asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the results of his investigations into the effect of capital taxation on private forestry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the results of his investigations into the effect of capital taxation on private forestry.

I expect to receive the report of the Interdepartmental Review of Forestry Taxation and Grants within the next few days. I shall wish to consider it carefully, and a statement will be made as soon as practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the text of the Financial Secretary's letter of 11th February to the hon. Member for Blaby on the subject of the United Kingdom's outstanding foreign currency debts in general and the debts due to be repaid by 1985 in particular.

The text was as follows:

"During the Committee Stage of the International Finance, Trade and Aid Bill you raised some points about the composition of the amounts of foreign currency debt now outstanding and of debt to be repaid by 1985. (Hansard Standing Committee A, 8th February Cols. 50–51). I am now writing to give you the information you requested.

Confusion has I think arisen because the figures that I have given relate to debt already incurred whereas the figures used by the Governor and to which reference was made on 4th February (in my Written Answer, Col. 482) relate to repayments and include repayment of certain amounts which are available to us but not yet drawn.

It might help if I set out the figures that I gave to the Committee for debt outstanding and amounts borrowed since 1st March 1974:

Source	Outstanding on 8th Feb. 1977
IMF drawings	$3·1 bn
HMG Euro-dollar loan	$2·5 bn
Public Sector Borrowing	$10·6 bn
Long term debts	$4·1 bn
	$20·3 bn

Source	Borrowed since 1st March 1974
IMF drawings	$3·1 bn
HMG Euro-dollar loan	$2·5 bn
Public Sector Borrowing	$7·3 bn
Long term debts	—
	$12·9 bn

The Governor gave a figure of $20 billion of medium term debt to be repaid by 1985. This figure includes the amounts agreed but not yet drawn on the recent IMF standby and on the new $1·5 billion HMG Euro-dollar loan. These are not included in the table above. The Governor's figure does not, however, include repayments on our long term debts, which are to be spread evenly over the period to 2005. In addition, a small amount of borrowing by public sector bodies falls due for repayment after 1985. The break-down of the repayments on this basis is as follows:

		Amount to be repaid
IMF drawings	…	$6 bn
HMG loans	…	$4 bn
Public Sector borrowing	…	$10 bn
		$20 bn

		Of which amount not yet drawn
IMF drawings	…	$3 bn
HMG loans	…	$1½ bn
		$4½ bn

The left hand column contains the information I gave in the Written Reply to John MacGregor (Hansard, 4th February, Col. 482) and to which you have referred.As you will see, the confusion arose because two quite different sums coincidentally both give a total of some $20 billion. The IMF debt in both sets of figures was incurred wholly after 1st March 1974.I hope you will find this information helpful."

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which individual sales taxes and excise duties VAT is levied; and what is the total revenue obtained from the imposition of this pick-a-back tax on other forms of taxation.

Where the following duties and taxes apply, they are normally reflected in the price on which VAT is charged:Car tax; excise duties on spirits, beer, wine, made-wine, cider and perry, tobacco, some hydrocarbon oils, matches and mechanical lighters. The yield of VAT on these duties and taxes is estimated at about £450 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds VAT is levied on the amount of car sales tax imposed on a purchaser; and if he will make a statement about the principles involved.

Under the Finance Act, 1972, VAT is levied on a value, which together with the VAT itself, equals the full price charged to the customer, including any elements of duty or other taxation which the price may cover. No new principle is involved. The method of charging car tax and VAT are, of course, taken into account when the rates of the two taxes are under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a capital gains tax on the sale of fixed assets by foreign holders, indexed to the rate of exchange prevailing at the time of purchase.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion. I would remind him, however, that non-residents are chargeable to development land tax on realisations of development value of land in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange for closer co-operation between the Departments of Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise by the exchange of information about the evasion of tax.

Section 127 of the Finance Act 1972 already provides full statutory authority for the Inland Revenue and the Customs and Excise Departments to supply each other with information to assist in the performance of their duties, but because of undertakings given during the passage of the legislation, exchanges of information have been made only under head office arrangements and not directly between local offices. It seems likely that exchanges between local offices directly, could be of real help in checking tax evasion, and I propose to authorise such an exchange of selected information as an experiment in one selected area for a year, with a view to extending the arrangement generally if the result is worth while. In selecting an area it is desirable to choose a conurbation where the area covered by a VAT office corresponds fairly closely to an area covered by a group of tax districts and with this in mind, Leeds has been selected for this purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether investment by public sector pension funds in works of art, agricultural land and other non-industrial assets is in accordance with the Government's strategy for industrial regeneration.

The Government do not control the investment policies of the pension funds of either the local authorities or the public corporations. In particular, in 1971 the then Government withdrew from controlling the investment policies of the nationalised industries' pension funds, and it remains the present Government's policy that the trustees of these funds should retain responsibility for the solvency of their funds and therefore of the investment of them. In the first three quarters of 1976 the public sector pension funds invested half their net income in company securities and unit trusts, and only a fifth in land and property of all kinds—including property unit trusts—the proportions being similar for local authorities and public corporations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those banks currently in receipt of a full banking licence, those which have had their licence revoked during the period 1973 to the latest date and the number of applications at present in abeyance.

There is no system for licensing banks in the United Kingdom, although there are various Acts of Parliament that provide for different types of recognition for different purposes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of Labour Weekly are purchased by his Department to keep Ministers and senior civil servants informed of curernt Labour policy and thinking.

One is purchased by the Treasury, but Ministers have their own copies additionally.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer in the Official Report, 9th February 1977, columns 723–4, to the hon. Member for Horsham and Crawley (Mr. Hordern) if he will publish in the Official Report the same information for the United Kingdom.

I shall let th hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue in the last available year from the Crown Lands of which the revenues were surrendered at the beginning of Her Majesty's reign.

The Crown Estate Commissioners' report for the year ended 31st March, 1976, a copy of which is in the Library, shows that £5,300,000 was paid to the Consolidated Fund in 1976.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what improvement in the trade balance of manufacturers would result from a 1 per cent. devaluation, calculating on the basis of trade in December 1976 at an annual rate; and how many United Kingdom jobs this would represent at the curent rate of value added.

Estimates of the effects of exchange rate changes on trade and employment incorporate long lags and are subject to wide margins of error. On the assumption that earnings are not changed by the higher domestic price level a depreciation of 1 per cent. would lead in the long run to an improvement in the balance of manufactures equal to about 1½ per cent. of GDP. The effect on total employment in the long run could be a rise of one-sixth of one per cent., of which half would be in manufacturing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has instructed the Inland Revenue not to allow mortgage interest relief to home-owners who are not in occupation of their property.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th February 1977; Vol. 926, c. 268], gave the following information:Under the Tax Acts relief is allowed for interest paid on a loan of up to £25,000 to purchase or improve the only or main residence of the borrower, his divorced or separated spouse or a dependent relative. Relieve is also allowed where a property is let commercially but only against the borrower's income from letting. In practice relief is not withdrawn in certain cases of temporary absence from the mortgaged property. I should however be happy to look at any specific case the hon. Member may have in mind if he would send me details.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on current measures being taken by the Government to deal with social security fraud; and whether he has investigated allegations of widespread fraud and abuse made in letters that have been submitted to him.

In statements to the Press on 29th July and 21st September last year I stressed the Government's determination to tackle the problem of social security fraud and abuse. I welcome the opportunity to make a progress report about the measures that my Department has been taking in close co-operation with the Department of Employment.In the longer term it is of overriding importance that we improve our means of preventing fraud. But it is clearly an immediate and continuing task to detect and prosecute the fraud which does take place. As my hon. Friend will know. the number of prosecutions doubled over five years—from 7,700 in 1970 to 15,400 in 1975. Over the last year they increased even more sharply—by about 25 per cent. to over 19,000. This is a considerable achievement by the staff of both Departments, and it has been done without any lowering of standards; we still have a 98 per cent conviction rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now give details of the increase in NHS dental and optical charges, which Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer announced last July.

As part of the savings in public expenditure announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer last July I am proposing to lay regulations to come into effect on 1st April to increase charges for dental and optical treatment.The maximum charge for most courses of dental treatment will be increased from £3·50 to £5. This is a maximum charge and patients who require only a small amount of treatment will pay less than this.The charges for the supply of dentures—present maximum £12—will be:

	Synthetic resin dentures	Metal dentures and bridges
(a) Bearing 1, 2 or 3 teeth	£10	£15
(b) Bearing 4–8 teeth	£11	£16
(c) Bearing more than 8 teeth	£12	£17
Maximum for more than one denture	£20	£30

The charges for crowns, inlays, pinlays and gold fillings will be:

(a) Per tooth restored	£10
(b) Maximum for more than 3 teeth restored	£30

The maximum charge for a combination o any of the above items of treatment will be £30.It is with reluctance that my right hon. Friends, the other Health Ministers, and I have decided to introduce special charges for particular high-cost items of treatment, such as crowns—which figure in about 3 per cent. of courses of treatment—but this is the only way to keep down the ordinary maximum charge to a level that should not deter people from seeking regular treatment.Optical charges will be raised from the present levels of £2·25 for each single vision lens and £4·25 or £5·00 for each bifocal lens, depending on type, to:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will request all hospitals to provide information on the number of children they have seen who, on the same criteria used by Dr. J. Wilson in his 1974 report, may have suffered neurological damage as a result of vaccination, so as to obtain a further estimate of the incidence of vaccine damage.(2) pursuant to his reply of 17th January, whether the view of his joint committee that whooping-cough disease carries a greater risk of encephalopathy than that arising from the vaccine is based solely on their estimated figure of 50 cases in the period 1964 to 1975 arising from the disease and the 20 vaccineinduced cases reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines or whether they have additional evidence; and, if so, if he will ask the joint committee to publish it;(3) pursuant to his reply of 17th January 1977, whether Professor Stewart has yet presented his full evidence to the joint committee; and whether it agreed with his view that social conditions have a greater influence than take up of immunisation on the incidence of whooping cough;(4) pursuant to his reply of 17th January 1977, how many people have provided evidence, written or oral to the joint committee on aspects of whooping-cough vaccination in the last three years;(5) pursuant to his reply of 25th January 1977, whether it is the case that publication of reports of research or investigation requested by the joint committee is always left to the discretion of those carrying out the research; and whether he is satisfied with this arrangement;

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, in view of the fact that the Department of the Environment recommends a minimum temperature of 70°F for accommodation for old people and that supplementary benefit officers need an official minimum temperature to assess the claims of supplementary pensioners for extra heating additions, he will not recommend a minimum room temperature for old people.

The advice issued by the Department of the Environment does not specify temperature levels to be maintained. It relates solely to the capability or performance of appliances installed and makes it clear that the temperature shall be controllable by the tenant. The assessment of a client's need for a heating addition is not based on a specified temperature level but on criteria such as the claimant's mobility, health or the condition of his housing. The need to recommend a minimum room temperature for old people does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will agree a standard form for companies wishing to contract-out from the State second pension scheme; and, if so, when such a form will be ready.

I am advised by the Occupational Pensions Board that its Memorandum No. 30, issued in March 1976, gives advice on the election procedure. It includes specimens of forms

			1974			1975
Age			England and Wales	Cumbria	Allerdale County District	England and Wales	Cumbria	Allerdale County District
All ages	…	…	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0	100·0
0–9	…	…	2·3	2·1	2·3	2·1	1·7	1·4
10–19	…	…	0·6	0·6	1·0	0·6	0·6	0·8
20–29	…	…	0·8	0·7	0·7	0·8	0·9	1·0
30–39	…	…	1·1	1·0	0·8	1·1	1·0	0·9
40–49	…	…	3·3	3·4	3·7	3·2	3·4	3·8
50–59	…	…	9·2	9·3	10·6	8·9	9·2	10·7
60–69	…	…	21·3	21·6	21·6	21·1	21·5	21·5
70–79	…	…	31·0	31·1	30·9	31·3	31·5	31·1
80+	…	…	30·5	30·1	28·5	30·9	30·1	28·7

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he or the Minister of State will meet a small deputation of the action committee to discuss the proposed closure of Mill Road Maternity Hospital and receive a petition containing over 10,000 names.

The provision of hospital services within Liverpool is a matter for the Area Health Authority (Teaching). In accordance with Departmental Circular HSC(IS)207, the Area Health Authority to be used by companies wishing to contract-out under the 1975 Pensions Act and states that supplies may be obtained from the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for the machinery to deal with contracting out from the State second pension scheme, when applications commence.

Elections to contract-out will be dealt with by the Occupational Pensions Board. I am advised by the board that it is ready to process elections and is very willing to give informal advice to companies or their pensions advisers at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will express in percentage terms the national numbers of deaths in each 10 yearly age group for 1974 and 1975; and if he will produce comparable figures for Cumbria and, if possible, the Allerdale district.

The numbers of deaths in 10-year age groups, expressed as percentages of the deaths at all ages, are as follows:(Teaching) has produced a consultative document proposing the closure of the Mill Road Maternity Hospital. The future of the hospital will depend on the outcome of the AHA(T)'s consultations, which are not yet complete. If the community health council objects to the proposal, it will not be proceeded with unless the Mersey Regional Health Authority refers the matter to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services for a decision. At the present time therefore it is inappropriate for a Minister to receive a deputation on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations have taken place between management. workers and trade union representatives concerning the proposed closure of Mill Road Maternity Hospital.

The Liverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching) has circulated a consultation document proposing the closure of the Mill Road Maternity Hospital to all interested parties in accordance with procedures laid down by my Department. Comments are now awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Liverpool, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Dapartment of Health and Social Security—the Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Dr. Owen)—on 3rd August 1976— [Vol. 916, c. 704.] The Liverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching) has not yet completed its consultations regarding the future use of Mill Road Maternity Hospital in accordance with procedures laid down by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report details of representations made to his Department concerning the proposed closure of Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Liverpool including names of organisations and hon. Members.

In addition to representations from my hon. Friend, representations have been made to my Department by my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson), and my hon. Friends the Members for Liverpool Toxteth (Mr. Crawshaw), Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heifer) and Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Ogden) and by the staff of the hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Socoal Services what was the average per capita cost of maintaining one person in an old people's home in the Wessex area for the year 1975–76.

The average cost of maintaining a person in an old people's home to the four relevant county councils—Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight—was approximately £26 per week. This figure includes loan charges, excludes administration expenditure, and takes account of the charge to the resident.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why an amount equal to the new child benefit is being deducted from the widowed mothers' allowance of those widows who are to receive it.

The rates of increases of national insurance benefit for children have always reflected the amount of family allowances payable, and currently the rates for second and subsequent children are £1·50 less than the rate for the first child, for whom family allowances are not payable. In April the rates of increases of national insurance benefit payable for the first child of a family will be reduced by £1 to take account of the payment of child benefit for such children. The total benefit payable to widowed mothers will remain unchanged at £7·45 for each qualifying child.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the amount of revenue allocated to each area health authority within the Thames regional health authorities for the financial year 1976–77; and what the revenue allocations would have been if they had been determined according to the principles recommended by the Resource Allocation Working Party for determining revenue allocations to regions in 1976–77.

I understand from the Thames regional health authorities that the revenue cash limit allocations made to their respective area health authorities for 1976–77 were as shown below. These allocations may not include provision for certain items of expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors he takes into account when reviewing his Department's housing cost yardstick.

The quarterly reviews announced in Circular 61/75 are based primarily on movements in tender prices, which themselves reflect movements in such factors as labour costs, materials costs and the competitive state of the market as well as future trends.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment Vol. 926 what representations he has received from local authorities and their organisations, following his Department's decision in December 1976 to keep the housing cost yardstick at its previous level.

My right hon. Friend has not received any formal representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he is next due to review his Department's housing cost yardstick; and on what date any revised yardstick will become effective.

The next quarterly review falls to be completed on 23rd March; any change to the level of the yardstick would be effective on that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make arrangements to review his Department's housing cost yardstick in advance of the next scheduled review.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give details of any council dwellings for the elderly which he knows to have been built or planned during the last 12 months in the Greater London area with living accommodation below pavement level, other than those planned for Bolton Road, Chiswick.

I regret that the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when No. 10 Green-view Park, Upper Malone Road, was purchased by the Northern Ireland Office; for what purpose it was acquired; and what was the total cost including alterations and furnishings.

10 Greenview Park was purchased in 1975 by the Property Services Agency of my Department. The house was acquired to accommodate Northern Ireland Office officials from Great Britain serving on detached duty in Northern Ireland. The total cost including furnishings was £41,815.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount received by the Northern Ireland Office for 10 Greenview Park, Upper Malone Road, including furnishings, when the property was recently disposed of.

The sale is due to be completed on 29th April. The agreed sale price, including carpets and curtains, is

DWELLINGS RENTED FROM PRIVATE OWNERS GREATER LONDON AND THE REMAINDER OF ENGLAND AND WALES: 1961–1975
	April		millions End of year
	1961	1966	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Greater London	0·93	0·77	0·73	0·72	0·71	0·69	0·67	0·66
Remainder of England and Wales	3·72	3·18	2·63	2·56	2·48	2·41	2·34	2·25
England and Wales	4·65	3·95	3·36	3·28	3·19	3·10	3·01	2·91

Estimates are not available for 1950.Estimates include dwellings rented with farms or business premises or by virtue of employment.Estimates are based on information from the 1961, 1966 and 1971 Censuses, and for years since 1971 include certain assumptions regarding the tenure distribution of gains and losses in the housing stock and are, therefore, not based on direct evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures comparing the estimated average mobility of (a) council house tenant, (b) tenants of privately-rented property and (c) owner-occupiers.

About 4 per cent., 8 per cent. and 5 per cent. of council house, privately rented sector and owner-occupier households, respectively, are estimated to have moved to other accommodation of the same tenure in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which categories of local government employees receive full pay during sick leave, provided they do not claim sickness benefit, plus the value of the tax refunds £40,612. The furniture is being retained for use elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures showing the number of privately owned dwellings available for letting in (a) London and (b) the rest of England and Wales in 1950, 1960, 1965, 1970 and each year thereafter.

Available estimates are as follows:to which they would be entitled if they were claiming sickness benefit.

The local government employers ar responsible for the arrangements for paying their employees during sick leave. Sickness benefit is of course, not taxable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many, and which categories of employees, in the nationalised industries for which he has responsibility receive full pay during sick leave, provided they do not claim sickness benefit, plus the value of the tax refunds to which they would be entitled if they were claiming sickness benefit.

The British Waterways Board, as employer, is responsible for the arrangements for paying its employees during sick leave. Sickness benefit is, of course, not taxable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sections of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 are now in force; and which additional sections he expects to have brought into force by 31st July 1977, the third anniversary of the Royal Assent.

The following provisions are in force in England and Wales: In Part I, Sections 3–11; 12(5) so far as it defines "privy" for the purposes of Section 30(4); 12(6) in its application to Section 21; 12(7) in its application to Sections 21 and 26; 16; 17; 18(1) and (2); 19–23; 25; 26; 27(1)(a) and 27(2); 28 in its application to Sections 12(6); 21(4) and 26; 29; 30.In Part 11: Sections 43; 44; 49; 50; 56.The whole of Parts III, IV and V.In Part VI: Sections 99–107; 108(1) and (2) as they affect certain of the amendments and repeals listed in Schedules 3 and 4; 108(3); 109; Schedules I and 2.It is hoped to bring the following provisions into force before 31st July this year: Sections 12(5)—for Inner London only; 24(4); and 52 as it deals with trade effluent discharges to public sewers.Implementation of the remaining provisions has been delayed because of present constraints on public expenditure but will take place as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how long he intends shall elapse between cleanings of the windows of the terrace frontage of the Palace of Westminster; and on what date these were last cleaned.

The cleaning contract stipulates that the windows shall be cleaned once every six weeks. The dates when they were last cleaned are:

Ground Floor—week beginning 17th January, 1977;

Principal Floor—week beginning 27th December 1976;

Committee Room Floor—week commencing 7th February 1977;

Second Floor—week commencing 13th January 1977.

The delay in cleaning windows on the Principal Floor was caused by the diversion of men to deal with individual complaints elsewhere in the Palace, after a spell of particularly bad weather. The windows on this Floor will be cleaned this week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance has been given by Government agencies to assist the local authorities in the improvement of the Tame Valley, Greater Manchester.

Almost all of the improvement works so far carried out in the Tame Valley have been supported by Government assistance. Since 1969 local authorities involved in the Tame Valley Improvement Scheme have spent approximately £600,000, of which £450,000 has been provided by the Exchequer by way of 75 per cent. grants under Section 8 of the Local Employment Act 1972. In addition, during the last two years the Countryside Commission has provided about £70,000 in grants for tree planting schemes under Section 9 of the Local Government Act 1974.There are under consideration in the Department a number of further improvement schemes, costing approximately £250,000, many of which are likely to qualify for the current rate of derelict land grant—100 per cent. The Countryside Commission, too, is considering further tree planting and informal recreational schemes costing about £150,000 which are likely to receive grant at the rate of 50 per cent.The Countryside Commission is also carrying out an experiment, which started in July 1976, to encourage the enjoyment of the footpaths, woodlands and open fields of the valley, and will provide about £15,000 a year in the next three years to enable the Civic Trust for the North-West, as agent for the Commission, to encourage local interest in the Tame Valley and to improve facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the fact of the discharge of incompletely treated sewage into the River Thames, he is taking action to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

The Thames Water Authority is responsible for pollution control of the River Thames. I understand that there have been occasional discharges of partially treated sewage from the Long Reach sewage treatment works at Dartford owing to alterations and extensions to these works, but I am advised that they are unavoidable and have not had any significant long-term effect on the quality of the water in the estuary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what formula is used by the Lands Tribunal to determine the fair price of a property's freehold, in cases brought under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.

The basis for determining the price to be paid for a freehold purchased under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 is laid down in Section 9 of the Act, as amended by Section 82 of the Housing Act 1969 and Section 118 of the Housing Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of Labour Weekly are purchased by his Department to keep Ministers and senior civil servants informed of current Labour policy and thinking.

Two copies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of the proposed excavations of the mounds in area Y on Shaugh Moor, Dartmoor.

The cost of the archaeological investigations proposed in 1977 is estimated to be £18,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the opera- tion of the Construction Industry Manpower Board during its first year of operation.

The board has met five times. It has considered what information it will need to assess the effect of the Inland Revenue's revised tax deduction scheme and it is examining a number of proposals for improving stability of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there will be any changes in the cash limits on expenditure by the Property Services Agency in 1976–77.

Yes, it has been necessary to increase the limit for Block DOE 5 which covers the Agency's staff costs by an additional £1·3 million to £110·8 million. This has been caused by a drop in receipts, which are difficult to forecast, and by an increase in the sterling cost of expenditure overseas which has reduced the expected savings on staff costs in 1976–77. Block DOE 8 is being reduced by £1·3 million to ensure that there is no increase in the total expenditure subject to cash limits by the Agency. These changes will be reflected in the Supplementary Estimates presented to Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected trimming of expenditure of central Government funds on the approved changes to the road intersection at the Angel, Islington.

The project to which my hon. Friend refers forms a part of the Greater London Council's wider transport programme. Central Government aid this programme through the transport supplementary grant, which, being a block grant, is not specific to, and cannot be identified with, particular schemes. The allocation of resources to this project is, thus, wholly a matter for the Greater London Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in response to what action by the South Yorkshire County Council he would restore in full the transport supplementary grant of £4 million of 1977–78.

The transport supplementary grant settlement, announced on 14th January—[Vol. 923, c. 620–622]—was made in accordance with the provisions of the Rate Support Grant Order 1976 (S.I., 1976, No. 2203), which fixed the total amount of Exchequer grant for 1977–78. No change for South Yorkshire is now possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's estimate of the current capacity in shipping tonnage of United Kingdom ports and of the shipping tonnage actually using United Kingdom ports.

Because of the great diversity of ships and cargoes it would not be feasible to make any meaningful estimate of the capacity of British ports in terms of shipping tonnage. No national statistics are available of the tonnage of shipping using such ports. Detailed statistics of the quantities of cargo loaded and unloaded in British ports are, however, kept, and are published regularly by the National Ports Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made representations to Governments of EEC countries on the high level of subsidy given to certain port authorities in Europe.

No. As I understand it, it is for the Governments and other authorities concerned to decide what financial arrangements they make in relation to their own ports. The hon. Member may be aware, however, that, on the initiative of the European Commission, and with the approval of the European Parliament, a fact-finding inquiry is currently being carried out amongst various ports in EEC member States. At this stage, Governments themselves are not involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken following the Touche Ross Report for the National Ports Council "Comparison of the Costs of Continental and British Ports 1974".

As the hon. Member recognises, the Touche Ross Report was commissioned by and made to the National Ports Council, which has published the report, and distributed it widely within the United Kingdom ports industry, and to the continental ports which were studied. It has also been seen by officials in the European Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased by his Department in order to keep himself and senior civil servants informed: The Times, Financial Times, Yorkshire Post, and Birmingham Post, respectively.

The following newspapers are purchased for individuals: The Times, nine copies; Financial Times, 10 copies; Yorkshire Post, two copies; Birmingham Post, two copies.In addition, a common service of Press cuttings and distribution of newspapers to senior officials is shared with the Department of the Environment, and the number of copies purchased for this purpose is included in the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to a similar Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every day by his Department in order to keep himself and senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: the Scotsman, the Glasgow Herald, the Pressand Journal, the Daily Record, the Scottish Daily Express and the Dundee Courier and Advertiser.

Copies are purchased as follows: the Scotsman, three; the Glasgow Herald, two; the Press and Journal, three; and none of the remainder.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every week by his Department in order to keep him and his senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs, the Sunday Post, the Sunday Mail and the Scottish Sunday Express.

None is purchased.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of Labour Weekly are purchased by his Department to keep Ministers and senior civil servants informed of current Labour policy and thinking.

Two.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many international road haulage permits for France issued for 1976 were returned unused;(2) how many firms which returned or did not use international road haulage permits for France in 1976 received the same allocation for 1977;(3) how many firms which returned or did not use international road haulage permits for France in 1976 received a higher allocation in 1977.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent Continental style traffic signs are to be introduced; and what steps are being taken to educate motorists in their meaning.

It has been the policy of successive Governments to bring traffic signs in this country into line with those in general use in the rest of Europe. The full range of signs was set out in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1975 and the new Highway Code will illustrate the most important of them. A more extensive description is available in the booklet "Know Your Traffic Signs", published in 1975. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to make certain that copies of "Rules of Conduct" for use by nationalised boards in relation to rights to cut off users of electricity and gas are freely available at all showrooms, in the light of the fact that some showrooms have telephoned Granada Television in Manchester to inquire for details about the leaflet, consequent on their "This is Your Rights" programme.

The document in question is the Code of Practice for the Payment of Domestic Electricity and Gas Bills, of which, as my right hon Friend informed the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) on 27th January, copies have been widely distributed by the industries. No requests for it have been made to Granada Television by electricity or gas showrooms, all of which have copies. I understand that a few inquiries were received from local authority social service workers who had not yet received their copies of the code, or did not recognise this document under the description quoted by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many and which categories of employees in the nationalised industries for which he has responsibility receive full pay during sick leave provided they do not claim sickness benefit plus the value of the tax refunds to which they would be entitled if they were claiming sickness benefit.

This is a matter for the industries, and I have asked the chairmen to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the average age of all miners employed by the NCB; and what forward estimates have been made for 1980 and 1985, respectively.

The average age of wage earners on colliery books on 28th December 1976 was 42·8 years. It has been falling for several years—December 1973–44·2, December 1974–43·6, December 1975–43·2. It is not possible to make forward estimates at present, because the effects of early retirement have not been worked out yet, but clearly this should make the average age of miners lower than it would otherwise have been.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many copies of each of the, following newspapers, are purchased by his Department in odder to keep himself and senior civil servants informed: The Times, Financial Times, Yorkshire Post, and Birmingham Post, respectively.

The number of copies of each paper specified purchased by my Department is as follows:

The Times	…	…	55
Financial Times	…	…	85
Yorkshire Post	…	…	2
Birmingham Post	…	…	2

Energy-related information appearing in these and other national and regional papers is circulated widely within my Department via an internal Press cuttings service.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every day by his Department in order to keep himself and senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: The Scotsman, The Glasgow Herald, the Press and Journal, the Daily Record, the Scottish Daily Express and the Dundee Courier and Advertiser;(2) how many copies of each of the following newspapers are purchased every week by his Department in order to keep hint and his senior civil servants informed on Scottish affairs: the

The information is as follows:

Scotsman	…	13
Glasgow Herald	…	11
Press and Journal	…	5
Daily Record	…	4
Scottish Daily Express	…	4
Dundee Courier and Advertiser	…	1
Sunday Post	…	5
Sunday Mail	…	5
Scottish Sunday Express	…	4

Energy-related information appearing in these and other national and regional papers is circulated widely within my Department via an internal Press cuttings service.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many copies of Labour Weekly are purchased by his Department to keep Ministers and senior civil servants informed of current Labour policy and thinking.

Two copies of Labour Weekly are purchased by my Department to enable it to keep itself informed of that paper's coverage of energy-related issues.

asked. the Secretary of State for Energy what is the size of the market for naphtha in the United Kingdom, the quantity purchased for chemical feedstock, the price range of the petroleum product in 1973 and the prevailing price today.

The provisional figure of inland deliveries of naphtha in 1976 is 5,385,000 tonnes, of which. 5,209,600 tonnes was for chemical feed stock.