asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what authorisation he has recently given for an increase in the London taxi tariff; if previous increases had been based on any cost index; if he will state his reasons for not using such an index on this occasion; and what percentage increase such an index would currently indicate.

The London Cab Order 1977, which came into effect on 22nd December 1977, authorised fare increases averaging 10 per cent. Previous increases in July 1975 and December 1976 had been based on the motoring and cycling section of the General Retail Prices Index and this was taken into account in considering the 1977 fares increase; this section of the index currently shows a rise of 16.6 per cent. since the base date for the 1976 fares increase. The Government concluded, however, that the Price Commission should examine the structure of both London and provincial taxi fares, and that the 1977 London taxi fares increase should be limited to 10 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Boundary Commission will be doing any work on the first-past-the-post constituencies for the European Assembly before the Royal Assent has been given to the Bill for direct elections; and if he will make a statement.

I expect that the Boundary Commissions will be giving some advance thought to the shape of European Assembly constituencies, but their formal work cannot begin until the European Assembly Elections Bill has received Royal Assent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many vacancies there are in each of the existing bail hostels;(2) how many bail hostels there are; where they are located; how many beds each has, and for what sex; and what further hostels are planned and when they will be in operation.

The information is as follows:(ii)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the percentage increase in the total annual cost of firemen's pay arising from the planned recruitment of 5,000 extra men consequent on the proposed reduction in the firemen's working week from next November.

The number of additional firemen required would depend on manning levels and type of shift system adopted. To preserve existing standards of fire cover, including present manning standards, it has been estimated that 3,000 to 5,000 additional firemen would be needed for the whole country. The estimated percentage increase in the total wage bill for the Fire Service would be of the order of 8–14 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now give the number of police resignations, prior to pension, during 1977; and how this compares with 1976.

Not yet, as not all returns from individual forces have yet been received. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers resigned, prior to pension, from the Metropolitan Police in 1977.

1,074.

asked the Minister of State for the Civil Service whether the Government's 10 per cent. guideline on wages and salary increases applies to the increased pensions payable to civil servants and others who receive noncontributory pensions on retirement paid for out of public funds.

The 10 per cent. guideline does not apply to increases in pensions in either the public or the private sector. Civil servants do, of course, pay towards the cost of their pensions, both by direct contributions for widows and family benefits and by other adjustments made in the course of pay research settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many energy consultants will be employed in connection with his Department's campaign to conserve energy.

Employment of consultants for the Government's energy conservation measures which were announced on 12th December 1977 are the responsibility of the several Departments concerned now completing their plans. The Department of Energy—not including ETSU—have so far employed up to 10 consultants for the Save It campaign, films, booklets and the Energy Quick Advice Service. Future employment will be affected by discussions now in progress. In addition, some 353 consultants are available under the Energy Survey Scheme, although, when used, these are not paid directly by this Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the likely average percentage increase in miners' pay arising from the implementation throughout the industry of the productivity agreements now in the course of negotiation.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board, and I am asking the Chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the number of official journeys civil servants of his Department made in each quarter of 1976 and the first three quarters of 1977, by each quarter, between the United Kingdom and other parts of the EEC, on matters consequent on the United Kingdom's membership of the EEC; and what has been the total cost of all these journeys in 1976 and 1977, respectively.

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to persuade the Government of the Federation of Malaysia to allow Concorde to use their air space, in view of the ill-feeling and the effect on jobs which the present refusal is having in the United Kingdom.

We continue to be in close touch with the Malaysian Government, who are currently considering matters raised at technical talks held in Malaysia immediately before Christmas. We are pressing them for a favourable response.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the latest figures available for the number of homes designed for Service men's families in the United Kingdom which have been unoccupied for the last six months; what was the average number of days in a year for which homes for Service men in the United Kingdom were occupied; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available figures of vacant married quarters in the United Kingdom are those given in my Written reply on 26th October 1977 to my hon. Friend—[Vol. 936, c. 690]—I regret that the other information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF officers have retired prematurely in each of the past three years; how many are expected to do so in the current year; and how many of these have left the Service entirely of their own volition.

The number of RAF officers who have retired before their due date is:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Community that met on 19th and 20th December 1977.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and I represented the United Kingdom at the 19th–20th December Council meeting. The main items on the agenda for this meeting were steel and textiles.The Council examined Commission proposals for a range of internal and external measures aimed at alleviating the crisis in the Community steel industry. Agreement was reached on a number of measures, including an extension of the system of minimum prices to certain additional steel products, the provision of an extra 32 million units of account for the ECSC budget, and a mandate for the Commission to negotiate bilateral agreements with the Community's principal steel suppliers to control low-priced imports. In the meantime, a system of reference prices is being imposed.On textiles, the Council examined the Commission's report on the bilateral negotiations held with supplier countries over the previous two months and the Commission's recommendation on the renewal of the GATT Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) on international textile trade. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade again emphasised the particular sensitivity for the United Kingdom of imports of cotton yarn and cloth. The Council approved the economic content of the bilateral agreements negotiated by the Commission and accepted that the Community should agree to the renewal of the MFA for a further four years. The Community's application of the MFA to the supplier countries is dependent on their signature of the bilateral agreements.The Council discussed a number of outstanding points on the new European Regional Development Fund and remitted further work on them to officials. The Council noted the progress made in the negotiations between EURATOM and the IAEA on inspection procedures for nuclear installations in the member States which are signatories to the 1973 Safeguards Verification Agreement, and approved an exchange of letters supplementing the safeguards provisions of the 1959 EURATOM-Canada Nuclear Co-operation Agreement.The Council also discussed a number of current external problems. It adopted directives for a resumption of negotiations with Spain for the extension of its agreement with the Community, and a mandate for negotiations with Cyprus on trade in agricultural products for 1978 and 1979. The Council also adopted autonomous measures, embodying the Cyprus mandate, to apply to trade with Cyprus for three months—that is, during the negotiations. I made clear the United Kingdom's view that these measures do not meet the needs of Cyprus

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the EEC official support prices as on 31st December 1977 and 1st January 1978, respectively, in the United Kingdom and at Rotterdam for all main commodities affected by the end of the five-year transition period.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement describing the changes made from 1st January 1978 in the methods used by the Milk Marketing Board to determine the retail and wholesale prices of bottled and bulk liquid milk and other milk products; and what powers he retains in these respects.

The Board does not determine retail prices. Wholesale prices for manufacturing milk will continue to be negotiated directly with the dairy trade under the provisions of the Milk Marketing Scheme, and this arrangement has been extended since 1st January to include milk for liquid consumption for which wholesale prices were previously set by Ministers as part of the guarantee system. The Government retain the power to prescribe maximum retail prices for liquid milk and, in accordance with the arrangements my right hon. Friend announced on 28th July 1977 in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Durham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will institute an official inquiry into the sexual assaults committed by male patients at the Bethlem Royal Hospital, Beckenham on a woman patient, Mrs. Mary Walsh.

I will write to my hon. Friend when I have completed my inquiries of the Hospital.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out in the Official Report a table, similar to that published on 12th December last, showing for the earliest convenient date in 1978 the EEC common levies and monetary compensation amounts for common food items; and for each state the offer price on which the common levy was calculated.

The information requested on common levies and monetary compensatory amounts, applicable on 3rd January 1978, is shown in the table. I regret that information on prices on which the common levies were calculated is not available. These prices are established by the EEC Commission on the basis of information collected by it. They are not published.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what Research Liaison Group grant has been allocated for the mentally handicapped in the district of the North-Western Regional Health Authority;(2) what Research Liaison Group grant has been allocated for the mentally handicapped in the district of Mersey Regional Health Authority;

My Department's Research Liaison Groups do not disburse research funds on a regional basis. Their main function is to determine research objectives and priorities within their field of interest and to commission research from whatever body is best placed to carry out the work. Applications for research funds are judged on their scientific merit and relevance. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the DHSS Research and Development Report and Handbook for 1977, lists of research projects which my Department is directly supporting in mental handicap and mental illness, and copies of the documents setting out the Research Liaison Groups' priorities for future research in these fields.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his understanding of the intended rôle of Motability with regard to the provision of vehicles for disabled non-drivers.

The statement issued by Motability on 6th December last, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House, made clear that it intends to make its help available both to disabled drivers and to disabled passengers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has studied the rehabilitation methods for people in psychiatric hospitals which have had such marked success at the Glenside hospital in Bristol; and if he will make a statement.

I am indeed aware from personal experience of the valuable contribution of the rehabilitation work for mentally ill people at Glenside hospital and the Bristol Industrial Therapy Organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has not required the health authorities to undertake full consultation procedures on his altered rationalisation plan which includes the closure of the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital and the Memorial Hospital, in view of the desire of local people to develop a more satisfactory plan; and whether the area health authority can itself decide to undertake full consultation.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:There has been prolonged public debate on the rationalisation of services in this area. My right hon. Friend visited the area, met hon. Members, community health councils and staff representatives and received deputations. He has agreed to some of the proposals submitted to him by the health authorities, including the closure of the acute beds and casualty department at the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital. He has, however, suggested alternative proposals to the closure of St. Nicholas Hospital and has asked for views on these proposals to be sent direct to him. The area health authority is free to undertake further consultation if it wishes, but I do not believe this to be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are his past and future estimates of the catchment population in the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority; (2) what is the degree of over-provision of acute beds in the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:Catchment population estimates are

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the reasons for waiting lists at the Brook Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:The length of waiting lists and waiting times for admission to hospital is influenced by a number of interacting factors, including changes in the age structure of the population and in morbidity, the referral practice of general practitioners, consultants' clinical decisions, availability of resources, management efficiency and seasonal influences.At 30th September 1977 there were 392 cases on the Brook General waiting list. No urgent cases had waited more than a month, and only 38 non-urgent cases had waited more than a year—35 orthopaedic and three geriatric. The orthopaedic wait results from demand for prosthetic surgery and a very high level of trauma emergency admissions. The geriatric situation will be reviewed by the newly appointed geriatrician.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what effect the closure of the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital would have on waiting lists at the Brook Hospital;(2) how many patients at the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital are transferred from other hospitals; and for what reasons.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:In 1976, 423 in-patients, the majority being post-operative patients from the Brook Hospital, were transferred. Closure of beds at the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital may lead at first to some in-

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what are the estimated financial savings result-

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the weekly costs of a convalescent patient at the Greenwich District Hospital, the Brook Hospital, and the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital, respectively.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:Costs of particular phases of treatment are not separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the waiting lists in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977 for admission to hospital for surgery, treatment or care for categories of conditions at the Brook Hospital, the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital, and the Memorial Hospital, respectively.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information: ing from the temporary and permanent closure of 300 beds at the Greenwich District Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:On the basis of broad assumptions about the nature of the 300 beds, £1 million per year is estimated for permanent closure and £100,000 for temporary closure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what are the existing uses of the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital and the Memorial Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:Eltham and Mottingham Hospital provides in-patient services for surgery, orthopaedics, dermatology, urology, physical medicine, general practitioner medicine and geriatrics and out-patient facilities including X-ray and physiotherapy. The Memorial Hospital provides in-patient services for geriatrics, outpatient facilities including X-ray and pharmacy, and offices for district staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many acute beds there are in the Greenwich District Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:In 1976 the average daily number of acute beds was 377.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many acute beds there are in the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital and the Memorial Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:In 1976 the average daily acute usage of beds at the Eltham and Mottingham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an assurance that the future of the Brook Hospital will not be threatened during the next 10 years.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:The future of hospitals is a matter in the first instance for the health authorities concerned. I am grateful to the hon. Member for his confidence that I shall remain in office for the next 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services of State for Social Services what letters, petitions and representations he has received concerning the fuvour of the hospital remaining open.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol, 941, c. 592–3], gave the following informationWe have received representations from the London borough of Greenwich and from the Bexley and Greenwich Community Health Councils, a petition sighed by 33 representatives of various organisations and letters from four members of the public, including a doctor on the staff of the hospital. All were in favour of the hospital remaining open.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish comparative bed occupancy rates and cost estimates for the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital, the Brook hospital; and if he will indicate at what time of day the bed occupancy is measured.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol, 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:For year ended 31st March 1977 figures are:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whethere the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority recommended the closure of the Memorial Hospital;(2) if he will make a detailed statement of his reasons for the closure of the Memorial Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:The area health authority recommended the closure of the maternity and gynaecology beds at the Memorial Hospital. Services in this area are fragmented, and we have proposed the transfer of the geriatric services from the Memorial Hospital in order that full use might be made of facilities at St. Nicholas Hospital when the present number of acute beds has been reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority recommened the closure of the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital;(2) why he believes that Eltham and Mottingham Hospital has been under-occupied for a long time; and why he believes that services it has given can be provided more effectively in the area;(3) if he will make a detailed statement of his reasons for asking for the closure of the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol, 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:The Greenwich and Bexley area, as a result of declining population and construction of new hospitals, is overprovided with acute beds and services are fragmented. The area health authority recommended the closure of the wards and casualty department at this hospital. One floor cannot be fully used and the operating theatre arrangements do not accord with acceptable modern standards. More intensive use of the major general hospitals in the area should provide a more effective service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the alternative uses planned for the buildings and lands of the Eltham and Mottingham Hospital and the Memorial Hospital.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 592–3], gave the following information:Alternative uses for the Memorial Hospital have not yet been considered. At Eltham and Mottingham Hospital outpatient services are to continue; the area health authority proposes to build a health centre in the grounds and is considering transfer of geriatric services from the Gables.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to introduce a wealth tax on all assets above £50,000 or £100,000.

My hon. Friend will recall that on 29th November 1976 in a written reply to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes)—[Vol. 921, c. 49]—I said that the Government had decided not to introduce a wealth tax during the life of this Parliament, but that the tax would continue to be an important part of our programme. The right level for the threshold of a wealth tax is one of the many important questions on which we shall reach a decision at the appropriate time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer; pursuant to the reply on wealth tax to the hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) [Official Report, 18th December 1975, c. 105–6]—when he proposes to publish draft clauses for public discussion.

The hon. Member will recall that on 29th November 1976 in a written reply to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes)—[Vol. 921, c. 49]—I said that the Government had decided not to introduce a wealth tax in the life of this Parliament, but that the tax would continue to be an important part of the Government's programme. I shall consider at the appropriate time whether to publish draft clauses for public discussion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the need for a permanent incomes policy and whether he will include Members of Parliament among those who will be consulted in preliminary discussions on this subject.

It is too early to make any substantive statement, although it is encouraging that people are beginning to talk sensibly about the alternatives.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next intends to review the balance between notes and coins.

No date for the next periodic review has been fixed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the average life of a £1 note, a £5 note, a £10 note and a £20 note, and of an average coin of the realm; and what is the approximate cost of producing a bank note and a coin, respectively.

The average life of a £1 note is 10 months, that of a £5 note 18 months, that of a £10 note two years and that of a £20 note 2½ years. A coin may be expected to have a life of at least 25 years.It would not be desirable, for commercial reasons, to publish the cost of producing bank notes or coins.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what growth rate per annum is required in the gross national product to halve the present unemployment by the end of each of the following calendar years: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's speech in the Income Tax (Personal Allowances) debate of 10th November 1977—[Vol. 938, c. 880.] He said there that as the productive potential of the economy was probably growing at about 3 per cent a year we could expect a fall in unemployment, after some time lag, when GDP grew at or above this rate. He also pointed out the difficulty of forecasting employment and unemployment. The relationship between changes in employment and changes in output is very uncertain. The rate of expansion itself depends crucially on the success of our efforts to contain inflation.

asked the Chancellor the Exchequer what percentage of an average industrial worker's standard of living in education, food, housing, transport, clothing, social security, health, holidays, furniture, alcohol, tobacco, roads, libraries and the police was paid out of (a) his personal expenditure and (b) public expenditure.

Although public expenditure certainly contributes to the standard of living, it is not possible to quanitify its relative contribution in the case of a particular group of people and particular aspects of life. It must, however, approach 100 per cent. for most people in the cases of education, health, social security, roads and police protection.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the changes requested by the EEC Assembly for the 1978 budget, the response of the Council of Ministers, and in each case the outcome of the agreed conciliation procedure, together with further decisions taken by the Council or Assembly.

The information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The draft 1978 Community budget was deposited as R/1895/77. The amendments and modifications to the draft budget adopted by the European Parliament were deposited in November last and the results of the Council's consideration of them were set out in my reply of 28th November 1977 to the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Mitchell)—[Vol. 940, c. 41–2.]. The 1978 Community budget as adopted will be published by the European Parliament in the Official Journal as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the net cost of reducing the tax allowance for a married man to that of a single man and paying direct to every married woman a weekly tax-free payment of (a) £4, (b) £5, (c) £6, (d) £7 and (e) £8, subject to a £1 for £1 earnings rule on earnings above £8, £10, £12 and £14, either if the payment is disregarded for the purposes of supplementary benefit and the overlapping benefit regulations or if it is not so disregarded.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in a full year of taxing married couples as if they were single persons living together.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government have made a response to the EEC Commission Document COM (77) 620 concerning prospects for economic and monetary union; what is the latest date when such a response will be made; and in what form it will be published.

The Commission's communication on the prospects for economic and monetary union was discussed at meetings of the European Heads of Government and EEC Finance Ministers in December. Her Majesty's Government were represented at both meetings. The document has been remitted for further study by the specialist economic and financial committees of the Community, but I cannot predict how long this work will take. The form of the Government's response to the communication will be decided in the light of this further study.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what decision was taken by the EEC Council of Ministers (Finance) on 19th December last concerning the additions made by the Assembly to the Regional Fund; and by how much the sun finally approved exceeded the amount originally authorised by the Finance Ministers.

The European Council on 6th December 1977 agreed to renew the Regional Development Fund with resources of 1,850 million European Units of Account (meua), approximately £1,200 million for the three years 1978 to 1980. The Council considered that, of this total 580 meua—£377 million approximately—should be included as a commitment appropriation in the 1978 Community budget with a payment appropriation of 460 meua—£300 million approximately. The European Parliament, when it adopted the 1978 Community budget, included commitment appropriations for the Regional Development Fund totalling 581 meua—£378 million approximately—with payment appropriations of 525 meua—£340 million approximately. In order to provide for this and other increases over the 1977 budget, the Council, on 19th December 1977, agreed to an increase in the maximum rate of increase in the non-obligatory expenditure to be included in the Community budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the Council of Finance Ministers of the European Community that met on 19th December 1977.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Radice) on 9th January 1978 —[Official Report, Vol. 941, c. 618–20.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which organisations or individuals outside the Government service his Department has issued data from or about the Treasury's United Kingdom economic model.

Licence agreements have been concluded with five commercial computer bureaux and they have copies of the computer programmes, documentation and historical data—the forward data needed to produce a forecast with the model has to be provided by the user—necessary for operating the Treasury model. Any member of the public using the model at one of these bureaux will have access to the documentation and data. The model is similarly available at the University Computer Centres of London, Edinburgh and Manchester. The commercial bureaux are:

• Interactive Data Corporation Ltd
• London United Computing Services Ltd
• Service in Informatics and Analysis Ltd
• SCICON Computer Services Ltd
• University Computing Company Ltd.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when she expects allocation by the European Development Fund of the EEC of the 9·5 million units of account that is expected to be available to the new ACP States of Cape Verde, Sao Tomé and Papua New Guinea; and on what published criteria any grants will depend.

On the first point I cannot add at present to my reply on 16th December.—[Vol. 941, Part II, c. 475.]The Lomé Convention lays down that those ACP States classed under it as "least developed" will generally receive assistance in grant form, though they may also receive special loans or risk capital in appropriate cases. It has been agreed that Cape Verde and Sao Tomé will be classsed as "least developed". A request from Papua New Guinea for this status is still being considered.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what action she has taken in connection with the recommendations adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its 19th session.

There were six such recommendations:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further discussions he has had with the Association of County Councils on the level of the rate support grant for 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further discussions he has had with the Association of County Councils on the level of the rate support grant for 1978–79.

I have had no further discussions with the Association of County Councils on the 1978–79 RSG settlement since I announced it to it on 18th November; but I have written to its chairman about its misunderstanding of the basis of the safety net provision in the settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the safety net introduced in the 1978–79 rate support grant will operate effectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the safety net introduced in the 1978–79 rate support grant will operate effectively.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will inaugurate a departmental review of the operation of the rate support grant, with particular attention to the calculation of need, so that a more equitable settlement can be made in 1979–80.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Members for Bromsgrove and Redditch (Mr. Miller), Bodmin (Mr. Hicks) and Devon, West (Mr. Mills).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a document for public discussion on the criteria for determining the needs element of the rate support grant for 1979–80 in advance of the application of any particular formula.

This year I decided in March upon certain ground rules for the distribution of the needs element. I hope to be able to follow this practice in 1978, and I shall ensure that my decisions are given wide publicity. But I must emphasise that it will not be possible to exemplify the effects of any particular decision or formula on individual authorities until the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further representations he has received from the Essex County Council concerning the rate support grant.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what amounts of Government funds were made available for housing action areas in 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77 and in the current year; and what is the percentage decline for each year.

No separate allocation of resources has been made for housing action areas in the years referred to, but the number of housing action areas has risen from 11–1974 to 237 to date covering over 73,000 dwellings. The total expenditure for buying and renovating older houses by local authorities and housing associations, which includes housing action area expenditure, during this period has been about £2,500 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to publish the report of Mr. Justice Parker following the Wind-scale inquiry.

I shall not be able to say until I receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further consideration he has given to his estimate of the level of inflation affecting local government during the period covered by the rate support grant for 1978–79.

For the purposes of the RSG settlement I estimated that the underlying rate of inflation between 1977–78 and 1978–79 affecting local authorities current expenditure would be of the order of 9 per cent. I have no reason at present to revise this estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of the danger to the public caused by young people using skateboards on public footpaths and highways, he will now give financial assistance to those local authorities which are building or intend to build special grounds for this new recreation.

The Sports Council has issued preliminary guidance to local authorities on the design and management of skateboard facilities and has power to grant them aid if it wishes to do so. However, recreational provision is for local authorities to provide for their citizens and for which Government support is made through the rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence he has had with Ealing Borough Council about the need to invoke Section 138(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 to compel the Greater London Council to make grants to residents of the borough who have suffered flood damage.

None. Section 138(2) gives local authorities a discretionary power to make grants to flood victims, but does not empower my right hon. Friend to compel them to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Association of County Councils and the Association of District Councils regarding his proposals to move the responsibility for certain services from some counties to some districts.

The associations put forward written views in response to the consultative document "Devolution: the English Dimension", and I had informal discussions with them last September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of land needed for private development he expects to be provided under the Community Land Scheme in 1978–79.

It is not possible to estimate except broadly, but for house-building it could be between 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. For industrial development it could be higher.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants since March 1974; and what the comparable figure was between July 1970 and February 1974.

18,370 council houses were sold in England from March 1974 to September 1977 and 96,440 between July 1970 and February 1974. Information as to how many were sold to sitting tenants is not available. The figures include houses built expressly for sale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take in order to accelerate the sale of council houses and council flats to their tenants.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that housing cost yardstick rules will permit programmes of new house building to be undertaken in the Berwick-upon-Tweed district.

The increase in the level of the housing cost yardstick published on 23rd December should enable new house building in the district to proceed without delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to review and amend current housing legislation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Flint, West (Sir A. Meyer).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet the Building Societies Association.

The Government maintain regular contact with the Building Societies Association. I addressed its conference on 16th December. I am ready to meet it whenever the need arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he hopes to be in a position to seek to legislate on the subject of rent control on furnished lettings.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to his similar Question on 22nd November 1977.—[Vol. 939, c. 631.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the members of the Local Government Consultative Committee.

On 6th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now approve the proposed improvement of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation.

The revised scheme for the improvement of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation was submitted on 22nd September 1977 to my Department by the British Waterways Board and the South Yorkshire County Council. The application is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers the Property Services Agency has to refuse permission for persons to enter the Palace of Westminster.

None. Responsibility for controlling access to the Palace of Westminster rests with the house authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to hold regional discussions with sports and recreational bodies in the North-West; and if he will list them.

Regional conferences are to be held throughout the country later in the year. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State will be taking part in a conference organized by the North-West Council for Sport and Recreation in Manchester on 17th March. I understand that a wide range of organisations and individuals concerned with sport, recreation and the arts are being invited to attend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made calculations to show the likely sums of money available to each of the boroughs in the scheduled dockland areas of London arising from legislation which he has recently placed before the House.

No. Expenditure under the powers proposed in the Inner Urban Areas Bill will be a matter for local decision. Central Government financial support will be provided in the same way as for other inner city expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the official criteria used in the definition of derelict land.

For the purposes of derelict land grants and surveys the Department defines derelict land as land so damaged by industrial or other development that it is incapable of beneficial use without treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to locate the cause, or causes, of intermittent atmospheric pollution above Canvey Island and Benfleet which has caused sickness and inconvenience to large numbers of residents and has been the subject of persistent complaints since last summer; what improvements can be made in monitoring devices; and what sanctions are available to deal with offenders.

The Alkali and Clean Air Inspectorate and the local authority are making every effort to trace the source of this pollution. A working group has been set up involving local industrialists. Appropriate monitoring is being carried out. The Alkali Inspectorate and local authority have powers to conduct prosecutions if necessary. My right hon. Friend will be calling for further progress reports, and we shall keep the hon. Gentleman informed of developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a general ministerial consent was given to a sale by a county council, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Carlton; whether any conditions as to use were attached to such consent; what information he has on compliance with any such conditions; and if he will make a statement.

I wrote to the hon. Member about this case on 6th January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 1978–79 housing capital allocations made to English local authorities.

Copies of these allocations were placed in the Library of the House on Monday, 9th January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the operation of Part IV of the Community Land Act 1975 to date, which deals with the compulsory purchase of empty office blocks by his Department.

The power to acquire large new office blocks compulsorily at a restricted level of compensation has not so far been exercised.

asked the Prime Minister when he is expecting to receive the Report of the Armitage Committee on Political Activities of Civil Servants; when he anticipates publication of the report; and whether, before announcing the Government's conclusions on the recommendations of the committee, he proposes to hold consultations with the political parties represented at Westminster.

In my right hon. Friend's absence on his official visit to South Asia, I have been asked to reply.I would refer the hon. Member to the reply concerning the receipt of the Armitage Report which my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) on 16th December 1977. The report is being published today as Cmnd. 7057. I can assure the hon. Member that full consultations will be held before the Government's conclusions are announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many slaughterhouses employing less than 10 people there were in Wales in 1970 and 1977, respectively.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received about the problem of youth employment in Wales from local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Questions about youth unemployment have been raised with my Department by several local authorities. The problem of youth unemployment is of great concern to the Government and we have introduced a major new programme of special measures to tackle it.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport by what date major road building will be resumed in the Midlands; and what schemes will have priority.

This will depend upon the outcome of all the relevant statutory procedures and of the current review of trunk road schemes in the light of the principles and priorities set out in the White Paper on Transport Policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of changing Great Britain's signposts, milestones, guide books, car indicators, etc., from miles to kilometres.

Changing road signs in Great Britain would cost between £7 million and £8 million at current prices, including £6 million-£37 million to convert speed limit signs in one operation. No estimates have been made of other costs, many of which would depend on the length of the preparation period for any changeover.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on the Government's position concerning any change in the unit of measurement from miles to kilometres.

There is no question of any change for a long time. A decision in principle to adopt the metric system was taken by the Government in 1968 and an obligation to do so was accepted under the Treaty of Accession to the EEC. However a move from miles to kilometres would be preceded by extensive consultation and a planning period of about five years would then follow. No review of the matter is required before the end of 1979, and I shall not be making one sooner.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of cost in changing sign posts from miles to kilometres.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make a statement on the M40.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Smith) on Wednesday, 14th December.—[Vol. 941, c. 492.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the estimated date for the completion of the A259 Hastings bypass.

It is too early to say.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the date for the completion of the Humber Bridge and the latest estimated cost and the toll charges that are proposed.

The latest estimate that we have from the Humber Bridge Board is that the bridge should be opened at the end of March 1979, at a cost of construction of £60,035,000 at mid-1977 prices. This cost includes the immediate approach roads but excludes capitalised interest.Tolls are a matter for the Humber Bridge Board, subject to my right hon. Friend's confirmation. He is awaiting the Board's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the date for the completion of the M18.

The contract completion date for the section between Wadworth and Armthorpe, the only one not yet open to traffic, is December 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the Council of Transport Ministers of the European Community that met on 20th–21st December 1977.

The Council agreed to broaden the Commission's mandate for negotiations with third countries about common rules for international occasional services by bus and coach, to increase by 20 per cent. the Community quota for the international carriage of goods by road, and to add some minor items to the categories of international road transport which are free of permit and quota control. The Council also adopted an improved procedure for consultation on transport infrastructure projects of Community interest and took note of the Commission's work programme up to the end of 1980. There was an exchange of views on various other issues, including proposals for a Community driving licence.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will make a statement on the implementation in Great Britain of the EEC regulations governing drivers' hours and distances;(2)whether he will make a statement on the use of tachographs in heavy vehicles;(3)whether he will make a statement on the enforcement of regulations concerning drivers' hours and distances and tachographs.

In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bradley), on 4th November—[Vol. 938, c. 8–10]—I said that at its October meeting the Transport Council had agreed to an amendment to EEC Regulation 543/69 under which the Commission could authorise the United Kingdom and Ireland to phase the implementation of the regulation over a period of three years. The Commission finally issued its decision on 30th December, and I have now laid before the House the Community Drivers' Hours Rules (Temporary Modifications) Regulation 1978, which gives effect to this.In spite of the transitional arrangements, adaptation to the wholly new legal structure and to the changes in actual limits that apply from this month cannot in practice be achieved immediately. A period of six months for "running in" is clearly sensible. The Government are ensuring that enforcement authorities are aware of the difficulties of the situation, and in particular understand the problem arising from the obligation to use a tachograph in heavy articulated vehicles for journeys over 450 km, unless a second driver is provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to date of the work carried out in plan- ning the Acle bypass of the A47; and also what is his estimate of the cost of the reappraisal that his Department has announced.