asked the Secretary of State for Defence what redevelopment of Chatham Dockyard is being considered; and what effect this will have if undertaken on the workload and employment there.

No new plans for the major redevelopment of Chatham or any other Royal dockyard are at present under consideration. However, we do have an overall development plan for each of them which serves as a guide for the coherent improvement and rationalisation of the dockyard's facilities. At Chatham, the main feature of the development plan is the concentration of production work in the areas to the north and south of numbers 1 and 2 basins. None of this directly affects the dockyard's overall work load or the level of employment there.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has now been made with the strengthening of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said in the House on 22nd February 1977, and to what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said in the House on 10th March 1977—[Vol. 926, c. 1213; Vol. 927, c. 1623.] The strength figures for the Ulster Defence Regiment at 28th February are not yet available, but the indications are that the enrolment of both full-time and part-time members is going ahead satisfactorily. The full-time platoons are being trained, and are now beginning to perform various operational duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what prospects he is now able to assess for overseas contracts for the new Nimrod radar detection aircraft.

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara) on 22nd February, there is no possibility of Nimrod's being adopted by NATO for the whole alliance. If, following NATO decisions, the United Kingdom proceeds with the development of Nimrod AEW, then the aircraft could meet a number of potential requirements in non-NATO countries, although the market for a sophisticated system of this type is very limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on negotiations to purchase an airborne early warning aircraft for the RAF and NATO.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make a statement on the future of the airborne warning and control system project.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be reached by NATO in relation to airborne warning and control system and Nimrod.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to make a statement about the purchase of Nimrod surveillance aircraft for use in Great Britain's air defences.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he yet knows the latest date by which a decision must be made on the purchase of a new airborne early-warning system in view of the continuation in the development costs of the British Nimrod project.

As soon as possible; our Allies fully understand the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what role it is intended to deploy the Hawker Siddeley airborne early warning version of Nimrod; and whether he will make a statement.

The Nimrod AEW aircraft would, if procured, be based in this country and would operate in the United Kingdom air defence region, and over the Eastern Atlantic and Channel area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to date of Great Britain's contribution to the NATO airborne warning and control system programme.

The expenditure to the end of February 1977 by the United Kingdom as a contribution to the NATO AWACS programme was approximately £0·6 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost of making the airborne warning and control system fully compatible with the RAF's communications systems, both airbone and ground-based.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Boeing E3A AWACS. Its costs, and Britain's share of them, are still under discussion in NATO, and I cannot, therefore, provide the information.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate cost per day or per week of using a frigate for fishery protection purposes.

The running cost of a frigate is about £7,000 a day.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ugandan military pilots are currently undergoing training in the United Kingdom; and how many of them are women.

There are no Ugandan pilots currently receiving military training in the United Kingdom from any of the three Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his American and German counterparts about the standardisation of tank gun procurement.

My right hon. Friend last discussed the choice of main armament for future tanks with Mr. Secretary Rumsfeld on 18th November 1976 and with Herr Leber on 24th January 1977, and has had subsequent correspondence with both. Further trials of British, German and American weapons will be held towards the end of this year and decisions will be made in the light of the results.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for continuing the Royal Air Force presence at Biggin Hill after the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre is transferred elsewhere.

As announced in the 1977 Statement on the Defence Estimates (Cmnd. 6735) a small enclave will be retained by the RAF at Biggin Hill. This will include the Battle of Britain Memorial Chapel and the officers' mess, in recognition of the special place that the station occupies in the history of the Royal Air Force. The possibility of housing a small RAF unit within the retained enclave is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the quality of training in the Services.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with Western European defence arrangements.

Yes. The security of Western Europe rests on the North Atlantic Alliance, and within that framework there are active fora for co-operation amongst the European allies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement about the implementation of defence cuts.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 105 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about standardisation of arms within NATO.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 22nd February—[Vol. 926, c. 540–541]—and to paragraphs 146 to 153 of the 1977 Defence White Paper (Cmnd. 6735).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the proposed closure of the ordnance depot at Chilwell.

The proposal to close the Central Ordnance depot at Chilwell is still under discussion with the staff interests concerned, and no final decision has yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the United Kingdom is making a sufficient contribution to the credibility of the NATO strategy of flexibility in response.

Yes. The United Kingdom contributes to all three elements of the NATO Triad of Forces on which the credibility of NATO strategy rests.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to allocate 1 per cent. of the defence budget to Civil Defence.

No. Financial responsibility for the Civil Defence programme is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and does not rest with my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why, six months after the agreement between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America to prevent the danger of a nuclear war breaking out and the agreement between France and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to avert the accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons, he still has not concluded his consideration of the proposals which he then and since announced to be taking place.

The implications of an initiative for a treaty on the prevention of accidental nuclear war require the fullest consideration by all those concerned, and this necessarily takes some time. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said on 17th November 1976, my hon. Friend will be informed when the Government have completed their consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why one fewer Jaguar squadron is to be formed than was originally intended; and whether it was to have been based in the United Kingdom but assigned to NATO.

During the 1974 defence review a planning assumption—not a firm intention—to buy extra Jaguars was foregone. No definitive decisions had been taken prior to the defence review about the possible future use of these additional aircraft, which might have been employed either to back the planned force for a longer period of time or to form an extra squadron.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft and of what type involved in the reductions in planned aircraft requirements following the defence review referred to in paragraph 708 of Command Paper No. 6735.

I would refer the hon. Member to Chapter I of Command Paper 5976, Statement on the Defence Estimates 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the recruitment figures to the Armed Services in the Northern Region covering the last five years.

Regional figures for officer entrants to the three Services and for all entrants to Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service are not readily available, as they are recruited centrally. These apart, the numbers of Service personnel recruited in the Northern region in the financial years 1971–72 to 1975–76 and in the first 10 months of 1976–77 are as follows:

Year	Numbers of Recruits
1971–72	3,932
1972–73	3,601
1973–74	2,333
1974–75	3,141
1975–76	3,316
1976–77 (to 31 Jan 77)	2,360

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships have been (a) ordered, (b) accepted into service and (c) withdrawn from service in each of the last 20 years; and what has been the number of ships in the Royal Navy at the end of each of the last 20 years.

Some of the information is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which are the first two new fleet replenishment ships of the class, the third of which is referred to in paragraph 304(g) of Command Paper No. 6735.

The first two vessels of this type of fleet replenishment ship were RFA "Regent" and RFA "Resource", both of which entered service in 1967. RFA "Fort Grange" was built to a new design and is due to come into service this year. A further ship—" Fort Austin "is under construction.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the further fleet submarine order planned for 1977 referred to in paragraph 304 of Command Paper No. 6735 is the same vessel as was referred to in page 50 of the previous years' Defence White Paper as planned to be ordered in 1976; and, if so, why the order has been delayed and by how long.

It had been planned to order the first of the improved Swiftsure Class of fleet submarines at the end of last year. In the event, mainly because of problems of labour shortages and capacity problems in shipyards, it became necessary to defer the order. The timing of the order is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what mark of torpedo will be the main anti-surface ship armament of the submarine fleet until the Sub-Harpoon enters service in the early 1980s; when the first model of the mark concerned first entered service; and when the last torpedoes of the mark were manufactured.

The Mark 8 torpedo. The original version was introduced in 1934; the last of the current version was manufactured in 1952. This torpedo has had many modifications built into it, based on operational experience, and these modifications have improved its effectiveness and reliability.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) aircraft carriers and (b) cruisers are included in the subgroups of that nomenclature under Navy general purpose combat forces on pages 72 and 73 of Command Paper No. 6735; what is the total tonnage of the ships in each sub-group; and why the cost of the cruisers is £63 million while that for the carriers is only £15 million when their total crews are shown as 1,400 and 1,700. respectively.

(a) One aircraft carrier and (b) two cruisers. The total tonnage of the ships is 50,000 and 25,000 respectively. As stated in paragraph 304(b) of Command Paper No. 6735, two new anti-submarine cruisers are under construction and their capital costs in 1977–78 are included in the £63 million. They do not yet, of course, have crews.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many copies of ConservativeMonthly News are purchased by his Department to inform Ministers and senior civil servants of current Conservative policy and thinking.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on security in Northern Ireland.

Despite the continuing violence which has claimed 36 lives, including seven policemen, four soldiers, and three members of the UDR since the beginning of the year, the security forces are continuing to arrest criminals engaged in terrorist activity and bring them before the courts. So far this year a total of 249 people have been charged with terrorist offences, including 17 for murder, 33 for attempted murder, 65 for firearms offences, and 28 for explosives offences.

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

I hope to visit Telford New Town and Sandwell on 1st April.

asked the Prime Minister when he last visited the West Midlands.

asked the Prime Minister when he last visited the West Midlands.

asked the Prime Minister when he last visited the West Midlands.

asked the Prime Minister when he last visited the West Midlands.

On 21st and 22nd September 1976.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the United States of America.

asked the Prime Minister what were the results of his talks in Washington.

I refer my hon. Friends to the statement which I made to the House on 15th March.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet President Giscard d'Estaing.

At the meeting of the European Council in Rome on 25th and 26th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 22nd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 22nd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 22nd March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements on Tuesday 22nd March 1977.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 22nd March 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 22nd March 1977.

In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be holding meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to make a ministerial broadcast.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to make a ministerial broadcast.

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

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make an official visit to Stechford.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with co-ordination between the Secretary of State for Social Services and the Secretary of State for Education and Science about the provision of facilities for under-fives.

Yes.

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

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

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

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the CBI.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 17th February.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the heads of nationalised industries.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 10th March.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the Heads of Government of the other eight EEC countries.

At the meeting of the European Council in Rome on 25th and 26th March.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to pay a visit to the European Parliament.

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will hold consultations with the Heads of Government of other members of the European Community with a view to evolving a common defence and foreign policy.

The nine member States of the European Community hold continuous consultations at all levels within the framework of European political co-operation in their search for a common foreign policy. Defence is not covered by the Treaty of Rome, nor is it discussed in the European political co-operation framework.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the responsibilities he has allocated to the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection.

The Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection is responsible for prices policy, including prices legislation, and has overall responsibility for food subsidy policy.He is responsible for policy on monopolies, mergers and restrictive practices and for consumer affairs generally, including fair trading, consumer advice, consumer credit, home and consumer safety, the nationalised industry consumer councils, metrication, quality assurance, standards and the weights and measures service.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters and representations he has received from members of the public concerning the proposed visit to Great Britain of President Amin of Uganda; and what proportion has expressed opposition to this visit.

I have been asked to reply.We have received approximately 200 letters from members of the public about the proposed visit to Britain of President Amin. With very few exceptions, these letters are opposed to the visit.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects the consultations on the Scotland and Wales Bill to be completed.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Bedwellty (Mr. Kinnock) on 17th March.—[Vol. 928, c. 623.]

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the peers' expenses allowance.

The Top Salaries Review Body was asked in January 1975 to review the remuneration and pensions of Ministers of the Crown and Members of Parliament and the peers' expenses allowance. The ninth report of the Review Body, which is published today, covers the peers' expenses allowance and completes this remit.The Government welcome the Review Body's analysis of this difficult problem but have decided to defer, until pay policy permits, detailed consideration of its recommendations for splitting the present allowance into four separate elements with a maximum limit overall of £24·50 a day. The Government recognise, however, the need meanwhile for additional assistance to those peers who have to incur overnight accommodation expenses in London in order to attend the House. My right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal is therefore proposing in another place that the existing limit, solely for those peers, should be increased from £13·50 to £16·50 a day to reflect consistently with pay policy the increase in costs since the peers' expenses allowance was last revised in June 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the cost of installing an additional pedestrian phase in the traffic signals at the junction of Ashgill/Balmore/Hillend Road; and what would be the cost of including pedestrian phases in all four areas as Strathclyde Regional Council's roads department requested; and how long it is since this matter was first raised with his Department.

Decisions on these matters are not taken in relation to cost, but in relation to whether there is enough vehicular and pedestrian traffic for a pedestrian phase to be necessary. In December 1974 Glasgow Corporation applied for approval to pedestrian phases on all four arms of the junction. In March 1975 approval was given for a pedestrian phase on Ashgill Road. In October 1976 Strathclyde Regional Council sought approval for pedestrian phases on the other three arms and in January 1977, the provision of a pedestrian phase on the southern arm was agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his intentions for the future of Glenfarsa Estate in Mull.

After consultation with the Highlands and Islands Development Board I have decided to create two agricultural

			1974–75			1975–76
			(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
			Maintenance staff costs	Repairs and replacements of equipment	Total maintenance	Maintenance staff costs	Repairs and replacements of equipment	Total maintenance
Aberdeen	…	…	7,264	15,468	22,732	10,579	17,438	28,017
Callendar Park		…	11,037	16,545	27,582	15,591	10,210	25,801
Craigie	…	…	7,488	20,930	28,418	10,184	8,517	18,701*
Craiglockhart		…	6,551	39,419	45,970	8,648	38,724	47,372
Dundee	…	…	4,857	27,132	31,989	9,401	47,596	56,997
Dunfermline		…	11,616	26,505	38,121	19,773	39,867	59,640
Hamilton	…	…	27,872	14,297	42,169	32,817	17,399	50,216
Jordanhill	…	…	13,752	10,2134	115,886	18,889	77,581	96,470
Moray House		…	19,997	83,596	103,593*	20,648	68,683	89,331
Notre Dame		…	12,150	57,219	69,369	17,128	55,582	72,710*
Total		…	122,584	403,245	525,829	163,658	381,597	545,255
*Corrected figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is his estimate of the coal burn in Scottish power stations allowed for in the agreement between the National Coal Board, the South of Scotland Electricity Board and the Government; and how this compares with the current period;(2) what proportion of the additional £35 million aid to the Scottish coal industry will be used for new sinkings in Scotland; and if he can identify the areas concerned;

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the maintenance costs of each college of education for each of the past two years showing separately (a) staff costs and (b) expenditure on repairs and replacement of equipment.

The figures are shown below.(3) what proportion of the additional £35 million aid to the Scottish coal industry will be used to assist in marketing output from Ayrshire;(4) what is his estimate of the Ayrshire share of coal-burn tonnage in the new agreement between the National Coal Board, the South of Scotland Electricity Board and the Government, as backed by the £35 million additional aid he announced at Perth on 12th March.

The aim of the proposed payments of up to £35 million over a period of five years is to assist the National Coal Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board to reach agreement on a five-year contract for the supply of coal to power stations and thereby to help the National Coal Board to take decisions on investment in new capacity and to safeguard colliery employment in Scotland. The details of this contract are still under negotiation and the precise application of the Government payments is a matter for further discussion with the industries. It is therefore not possible for me to indicate at this stage the uses to which the sums involved might be put, or their likely effect on future operations of the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to ensure that courts have the right to suspend the licences of persons with pilot's licences who are convicted of being drunk in charge of an aeroplane.

I have been asked to reply.Although I am not aware of any recent convictions for this offence, I shall consider whether such a provision should be included in any future legislation on civil aviation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the original number of applicants for licences on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf during the fifth round were successful; and, of those not successful in their applications, what percentage of British companies was involved and what percentage was foreign.

As announced, I have made conditional offers to groups comprising a total of 65 companies—23 British, 42 foreign—that is to say a little under half of the 133 which applied. Of the companies which were not successful, 17, or 25 per cent., were British and 51, or 75 per cent., were foreign-owned—that is, a ratio about the same as that between British and foreign-owned companies among the successful applicants. These figures for the percentage of British and other companies have not been compiled on a basis which makes it possible to draw any conclusions about the relative success of British or other applicants; and there is no way of producing figures that could be useful in that connection, except possibly by devoting wholly disproportionate effort to the task.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy from which source the £35 million additional aid to the Scottish coal industry is to be drawn as announced at Perth on 12th March; what is the global sum available during the five-year period to the United Kingdom coal industry; and what is the share allocation for England and Wales, respectively.

Subject to enactment of the Coal Industry Bill, the assistance will be provided under Clause 2 and, possibly, Clause 8 of the Bill. The financial limits in Clauses 5 and 8 of the Bill specify maximum sums totalling £275 million for grants which may be made under the powers in Clauses 2, 3, 4 and 8 of the Bill covering the next five years. No allocation as between England, Scotland and Wales is proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what Government assistance is to be given to the National Coal Board for new sinkings and new developments over the next five years; and how much is earmarked for the Scottish, English and Welsh coalfields, respectively.

The sums to be made available to the National Coal Board are to enable the Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board to conclude a coal supply agreement. Such an agreement will establish a basis on which the National Coal Board can take decisions about further investment in the Scottish coalfield. No direct Government assistance for new investment is envisaged; but the Coal Industry Bill provides for an increase in the borrowing powers of the National Coal Board to enable the Board to continue with "Plan for Coal" investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the £35 million assistance for the Scottish coal industry, which he announced in Perth on 12th March, represents resources additional to those provided for in the Coal Industry Bill now before Parliament.

No. As will be clear from my answer to the hon. Member's related Question, the funds for the assistance will count against the financial limits in the Coal Industry Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many homes in Great Britain have gas central heating; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years.

The latest available sample survey, conducted in the course of 1975, indicated that approximately 4·24 million homes in Great Britain had gas central heating. Comparable figures for earlier years were:

	million
1966	0·65
1967	not available
1968	1·09
1969	1·54
1970	1·88
1971	2·21
1972	2·59
1973	3·14
1974	3·80

asked the Secretary of State for Energy by what percentage the average cost of gas and electricity and domestic coal, respectively, have increased since February 1974.

The increases in prices as indicated by the subgroups of the General Index of Retail Prices from 19th February 1974 to 15th February 1977 are: gas 57 per cent. electricity 119 per cent. and coal and coke 92 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average price of gas per therm in Scotland and England, respectively, at the most recent date for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures, respectively, in each of the previous 10 years; and what estimate he has made of the cost per therm in Scotland and England if the current proposed increase is implemented.

The average revenues—pence per therm—from gas sales by the appropriate regions of the British Gas Corporation for financial years ending in March are tabulated below.

	England	Scotland
1965/6	9·21	10·80
1966/7	9·26	11·60
1967/8	9·12	11·63
1968/9	9·65	11·80
1969/70	9·33	11·71
1970/71	9·05	11·70
1971/2	8·77	11·79
1972/3	8·20	10·61
1973/4	7·99	9·67
1974/5	8·90	10·26
1975/6	11·21	12·26

These figures reflect differences in the patterns and levels of consumption as well as variations in tariffs. We have not, therefore, attempted to make any estimates on a comparable basis of the effects of the proposed tariff changes. However, tariffs in Scotland would, under the proposals, be identical with those in operation in five of the 10 English regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he proposes to present to Parliament a consultative document on energy policy.

My right hon. Friend is considering the preparation of a consultative document on energy policy, which would, of course, be presented to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he can outline the basis on which he calculated, in the Energy Policy Review memorandum to NEDC, that the annual turnover of over £11 billion by the energy industries, forms only 5 per cent. of the GDP.

The proportion of GDP accounted for by the energy industries depends on their net output—or value added—whereas their turnover corresponds broadly to their gross output.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement outlining the strategy proposed in paragraph 52 of the Energy Policy Review memorandum presented to NEDC, which suggests that revenues from North Sea oil and gas might be used for investment in other energy sectors and energy conservation.

The Government are examining how best the nation might benefit from the use of the resources and Government revenues available from exploitation of North Sea oil and gas. Investment in the energy sector and in energy conservation will be one important claim on these resources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the discussions within NATO towards a common doctrine on civil defence.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 22nd February in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Harrow Central (Mr. Grant). I know of no attempts to introduce a common doctrine which would be applicable in each country.—[Vol. 926, c. 513–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a certificate of current school attendance is one of the documents required in respect of an application to register a child as a British national; to what qualification for British nationality this document relates; how parents who have returned to overseas posting accompanied by their child can be expected to produce such a document; and why, if such a document is necessary, it is not asked for at the time of initial application.

I have discretion under Section 7 of the British Nationality Act 1948 to register the minor child of any citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and, in such special circumstances as I think fit, any minor child. Among the matters taken into account in reaching a decision is whether the child's future is likely to be closely connected with the United Kingdom. It is not always possible to say at the outset pre- cisely what information will be required to establish this; but a certificate of attendance at school may be relevant. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and would like me to look into it, I should be glad to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many times the new Advisory Committee on Race Relations Research, set up by him in 1975, has met; and what funds are available to this committee for the current financial year;(2) what funds were allocated to the Advisory Committee on Race Relations Research for the years 1974–75 and 1975–76; and for what purposes they were used.

The Committee is advisory. It does not finance or undertake research and no funds have been allocated to it. It met for the first time on 14th October 1976 and a further meeting has been arranged for Tuesday 29th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the Committee on the Future of Broadcasting will be published.

I intend to present the report to Parliament on the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd March, and to publish it at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday 24th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet in a position to give details of the new immigration rules concerning marriages of convenience.

I have today laid these rules before the House and they come into force at once.They provide that, where a marriage overseas has been recently contracted, the husband will no longer be granted settlement on arrival, but will be admitted for a period of up to 12 months before settlement is entertained; and similarly where marriages are contracted here. There will be specific power to refuse admission or settlement in any case where the marriage is believed to be one of convenience, and there will be a rebuttable presumption that the marriage is in that category in certain defined circumstances. At the end of the 12 months, checks will be instituted selectively to ascertain whether the husband is still living with his wife. These powers will be applied only to males because they cannot effectively be applied to women without substantive legislation to amend both immigration and nationality law.All applications now outstanding in this country or overseas will be dealt with under the new rules.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the expenditure of the Government Hospitality Fund in each of the past 10 years; what it will be in the current financial year; and what it is expected to be in the next financial year.

The expenditure of the Government Hospitality Fund in each of the past 10 years has been as follows:

Department					1973–74		1974–75		1975–76
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food:
Functions	…	…	…	(24)	7,211·18	(20)	6,846·67	(19)	6,784·76
Visits	…	…	…	(3)	1,994·63	(6)	26,158·02	(3)	2,498·85
					9,205·81		33,004·69		9,283·61
Cabinet Office:
Functions	…	…	…	(4)	487·18		—		—
Civil Service Department:
Functions	…	…	…	(3)	826·59	(1)	341·78		—
Visits	…	…	…	(1)	430·36	(1)	509·60		—
					1,256·95		851·38
Defence:
Functions	…	…	…	(19)	4,937·22	(12)	2,655·8	(22)	10,043·10
Visits	…	…	…	(2)	1,665·98	(2)	643·31	(4)	4,874·00
					6,603·20		3,299·11		14,917·10
Education and Science:
Functions	…	…	…	(15)	3,463·54	(8)	2,374·18	(5)	1,728·72
Visits	…	…	…	(2)	2,875·74	(2)	916·10	(1)	2,210·01
					6,339·28		3,290·28		3,938·73

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will itemise the calls of each Department upon the Government Hospitality Fund in each of the past three financial years.

The calls of each Department upon the Government Hospitality Fund during the past three financial years are shown below. The figures in brackets show the numbers of functions and the numbers of parties of guests of Her Majesty's Government respectively. An approximately similar total number of functions were in addition arranged for Departments by the Government Hospitality Fund on a repayment basis.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what were the number of civil servants in administrative, professional, technical and scientific grades on the most recent date available; and how these figures compare with those on 1st April 1976.

The numbers of home civil servants in the groups which include most of these grades were as follows:—

	1st April 1976	1st January 1977
Administration Group	253,000	254,000
Professional and Technology Group	41,000	41,000
Science Group	18,000	18,000

These figures are not fully reconcilable with the published staff in post figures because they have been obtained from a different source. They are nevertheless broadly indicative of the numbers in-involved. Figures compatible with the staff in post returns are collected annually: the latest such figures relate to 1st April 1976.