asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps she proposes to facilitate the transfer of intermediate technology to the rural poor in least developed countries; and if she will make a statement.

As the hon. Gentleman knows, I share his concern about the issue. It essentially concerns maximising the use of appropriate technology. My hon. Friend who was my immediate predecessor instituted a study within ODM, and I expect its report soon.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what agreement has been reached on the fifth replenishment of the International Development Agency; and what commitments have been made by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Japan, West Germany and France, respectively.

There is now agreement to recommend a replenishment totalling some $7·6 billion, including contributions of or equivalent to $814 million from the United Kingdom, $2,400 million from the USA, $792 million from Japan, $839 million from Germany and $413 million from France.In principle the replenishment should be effective for three years from July 1977. Some Governments will not have completed procedures by then. Agreement has also been reached on a bridging arrangement, in which the United Kingdom has offered to take part, which will provide the IDA with funds until the agreement is fully effective.I shall be seeking the necessary parliamentary authorisation before the Summer Recess.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when British Government aid to Uganda was discontinued.

No new commitments have been made since aid to Uganda was suspended in November 1972.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if violations of human rights in Bolivia have influenced, or will in the future influence, decisions on the provision of aid to that country by Her Majesty's Government.

The question of human rights is always one of the factors which I take into account when considering the provision of aid to any developing country.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will review the decision to provide aid for equipment to be used in Huanuni mine in Bolivia.

At Huanuni, my Ministry is providing £225,000 for a tin concentrates bagging plant, under an agreement signed after lengthy discussions with the Bolivian authorities in November 1976. Orders have already been placed for this equipment, and I do not propose to revise this agreement.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what was the annual value of aid provided to assist the development of the mining sector of the Bolivian economy for each year from 1970 to the present; and what was the total for the whole period.

The cost of British aid to the mining sector in Bolivia from 1970 until 31st December 1976 was as follows. Figures are accurate to the nearest £1,000.

				£1,000
1974	…	…	…	240
1975	…	…	…	161
1976	…	…	…	548
Total	…	…	…	949

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what was (a) the annual value of aid provided to Bolivia for each year from 1970 to the present, and (b) the total for the whole period.

The cost of British aid to Bolivia from 1970 until 31st December 1976 was as follows. Figures are accurate to the nearest £1,000.

			£1,000
1970	…	…	112
1971	…	…	130
1972	…	…	832
1973	…	…	901
1974	…	…	1,228
1975	…	…	791
1976	…	…	1,057
Total 1970–76	…	…	5,051

Of this total, £3,285,000 was provided by means of two specific loans financed by the United Kingdom and administered by the Inter-American Development Bank. It is not possible to quantify aid given by other multilateral agencies, to which the United Kingdom is a contributor.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many copies of Conservative Monthly News are purchased by her Department to keep Ministers and senior civil servants informed of current Conservative policy and thinking.

None, but we subscribe to a Press cutting service, and I personally purchase a number of the publications of the Centre for Policy Studies, which I find of great interest.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will report on the position regarding maintenance of value payments due in respect of the United Kingdom contributions to the first three replenishments of the resources of the International Development Association.

The maintenance of value obligations accepted by the United Kingdom in the arrangements for the replenishments, under the authority of the Overseas Aid Act 1968 and statutory orders made under it, are being met by the deposit of non-negotiable non-interest bearing notes, additional to those originally deposited for our contributions. Arrangements are being made for the deposit of a note for £7,757,816·34. This sum is based on disbursements from our contributions made by the association during the period 1st July to 31st December 1976.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she intends to provide assistance to the United Nations Institute for Namibia in Lusaka, Zambia.

I have offered the institute a special contribution of £50,000 to be paid through the United Nations. This is in addition to a three-year programme for English language teaching and related activities which has been agreed directly with the institute under technical co-operation arrangements. Parliamentary approval for this special contribution will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Overseas Aid Class II, 8 Vote. Pending that approval, the necessary expenditure will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what statutory system is in force for accounting for detonators by licence holders; and if such accounts are open to inspection by statutory authority;(2) if he will list the statutory provisions which place an obligation upon those who hold an appropriate licence or a police certificate to report losses of detonators to the police;(3) what statutory system of accounting for the use of detonators by shot firers at the quarry face is in force;(4) what statutory arrangements are in force for the regular inspection by the police of detonators held by construction companies employed on civil engineering works;(5) what statutory arrangements are in force for the inspection by the police of magazines at quarries where detonators are held in store;(6) if he will list the statutory provisions which place an obligation upon those who hold an appropriate licence to keep accounts of the use of, or disposal of, the detonators in their possession.

The controls over explosives, including detonators, in Great Britain are set out in the Explosives Acts 1875 and 1923 and Orders made under the Acts, the Control of Explosives Order 1953 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.Any person holding detonators must be in possession of either a certificate issued by the police stating that he is a fit person to keep explosives or a licence issued by the Health and Safety Executive. The Control of Explosives Order 1953 requires all holders of police certificates to keep records of acquisition and transfer. These records, which must be kept for five years, must be made available on request to any police officer or to any inspector appointed under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by the Health and Safety Executive or any body appointed as an enforcing authority under the 1974 Act. The recording system required of Health and Safety Executive licensees is determined either by the conditions contained in any licence granted or may be determined by administrative action. Records must be made available to any inspector appointed under the provisions of the 1974 Act and, if they are defective, such inspectors have powers to require that the system be brought up to the necessary standard. These provisions apply to quarries, although no specific accounting system is required for the use of detonators at the quarry face.The security of the premises in which detonators are to be kept is taken into account by the police in considering whether to issue a "fit-person certificate", and the police undertake as part of their normal functions such duties as are concerned with the security of such premises.There is no statutory requirement for licensees and holders of police certificates to report losses. Although there are arrangements whereby losses are reported to the police and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Explosives, the Government are considering whether to make a formal requirement by regulation under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients, having been released from Broadmoor since 1960, have subsequently been convicted of (a) murder and (b) manslaughter.

Of patients discharged into the community from Broadmoor Hospital since 1960 four have subsequently been convicted of murder and three of manslaughter. Of these, five were subject to the special restrictions in Section 65 of the Mental Health Act 1959 at the time of discharge from hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, as part of his policy against hooliganism and vandalism, he will carry out a study of the effect of television on these forms of behaviour.

A good deal of research, in this country and elsewhere, has been made into the effect of television upon human behaviour, so far without very conclusive results. The matter is among those considered by the Departmental Committee on the Future of Broadcasting, whose Report was published last Thursday. The Report includes a summary of research undertaken on violence in television and a discussion of the results of the principal studies. Consideration of future research on this subject could best await public reaction to the Committee's Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of each of the following countries have been admitted and how many refused leave to enter in each month since January 1976 to the most recent month for which this information is available: Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rhodesia, Singapore and Sri Lanka; and how many United Kingdom passport holders were similarly refused leave.

The information requested is given in the following tables. The figures in table 2 relate to the month in which the passenger was removed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage the West Midlands Police Force is below establishment strength up to the latest date; and if he will make a statement.

On 28th February 1977, the West Midlands Police deficiency was 11·5 per cent. of the establishment of 6,509. Since the force was set up on 1st April 1974 the strength has increased by 525, to 5,760 on 28th February. The police authority has made provision for an increase of 240 in the financial year 1977–78, and for expenditure of £50,000 on local recruitment activities. The force also benefits from the national recruitment campaign run by the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the regulations on applications for British citizenship from the children of British citizens who have been born overseas, with a view to allowing such persons to register for citizenship with the British embassy when they reach the age of 18 years, in a similar manner to the way in which their parents can register them for British citizenship at birth.

We have no such changes in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many cubic metres of gas are being flared daily from the northern North Sea pool; and when he expects that facilities ashore will be available to use this large amount of valuable feed stock.

About 8 million cubic metres of gas are currently being flared each day from the seven producing oil fields in the northern North Sea. Some temporary gas flaring is unavoidable for operational reasons in the early stages of production. In a number of cases it is possible to reinject gas to enhance oil recovery or for storage pending the completion of a gas gathering pipeline system. Minimising flaring in the longer term depends on the development of economically viable means of transporting the gas ashore. This is being studied by Gas Gathering Pipelines (North Sea) Ltd. the establishment of which my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 9th December.—[Vol. 922, c. 311–313.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on oil depletion policy.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Hastings (Mr. Warren) on 17th January 1977.—[Vol. 924, c. 1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated production of North Sea oil, and what is expected to be the revenue for 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980, at 1977 prices and taking account of any recent OPEC increase.

The 1977 Brown Book, to be published shortly, will give revised estimates of oil production. The latest estimate of Government revenue, unp to 1980, of around £5,500 million at 1976 prices, was given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury, on 27th January.—[Vol. 924, c. 761.]—This estimate stands, and is subject to the uncertainties set out by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to make a statement about the composition and functions of the proposed Energy Commission.

Final consideration of these issues is currently taking place, and my right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the current proportions of annual United Kingdom expenditure on research relating to the following energy sources: (a) nuclear, (b) coal and gas and (c) alternative sources of energy, including solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and wave power.

Total expenditure for the United Kingdom is compiled every three years; figures from the 1975–76 survey are not yet available.The estimated expenditure on energy R & D by the Department of Energy, the UKAEA and the nationalised fuel and power industries, for 1976–77, is as follows:

	£ million
Nuclear (including fusion work) by UKAEA and Electricity Council	130
Other nuclear (Department of Energy expenditure on development contracts with industry and the tripartite centrifuge project)	29
Electrical plant, generation, transmission and distribution	28
Gas	18
Coal	24
Offshore energy technology	10
New energy sources and conservation	1·8

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his policy on prices on the fuel industries and its relationship to the counter-inflationary policy.

The Government's policy is that the nationalised energy industries should charge economic prices which avoid subsidies and encourage conservation. The Government will continue to give careful consideration to the precise level of prices proposed in the context of their policies overall, and will, as necessary, take steps to modify the impact on the poorer members of the community.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much is to be contributed by the Government during the coming financial year towards research and development into harnessing of solar energy.

The total Government spend over the next four years will be about £6 million. Expenditure is expected to reach about £1 million in the next financial year and exceed £1·5 million in each of the subsequent three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what designs of windmill for producing electricity are currently under study by his Department.

My Department is not currently supporting work on any particular design of windmill. The Department's Energy Technology Support Unit has completed an assessment study on wind power and prepared a report which my right hon. Friend's Advisory Council on Research and Development is considering. The Council will be advising my right hon. Friend shortly on its views.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to be able to answer the letter from the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington asking for a full inquiry into the death by electrocution of over 300 pigs at Vaggs Farm, Hordle, Hampshire, following a road accident and the discovery that very few of the electricity poles in Vaggs Lane are earthed.

As the hon. Member knows, the Department's Engineering Inspectorate has been asked to investigate this unfortunate accident. I will write to him again as soon as the Department's findings are complete.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the total value of monetary compensatory amounts paid to United Kingdom traders and the tonnages covered for imports from third countries for the period 17th May to 31st December 1976 for the following commodities (a) wheat, (b) barley, (c) maize, (d) sugar, (e) beef/veal, (f) milk and milk products and (g) pigmeat and pigmeat products.

In third country trade sums paid or charged on imports into the United Kingdom of the commodities concerned are the net amounts resulting from the deduction from the full EEC import charge of the United Kingdom's accession and monetary compensatory amounts. Where these deductions result in a negative sum a net payment is made. Separate figures for the component parts of this calculation are not readily available but the net payments made between 17th May and 31st December 1976, were as follows:

	£
Wheat	5,242,235
Barley	1,549,215
Maize	6,025,510
Sugar	36,330,180
Beef and veal	1,974,587
Milk and milk products	nil
Pigmeat and pigmeat products	611,300

Information about the quantities covered by these net amounts is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the equivalent figures for calendar year 1976 to those given for 1975 in Tables M, N and O of the Intervention Board's Annual Report, Command Paper No. 6535.

This information will be be presented to Parliament in the Board's report for the calendar year 1976 which is now being prepared.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Press officers and supporting staff and how many cars for senior staff exist in the

Economic Planning Region		Assisted			Percentage of Civil Service numbers
Northern	…	Northern Special Development Area	…	…	0·003
North West	…	Merseyside Special Development Area	…	…	0·001
		North-West Intermediate Area	…	…	0·006
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	Yorkshire and Humberside Intermediate Area	…	…	0·01
Scotland	…	Scottish Special Development Area	…	…	0·02
Wales	…	South-East Wales Development Area	…	…	0·10
		South-East Wales Special Development Area	…	…	0·01
		South-East Wales Intermediate Area	…	…	0·001

Information of this sort is not held centrally. Inquiries of the Departments concerned, however, indicate that there are 13 Press officers, including four part-time, and five support staff in the Department of Health and Social Security; seven Press officers and one support staff in the Department of Education and Science; and 24 Press officers and 10 support staff in the Department of the Environment.The Department of Health and Social Security has one car allocated for the use of its Permanent Secretary and three other cars allocated primarily for senior staff but also available for general use, and the Department of the Environment has one car allocated for the use of its Permanent Secretary. The Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment is responsible for the Government Car Service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what percentage of the total number of civil servants is represented by those who have been dispersed to each of the assisted areas within the economic planning regions in 1976.

Records of civil servants transferred from London to the assisted areas are not readily available. Records of Civil Service posts so transferred are not maintained by calendar year: information for the 12 months ended on 30th September 1976 is as follows:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, if any discussions are currently taking place with unions representing civil servants involved in the dispersal of jobs programme; and if he will make a statement.

Dispersal is under continuous discussion between individual Departments and their Staff sides. Representatives of the Staff Side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council discussed dispersal with the Lord Privy Seal on 1st February.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the amounts allocated to each local authority in Wales for 1977–78 in respect of (a) grants for local authority housing improvements, (b) municipalisation of housing and (c) improvement grants in the public sector.

No specific allocations have been made for the purposes stated. Each housing authority in Wales has received block allocations covering housing expenditure, and has a wide discretion to decide for itself what proportion of the allocation to apply to any particular purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the ECGD facilities for exporters engaged in trade with Egypt are less favourable than those available for trade with neighbouring countries; and if he will make a statement.

ECGD cover is available to support British exports to Egypt at the present time. As for other markets, the extent of such cover is subject to reguar review against ECGD's normal under- writing criteria. For commercial reasons, especially the possible reaction of overseas countries against British exports if they considered their credit provisions were relatively unfavourable, it is not normal practice to publicise the extent of EGCD facilities in detail for individual markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether there has been any recent change in the ECGD facilities available for exporters of goods to Zambia; and if he will make a statement.

For commercial reasons, especially the possible reaction of overseas countries against British exports if they considered their credit provisions were relatively unfavourable, it is not normal practice to make statements about ECGD facilities in detail for particular markets. Cover is available for exports to Zambia, but, as for other markets, it is subject to regular review against ECGD's normal underwriting criteria.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps are being taken to monitor the adherence of member States of the EEC to the European Commission's experimental guidelines for Government-supported export credits to third countries; whether Her Majesty's Government intend to adhere to these guidelines; whether member States will notify any intended breaches of these guidelines to the Commission; and whether he will make a statement on the guidelines generally.

Details of the guidelines were given in my announcement on 15th June 1976—[Vol. 913, c. 124–125]—of the United Kingdom's decision to adhere to them. The Community's proposed adherence to them was the subject of a debate in the House on 3rd March. All countries observing the guidelines on export credits are required to notify or consult all other subscribing countries before supporting more favourable terms. With the recent endorsement of the guidelines by the EEC as a whole the Commission now participates in the notification and consultation procedures and is, therefore, in a position to monitor Member States' and other adherents' performance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what objections have been lodged by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to the proposed development of a fourth terminal at Heathrow Airport by the British Airports Authority.

My right hon. Friend received last week a letter from the Royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, expressing the Borough Council's opposition to this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what use is being made of the 50 pence payments being sent to him by individual citizens as their contribution to the establishment of a common fund for commodities.

The contributions are being returned where possible, with a letter explaining that it is too early to say on what basis a common fund might be established, or what its financial needs might be.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many applications for winding-up of companies, under the Companies Act, have been reported to his Department since 1974 in respect of companies engaged in pyramid selling; how many are still outstanding; and if he will publish a list of those so wound up.

Full information is not readily available and could be provided only after undue expenditure of time. However, since 1st January 1974 the Department has made inquiries into the activities of seven companies which had been engaged in pyramid selling, and winding-up orders were made by the court on the petitions of the Secretary of State against the following three companies: Revolution Auto Products (UK) Limited; Worldwide Household Products Limited; Golden Chemical Products Limited. In three of the companies there were inadequate grounds on which to found petitions for their winding up, and the remaining company, Computex Consumers Services Limited, has since resolved to wind up voluntarily. The Department has at present no inquiries still outstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade on what day he proposes to publish his consultation document on the Mole Valley flight path.

I cannot yet give an exact date. The document will be published as soon as all the relevant information is assembled.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he proposes to take in view of the breach of the requirements of the Companies Acts in respect of the filing of annual returns or accounts by the following companies: Sproat Communications, Sproat Electronics, Sproat Trading, Sproat Publishing, Sproat Films, Cyadmarc Sproat, Syston Estates and Syston Publishing; and if he will make a statement.

The Syston Estates Co. Ltd. is up to date in filing annual returns and accounts. The present position with respect to the other copies mention is as follows:

(a) Sproat Communication Ltd.—No. 1100924. Incorporated 9th March 1973, Annual Returns and Accounts for 1974, 1975 and 1976 outstanding.

(b) Sproat Electronics Ltd.—No. 1139551. Incorporated 15th November 1973. Annual Returns and Accounts for 1975 and 1976 outstanding.

(c) Sproat Trading Ltd.—No. 1166844. Incorporated 16th April 1974. Annual Returns and Accounts for 1975 and 1976 outstanding.

(d) Sproat Publishing Ltd,—No. 1140702. Incorporated 22nd October 1977. Annual Returns and Accounts for 1975 and 1976 outstanding.

(e) Sproat Films Ltd.—No. 1139586. Incorporated 15th October 1973. Annual Returns and Accounts for 1975 and 1976 outstanding.

(f) Cyadmarc Sproat Ltd.—No. 1191481. Incorporated 25th November 1974. Annual Return for 1976 outstanding.

(g) The Syston Publishing Co. Ltd.—No. 1132820. Incorporated 6th September 1973. Annual Return for 1976 outstanding.

Default letters have been sent to these companies to remind them of their obligations under the 1948 Companies Act. I have also written to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) concerning

those companies listed (

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what was the value of British imports from Bolivia for each year from 1970 to the present;(2) what was the value of British exports to Bolivia for each year from 1970 to the present.

Following is the information:

			Import (£ million cif)	Export (£ million fob)
1970	…	…	28·5	2·2
1971	…	…	16·1	1·8
1972	…	…	17·0	1·8
1973	…	…	20·0	2·2
1974	…	…	9·7	4·3
1975	…	…	19·0	5·3
1976	…	…	24·5	10·0

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of British imports of sugar cane and its products were supplied by Bolivia for each year from 1970 to the present.

Nil.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what consideration he has given to the construction of a base load power station on Shetland whose power would be transmitted to the mainland; and whether he will make a statement;(2) what studies he has initiated into the feasibility of the use of gas piped ashore at Sullom Voe for the generation of electricity useable on the main grid.

The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board is actively pursuing with the British Gas Corporation and the oil companies the possibility of using gas landed at Sullom Voe for the generation of electricity to meet demand in Shetland.Decisions about the provision of additional generating capacity in Scotland are taken in the first instance by the Scottish electricity boards in the exercise of their commercial judgment. The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board has not yet submitted any proposal to me for the construction of a generating station on Shetland to transmit power to the mainland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek a meeting with the Scottish representatives of the British Fish Federation regarding the latest situation in the negotiations with the Faroes.

The Scottish representatives of the British Fishing Federation have requested a meeting to discuss the situation at Faroe and I intend to meet them shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest situation in the negotiations with the Faroes.

On 9th March the Faroese authorities notified the EEC Commission of temporary measures which they intended introducing for the period from 15th March to 30th April of this year restricting fishing for cod and haddock by foreign vessels in their waters. Following strong representations by the United Kingdom Government consultations took place with the Faroese authorities which resulted in modifications to their original proposals and a delay in their implementation until 22nd March.I am very concerned about the damaging effect that these temporary proposals will have on traditional fishing by United Kingdom and particularly Scottish boats at Faroe. We have therefore insisted that the earliest possible start is made to the negotiations between the Community and the Faroese on the arrangements for fishing in these waters for the remainder of 1977. The Faroese are heavily dependent on access to United Kingdom waters and we are determined to take whatever appropriate action is necessary to safeguard our fishing industry's interests at Faroe.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support was given in 1974, 1975 and 1976 by (a) his Department (b) local authorities to assist in the provision of accommodation for released offenders; and what financial support (i) his Department and (ii) local authorities intend to provide in the financial year 1977–78 for this purpose.

Grants paid by my Department to voluntary organisations to assist in the provision of accommodation for persons in need, including released offenders, in the financial years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77 were, respectively, £24,529, £46,399 and £31,468. Some £80,000 has been provisionally set aside for this purpose in the financial year 1977–78. It is not practicable to identify separately the extent to which use is made by released offenders of accommodation receiving grant support. Information is not available centrally about the financial support given for this purpose by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received to date concerning the possible closure or merger of colleges of education in Scotland, and how many of these representations included reference to (1) Dunfermline College of Physical Education for Women, (2) Craiglockhart College, (3) Craigie College, and (4) Callendar Park College, giving the figures in each case.

My right hon. Friend has received about 2,700 letters and petitions about his proposals. Of these over 160 included references to Dunfermline College of Education, over 1,600 to Craiglockhart College of Education, over 500 to Craigie College of Education and over 90 to Callendar Park College of Education.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the staff of the British Embassy in La Paz includes a labour attaché and if he will make a statement of his policy on this issue.

There is no labour attaché at the British Embassy in La Paz. It would be premature to make a statement on this subject whilst the rôle of labour attachés is being considered by the Central Policy Review Staff team as part of their review of our overseas representation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Bolivian demand for an exit to the sea has been raised at the Law of the Sea Conference; and if the representative of Her Majesty's Government has made any recent statement on this issue.

The Bolivian delegation to the conference has supported the general principle that landlocked states should have a right of transit to the sea. The British delegation has made no statement on the question of a Bolivian exit to the sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the number of full-time students in the Hong Kong Polytechnic over the last four years.

The number of full-time students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic over the last four years was as follows:

1973–74	…	…	2,419
1974–75	…	…	3,488
1975–76	…	…	4,279
1976–77	…	…	4,741

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many students graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic last year; how many have now been placed in employment; and how many are moving on to further studies.

989 students, including those taking part-time courses, graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic in July 1976. A survey conducted between late September and early November 1976 showed that 758 graduates (76·6 per cent.) were in employment at that time and that 179 graduates (18·1 per cent.) were undertaking further studies locally or abroad. The remaining 52 (5·3 per cent.) were either unemployed or their occupation was not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ugandan citizens have been awarded the Victoria Cross.

There are no living Ugandan holders of the Victoria Cross. No records are readily available of the nationality of deceased holders of the award.

asked the Prime Minister which Ministers are representing the United Kingdom in the UNCTAD negotiations in Geneva; and if he will make a statement.

A negotiating conference on a Common Fund for commodities is now taking place in Geneva, in accordance with UNCTAD Resolution 93(IV). The United Kingdom, like most other participating countries, is represented by officials. I have reported separately to the House on discussions about a Common Fund at the European Council meeting in Rome on 25th and 26th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will establish an interdepartmental committee to consider the more constructive co-ordination of aid and trade policy formulation; and if he will make a statement.

Interdepartmental machinery already exists to co-ordinate policy on aid and trade. This machinery works effectively.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government's defence policy was discussed at his meeting with representatives of the Liberal Party before his statement to the House of 23rd March 1977.

I refer the hon. Member to the description of the contents of these discussions which I gave to the House in my speech on 23rd March.

asked the Prime Minister (1) which subjects are to be referred to the first meeting of the joint consultative committee on policy;(2) whether he will publish regularly the names of those who attend the Joint consultative committee on policy which he announced on 24th March;(3) whether the conclusions of the joint consultative committee on policy will be made public;(4) which Minister will be answerable in the House for the conclusions of the joint consultative committee on policy.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if persons other than hon. Members will take part in the proceedings of the joint consultative committee of Liberal and Labour representatives;(2)which Minister will answer questions concerning the joint consultative committee of Liberal and Labour representatives chaired by the Lord President of the Council;(3)if he will arrange to publish the agenda of the joint consultative committee of Labour and Liberal representatives before the meetings take place;(4) in what way the proceedings of the joint consultative committee of Liberal and Labour representatives will be reported to the House;(5)what arrangements he will make to ensure that confidential matters discussed in the joint consultative committee of Liberal and Labour representatives are not leaked to outside bodies.

I have been asked to reply.I would refer the hon. Members to the answer I have today given to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls).

asked the Prime Minister whether official cars will be made available to Liberal Party spokesmen attending meetings of the joint consultative committee.

I have been asked to reply.No.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government's financial proposals covered by the forthcoming Budget have been discussed or are to be discussed with representatives of the Liberal Party.

I have been asked to reply.I have received representations from the Liberal Party, as I have from a number of organisations. I discussed its submission at a meeting on 3rd March. The proposals I make tomorrow will at no stage have been revealed to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council concerning the allocation for mortgage advances in 1977–78; and what reply he had made.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council wrote to the Department on 9th March seeking an increase in mortgage lending quotas. A number of similar requests from other local authorities have been received, and replies will be sent shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those district councils in the North-West and Yorkshire and Humberside Regions where the allocation under the building societies support scheme is less for 1977–78 than it was in 1976–77.

28 local authorities in the North-West Region will be participating in the new building society replacement lending scheme. Of these, the following have received an allocation for 1977–78 which is less than that made under the £100 million scheme: Knowsley, Lancaster, Liverpool, Oldham, Salford, Stockport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage building societies to advance mortgages for properties valued at less than £4,000 or with a life of less than 30 years under the building societies support scheme.

Building societies loans under the replacement lending scheme will be confined to the same priority categories as local authorities' own mortgage lending in 1977–78. These will normally include the types of property mentioned by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to make mortgages more readily available for first-time house buyers in areas of older or low-cost housing.

We expect that the building society replacement lending scheme will be of particular assistance to first-time purchasers buying older and cheaper houses, since local authorities' own lending has concentrated on such applicants. There has also been a welcome shift in societies' lending generally: 23 per cent. of all their loans in 1976 went on pre-1919 property compared with 19 per cent. the previous year. For the future, our overall Review of Housing Policy is looking, inter alia, at the needs of first time purchasers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he sent a copy of the report on Concorde by the Noise Advisory Council to the New York Port Authority.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the need for more accurate information on the noise of Concorde, he will take steps to implement the recommendations of the Noise Advisory Council on the distribution of pre-publication copies of the Council's report.

No such recommendations have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has entered into discussions with the National Trust in connection with its offer of help to accept Mentmore and its contents for the nation; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 18th March 1977 to the Question from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross).—[Vol. 928, c. 352.] The National Trust is aware of this position.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on which dates and occasions flagpoles will be erected in Parliament Square during the course of the current year; and what is the total cost of each such operation.

Thirty-six Commonwealth flags were flown from 11th to 21st March for Commonwealth Day at an estimated cost of £5,700. The annual Europe Day display will be flown during the first week of May, and special Jubilee display of either Union Jacks or Commonwealth flags will be flown from June to September. The total cost of the Europe Day and the Jubilee displays will be about £7,000. The annual United Nations display will be flown during the last week of October at an estimated cost of £2,200.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in which countries which have a system of driving tests and licences the holder of a British driving licence is entitled to drive without any other licence or to obtain a local driving licence without taking any further test; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of countries that accept a British test and licence.

Anyone who holds a full British driving licence and who satisfies local requirements in relation to minimum driving age may drive, under that licence or an international driving permit, as a visitor to any country which is a party to the Road Traffic Conventions of 1926 and 1949. For residents the laws of each State determine the qualifications for obtaining its own driving licence. Nobody can obtain a full British driving licence until he has passed the British driving test, and my right hon. Friend cannot, therefore, ask other States to exchange British licences for their own without a test. He will, however, continue to support moves to secure the mutual recognition of driving licences provided it is based on minimum standards for driving tests and medical assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers and passengers in cars, commercial vehicles, public service vehicles and other types of three- and four-wheeled vehicles were killed or seriously injured in road accidents during 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The information is as follows:

DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED: 1974–76: GREAT BRITAIN
	1974	1975	1976*
Cars	39,197	35,182	34,930
Commercial vehicles	4,747	4,198	3,931
Public service vehicles	1,616	1,655	1,365
Other vehicles (3 and 4 wheel)	507	449	501
* Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now considered the various opinions about the route of the proposed new road between Yorkshire and the North-East and has taken into account the knowledge gained by the Under-Secretary of State for Transport during his visit to the area on 18th March 1977; and when he expects a decision about the route to be announced.

My right hon. Friend is currently considering the alternative proposals for the new Kirkhamgate-Dishforth route and the knowledge gained from my tour of the area will be taken into account. My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to make an announcement during the first half of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will now assume responsibility for the construction of the proposed Gamston-Lings Bar link road in Nottinghamshire, following the proposal to designate the A52 between Nottingham and Grantham as a trunk road; and whether he will make a statement on the progress that has been made so far towards the construction of that road.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22nd February.—[Vol. 926, c. 516.] This proposed scheme, which is, I understand, at a very early stage of preparation, will be considered along with other possible improvements once the A52 becomes a trunk road.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will exclude blind persons from fares increases in view of the dependence of blind persons on public transport.

Local authorities generally have powers to arrange for free or concessionary travel for blind people, and the great majority of blind people live in areas where such arrangements obtain. Some bus operators themselves also provide concessions to blind people.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will halt the tendency to replace compulsory by request bus stops having regard to the difficulties caused to blind persons.

My right hon. Friend has no power to act in this matter. However, he has every sympathy with the needs of blind people and would urge bus operators to have proper regard to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his reply, Official Report, 9th March, column 1400, what account he is taking in his forthcoming White Paper on Transport of the percentage of costs provided by public funds for foreign railway administrations and urban transport authorities, respectively, operating in conditions similar to those found in the United Kingdom; and if he will publish a table showing the approximate percentage support received by such bodies, including the principal operators in the European Economic Community.

I shall consider relevant overseas experience, although reliable comparisons are difficult.The European Conference of Ministers of Transport has published the following information about the amounts paid by States in 1975 to railway undertakings in respect of compensation for public service obligations, revenue support subsidies, normalisation of accounts and other compensating payments, expressed as a percentage of railway costs:

				per cent.
Austria	…	…	…	53
Belgium	…	…	…	52
France	…	…	…	32
Germany	…	…	…	25
Ireland	…	…	…	36
Italy	…	…	…	62
Luxembourg	…	…	…	54
Netherlands	…	…	…	41
Norway	…	…	…	27
Sweden	…	…	…	15

Certain kinds of support, however, including assistance for pensions are not included in these figures.The following table, based on 1975 information for urban undertakings in a number of European countries, shows the percentage of operators' costs, excluding depreciation and provision for renewals, which was met by fares:

Country	Number of cities	Fares revenue as per cent. of operating costs
France	4	40–75
Germany	4	50–75
Italy	2	15–20
Denmark, Norway, Sweden	4	40–60
Austria, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland	6	50–55