asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he is going to issue guidance to local authorities on the implementation of Section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976.

A circular will be sent to local authorities before the Act comes into force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend the terms of reference of the Voluntary Services Unit to include grants for neighbourhood work in towns and cities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend the terms of reference of the Voluntary Services Unit to include grants for neighbourhood work in towns and cities.

The terms of reference of the Voluntary Services Unit already allow for grants to local projects in towns and cities where these are considered to be innovatory and likely to produce lessons of national significance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much new money, both capital and revenue, is to be made available under the urban programme from April 1977 to March 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much new money, both capital and revenue, is to be made available under the urban programme from April 1977 to March 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much new money, both capital and revenue, is to be made available under the urban programme from April 1977 to March 1978.

About £3·2 million capital plus running costs and about £0·6 million per year revenue. Non-recurrent expenditure of about £250,000 is also to be approved for holiday projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now bring forward proposals for an independent prosecuting system in England and Wales.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans for proposing a change in the prosecution system, but we are keeping the question under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to make public the findings of the inquiry into the escape from custody of William Thomas Hughes.

The Chief Inspector of the Prison Service has now completed the inquiry that I announced in the House on 17th January. I will publish his report very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to reform the machinery for deportation.

Sections 3(5) and (6) of the Immigration Act 1971 provide that a person who is not patrial shall be liable to deportation under the following heads:

(i) following a court recommendation;

(ii) breach of a condition attached to leave to enter or remain or overstaying;

(iii) if Secretary of State deems it conducive to the public good;

(iv) as a member of the family of a person already ordered to be deported.

I am always prepared to discuss machinery for deportation but not any particular case where there is an element of sub judice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from organisations concerning assaults on staff of public houses.

The National Federation of Licensed Victuallers, the National Association of Licensed House Managers, the National Food and Drink Federation, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and the Trades Union Congress have all made representations on the subject of assaults on licensees or their staff. We have also received a number of letters. either directly or through their Members of Parliament, from local branches of the relevant trade associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends changing the composition of the Parole Board.

I do not intend to change the statutory provisions in Schedule 2 to the Criminal Justice Act 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new proposals he is putting forward to combat a doubling of mugging offences; and if he will give advice to the elderly who have to travel on public transport late at night.

We share the concern about the prevalence of this sort of crime, but offences of robbery recorded as known to the police in England and Wales—into which category most incidents described as "mugging" fall—increased by only 1 per cent. in the first nine months of 1976 compared with the first nine months of 1975. The prevention and detection of such offences are primarily a responsibility of the police. The Government have provided for increases in police strength, which is 9,000 higher in England and Wales now than in February 1974. I am satisfied that the substantial penalties available to the courts for crimes of violence are adequate. If the hon. Member has any local problem in mind perhaps he would Let us or the appropriate chief officer of police know.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the Prison Rules so as to limit the power of governors and boards of visitors to impose the penalty of loss of remission.

We have no plans to introduce limitations additional to those currently embodied in the Rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the working of the prerelease scheme for persons serving a prison sentence.

The pre-release employment scheme plays a valuable part in the rehabilitation of prisoners, but there is no room for complacency: continuous effort and concern are necessary to find suitable employment and to make the fullest possible use of available places.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it the practice of his Department to issue statements setting out the facts in cases where prison officers are subjected to baseless attacks in the media, as for instance in relation to the confinement of Mr. George Ince at Gartree, in view of the fact that they are unable, under the terms of the Official Secrets Act, to do so themselves.

Naturally I deplore any unsubstantiated allegations against members of the Prison Service whether made through the media or by any other method, and I am always ready to take action, whether by formal statement or otherwise, to put the record straight. It cannot be overlooked, however, that the circumstances attracting publicity are often the subject of official inquiry, when it would be inappropriate for me or the Department to make immediate public comment. I agree that some recent Press accounts about George Ince's treatment in prison have been seriously misleading despite the provision of factual information in response to inquiries. The constraints on prison officers themselves making public statements in rebuttal derive not from the Official Secrets Act but from the standard staff rules applicable to the conduct of all civil servants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether representations have been made to him by prison officers expressing resentment at the allegations made against the Prison Service in the recent "Panorama" programme following the Hull Prison riots; and whether he will make a statement.

I am aware of resentment among prison staff over allegations made against the prison service during the recent BBC "Panorama" programme on the Hull Prison riot. As the House will be aware, I am awaiting the report by the Chief Inspector of the Prison Service on the inquiry I appointed him to undertake into the cause and circumstances of the riot at Hull. Separately from this inquiry, allegations that certain prisoners were maltreated by Hull staff after the riot ended have been referred to the Humberside police for investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Americans have been deported from Great Britain during the last year.

22 United States citizens were deported in 1976—six under Section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 and 16 under Section 3(6) of that Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to take to prevent immigrants taking up employment contrary to their conditions of entry.

We are not yet in a position to announce specific measures. The Departments concerned are studying methods of effecting this, and, as my right hon. Friend said in his statement on 9th February, there will be discussions with both sides of industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the system operated in his Department to ensure that temporary immigrants do not overstay.

My Department takes all reasonable and practicable measures to check that people given limited leave to enter embark at the end of their stay. The machinery for this purpose is kept under review to ensure it is as effective as possible. Adequate powers exist for dealing with people who come to notice as having flouted the immigration laws. The courts may impose substantial penalties and may recommend deportation. In the absence of extenuating or exceptional circumstances, I do not hesitate to act on such recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether President Amin of Uganda has applied for permission to enter the United Kingdom in 1977.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Boundaries Commission will next be investigating the parliamentary constituencies in Bedfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England has commenced its general review and it seems likely that its provisional recommendations for constituencies in Bedfordshire will be published early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average proportion of determinate sentences served by those prisoners released on parole in each of the last five years.

In the last nine months of 1973 and in 1974 the proportion was 51 per cent. In 1975 it was 50 per cent., and it is estimated that the proportion will have been the same in 1976. I regret that information is not available for periods prior to 1st April 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consultations he has had with the Chairman of the Gaming Board about the working of the Lotteries Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what opinion he has received from the Gamin Board with regard to the legality of instant bingo lotteries; and what action he intends to take in the light of that advice.

The concern that has arisen in relation to the legality of "instant" lotteries refers to the requirement in the Lotteries Act that the date of the lottery must be the date on which winners are ascertained. The Gaming Board of Great Britain has now taken counsel's opinion. In the light of this the Board has informed my right hon. Friend that, subject to the date printed on an " instant lottery ticket being the last day on which tickets are on sale, and bearing in mind that the date of the lottery must normally be not less than seven days after the date of a previous lottery, it will accept that the statutory requirements relating to the date of a lottery will be met. There is provision for sports clubs in certain circumstances to hold more than one lottery in a period of seven days, subject to the requirement that they should not hold more than 52 in a year.The text of the Board's advice, which is to be included in its notes for the guidance of societies and local authorities follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the new prison at Ulnes Walton, Chorley, to be occupied.

We expect the new prison, which will be known as Her Majesty's Prison, Wymott, to begin to receive prisoners in January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he proposes for regulations concerning the escorting of prisoners with records of violence; and if he will make a statement.

The Chief Inspector of the Prison Service has now presented the report of his inquiry into the circumstances of the escape of William Thomas Hughes from prison custody. The report which will be published deals inter alia with the arrangements for escorting prisoners. My right hon. Friend hopes to be in a position to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of improvements to recreational amenities for the prisoners at Her Majesty's Prison, Dartmoor; and, in particular, what is the cost of carpeting the gymnasium.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost of improving the recreational facilities for prisoners at Dartmoor Prison, Princetown.

The estimated cost of improvements to the physical recreational amenities is approximately £16,000, which includes some £5,000 in respect of the cost of a compressed felt floor covering required in order that a recreational area might safely be used as a gymnasium. Dartmoor Prison was built over 150 years ago, and from time to time some modernisation must, of course, take place.

asked the Secretary A State for the Home Department when expects to publish the findings of the inquiry into the disturbances at Gartree Prison.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the report of the regional director on the attempted escape and subsequent events at Gartree on 26th and 27th November 1972. It was decided by the then Home Secretary and conveyed to the House on 21st December 1972—[Vol. 848, c. 425–7]—reaffirmed on 7th March 1973 by the then Minister of State—[Vol. 852, c. 157–8]—and I also conclude that it would not be in the public interest to publish this report, which contains detailed information about security arrangements and procedures at Gartree Prison. I am satisfied that the professional lessons to be learned from the report were widely discussed and appropriately disseminated within the Prison Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with police recruitment for the West London area; and if he will make a statement.

Separate figures of recruitment to the police of people living in West London are not available. The Metropolitan Police had net gains in strength of 377 in 1975, 1,018 in 1976 and 45 in January 1977, bringing the total strength on 31st January 1977 to 22,290. It is for the Commissioner to decide how to deploy these additional police officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to bring about a thorough re-examination of the prison system in the United Kingdom and, in particular, the role of the Home Office in relation thereto.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to repeal the Life Peerages Act 1958, in view of the fact that the objects of the Act have been achieved.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount spent on civil defence, including the provisions of deep shelters, during the last five years; what is the planned expenditure for the next five years; and what is his estimate of the expenditure by the USSR on civil defence for the same periods.

I would refer to the answer given to a Question by the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Hodgson) on 7th February—[Vol. 925, c. 521–2]—covering the last three years. Estimates for 1976–77 and 1977–78 are £24·8 million and £23 million. No major change is planned in 1978–79 or thereafter. No expenditure on deep shelters is incurred or planned. We have no reliable estimates for USSR expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested in the Metropolitan Police area in 1976 for loitering with intent to commit a felony; with what result; and how many were of West Indian origin.

In 1976 there were 2,112 persons arrested in the Metropolitan Police District for loitering with intent to commit an arrestable offence. Separate figures on persons of West Indian origin are not available, but I understand from the Commissioner that 887 were recorded as being of an appearance which includes West Indians and black Africans. In 1975, the latest year for which information is available, there were 1,746 persons proceeded against at magistrates' courts in the Metropolitan Police District for this offence. Such figures are not broken down by appearance or ethnic origin and information about the results of these court cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that adequate public debate and consultation with all interested parties upon the forthcoming report of the Royal Commission on the Future of Broadcasting will take place before any legislation which may arise from the report is drafted.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to the Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, South-East (Mr. Cohen) on Monday, 28th February.—[Vol. 927, c. 18.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimated total cost to public funds of the use of police officers to remove students from the London School of Economics at about 3 a.m. on Saturday, 26th February 1977.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is considering alternative means of dealing with the problem of second and holiday home registration for parliamentary elections to those recommended by the Speaker's Conference of 1972–74.

The Government have no immediate plans for legislation to prohibit multiple registration, but assume that any such legislation would be based on the recommendation of the Speaker's Conference.

asked the Attorney-General what proportion of criminal trials were stopped by the trial judge because there was no case to go to a jury, in each of the five years up to the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 and in each of the years since.

The statistics relating to the work of the Crown Court have included the information asked for only since April 1976. In the period from 1st April to 31st December 1976, of all defendants in the Crown Court who pleaded not guilty to all counts on the indictment, 11 per cent. were acquitted on the judge's direction.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor)—[Official Report, 28th February, c. 19–21]—he will make a statement about the contributions, both direct and indirect, that civil servants make toward the cost of their pensions.

Civil servants pay for their pension in three ways. First, directly, in the case of male civil servants, through a 1½ per cent. contribution for family benefits. Second, indirectly, as part of the pay research process, through the reduction made to the outside rates on which civil servants' pay is based to take account of outside employees' contributions. The full amount of thesecontributions—typically some 5 per cent. or 6 per cent.—is deducted except only where the contribution also covers family benefits, in which even they are adjusted for the 1½ per cent. paid by civil servants. Third, indirectly, again as part of the pay research process, through the further reduction made to pay research rates to allow for differences in pensions benefits. This deduction was last set at 1¾ per cent. on the basis of the 1973 review by the Government Actuary and will be reviewed again on the restoration of pay research. This means that in addition to the contribution paid out of salary for family benefits, deductions are built into Civil Service pay rates through pay research corresponding to outside employees' contributions and allowing for any superior benefits available through the Civil Service scheme.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to visit Northern Ireland.

I am unable to say.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the re-equipment of the 48th TFW at RAF Lakenheath with Fl11 bombers will mean that it is to have a nuclear rôle whether Her Majesty's Government were consulted about this addition to United States forces; and whether nuclear weapons will be carried on patrol over East Anglia, stored in large numbers on the base, and transported by road and air over Great Britain.

The deployment of F.111F aircraft of the Unted States Air Force to the United Kingdom represents no change in the Government's policy regarding the arrangements for the stationing of United States' forces in this country. It is an up-dating of an existing deployment by a broadly similar number of more modern aircraft performing the same basic r rôle of tactical fighter bomber as the F-4D Phantom aircraft which are returning to the USA. As usual, Her Majesty's Government were fully consulted about this exchange. As a general practice, whether any particular aircraft carry nuclear weapons at any particular time is not a matter that Her Majesty's Government are prepared to confirm or deny.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish up-to-date figures, relating to the military balance between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, corresponding with those shown in figures (1) and (2) of the White Paper, Command Paper No. 6432.

The ratios for the military balance on NATO's central front are unchanged from last year's White Paper (Cmnd. 6432). As regards the balance of ready forces in the Eastern Atlantic, there is no change in the sub- marine ratio, and the combat aircraft ratio is about the same at 1: 1·4. However, the surface ship ratio has reverted to the 1975 position of 1:1·7.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to invite the Danish Prime Minister to visit the United Kingdom.

I look forward to welcoming the Danish Prime Minister at the meeting of the European Council to be held in London on 29th and 30th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister what are his official engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for Thursday 3rd March 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 3rd March.

This morning I took the Chair at a meeting of the Cabinet. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be holding further meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech of the Secretary of State for Trade on trade matters in the Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture on 12th February 1977 represents Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech made by the Secretary of State for Trade on trade matters in the Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture on 12th February 1977 represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his last meeting with the CBI.

In conjunction with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Industry, Employment and Trade, I met representatives of the CBI on 15th February at their request to enable them to give their views on the Bullock Report. The CBI explained its opposition to the majority Report. I told the CBI that the Government were committed to legislation for a radical extension of industrial democracy by representation of the work force on company boards and by improving participation at all other levels in the company structure. I regarded it as important for discussions to begin between the CBI and the Government with a view to securing the largest possible area of agreement.

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

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 3rd February.

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

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 3rd February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Industry.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Industry.

The Secretary of State for Industry is responsible for general industrial policy, including the Government's industrial strategy, policy towards planning agreements, and financial assistance to industry, though some of his responsibilities in the latter field relate only to England. He sponsors the National Enterprise Board, the British Steel Corporation, the Post Office Corporation, Cable and Wireless Ltd., and the aircraft and shipbuilding as well as the general manufacturing industries. The Secretary of State is also responsible for industrial research and development, including civil aerospace research and the operation of the Government's industrial research establishments, and for the Business Statistics Office.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Woodford, near Stockport, in the near future.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to visit Lewisham.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to make an official visit to Basle.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the light of the speech of the Secretary of State for Energy to the Press Gallery on Monday 14th February, he is satisfied with the doctrine of collective responsibility.

asked the Prime Minister if, in the light of the speech of the Secretary of State for Energy to the Press Gallery on Monday 14th February at the House, which concerned matters of Government policy including constitutional reform, he is satisfied with the working of the doctrine of collective responsibility.

asked the Prime Minister if, in the light of the speech of the Secretary of State for Energy to the Press Gallery on Monday 14th February at the House, which concerned matters of Government policy including constitutional reform, he is satisfied with the working of the doctrine of collective responsibility.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Portsmouth.

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thornaby (Mr. Wrigglesworth) on 17th February.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit South Yorkshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister why he will not take the necessary action to ensure that no person appointed to any ministerial office is entitled to write or make any oral declaration concerning his employment until 20 years after leaving office.

I shall continue to be guided by the position on ministerial memoirs as set out in the reply given to a Question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bottomley) on 22nd January 1976.

asked the Prime Minister if he will use Concorde on his next visit to the United States of America.

Yes. On the important occasion of my first visit to President Carter on 10th and 11th March, I intend to travel to the United States of America by Concorde, the fastest and most modern means available. I shall also use Concorde for my visit to Canada on 12th and 13th March, when Prime Minister Trudeau and I will be taking up again the conversations we held last autumn.

asked the Prime Minister who signs certificates furnished to the Honours Scrutiny Committee that no payment or expectation of payment to any party or political fund is directly or indirectly associated with the recommendation.

Customarily the Chief Whip.

asked the Prime Minister if the Central Policy Review Staff, in drawing up the report on the future of the United Kingdom power plant manufacturing industry, employed any outside agency or consultants for advice; and, if so, at what cost.

The CPRS, as its report acknowledged, was assisted in this study by staff from the Programmes Analysis Unit, Harwell and by Booz-Allen and Hamilton International acting as consultants. It is not the practice to disclose confidential details of fees paid to consultants, but I gave the total cost of the study in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Kelvingrove (Mr. Carmichael) on 25th January.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for a model of the fountain for New Palace Yard being subscribed for by Members of the House of Commons to mark the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen to be exhibited in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Yes. The model will be on exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall from 7th to 11th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is now in a position to make a statement on the prospects for the horticulture industry.

The prospects for all sectors of the horticulture industry have recently been the subject of a joint examination by the Government and the farmers unions, and there was much common ground on its conclusions. The examination will form the background to a continuing dialogue between the Government and representatives of the industry on the state of horticulture and its prospects.The review was based on a factual sector-by-sector appraisal of the present position and opportunities of the horticulture industry. The picture that emerged was considerably more encouraging that was foreseen in the reports made by the EDC for Agriculture on the eve of our accession to the EEC. Growers in many sectors have undoubtedly faced difficulties, but have succeeded in responding to them through increased efficiency. They have also benefited from the competitive advantage that the decline in the value of sterling has given home producers over foreign suppliers. A summary of the detailed findings of the sector-by-sector appraisal will be made available publicly and to hon. Members within the next few weeks.By its very nature, horticulture is essentially an entrepreneurial industry. Its success therefore must depend primarily on the skill and efforts of growers. The industry needs to be flexible, with freedom to take production decisions in the light of market requirements. The review highlighted the importance of growers continuing to take advantage of new technical developments. They must provide a product that the consumer wants at a competitive price, and having produced it they must sell it using the best techniques available. The importance of skilful marketing, especially in a period of change, cannot be over-emphasised. Whilst the industry's traditional role of supplying the home market will continue to be most important, in particular sectors there are attractive export opportunities to be seized.The industry quite rightly looks for a policy framework in which it can grow stronger, responding to market demands and backed up by the Government in ways that improve its efficiency without inhibiting its essential freedom of individual decision. The Government will seek to ensure that Community systems operate effectively, in providing for a proper degree of preference for Community suppliers and for fair competition within the Community. The Government and the unions are agreed that policies that encourage or perpetuate structural surpluses or growing for intervention should be changed. While the Government must decide on the desirability of further enlargement of the EEC in the overall national interest, they recognise that this enlargement could exacerbate the problem of structural surpluses.In the domestic context, the Government will continue to provide a high level of research, development and advice for the industry, and to provide capital grants at favourable rates to encourage investment in the modernisation of buildings, plant and equipment. These two methods of support play an important part in promoting the efficiency of the industry.I believe that growers will respond to the challengers of the changing situation, producing and marketing their produce well and taking full advantage of the backing given by the Government. If so, the industry will be a profitable and economic one. making a major contribution to our balance of payments and to the best use of our own resources.A summary of a detailed statement on the horticulture industry, which I made today at the "British Growers Look Ahead" conference, is being placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much butter

EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM TO THE EEC
				Quantity* (Tonnes)	Value £	MCAs† £
Cereals:
Wheat	…	…	…	21,939	2,076,934	1,022,253
Barley	…	…	…	158,411	13,430,292	3,809,686
Maize	…	…	…	43,360	3,225,245	90,345
Sugar	…	…	…	15,468‡	3,214,000	49,070
Beef/Veal	…	…	…	97,674	104,628,000	14,348,811
Eggs	…	…	…	11,629	8,351,000	171,952
Poultry meat	…	…	…	5,090	4,042,000	52,119
Milk and milk products	…	…	…	195,188	81,924,000	5,701,847
Pigmeat and pigmeat products	…	…	…	14,936	10,232,997	613,691
*These figures may include some non-indigenous produce.
† These are charges actually collected during 1976. There is a delay of from six to eight weeks between export and collection of the levy.
‡ White sugar equivalents.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report a table for each of the principal foodstuffs im- has been sold from EEC stocks outside the EEC in the past six months; how much of this has been purchased directly or indirectly by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other Warsaw Pact countries; and at what price compared with the EEC price.

I regret that this information is not available. The export refunds, however, published for the period from 17th September 1976 to the end of February 1977 were as set out below. The full EEC intervention price of butter during this period was 223·8 units of account per tonne.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table in the Official Report for each of the principal foodstuffs exported from the United Kingdom to the EEC, in 1976, showing in each case (a) the quantities, (b) the landed value in £ sterling and (c) the monetary compensation amounts paid by the exporter.

The table below gives the information requested:ported into the United Kingdom from the EEC and third countries resectively in 1976 showing in each case (

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the amounts of monetary compensation amount paid in respect of imports and exports of foodstuffs to and from the United Kingdom in 1976.

The monetary compensatory amounts paid or collected by the United Kingdom in 1976 were as follows:

Paid to importers on intra-Community trade—£68,026,311(1)

Paid to importers on trade with non-member States—£1,673,845(2)

Export levies collected on intra-Community trade—£28,207,263.

Monetary compensatory amounts charged on exports to non-member States are not separately distinguishable from other payments and charges on such exports.

(1) These figures relate to the period up to 17th May 1976. Since then United Kingdom MCAs on imports from other member States (except Italy) have been paid in the exporting member State, and information about them is not available.

(2) These are net figures after taking into account any import levies and accession compensatory amounts,

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he expects to establish the three-day crash course and the subsequent four-week course for persons whom he designates for licensing premises under the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976;(2) what date he has given for designating the persons who may carry out the

The information is as follows:licensing inspection of premises under the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976;(3) what explanation he has given to local authorities of how they can license premises under the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976 when he has not designated a person to carry out the licensing inspection.

Initially, applications for licences are being made only by the operators of plants who consider it necessary to maintain as export potential. Co-operative action between Council officials and designated officers of the Ministry has ensured that the licence applications so far received have been dealt with satisfactorily. In other cases an application for exemption is appropriate; such applications do not involve inspection by designated officers.The main demand for designated officers will arise when the period of exemption from the licensing requirements expires in August 1977. My Department will shortly consult the local authority associations on detailed arrangements for the designation of local authority officers and for their prior training or briefing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many local authorities have made returns under the Poultry (Hygiene) Regulations 1976 for the number of premises licensed by them; and what is the total number of licences and exemptions issued;(2) how many local authorities have not made returns of the premises they wish to license under the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976; and what reasons they have given for not so doing.

Regulation 21 of the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976 requires local authorities to furnish my right hon. Friend with copies of licences and details of exemptions issued. So far 93 have done so and the information they gave is as follows.

a.total number of copies of licences furnished	2
b. total number of exemptions of which details have been furnished	188

The remaining 309 local authorities have not yet provided information. A significant number of these have no premises subject to the regulations within their areas, and others are understood to be awaiting Council meetings at which formal decisions can be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for publishing in his Department's Fact Sheet Series information relating to the nuclear industry.

My Department has today published a fact sheet describing the organisation of the nuclear industry in Great Britain and the way in which its operations are independently controlled in the interests of health safety and the environment. It includes sections on the formulation of nuclear policy, the various organisations and agencies concerned in the development of nuclear power, and the inter-relation between these bodies. In particular it describes the regulatory functions designed to ensure the safety of the industry, the people who work in it, and the public.Sections on emergency arrangements, security, nuclear safeguards and nuclear insurance and compensation are also included. This is part of a series of fact sheets on energy subjects and the first in a series planned on nuclear topics. Fact sheets are freely available, on request, from the Department of Energy's Library, and I have arranged for copies of today's nuclear fact sheet to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what quantity of gas he has authorised to be flared from the Brent Field on an annual basis.

During the period from the start of production in November 1976 until July 1977 when Shell expect to close down oil production and gas flaring at the start of its gas compression installation programme, about 20 billion cubic feet of gas are expected to be flared from the Brent B platform and my right hon. Friend has given consent to this figure. I would also refer to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave on 9th December—[Vol. 922, c. 314–5]—to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish cash flow forecasts of the National Coal Board for each of the next five years.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the average amount of investment per person employed by the National Coal Board.

In the year ending March 1976, capital expenditure averaged £700 for each person employed by the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current eligibility of redundant miners to receive concessionary coal.

Under Article 15 of the Redundant Mineworkers and Concessionary Coal (Payments Schemes) Order 1973 miners made redundant at age 55 or over are entitled to receive concessionary coal.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what were the national, coal stock figures at the latest available date; what they were six months, one year, 18 months, two years, 30 months and three years ago; and what are his projections for the next three years.

Total coal stocks' at end of period were as follows:

		million tons
1977	February	27·8
1976	August	33·2
	February	29·3
1975	August	26·9
	February	21·1
1974	August	21·1
February—Not available (miners' strike)

(1) Excluding distributed stocks held in merchants' yards and industrial premises.It is difficult to give any reliable estimate of coal stocks for the next three years, as the stock levels depend on the demand and supply balance. However, on present indications exceptional stock movements in the next few years appear to be unlikely.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the average figures for coal consumption per house hold and per National Coal Board employee household.

The total number of solid fuel consuming households in the United Kingdom in 1975 was estimated to be 3·3 millions and the total solid fuel disposals to the domestic sector in the same year was 15·5 millions tons, giving an annual average of about 4·7 tons per solid fuel consuming household.During the same period average solid fuel disposal per concessionaire was 5.5 tons per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total cost of coal used by the Electricity Board as a percentage of the total cost incurred by the Electricity Board

The total delivered cost of coal used by the Central Electricity Generating Board during its financial year 1975–76, the latest period for which figures are available, was about 40 per cent. of the board's total expenditure on revenue account.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made, if any, in harmonising educational qualifications within the EEC.

Article 57(1) of the Treaty of Rome refers to the mutual recognition of qualifications, and the Council Resolution of 6th June 1974 (O.J.C. 98/1) established general guidelines for the Community's approach. In the education field, the Education Ministers' Resolution of 9th February 1976 (O.J.C. 38/1) called for an analytical report on the academic recognition of diplomas and proposals to improve the situation including, if necessary, the development of a network of agreements. The Community Education Committee is expected to receive this report in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action she is taking, in view of the reductions in child tax allowances, to protect from financial loss the families of students who are in receipt of maximum grants.

Arrangements for compensating parents of students for reduction in child tax allowances are under consideration and my right hon. Friend will make an announcement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take action to prevent the facilities of St. Matthias Teacher Training College, in Fishponds, Bristol, being lost for educational use, following the reduction in the number of separate teacher training colleges.

My Department has recently discussed with representatives of the college possible future uses and is making some further inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to hold an inquiry to resolve and determine the widely differing views held by local interests as to the best future land use to be adopted within the Exmoor National Park.

No. I have welcomed the wide debate on this subject which has already begun and will take account of the policy implications that emerge. The National Park Committee takes the lead in resolving conflicts of interest within the park. I am keeping closely in touch with the issues involved in this matter, and I regularly receive the advice of the Countryside Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the decision was taken, and on what grounds it was made, to disperse 3,000 civil servants in the Property Services Agency from Croydon to Teesside.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Royal Tunbridge Wells (Mr. Mayhew) on Monday 28th February 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated total cost of dispersing to Teesside the 3,000 civil servants now employed by the Property Services Agency in Croydon.

I would refer to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Royal Tunbridge Wells (Mr. Mayhew) on 28th February 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the determination of the needs element of the rate support grant for 1977–78 differed from that for 1976–77.

I would refer the hon. Member to Appendix E of the Report on the 1976 Rate Support Grant Order. The basic method of determining needs element entitlements for 1977–78 remains as for 1976–77. The main differences are, first, an extension of the range of needs factors; secondly, a new system for stabilising year-on-year changes in local authorities' expenditure needs; and thirdly, the incorporation of arrangements for London rate equalisation into the calculations for London's needs grant distribution within the RSG Order provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors in the determination of the needs element of the rate support grant for 1977–78 produced a settlement for Dudley which was materially different from those for Wolverhampton and Sandwell.

The differences in needs grant entitlements as between individual authorities reflect the varying incidence of the factors within the needs formula set out in the Rates Support Grant Order. In the particular cases mentioned the metropolitan borough of Dudley has a lower incidence than the other two authorities for all the factors in the formula except for those covering persons living in parishes and wards with a density greater than 50 per hectare, new dwellings and pupils over 16 in secondary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what new factors were taken into account for the purpose of determining the needs element of the rate support grant for 1977–78.

The following new factors were tested for possible inclusion in the formula for the distribution of the needs grant:

Persons in excess of 5 per acre

Persons in excess of 10 per acre

Persons in excess of 15 per acre

Geographical variations in labour costs Unemployment

Road mileage

Ratio of population to housing stock Families with three or more children Children aged 5 to 14

Children under 15

Also the factor for education units was, split into its component parts, namely:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish figures showing in statistical or graph form the changes in the average national level of house prices for each year since 1935, and, for purposes of comparison, the changes in the level of prices of ordinary shares as indicated by the Financial Times Index.

Following is the information requested:

	Index of House Prices (1934–39 average price=100)	Financial Times Index of Industrial Ordinary Shares* (1st July 1935=100)
1934–39	100
1945	198	116
1946	239	126
1947	309	131
1948	353	111
1949	343	104
1950	355	111
1951	374	134
1952	368	109
1953	341	120
1954	331	159
1955	339	195
1956	349	181
1957	349	188
1958	356	182
1959	366	250
1960	396	319
1961	433	320
1962	464	286
1963	501	317
1964	570	347
1965	613	337
1966	649	332
1967	697	355
1968	739	463
1969	783	420
1970	833	361
1971	943	386
1972	1,288	504
1973	1,751	436
1974	1,864	251
1975	1,968	311
1976	2,102	368
* Prior to 1955 figures relate to 30th July of each year. All other figures are yearly averages.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will make a contribution to the annual endowment of the European Youth Foundation in respect of 1978; and whether this contribution will be in accordance with the apportionment laid down in Resolution (72)23 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the decision taken at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of the European Youth Foundation on 17th December 1976.

Her Majesty's Government propose to make a contribution to the European Youth Foundation in respect of 1978. The apportionment laid down in Resolution (72)23 is affected by the recent accession of the Governments of Greece and Portugal. The meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on 17th December 1976 discussed ways of compensating for a shortfall in the endowment for 1977 rather than future apportionment, which will be examined later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government about their continued establishment of Jewish settlements in Arab territories occupied during the 1967 war; and what has been the response.

Details of the exchanges between the British and Israel Governments must remain confidential. However, the latter are well aware of our view that we regret their policy of establishing settlements in occupied territory, which can only impede negotiations and the achievement of peace in the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the British consulate in Miami, USA, was closed; what were the total annual costs of running it for the last two full financial years it operated; and if he will take steps to appoint an honorary vice-consul at Miami.

The British consulate at Miami was closed on 30th September 1975 as part of my right hon. Friend's Department's contribution to the 1½ per cent. reduction in Government expenditure in the financial year 1976–77.In accordance with normal practice, expenditure of consular posts in North America, including Miami, for the financial years referred to was controlled by the Centralised Regional Accounting Centre at the British Embassy in Washington. It would take a disproportionate amount of time for it to extract details of expenditure and receipts involved. However, we estimate that the total annual cost of running the British Consulate in Miami would have been £60,000 in 1975.My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to appoint an honorary vice-consul at Miami. The situation will, however, be reviewed later this year when the Diplomatic Service inspectors plan to visit consular posts in the United States.

			Period	India	Pakistan	Bangladesh
Employment vouchers	…	…	1962–72	63,351	36,366	6
Work permits	…	…	1973–75	2,004	819	357

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the average daily rate of interviewing for family settlement for entry certificate officers at each of the ports in the Indian Sub-Continent in December 1974, December 1975 and December 1976.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st February 1977; Vol. 926, 483–4], gave the following information:Not all entry clearance officers are engaged full time on the interviewing of families applying for settlement. The average daily rates of interviewing arrived at by dividing the numbers of families dealt with daily by the total number of entry clearance officers at each of the major posts, are given in the following table:

	December1974	December 1975	December 1976
Islamabad	1·4	2·1	1·9
Karachi	1·5	1·9	2·0
Delhi	1·4	2·1	1·3
Bombay	2·0	1·5	1·2
Dacca	1·7	2·2	2·2

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what was the

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total number of British passports issued to immigrants (a)from Bangladesh since 1971, (b)from Pakistan since 1960 (c)from India since 1960; and what is the total number of work permits issued for people as to (a), (b) and (c)above.