asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the present position at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital; and what arrangements have now been made for the continuation of this hospital as a separate identifiable unit.

I understand that proposals for the final accommodation, providing an identifiable facility which can be made available for the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, will be placed before the Camden and Islington Area Health Authority (Teaching) at its next meeting on 13th June. Temporary accommodation at the Whittington Hospital will also be available from that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now announce his plans for an increase in retirement pensions and other benefits.

1970–71	…	…	…	…	…	£3,036,000	Appropriation Accounts	(Class X, Vote 13)
1971–72	…	…	…	…	…	£10,002,000	Appropriation Accounts	(Class X, Vote 13)
1972–73	…	…	…	…	…	£4,567,000	Appropriation Accounts	(Class X, Vote 13)
1973–74	…	…	…	…	…	£4,971,000	Appropriation Accounts	(Class X, Vote 13)
1974–75	…	…	…	…	…	£6,701,000	Appropriation Accounts	(Class XIII Vote 16)
1975–76	…	…	…	…	…	£8,099,000	Appropriation Accounts	(Class XIII Vote 15)
1976–77	…	…	…	…	…	£8,035,000*	Appropriation Accounts	(Class XIII Vote 15)
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost to public funds for 1977 of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

The estimated net cost to public funds for the financial year 1977–78 of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is £9,485,000. (Civil Estimates: Class XIII, Vote 15.)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many surveys have been carried out in each of the years 1970 to 1976 by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has carried out

My right hon. Friend will be making an announcement very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set up a national unit for the manufacture of sterile fluids used in the hospital service.

I am at present considering the complex issues raised by the question of how the requirements of NHS hospitals for sterile fluids are to be met in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost to public funds of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in each of the years 1970 to 1976.

The net cost to the public funds of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in each of the financial years 1970–71 to 1976–77 was as follows:the following numbers of surveys, in whole or in part, in each of the financial years 1970–71 to 1976–77:

1970–71	20
1971–72	35
1972–73	34
1973–74	31
1974–75	32
1975–76	40
1976–77	33

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the surveys undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys during 1976.

Surveys undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys involving operational expenditure during the financial year 1976–77 were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the surveys currently in progress which are being undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

Surveys on which operational expenditure has so far been committed for the financial year 1977–78 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost of undertaking a survey by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

It would be misleading to give an average cost of a survey without qualification, because of the wide variation in design, content and method. Costs range from about £750 for small ad hoc survey to nearly £½ milion per annum for the largest of the continuous surveys. In addition to the five continuous surveys some 15 new ones are started by the Office each year of which three or four are contracted out. The estimated total cost of the Social Survey Division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for 1977–78 is £3,300,000 at November 1976 prices. The Office also carries out the Labour Force Survey on behalf of EEC as well as the Census of Population.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated total salary bill for 1977 of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

The estimated total cost of salaries, wages and fees for the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the financial year 1977–78 is £10,388,000—headquarters staff, £9,458,000; field staff, £930,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who is responsible for deciding what surveys shall be undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

The Department requesting the surveys jointly with the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, consulting Ministers as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will reach his decision as to whether the scheme to replace the operating theatres at Worcester Royal Infirmary will be included in the 1977–78 health building programme.

I hope to be able to notify regional health authorities of the 1977–78 firm cash limits on capital spending and approve their capital estimates for that year within the next month or so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the highest price at present being paid by the National Health Service for supplies in the tetracycline range.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the financial assistance provided through his Department in (a) Liverpool District Council area, and (b) Merseyside County Council area in the financial years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.

Information in the form requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he intends to take to provide more clinical teaching facilities in the Trent Regional Health Authority area so as to bring such facilities in the area at least up to the average in the country.

Clinical teaching facilities are included in the building schemes planned or under construction in Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. The capital allocations to regions allow for the additional capital cost of providing such facilities and Trent Region's revenue allocation now includes a service incre- ment for teaching which is related to the intake of clinical medical and dental students.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being conducted in the United Kingdom into the development of a polio vaccine which is not affected by climatic conditions.

It is understood that the manufacturer of oral poliomyelitis vaccine has initiated research for an agent to improve the stability of the vaccine in extreme climatic conditions. At this stage is not possible to estimate success.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people contracted polio in the United Kingdom in the last week for which figures are available.

No case of acute poliomyelitis was notified in the United Kingdom during the week ended 13th May this year. A total of 10 cases have been notified so far in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what evidence exists of disparity between nutrient intake of pregnant women in different social and economic classes;(2) to what extent doctors advise pregnant women about the importance of nutrients to the growing brain; what work is being done on establishing which foodstuffs are most beneficial; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any current or recent studies which indicate whether or not there is a disparity in nutrient intakes of pregnant women of different social or economic class. Antenatal care is available to all women from the earliest stage of their pregnancy. Medical practitioners who are responsible for the health of pregnant women advise regarding diet and midwives are also able to help. Pregnant women are advised to increase the intake of a well-balanced mixture of carbohydrates, fat and protein foods including extra milk. Such a diet provides all the nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the foetus including the brain.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is aware of the research on liquid nutrients involved in brain growth at the Nuffield Institute of Comparative Medicine; and if, in view of its implications for perinatal care, he will provide funds for increased research in this area;(2) what research is being undertaken into foods which will assist foetal brain growth.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

			1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76
			£	£	£	£	£
Supplementary Benefit	…	…	1,912,411	2,770,464	3,724,447	5,010,139	5,977,245
War Pensions	…	…	49,526	65,149	54,689	89,155	83,047
Family Allowances	…	…	174,623	174,966	182,135	205,805	275,275
National Insurance including Un employment Benefit	…	…	2,487,449	2,556,983	2,658,567	3,425,070	4,357,216

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the reasons for the delay in the formation of the new all-purpose offices planned at Cricklewood Broadway and Neasden Lane, London.

Unfortunately, the offices are not yet ready for occupation. It is hoped to notify revised dates of opening in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the interests of health and safety, he will make public the trade names of all aerosol preparations on sale to the public containing the antibiotic neomycin, against which the Committee on Safety in Medicine has issued a warning on health grounds.

There are no preparations for human use containing neomycin which can be sold or supplied to the public without a prescription by a doctor or dentist. Copies of the leaflet recently issued by the Committee on Safety of Medicines have been sent to all doctors, dentists, hospital principal pharmacists and retail pharmacists in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will consider

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total of residual overpayments for which his Department did not pursue recovery, or had to abandon recovery, in each of the past five years for which the figure is available.

The total amounts of irrecoverable overpayments within my Department for the financial years 1971–72 to 1975–76 are as follows:with the school medical services the possible screening of children likely to be at risk from thalassaemia.

Since thalassaemia major will usually manifest itself before a child is of school age and thalassaemia minor may become apparent at any time during or after the later school years, screening within the school medical service would appear to be of limited value. My officials are meeting shortly with representatives of the Thalassaemia Society to discuss the problems facing those who are affected by or may be carriers of thalassaemia.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what pay increases have been granted to the various grades in the Health Service during phase 2 of the incomes policy; and if he will list those grades where deductions were made to take account of incremental drift.

Most groups of NHS staff have received settlements during the current pay round. All settlements complied with pay policy. No deductions were necessary on account of increments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many junior hospital doctors have received increases in pay during phase 2 of the incomes policy; what were the increases; and if any deductions have been made from doctors' pay to take account of incremental drift.

Junior hospital doctors have not yet received increases during the current pay round. This will be a matter for the Government to consider with the professions in the light of the recommendations in the Report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration which will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will publish the report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, which he received on 4th April 1977.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. and learned Member for Denbigh (Mr. Morgan) on 16th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the breakdown that has occurred in negotiations between his Department and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.

My Department is at present considering the Committee's letter of 13th May. The issues are whether the pharmacists' profit margin on capital should be increased and in particular how the results of a drug stockholding inquiry in 1975 should be applied to the assessment of capital employed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now unilaterally declare that Her Majesty's Government intend to establish a 50–mile exclusive fishing zone for the United Kingdom, in view of the overwhelming support for such a declaration on all sides of the House.

I believe that it is in the best interests of the fishing industry and consumers to press for a negotiated settlement of the Community's fisheries problems.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the financial assistance provided through his Department in (a) Liverpool District Council area, and (b) Merseyside County Council area in the financial years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.

I regret that the information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a progress report about all development trials to prove techniques for commercial fish farming sponsored or assisted by his Department; and, as a result of these trials, which type of fish are proving suitable for fish farming under United Kingdom conditions.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Sir J. Langford-Holt) on 31st March.—[Vol. 929, c. 257.] The hon. Member may also be interested to see a recently published report on fish farming research and development published by the Ministry. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what conditions new commercial fish farming ventures would be eligible for European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund grants under the common agricultural and fisheries policy of the EEC.

Commercial fish farming ventures may be considered for capital grant from the Guidance Section of the EAGGF towards the cost of providing physical assets—i.e., buildings and equipment—under Regulation 17/64 for production projects, or Regulation 355/77 for marketing and processing projects. The main provisions are that (a) projects do not come within the scope of any other community-wide measure—(e.g., the farm modernisation directive, 72/159/EEC)—(b) that the member State makes a financial contribution towards the cost of the project, and (c) that work above ground has not started, nor plant or machinery-been installed, before receipt of the application by the EEC Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends formally to approve the modified plans of the Polperro Harbour gates scheme, as submitted to his Department by the Polperro Harbour Trustees; and if he will make a statement.

The scheme was approved in principle by my Department in 1975. When the applicants submitted their detailed proposals in February this year, however, they indicated some changes from the original plan and revealed other points requiring further technical discussion. This is in hand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the Joint Consultative Organisation for Research and Development into Agriculture and Food concerning the need for research into foods which provide optimum nutrients for foetal brain growth; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no such advice. Research into factors which affect foetal brain growth is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. If he were to advise that the nutritional value of certain foods which mothers may eat should be investigated we would consider how this could best be undertaken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences were granted in 1976 for the export of live animals for slaughter in non-EEC countries; and to which these countries these animals were exported.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 7th April.—[Vol. 929, c. 584.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, in view of the high proportion of Civil Service entrants educated at public schools and Oxford and Cambridge universities, what further steps he will take to encourage applications from provincial universities.

In a normal year the Civil Service Commission recruits several thousand graduates, of whom only some 200 enter as administration trainees—the grade which I think my hon. Friend has mainly in mind. The commissioners are concerned above all to choose the most suitable applicants, without regard to their educational or social background but they have nevertheless done their best in recent years to encourage more applications from local education authority schools, from universities other than Oxford and Cambridge, and from polytechnics. I believe they are doing as much in this direction as is practicable.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many people are employed in the Civil Ser vice on a temporary basis.

The number of casual staff at 1st January 1977 was 8,780.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the average weekly payment made over the last three months, including over time, to a junior printer employed by St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press.

During the three months ending 13th May 1977, £44·18 for apprentices and learners.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when the General Index (1974–75) Volume 900 of the Official Report will be available.

It is hoped to publish the 1974–75 Sessional Index in September 1977.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what specific instructions have been given by his Department to the Government Hospitality Fund concerning use of hotels owned by Trust House Forte.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Moss Side (Mr. Hatton) on 3rd May. No specific instructions have been given to the Government Hospitality Fund concerning the use of hotels owned by Trust Houses Forte or any other company.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Civil Service grades have gained wage increases during phase 2 of the incomes policy; if he will list the grades which got less than the maximum permitted cash supplement to basic earnings; and if he will list those grades where deductions were made for incremental drift.

The settlement for non-industrial civil servants on 1st April 1977 provided for the payment of a 5 per cent. supplement to earnings subject to a maximum of £4 per week and a minimum of £2·50 per week for full-time adults and covered nearly all Civil Service grades. The exceptions were those whose pay is covered by the recommendations of the Top Salaries Review Body and those whose pay directly follows that of an outside group. There was no identifiable additional cost resulting from the operation of incremental scales for those covered by the settlement and pay policy did not, therefore, require any deduction to be made.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the cost under present arrangements of printing a single menu in the Members' Dining Room; and if in future he will arrange for competitive estimates to be sought.

I have been asked to reply.The menus cost about 58p and 14p for the table d'hote and a la carte menus respectively. The printing is carried out by the Stationery Office. No charge for this service falls on the accounts of the Refreshment Department. Therefore, the question of seeking competitive estimates does not arise.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now answer Questions relating to the salary and conditions of House of Commons staff.

No. I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the statement made by the Speaker to the House on this matter on 20th May 1975.—[Vol. 892, c. 1216–17.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether there are any environmental problems associated with the thorium-uranium cycle; and what quantity of plutonium the process would produce per ton of fuel used;(2) whether there are any problems associated with reprocessing of fuel used in the thorium-uranium cycle.

The technology for reprocessing fuel from thorium fuelled reactors has not been developed; but it is believed that its reprocessing will give rise to similar environmental and waste management problems to those of the reprocessing of existing oxide fuel. The exact quantities of plutonium produced would depend on the way the reactors are operated. I am advised that while the thorium-uranium cycle would produce less plutonium than the uranium-plutonium cycle, it would also produce uranium 233 which has implications for proliferation and non-peaceful uses.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if public inquiries will be held before any seismic surveys or drilling licences are issued for onshore petroleum exploration covering areas of southern England.

There is no statutory requirement for public inquiries concerning the grant of licences. However, the grant of a licence permitting seismic or drilling operations does not exempt the licensee from obtaining other consents or permissions—for instance, from landowners, or under town and country planning legislation. The latter legislation provides for the holding of public inquiries in the circumstances therein specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many Government safety inspectors are employed in checking equipment and safety procedures on drilling rigs, production platforms and laying and lifting barges; how many visits were made to each such installation or vessel in 1976; and whether there have been any changes in average time spent on inspections in the last year.

There are nine inspectors of the Department of Energy who spend most of their time visiting drilling and production installations on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. Nine more are also involved in other aspects of safety and control and visit these installations when required. During 1976, 187 visits were made for inspection purposes. This equates to an average of between two and three visits a year to each installation. There has been no change in the average inspection time spent on inspections in the last year, a typical inspection taking between three and five hours.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate the nature and extent of the investigations currently being undertaken by his Department into the potential for the development of oil and petrochemical industries in Scotland.

At present the two major oil refining and petrochemical proposals in Scotland involving the use of North Sea feedstocks are Cromarty Petroleum's scheme for a refinery at Nigg Bay and Esso Chemical's petrochemical project at Moss-morran. On future development prospects, at my request a company has been set up to study possible schemes for gathering and landing further quantities of North Basin gas. These studies will extend to the potential for using the heavier gases in new United Kingdom petrochemical plants, and my Department is keeping in close touch with that work. The tripartite petrochemicals working party is developing a national strategy for the petrochemicals sector in the context of the Government's industrial strategy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the financial assistance provided through his Department in (a) the Liverpool Disrict Council area, and (b) the Merseyside County Council area, for the services for which he has responsibility, in the financial years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.

Expenditure by the Department of Energy in the North-West Region as a whole is assessed at £31 million in 1974–75 and £54 million in 1975–76. Expenditure for 1976–77 is not yet available. I regret that figures for particular areas within the region could not be identified without disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those power stations which are carrying out development trials to prove techniques for commercial fish farming; what is the nature of each of these trials; what are the commercial and scientific partners in each trial as the case may be; and if he will give a progress report on each trial.

The benefits of using low-grade waste heat from power stations for fish farming have been demonstrated in experiments carried out in England and Wales over a number of years. These have identified some species of fish which might be suitable for commercial fish farming at power stations. Further research work is being undertaken by the CEGB at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.The Board is currently negotiating with a number of interested concerns contractual arrangements for commercial development of fish farming, initially at Drax, Hinkley Point and Wylfa. I am asking the chairman of the Board to write to the hon. Member with such additional information as can be made available.Power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. I understand that the chairman of the Scottish Boards will be writing to the hon. Member. I am informed that there are at present no development trials in Northern Ireland, but the NIES is making preliminary inquiries with a view to possible trials at Ballylumford and the new station under construction at Kilroot.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to promote the installation of cavity wall insulation.

So far the Department of Energy has publicised the advantages of properly installed cavity wall insulation in the "Save it" campaign; in particular in a full page advertisement in the national Press devoted specifically to this subject, and in our booklets "Energy Saving in the Home", "How well is your home insulated" and "Compare your home heating costs". The possibility of further action has been discussed between representatives of the National Cavity Insulation Association, officials of this Department and the Department of the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether, in view of the increasing importance of inward investment by overseas oil companies, he will consider publishing a breakdown by area and country for both the net investment and the net earnings of overseas oil companies similar to that produced by the Department of Industry for other commercial and industrial companies in Business Monitor M4;(2) what is his estimate of the total book value of inward direct investment by overseas oil companies, of the inward direct investment of these companies in each of the last three years, and of the net earnings of these companies in the same period, in each case broken down by area and country.

The value of inward direct investment by overseas oil companies in each of the last three years is estimated to have been as follows:

£ million
	1974	1975	1976
North America	600	550	550
Western Europe	325	400	400
Total	925	950	950

Net earnings

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of money remitted to Pakistan last year by Pakistani immigrants now living in the United Kingdom.

Such remittances are not separately identified in the balance of payment statistics, and I regret the information is not available on which an estimate could be based.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would be obtained from a 5 per cent. rate of value added tax levied on all the goods and services which are currently zero rated; and if he will estimate the effect of such a tax on the retail price index.

On the basis of consumers' expenditure, of which about 30 per cent. is zero rated, it is estimated that the revenue yield would be about £1,150 million in a full year; the effect on the RPI would be an increase of about l½ per cent. if the tax were fully passed on in increased prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the rates of value added tax applicable in the EEC countries to transactions in antiques and in works of art.

The rates of VAT applicable in the EEC countries to supplies of antiques and works of art are as follows:

Country	Antiques Per cent.	Works of Art Per cent.
Belgium	18	18
Denmark	15	15
France	17·6*	17·6*†
Germany	11‡	5·5
Holland	4	4
Ireland	10	10
Italy	35§	35║
Luxembourg	10	10
United Kingdom	8¶	8¶
* Public auction sales are not liable to VAT; otherwise a "dealer's margin" scheme operates.
† Supplies by the original artist are outside he scope of VAT.
‡ Certain printed matter is chargeable at 5·5 per cent.
§ Books are chargeable at 6 per cent.
║Supplies by living artists (except for original engravings, prints and lithographs) are chargeable at 14 per cent.
¶ A "dealer's margin" scheme operates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will furnish a list of those EEC countries which operate a tax on the export of antiques and works of art, and indicate the rates.

From the information available I understand that no EEC countries charge a tax on exports of antiques and works of art to other EEC countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of relieving disabled drivers from road tax on their vehicles.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the extra cost of increasing the lone parent's additional tax relief to £695 instead of £420.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the extra cost of increasing the lone parent's additional tax relief to £490 instead of £420.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the personal tax allowances in the following years; and what would be the equivalent amounts at current values in 1947–48, 1957–58, 1967–68, and 1976–77.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current total number of employees at the National Savings Bank, Glasgow, and the Giro Headquarters, Bootle, giving a breakdown into appropriate grades and showing this as a comparison with numbers employed at the time of establishment.

According to the respective Post Office Reports and Accounts, the number of National Giro and Remittance Services staff was 3,029 in 1968–69 and 3,339 in 1975–76. Any detailed information about the breakdown of staff is a matter for the Post Office.The National Savings Bank was first established in Glasgow in April 1966 with 11 staff under plans for the dispersal of Government offices from London. On 9th May 1977 the staff employed in Glasgow totalled 4,768½. The following table shows the breakdown of all National Savings Bank staff by grade and location at April 1966 compared with 9th May 1977. Dispersal has not yet been completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the levels of profit at the National Savings Bank, Glasgow, and the Giro Headquarters, Bootle, in each of the last five years.

			1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
			£ million
Ordinary Account	…	…	12·2	13·5	13·8	14·7	18·9
Investment Account	…	…	3·2	3·1	2·1	−0·5	0·8

The accounts for 1976 will, in due course, be laid before Parliament as required by Sections 19 and 23 of the National Savings Bank Act 1971.The National Giro's profit/loss levels for the last five years were:

			1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76
			£ million
			−7·8*	−7·1*	−5·1*	+0·1*	+0·8†
*Source: White Paper on the Development of National Giro (Cmnd. 6344).
†Source: Post Office Report and Accounts 1975–76.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue cost of a new tax allowance, entitled parental allowance, given to the mother if she is a taxpayer, the father if she is not, introduced at a level of £156 per family.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish (a) the figure for revenue arising from the road tax of private vehicles, (b) for commercial vehicles and (c) the number of vehicles in both groups, to the nearest convenient period.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received since 17th June 1976 on his proposals on tithe redemption annuities: and whether he will make a statement.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much reduction of mortgage interest by 1 per cent. is likely to save the Government in tax relief in the current financial year.

The National Savings Bank operates ordinary and investment accounts and the surplus/deficit in each of the last five years of published accounts is as follows:

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what annual savings would accrue to the Treasury if tax relief on building society mortgages were allowed at the standard rate only for mortgages valued at (a) up to £5,000, and (b) for each additional £1,000.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that the information available is not sufficiently accurate to provide estimates ranged by £1,000 bands of building society mortgages. On a more limited basis, estimates for 1976–77 are as follows:

Building society mortgages*	Tax relief in excess of relief on basic rate £ million
above £8,000	45
above £10,000	30
above £15,000	15
*The estimates shown indicate orders of magnitude only. Where the amount outstanding on the mortgage exceeds the figure shown, tax relief has been allowed at the full rate up to that limit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the value of mortgage tax relief expressed as a percentage of (a) council house subsidies less rent rebates and allowances, and (b) council house subsidies including the cost of the rent rebate and allowance scheme for each year since 1970.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been made for 714 certificates; and how many of these applications have so far been granted.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he remains satisfied with the impact of new legal requirements concerning the lump system and the need for 714 certificates.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons were believed to be operating as self-employed under the lump system before the introduction of 714 certificates.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums invested on 5th April 1955 and 5th April 1966 would have the same purchasing power as £1,000 invested on 5th April 1975.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to the revenue of extending the separate taxation option for husband and wife to include (a) the entire investment income of the wife, (b) the investment income of the wife up to £1,500 per annum and (c) the investment income of the wife up to £4,000 per annum.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of his proposal in the Budget to raise each of the thresholds at which income tax is payable at rates above the standard rates, giving separate costings for each band and stating how many taxpayers will benefit in each case.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9th May 1977], gave the following answer:The estimates are as follows:

Bands of taxable income	Numbers who benefit	Cost
(£)	(000)	(£m.)
5,000–6,000	1,645	90
6,000–7,000	1,005	58
7,000–8,000	675	39
8,000–9,000	485	28
9,000–10,000	365	15
10,000–12,000	280	22
12,000–14,000	185	14
14,000–16,000	130	5
16,000–21,000	95	4
21,000 plus	50	—
		275

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the letter of 13th December last from Mr. Gscheidle, the West German Minister of Transport, to the Ministers of Transport in all EEC countries, in which he sets out his country's views on the need to restrict road traffic quotas and make more use of other transport modes, especially under-used railways; if he agrees with the suggestion; and what action he proposes to take along the same lines in the United Kingdom.

I have carefully studied the letter from Herr Gscheidle. The road congestion problems to which he refers are, of course, particularly relevant in West Germany which is a heavily trafficked transit country. It is likely, however, that this matter and the related railway problems will be discussed at the next Council of Ministers (Transport), which it is hoped will be held towards the end of June.The British Government decided in 1974 to encourage the transfer of freight traffic from road to rail by setting up the new system of financial support for the railways and by providing grants under Section 8 of the Railways Act 1974 towards the cost of freight installations where these would benefit the local environment. Steps have also been taken to provide fairer competition between

				1974–75	1975–76	1976–77
(a) Liverpool DC Area:
(i) Bus fuel grant	…	…	…	0·9	0·9	1·1
(ii) Infrastructure grant	…	…	…	7·2	6·1	8·2
(iii) Rail freight grant	…	…	…	—	—	0·2
Total	…	…	…	8·1	7·0	9·5
(b) Merseyside CC Area (excluding amounts at (a) and including grants paid for the County Area as a whole):
(i) Bus fuel grant	…	…	…	0·3	0·4	0·4
(ii) New bus grant	…	…	…	1·2	1·7	0·9
(iii) Infrastructure grant	…	…	…	0·1	0·1	—
(iv) Principal roads etc. grants	…	…	…	2·2	0·1	0·3
(v) Rail passenger services grant	…	…	…	2·9	—	—
(vi) Rail freight—grant	…	…	…	—	0·2	—
(vii) Transport supplementary grant	…	…	…	—	12·4	9·9
Total	…	…	…	6·7	14·9	11·5

(i) From 1st April 1975 specific grants for principal roads and for passenger transport executive support of British Rail services were replaced by the transport supplementary grant.(ii) The figures do not include public service obligation grants to the British Railways Board which cannot be attributed to individual local authority areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if it remains his policy that the transport supplement grant, not being a specific grant, may be used by a county council, once allocated to it, in such a way as it thinks appropriate in respect of its transportation expenditure generally.

Yes, but I do not expect a county to pursue policies substantially different from the proposals I have accepted as eligible expenditure for grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is yet able to announce the preferred route for the improvement of the A1 between Roestock and Stanborough in Hertfordshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the financial assistance provided through his Department in (a) Liverpool District Council area, and (b) Merseyside County Council area in the financial years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.

The information is as follows:

Yes. The cut and cover tunnel—scheme 2—blue route has been chosen for this improvement. The route broadly follows the line of the existing Al through Hatfield.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when Mr. J. Kelly will receive his driving licence.

I can only answer Questions such as this if I have the full name, the date of birth and preferably the address of the driver. Without this, or the vehicle registration mark in case of a vehicle licensing inquiry, there is no means of access to the computerised record.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the law relating to white zigzag lines along the sides of roads outside school entrances.

These markings are advisory traffic signs. They are used, with the words SCHOOL—KEEP CLEAR, to discourage drivers from waiting when children are going to and from school. Advisory zigzag lines laid during the last two years should be yellow in colour, in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken on the complaint dated 27th April from the Chairman of the Braybrooke Parish Council on the failure of the Northamptonshire County Council to provide sites for itinerants under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.

The Department has brought the complaint to the attention of the county council. I understand that the council is now carrying out design work on a proposed site for 30 caravans at Desborough, near Braybrooke.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what statutory requirements are placed on quarry owners to warn the public of possible dangers.

Employers generally and self-employed persons, including quarry owners, have the duty by virtue of Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 to conduct their undertakings in such a way as to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that persons other than their employees who may be affected by the undertakings are not exposed to risks to their safety. In the case of quarries, whether this duty should be fulfilled by warning notices or by other means is a matter for those on whom the duty is imposed.In addition, there are specific requirements as to warnings. Warning notices of blasting operations in quarries are required by virtue of the Quarries (Explosives) Regulations 1959. Notices are also required in certain circumstances where underwater pumping creates an overhand at the end of a mineral working.So far as disused quarries are concerned, Section 151(2)(

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received from the Joint Waste Paper Advisory Council about the disincentives currently preventing the local authorities from operating viable waste paper collection services and the need to encourage the expansion of such collections; and what reply he has sent.

We have received representations from the Joint Waste Paper Advisory Council about the reduction, which has now continued over many years, in the amount of waste paper recovered by local authorities. I shall be replying to them today, offering the meeting for which they have asked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the financial assistance provided through his Department in (a) Liverpool District Council area, and (b) Merseyside County Council area in the financial years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.

My Department provided financial assistance as follows to local authorities in (a) the Liverpool District Council Area and (b) the Merseyside County Council area.

	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77
	£m.	£m.	£m.
(a)	84·66	95·43	103·84
(b)	198·74	248·70	266·54

Information relating to other bodies receiving assistance is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Society of County Treasurers entitled "Smallholdings Statistics 1974–75", of which he has already received a copy.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the report of the Housing Services Advisory Group on Tenancy Agreements will be published.