asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will announce his decision on the representations made to him against the withdrawal of the £20,000 grant currently being made annually to the organisation Fair Play for Children.

After considering the representations made to me, I have offered Fair Play for Children a grant of £27,000 in 1978–79, subject to certain conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the inaccuracies and allegations which he has stated to the hon. Member for Woking have on investigation proved to be untrue in media articles and features about the case of George Ince.

No. We have seen no need to keep an exhaustive record of the errors we have found in the many articles and features which have appeared about the case, and to examine them all in order to compile one would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what report he has receivel from the Chief Constable of Manchester about the demonstrations in Bolton on Friday 10th February, in particular in relation to the cost to public funds of the police operations; and if he will make a statement.

The Chief Constable of the Greater Manchester Police tells me that on the evening of 10th February 2,154 police officers were deployed to keep the peace on the occasion of a demonstration by some 3,500 people against a National Front meeting being held in Bolton Town Hall. During the demonstration 19 persons were arrested and one police officer was injured. Details of the cost of the police operation are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for the Metropolitan Police Area, the number of demonstrations connected with racial matters that have taken place in the last five years; and how much of the cost fell upon taxpayers and ratepayers, respectively.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that in the five years ended 31st December 1977 2,185 public order events necessitated special police arrangements. It is not possible to distinguish the number of demonstrations which were connected with racial matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the chief constables' reports and similar material made available to him arising from racial demonstrations.

No. It is a general principle of long standing that such reports to me by chief officers of police are not made public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) further to the answer of 16th December 1977 to the hon. Member for Lewes, if he will take steps to collect the figures for the number of radio transmitters in use by the police in England and Wales in each of the years 1966 to 1976 inclusive and report them to the House;(2) further to the answer to the hon. Member for Lewes on 16th December 1977, if he will now take steps to collect figures for the number of radio transmitters in use by the prison, fire and civil defence services in England and Wales for each of the years 1966 to 1976 inclusive and report them to the House.

No. To do so would involve extensive, onerous and costly inquiries in each of the services concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of canteen and other catering facilities provided by his Department for employees (a) in London, and (b) elsewhere during 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what contribution was made towards the cost of meals provided for and consumed by employees during working hours by those employees in the same years.

Staff restaurants for Home Office employees, as for other civil servants, are provided free of charge with premises, equipment and services. The cost to public funds of this provision is not readily available.Each restaurant is currently entitled to a graduated subsidy designed to encourage efficiency; and, in addition some units receive reimbursement for special operating expenses. The cost of these cash subsidies, which is readily available only by financial years, was:—

asked the Secretary of state for the Home Department if it is his policy to end immigration as it has been seen in the country in post-war years.

Large-scale primary immigration by breadwinners seeking employment has already ended. The majority of recent arrivals are secondary immigrants, the close dependants of those already here. Their numbers too are falling. The Government stand by their commitments to those remaining overseas who are entitled to come.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how and why in the week ended Friday 10th February 1977 there were 180 price increases including breakfast cereals, cakes, canned meat, canned vegetables, ice cream, margarine and salad dressings, bring the total since 1st January 1978 to 1,962.

My right hon. Friend does not believe that a Price Commission examination of this matter is called for. The figures quoted include price rises for various varieties and sizes of the same products, and by themselves do not give an accurate picture of the trend in food prices. The January retail price index rose by 0·6 per cent. over the December figure and the annual rate of increase is now down to 9·9 per cent. Complaints about prices charged by individual firms are a matter for the Price Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will refer to the Price Commission the 1978 profit margins of overseas tour operating companies, with particular reference to the need for the tour price advantages of the enhanced and enhancing value of the £ sterling should be passed on fully to the customer; and if he will make a statement.

The bulk of overseas tour operators' costs are not susceptible to control in this country, and Parliament exempted such operators from control on profit margins under the current Price Code; moreover, there is at present no power to regulate charges for overseas package holidays following a Price Commission examination. I recognise that exchange rates are just one factor affecting the cost of a holiday, but it is clearly right that the benefits of sterling appreciation should, wherever possible, be passed on to the consumer. I would be glad of any evidence that my right hon. Friend may have that this is not being done, and I hope that the forces of competition will ensure that all possible benefits are passed on to the consumer.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the cost to public funds of canteens and other catering facilities provided by his Department for employees (a) in London and (b) elsewhere during 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what contribution was made towards the cost of meals provided for and consumed by employees during working hours by those employees in the same years.

My Department has no staff restaurant facilities but the staff are able to use the canteens of other Government Departments in the area in which they work.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he is now able to provide statistics for the fireworks accidents for November 1977; and if he will provide a breakdown of these in the Official Report.

The statistics are not yet available. When they are I shall, with permission, circulate them in the Official Report as in previous years.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will make a statement about the report of the Price Commission on the prices, costs and margins in the importation, blending, packaging and distribution of tea including the causes and effects of movements in world prices of tea.

The Price Commission has inquired into the reasons for the steep increase in the price of tea during 1977 and the way in which this increase and the subsequent decline in world prices have been reflected in the retail price of tea in the shops. The Commission's report has been published today, and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of each House. The Commission's main finding is concerned with the prices and profits of the four major blenders who blend 85 per cent. of the tea sold; it points out that the blender's price effectively sets retail prices. It finds that while the price that the blenders had to pay for tea more than doubled in the first quarter of 1977, their selling prices rose by 85 per cent. between January and July of that year. Since the blenders held their gross percentage margins steady despite the increase in prices, their net percentage profit margin during the first nine months of 1977 was almost double the 1976 level, and their aggregate net profit in cash terms during the same period was almost twice as high as for the whole of 1976.The Commission concludes that

asked the Attorney-General what recent discussion he has had with the Chief Constable of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary about interviewing the journalists, Mr. Penrose and Mr. Courtiour, or Mr. Peter Bessell; and if he will make a statement.

I have had no discussions with the Chief Constable of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary regarding matters under investigation by his officers.

asked the Attorney-General if he will now take steps to publish the Report of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Personal Injury.

No decision to publish the Royal Commission's report can be taken until it has been printed and submitted. I understand that the Royal Commission hopes to be able to submit the report to Her Majesty in March.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he will prosecute the South African Immigration Organisation (Pty) Ltd., 104 West George Street, Glasgow, for operating without a licence, as required by the Employment Agencies Act 1973.

I have received no complaint about this company, nor has any report concerning it been submitted to me.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the ratio of Members' salaries to (a) the secretarial and office allowance and (b) national average earnings in July of each year from 1945 to 1977.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what assistance is given by the Government under aid development programmes to assist in the development of fishing industries of Third World countries; which countries receive aid; and if she will make a statement.

I regard fisheries development as most important for many developing countries. My Ministry is currently assisting in the development of fishing industries in the following countries:COUNTRY AND DESCRIPTION

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what numbers of United Kingdom cars were exported to Japan in 1975, 1976 and 1977; and what is the estimated number for 1978.

United Kingdom exports of passenger motor cars to Japan are published under SITC(R) heading 732.1 in Table VI of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom—the December issue for the years 1975 and 1977 and the annual edition for 1976—copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. I cannot make an estimate for 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the cost to public funds of canteen and other catering facilities provided by his Department for employees (a) in London and (b) elsewhere during 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what contribution was made towards the cost of meals provided for and consumed by employees during working hours by those employees in the same years.

Civil Service staff restaurants are provided free of charge with premises, equipment and services. These costs are not readily available. Each restaurant is currently entitled to a graduated subsidy designed to encourage efficiency and some units receive reimbursment for special operating expenses.For my Department the figures are:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the future of PanAm Airways' operations at Prestwick Airport, Scotland and in the United Kingdom in general; what is the most recent available estimate of the value of freight services operated by PanAm at Prestwick Airport; and what discussions he has held with representatives of North West Orient as to the possible implication for employees at Prestwick Airport should that airline decide to fly the Prestwick route.

Under the United Kingdom/United States Air Services Agreement (Bermuda 2), the United States Government have designated PanAm to operate an all-cargo service to Prestwick as well as London and Manchester. The value of this service is commercially confidential. Northwest Orient has also been designated to operate a passenger and cargo service to Prestwick but has not yet applied to my Department for the necessary operating permit. The level of services operated is a matter for the commercial judgment of the airlines, and I can make no forecast of the consequences for employment at Prestwick.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what arrangements exist for international co-operation with fellow member States of the European Economic Community and other countries in regard to the enforcement of anti-trust legislation against multinational companies.

I have been asked to reply.The main arrangements are those established by recommendations adopted by the OECD Council in 1967 and 1973. These provide respectively for co-operation between member countries on restrictive business practices affecting international trade and for a consultation and conciliatory procedure in relation to such practices by both national and multinational companies. Within the EEC, representatives of the competition authorities of member States meet regularly within the framework of the Commission's advisory committee on restrictive practices and monopolies, which is consulted about the operation of the EEC's competition rules.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the main sources of imports of the following metals, with the approximate proportion of domestic requirement met by each source: tungsten, chromium, nickel, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, uranium, zirconium and molybdenum.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 13th February 1978; Vol. 944, c. 58], gave the following information:I would advise my hon. Friend that there are no commercially significant deposits of these metals or their ores in the United Kingdom and so, apart from recycling, imports represent the source of all domestic consumption. Following is the available information for main sources of imports in 1977:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the annual imports of deer products into the EEC over the past five years; and what are the countries of origin.

Available statistics do not distinguish trade in deer from wider categories of animal products.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the existing military airfields which he regards as potential candidates for development as a civil airport beyond 1990.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir George Young) on 14th February—[Vol. 944, c. 178.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many applications for assistance under Section 4 of the Tourism Act 1969 have been approved by the English Tourist Board although they had been, respectively, rejected or deferred for further consideration by the relevant regional tourist board in each of the last three years.

Under the Act, responsibility for deciding Section 4 applications rests solely with the English Tourist Board—unless it wishes to give assistance exceeding its delegated authority, in which case I am consulted. It is rare for ETB decisions to be contrary to the advice of the regional boards, but to give a precise figure would involve disproportionate effort and cost as it would be necessary to individually check over 1,000 applications under Section 4 made to the ETB during the period 1975–1977 to ascertain what were the views of the regional boards in every case. In the case of the Northumbria Tourist Board, which would have considered about a quarter of the successful applications in the last three years, the ETB says that in one such case it did not follow the Northumbria Board's advice.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, in the light of recent Expenditure Committee recommendations, what action he intends to take in relation to the deduction made from Civil Service pay to cover the cost of inflation-proof pensions.

The deduction from Civil Service pay for relative pension benefits will be reassessed during the next pay research exercise and the Government Actuary will each year publish a report on the basis on which the calculation is made, so this is available for public scrutiny.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many people formerly employed in the public service are currently in receipt of pensions which are inflation proof.

Approximately 1 million, not including the dependants of former public service employees.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of civil servants employed in Scotland at the latest date convenient for calculation; and how this total compares with the total a year previously.

It is estimated that there were 71,200 civil servants employed in Scotland at 1st July 1977 compared with 71,400 at 1st July 1976.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the number of industrial and non-industrial civil servants at 31st December 1977; and what is his estimate of the numbers of industrial and non-industrial civil servants that will be employed in December 1978.

At 1st January 1978 there were 567,000 non-industrial civil servants and 171,000 industrial civil servants. The size of the Civil Service must reflect the tasks that are laid on it and it is not possible therefore to give firm estimates of numbers a year ahead. But I would not expect the current numbers to change by more than about 1 per cent. in the coming year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total number of civil servants employed at the latest convenient date; and how this compares with the total a year previously.

There were 738,000 civil servants at 1st January 1978, some 8,200 lower than the corresponding 1977 total.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he proposes to take further to reduce the emission of sulphur dioxide from coal-fired power stations, particularly through the use of English coals; and what is the cost of any investment involved.

Measures to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions are also the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The United Kingdom is currently involved in research programmes to establish what damage might be caused by sulphur emissions and possible options for controlling it. We shall continue to support these and in the meantime there are no immediate plans for steps to reduce emissions from coal-fired power stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if his attention has been drawn to the continued inadequacy in provision of suitable ships for fire-fighting, repair and maintenance, and blow-out prevention duties in the North Sea oil and gas installations; and what steps are being taken to ensure that the building of such vessels is done in United Kingdom shipyards.

I refer to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Ross and Cromarty (Mr. Gray) on 13th February.—[Vol. 944, c. 66.] My talks with the operators embrace the prospects for building these vessels in the United Kingdom; I am also discussing this important aspect with the British shipyards most concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, on the assumption that the availability of natural gas is in part dependent on the offtake of crude oil derived from North Sea oilfields, what is the Government's policy on the use of surplus natural gas supplies vis-à-vis rival fuels, such as coal and electricity which is predominantly dependent on the coal mining industry.

Associated gas is not surplus, but a welcome addition to the nation's energy supplies and if not used would have to be flared.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the Government's policy on the parity pricing of fuels in the domestic market; and what was his response to the argument recently debated by the Energy Commission.

Parity pricing was one of several approaches to energy pricing considered at the second meeting of the Energy Commission on 13th February, and we agreed that our discussions should be resumed at a subsequent meeting. The Government's current view, however, is that energy prices should continue to reflect the differing costs of each fuel.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost to public funds of canteen and other catering facilities provided by his Department for employees: (a) in London, and (b) elsewhere during 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what contribution was made towards the cost of meals provided for and consumed by employees during working hours by those employees.

Civil Service staff restaurants throughout the country are provided free of charge with premises, equipment and services. The cost to public funds of this provision is not readily available.Each restaurant is currently entitled to a graduated cash subsidy designed to encourage efficiency. My Department has only one canteen, which is in London, and the subsidy received was £17,276 in 1976 and £20,898 in 1977.The contribution made by employees towards the cost of meals provided amounted to £109,381 for 1976 and £115,395 for 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to publish the second report from the working group, headed by Dr. Walter Marshall, on combined heat and power potential in industry.

The combined heat and power group is currently preparing its final report following the public debate of the document "District Heating Combined with Electricity Generation", which was published as Energy Paper No. 20. I understand that the report will include both industrial and district heating aspects of combined heat and power, and I intend to publish it as soon as it becomes available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the approximate percentage heat-loss for a typical uninsulated house through walls, roofs, floors and windows respectively.

There are large variations in circumstances such as the design of the house and heating system, and in living patterns, which can produce a wide range of heat losses through different parts of the building, but estimates have shown for example that the approximate percentage heat-loss for a typical uninsulated between-the-wars semi-detached house, heated to whole house central heating standards, can be as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate, despite the Save-It Campaign, of the number of domestic hot water storage tanks remaining inadequately insulated; and what further publicity or other measures he proposed to reduce this waste of energy.

The following table shows the estimated number and percentage of homes in Great Britain, at December 1976, that have no domestic hot water storage tank insulation and those with insulation below 3 inches. These estimates are provided by Audits of Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated annual fuel saving that could be achieved if industrial buildings were thermally insulated up to the standards it is intended to introduce under new building regulations.

I regret that information in the form requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated life of the Wylfa nuclear power station.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy) on 15th February 1978.—[Vol. 944, c. 239–40.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had to promote thermal insulation work under his programme using the job creation scheme.

The Department was involved with the Manpower Services Commission in Autumn 1976 in setting up the scheme under which local authorities were encouraged to undertake insulation of roof spaces in their properties using the job creation programme. Since then the benefits of the scheme have been consistently stressed in contacts with authorities. In the first year of operation of this scheme approval has been given to the insulation of nearly 100,000 houses and many other public buildings such as schools, hospitals and old people's homes.The new package of energy conservation measures announced by my right hon. Friend on 12th December last provides increased opportunities for local authorities to insulate their properties and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will shortly be sending out a circular about the new measures which will draw authorities' attention to the possibilities of using the Special Temporary Employment rogramme—STEP—which will replace the job creation programme during 1978, for such works.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy by how much he calculates that the price of domestic coal will increase as a result of the recently announced miners' wage settlement.

The National Coal Board announced on 13th February that the present general level of the Board's prices for house coal and domestic smokeless fuels will be held until 1st November when prices charged to merchants will rise by about 10 per cent. Wages and related costs account for nearly 50 per cent. of the cost of producing coal and so an increase of 10 per cent. in earnings will add about 5 per cent. to the cost of production.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the British Government will recognise Rhodesia in the event of a settlement being reached to the mutual satisfaction and agreement of the Rhodesian Government and Bishop Muzorewa.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's answer to the Private Notice Question tabled by the right hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe) on 16th February—[Vol. 663, c. 944.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current duties of Field Marshal Lord Carver in connection with Rhodesia.

Field Marshal Lord Carver is Resident Commissioner (Designate) for Southern Rhodesia. His duties include planning for a cease fire, the future of the armed forces and all aspects of the transition period as envisaged in the Anglo-American proposals. To this end he has been holding discussions with the parties concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost to public funds of canteen and other catering facilities provided by his Department for employees: (a) in London, and (b) elsewhere during 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what contribution was made towards the cost of meals provided for and consumed by employees during working hours by those employees in the same years.

Civil Service staff restaurants throughout the United Kingdom are provided free of charge with premises, equipment and services. The cost to public funds of this provision and of similar provision at three Diplomatic Service posts overseas—Bonn, Washington and Cyprus—is not readily available.The identifiable cost to public funds of catering for staff employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in

London, elsewhere in the United Kingdom and overseas, and the contributions made by staff in the financial year 1976–77, and in the first six months of 1977–78, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will raise in the United Nations Security Council as a threat to world peace the naval presence of the USSR in the Horn of Africa;(2) if he will raise in the Security Council as a threat to world peace the military presence of Cuba in Ethiopia.

No. We have made it very clear to the Soviet and Cuban Governments our concern at their involvement in the Horn. As my right hon. Friend said in the House on 18th January, he would favour going to the Security Council over the dispute in the Horn of Africa, provided there was general support for this move.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Goverment intend to ratify the second financial protocol to Greece.

The United Kingdom's Instrument of Ratification of the Financial Protocol between the European Economic Community and Greece, signed on 28th February, 1977—Cmnd 6917—is now being prepared. I expect ratification to be completed within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he can now give a firm date for the full reopening of the Severn Bridge.

Provided there is no further adverse weather, the reopening of Severn Bridge to four lanes of traffic is now expected to take place during the second week of March.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the latest accident on the A33 between the southern end of the M3 and the M27, and the fact that this piece of trunk road, including the Winchester bypass, has the heaviest traffic flow of any non-motorway road in Hampshire and a death and serious accident rate substantially above the national average for motorways, he will cause to be erected, on the motorways at each end, large signs warning of the exceptional danger of this piece of road; and if he will see that the M3 and M27 are soon joined by an appropriate type of road.

I do not consider that a general warning is an effective way of reducing accidents over 19 miles of road. Signs lose their impact unless drivers can relate them to particular and immediate hazards. My right hon. Friend will take a decision on a new road when he receives the inspector's report on last year's public inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is now able to announce his plans for future road links between Telford and the West Midlands conurbation.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport hope to make an announcement on this very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total financial assistance by way of write-off, grant and loan given last year to transport services in London.

The funding of transport services in London, other than for British Rail services, is essentially a matter for the Greater London Council and the councils of the London boroughs.For 1977–78 I accepted proposed expenditure by the council and the boroughs of £200 million on which the Department is paying Transport Supplementary Grant of £91 million. In addition, the Department will also pay to the London Transport Executive grants in respect of new buses and of research totalling £5 million.The GLC's approved budget proposals for 1977–78 included provision for capital grants to LTE of £59 million, revenue support grants of £58 million, repayment of debt charges amounting to £12 million and loans of £1·8 million. The Council's budget also includes provision for capital grants to British Rail of £200,000 and revenue support grants of £300,000.Government grant to British Rail passenger services is given to the entire system and it is not possible to say what amount is in respect of railway services in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 26th January to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, if he will take steps to establish how much has been spent on road signs, by the Government in England in each of the past five years.

No. I could not justify the cost of such an exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what new initiative he plans to take when he next meets his EEC colleagues in the Transport Council.

The next Council of Ministers (Transport) is to take place on 12th June. I shall consider my course of action in the light of the agenda, which will be settled by the Presidency a week or two before the meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what Government Department or statutory bodies have rented accommodation through the Property Services Agency since March 1974 in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, respectively what Departments or bodies were involved; what is the total cubic footage; and what is the annual total rental in respect of the above.

The Property Services Agency has provided accommodation for Government Departments as a common service and for statutory bodies on an agency basis, as shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to introduce legislation which was promised as the second phase following the passing of the Commons Registration Act, in order to carry out the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Common Land.

Work is proceeding on the problems to which the Royal Commission drew attention, but I cannot yet say when it will be possible for further legislation on common land to be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the

The percentages above relate to English local authorities only. Allocations to Welsh authorities are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.South Norfolks bid under block 3 was £11,000 in respect of one small scheme to which it was not possible to give priority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the fact that since 1971 the number of

Direct comparisons between the financial assistance provided to local authority tenants and home owners are very difficult and potentially misleading, but the relevant figures for England for 1976–77 are

Average tax relief and option mortgage subsidy:

Average subsidy from central Government and rate funds (excluding rent rebates) per Council dwelling: 203 (estimated)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the actual allocations made in the housing investment programme for 1978–79 as a proportion of the bids made as between the three blocks, namely (a) new house building, council house improvements and municipalisation, (b) improvement grants and council mortgages and (c) housing associations; and if he will give these proportions for England and Wales as a whole, for Breckland District Council and for South Norfolk District Council.

The following is the information:immigrants in the London borough of Newham has increased from 28,000 to a figure between 42,000 and 46,000, and that this is causing problems with regard to overcrowding, and other housing problems, what action he has taken, or will take, to resolve these problems.

The allocations made to the London borough of Newham for housing investment in 1978–79 take account of the overall needs of the borough as expressed in the housing investment strategy and programme which the council submitted to the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the amount available for reclaiming derelict and despoiled land under the Derelict Land Clearance Area Scheme in 1978–79, and 1979–80.

The amount of capital expenditure available for derelict land reclamation in England in each of the years 1978–79 and 1979–80 is £18·2 millions, at 1977 survey prices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost to public funds of canteen and other catering facilities provided by his Department for employees (a) in London, and (b) elsewhere during 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what contribution was made towards the cost of meals provided for and consumed by employees during working hours by those employees in the same years.

The Department's staff restaurants, like all Civil Service restaurants, are provided with premises, catering equipment and services—electricity, gas, water—free of charge. The cost to public funds of this provision is not readily available.Each restaurant is also entitled to a graduated subsidy, and in addition some units receive reimbursement for special operating expenses. The cost of these for the financial year 1976–77 and the first six months of the financial year 1977–78 was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the grant to the Sports Council for 1978–79 and give the percentage increase over 1977–78.

I have told the Sports Council that, subject to parliamentary approval, its grant in aid in 1978–79 will be more than £12 million. The Council's precise requirements for the year are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has decided how to disburse the £650,000 flood relief fund which has been promised by the EEC; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are awaiting the official communication from the European Economic Commission about the aid it has decided to make available. I will make a statement about its disbursement as soon as possible after we hear from the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the initial or annual cost of extra office space acquired by the Civil Service in Scotland in 1977.

Office accommodation is provided by the Property Services Agency of the Department for central Government Departments and agencies by new building and purchasing or leasing. The capital cost and annual rent of the net extra space acquired in Scotland in 1977 was respectively £2,644,000 and £690,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the proposed building regulations for non-domestic buildings will include minimum thermal insulation standards for glazed areas, as recommended by the Buildings Working Group of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation.

Yes. The proposals we circulated last summer envisaged controlling the total area of glazing in roofs and walls. The advisory council welcomed this approach, and it will be embodied in the regulations which my right hon. Friend hopes soon to lay before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) local authority houses, (b) local authority flats, (c) new town houses and (d) new town flats have been sold in England and Wales in each year since 1970.

No breakdown of the numbers of dwellings sold into houses and flats is available. Information on the numbers of dwellings sold in each of the years 1970 to 1976 is available in Housing and Construction Statistics, Issues 15 and 21. It is provisionally estimated that in 1977 local authorities sold 12,600 dwellings, and new towns 365 dwellings, including those built specifically for sale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the numbers that will be employed in local government in December 1978.

There were 2·58 million local government employees—full-and part-;time—in England and Wales at the last count in September 1977.Numbers have declined over the past 12 months, as a result of restraints on local authority expenditure, and the consequences of past restraints may continue to be felt in 1978–79. However, I expect manpower levels to stabilize in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish tables showing the total number of staff employed by local authorities in England and Wales in each quarter since January 1970.

Information about the numbers of employees in local government in England and Wales is available only on an annual basis up to June 1974. This information has been published in the Department of Employment Gazette. From March 1975 quarterly figures have been collected by the central and local government Joint Manpower Watch and these are published regularly in the Department of Employment Gazette and the Monthly Digest of Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library.The table below gives the numbers of full and part-time employees in local authorities in England and Wales, including police, for the period since 1969. The numbers of police civilians, traffic wardens, police cadets, agency, magistrates' courts and probation staffs are now collected by the Joint Manpower Watch but were not covered in the surveys prior to March 1975. They are therefore excluded from the table in order to provide a broadly comparable set of figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give for the longest and most convenient period of time the number of Government and ministerial luncheons and dinners to which Members of the House of Commons were invited and what were the names of the Members so invited.

I have been asked to reply.During the period from 1st January 1976 to 31st December 1977, 444 lunches and dinners were given by Her Majesty's Government for overseas guests, to which 199 Back Bench Members of the House of Commons were invited, many of them on more than one occasion. The following is the list:DETAILS OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (OTHER THAN MINISTERS OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ATTENDING FUNCTIONS: 1ST JANUARY 1976–31ST DECEMBER 1977.Mr. Leo Abse.Mr. Robert Adley.Mr. Daniel Awdry.Mr. Kenneth Baker.Mr. Robert Banks.Mr. Alf Bates.Mr. A. J. Beith.Mr. Ronald Bell.Sir Frederic BennettDr. Reginald Bennett.Mr. W. Benyon.Mr. Sydney Bidwell.Mr. John Biffen.Mr. John Biggs-Davison.Mr. Peter Blaker.Miss Betty Boothroyd.The Rt. Hon. Arthur Bottomley.Mr. James Boyden.Mr. Tom Bradley.Sir Bernard Braine.Mr. Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler.Mr. Michael Brotherton.Mr. Ronald Brown.Sir Paul Bryan.Mr. Richard Buchanan.Mr. Antony Buck.Mr. John Cartwright.The Rt. Hon. Mrs. Barbara Castle.Mrs. Lynda Chalker.Mr. Churchill.Mr. Ivor Clemitson.Mr. Stanley Cohen.Mr. Robert Cooke.Mr. John Cordle.Mr. John Corrie.Mr. Thomas Cox.The Rt. Hon. William Craig.Mr. Julian Critchley.Mr. John Cronin.Mr. David Crouch.Mr. George Cunningham.Mr. Tam Dalyell.Mr. Bryan Davies.Mr. Ifor Davies.Mr. Joseph Dean.Mr. Paul Dean.The Rt. Hon. Sir Geoffrey de Freitas.Mr. Geoffrey Dodsworth.Mr. G. B. Drayson.Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody.Mr. Tony Durant.Mr. Hugh Dykes.Mr. Nicholas Edwards.Mr. Robert Edwards.Mr. Ioan Evans.Mr. Nicholas Fairbairn.Mr. Andrew Faulds.Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg.Mr. Martin Flannery.Mr. Alexander Fletcher.Mr. R. Fletcher.Mr. Ted Fletcher.Miss Janet Fookes.Mr. Ben Ford.Mr. Nigel Forman.Mr. Marcus Fox.The Rt. Hon. Hugh Fraser.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why the continued import of sperm whale oil is regarded as essential to the leather industry.

The principal uses of sperm oil in the leather industry are to soften naturally harder leathers and to give greater "run" and "handle" to higher-grade leathers, such as gloving leathers. Though substitutes are in limited use in certain processes in the leather industry, satisfactory substitutes are not available for most of the oil's applications.My Department has, for some time now, encouraged a co-ordinated approach to research into substitutes. The British Leather Manufacturers' Research Association is currently running a research programme, funded by my Department, aimed at learning more about the unique properties of sperm oil; this follows an earlier study which culminated in the publication of a report in July 1976 entitled "The Utilisation of Sperm Oil in the Leather Industry", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.Approximately half of all United Kingdom leather products are treated in some way with sperm oil. Until an effective substitute is found any major interruption in the supply of sperm oil to the leather industry could severely damage employment, and the industry's significant contribution to exports would be unavoidably diminished. My Department is encouraging research into substitutes so that we will be in a position to end our reliance on sperm oil, but, unfortunately, that position has not yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the value and tonnage of waste paper imports into the United Kingdom during each of the years 1976 and 1977; and what is his estimate of the effects of such imports on the attempts to encourage the recycling of waste.

Imports of waste paper were:

• 1976—100,161 tonnes, valued at £6·4 million
• 1977—123,874 tonnes, valued at £9·4 million

• 1976—54,930 tonnes, valued at £4·4 million
• 1977—44,508 tonnes, valued at £3·8 million

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of the applications for aid from the European Development Fund submitted by him fall primarily into each of the following categories (a) advance factory building, (b) infrastructure improvements, (c) retraining and (d) aids towards autonomous regional long-term development.

Applications to the European Regional Development Fund submitted to the Commission in the period 1975–77 resulted in a total commitment of ERDF contributions to United Kingdom projects of £150·4 million. Of this 9 per cent. related to advance factories; 50 per cent. to intrastructure improvement projects; and 41 per cent. related to national regional aids paid to industrial projects. Community aid towards retraining is made available not from the ERDF, but from the European Social Fund which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many applications for aid from the European Regional Fund have been received by him from (a) local authorities, (b) other public agencies, and (c) private agencies;(2) how many applications for aid from the European Regional Fund received by him have been submitted by him to the Fund's administrators in each of the categories (

During 1975–77, the first three years of the operation of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), up to 1,600 and 700 intrastructure projects have been mentioned by local authorities and public agencies respectively, to the Departments concerned with preparing applications as possible candidates for Fund assistance. During the same period applications were made to ERDF in respect of 562 local authority and 220 other public agency infrastructure projects, for which aid was sought for £30 million and £49 million respectively.Industrial projects are generally identified by Departments, including the Department of Industry, from amongst those receiving regional aid and applications are prepared in consultation with the companies concerned.The total value of the ERDF contribution towsrds the cost of United Kingdof projects approved by the European Commission in 1975–77 is £150·4 million. Of this, £61·5 million relates to industrial projects, £13·1 million to Government advance factories and £75·8 million to intrastructure projects undertaken by local and other public authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when the Council of Ministers is next likely to discuss the proposal that there should be a section of the European Regional Development Fund outside the national quota arrangement and whether he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations on this subject so far.

Some member States still have reservations about the operation of the proposed non-quota section. Further progress will need to be made in discussions at official level, which are to be resumed later this week, before the issue is ready for consideration by the Council of Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many inquiries his Department has received since 1st January 1975 from EEC companies contemplating new projects in the development areas in the Northern Region.

Between 1st January 1975 and the beginning of February 1978 an estimated 110 EEC firms made specific inquiries of my Department about the possibility of setting up manufacturing projects in the Northern Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has to encourage industrial investment to develop new industrial undertakings in the North-East.

Industrialists investing in the North-East can qualify for a wide range of regional assistance to industry. In addition, the National Enterprise Board recently established a Regional Board for the North. The Board will encourage the expansion of locally based companies which can make a worthwhile contribution to the future prosperity of the region.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what is the number of employees in Silley Cox & Company Limited; and whether they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;(2) what is the number of employees in Newark Ferguson Limited; and whether they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;(3) what is the number of employees in Menzies and Company Limited; and whether they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;(4) what is the number of employees in I. Kirkcaldy and Son Limited; and whether they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;(5) what is the number of employees in R. and H. Green and Silley Weir Limited; and whether they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;(6) what is the number of employees in R. Harris and Son (Plant Hire) Limited; and whether they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;(7) what is the number of employees in R. Harris and Son (Brunton Builders) Limited; and whethey they come within the scope of the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill;

I understand from British Shipbuilders that Silley Cox & Co. Ltd. employs 1,245 people, Hawthorn Leslie (Engineers) Ltd. employs 650, R. Harris & Son (Builders) Ltd, employs 182, J. Kirkaldy & Son Ltd. employs 41, and that the companies referred to in the other Questions have no employees. All are within the definition of "relevant company" in the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill. The eligibility of their employees to benefit under the terms of the Bill will depend on the terms of the order.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what formula is being used to calculate the proposed redundancy payments to workers in Swan Hunter.

Any employee dismissed on redundancy would be eligible under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965 in the normal way. So far as the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill is concerned, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my hon. Friend's answer, on 7th February 1978, to my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Mr. Blenkinsop).—[Vol. 943, c. 475–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what payments have been made under the micro-electronics industry support scheme at 31st January 1978.

Payments made under the micro-electronic support scheme up to 31st January 1978 total £7,367,263.