asked the Attorney-General if he will inquire into the circumstances in which a 13 year old girl came to be prosecuted for abortion under the provisions of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

I am aware of the circumstances leading to the prosecution under Section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The Director of Public Prosecutions has acknowledged that the advice which led to the institution of the proceedings was wrong. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has recommended the exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy to grant a free pardon.

asked the Attorney-General how many references to the Court of Justice of the European Communities asking for preliminary rulings on the interpretation of Community law have been made by United Kingdom courts since the United Kingdom became a member of the EEC.

Since the United Kingdom became a member of the European Communities there have been seven occasions when United Kingdom courts or tribunals have referred questions to the Court of Justice of the Communities for a preliminary ruling.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions the activities of the Department of Health and Social Security in issuing unsafe, officially condemned invalid tricycles to handicapped people; and if he will make a statement.

No. I have no evidence that the design and construction of the invalid tricycles supplied to handi- capped people are such that their use constitutes a criminal offence.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average length of time spent in custody awaiting trial by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic's citizens arrested in the United Kingdom.

I regret this information is not available; records are not kept on the basis of nationality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police, plain clothes and in uniform, were on duty in and around the Palace of Westminster on the date when the House adjourned for the summer and at the latest date.

Sixty officers were on duty on 29th July, and 100 on 4th November. The increase in the number of officers reflects the implementation of improved security arrangements at the Palace following the statement by Mr. Speaker on 27th July—[Vol. 936, c. 631–4.]—and normal seasonal variations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the number of police officers and their ranks who were advised or decided to retire from office, with and without pension, who were subsequently prosecuted and found guilty of crimes; and what were or are the pensions originally drawn or still being drawn by these convicted criminals.

I have already given my hon. Friend such information as is available about officers in the Metropolitan Police who have resigned or retired while the subject of an investigation which subsequently led to their conviction for a criminal offence. As regards the 42 other police forces in England and Wales, such information as is available is provided in Chapter IX of the annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary. In so far as this material is insufficient, I regret it would not be possible to provide more without considerable research which I would not consider justified.The pension entitlement of police officers who retire from police forces is governed by the Police Pensions Regulations 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no refund of the unexpired licence fee for a colour television set is returnable to the licence holder when it is no longer used; and if he will seek so to amend the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949.

The grounds on which refunds on television licences may be given under the powers in Section 3(3) of the Post Office Act 1969 must be limited if the licensing system is not to become unmanageable and excessively expensive. The policy on refunds is under review in the light of recommendation of the Annan Committee on the Future of Broadcasting that no changes should be made in the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make the decision to ensure that the whole of Northern Ireland is covered by an independent radio service.

I would ask the hon. Gentleman to await the publication of the Government's proposals for the future constitution, structure and organisation of broadcasting in the United Kingdom. These will include proposals relating to local radio.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum prison wage per week paid to those who work (a) flat rate for non-industrial work, (b) piece rate and (c) under special incentive pay schemes; and to how many prisoners the latter scheme applies to.

In England and Wales the maximum weekly payments to prisoners —disregarding overtime—under the three schemes to which the hon. and learned Member refers are as follows:

(a) £1·35 to £1·41, depending upon grade of job;

(b) £1·68;

(c) £1·39 to £2·93 depending up the standard working week and level of skill which apply in the particular shop.

About 4,200 prisoners participate in special incentive schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed 10 per cent. pay increase for the police will apply to their flat rate of pay or total gross pay; whether there will be a 10 per cent. increase in allowances; whether the 10 per cent. will be applied to pay figures increased of the last 5 per cent. increase; and to what extent any further increase granted as a result of the inquiry under Lord Edmund-Davies will be backdated.

The 10 per cent. pay increase covers gross pay after the 5 per cent. supplement but excludes reimbursement allowances. Until the Committee of Inquiry under Lord Edmund-Davies has made recommendations on pay the timing of their implementation cannot be considered. This is a matter on which the Committee may express views. The Government are committed to accepting the Committtee's recommendations on pay but reserve the right to consider the phasing of their implementation.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what was the total amount of United Kingdom aid given during the last 12 months for which figures are available to (a) Tanzania, (b) Zambia, (c) Mozambique, (d) Angola, (e) Uganda, and (f) Kenya.

Total United Kingdom aid disbursements, including pension pay- ments and CDC loans, for 1976, the latest year for which figures are available, were:

				£'000
Tanzania	…	…	…	4,440
Zambia	…	…	…	11,373
Mozambique	…	…	…	19
Angola	…	…	…	Nil
Uganda	…	…	…	94*
Kenya	…	…	…	21,002

	£'000
*Supplementation payments	42
Pensions loans advance to Crown Agents	24
East African research programmes	27
Technical co-operation training	1

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what will be the percentage increase in public service pensions on 1st December 1977.

I would refer the hon. Member to the pensions Increase (Annual Review) Order 1977 (SI No. 1387) laid before the House on 26th August 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if a crofter, purchasing his croft under the new Act, will qualify for aid under the free legal aid scheme.

Subject to financial eligibility, he could be assisted under the legal aid, advice and assistance schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether there is any evidence that shoes from Eastern Europe are being imported in quantity and underselling home products.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11 th November 1977; Vol. 938, c. 312], gave the following information:There are significant imports in certain sectors and in some cases Eastern European imports may retail at lower prices than comparable British products. Where this is the result of dumping, remedies are available and a number of measures have already been taken. There are also current volume restraint arrange-

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why the EEC changed the basis of United Kingdom trade statistics in its Eurostat figures between 1973 and 1974 without explanation or notification.

If the hon. Member will provide details of the specific change to which he refers I will look into the matter, though of course I have no direct responsibility for Eurostat publications. There have been no fundamental changes in the basis of the trade statistics in United Kingdom official publications which are the best source for national statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a list showing for each of the last five years ended June 1977 the quantity of oil imported and the cost thereof.

Following is the information:ments some of which have been in operation since 1975, covering imports of men's, women's, and children's leather footwear and leather sandals from Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he is taking to secure compensation for relatives and dependants of the 46 Britons killed in the mid-air collision over France in March 1973 from the French authorities.

I have been asked to reply.There are now two actions in progress in the French courts: a suit in the Administrative Court against the French Ministry of Defence and Ministry of

Equipment, and another in the Penal Court against "persons unknown" to determine the liability of the military ground controllers and the Spantax pilot. The matter is therefore still

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to revise targets for livestock expansion in "Food from our own Resources"; and if he will publish the new figures.

The White Paper "Food from our own Resources" did not set targets for individual commodities, but included projections and guidelines on the balance between sectors. The current review of "Food from our own Resources" 15th December 1977. Thereafter payments are due at monthly intervals. I understand that all other member States have now agreed to collect the levy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the estimated value of fruit and vegetables destroyed in the EEC in 1976; what were the quantities of each; and what was the total amount paid in compensation to the growers.

Community arrangements operating at times of surplus provide for withdrawal of certain items by recognised producer organisations, who receive compensation at well below normal market prices when produce is disposed of in approved ways. Where possible, the withdrawn produce is utilised by charities, for animal feed or for processing but inevitably, because it is highly perishable, some becomes unfit for use and may have to be ploughed in or otherwise destroyed.will be reconsidering the various sectors, including livestock, in the light of the changed circumstances since 1975; and written views are currently being received from a number of interested bodies. It is still too early to say what figures may emerge from the review or how the conclusions may be presented.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the estimated current world surpluses of common wheat, durum wheat, husked rice, barley, maize, white suger, butter and skimmed milk powder, together with the estimated average price level at which regular trade takes place on the world market.

No estimates are available of world surpluses for the commodities requested. The latest published estimates of stocks are set out below along with similar data for recent years. These stocks

END-YEAR WORLD STOCK LEVELS
			End 1975 or 1975–76	End 1976 or 1976–77	Million tonnes End 1977 or 1977–78 (forecast)
Common wheat*	…	…	60	98	85
Durum wheat	…	…
Milled rice*	…	…	18	16	16
Barley	…	…	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Maize	…	…	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Feed grains* †	…	…	52	71	80
Total sugar (white equivalent)	…	…	17	21	23–27
Butter	…	…	0·589	0·713	0·884
Cheese	…	…	1·899	2·058	1·996

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out those recommendations of the Bell inquiry into supplementary benefit appeal tribunals which have been accepted by the Government, those which have been acted upon to date, and those which have been rejected.

Professor Bell's recommendations, which I assume the hon. Member has in mind, have so far been dealt with as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the main findings of the recent investigation into the Respiratory Health of the Adult Male Population of the Quarrying Areas of Gwynedd, what steps he is taking to encourage slate quarry workers to apply to the pneumoconiosis panel where appropriate.

Only preliminary details of the findings of the investigation to which the hon. Member refers have as yet been published. However, as a result of cooperation between the research team which carried out the investigation and the pneumoconiosis medical panel, those covered by the inquiry who were considered to be suffering from pneumoconiosis, 69 in all, have been advised to claim benefit. As a result, there have so far been 28 claims, of which 27 have been successful, from slate quarry workers who had not applied before. We are examining the position to see what further steps should be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report (a) the long-term and (b) the ordinary supplementary benefit rate for a single person, a married couple, a married couple with two children under 11 years of age and a married couple with four children—two under 11 years of age and two over 11 years of age —including an average rent payment, as a percentage of average gross earnings for each year since 1964;(2) if he will list in the

I would refer the hon. Member to the tables on pages 131 and 132 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission's Annual Report for 1976. A more precise answer could be given if the hon. Member would let me know the exact ages of the children he has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate

RETIREMENT PENSION FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND A MARRIED COUPLE AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS* AND NET† AVERAGE EARNINGS
			Single Person		Married Couple
Date			Gross Earnings Per cent.	Net Earnings Per cent.	Gross Earnings Per cent.	Net Earnings Per cent.
October 1973	…	…	18·9	26·1	30·5	40·7
August 1977‡	…	…	21·3	30·9	34·1	46·4
November 1977§	…	…	24·4	35·4	39·0	53·0
* Estimates made by the Department of Health and Social Security based on the average gross weekly earnings of male adult, full-time manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries as determined by the Department of Employment's October inquiry and the Monthly Index of Average Earnings.
† Gross earnings less tax and national insurance contributions.
‡Pension rates introduced in November 1976 as a percentage of the provisional earnings figures for August 1977, the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Pension rates introduced in November 1977 as a percentage of the provisional earnings figures for August 1977, the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he is engaged in concerning regulations to be made under the Employment of Children Act 1973; and when he expects to make such regulations.

Following consultations with the local authority associations, the regulations were deferred in February 1976 for two years because of the limited resources available to local authorities to implement them during a period of financial restraint. In the meantime local

We do not expect that the existing facilities will be inadequate to meet the possible increased demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the retirement pension for a single person in 1973 and at the latest available date expressed as a percentage of the average wage;(2) what was the retirement pension for a married couple in 1973 and at the latest available date expressed as a percentage of the average wage.

The information requested is as follows:authority byelaws on the employment of children continue to operate. The local authority associations will be consulted again at the end of the year about the introduction of the regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report of the National Insurance Advisory Committee on the draft regulations to exclude students from receipt of unemployment benefit in the short vacations is likely to be received; and if he will make a statement.

The report has been received and is being published today (Cmnd. 6976). In view of the Committee's recommendation that the regulations should not be made, we do not intend to proceed with them immediately. However we shall continue our consideration of the circumstances in which students can qualify for unemployment benefit, with a view to putting forward amended proposals in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the outcome of the recent meeting held in London to review the United Kingdom-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Agreement of 1975.

The third annual meeting, lasting from 3rd-10th October, of the Joint Medical Committee which reviews the working of the Agreement looked at work during the past year and elaborated plans for co-operation in the forthcoming one. The meeting demonstrated that both sides were satisfied with the working of the arrangements for reciprocal health care for visitors between the two countries and wished to confirm that co-operation should continue to concentrate on the three designated fields of eye diseases, emergency medical services and traumatology and influenza. Within each of these fields specific new co-operative work and further exchanges of specialists and of equipment were agreed, providing a sound framework for useful and realistic progress in the year to come. A Protocol was signed by the United Kingdom and USSR Co-Chairmen of the Joint Medical Committee at the conclusion of discussions detailing the decisions that had been taken and the programmes of cooperative work agreed for the forthcoming year. I am arranging for a copy of this Protocol to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many vehicle road fund licences his Department pays on behalf of disabled persons; and what publicity is given to this scheme of assistance.

In England about 27,000 vehicles supplied by my Depart- ment and some 19,000 vehicles in respect of which a private car allowance is paid are exempt from licence duty under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971. Under the Finance Act 1971 exemption can also be obtained for a vehicle whose registered keeper is sufficiently disabled to satisfy the medical criteria for an invalid tricycle but too disabled to drive one and who needs to be looked after and driven by a constant attendant. Some 850 new applicants annually are issued by my Department with certificates enabling them to claim this exemption. Advice on applying for exemption is given in the booklet "Help for handicapped people" obtainable from local social security offices and the social services departments of local authorities. My Department does, of course, provide grants to a number of organisations to help with publicity and information over the whole field of disability..

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total expenditure allocated to the capital cost, adaptation, insurance, servicing, attendance at breakdowns, repairs, reconditioning, garaging, making good accident damage, petrol allowance, maintenance allowance, carriage, driving tuition and maintenance of reserve vehicles, respectively, in relation to the supply by his Department of invalid tricycles and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, as at 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively;(2) what were the total amounts, less capital cost, spent on invalid tricycle repairs, maintenance, garaging, tax, insurance, driving tuition, maintaining reserve vehicles and petrol allowances, under each respective heading as recorded by his Department as at 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1977, respectively;(3) what were the total amounts, less capital cost, spent on the adaptation of four-wheeled vehicles, insurance, tax, driving tuition and maintenance allowances, under each respective heading as recorded by his Department as at 31st March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th November 1977; Vol. 939, c. 137–8], gave the following revised information:The figure given for expenditure on the repair, adaptation and maintenance of three-wheelers should be £3,144,662—not £3,263,733 as stated.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry under what scheme he proposes to operate the 30 per cent.

	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77
Yorkshire and Humberside Intermediate Area:
Gross expenditure	£6 m.	£5 m.	£17 m.	£24 m.	£27 m.	£30 m.
Per head of population	£1·3	£1·1	£3·7	£5·2	£5·8	£6·5
Scotland:
Gross expenditure	£131 m.	£131 m.	£163 m.	£188 m.	£258 m.	£216 m.
Per head of population	£25·1	£25·1	£31·3	£36·0	£49·6	£41·5
Wales:
Gross expenditure	£72 m.	£91 m.	£105 m.	£108 m.	£120 m.	£138 m.
Per head of population	£26·4	£33·3	£38·2	£39·2	£43·4	£41·2

The figures include regional development grants, regional employment premium (REP), regional selective financial assistance, the investment grant differential. Local Employment Act expenditure and expenditure on land and factories. They include regional preferential expenditure by other Government Departments and Agencies. All figures are gross and include payments to nationalised industries.REP expenditure is in cash terms and it is not sensible to translate into 1977 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's recent official visit to Liverpool.

No such announcement was made.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money in constant values has been spent per head of the population in creating jobs in the last six years in Scotland, in Wales, and in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region; and if he will express this in terms of the total amount granted, and the amount per capita in each of the above areas.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th November 1977; Vol. 938, c. 92], gave the following information:I regret that information is not available in precisely the form requested. However, the best estimates of regional assistance to industry at 1977 prices, for the period 1971–72–1976–77 are as follows:

I visited Liverpool on 8th November formally to launch building operations on a six-acre inner city factory site at King Edward Street. The Department is to build on it the 20 small advance factory units totalling 88,000 sq. ft. that I announced on 26th July in reply to a Question from my hon. Friends. About 350 jobs are expected to be provided when these units are completed and occupied. I am grateful to my hon. Friend and his Merseyside colleagues for their welcome for a project which they have advocated.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table comparing the annual average rates of change in output per person employed, during each five-year period since 1955, in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States of America, Canada and Japan and in each of the following sectors; agriculture, mining, manufacturing, electricity, gas and water, textiles, construction, industrial production

OUTPUT PER PERSON EMPLOYED
Annual average rates of change
Percentages
			Manufacturing industry	Industrial production	Gross National Product
United Kingdom
1960–65	…	…	+2·8	+2·8	+2·2
1965–70	…	…	+3·2	4+3·5	+2·7
1970–75	…	…	+2·6	+2·0	+1·4
Belgium
1965–70	…	…	+6·8	+7·4	+4·3
1970–72	…	…	(+4·5)	(+5·5)	(+4·0)
France
1965–70	…	…	..	+7·1	+5·4
1970–75	…	…	..	+4·6	+3·7
German Federal Republic
1965–70	…	…	+4·6	+4·8	+4·8
1970–75	…	…	+3·0	+3·0	+2·7
Netherlands
1965–70	…	…	+7·7	+9·7	+4·8
1970–75 (74)	…	…	+3·5	+5·2	(+4·2)
Sweden
1965–70	…	…	+5·9	+5·9	+3·1
1970–75	…	…	+2·7	+2·8	+1·2
United States
1965–70	…	…	+1·2	+1·0	+1·7
1970–75	…	…	+1·4	+1·0	+l·2
Canada
1965–70	…	…	+3·5	..	+3·1
1970–74	…	…	(+3·3)	..	(+2·4)
Japan
1965–70	…	…	+13·5	+13·1	+10·0
1970–75	…	…	+5·9	+5·7	+5·1
.. = Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table showing the value of output per person employed, at current prices and at constant prices, in 1960, 1970 and the and service industries, respectively; and what has been the equivalent change in GNP for each such period.

I have been asked to reply.The only comparable information that is readily available is as shown in the following tableslatest year for which the figures are available, in each of the following sectors: agriculture, mining and quarrying, metal manufacture, textiles, vehicles, banking and insurance, hotels and catering.

I have been asked to reply.

OUTPUT PER PERSON EMPLOYED
				1960	1963	1970	1974	1976
				£	£	£	£	£
At current prices*
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	…	…	…	833	952	1,672	3,286	4,954
Mining and quarrying	…	…	…	879	1,107	1,702	3,009	7,063
Metal manufacture	…	…	…	..	1,228	1,822	3,296	..
Textiles	…	…	…	..	849	1,379	2,272	..
Vehicles	…	…	…	..	1,161	1,614	3,066	..
Banking and insurance	…	…	…	..	..	..	..	..
Hotels and catering	…	…	…
					Index numbers 1970=100
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	…	…	…	49·9	57·0	100·0	196·6	296·2
Mining and quarrying	…	…	…	49·9	65·0	100·0	176·7	414·7
Metal manufacture	…	…	…	..	67·4	100·0	180·8	..
Textiles	…	…	…	..	61·6	100·0	164·7	..
Vehicles	…	…	…	..	72·0	100·0	189·9	..
Banking and insurance	…	…	…	..	..	..	..	..
Hotels and catering	…	…	…
At 1970 prices
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	…	…	…	54·7	63·1	100·0	132·0	119·5
Mining and quarrying	…	…	…	67·5	76·8	100·0	92·6	105·1
Metal manufacture	…	…	…	88·9	86·2	100·0	107·4	107·8
Textiles	…	…	…	63·7	68·9	100·0	114·9	128·5
Vehicles	…	…	…	85·5	88·9	100·0	109·2	109·3
Banking and insurance	…	…	…	..	..	..	..	..
Hotels and catering	…	…	…
.. = Not available.
* No corresponding estimates are available at constant prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the annual output in tons of coal produced per employee, as distinct from the output per manshift, in the coal mining industry in the United Kingdom for each of the years 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1976; if he will express these figures as a percentage of the 1970 figure in each instance; and what were the comparable figures for coal mining in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The information requested is as follows:since the nationalisation of the coal industry, the amount of public expenditure at prices current for each year in favour of the National Coal Board for (

The figures, in terms of receipts in the National Coal Board's accounting years, are:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many planning applications have been made for new opencast coal mining projects by the National Coal Board since the beginning of 1974; in how many cases he has held a public inquiry under the Opencast Coal Act 1958; in how many cases he has (a) approved, (b) approved with conditions, and (c) refused planning permission; and, in each case, whether the county planning authority indicated its support or opposition to the application at the public inquiry.

Since the beginning of1974 the National Coal Board has made application for 74 opencast coal sites of which to date 59 have been approved and two refused. Planning conditions are always imposed, designed to minimise the impact which working the site will have on the locality. 17 applications gave rise to public inquries, and in 15 of these the county planning authority opposed the application.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now give details of the electricity bill discount scheme for the winter.

All regular recipients of supplementary benefit or family income supplement who are in benefit in the week of 16th January 1978 will receive an extra payment of £5 when claiming benefit for that week. This is to help with electricity or other fuel costs.Recipients of these benefits who receive an electricity board bill for electricity charges exceeding £20 may claim a discount of 25 per cent. of the amount above £20. The bills which qualify for this assistance will be related to meter readings due to take place in the three months to 31st March 1978 and will indicate the amount of the discount in simple coded form. Vouchers to cover this amount will be issued by post offices to electricity consumers who present their qualifying bill together with their allowance order book or Girocheque. Explanatory leaflets with more detailed advice on procedure will be available from post offices, electricity showrooms, local government offices and many other agencies from 12th December, and I shall send copies to hon. Members. Meanwhile, I have placed in the Library copies of a Press notice issued on 18th October which included this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will undertake a thorough review of the various methods used for the calculation of entitlement to welfare and social security benefits in health, welfare and education, in order to ensure that the expenditure involved is being properly directed to where it is most needed, and that the possibility of fraud and overpayment is kept to reasonable proportions.

Policy and procedures for the payment of social security and other benefits are kept under constant review in order to meet changing circumstances, and to take advantage of new techniques and equipment. The prevention of abuse of the system and the need to ensure that all those with a right to a benefit receive what they are entitled to are given very careful attention at all times.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied with the existing arrangements for the calculation of entitlement to exemption from health service optical charges, whereby a person is required to meet any charge up to three times the amount by which his weekly income exceeds requirements, particularly in the case of a single parent family.

Throughout the United Kingdom the existing arrangements make provision for the disregard of £4 per week of earnings increased to £6 in the case of a single-parent family and also for the disregard of £2·50 per week of any excess of available resources over needs as calculated for supplementary benefit. I am satisfied that within the resources available these arrangements ensure that those most in need receive adequate help.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make representations to the insurance companies about motor insurance business in Northern Ireland with a view to the setting up of an insurance consortium for the provision of suitable and adequate insurance cover in those areas such as motor car insurance, where the law makes insurance compulsory and from which a number of insurance companies have been withdrawing underwriting.

Eighty insurance companies are authorised to carry out motor insurance in Northern Ireland and some other companies authorised in Great Britain also provide motor insurance for Northern Ireland drivers through local insurance brokers. In the last few months two insurance companies have withdrawn from the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland, but there remain adequate motor insurance facilities for Northern Ireland motorists.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the companies in Northern Ireland in receipt of Government loans or grants during the period of the last three years, the amounts concerned, and the reported profits or losses for the last three years of the companies concerned.

It is not the practice of the Department of Commerce to disclose information about loan or grant assistance provided to individual companies. While information about profits or losses is obtained by the Department in order to assist the proper administra- tion of the Department's schemes of assistance, in many cases the basis of receipt is confidential and the information could not be disclosed without breaching this confidence.The total grant and loan assistance given under the Industries Development Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 and 1971, as amended by the Industries Development (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, for the last three years was as follows:

	Grant	Loan
	£	£
Year ended 31st March 1975	21,285,791	8,269,183
Year ended 31st March 1976	20,078,209	7,529,486
Year ended 31st March 1977	19,985,780	1,643,583

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to seek to amend Section 118 of the Housing Act 1974 following the case of Norfolk v. Trinity College, Cambridge.

I hope to bring forward proposals when a suitable opportunity arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for what parts of England orders under Section 21 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 repealing Schedules 5 and 6 to that Act have not yet been made.

Orders repealing Schedules 5 and 6 to the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 have not yet been made for the following parts of England:

The counties of Avon, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, Northamptonshire. Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxford-shire, Salop, Somerset, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear, West Sussex, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire;

In the county of Cleveland, the district of Hartlepool;

In the county of Hampshire, the districts of Basingstoke, Hart and Rushmore, and parts of

ACREAGE OF DERELICT LAND RECLAIMED IN ENGLAND IN 1975–76*
Region				By Local Authorities	By Other Agencies	Total
Northern	…	…	…	1,460	269	1,729
North West	…	…	…	685	130	815
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	…	…	362	411	773
West Midlands	…	…	…	867	437	1,304
East Midlands	…	…	…	322	552	874
South West	…	…	…	79	17	96
South East (including London)	…	…	…	120	233	353
East Anglia	…	…	…	47	103	150
Total for England	…	…	…	3,942	2,152	6,094
* Figures for subsequent periods are not yet available.

(b) LOCAL AUTHORITY EXPENDITURE ON THE RECLAMATION OF DERELICT LAND†
Region	1975–76£m.	1976–77‡£m.	1st 6 months 1977–78‡£m.
Northern	4·0	3·6	1·6
North West	2·1	2·0	0·8
Yorkshire and Humberside	1·0	1·9	0·7
West Midlands	2·0	1·4	0·4
East Midlands	1·1	0·8	0·3
South West	0·3	0·07	0·04
South East (including London) and East Anglia	0·2	0·1	0·05
Total for England	10·7	9·9	3·9
† Expenditure by other agencies is not known.
‡ Expenditure was affected by the moratorium on local authority schemes between [15th]December 1976 and 14th June 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage the carriage of freight by canal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of acres of derelict land cleared and the amount of money spent on the clearance of derelict land in each region of the country for each of the years 1975 and 1976; and what is the latest figure available for the current year.

The information that is available is as follows:

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 26th October.—Vol. 936. c. 850–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify the lifts in the Palace of Westminster which have been deliberately put out of action; what is the particular defect in each case; and what action he is taking to restore the lift facilities in the Palace of Westminster.

I am not aware that any lifts in the Palace of Westminster have been deliberately put out of action. Repairs to lifts which break down are not being carried out at present, as part of industrial action in support of a claim for increased craft allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he hopes to be able to implement the provisions in Schedule 10 to the Community Land Act to help simplify the machinery to settle small claims.

The Lands Tribunal (Amendment) Rules 1977, which enable the Tribunal, with the consent of the claimant in compensation cases, to determine applications by written representation, will come into effect on 12th December 1977. These new procedures are particularly relevant to simple and straightforward cases. By avoiding the need for attendance of the parties, their advisers and witnesses they should help reduce costs. Such proceedings should also be capable of being dealt with by the Tribunal speedily.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for making the use of tachographs in commercial vehicles compulsory.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for complying with the EEC regulations that tachographs should be installed in the cabs of new lorries.

I regret that I still have nothing to add to my previous statements.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the letter he received in September from Herr Gscheidle, the West German Minister of Transport, was discussed at the EEC Council of Transport Ministers on 27th October 1977; and, if so, with what effect.

Herr Gscheidle's letter was not discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to bring forward legislation to provide for continuing Exchequer support for British Railways passenger business.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to bring forward legislation to provide for continuing Exchequer support for British Railways passenger business.

In the Transport Bill referred to in the Queen's Speech.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many people hold driving licences for passenger cars.

About 19 million people hold full licences to drive cars; 3 million people hold provisional licences to drive any type of vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the investigations he requested the National Bus Company to make into the question of concessionary fare schemes for pensioners.

As I said in reply to the hon. Member for East Grinstead (Mr. Johnson Smith) on 20th July— [Vol. 935, c. 1584–6]— I understand that the National Bus Company expects to be able to assess early next year the results of several pilot schemes set up to study the commercial possibilities of various forms of travel concessions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on the Government's proposed transport legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on the Government's proposed transport legislation.

Not at this stage except in so far as the Bill will deal with essential items regarding the NFC and BR and will implement some of the proposals in the transport policy White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will bring forward proposals to implement the suggestions on drinking and driving in the Blennerhassett Report.

Not in this parliamentary Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the recent meeting of the EEC Council of Transport Ministers which discussed the drivers' hours and distances and tachograph regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the recent meeting of the EEC Council of Transport Ministers which discussed the drivers' hours and distances and tachograph regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the progress of his discussions with EEC Ministers on drivers' hours and the use of the tachograph in the road haulage industry.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bradley) on Friday 4th November.—[Vol. 938, c. 8–10] Certain minor amendments to the tachograph regulation, No. 1463/70, were also adopted by the Council, but these do not in any way affect the current United Kingdom difficulties with this regulation.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet the Chairman of the British Railways Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet the Chairman of British Railways.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has completed the investigations into the construction of the Birmingham inner ring road.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to write to my hon. Friend shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects his survey of the incidence of road vehicle licence offences to be completed.

I expect a report in January.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the average amount of central Government subsidy per person paid on all forms of public transport in the South-East Region and Cornwall, respectively.

No such estimate is possible because Government subsidies to British Railways and some bus subsidies such as new bus grant cannot be attributed to particular counties or planning regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action is going to be taken to deal with the lighting problems of some imported motor cycle combinaions which have the sidecar fitted to the offside.