asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the negotiations with Hitachi.

I met with representatives of Hitachi on 6th December, when they informed me that the company had decided not to proceed with its proposal to establish a colour television factory in Washington New Town at this time.The company explained that, in the lengthy discussions which have taken place between Hitachi and the Government, the company has made a number of important concessions of benefit to the United Kingdom. But the United Kingdom industry and trade unions have remained opposed to the proposal, despite all efforts to explain the company's intentions. Hitachi would not wish to establish a manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom unless the climate was favourable. It believed that even if the United Kingdom Government were to give immediate approval, it could not expect normal operation of the project in the United Kingdom. The company had therefore decided to take the proposal no further at this time.I told the representatives of Hitachi that I fully understand the reasons for the decision. It remains Government policy to welcome all inward investment which brings benefit to the United Kingdom, but the Government would wish in this case to take account of the views of the United Kingdom industry and trade unions with which it is seeking to develop a strategy for rationalising the electronics industry. Decisions on individual projects in this sector would need to be taken in the light of those discussions. We agreed that there would be other possibilities for future co-operation, and I made clear that the Government would welcome the opportunity to discuss these with Hitachi.I regret that this project has been deferred but emphasise that it has not been cancelled. Inward investment will continue to play an important part in strengthen ing United Kingdom industry by creating new jobs, particularly in the assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) following the approval he gave on 6th October 1977 to the formation of the joint venture company Polsko Brytyjski Przedsiewziecie Zeglugowe Sp. Z.Oo Szczecin, what proportion of the company's equity will be held by British Shipbuilders;(2) how many British directors and Polish directors there will be on the Polskso Brytyiskie Przedsiewziecie Zeglugowe Sp. Z.Oo Szczecin; and what will be their salaries.

The company is expected to be formally constituted immediately before the building contracts are finalised. The principal agreement signed by British Shipbuilders and Polska Zegluga Morska provides that:—

asked the Lord President of the Council how many new cash registers were installed in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster during the Summer Adjournment; and what was their cost.

Eleven machines were installed during the Summer Adjournment. Selection of these machines was made following competitive tendering by several manufacturers. To reveal their cost would therefore breach the confidentiality of competitive tenders and is contrary to normal Government practice.

asked the Lord President of the Council what proportion of the staff of the Refreshment Department for the years 1974 to 1977 were (a) permanent and (b) temporary for each year.

I have been asked to reply.The details are as follows:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give the basic hours of work for civil servants generally and in the Whitehall offices in particular.

The basic weekly hours of attendance of the majority of non-industrial civil servants are 41 hours in London and 42 hours elsewhere, inclusive of one hour's paid meal break on every full working day. Most industrial civil servants have a basic working week of 40 hours, exclusive of unpaid meal breaks, wherever they are employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response she proposes to make to the statement of the Science Research Council that the lower budgets envisaged over the next few years will not enable it to discharge its responsibilities adequately.

The Government have recently announced that the science budget, of which the Science Research Council is one of the recipient bodies, should be increased by £4 million in 1978–79 and that in addition there should be a special allocation of £4 million for capital work.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cut in real terms in the expenditure of the Science Research Council in 1977–78 as compared with 1976–77.

If a special addition in 1977–78 to cover the cost of higher tuition fees for postgraduate students is ignored, the Science Research Council's allocation from the science budget was approximately 3·4 per cent. lower in real terms in 1977–78 than in 1976–77.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps she is taking to ensure that subscriptions to international research organisations by the Science Research Council do not, in the light of the fluctuating value of the £ sterling, impair the ability of the Science Research Council to fund scientific research in the United Kingdom, bearing in mind that international subscriptions pre-empt 30 per cent. of the Science Research Council's expenditure.

It is intended that provision in 1978–79 Estimates for subscriptions to international research organisations paid by the Science Research Council should reflect exchange rates prevailing in October 1977. Should this prove inadequate in the course of the year because of an adverse change in the rates, I would consider a case for supplementation to be considered within the ceiling of the cash limit for the science block.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the planned reduction in real terms in the expenditure of the Science Research Council up to 1981–82.

The guideline for the Science Research Council up to 1981–82 recommended by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, which I accepted, was for a decline in real terms of 1·7 per cent. per annum on the basis of the forecasts for the science budget in Cmnd. 6721. This was before the Government's decision to increase the science budget by a total of £8 million in 1978–79, and the figure of 1·7 per cent. may need to be revised when the Government provide new forecasts for the science budget in the succeeding years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect the increase in student fees has had upon the cost to the Science Research Council of financing postgraduate students.

When informing the House in November last year of the higher tuition fees recommended, I said that additional funds would be made available through the science budget to enable the research councils to meet the higher fees in respect of the students they support.—[Vol. 921, c. 188] The allocation to the Science Research Council for 1977–78 accordingly included an addition of about £3·9 million to cover the estimated cost of the increase.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the programme of work envisaged for 1978 and 1979 in the Energy Research Support Unit at the Rutherford Laboratory.

I understand that three projects on energy utilisation and conservation in houses and schools and one on applications of chemical heat pump and energy storage systems at present supported by the Energy Research Support Unit are expected to continue through 1978 and 1979. In addition, the unit will assist university and polytechnic staff in preliminary technical work on new research proposals and provide the secretariat of the Science Research Council's Energy Proposals Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of 16-year-old pupils remained at school after the minimum leaving date in the nearest available full year in England and Wales; and how this compares with the previous five years.

In January of each year, the proportions of pupils aged 16 years remaining at schools, excluding special schools, beyond the ages of compulsory schooling were:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in the light of increased numbers of students opting for science and engineering courses in higher education, what revised forward calculations her Department has made about the need for postgraduate studentships in the years 1980, 1981 and 1982.

Postgraduate studentships in science and engineering are awarded by the research councils in their respective fields within the total resources available to them from the science budget. They will be considering future numbers of awards when preparing their plans for the next annual forward look of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, which advises me on the distribution of the science budget. This year the councils—excluding the Social Science Research Council—indicated that they envisaged making about 4,625 new awards in science and technology in 1980, about 4,675 in 1981 and about 4,725 in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the total income including all supplements and payments in kind of a Metropolitan policeman and London fireman with 20 years' service, and with the pension allowance that would be payable if both retire from their services at the present date.

Under the regulations giving effect to the recent 10 per cent, pay increase which I shall shortly lay before the House the annual pensionable salary of a uniformed Metropolitan police constable with 20 years' service will be £4,237. In addition he will be paid a non-pensionable undermanning allowance of £72 a year. If he is not in police accommodation provided free he will receive in addition a non-pensionable rent allowance up to £1,177 a year. Police officers receive additional payment for overtime when worked and certain officers receive additional allowances.Without taking account of the 10 per cent. increase which has recently been offered from 7th November 1977 a London fireman with 20 years' service currently receives a pensionable salary of £4,019 a year. Eight hours of the fireman's 48-hour week are paid at a premium rate, included in the salary figure. Addtional payment is made for any casual overtime worked beyond 48 hours.A policeman or fireman who retired in good health after 20 years' service who was not required to do so on grounds of age would be entitled to a deferred pension coming into payment at age 60. The deferred pension would be the same proportion of pensionable pay in both schemes, if age and service were similar. A Metropolitan constable under the age 45 with average pensionable pay of £4,237 would be entitled, on completing 20 years' service, to a deferred pension of £1,883 a year. A London fireman under age 45 with average pensionable pay of £4,019 would be entitled, on completing 20 years' service, to a deferred pension of £1,786 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of the fact that firemen's hourly earnings have fallen from 93 per cent. of average earnings in 1975 to 82·6 per cent. in 1977, what increase he estimates would be necessary to restore the position to the 1975 level.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 6th December—[Vol. 940, c. 615]—about estimates of average earnings. As I explained in the statement which I made to the House on Monday 21st November—[Vol. 939, c. 1100–2]—discussions on a formula for determining Fire Service pay in the future are a matter for the two Sides in the NJC.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent firemen's average weekly earnings have dropped since 1975 compared with the average working man; and to what extent the proposed 10 per cent. increase would restore the situation.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 6th December—[Vol. 940, c. 615.]—about estimates of average weekly earnings of firemen and those of all occupations in all industries and services. As to the effect of the proposed increase of 10 per cent., I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on 18th November.—[Vol. 939, c. 374–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra payments firemen receive for (a) Sunday duties, (b) unsocial hours, and (c) inspection of shops, garages, flats and other buildings in connection with fire-regulations.

Unsocial hours and fire prevention duties were taken into account in the negotiation of the 1973 Fire Service pay agreement which was effective from 7th November 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to bring firemen into line with policemen with regard to the provision of housing or a rent allowance in lieu.

Matters of this kind are for the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades, but I understand that in general rent allowances were consolidated into pay in 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those general matters relating to the Special Branch on which he is prepared to answer Questions.

I would refer the hon. Member to the information which my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave to the House about police Special Branches, when replying to an Adjournment debate on 5th May last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any persons convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, or of arson, bombing, murder or attempted murder, have at any time been kept in detention at High Point Prison, Suffolk.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for blackmail there have been in each year since 1970 in cases where the blackmail party has been an illegal immigrant.

Information on the victims of offences of blackmail is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speeches he has made to trade union conferences during 1977; and in how many of those he mentioned the need for post-phase 2 policy to be based on flexibility and elbow room for negotiators.

I spoke at two conferences. During both I dealt with the Government's desire to discuss an orderly and planned return to collective bargaining.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police uniforms in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977 were made from cloth which was spun, woven and finished in the United Kingdom; and what proportion in value and square yards was bought from abroad in each of these years.

This information is not readily available, but I understand that, so far as the Metropolitan Police are concerned, the current supply of uniforms contains a very high proportion of British cloth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prison uniforms in 1973, 1974, 1975. 1976 and 1977, was made from cloth which was spun, woven and finished in the United Kingdom; and what proportion in value and square yards was bought from abroad in each of these years.

Only a small proportion of the material purchased in recent years for the manufacture of prisoners' jackets and trousers was spun, woven or finished outside the United Kingdom. I regret it is not practicable to provide a more detailed analysis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long, on average, persons were held in custody while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act in 1977 who were subsequently released and stayed in the United Kingdom.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1977, Vol. 940, c. 625–6], gave the following information:The average time for which people are detained under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 does not show the wide variation that occurs. The table below shows the distribution of time spent in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales by the 62 people released between 1st January and 30th November 1977 after being detained under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 relating to deportation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by his Department in tyre purchases in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development, whether the allocation of European Development Fund funds to African. Caribbean and Pacific States, as set out in Article 2 of the Amending Agreement, Command Paper No. 6907, imposes a permanent or a temporary pattern on the balance between grants, loans, high capital and State transfers; and, if not, under what conditions and in what ways changes will be made.

Article 42 of the Lomé Convention lays down the respective totals for loans, risk capital and the provision for Stabex transfers. These totals, together with those allotted for the overseas countries and territories—the dependencies of Community member States—in the internal financing agreement, are changed when an overseas country or territory, on becoming independent, accedes to the Convention, the first being increased and the second reduced.Where a State other than an ex-dependency of a Community member State accedes to the Convention there is a presumption that the funds made available under it will be increased, since Article 90 lays down that new accessions shall not adversely affect the advantages accruing to existing ACP signatories.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will list in the Official Report all those United Nations agencies concerned with aid to the Third world, stating the resources available to each agency in 1977 and the United Kingdom contribution in each case.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development in what way Her Majesty's Government are proposing to support the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund special projects in Vietnam and Laos.

UNICEF has undertaken to continue during 1977 its special programmes of assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation in Vietnam and Laos. In Vietnam the programme includes water supply, sanitation, primary education, family welfare, health and nutrition services. In Laos the programme is for the construction and equiping of primary schools.Her Majesty's Government are about to pledge a contribution of £500,000 for Vietnam and £45,000 for Laos. Parliamentary approval to these new services will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Overseas Aid Vote. Pending that approval the necessary expenditure will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she has agreed to any further extension of the Commonwealth Development Corporation's area of operations.

I have recently given approval for the Corporation to undertake activities in Ecuador, subject to consultation with my Department as to the scale and content of its intended investment programme in that country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many badgers have been gassed under the scheme to eradicate tuberculosis up to the end of November; and when the present programme is expected to end.

I regret that it is not possible to estimate these matters with any accuracy, but would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett on 1st December.—[Vol. 940. c. 699–700]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what options are available from April 1978 for the raising of land drainage finance: what are the local land drainage committees in Suffolk; what have been their responses to his Department's letter of 22nd February 1977; and if he will review the area boundaries as they affect Felixstowe.

Water authorities have the option, after 31st March 1978, of continuing to finance their land drainage expenditure through precepts on the county councils and general drainage charges, or of applying to my right hon. Friend the Minister for a water charges option order under Section 62 of the Land Drainage Act 1976 enabling them to use the water charges as their main source of land drainage revenue.Local land drainage committees are based on catchment areas which cut across administrative boundaries. Suffolk falls within the areas of the Essex, the Great Ouse, and the Norfolk and Suffolk Local Land Drainage Committees of the Anglian Water Authority. The authority has indicated, in response to the Department's letter of 22nd February 1977, and on the recommendation of its regional and local land drainage committees, that it is not its intention to apply for a water charges option order.Any necessary review of the boundaries of the Norfolk and Suffolk Local Land Drainage District, in which Felixstowe lies, would have to be initiated by the Regional Land Drainage Committee of the Water Authority. Schemes by water authorities for alteration of the boundaries of local land drainage districts must be prepared by them and submitted to the Minister for approval.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that the land drainage bye-laws in force in some water authority areas are of long standing and are those of the predecessor river authorities, and in particular that those in the area of the Anglian Water Authority were implemented between 1939 and 1973, if he is satisfied that appropriate steps are in hand to ensure reasonable uniformity of application throughout England without further delay.

Under Section 34 of the Land Drainage Act 1976 responsibility for making drainage byelaws is placed on drainage authorities. Each water authority must decide for itself what action if any should be taken to replace and standardise the byelaws of its predecessor authority. Two water authorities have already submitted new byelaws for confirmation and I am aware that most of the others, including the Anglian Water Authority, are considering the problem. I am, however, arranging to remind them all of the desirability of uniformity within their areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the quantity of fresh and frozen potato chips which were imported into the United Kingdom in each month over the past six months from other EEC countries; what quantity has been forward-contracted; and what is the break-even price per pound of United Kingdom manufactured chips and the price per pound at which the imported chips are being sold into the United Kingdom.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the total capacity of those abattoirs listed in the Official Report, in reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington on 29th November, columns 129–32.

I regret that I have no information on the maximum capacity of these abattoirs. However, their combined throughput for the domestic and export markets for the year ended 31st December 1976 was 2,428,260 cattle units. One cattle unit is equivalent to one adult bovine, three calves, five sheep or two pigs. The figures do not include horses since no central record is kept of the number of horses slaughtered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish such employment projections as he has received from sector working parties.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle for slaughter have been exported

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep for slaughter have been exported from the United Kingdom in the period 1st January 1977 to 31st October 1977; and if he will list these by country of destination.

The following table shows the number of sheep passed by official veterinary inspectors in the United Kingdom as fit to travel before being exported overseas for immediate slaughter or for slaughter after further fattening:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make representations to the EEC authorities to seek

The following table shows the number of cattle and calves passed by official veterinary inspectors in the United Kingdom as fit to travel before being exported overseas for immediate slaughter or for slaughter after further fattening:direct aid from the EEC for the improvement of designated Euroroutes in development areas.

No. But financial assistance for many local road schemes in assisted areas is being provided from the European Regional Development Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of laying and maintaining a continuous white line to mark the kerb on each side of the central reservation of the A38 between Branston and Fradley; and if he will make a statement.

We intend to mark the nearside and offside edges of both carriageways on this stretch with broken white lines next spring. The estimated cost is £800, and annual maintenance may cost £200.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's guidelines for local authorities on expenditure per 100 km. of principal roads; and what is the comparable expenditure by Norfolk County Council.

My Department does not give guidance of the kind mentioned by the hon. Member. It is the responsibility of local authorities to decide how they apportion resources within the local transport field and to establish their own road priorities.My right hon. Friend hopes to announce shortly for each county the proposed expenditure he has accepted for TSG purposes for 1978–79. This will include an element for road maintenance and road construction.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many private motor cars and motor cycles there were in the United Kingdom at the latest available date;(2) how many private motor cars and motor cycles were licensed in the last available year.

The numbers of private motor vehicles and motor cycles licensed in the United Kingdom in 1976 were 14,373,000 and 1,235,000, respectively. There are no other estimates of the vehicle stock available at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport further to his reply of 24th November 1977, why Sutton in Ashfield is not a primary destination shown on motorway signs at junction 28 of the M1

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington, Official Report, 14th November, he will list the categories of

Sutton in Ashfield is not shown on the signs because Mansfield, which is shown, is more important to drivers when planning their journeys, as it is at a junction of primary routes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the length of the M1 and M6 motorways which are fully lit; what is the programme for extending lighting along each motorway; and if he will list the main benefit intended from schemes of extensive lighting on motorways.

Approximately 62 miles of the motorway M1 and 49·5 miles of the M6 are fully lit. There are no plans to extend the lighting on either motorway.The main benefit of lighting motorways is the reduction in the night-time accident rate. Lighting can also assist drivers in certain fog conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the number of one- and two-car families in each United Kingdom region; and if he will express this as a percentage of all families in each region.

Availability of cars in terms of households, derived from surveys in 1975 and 1976, is as follows:vehicles which he includes within his definition of heavy vehicles.

The signs being used at the M6 roadworks to stream different classes of traffic are not mandatory and there is no definition of heavy vehicles for this purpose. The aim is to separate cars from slower and more cumbersome vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, in view of his Department's promise two months ago to expedite the announcement of the route for the Attleborough bypass on the A11 following the public consultation in December 1975 with an announcement hoped for in November, if he will indicate when he now expects to be in a position to do so.

My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement within a few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with preparations for the commencement of work on the improvements to the A590 between Meathop and Sampool Bridge; and when he expects work to commence.

Objections to the draft line and side roads orders are at present being considered. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and to the availability of funds, it is hoped to start work on this scheme in 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to bring forward proposals for denationalisation of British Transport Hotels.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the tunnels, bridges and roads in England and Wales for which tolls are charged, giving details of the charges levied and the levels of concession given to (a) commercial vehicles and (b) private vehicles.

The information in relation to publicly-owned bridges and tunnels and also to privately-owned tolls on trunk roads, in England is set out below. There are no other publicly-owned tolls on roads in England. There are a number of privately-owned tolls on bridges, on principal and other roads, but the Department does not have comprehensive information about them. Roads, bridges and tunnels in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

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

Soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the EEC regulations on drivers' hours will have on road haulage costs in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th December 1977; Vol. 940, c. 502], gave the following information:The effect on costs cannot easily be quantified, but the staged programme of implementation of Regulation 543/69 over three years from 1st January 1978 is being negotiated with the needs of remote areas of Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom very much in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the import of textiles into the United Kingdom from Hong Kong.

United Kingdom imports of textiles from Hong Kong up to the end of the year are covered by a bilateral agreement between Hong Kong and the EEC under the Multi-Fibre Arrangement. The present agreement expires on 31st December and quotas for incorporation in a new agreement have been agreed between Hong Kong and the European Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has considered the recommendations of the Chambers of Commerce Air Transport Committee to develop Manchester Airport with a new second runway; and whether in view of its advanced ground facilities its current activity and central location, he will take steps to encourage its use as the major regional airport and to increase its use as an international airport for Continental and transatlantic flights by the building of a second runway.

The views of all those who commented on the Government's consultation documents have been carefully considered in the preparation of a White Paper on airports policy, which it is hoped to publish early in January and which will deal with the future role of Manchester Airport. I am not, however, aware that greater use of the airport is inhibited by the lack of a second runway.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the outcome of the latest session of the United Nations negotiating conference on a common fund.

The second session of the United Nations negotiating conference on a common fund was held in Geneva from 7th November to 1st December. The session was suspended at the request of the developing countries—the Group of 77—one day before its scheduled end. The developed countries of Group B, in expressing their regret at this decision, made clear their readiness to continue the negotiations as soon as all groups can agree to do so.In his concluding remarks, the chairman of the conference, Ambassador Walker of Jamaica, commented that the Group of 77 did not regard the suspension as a final breakdown and recommended that preparations for a resumed session should be set urgently in hand.At the outset of the session, the developed countries collectively put forward positive proposals reflecting a substantial advance in their thinking since the first round of negotiations in March. In subsequent discussion they indicated some important areas of flexibility in their position. We believe that the Group B proposal provides a basis for a satisfactory consensus reflecting the major concerns of all participants: and we hope that the Group of 77 will be prepared to resume negotiations in this spirit, recognising that compromise will be necessary in order to achieve a successful outcome. In the meantime, we for our part will work with our partners in the European Community and in Group B as a whole for a resumption of negotiations at the earliest possible date.I am placing in the Library of the House copies of:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish figures, as at the latest available date, showing the value of motor vehicle components exported this year to Japan.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1977] gave the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish such employment projections as he has received from sector working parties.

I have been asked to reply.The reports from the sector working parties of the industrial strategy on progress during 1977 are just coming in, but it is up to each sector working party to decide whether its report, or extracts from it, should be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in making forecasts of likely future movements in the retail price index, what relative weightings he gives, respectively, to rises in income, movements in commodity prices, changes in the exchange rate of the pound sterling, changes in the minimum lending rate and any other factors.

I have been asked to reply.Forecasts of the retail price index take account of the factors mentioned, as well as many others, but these are not all mutually exclusive nor are they independent of each other. Precise figures therefore depend on the circumstances, but of the factors mentioned changes in wages and salaries would generally have a much larger effect on prices than changes in commodity prices, exchange rates or interest rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when he intends to send out to local authorities and other organisations the circular inviting applications for new capital grants to aid the running of consumer advice centres; and whether he will list the other organisations to which the circular will be sent.

I hope to be able to give a full reply to my hon. Friend very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what are the running costs of advice centres as a percentage of total consumer expenditure; and what is the cost per person in Great Britain.

Our 100 per cent. grant aid to all consumer advice centres in Great Britain this year is equal to rather less than 0·005 per cent. of total consumer expenditure in 1976–77. Expressed as a cost per person in Great Britain, the grant aid represents one halfpenny per month.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent the uranium/thorium cycle carries a proliferation risk.

There is little practical experience of this fuel cycle; but it involves the production and use of Uranium-233, which could be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for energy what is the amount of South Wales's known reserves of coal suitable for electricity generating stations.

I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to the hon. Member directly on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish such employment projections as he has received from sector working parties.

I have been asked to reply.The reports from the sector working parties of the Industrial Strategy on progress during 1977 are just coming in, but it is up to each sector working party to decide whether its report, or extracts from it, should be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what will be the effect of action taken under Article 61 of the European Coal and Steel Community Treaty upon the operations of the British Steel Corporation.

This action can be beneficial since it may help to bring greater stability to the European steel market.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the benefit to Scotish steelworks of the Polish ship order.

The location in which steel is produced to meet particular orders is a matter for the British Steel Corporation. The order will be of great benefit to the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set out in separate lists the percentage of total products manufactured in England, Wales and Scotland, showing separately figures for billets, medium plate, boiler plates, structural beams, reinforced steel, hot rolled strip and hot rolled coil.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what percentage of the total output of special steels are produced by the private sector in the United Kingdom;(2) what percentage of the total output of stainless steel is produced by the private sector in the United Kingdom.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many HS748 aircraft have been produced and exported, respectively; and what efforts are currently being made to extend the sales of the HS748 Coastguarder abroad.

A total of 313 HS748 aircraft have been produced to date, of which 264 have been exported. British Aerospace is making vigorous efforts to sell the Coastguarder version world wide, and Her Majesty's Government are providing all necessary assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is able to estimate the amount of cash aid given from Government funds to the timber-using industry in each region of the United Kingdom; what are the largest pulp mill and timber-board projects supported by Government funds in the last five years.

The tables below give details of selective financial assistance offered under Sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972 to the timber and furniture industries, as defined in Order XVII of the Standard Industrial Classification, and to the pulp, paper and converting industries, included in Order XVIII.Detailed information on the amount of regional development grants and other forms of assistance to industry—for example, for research—is not available in the form requested, and a disproportionate cost and staff effort would be required to extract and analyse all payments. Details of regional development grants paid, broken down by groups of qualifying activities and by areas, are published each year in the annual report on the Industry Act 1972.The only offer of assistance for a wood pulp mill project within the last five years has been to St. Anne's Board Mill Company Ltd. at Bristol. Loans amounting to £1·3 million were advanced to Scottish Timber Products Ltd. to help set up a chipboard plant at Cowie, near Stirling, within the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many grants have been made under the paper and board industry scheme for schemes involving the use of waste paper, indigenous timber and other indigenous fibres, respectively.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 5th December to the hon. Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden.—[Vol. 940, c. 565–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish such employment projections as he has received from sector working parties.

I have been asked to reply.The reports from the sector working parties of the Industrial Strategy on progress during 1977 are just coming in, but it is up to each sector working party to decide whether its report, or extracts from it, should be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) of 23rd November 1977, that one of the factors in deciding that the Coastguarder aircraft would be no cheaper than the Nimrod per square mile of sea searched on fishery protection duties, why it was necessary to purchase new Coastguarders; whether the Coast-guarder is basically an HS748 aircraft as is the Andover; how many Andovers are stored out of use by the Royal Air Force; what are the crew sizes for a Nimrod and a Coastguarder; and what are the hourly operating costs for a Nimrod and an Andover.

The prototype Coast-guarder, which was introduced into the civil inventory this year, is a version of the HS748, optimised for the offshore surveillance role. Like other versions of the HS748, the Coastguarder design is derived from the same basic airframe as the much older Andover C-1. They are, however, very different types of aircraft and one cannot be converted into the other. In particular, the Andover is a heavier aircraft and can carry less fuel, so that its endurance—a very significant point in the offshore rôle—is only about half that of the Coastguarder. As for numbers of Ministry of Defence Andovers, I have nothing to add to my Answer of 29th November to the hon. Member—[Vol. 940, c. 183–4.] The crew of a RAF Nimrod is normally 12; that of the Coastguarder would depend on the use which was being made of the aircraft. On the question of hourly operating costs, as I explained to the hon. Member for Macclesfield on 23rd November—[Vol. 939, c. 812–3]—these are not an adequate basis for comparative costings for operations of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to circular letter OE 72(SP)/SGN/10/77/3800, why the method of payment of Royal Navy and RAF pensions is being changed;(2) why it will not be possible for future Royal Navy and RAF pension vouchers to be made payable to a post office;(3) what arrangements are being made for Royal Navy and RAF pensioners who do not have bank or building society accounts;(4) what will be the estimated saving in money and manpower of the proposed change in payment of Royal Navy and RAF pensions.(5) what arrangements are currently in force for the payment of Army pensioners; and whether it is proposed to change these.

The pensions of Royal Navy ratings, Army soldiers and Royal Air Force airmen have traditionally been paid weekly in advance by means of pensions orders cashable at a nominated post office. However, this method is costly, requires more staff and is more open to fraud than payment through a bank by the Paymaster General's Office, the method already employed for all officers' pensions and public servants generally. Many more people now have a bank, building society or Giro account. My Department is therefore inviting existing Royal Navy and Royal Air Force weekly paid pensioners to accept payment of their pensions monthly in arrears, by credit transfer to their bank or similar account.Where the pensioner has no account of his own, payment can be made in the form of a crossed payable order or voucher—which is similar to a cheque—which can then be cashed through the account of someone else, for example, a relative. Alternatively, the circular letter to which the hon. Member refers makes clear that any pensioner for whom monthly payment would cause hardship, or who has personal reasons for wishing to receive his pension by weekly pension order at the post office, may continue to do so.A similar drive was made in the Army about two and a half years ago and -met with a good response. As a result, over half of Army soldier pensioners now receive their pensions monthly, though, as in the case of existing Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pensioners, they retain the option to continue with weekly payments if they so desire. There are no plans to change these arrangements.It is hoped that about 70 per cent. of existing Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pensioners and most new pensioners will agree to monthly payments through a bank or similar account by the Paymaster General's Office. It is estimated that this measure will save the Ministry of Defence 33 staff, post office charges and other expenses, costing £300,000 a year. After allowing for increases in staff and postage costs in the Paymaster General's Office, the net saving to Her Majesty's Government is estimated at £160,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the Greenwich Naval Hospital pension ceased to be paid;(2) how much money was in the Greenwich Hospital fund when that institution ceased to function;(3) what was the effect on naval pensions when the Greenwich Hospital pension ceased to be paid.

Greenwich Hospital continues to function and pays certain pensions to needy former Royal Navy ratings and Royal Marines, on a charitable basis. Receipt of a Greenwich Hospital pension does not affect entitlement to a naval pension.If the hon. Member requires further information on Greenwich Hospital or has any particular case in mind, he may care to write to me or to the Director of Greenwich Hospital, 13 Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4TQ about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are now made for taking care of elderly naval pensioners.

Elderly naval pensioners receive index-linked pensions from the Armed Forces Pensions Scheme. They are also eligible for the State retirement pension and the wide range of social security and social service benefits administered by the Department of Health and Social Security and local authorities.There are a number of Service charitable organisations who help ex-Service men in need. Naval pensioners may, for example, seek assistance from the Royal British Legion, the Forces Help Society and the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Families Association. Specifically naval charities include the Greenwich Hospital and the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust. The latter maintains a residential home.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much the National Health Service contributes to private medical care in Northampton at St. Andrew's private mental hospital; and if he will make a statement on the necessity for this.

The Northamptonshire Area Health Authority has a contractual arrangement to maintain up to 50 inpatients at St. Andrew's Hospital. The current charge at the hospital is £82·81 per in-patient week. Most of the National Health Service patients at the hospital are long-stay, and the AHA has had medical notice that it would be undesirable to remove them. The AHA considers that the contractual beds at St. Andrew's makes an essential contribution to the facilities for NHS treatment of the mentally ill.