asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received representations about the safety and size of the Kidder Dam and the risks that might arise in peace and war; whether he will appoint an independent consultant to advise on the matter; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received correspondence from the right hon. and learned Member and will write to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in view of the fact that despite a massive post-war housing drive and despite its recently developed housing improvement programme the London borough of Newham still has a grave housing programme and that of the 80,000 houses in Newham, 40,000 lack one or other of the basic amenities, nearly 20 per cent. have no hot water, 25 per cent. have no bath and a third have outside toilets; and whether he can give an assurance that no Government cuts in expenditure announced or envisaged will adversely affect the council's efforts to overcome these housing problems.

The priority which we are giving to areas with special problems of housing stress, including the London borough of Newham, in making public expenditure allocations for 1977–78, should enable these areas to continue to make substantial progress towards meeting their housing needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the fact that the public health department of the London borough of Newham receives up to 1,500 complaints a year on matters connected with unsanitary houses and properties in contravention of the Housing Acts, that it has up to 400 cases upon its books at any one time and that its public health inspector staff is totally inadequate to deal with the problems, he will make some financial grants available to assist the council to overcome these problems.

Local authority expenditure on environmental health services is already included in relevant expenditure for rate support grant purposes. It is for Newham Council to decide how best to allocate the resources available to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the number of house improvement grants approved by years since 1971; and what is the current estimate for 1977 in the Allerdale District.

The total of grants approved for local authorities, housing associations and private owners in England and Wales were as follows:

NUMBER OF DWELLINGS
1971	…	…	197,500
1972	…	…	319,200
1973	…	…	361,000
1974	…	…	231,900
1975	…	…	126,900
1976	…	…	125,600

The number of dwellings improved in Allerdale in 1977 will depend on the council's expenditure priorities. Approvals in 1976 numbered 281 local authority and private dwellings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue a revised development control policy note to local authorities to replace No. 13 issued in 1972.

When my right hon. Friend has completed his consideration of the comments received from those who responded to his invitation. We are not yet able to forecast when that will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on 1:25,000 derived digital maps; and when the Ordnance Survey expects to turn its experimental maps of this kind into maps which will go on sale as part of the second series 1:25,000 maps.

1:25,000 derived digital mapping is still under development. The Ordnance Survey hopes to publish a 1:25,000 Second Series derived digital sheet of the Montgomery area during 1978, but there are at present no plans for further sheets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet received the revised county structure plan for Suffolk for the next 15 years; if he is aware that despite revisions certain major interests have not been satisfied; and when and where he proposes to hold an examination in public before deciding the final plan.

The Suffolk county structure plan was formally submitted to my right hon. Friend on 10th March 1977. Objections and representations may be lodged with the Department by 20th May, and will be considered before subjects are selected for discussion at the examination in public, provisionally arranged to open on 8th November at the Corn Exchange, Ipswich.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to extend statutory provisions relating to structural fire precautions to cover factory farm buildings where there is a significant hazard to the life of substantial numbers of animals; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be appropriate so to extend the powers under which the building regulations are made. These regulations are concerned only with the protection of human life, and the protection of animals would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Open General Import Licence, and the Endan- gered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976, restrict the import of (a) oil and (b) meat from porpoises and dolphins.

No. These products are not listed in Schedule 3 to the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the repairs to the chiming mechanism of the Great Clock of the Palace of Westminster are proceeding.

The repairs will be completed by early May. It will be necessary to stop the clock from midday on Monday 4th April until about midday Sunday 17th April while some of the replacement parts are installed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now state what would be the extra contribution to local authority expenditure in Northumberland in 1977–78 in respect of the resources element of the rate support grant if the rate support grant were calculated on the basis proposed for 1974–75 in the White Paper issued in January 1974, Command Paper No. 5532.

Given changes since 1974–75 in local rateable values and population and in the amount of grant available, such a comparison presents difficulties. Cmnd. 5532 proposed a national standard rateable value of £154 per head, and that 27 per cent. of the total of the needs and resources elements should go to the resources element. For 1977–78 the comparable figures will be £173 and 32·5 per cent. It follows that if the proposals in Cmnd. 5532 had been used to distribute grant in 1977–78 the grant entitlement of every district in Northumberland would be considerably reduced in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of the machinery for the fixing of rents by rent officers, rent assessment committees and rent tribunals in the latest convenient year; and what was the cost per dwelling covered.

In England in 1976 the total cost of the rent officer service, rent assessment and rent tribunals was £10·5 million.The rent officer service dealt with about 326,000 dwellings at a cost of £8·6 million. The average cost per dwelling was £26.The combined cost of rent assessment committees and rent tribunals was £1·9 million. I regret that as expenditure on these two services can only be separated at disproportionate expense an average cost per dwelling for the rent assessment committee and the rent tribunal cases is not available. It should be noted that rent assessment committees deal with objections in respect of dwellings for which rent officers have already fixed rents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now issue regulations defining calcium chloride as a prohibited substance for use for the rapid setting of reinforced construction of buildings or bridges.

My right hon. Friend will consult formally upon an amendment to the building regulations as soon as the British Standards Institution has published the amendments it has just decided upon to the codes of practice on the structural uses of concrete, recommending that calcium chloride should never be added to reinforced concrete. Such an amendment to the regulations would enable local authorities to prevent the use of calcium chloride in reinforced concrete construction in buildings. The use of this material in reinforced concrete in bridges is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations his Department plans to hold with local authorities concerning problems experienced by many council tenants with the heating systems in their houses.

I have recently arranged for a working party to be set up consisting of representatives of my Department, the Department of Energy, the Welsh Office, the local authority associations and the New Towns Association. It will review the information currently available on heating systems with a view to producing advice for local authorities, tenants and others on heating systems and insulation in new and existing houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce has acquired 25 M.V. Site No. 2 at RAF Hartlebury and has expressed interest in Site No. 3; and whether he will make a statement concerning the intentions expressed by the Intervention Board with regard to these sites.

I have been asked to reply.The Intervention Board is in the process of acquiring Site No. 2 at RAF Hartlebury as part of the arrangements necessary to fulfil the obligations of the United Kingdom under the cereals régime of the common agricultural policy. It is not intended to acquire Site No. 3.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make arrangements for the functions at present exercised by the Home Secretary under the Protection of Birds Acts 1954 to 1976 to be transferred to the Secretary of State for the Environment.

Yes. In view of the Secretary of State for the Environment's responsibilities for the administration of similar legislation affecting wild life and its conservation, and following a review of departmental responsibilities in this area, I am arranging, with the agreement of the Ministers concerned, for this change, which does not require legislation, to take effect from 1st April. The change affects England and Wales only.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now make a statement on the provision of up-to-date texts for debates on EEC documents recommended by the Select Committee on European Legislation.

The documents recommended by the Select Committee for debate are generally published Commission proposals for legislation and the Commission does not normally revise the texts of its proposals during the course of negotiations. But the Government provide the House with information on changes which seem likely to be agreed by means of up-dated explanatory memoranda. They cannot, however, undertake to provide revised Community texts. Where such texts exist they are confidential negotiating documents and not authoritative revisions. However, the Government recognise that exceptional cases can arise in which the original texts are seriously out-dated and informal revisions can usefully be prepared. In such cases they will do their best to include in explanatory memoranda prepared for the purpose of debate texts to illustrate the current state of a proposal. Motions for debate will accordingly draw attention as appropriate not only to the original documents but also to the relevant explanatory memoranda.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department who bears the cost of the cleaning up which is necessary when gipsies move on; and whether he is satisfied that the police have sufficient powers to protect surrounding residents from areas that become an eyesore.

These are matters for the owners of the land on which the gipsies camp, and not for the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many gipsies have been prosecuted in the last year for parking caravans on playing fields.

I regret that the information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pamphlets published by the Com- munity Development Project have made a profit or broken even; and what they were.

This information about the large number of reports of various kinds produced by the 12 local Community Development Projects and by ad hoc inter-project groups is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures showing the annual number of deportations from the United Kingdom for each of the past 10 years, excluding cases under the Prevention of Terrorism Act; and if he will indicate the status of and nationality of those deported and the countries to which they have been sent.

The available figures under immigration legislation are for deportation orders made and are as follows:

DEPORTATION ORDERS MADE
1967	…	…	…	…	335
1968	…	…	…	…	361
1969	…	…	…	…	488
1970	…	…	…	…	513
1971	…	…	…	…	519
1972	…	…	…	…	510
1973	…	…	…	…	485
1974	…	…	…	…	427
1975	…	…	…	…	545
1976	…	…	…	…	788

The information sought in the second part of the Question could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hotel beds have been lost by the closure of hotels consequent upon the strict application of the Fire Precautions Act 1971.

This information is not available, but 559 hotels which originally applied for fire certificates under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 are known to have closed. The reasons for closure are not known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost to the hotel industry of the Fire Precautions Act 1971; and what percentage of this cost has been met by loans from local authorities made under the Fire Precautions (Loans) Act 1973.

We do not have information on which a reliable estimate could be made of the expenditure incurred by the hotel industry as a result of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. Up to the end of the financial year 1975–76 loan sanctions amounting to some £4 million had been granted to local authorities in England and Wales to enable them to provide loans under the Fire Precautions (Loans) Act 1973, but reports from local authorities indicate that only

Fire Authority			Estimated number of Hotels and Boarding-houses in area	Fire certificate applications	Premises inspected	Certificate issued		Estimated number of premises that have not applied
			(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	%	(e)
Avon	…	…	637	575	282	189	(33)	62
Bedfordshire	…	…	66	66	66	59	(90)	—
Berkshire	…	…	135	135	122	99	(73)	—
Buckinghamshire	…	…	79	76	73	45	(60)	3
Cambridgeshire	…	…	143	143	140	120	(84)	—
Cheshire	…	…	175	156	156	136	(87)	19
Cleveland	…	…	149	135	121	68	(50)	14
Clwyd	…	…	370	330	326	165	(50)	40
Cornwall	…	…	4,182	2,682	1,521	800	(30)	1,500
Cumbria	…	…	1,579	1,514	893	405	(27)	65
Derbyshire	…	…	216	188	188	73	(40)	28
Devon	…	…	3,664	3,664	1,832	543	(15)	—
Dorset	…	…	4,552	2,552	555	224	(9)	2,000
Durham	…	…	87	87	87	73	(84)	—
Dyfed	…	…	804	704	324	125	(18)	100
Essex	…	…	370	370	369	318	(86)	—
Mid-Glamorgan	…	…	52	52	52	26	(50)	—
South Glamorgan	…	…	87	80	70	30	(37)	7
West Glamorgan	…	…	177	177	101	72	(41)	—
Gloucestershire	…	…	281	281	210	128	(46)	—
Greater London	…	…	2,051	1,551	1,525	1,240	(80)	500
Greater Manchester	…	…	232	232	221	171	(74)	—
Gwent	…	…	121	107	76	36	(34)	14
Gwynedd	…	…	1,189	1,189	567	217	(18)	—
Hampshire	…	…	738	738	575	287	(39)	—
Hereford and Worcester	…	…	268	256	198	65	(25)	12
Hertfordshire	…	…	122	122	119	73	(60)	—
Humberside	…	…	494	439	357	212	(48)	55
Kent	…	…	1,040	1,040	859	546	(52)	—
Lancashire	…	…	3,244	2,744	2,044	2,028	(74)	500
Leicestershire	…	…	121	121	91	53	(44)	—
Lincolnshire	…	…	323	302	301	261	(86)	21
Merseyside	…	…	269	240	240	201	(84)	29
Norfolk	…	…	1,077	1,027	687	472	(46)	50
Northamptonshire	…	…	79	74	72	57	(77)	5
Northumberland	…	…	151	151	147	112	(74)	—
Nottinghamshire	…	…	127	115	113	95	(83)	12
Oxfordshire	…	…	211	202	152	88	(44)	9
Powys	…	…	226	226	55	23	(10)	—
Salop	…	…	114	114	114	94	(82)	—
Scilly Isles	…	…	74	74	38	16	(22)	—
Somerset	…	…	389	389	189	84	(22)	—
Staffordshire	…	…	135	135	135	115	(85)	—
Suffolk	…	…	271	231	201	137	(60)	40
Surrey	…	…	170	170	169	126	(74)	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now answer the Questions tabled by the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington relating to statistics connected with the implementation of the Fire Precautions Act in England and Wales, for 1976, which he was unable to answer in January due to insufficient time to collate the information.

According to information provided by fire authorities, the position on 31st December 1976 was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish his Transport White Paper.

About the end of May.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she plans to attend the meeting of the Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia on 5th-6th April in the Netherlands; and if she will make a statement.

No. The United Kingdom delegation will be led, as usual, by a senior official of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his esti- mate of the number of employees in trade union membership in each of the following years: 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively.

There were 11,673,000 persons in the United Kingdom who were members of trade unions at the end of 1974 and 11,859,000 at the end of 1975. Similar information for 1976 will not be available until later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what vacancies for skilled workers are currently available in the county of Dyfed at the latest available date; what were the corresponding figures for the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

This Department's vacancy statistics do not provide comprehensive occupational analyses on a skill basis However, separate figures are now compiled for counties and larger areas showing the numbers of unfilled vacancies in six broad groups, one of which is craft and similar occupations, including foremen, in occupations associated with processing production, repairing, etc. This group will include many, but by no means all, skilled occupations. At September 1976, the latest date for which information is available, there were 222 unfilled vacancies in this group notified to employment offices in the county of Dyfed. This figure relates only to notified vacancies and is not a measure of total vacancies. Similar information is not available for earlier dates. There is no evidence at the present time of any general shortage of skilled labour in Dyfed which is impeding production.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces are at present serving in the Sudan; and how many of these have previously been attached to the Special Air Service.

Eight, of whom one officer was previously attached to the Special Air Service. Her Majesty's Government also have a Defence Attache in Khartoum.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what capacity and for what purposes members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces are serving in the Sudan.

To assist in training members of the Sudanese armed forces at the Sudanese Staff College, Military College, Armour School and Signals School.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims for damages have been made for alleged injury by rubber bullets; what have been the results so far; and if he will provide similar information in respect of plastic bullets.

The available records do not enable me to separate rubber bullet from plastic bullet claims. However, as I advised my hon. Friend on 28th February 1977, my Department can identify 66 claims for damages in respect of injury alleged to have been caused by rubber or plastic bullets. Of these two have been successfully contested in court, although one of them is under appeal by the plaintiff; a third case was lost and my Department is considering whether to appeal. 10 cases have been settled by payment of compensation, 28 are still under consideration, and 25 have not been pursued by the claimant.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the location and size of every empty Government-owned factory in Wales together with the dates when each became vacant.

This is a matter for the Welsh Development Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the present state of the dairy industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Milk production in Wales has recovered from the effects of last year's drought, and figures for the four-month period ended 28th February show a small increase over the corresponding period a year earlier. I see the present situation as a sound basis on which the milk sector can continue to expand as envisaged in the Government's White Paper "Food from our own Resources".

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the present state of the potato sector of the agricultural industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Despite below average yields in 1976 the potato sector in Wales had a profitable year. Plantings for 1977, though somewhat delayed, are now progressing satisfactorily, and, given reasonable growing conditions, yields should be normal.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the financial year in which provision was made for the purchase of the Belfast Opera House; what was the amount of the provision; when the expenditure was actually incurred; what was the amount; and who were the vendors.

The Northern Ireland Department of Education agreed in 1975–76 to provide the Arts Council of Northern Ireland with sufficient funds to purchase the Grand Opera House, Belfast, to make essential repairs to the fabric and to secure the foundations of the building. The building was purchased by the Arts Council in February 1976 at a total cost of £175,000, including fees and preliminary survey. The vendors were Belfast Cinemas Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the plans for the rebuilding of the Belfast Opera House; who were responsible for drawing up the plans; how they were selected; and when the citizens of Belfast will have an opportunity to see what is planned for their city centre.

The plans of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland envisage the restoration and redecorating of the Grand Opera House and its opening as a centre for the performing arts in Northern Ireland. The Arts Council selected and appointed Robert McKinstry, Belfast, consultant architect and John Wyckham Associates, Epsom, theatre consultants, for the project. I understand that the Arts Council intends at an appropriate time to mount a progress exhibition on the project in its Belfast gallery.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what provision has been made in the Government's long-term planning for implementation of the Cowan Report on Schools Reorganisation;(2) if the Cowan Report were implemented, what he expects the effect would be on the teachers currently employed in voluntary grammar schools; how many are currently employed; and how many would be employed in voluntary grammar schools after the proposed reorganisation of secondary education;(3) what assessment he has made of the figures quoted in the Cowan Report on Schools Reorganisation about the ex- pected additional capital costs arising from implementation of the report; and if he will give further details of the makeup of the figures in order to aid discussion of the report;(4) why no calculations were made in the Cowan Report on Schools Reorganisation of the cost of the proposals in terms of (

No decision will be taken on the reorganisation of secondary schools in Northern Ireland until all the views expressed during the consultation period, which extends until Easter, have been carefully considered and in the absence of that decision specific long-term plans have not been made.The basis of the costing of the capital works implicit in the suggestions in the consultative document, which did not take school meals accommodation into account, is given on page 70 of the consultative document. The actual cost of implementing any reorganisation, including capital work on school accommodation, school transport, and school meals provision, and the precise implications for the teaching and ancillary staff at any particular school, would depend on the nature of the reorganisation and the detailed arrangements which might eventually be adopted in any locality. These are matters on which further study will be required if it is decided to reorganise on comprehensive lines.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage of total farmland at present classified as grade 1; what is the percentage area of first class pasture originally ranked as grade 1 in the land utilisation survey and now marked down to grade 3; and what is the purpose of this downgrading.

Under my Department's agricultural land classification survey, which is based on long-term physical criteria alone, about 2·8 per cent. of all agricultural land in England and Wales is of exceptional quality and graded 1. Professor Sir L. Dudley Stamp's land utilisation survey categorised land both by quality and the dominant use to which it was put in 1939. Category 1A land was "arable, often intensively cultivated" and did not extend to grassland; the best pasture was 3G. Because of their different bases generalised comparisons between the two surveys can be misleading, but if the hon. Member has a particular area in mind perhaps he would write to us.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pigs, cutter and otherwise, from farms in England and Wales were slaughtered in the latest year for which figures are available.

About 11·8 million pigs were slaughtered in England and Wales in 1976. The figure includes a number of pigs reared on Scottish farms. A separate figure for cutters is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pig farmers there were in England and Wales at the latest convenient date.

In June 1976 there were 32,300 holdings in England and Wales on which pigs were being kept.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the maximum size, and what is the size now, of the EEC "butter mountain" expressed in pounds per person in the EEC.

At their height for the enlarged Community, intervention stocks of butter amounted to 2·5 lb per person in 1973 compared with 1·6 lb per person now. For the original Six member States however, stocks in 1969 were then equivalent to 4·0 lb per person.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the maximum size, and what is the size now of the EEC "beef mountain" expressed in pounds per person in the EEC.

At their peak in September 1976 Community intervention stocks of beef amounted to 2·7 lb per person in the EEC. They now amount to 2·2 lb per person.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the meeting of the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) in Brussels on 25th, 26th and 27th March.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now announce the names of the Board of British Aerospace.

I have appointed the following to the Board of British Aerospace:

• The Rt. Hon. Lord Beswick, PC, Chairman.
• Mr. A. H. C. Greenwood, CBE.
• Mr. L. W. Buck, OBE.
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Fletcher, KCB, OBE, DFC, AFC.
• Mr. B. E. Friend.
• Mr. D. O. Gladwin.
• Dr. G. H. Hough, CBE.
• Mr. G. R. Jefferson, CBE.
• Mr. F. W. Page, CBE.
• Dr. A. W. Pearce, CBE.
• Mr. E. G. Rubython.
• Mr. J. T. Stamper.

Mr. Greenwood is to be a Deputy Chairman. Mr. Gladwin and Dr. Pearce will be part-time members.I am informed that the Board has appointed Mr. B. C. Cookson to be its secretary and legal adviser.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will list in the Official Report all the products that are now covered by statutory maximum price orders.

The products subject to statutory maximum price orders, under the Prices Act 1974, for which my right hon. Friend is responsible, are bread, household flour, tea, butter and cheese. Questions about products subject to other forms of statutory maximum price control should be addressed to the Ministers responsible—to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the case of milk, or to the Secretary of State for Energy in the case of paraffin.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many studies have been completed by the Price Commission during the last six months; and what products were covered by these studies.

Three studies have been completed in this period. One, on funeral charges, was published on 24th March. The reports on recommended retail prices and on soft drinks and mixers sold for consumption on licensed premises will be published shortly. In addition the Commission reported, in its latest quarterly report published in January, on two matters which it is required to keep under review, fresh food prices and potato prices, A report on a third such matter, the effects of metrication on retail prices, will be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will arrange for the Price Commission to publish an interim report on the price of beer.

The Price Commission is responsible for the conduct of its investigations. At this stage it is too early for it to indicate in what form its report may be produced.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when the Price Commission's report on funeral charges will be published; and what provision is to be made for discussion of its findings.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Mr. Ward) on 24th March.—[Vol. 928, c. 589.]

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will take steps to make it an offence to sell tickets for sporting and other entertainments at above face value; and if he will make a statement.

I do not think this is a suitable matter for the criminal law, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan) on 14th February.—[Vol. 926, c. 15.]

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what action he proposes to take in the light of the recent rise in tea prices.

I have asked the Price Commission to examine and report on the prices, costs and margins in the importation, blending, packaging and distribution of tea, including the causes and effects of movements in world prices of tea. Recent increases in retail prices have been substantial. I wish to have a factual report on the reasons for these developments and an authoritative check that the situation is not being exploited. The decision to make this reference does not, however, imply that profit margins are excessive.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what progress has been made by the Director General of Fair Trading in his discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about the recommendations in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's Report on the Supply of Veterinary Services in Relation to Restrictions on Advertising; and whether he will make a statement.

The Director General of Fair Trading and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have agreed that the question of relaxing advertising restrictions should be considered during this year's triennial revision of the College's Guide to Professional Conduct. I understand that the Director General hopes that constructive suggestions will come from within the profession itself, but he has suggested, as a basis for discussion, that all veterinarians might be permitted to advertise subject to specific restraints laid down by the College.He has suggested that the College might publish a list of informative facts which it would allow members to include in advertisements, together with a list of prohibited items. The College might wish to ensure that it had an opportunity to give its prior approval to advertisements. The Director General envisaged that these arrangements might enable basic facts such as addresses, telephone numbers, surgery hours, qualifications and convenience of location to be made known in stated media by individual practices. Advertisements might also indicate the fees for some of the more routine services, or at least state that a fee for such services would be quoted in advance.Finally, the Director General has suggested that veterinarians should not be prevented by their obligation to offer first aid to all types of animals in an emergency from advertising that they normally treat certain species of animals. Indeed, this obligation, and the various methods by which different practices carry it out, could itself be made more widely known through advertising.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he intends to introduce for the forestry industry in the light of the Interdepartmental Working Party Report on Forestry; and if he will make a statemnt.

In accordance with the Government's aim of encouraging private forestry to play an appropriate part in the rural economy, in harmony with the needs of agriculture and the environment, the following measures will be introduced:

1. The special capital transfer tax relief for woodlands under Schedule 9 to the Finance Act 1975 will no longer be conditional on the woodland being the subject to a Forestry Commission dedication scheme. The necessary legislation will be introduced in the Finance Bill.

2. A number of changes will be made in the grants arrangements. The table which follows gives the details of these changes. They include increases in the existing grant levels under both Basis II and Basis III dedication schemes. The Basis III grants are to be raised more substantially, however, as an acknowledgement of the additional commitment into which woodland owners must enter to meet the environmental objectives of that scheme. Management grants, which already form part of the Basis II arrangements, will also be introduced under Basis III.

3. A small woods planting scheme will be introduced which will give particular emphasis to the planting of broadleaves in the lowlands. This new scheme will cover approved planting from 0·25 up to 10 hectares, which will now be the lower limit fo Basis III. Consultations between the Forestry Commission, local authorities and other bodies over woodland owners' plans under dedication schemes will continue to take place in accordance with the procedures outlined in the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture on 5th July 1974—[Vol. 876, c. 288–90.]—but discussions will be held about such consultations on applications received under the new small woods scheme.

4. The Forestry Commission has been asked to give wider publicity to its readiness to consider Basis III applications in respect of existing woodlands—and especially broadleaved woodlands—for rehabilitation by selective planting and natural regeneration aimed at bringing them into a productive state, without recourse to complete clearance of the woodland.

5. Approved planting of Caledonian pine of local origin in special areas to be agreed with the Nature Conservancy Council should in future attract the same planting and management grants as broadleaves under Basis III.

6. The grants review procedure will in future be formalised. The first review of the new grants will take place in October 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, at 5th April 1977, the following duties were to be levied at rates revalorised to take account exactly of the change in the value of money since April 1973, what revenue they would yield and what revenue yielded in 1973–74, viz: tobacco duty, spirits, wines, beer, petrol (including value-added tax) and vehicle excise duty.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th March 1977; Vol. 929, c. 39], gave the following information:It is estimated that, with rates of duty—and in the case of road fuel, duty and VAT—higher than in April 1973 by the increase in the retail price index between

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the assurances given in the Bradbury letter about Government interference in matters of general policy concerning British Petroleum activities cover possible hardening of economic sanctions against Rhodesia.

Economic sanctions against Rhodesia do not rest upon the Bradbury letter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussion he has had with British Petroleum Limited about the question of economic sanctions against Rhodesia.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing single person's tax allow-

		Single allowance as percentage of married allowance	Child tax allowances as percentage of single allowance
Year			All children	Children not over 11		Children over 11, not over 16		Children over 16
1938–39	…	55·6	60·0	—		—		—
1939–40	…	55·6	60·0	—		—		—
1940–41	…	58·8	50·0	—		—		—
1941–42	…	57·1	62·5	—		—		—
1942–43	…	57·1	62·5	—		—		—
1943–44	…	57·1	62·5	—		—		—
1944–45	…	57·1	62·5	—		—		—
1945–46	…	57·1	62·5	—		—		—
1946–47	…	61·1	45·5	—		—		—
1947–48	…	61·1	54·5	—		—		—
1948–49	…	61·1	54·5	—		—		—
1949–50	…	61·1	54·5	—		—		—
1950–51	…	61·1	54·5	—		—		—
1951–52	…	57·9	63·6	—		—		—
1952–53	…	57·1	70·8	—		—		—
1953–54	…	57·1	70·8	—		—		—
1954–55	…	57·1	70·8	—		—		—
1955–56	…	58·3	71·4	—		—		—
1956–57	…	58·3	71·4	—		—		—
1957–58	…	58·3	—	71·4		89·3		107·1
1958–59	…	58·3	—	71·4		89·3		107·1
1959–60	…	58·3	—	71·4		89·3		107·1
1960–61	…	58·3	—	71·4		89·3		107·1
1961–62	…	58·3	—	71·4		89·3		107·1
1962–63	…	58·3	—	71·4		89·3		107·1
1963–64	…	62·5	—	57·5		70·0		82·5
1964–65	…	62·5	—	57·5		70·0		82·5
1965–66	…	64·7	—	52·3		63·6		75·0
1966–67	…	64·7	—	52·3		63·6		75·0
1967–68	…	64·7	—	52·3		63·6		75·0
1968–69	…	64·7	—	52·3	(33·2)	63·6	(44·5)	75·0	(55·9)
1969–70	…	68·0	—	45·1	(28·6)	54·9	(38·4)	64·7	(48·2)
1970–71	…	69·9	—	35·4	(22·5)	43·1	(30·2)	50·7	(37·8)
1971–72	…	69·9	—	47·7	(34·8)	55·4	(42·5)	63·0	(50·1)
1972–73	…	76·7	—	33·7	(24·6)	39·1	(30·0)	44·5	(35·4)
1973–74	…	76·8	—	33·6	(23·5)	39·5	(29·4)	44·5	(34·4)
1974–75	…	72·3	—	38·4	(30·1)	44·0	(35·7)	48·8	(40·4)
1975–76	…	70·7	—	35·6	(27·9)	40·7	(33?0)	45·1	(37·4)
1976–77	…	67·7	—	40·8	(33·7)	45·6	(38·5)	49·6	(42·5)

For the years prior to 1957–58 there was a single rate of allowance for all qualifying children; the three age bands

The information is as follows:in the present use were introduced for 1957–58.The figures in brackets show the percentages after allowing for clawback.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total number of small firms that have gone bankrupt in each of the following years: (a) March 1974 to March 1975, (b) March 1975 to March 1976, and (c) March 1976 to March 1977, respectively.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a member of the British diplomatic service will next visit Cambodia.

There are no plans for such a visit. There has been no reply so far to the proposal to accredit to Phnom Penh, on a non-resident basis, the British Ambassador in Peking, to which I referred on 22nd December 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next be meeting the Japanese Foreign Minister.

My right hon. Friend looks forward to meeting Mr. Hatoyama at the Downing Street Summit on 7th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report any progress in the developments to achieve a peace settlement in the Middle East.

President Carter has set out some very interesting ideas on a Middle East settlement. Following the visit of the Israel Prime Minister to Washington earlier this month other Middle East leaders are to meet Mr. Carter in April and May. There are encouraging signs of a general determination to seek to make progress this year towards a negotiated settlement in the Middle East, but the process will inevitably be long and arduous. My right hon. Friend hopes to meet Egyptian, Saudi and Syrian leaders next month and to visit Israel shortly thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make a statement on the investigations taking place into the suggested evasion of the Rhodesian trade sanctions by leading oil companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the investigations which are taking place into alleged breaking of Rhodesian sanctions by British oil companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made into the investigations into the alleged breaking of Rhodesian sanctions by British oil companies.

I have nothing further to add at this time to the replies given on 23rd February and 2nd March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Great Britain's relations with Uganda.

I have nothing to add to my statement of 7th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further aid has been requested by the Romanian Government following the earthquake disaster; and what is being supplied by Her Majesty's Government.

The Government sent two consignments of medical supplies to Romania immediately after the earthquake. The Government have now earmarked a sum of £100,000 to help Romania rebuild her economy. Some of this is being spent on advice by British experts on the re-establishment of Romania's livestock breeding programmes. Two British seismologists have gone to Bucharest with their instruments at the Government's expense to give advice, and the Government are in close contact with the Romanian authorities about further ways in which the remaining money can be used to the best advantage. In addition, the Export Credits Guarantee Department has decided in principle to make available to the Romanians a special credit line of £10 million on favourable conditions. The Romanians will be able to use this additional credit to place orders with British companies to replace equipment damaged during the earthquake.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the purposes of his proposed visit to Southern Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what countries he will visit on his proposed tour of Southern Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what countries he will visit during his proposed tour of Southern Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom he proposes to meet on his visit to Southern Africa.

I would refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the Hong Kong Government have made in the last 10 years in the provision of State secondary, further and higher education.

During the last 10 years the number of State and State-subsidised secondary places has been increased from 63,600 to 246,200, an increase of 287 per cent.; the number of further education places from 18,200 to 37,100, an increase of 104 per cent.; and the number of higher education places from 7,920 to 16,260, an increase of 105 per cent. There has been a 60 per cent. increase in the 12–21-year-old population age group during the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs upon what specific matters the Hong Kong Government estimate that graft syndicates have been receiving £125 million a year, as stated by Mr. Jack Cater, Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption on 15th February in his address to the Rotary Club of Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Government have no specific estimate. The figure quoted by my hon. Friend was no more than an educated guess by the Hong Kong Commissioner Against Corruption, Mr. Cater, to indicate the gravity of the problem as it once existed and which is now being tackled vigorously.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Hong Kong Government's definitions are of the nature and extent of corruption in Hong Kong since before 1973 it stated graft was virtually minimal, while at present the estimate is of some £125 million a year.

The report of Mr. Justice Blair-Kerr's Commission of Enquiry into Corruption in 1973 stated that corruption is deep-seated and long-established in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government accepted that this was so when they set up the Independent Commission Against Corruption. I would also refer to the answer that I have given today to another of my hon. Friend's Questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many police or ex-police witnesses have given Queen's evidence to the Crown's Law Officers in Hong Kong; and how many have admitted using intimidation against uncompliant colleagues who would not take bribe retainers.

Twelve police or ex-police officers have given "Queen's Evidence" in criminal proceedings in corruption cases. No police or ex-police officer has admitted using intimidation against un-compliant colleagues who would not take bribe retainers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to visit Zaire during his forthcoming tour of Southern Africa.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton).

asked the secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if and when he intends to declare, on behalf of the people of the Falkland Islands, a 200-mile wide exclusive territorial zone around their coastline.

The Government do not regard the establishment of exclusive economic zones as permissible under present international law.

asked the secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government, in their discussions with the Argentine Government about the Falkland Islands, have taken into account allegations of torture and police terror that have been made by the Argentine Commission for Human Rights, including the statement that the Argentine police are more efficacious than the Chilean secret police.

Her Majesty's Government continue to be deeply concerned about abuses of human rights wherever they occur and have stressed their concern to the Government of Argentina.

asked the Secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the authorities in Angola about the British subjects imprisoned there for no crime known to international law.

In the absence of diplomatic relations, none. But we have made representations about their welfare to the Angolan Mission at the United Nations, and to a senior official of the Angolan Ministry of External Affairs who was in London recently. We are also utilising other avenues of communication.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what report he has received from the British Embassy to the United States of America following the recent visit of the Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee; and if he will make a statement.

The Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee visited Washington from 17th June to 23rd June 1976. The British Embassy in Washington reported to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the evidence submitted to the Sub-Committee during their visit to Washington.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government in preparing the United Kingdom for direct elections to the European Parliament in comparison with the legislative and administrative progress in the other member States.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies which my hon. Friend gave to Questions on this subject earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial or other assistance, direct or indirect was given to the recent Lomé Convention conference held in Kampala.

When my right hon. Friend asked the same question in the European Parliament, I told him, on behalf of the EEC Council of Ministers, that there had been no Community financial or other assistance to the conference. There was none from the United Kingdom, nor was any requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the United States Secretary of State with a view to the United States of America permitting the United Kingdom to enter into an arrangement with the other members of the European Community to provide a European nuclear capability, both tactical and strategic.

No.

				Number of available geriatric beds	Estimated resident population (mid-1976)		Waiting list for geriatric beds
Area Health Authority					Age 65–74 '000	Age 75 and over '000
Wigan	…	…	…	430	26·3	12·9	28
Bolton	…	…	…	360	23·6	13·0	37
Bury	…	…	…	192	15·9	8·0	Nil
Rochdale	…	…	…	183	17·8	9·3	Nil
Salford	…	…	…	288	24·4	12·1	69
Manchester	…	…	…	798	43·5	25·4	132
Oldham	…	…	…	291	20·6	10·9	4
Trafford	…	…	…	179	20·5	10·6	26
Tameside	…	…	…	272	20·3	10·2	48
Lancashire	…	…	…	1,596	146·3	81·7	204
Stockport	…	…	…	305	25·6	13·4	61

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current waiting time for operations in each of the main surgical specialities in the Stockport area hospital; and how

URGENT WAITING LIST
	Waiting up to one month			Waiting over one month
Speciality	30th September 1975	31st March 1976	30th September 1976	30th September 1975	31st March 1976	30th September 1976
General surgery	27	45	23	302	174	84
Ear, nose and throat	3	13	29	24	92	41
Traumatic and orthopaedic	2	11	10	76	70	63
Ophthalmology	1	8	12	—	12	—
Dental surgery	—	2	9	—	—	—
Gynaecology	31	53	26	206	243	111

NON-URGENT WAITING LIST
	Waiting up to one month			Waiting over one month
Speciality	30th September 1975	31st March 1976	30th September 1976	30th September 1975	31st March 1976	30th September 1976
General surgery	808	1,042	715	1,408	1,983	1,889
Ear, nose and throat	493	455	441	573	549	257
Traumatic and orthopaedic	242	279	332	195	222	141
Ophthalmology	178	153	186	41	71	22
Dental surgery	157	209	203	30	21	28
Gynaecology	331	325	254	1,146	1,145	920