asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will alter the parole system so that prisoners who are refused parole are given reasons for the refusal; and if he will make a statement.

We hope that a satisfactory way will be found for prisoners who are refused parole to be given an indication of the reasons for the decision. It is a problem with no easy solution; the difficulties were set out clearly in the Parole Board's Annual Report for 1975. The Board has been conducting a limited experiment, and we look forward to receiving its recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of first-time inmates are given parole.

Of those eligible for parole, about 60 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of (a) first-time, (b) second-time, (c) third-time and (d) fourth-time applicants for parole in 1976 had their requests granted.

Following are provisional figures in respect of prisoners eligible for parole in 1976:

1	2	3	4
Review number	Eligible cases*	Number of cases where parole granted	Percentage of eligible cases where parole granted
1	8,131	3,711	45·6
2	2,110	1,079	51·1
3	347	145	41·8
4	103	29	28·2
* Including altogether 600 eligible prisoners who exercised their right not to be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in gaol.

In the financial year 1975–76, the latest date for which this information is available, the overall average weekly cost of keeping an inmate in a penal establishment was £78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are living two or three together in cells designed for one.

On 13th February, the latest date for which this information is available, there were 15,913 persons sharing cells in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales. Of these, 10,918 were sleeping two in a cell and 4,995 were sleeping three in a cell.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average working week for prisoners in Great Britain.

Information in the form which my hon. Friend requests is not available, but the estimated average of workshop hours in penal establishments in England and Wales is at present about 22 hours a week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of people serving life sentences in Great Britain expressed as a proportion of the population as a whole and give comparable figures for other member States of the European Community.

In December 1976 there were 1,569 persons serving life sentences in penal establishments in Great Britain. This represents 29 persons per million of the home population of all ages in England and Wales and Scotland. I regret that comparable information relating to other member States of the European Economic Community is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were divorced or separated from their husbands or wives during their imprisonment (a) in 1965 (b) in 1970 and (c) in 1976.

I regret that such statistics are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the prison population are first-time offenders.

Of the sentenced prison population on 30th June 1976 for whom relevant information is available about 7 per cent. are known to have had no previous conviction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time per week which prisoners spend locked in their cells.

The information is not available in the form requested. Furthermore, conditions vary greatly between different kinds of prisons with widely differing régimes. All prisoners are entitled to a minimum of one hour's exercise a day, provided they are fit for it, and every effort is made, within available resources, to provide associated activities in addition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many GCE O-levels and GCE A-levels were obtained by prisoners in 1965, 1970 and 1976.

The number of GCE O and A level passes obtained in 1965 is unknown. The numbers for 1970 and 1976 are as follows:

Year	O level	A level
1970	414	71
1976	837	90

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of prison sentence for people convicted of first-time offences.

The available information indicates that in 1975 the average length of prison sentence, excluding suspended sentences, imposed on people with no recorded previous conviction was one year eight months. This average does not include indeterminate sentences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people committed suicide in British prisons in each of the following years: 1965, 1970 and 1976.

The following table gives the numbers of suicides recorded in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales in the years in question, according to the findings of coroners to whom all deaths of persons in custody are reported in accordance with Rule 19(2) of the Prison Rules 1964.

1965	15
1970	6
1976	19*
*Provisional.

Responsibility for penal establishments in Scotland rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions since 1971 his Department has insisted on vetting a newspaper article or television and radio programmes.

Our responsibility in this area relates solely to occasions when writers and producers, etc., are publishing articles or making programmes at Home Office establishments. It was the practice in the past to grant certain facilities in Prison Service establishments on the condition that articles or programmes should be submitted prior to publication. I regret that information on the frequency of such submissions since 1971 is not available. This condition, however, no longer applies in respect of articles for newspapers and periodicals; but radio and television programmes will continue to be previewed where appropriate, in order to ensure that considerations of security and personal privacy are met.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions since 1971 a newspaper has been asked to refrain from publishing an article or to amend an article on pain of being refused his Department's co-operation in future;(2) on how many occasions since 1971 his Department has asked that a television or radio programme not be transmitted or be amended, on pain of being refused his Department's co-operation in future.

None, as far as I am aware.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners released on parole have committed criminal offences whilst on parole for each of the following years: 1968, 1972 and 1976.

The number of persons known to have committed criminal offences on parole expressed as a percentage of the number of prisoners granted parole in each years is:

	per cent.
1972	4·6
1976	4·4*
The parole scheme became operative on 1st April 1968 and comparable figures are not available for that year.
* Based on estimated figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the citizenship rights to which the British-born children of Mr. and Mrs. Djemal of 65 Broad Lane, London, N.15, are entitled, deportation orders having been issued against the parents; and what is the earliest date the children will become entitled to a State education in Great Britain.

These children acquired citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies by birth in the United Kingdom. Accordingly they have the right of abode here, irrespective of the citizenship and immigration status of their parents. A local education authority is under a duty to provide education suitable to the requirements of all pupils of compulsory school age—i.e., at the beginning of the term following the fifth birthday—who are resident in that authority's area, and who are patrial or who have settled status under the Immigration Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of deportation notices he has signed in the last 12 months and group them according to the countries of origin of those concerned.

The available information relates to deportation orders signed during the calendar year 1976 by country of nationality, and is as follows:

Afghanistan	3
Algeria	15
Andorra	1
Antigua	2
Argentina	9
Austria	4
Australia	11
Bahrain	1
Bangladesh	18
Belgium	4
Bermuda	1
Canada	6
Chile	5
Colombia	18
Cyprus	47
Dominica	1
Ecuador	1
Egypt	21
Ethiopia	1
France	16
Gambia	2
German Federal Republic	12
Ghana	55
Greece	4
Guyana	6
Holland	3
Hong Kong	6
India	68
Indonesia	1
Iran	17
Iraq	2
Irish Republic	29
Israel	8
Italy	23
Jamaica	5
Jordan	2
Kenya	5
Lebanon	5
Liberia	2
Libya	1
Malaysia	10
Malta	5
Martinique	1
Mauritius	42
Morocco	13
New Zealand	1
Nigeria	69
Norway	1
Pakistan	87
Poland	3
Portugal	6
Rhodesia	1
St. Vincent	1
Saudi Arabia	3
Sierra Leone	5
Singapore	2
Somalia	1
South Africa	2
Spain	5
Sri Lanka	16
Switzerland	1
Syria	1
Tanzania	7
Thailand	1
Trinidad	3
Tunisia	3
Turkey	21
Togoland	1
Uganda	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases the officials of the Immigration Department have initiated action under Section 3(5)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971; and in how many of these cases he has refused to sign the deportation orders.

Action under Section 3(5)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971 is invariably initiated by officials; they put forward proposals to me for the making of deportation orders, which I then consider. Information is not available on the number of cases where I have declined to act on these proposals.

					Prison Hospitals		NHS Hospitals
					Patients	Treatments	Patients	Treatments
Birmingham	…	…	…	…	15	22	—	—
Bristol	…	…	…	…	2	7	—	—
Cardiff	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	3
Exeter	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	12
Gartree	…	…	…	…	2	10	—	—
Liverpool	…	…	…	…	1	6	—	—
Parkhurst	…	…	…	…	3	23	—	—
Pucklechurch	…	…	…	…	1	5	2	9
Risley	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	8
Rochester	…	…	…	…	1	8	—	—
Shepton Mallet	…	…	…	…	—	—	2	22
Stafford	…	…	…	…	—	—	3	19
Winchester	…	…	…	…	2	9	—	—

At Gartree and Pucklechurch, which do not have their own electro-convulsive therapy machines, treatment was given on equipment brought in for the purpose. No treatments were given at seven of the prisons which have portable ECT machines, viz., Dartmoor, Durham, Grendon, Holloway, Leeds, Manchester and Wormwood Scrubs.Information about refusal of electro-convulsive therapy treatment is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nurses without NHS qualifications have been employed upon administering electro-convulsive therapy to prisoners over the past three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether prisoners about to receive electro-convulsive therapy in prison hospitals are told of their right to refuse treatment; and on how many occasions in the last three years such treatment has been refused;(2) whether he will list in the

A prisoner must give his written consent before receiving electro-convulsive therapy. Information about electro-convulsive therapy treatment given to prisoners is available only for 1976, as follows:

None. Prison Service nursing staff are not employed in administering electro-convulsive therapy.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce an additional allowance to meet rising costs of subsistence and living accommodation to those peers who are forced to live away from home in order to attend daily sittings of the House of Lords; if he will introduce a resolution for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

The introduction of a new allowance would be contrary to incomes policy, but the question of peer's expenses allowance is being considered in the light of a report recently forwarded to the Prime Minister by the Top Salaries Review Body. An announcement will be made shortly.

asked the Lord President of the Council when the Services Committee authorised the erection in the pool in New Palace Yard of a fountain to mark the Silver Jubilee; what the cost will be; and when the proposal was sanctioned by the House.

The Services Committee resolved on 25th January 1977 that the Department of the Environment be authorised to erect this fountain. The scultpure for the fountain is being paid for by the private subscriptions of individual Members and will not involve any public expenditure, but DOE estimates that the cost of erecting it will be about £1,500. The proposal has not been formally submitted to the House.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will list the criteria on which wines and spirits are selected for sale in the House of Commons to Members of Parliament; and whether political considerations are taken into account.

I have been asked to reply.Wines and spirits are selected on merit and price alone. Political considerations play no part in the selection.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the balance of profit and/or loss of the House of Commons catering service over the last 10 years.

The information is as follows:

	£
31st December 1967	7,181 loss
31st December 1968	3,399 loss
31st December 1969	3,007 profit
31st March 1970–71	18,754 loss
31st March 1971–72	22,443 loss

asked the Lord President of the Council against what budget the current losses of the House of Commons catering service is debited; and what authorisation or Act covers this transaction.

The Refreshment Department is currently financing these losses by means of a bank overdraft. It is recognised that the present position is unsatisfactory, and steps have recently been taken, following discussions between Ministers and the Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee, with a view to the establishment of a system of budgetary control in the Department, as recommended by the Committee of Inquiry.

asked the Prime Minister if he will dismiss the Minister of State for the Civil Service.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) on 24th February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will include a visit to the telecommunications industry in his plan to visit factories.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend's industrial visits will be announced in the usual way.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the coordination between the Secretaries of State for Employment, Industry and Energy in the matter of sustaining employment the electrical power plant industry in North-East England.

I have been asked to reply.Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now re-establish the Department of Health as a separate Ministry; and if he will amalgamate the departments of the Treasury responsible for the taxation of personal incomes with the departments of the Department of Health and Social Security responsible for income support.

I have been asked to reply.The hon. Member may assume that my right hon. Friend does not intend to make any changes in departmental organisation or responsibilities unless and until he makes a statement to the contrary.

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

I have been asked to reply.I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Mr. Ward).

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the chairmen of the nationalised industries.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend met some of the heads of the nationalised industries when he took the chair at the NEDC meeting on 2nd February. Further meetings will be arranged as necessary.

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

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

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

asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet the CBI.

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

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

I have been asked to reply.I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 8th February.

asked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to hold an official reception for Commonwealth Prime Ministers in June.

I have been asked to reply.Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 10th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 10th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 10th March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 10th March 1977.

I have been asked to reply.I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle).

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to take the Chair at a meeting of the NEDC.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 15th February.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give the reasons why he will not take action to ensure that no civil servant, political adviser, Press officer or other person working at No. 10 Downing Street or any other ministerial office is permitted to write or make Press or radio statements concerning their employment or matters pertaining thereto within a period of 20 years of leaving office.

I have been asked to reply.The reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend on 3rd March about the publication of ministerial memoirs applies equally to the publication of memoirs by former members of the public services.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has transferred to his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department his responsibility for referring subjects to Speaker's Conferences.

I have been asked to reply.The answer to the hon. Member's Question is "No", but my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is the Minister responsible for policy on matters of electoral law which a Speaker's Conference might consider.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is yet able to announce the expected date of publication of the Report of the Royal Commission on Civil Liabilities and Compensation for Personal Injury.

The Royal Commission hopes to report during the course of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members and former members of Her Majesty's Forces are currently being detained in prisons in Northern Ireland for criminal offences committed in Northern Ireland.

Four serving members of Her Majesty's Forces are in prison in Northern Ireland. Information about prisoners who were formerly members of Her Majesty's Forces is not readily available and cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will consider seeking to recall the Northern Ireland Convention in view of the deteriorating political and security situation.

No. Under the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1974 there is no longer any power for me to reconvene the Constitutional Convention, but I do not, in any case, believe that the time is right for a political initiative of the sort which the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to visit any psychiatric hospitals in Ulster during the next months; and, if so, on what date and where.

My noble friend the Minister of State hopes to be able to visit the Downshire Hospital in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons convicted of terrorist offences since 1972 who have received prison sentences of five years or more have already been released from custody either on parole or as a result of the remittance of their sentences for good conduct.

Although prisoners in Northern Ireland may be temporarily released for compassionate and rehabilitative purposes prior to the completion of their sentences, there is no statutory parole scheme. Prison records do not separately identify persons convicted of terrorist offences. However, all special category prisoners have been convicted of offences connected with the civil disturbances.Between June 1972 and February 1976, 255 special category prisoners were released with remission on completion of sentences of three years and over; information is not readily available to indicate how many were serving sentences of five years and over or how many were convicted after 1st January 1972.Between March 1976 and February 1977 358 special category prisoners who had been convicted after 1st January 1972 were released with remission on completion of sentences of five years and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied that the existing system of financing health and social services boards provides sufficient control in the general public interest over expenditure, particularly in the last three months of each financial year when large sums are expended on the purchase of goods and equipment with the apparent intention of using up financial resources which would otherwise be surrendered at 31st March each year.

I am satisfied that adequate controls over expenditure are in operation. Payments for goods and equipment tend to be concentrated in the latter months of the financial year because of the interval between placing orders and receiving delivery. This concentration increases when, as has occurred this year, shortfall is diverted from other programmes to health and personal social services, or is reallocated within the services, for spending on goods and equipment within the year.Any expenditure resulting from shortfall is directed only to projects that are justifiable priorities in their own right.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the discrepancy between the EEC green unit of account and the EEC monetary unit of account and its effects on EEC food prices and levies.

Monetary compensatory amounts are in effect calculated from the percentage difference between a currency's green rate and its market exchange rate against the European monetary unit of account. The effective level of common agricultural support prices and import levies in each member State depends on the green rate and not on the base point for monetary compensatory amounts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total investment in the United Kingdom cheese industry for the year 1976–77 and the previous five years.

I regret that information on capital investment in the manufacture of cheese is not separately distinguished in official statistics on investment in the milk and milk products industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total grant aid to the United Kingdom cheese industry made in 1976–77 and for the previous five years, the sources of that grant aid and the amounts of the individual grants.

Assistance towards the cost of projects in the food processing sector is available from United Kingdom funds in the form of regional development grants. Grants made to the cheese industry are included under the general heading of food, drink and tobacco and cannot be separately identified.Grants made to the United Kingdom cheese industry from the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund are as follows:

1976 (latest year available)	358,798 (4 projects)
1975	90,696 (2 projects)
1974	328,470 (5 projects)
1973	1,960,956 (9 projects)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average percentage difference between the market price and the support price for each of the relevant agricultural products grown or produced in the United Kingdom during 1976.

The information given below is the approximate percentage by which the average market price of major agricultural products exceeded the relevant support prices, the designations of which are given in brackets. No figure is given for milk since milk production in 1976 was within the standard quantity and producers were, consequently, paid the guaranteed price. The information is as follows: Wheat (intervention price) 22; Barley (intervention price) 34; Potatoes (guaranteed price) 346; Oilseed rape (intervention price) negligible; sugar beet (United Kingdom minimum beet price) negligible; Fat sheep (guaranteed price) 17; Fat pigs (EEC basic price) 4; Clean fat cattle (target price) 3; Wool (guaranteed price, 1976 clip) 31.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that there is a positive link between badgers and bovine tuberculosis.

Since bovine tuberculosis was found in a badger carcase in 1971, considerable experimental and investiga- tional work has been carried out by my Department into the role of the badger in the persistence of this disease among cattle in certain areas of the country. It is now beyond doubt that badgers are highly susceptible to bovine tuberculosis and that they can transmit the disease to cattle. A report, "Bovine Tuberculosis in Badgers", was published by the Ministry in November and copies placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what areas of West Gloucestershire are now affected by bovine tuberculosis.

Although bovine tuberculosis has been confirmed in cattle and badgers in various parts of West Gloucestershire in recent years only one herd which is on a farm to the west of Gloucester is subject to restrictions at the present time. As yet, insufficient is known about the exact extent of the infection in badgers to be able to make a precise delineation of the areas in which the disease exists in this species.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what level of compensation is paid to farmers with cattle suffering from bovine tuberculosis.

The level of compensation payable for a bovine animal, slaughtered because it is an affected animal or has reacted to a tuberculin test, is 75 per cent. of the value the animal would have fetched on the open market at the time of valuation if it had not been affected or was not a reactor, subject to a maximum payment of £300. Compensation at full market value with no upper limit is payable for an animal slaughtered because it has been exposed to infection by contact with an affected animal or a reactor.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to enable farmers to protect themselves from loss of income due to bovine tuberculosis in their cattle.

Compensation based upon open market values is paid whenever animals are slaughtered compulsorily on account of bovine tuberculosis. It is a long-established principle of disease eradication that no additional payment should be made from public funds to meet consequential loss of income. Insurance is available against such loss.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the trends in pig prices since the introduction of the pig subsidy.

The temporary pig subsidy has been paid since 31st January. The average of the weekly prices for pigs in February was 1·8p per kg lower than in January. This reflects the usual seasonal decline in pig prices which has been accentuated by reductions in the wholesale price of bacon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further help he proposes to give to the British pig industry.

The temporary subsidy which I introduced at the end of January is giving substantial immediate help to the pig industry. I am continuing

UNITED KINGDOM PIG SLAUGHTERINGS
'000 head
				Clean Pigs	Sows and Boars	Total
1976—
August	…	…	…	997	26	1,023
September	…	…	…	1,041	29	1,070
October (5 weeks)	…	…	…	1,370	39	1,409
November	…	…	…	1,128	34	1,162
December (5 weeks)	…	…	…	1,318	38	1,356
1977—
January (5 weeks)	…	…	…	1,294	47	1,341
Totals from November 1976 are provisional.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now state the number of badger sets gassed in Gloucestershire.

By 26th February 1977 a total of 591 badger sets had been gassed in Gloucestershire, some of them more than once.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what means the interests of the United Kingdom are to be represented at the forth-

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any statistics on the amount of money spent on advertising by Danish pig producers in the United Kingdom.

I have no official information on the amounts spent on advertising Danish pigmeat in the United Kingdom, but there have been Press reports that Danish agricultural producers have planned a £300,000 campaign to promote Danish bacon on our market during the period January—April this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the number of pig slaughterings in the United Kingdom month by month over the last six months.

The following is the information up to the end of January, the most recent complete month for which statistics are available.coming International Sugar Agreement meetings in Geneva.

The EEC Commission will negotiate on behalf of the Community on the basis of a mandate to be adopted by the Council of Ministers. Throughout the discussions the Commission will consult with member States, and the United Kingdom will be sending a delegation to Geneva for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the expected surplus of sugar expected in the European Economic Community for the current year and the respective world and EEC prices.

The Community's exportable surplus after taking into account stock requirements is expected to be about 1·4 million tonnes for the crop year October 1976 to September 1977. The intervention price for the marketing year July 1976 to June 1977 for the area of greatest surplus is 331·4 units of account—£188·77 at the present representative rate—per tonne. The average of the London daily price for white sugar for the period 1st July 1976 to 28th February 1977 is £164·54 per tonne.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what surplus of white sugar Common Market Agricultural Ministers expect by 1978; and what the British Government's policy will be towards the disposal of such a surplus.

The quantity of sugar produced surplus to the Community's requirements in 1977–78 will depend in part on the decisions which the Council will take on prices and associated measures for 1977–78 and in part on other factors, including the weather. The Commission's proposals for 1977–78, in particular the proposed reduction in the maximum quota, are intended to restrain the level of Community sugar production. We firmly support this objective. Our general attitude to the disposal of surplus commodities is that, where appropriate, the Community consumer should be given priority. When surplus sugar needs to be disposed of by export refunds, our view is that this should be done at the least possible cost to FEOGA and with the least possible disturbance to the world market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what regulations govern the maximum level of mercury in fish and fish products;(2) what quantity of fishery products was imported from Canada in 1975; and if these were products monitored for mercury levels.

There are no regulations governing the maximum level of mercury in fish and fish products. Fish and fish products are, however, subject to the general provisions of the Food and Drugs Act 1955 and the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956 relating to the soundness of food. Imported food is also subject to the Imported Food Regulations 1968 and the Imported Food (Scotland) Regulations 1968, which have a similar effect.In a report published in 1973 the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee recommended that statutory limits for mercury in food were not necessary, but that the enforcement authorities should continue to ensure that fish and other food exported to this country, containing levels of mercury unacceptable in the country of origin, should not find its way on to the United Kingdom market. These recommendations, which were accepted, were confirmed by the Committee in November 1976.6,790 tonnes of fish and fish preparations, including 1,744 tonnes fresh, chilled, frozen or semi-preserved fish and shell fish and 5,046 tonnes prepared or preserved, including in air-tight containers, were imported from Canada in 1975. These were subject to the Acts and Imported Food Regulations and the administrative controls referred to above.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the products which must be labelled with their Latin name when offered for sale by traders; and if he will state the legislative basis for this obligation;(2) what is the statutory basis of the duty placed on traders to give Latin names to fish on sale in the retail trade; and when this was introduced.

Neither the England and Wales food law nor the comparable parallel laws in Scotland and Northern Ireland impose any statutory obligation on traders to give Latin names when selling fish, or, indeed, any other food.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of outbreaks of agricultural diseases whether caused by fungus, virus, bacteria or insects from 1945 to 1965, from 1965 to October 1974, and from October 1974 to date, respectively.

I assume the hon. Member has plant diseases in mind. A book "Diseases of Cultivated Plants, 1957 to 1968" gives particulars for those years and references for earlier periods. The quarterly "Plant Pathology" contains later information. Copies of these publications are available in the Library of the House. The preparation for diseases in general of special statistics for the period requested would involve disproportionate expense, but if the hon. Member has an interest in a particular disease or vector perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government to the European Commission's proposals to impose a levy of £56 a ton on isosucrose or isoglucose, in view of the employment implications of such a levy.

The Government are opposed to the Commission's proposals in their present form as they would make all production of isoglucose in the Community economically unviable and would lead to the waste of the sums already invested in isoglucose production by some firms and to the loss of the jobs involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if Her Majesty's Government plan to allow shipbuilders in the United Kingdom to contract for the supply of nuclear submarines to the Republic of Israel.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement about the construction and sale of three Vickers IKL submarines to Israel;(2) when authorisation was given by Her Majesty's Government for the sale

	1970	1974	1975	1976
Total Aircraft Establishment	156	117	115	66
Aircraft Types	Andover	Andover	Andover	Belfast
	Argosy	Argosy	Belfast	Hercules
	Belfast	Belfast	Britannia	VC10
	Britannia	Britannia	Comet
	Comet	Comet	Hercules
	Hercules	Hercules	VC10
	VC10	VC10

It is not the practice to comment on particular sales of defence equipment. Any request for the supply of submarines or other defence equipment to Israel or to any other country in the Middle East would be considered in the light of our declared policy of arms sales to that area. There is no question of our allowing nuclear submarines to be supplied.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, during the years 1974, 1975 and 1976, how much has been paid to hire aircraft to perform duties normally undertaken by RAF Transport Command.

No civil aircraft were chartered in 1974 to replace RAF transport aircraft. A contract was let with Dan Air with effect from 1st October 1975 for trooping flights between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. In addition, there were three occasions in December 1975 and January 1976 when ad hoc charter flights were arranged for unit withdrawals and changeovers. It is not our practice to disclose the costs of individual contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft and of what type comprised RAF Transport Command in the years 1970, 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The numbers and types of RAF front-line aircraft in the Air Transport Force at 31st March in each year were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the land currently held by his Department in the Dover and Deal constituency; for what purpose or purposes the individual areas are held and used; and whether such areas are let and, if so, to whom.

In addition to married quarters and hirings, the property currently held in the Dover and Deal constituency and the purposes for which it is used is as follows:

Deal

Royal Marine Depot & Free Down: Barracks and training.

Blenheim Road: Hospital.

Coldblow Farm: Playing fields.

The Parade: swimming bath; swimming training and recreation.

Middle Deal Road: TAVR Centre.

Kingsdown

Oldstairs Bay: Rifle range.

Dover

Part of Dover Castle: Garrison Commander's residence.

Eastern Docks, Dover Harbour: Fleet support and movements.

Broadlees: Training area.

Connaught Barracks: Barracks.

Old Park Barracks: Barracks and training area.

Lydden Spout: Range.

Lydden: Training area.

Swingate: Communications.

Marine Parade: TAVR Centre and Army Careers and Information Office.

Duke of York's Royal Military School: Education.

Sandwich

The Quay: TAVR Centre.

Fort Burgoyne and Archcliffe Fort are not now in use by the Regular Forces.A total of 1,200 acres is let for agricultural purposes to 10 tenants at Broad-lees, Connaught Barracks, Old Park, Lydden and Lydden Spout. Boat pens and other facilities are let to the Dover Harbour Board, Trinity House. RNLI and two firms. There are 19 residential lettings to individuals. In addition, minor sites are let as follows: to the South Eastern Electricity Board for substations, to youth organisations for clubhouse purposes, and to the BBC.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the direct cost to the Defence Vote of operations in Northern Ireland; and, of this total, how much relates to the Ulster Defence Regiment.

The estimated extra costs of military operations in Northern Ireland for 1976–77 is £63 million, of which about £13 million relates to the cost, excluding equipment, of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of retired civil servants who are currently re-employed in the public service according to category.

I am having the information prepared and will reply to the hon. and learned Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effects the rateable value limits are having on the improvement of property in the housing action areas.

I have no evidence that the rateable value limits are causing difficulties generally in housing action areas. I have, however, received representations that in some particular areas the limits are inhibiting improvement works, and I am prepared to consider the case for increases in areas where rateable values are particularly high. But I should expect many of the higher-rated houses in housing action areas to be more suitable for conversion and already eligible for grant for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why parish boundaries are no longer shown on 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps of England and Wales; and whether, in view of the usefulness of this information to parish councillors and candidates, and the fact that many parishes are not shown wholly on one 1:25,000 map sheet, he will make arrangements for its inclusion to be resumed.

Parish boundaries are no longer shown on coloured editions of 1:50,000 Second Series maps. This change was made in the interests of economy of production following a comprehensive review of user requirements. Parish boundaries are still shown on all Outline—monochrome—editions of these maps. The Ordnance Survey is prepared to reconsider the position after the Local Government Boundary Commissions have completed their reviews of parish boundaries in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those local councils which are suspending their mortgages advance schemes for 1977–78.

Of the local authorities which have received mortgage lending allocations for 1977–78, only Derbyshire County Council and Beaconsfield District Council have indicated that they intend to suspend their mortgage advances schemes during 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a list of the rates of interest currently being charged by local authorities in respect of loans made by them to those buying their homes on mortgage.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision about the Avon County application for a gipsy site at the old Filton bypass.

Avon County Council has today been directed to proceed with its proposals to provide a gipsy caravan site at old Filton bypass. I have sent the hon. Member a copy of the decision letter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will review the efficacy of local authority management of their house-building programmes.

I have discussed this with representatives of the local authority associations and am glad to say that they propose to set up a working group to consider this topic. I welcome their initiative. The terms of reference for the group are:

"To review the methods of managing local authority programmes of house building, including, in particular, organisation, control and performance-monitoring; to consider ways of improving efficiency, of simplifying procedures and of securing better value for money; and to make recommendations."

My Department has been invited to nominate members to serve on the working group and I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the association's work.Several of the activities involved in the management of a local authority's house building programme lie outside the direct control of the authority involved but in examining what they themselves can do to improve performance on matters directly within their purview the associations will make an important contribution to greater efficiency in housing construction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what controls apply to proposals by mobile home site operators for increases in pitch fees.

Pitch fees are a matter for negotiation between resident and site owner. But where a resident has entered into an agreement under the Mobile Homes Act 1975 the rent may be increased only once a year; any dispute about the amount of the increase may be determined in the county court. Where there is a separate charge for services, this charge is subject to normal Price Code rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Property Services Agency was moved out of central London; how many civil servants moved from the old to the new location; and how many will now be asked to move out of London.

Headquarters directorates with over 2,500 posts were moved to Croydon between 1969 and 1973. There are in addition at the present time some 2,000 headquarters staff in offices in central London and at other locations in the London area. 3,000 jobs are to be dispersed to Teesside, but I cannot yet say how many of these staff will be asked to move when their work is dispersed from London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the European Economic Commission regarding the subsidised sale of Common Market food surpluses to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics bearing in mind the need not to strengthen those European foreign Powers that form part of the Warsaw Pact.

The Government's view is that food should be produced for consumption and not for storage, and at a reasonable price to the consumer. However, where surpluses arise the Government believe that Community consumers should be given priority in their disposal. This view was made very clear by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he discussed butter sales to third countries, including those in Eastern Europe, in the course of talks with Commissioner Gundelach on 28th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communcation he has had recently with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and with other Communist Governments about the persecution and imprisonment of political dissenters.

It is the Government's policy to ensure that other Governments are aware of the legitimate concern of the people of this country about respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in all parts of the world. In registering this concern the Government have to take into account not only the available facts but the need to develop a framework of relations with other Governments within which human rights can be discussed and enlarged. I consider that to give details of communications between Her Majesty's Government and other Governments on this subject would diminish their effectiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on arms sales to Middle East countries; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's policy on the supply of arms to Middle East countries has been stated on a number of occasions, for example by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 25th November 1975. It is that we are willing, in the light of our judgment of the long-term policies of the State in question, to consider requests from Middle East countries for items the supply of which in our view would not endanger the achievement of a just and lasting solution to the dispute between the Arabs and Israel. This continues to be our policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are now employed in the Diplomatic Service; and what proportion of staff in embassies and consulates are reckoned to be engaged in the promotion of trade and commerce or have a background of experience in marketing or business generally.

At present approximately 5,250 people are employed in the Diplomatic Service. In addition, about 9,850 home civil servants and officers engaged locally overseas are employed on Foreign and Commonwealth Office business. All are paid from the Diplomatic Service Vote.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he intends to take a decision on the suggested changes in the Post Office Board before receiving the report of the Carter Review Committee.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the agreed proposals of the Post Office management and unions for an extension of industrial democracy in their industry through the appointment of workers' representatives to the board. My right hon. Friend is giving these proposals urgent and serious consideration. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps the Government are taking to shift resources into manufacturing industries.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made in the House by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th December 1976.—[Vol. 922, c. 1525–58.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what use is made by his Department of the returns from the survey "Miscellaneous Metal Goods—Quarterly Inquiry into Manufacturers' Sales", PQ 399.12.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 26th January 1977.—[Vol. 924, c. 666–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied that British Leyland Ltd. is taking up the £100 million of public finance already authorised for its investment programme for the purposes envisaged by the Government and the NEB at the time it was authorised.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, following the publication of the NEB report to him on the performance and plans of British Leyland Limited, June 1976, he will arrange for the NEB to prepare and make available to hon. Members a further report on the performance of British Leyland to date.

My right hon. Friend intends to make available a further report when a decision on a further tranche of finance is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if it is his intention to allow the NEB to make available to British Leyland the balance of the £100 million loan, originally designated for the company, of which £25 million has recently been made available, and of which £30 million was approved by the House in August 1976.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statement on 2nd March.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when the NEB gave him notice of its intention in accordance with paragraph 9 of the Industry Act 1975, NEB (Guidelines) Direction 1976, to make available the £25 million loan to British Leyland.

On 8th February 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report the organisations from which he has received written submissions in the course of his consultations on the CPRS Report on the Power Plant Industry and those organisations and individuals he and the Minister of State have met, respectively, in the course of those consultations; whether there are any organisations or individuals they have still to meet; and when he expects to complete the consultation process.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7th March 1977; Vol. 927, c. 377], gave the following information:The following organisations have made written submissions to my Department following publication of the CPRS Report:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will indicate the extent to which Chrysler United Kingdom will be expected to replace important components with components manufactured in the United Kingdom according to the terms of the forthcoming planning agreement with Chrysler United Kingdom.