revenue at Somerset House. After signature the protocol will be laid before the House for consideration as a schedule to a draft Order in Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the effect of the value of the green pound on the import of Irish beef and the marketing of beef from British producers.

The recent change in the Irish Republic representative rate and the resulting increased difference between the Irish and United Kingdom rates currently produces a net Inca subsidy of 21·22 p/kg on exports of fresh and chilled carcase beef from the Republic to the United Kingdom. Republic exports to other destinations were similarly affected by the change which also produced an increase in the Republic's intervention price; the impact of the change was thus not exclusive to exports to the United Kingdom. The effect of the differential between the United Kingdom and Irish representative rates on the United Kingdom beef markets cannot be quantified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total area of England which meets the necessary criteria as set out in Article 3 of the EEC Directive 75/271 for various forms of financial assistance in respect of less favoured areas but does not qualify at present because the United Kingdom Government have not submitted an application for it to be considered in this manner.

This information is not available. The areas currently covered by the directive are virtually the same as those covered under the arrangements for hill farming grants and subsidies which preceded our implementation of the directive. The United Kingdom is currently spending more under the directive than any other country in the Community. Representations from the industry regarding the question of special aids for certain "marginal" land areas outside less-favoured areas are being considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will be prepared to contribute to the costs of an International Tea Agreement.

If there is an international tea agreement to which the United Kingdom is a signatory, the United Kingdom will meet its share of the costs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will support restrictions on tea exports, or a buffer tea stock to maintain or increase tea prices for the benefit of producer countries.

These matters can only be considered in the context of an agreement. Prices should be such as to yield a reasonable return to efficient producers, while at the same time being fair to consumers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the policy and aims of Her Majesty's Government at the pre-negotiating conference for an International Tea Agreement to be held in London in February.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 16th November 1976.—[Vol. 919, c. 515–6.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is prepared to propose a significant price increase to tea producers as part of an International Tea Agreement in order to encourage the participation of East African tea producers.

Price is only one of the factors that will need to be examined in negotiations for an international tea agreement. The Government's aim will be to ensure stability for the tea industry and reasonable prices for producers and consumers.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what has been the Government's contribution from all sources to London weighting for civil servants for each of the past five years.

The Government bear, on the Votes of the employing Departments, the total cost of the remuneration of civil servants, including their London weighting allowances. Actual expenditure on these allowances is not recorded separately, but my reply of 17th December 1976 to the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Fowler) gave the most up-to-date estimate of total annual cost based on staff in post at the beginning of the year. Earlier comparable figures for industrial civil servants are not available but the comparably estimated total costs for non-industrial civil servants, including the non-industrial figure used in my previous reply, are:

					£ million
1972	…	…	…	…	22·4
1973	…	…	…	…	22·8
1974	…	…	…	…	45·9
1975	…	…	…	…	54·4
1976	…	…	…	…	60·8

The 1975 and 1976 figures reflect significant changes made in the qualifying boundaries in April 1974 which created or improved the entitlement of some 2,500 non-industrial civil servants.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, in the context of the planning of public expenditure or otherwise, Her Majesty's Government are examining the present system of index linking of certain public sector pensions funds; if so, whom they are consulting; whether he will publish any report on the studies; and when such studies are likely to be concluded.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 13th January.—[Vol. 923, c. 548.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what assistance he will offer to the two divisions of Heywood-Williams based in Huddersfield and employing over 450 persons, in view of the possibility that they might close down.

Under the criteria for assistance to industry laid before the House in January 1976, selective financial assistance can be offered to an enterprise that can be demonstrated to have a viable future once it has been assisted. The company is aware of these criteria and of the assistance available in principle from my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the Government's involvement in connection with the Nationalised Industries Overseas Group; what public funds are to be devoted to the financing of the group; and what are its precise terms of reference or statement of aims.

The Government welcome the formation of the Nationalised Industries Overseas Group, which should provide better co-ordination and impetus to the efforts of the nationalised industries to work together and with the private sector, to the benefit of United Kingdom exports.The senior industrial adviser of my Department has accepted an invitation to join the group. This will ensure a continuing dialogue between the group and the Government. I understand that there will be no direct cost to public funds from the operations of the group. The group has published its objectives as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has received any communication from the EEC Commission on the subject of the £25 million aid which he proposes to make available to the United Kingdom automation industry.

Her Majesty's Government have received a formal letter dated 23rd December 1976 from the Commission announcing Article 93(2) procedure and inviting comments within six weeks. Other member States have received similar communications.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what delay has occurred in the submission of the reports of the two working groups appointed after the October 1976 meeting of the Minister of State and his French counterpart to study international co-operation on the 160 and 200 seat airliner projects.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Industry and M. Cavaille, the French Minister of Transport, agreed when they met on 2nd November 1976 to invite their respective industries to prepare studies on collaborative possibilities in 160-and 200-seat aircraft slots within two months if possible. Because of market uncertainties and the uncertainties caused by delays over the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Bill this has not been possible. However, we expect to receive these reports shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress the national anti-waste campaign has made in 1976; and if he will make a statement.

Essential groundwork has been undertaken to promote co-operation between those sectors that collect and process waste and industries that will ultimately use it. A campaign to reutilise waste will rely to a large extent upon domestic refuse as a source material. Until mechanical sorting processes can be developed and established, it is intended to concentrate upon encouraging voluntary collections of materials segregated by householders. In addition, steps are being taken to find further uses for used tyres, promote the use of recycled lubricating oil and the use of waste as a fuel, and develop a code of packaging. Further effort is being aimed, with the direct co-operation of trade associations, at increasing the recycling of industrial waste.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has had discussions with the Chairman of the National Research and Development Council to determine the progress of academic industrial collaboration in engineering research; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many times he met the Chairman of the National Research and Development Council in 1976; and when he next expects to meet him.

My right hon. Friend met the Chairman of the National Research Development Corporation twice during 1976, and next expects to have discussions with him on 9th March 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the companies in which the Government have a shareholding, together with the names of the directors representing the public interest.

In the industrial sectors for which my Department is responsible, shares are held in the following companies:

• Appledore Shipbuilders Limited,
• Beagle Aircraft Limited (in liquidation),
• Cable and Wireless Limited,
• Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Limited,
• Govan Shipbuilders Limited,
• John Hastie and Company Limited (in Receivership),
• John Hastie of Greenock (Holdings) Limited,
• Kearney and Trekker Marwin Limited,
• KTM Machine Tools (Holdings) Limited,
• Marathon Shipbuilding Company (UK) Limited,
• North East Coast Shiprepairers Limited,
• Norton Villiers Triumph Limited,
• SB (Realisations) Limited,
• Short Brothers and Harland Limited,
• Sunderland Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited,
• Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Limited (in liquidation),
• Wolverhampton Industrial Engines Limited.

The appointment of directors to the Boards of Cable and Wireless Limited, Sunderland Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited, Appledore Shipbuilders Limited, North East Coast Shiprepairers Limited, SB (Realisations) Limited and Govan Shipbuilders Limited receive my approval and my prior approval is required to appointments to the positions of Chairman, Chief Executive and Finance Director at Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Limited. I also approved the appointment of the Chairman and Chief Executive of Norton Villiers Triumph Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give details, following the NEDC meeting on 2nd February 1977, of the action it is proposed to take in the priority sectors, namely, industrial engines, construction equipment, office machinery, electrical components and domestic electrical appliances.

Paragraphs 13–16 of the paper "Industrial Strategy: The Government Response", copies of which have been placed in the Library, set out in general terms the action we propose to take in the five priority sectors. The House will be kept informed of the progress of this initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he will publish and make available in the Library the maximum value of the Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited products which have been exported from the United Kingdom, as stated in clause 9, sub-clause 5 of the 5th January 1976 agreement between Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited and his Department; and what proportion the value of such products that are exported bears to the total value of all such products produced by Chrysler (United Kingdom Limited;(2) if he will state, according to the agreement of 5th January 1976 between Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited and his Department, clause 3, sub-clause (1), the adjusted earned profits for 1976 of the Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited Group; and, if such profits exist, whether Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited paid a commission under this agreement of an amount equal to one-half of the amount of such adjusted profits.

The annual report of Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited, which will contain this information, will not be available until later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish and make available in the Library as specified in the agreement with Chrysler of 5th January 1976, clause 6, sub-clause 5, the quarterly accounts of the Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited Group.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, Vol. 925, c. 584], gave the following information:No; Chrysler makes half-yearly public statements but is not obliged to disclose information quarterly other than as laid down in the agreement dated 5th January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to control the proliferation of disabled driver car orange discs so that those who are severely handicapped are not squeezed out of available parking spaces by those with lesser ailments, and the able bodied who borrow their cars.

I would have first to be convinced that the existing legislation was inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received any proposals for improving the services on the branch lines linking North East Lancashire with Preston and Manchester.

No, nor would proposals for improving services come before me unless substantial investment were involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the principle of cost benefit analysis in financing was applied to road projects (a) before the inception of the December cuts, and (b) subsequent to that date.

Cost benefit analysis has been an element in the assessment of trunk road schemes since the mid-1960s and has been taken into account in recent decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations have taken place, are taking place or are proposed, with the Council of Europe and its member States over the reduction in the Government's contribution to the European Youth Foundation; and what representations he has received on the reduction.

This subject was extensively discussed at meetings in October and December of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Foundation. Our partners in the Council of Europe have so far shown considerable understanding. Representations on this subject have been received from the British Youth Council, from Young European Left and from the Council of European National Youth Committee based in Brussels.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the reduction in the Government's contribution to the European Youth Foundation is temporary; and, if so, by what stages he proposes the contribution should be increased.

Her Majesty's Government hope soon to revert to a full contribution. The reduced contribution is intended only as a temporary measure.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons he has decided to reduce the Government's contribution to the endowment of the European Youth Foundation; and to what percentage of the level agreed between member States of the Council of Europe for 1977 the contribution has now been reduced.

The decision was entirely the result of our economic difficulties and in no way reflected any doubts by Her Majesty's Government of the value of the Foundation or of the activities supported by it. The total agreed endowment of the Foundation during 1977—subject to fluctuation of exchange rates—is approximately £338,200, of which the United Kingdom's contribution of £20,000 is therefore about 5·88 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his reasons for not publishing the list being prepared in his Department which seeks to place each foreign country in rank order according to the degree to which it does or does not safeguard basic human rights.

Publication of such a list could be damaging to British relations with, and interests in, many countries without helping the victims of human rights violations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons concerned in the illicit export of opium or heroin from Hong Kong were arrested and prosecuted in each of the years 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The full information is not immediately available but the number of persons arrested in possession of heroin while attempting to leave Hong Kong and subsequently prosecuted was as follows:

			Heroin	Opium
1974	…	…	nil	nil
1975	…	…	7	nil
1976	…	…	6	nil

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many illicit heroin refineries were discovered in Hong Kong in 1974, 1975 and 1976; and what quantities of this drug were being produced therein.

The number of illicit heroin refineries discovered, together with the quantities being produced at the time of their discovery, was as follows:

				Number	Quantity kilos
1974	…	…	…	7	49
1975	…	…	…	8	94
1976	…	…	…	11	35

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the extent of illicit traffic and smuggling of drugs into Hong Kong; what quantities of illicit narcotics were found or confiscated in 1974, 1975 and 1976; and how many persons were prosecuted in those years for drug offences.

The Hong Kong Government attach a very high priority to the prevention of illicit traffic and smuggling of drugs into Hong Kong, but since Hong Kong is a free port it is not practicable to carry out systematic checks on all cargoes. Precise information on the illicit trade of drugs into Hong Kong is not therefore available, though it is clear that the interception of large-scale shipments of drugs in recent years has created acute, if short-lived, shortages in supplies of drugs. The quantities of drugs seized were as follows:

		1974	1975	1976 kilos
Opium	…	4,734	455	3,553
Morphine mixture	…	323	132	291
Heroin mixture	…	261	186	164

The number of persons prosecuted was as follows:

1974	1975	1976
18,453	13,865	12,913

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the level of drug addiction in Hong Kong compares with figures for other Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Burma and Thailand.

The exact number of drug addicts in Hong Kong is not known, but has been estimated at between 80,000 and 100,000. The number of drug addicts in certain nearby countries has been estimated as follows:

Thailand	500,000
Malaysia	150,000
Laos	50,000
Singapore	18,000
Burma (officially registered)	12,000

Similar figures are not immediately available for Korea, Japan and the Philippines. The number of persons prosecuted for drug offences in Japan in 1975 was about 10,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimate of the number of drug addicts in Hong Kong in 1974, 1975 and 1976; and if the trend to addiction is greatest or less than in earlier years.

As I have said in answer to another of my hon. Friend's Questions today, the number of drug addicts in Hong Kong has been estimated at between 80,000 and 100,000. It would not be realistic to provide estimates of annual variations within this figure during the past three years. There is no evidence to suggest that the number of drug addicts in Hong Kong is increasing. In fact, there is encouraging evidence that the proportion of young persons taking dangerous drugs has been decreasing. Thus, the proportion of inmates under the age of 21 in the Prisons Department's drug addiction treatment centres has dropped from 25 per cent. in 1969 to 9 per cent. in 1976, the proportion of male patients under the age of 19 admitted for voluntary treatment by the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts has declined from 13 per cent. in 1969 to 4 per cent. in 1976, and the number of persons under the age of 21 currently registered at the Medical and Health Department's methadone maintenance and detoxification clinics represents only 2·5 per cent. of all those registered.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual cost to the Government of Hong Kong of treatment of drug addicts.

The Hong Kong Government are currently spending approximately $HK 27 million—about £3·5 million—annually for the treatment of drug addicts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his Answer, Official Report, 2nd February, column 181, how many full-time employees work at the new Government Press Centre at Little St. James Street, London, S.W.1.

A permanent custodian and, for the first six months of this year only, the Press Centre manager and his assistant.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a list showing the meetings already scheduled for the next six months usage of the Government Press Centre, in Little St. James Street, London, S.W.1.

There are four meetings for which the Press Centre will definitely be required, as follows:

Political Co-operation Meeting of Foreign Ministers, 18th and 19th April.

NATO Ministerial Meeting, 10th and 11th May.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, 8th to 16th June.

Meeting of the European Council, 29th and 30th June.

At other times during the next six months, the Press Centre will be available for Press conferences or in connection with other meetings taking place at Lancaster House or elsewhere, if required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many journalists attended the Press conference for the Prime Minister and the United States Vice-President at the new Government Press Office at Little St. James' Street, London, S.W.1.

Approximately 250, including cameramen.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what supplementary grant is available for people facing hardship as a result of funeral expenses; and if he will make a statement.

The Supplementary Benefits Commission uses its discretionary powers to make payments to meet essential funeral expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hardship grants have been made by the Supplementary Benefits Commission in respect of funeral expenses.

I regret that this information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to meet representatives of the National Women's Aid Federation.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security will shortly be inviting them to meet him.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last met representatives of the National Women's Aid Federation.

The then Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), met representatives of the National Women's Aid Federation on 11th February 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the hospital building programme in general and the new hospital construction in West Berkshire in particular.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Eyre) and Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Osborn) on 21st December 1976. [Vol. 923, c. 91–3.] As regards the West Berkshire Health District, the sixth phase of the redevelopment of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, is expected to be completed during 1977–78.