asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Boundary Commission for Scotland has yet decided when to start a general review of constituencies in Scotland.

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1958 requires the Boundary Commission for Scotland to submit its next general report between April 1979 and April 1984 and, within these limits, the Commission has discretion when to start a general review. The Commission, in the exercise of its discretion, gave notice on 16th February 1978 of its intention to commence forthwith a general review of constituencies in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any further changes have been made to cash limits for 1977–78 which are within his responsibility since the Chief Secretary's announcement on 18th November 1977.

It has been necessary to increase the cash limit for block SED/LA1 (capital expenditure by local authorities on school building, further education and teacher training) by £6 million to £67·9 million. The need for this arises from difficulties in estimating expenditure generated by contracts let prior to the introduction this year of an improved control system for this capital programme. The cash limit for block SO/LA1 (local authority capital expenditure on roads and other transport) is being reduced by a similar amount to ensure that the overall cash limit position is preserved.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1) if it is his intention to prohibit the use of 2, 4 toluenedianine in hair dyes when he implements the Council directive of the European Community on Cosmetic Products Regulations;(2) if it is his intention to prohibit the use of 2, 4 diaminoanisole in permanent hair dyes when he implements the Council directive of the European Community on Cosmetic Products Regulations;(3) if it is his intention to prohibit the use of the nitrophenylenerdianiues in semi-permanent hair dyes when he implements the Council directive of the European Community on Cosmetic Products Regulations;(4) if it is his intention to prohibit the use of para-phenylenediamies in cosmetic products when he implements the Council directive of the European Community on Cosmetic Products Regulations.

I am advised that there is no evidence that these substances present a health hazard and, therefore, I have no intention at present to prohibit their use in cosmetic products. However, the results of further studies on these and other similar substances, now in progress in the United States of America, are expected shortly, and will be considered by the appropriate expert advisory committee in the Department of Health and Social Security. If, in the light of this committee's advice, action of any kind is called for, it will be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will list by name and date of approval the statutory schemes which have been made regarding the telephone service under the Post Office Act 1969; and which are currently still in force.

Telecommunication schemes are made by the Post Office. They do not require the approval of the Secretary of State but are published in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.The schemes currently in force and the dates on which they came into operation are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will issue a general direction to the Post Office requiring it not to release to the police or any other body or individual apart from the subscriber, details of the destination, length and frequency of calls from private telephone numbers; and whether he will make a statement.

No. The Post Office releases such information only in exceptional circumstances. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given him yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, further to the letter which she has received from the National Association of Schoolmasters, Stockport branch, she is in a position to supply the precise amount of rate support grant which has been allocated to the Stockport Metropolitan Council for education.

No. The rate support grant is not earmarked for particular local government services. It is a block grant given in aid of local government expenditure as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for altering the immigration rules.

The rules are kept under continuous review and were changed last year to meet the abuse of evasion of control by marriages of convenience. I have no plans for further major amendments at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have been admitted for work each year since 1973 under the permit-free category; and if he will break the numbers down by country and category.

The immigration rules relating to control on entry provide that passengers coming for employment in a range of occupations—for instance, people like doctors and dentists, ministers of religion, contract seamen, exchange scheme teachers and employees of UN or other international organisations—do not require work permits. Information about the numbers entering the country in this way is, however, not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Equal Opportunities Commission has approved a research grant for work on the evolution of a framework for the formulation of non-sexist language and a glossary of nonsexist job titles; at what cost to public funds; and for what purpose.

This is a matter for the Equal Opportunities Commission, which has discretion under Section 54 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to assist research activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for meetings with representatives of the Church of Scientology have been received by his Department since 1968; and what has been their response.

Records of the number of such requests are not kept; we are not aware of any recent request for a meeting with the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present established strength of the West Midlands Police Force, specifying the number of male and female officers; what is the actual strength of the force in male and female officers to the last convenient date; and how many resignations have taken place of male and female officers during 1977.

The authorised establishment, which does not specify separately male and female police officers, is 6,509. At 31st January 1978 the strength was 5,201 male and 533 women officers. 155 male and 79 female officers resigned during 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table to show the number of crimes of violence in the city of Bradford for each of the past 15 years.

Information is available for the Bradford City police area from 1st January 1962 to 31st March 1974 and from 1st April 1974 to 31st December 1976 for a part of the West Yorkshire police area which comprises the former Bradford City police area and also Queensbury. The wider coverage should not affect appreciably comparability between the figures for the earlier and later years.

Indictable Offences of Violence Against the Person Recorded by the Police in the Former Bradford City Police Area
Year	Number
1962	65
1963	94
1964	138
1965	195
1966	258
1967	236
1968	254
1969	284
1970	259
1971	276
1972	399
1973	382
1974(first quarter)	122
1974(last three quarters)	432*
1975	786*
1976	877*
* Including Queensbury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table to show the number of: (a) male police officers, (b) female police officers, (c) traffic wardens and (d) other civilian administrative staff employed on Metropolitan Police duties, together with the establishments of each category for each of the last 15 years.

The figures are as follows:

METROPOLITAN POLICE
				Establishment Police			Strength Police			Traffic Wardens		Civilians
Year				Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Establishment	Strength	Establishment	Strength
31st December—
1963	…	…	…	20,426	583	21,009	17,833	468	18,301	550	429	3,954	5,488
1964	…	…	…	20,728	597	21,325	17,854	463	1,8317	668	425	4,246	5,706
1965	…	…	…	25,006	611	25,617	18,201	479	18,680	674	463	4,395	6,063
1966	…	…	…	25,006	623	25,629	18,699	493	19,192	674	702	4,721	6,480
1967	…	…	…	25,327	629	25,956	19,451	545	19,996	1,471	1,247	5,620	7,224
1968	…	…	…	25,423	629	26,052	19,896	562	20,458	1,471	1,221	8,524	6,092
1969	…	…	…	25,429	629	26,058	20,096	586	20,682	1,422	1,394	9,356	8,481
1970	…	…	…	25,405	650	26,055	20,442	615	21,057	1,713	1,585	9,077	9,025
1971	…	…	…	25,405	650	26,055	20,724	630	21,354	2,205	1,966	10,329	9,755
1972	…	…	…	25,405	650	26,055	20,647	658	21,305	2,467	2,055	11,252	10,273
1973	…	…	…	25,415	630	26,045	20,153	630	20,783	2,492	1,870	11,603	10,260
1974	…	…	…	25,905	723	26,628	20,127	723	20,850	2,914	1,791	11,992	11,094
1975	…	…	…	—	—	26,628	20,348	879	21,227	2,964	1,830	12,092	12,213
1976	…	…	…	—	—	26,628	20,978	1,267	22,245	2,167	1,805	12,516	12,062
1977	…	…	…	—	—	26,628	20,588	1,424	22,012	2,159	1,532	12,565	12,036
NOTE: Civilian staff—The staff of the Receiver's Office are not included in the establishment column for the years 1963 to 1968 inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for fiancés of United Kingdom citizens originating from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan have been refused in each of the past four years; and for what reasons.

I have been asked to reply.

			1974 (from 27th June)	1975	1976	1977
India*	…	…	5*	21*	16*	88
Pakistan	…	…	Not available	2†	40†	46
Bangladesh	…	…	Not available	nil	nil	nil
* Does not include applications made in Madras before August 1976.
† Does not include applications made in Karachi before June 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female United Kingdom citizens originating from the New Commonwealth or Pakistan have applied for permission for their fiancés to settle in the United Kingdom in each of the past four years; and, of these, how many have applied for more than one fiancé.

I have been asked to reply.The applications are made by the fiancés in their country of residence not

			1974 (from 27th June)	1975	1976	1977
India*	…	…	42*	1,248*	1,816*	1,956
Pakistan†	…	…	Not available	543†	843†	748
Bangladesh	…	…	Not available	5	6	3
* Does not include applications made in Madras before August 1976.
† Does not include applications made in Karachi before June 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel have premature voluntary retirement applications outstanding; what is the longest a premature voluntary retirement applicant has been told he must wait prior to discharge; what representations he has received from applicants in regard to these delays; and what reply he has sent.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 13th February 1978;

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has yet agreed to make additional funds available to the Banaban community as requested in the Bairiki resolution Nos. 2, 3 and 4.

The British Government's response to the resolution agreed at Bairiki last November was delivered to the Gilbert Islands Government and to the Rabi Council of Leaders on 22nd February. It is as follows:RESPONSE BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO THE BAIRIKI RESOLUTIONS1. The Government of the Gilbert Islands and the Rabi Council of Leaders have drawn the attention of the British Government to the texts of the eleven Resolutions to which they subscribed at their meeting at Bairiki in November 1977. The British Government have already welcomed the spirit of common purpose which the two parties demonstrated at Bairiki The resolutions concern many different subjects and were directed to the attention of several different governments. The responses which follow represent the views of the British Government upon such of the resolutions as

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Chertsey and Walton, Official Report, 7th February, column 520, of the naval officers who requested premature voluntary retirement in the periods January to June 1976 and 1977 and July to December 1976 and 1977, how many came from each branch of the Royal Navy.

The breakdown of the figures is as follows:concern them. The governments of Australia and New Zealand have been consulted about such of the resolutions as concern them as Partner Governments in the British Phosphate Commissioners (BPC).2. The British Government have already indicated their acceptance of the proposal in Resolution No. 1 that the constitutional future of Banaba should be determined by means of a referendum; and in particular the British Government have agreed:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated value of the Gilbert Islands revenue equalisation fund on 1st April 1978.

The Gilbert Islands Revenue Equalisation Reserve Fund was valued on 31st December 1977 at Australian $56,062,199. The next valuation will be made on 30th June 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what development aid has been given to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colonies, to the Gilbert Islands and Tuvalu since their separation, in each year since 1945.

The figures for development and disbursements from 1945 to 1949 are not readily available. Figures, in some cases estimates, from 1950 to 1977 are as follows:

Gilbert and Ellice Islands	Amount (£thousand)
1950–51	39
1952–53	42
1954–55	156
1956–57	109
1958–59	187
1960	48
1961	77
1962	35
1963	80
1964	86
1965	89
1966	101
1967	303
1968	268
1969	173
1970	297
1971	376
1972	903
1973	1,448
1974	1,315
1975	1,493
Gilbert Islands
1976	669
1977	1,338
Tuvalu
1976	1,020
1977	803

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent he has departments and offices together with staffs employed wholly or mainly on matters connected with immigration; what are the numbers employed and total wages and salaries payable to them; to what extent these figures have changed over the past 10 years; and, now that immigration has been reduced to a trickle, what plans he has for reducing these offices, staffs and related expenses.

The immigration sections of 23 overseas missions and subordinate posts together with the immigration section of the migration and visa department within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are engaged wholly or mainly on matters connected with immigration. Numbers employed are: 121 United Kingdom-based and 135 locally engaged staff at an estimated total cost of £2,226,300—based on average per head staffing costs.Comparable figures over the past 10 years are not readily available and would take a disproportionate amount of time to extract.Staffing levels in Foreign and Commonwealth Office departments and in all countries where we have diplomatic and consular representation, including those engaged on immigration work, are kept constantly under review to ensure that they are commensurate with the tasks which have to be performed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied with the new transfer arrangements for admission to secondary schools; and whether he will make a statement.

Any method of transfer to secondary education which involves the selection of pupils for different types of schools by perceived ability at the age of 11 cannot be regarded as satisfactory. The new procedure introduced this year is considered to have some advantages over the former selection procedure. However, the new procedure is being used for the first time this year and it will not be completed until June 1978. It would therefore be inappropriate to make a statement now.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why he has decided that Fermanagh local authority will not be responsible for the ordinary local government functions.

No such decision has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) why the Department of Agriculture is involved in those functions which have been given to the local people and being carried out by other district councils in Northern Ireland; why Fermanagh is being treated in an exceptional way; and if he will take note of local resentment against his action and the actions of his civil servants in Stormont regarding this;(2) in the light of the Fermanagh Council's acceptance of his Department's being the navigation authority, why he has not been prepared to consider other than minor modifications in relation to the bye-laws; and why he would not allow the local authority to act on an agency basis.

I presume these Questions refer to the Lough Erne (Navigation) Byelaws 1978 No. 43. The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland is both the drainage and navigation authority for Lough Erne and the owner of the bed and soil of the lough, and in that capacity the Department has made these byelaws.Preparation of the byelaws involved extensive consultations with interested bodies over a period of four years. In addition to formal consultations with Fermanagh District Council, much of the Department's discussion of the proposed bye-laws was with the Lough Erne Advisory Committee on which Fermanagh District Council is represented. Details of the Department's functions and those of the advisory committee were given in the answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr Biggs-Davison) on 21st February 1978.—[Vol. 944, c. 625.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total expenditure of his Department on mobility for the disabled in each of the years 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977; and what is the anticipated expenditure for the years 1978, 1979 and 1980.

The following is the information:

FINANCIAL YEAR AND ANNUAL TOTAL EXPENDITURE BY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY
	£million
1972–3	9·2
1973–4	11·2
1974–5	13·1
1975–6	17·2
1976–7	26·2
1977–8	37·5*
1978–9	61·7*
1979–80	79·5*
1980–81	82·7*
* estimated

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to publicise the availability of mobility allowance to certain disabled people who ceased to benefit from the former vehicle scheme and who may still be unaware of the new help which the Government can provide for them; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend's Question refers to our decision to give the mobility allowance to disabled people who had a pre-1976 vehicle scheme benefit but lost it for a temporary reason, such as loss of job or the loss of their driving licence. They may now qualify for mobility allowance on the special terms outlined in my Department's leaflet NI 225 "New Option for Vehicle Scheme Beneficiaries".Our records are not kept in a way that would have made personal contact possible with everyone whose former benefit had lapsed before 1st January 1976. Therefore, I wrote to all the appropriate voluntary bodies seeking their assistance and, at my request, the new help available was given wide publicity in their journals. Directors of local authority social services departments were also informed of the change. To date 1,064 disabled people whose former benefit lapsed have made successful applications for the mobility allowance. They include 93 successful applications from Scotland. I take this further opportunity to remind all who enjoyed a vehicle scheme benefit between 1st January 1970 and 31st December 1975, and who think they could still satisfy the eligibility conditions now, that they should make a claim for the mobility allowance not later than 31st March. The law will not permit consideration of applications received after that date. I shall welcome any help which hon. and right hon. Members can give in making this known among their constituents.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice his Department is giving to disabled people who receive the private car allowance and who are now to be entitled to switch to the mobility allowance; and if he will make a statement.

I have written individually to all recipients of the private car allowance—PCA—on two occasions about their new option. My first letter which was sent last autumn was as follows:

"I am writing to let you know of a change we have now made in the law which could be of help to you.

The change will entitle many thousands of disabled people to the Mobility Allowance for the first time. As you may know, the allowance is taxable and goes up from £5 to £7 a week from 16th November.

If they so wish, disabled people who have (or used to have) a car or a tricycle, or a private car allowance, under the old vehicle scheme, can have the Mobility Allowance instead. Moreover, they can switch to the Mobility Allowance—if they want to—without a medical examination and without any age-limit.

As the details are a bit complicated, I have set them out in the leaflet^* I am enclosing with this letter. And to simplify things for people who want to change to the Mobility Allowance, the application form has been made a part of the leaflet.

If you want to switch to the Mobility Allowance, you can fill in the form. If you don't want to change, there is no need to do anything. Of course, not everyone who wants to switch will be able to do so immediately. We will need a phased programme of transfers, but will nevertheless proceed as quickly as we possibly can.

I want also to stress that drivers in Category 3 who want to keep their vehicles will no longer lose them if they retire or otherwise lose their jobs. As you may know, Ministers used to have to write to people who had lost their jobs to say that this meant they would lose their vehicles as well. But we have now made changes to stop this happening. Again, the choice of Mobility Allowance is available to Category 3 people without any age-limit and whether or not they are in a job.

The new scheme applies to War Pensioners who have a vehicle, or a Private Car Maintenance Allowance, under the pre-1976 scheme. They will be helped by reading paragraph 11 in particular.

I am also sending you a list of new help which the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, formerly the Central Council for the Disabled, have negotiated in consultation with me. They may also be of interest and help to you."

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of people in receipt of attendance allowance at the latest date for which figures are available.

The provisional figure for 31st December 1977, is 292,000. This figure includes 149,000 at the higher rate and 143,000 at the lower rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has been able to give any financial help to the organisation known as Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied; and if he will make a statement.

I am naturally pleased that I have been able to authorise an annual grant of £10,000 for three years as a contribution to the administrative expenses of the national headquarters of Physically Handicapped and

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress he has made in his discussions with the British Dental Association and other organisations with regard to the dispute about dentists' expenses; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mrs. Bain) on 21st February.—[Vol. 944, c. 594–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the present arrangements for helping the elderly and sick during bad weather conditions.

It is for local and health authorities to deal with local emergencies, including those arising from bad weather conditions, and I have no doubt that they are fully aware of the need to help elderly and other vulnerable people. English local authorities have been given general advice on emergencies by the Secretary of State for the Environment, and my Department supplemented this in 1975 with an aide-memoire to directors of social services. I have arranged for a copy of this to be placed in the Library of the House. In the current emergency in the South-West my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment has been given responsibility for co-ordinating assistance to the affected counties, and my right hon. Friend expressed his appreciation in his statement to the House yesterday with the way that social services are coping with the current emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pay beds in NHS hospitals were phased out by July 1977; how many of these beds have since been used for NHS patients and how many have been left unused; how many pay beds are still in use and when these will be phased out; and what is the estimated loss to NHS revenues that has so far accrued as a consequence of the phasing out of pay beds.

1,000 pay bed authorisations were withdrawn by July 1977 under the terms of the Health Services Act 1976.An authorisation to admit private patients to a National Health Service hospital is not related to particular beds. Any bed in a hospital which is authorised to receive private patients may be used by a private patient according to the treatment he needs, provided that at any one time the number of such patients does not exceed the maximum number contained in the authorisation. As the same bed may be used at other times by a National Health Service patient, it is for most hospitals impracticable to identify beds which may as a result of phasing out become permanently available for use by NHS patients.A further 356 authorisations were with drawn from 1st January 1978 in accordance with proposals made by the Health Services Board. The current number of authorisations is 3,088, and the further rate of reduction will be determined solely by the Board in accordance with the principles embodied in what are now Sections 68 to 70 of the National Health Service Act 1977.The loss of income from private patients was not expected to exceed £1·8 million in 1977–78. Health authorities' allocations have been adjusted accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in what circumstances his Department waives proceedings against individuals for arrears of national insurance contributions; and how many such waivers have been granted in each of the past three years.

Standing instructions provide for officials of the Department to waive proceedings for arrears of national insurance contributions in various circumstances. The most common cases are those where the person concerned would have been entitled to exception from liability for contributions if he had claimed it, or where it would not be practicable to recover arrears because of his financial circumstances. Separate statistics are not kept of the numbers of cases where proceedings are waived, but they run into many thousands each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to make regulations under Section 19 of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 prescribing the circumstances in which a person can be regarded as precluded from regular employment by responsibilities at home and thereby have his pensions rights protected.

I have today laid before the House a draft of the Social Security Pensions (Home Responsibilities and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1978. These regulations provide that a person can have his basic pension rights protected without the need to pay Class 3—voluntary—contributions in any tax year from 6th April 1978 throughout which he has received child benefit as the main payee; has regularly and for at least 35 hours a week cared for a person in respect of whom an attendance allowance or constant attendance allowance is payable; or has received a supplementary allowance to enable him to stay at home to look after an elderly or incapacitated person. This protection will not be available in respect of any year during which a married woman or widow has retained the right to have reduced liability for national insurance contributions. A woman in the qualifying categories who now has reduced liability must apply to the Department to change to full liability before 6th April if she is to be covered from the beginning of the scheme.The protection of pension rights during periods of home responsibilities is one of the main points of the Government's new pension scheme. For example, it will enable a married woman to have up to 20 years out of the employment field bringing up her family, while still qualifying for a full basic retirement pension in her own right.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, pursuant to his Written Answer to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond). Official Report, 20th February, column 449, that the number of civil servants had fallen by 8,200 during 1977, to what extent that fall was accounted for by the transfer of personnel or functions to quasiautonomous government organisations.

There were no transfers of posts to quasi-government organisations. The overall reduction during 1977 reflects the Government's efforts to contain expenditure on the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report progress on the development of the fluidised bed combustion process; and when he expects it to make a contribution to fuel burn in industry.

The development of fluidised bed combustion for use in industry is being led by the NCB. I will ask the Chairman of the NCB to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had about providing incentives by grants or tax relief to householders for investment which reduces the thermal requirements of a building.

The Government are considering how to provide and encourage energy conservation measures within the existing private housing stock as part of the overall energy conservation programme. Consultations will take place as and when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had about providing incentives for expenditure on solar installations for hot water, heat pumps, heat recovery from ventilation and low-grade waste heat recovery, where such investment reduces thermal requirement of a building.

The Department has frequent consultations with parties interested in these matters on proposals for research, development and demonstration projects. In addition the Energy Technology Support Unit at Harwell held a workshop on heat pumps at Oxford over the period 30th June 1976 to 2nd July 1976, to which interested parties were invited. A report of that workshop was published in March 1977 and I have arranged for a copy to be place in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, what consultations he has had about removing the existing disincentive to energy conservation arising from liability to increased rate assessment for householders who improve the value of property by investing in thermal insulation and other fuel saving projects.

Officials of this Department have discussed the general question of rates in relation to domestic energy conservation measures with officials of the Department of the Environment, the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office, who have responsibility for rating questions in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively. There have also been discussions with the Inland Revenue valuation office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to his report on Case No. C190/77, Session 1977–78.(2) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to his report on Case No. C164/77, Session 1977–78;(3) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to his report on Case No. C815K, Session 1977–78;(4) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in his report on Case No. C797K, Session 1977–78;(5) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to his report on Case No. C756/K, Session 1977–78;(6) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to his report on Case No. C637/K, Session 1977–78;(7) what action he has taken following the conclusions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to his report on Case No. C225/77, Session 1977–78;

I am satisfied that the Inland Revenue takes the criticisms that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration has made of it in each of these cases very seriously and that it does its best to see that the appropriate lessons are learned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the increased yield from income tax during 1978–79, assuming that earnings were to increase by 14 per cent.

Assuming the same tax allowances, rates and bands as in 1977–78, an increase of 14 per cent. in wages and salaries would yield an additional £3,550 million in income tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of changes of tax domicile out of the United Kingdom sanctioned by his Department for the current financial year to the latest available date; to which country most of these transfers have been made; and what were the corresponding figures for 1967–68 and 1976–77.

No official consent is required for individuals to change their domicile, or their residence status for tax purposes and no information is available about the numbers of individuals who have ceased to be domiciled or resident in the United Kingdom. I would refer my hon. Friend to the Written Answer I gave him on 16th December 1977.—[Vol. 941, c. 543– 4.]Under Section 482 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970, a company wishing to transfer its residence for tax purposes outside the United Kingdom must obtain the consent of the Treasury. In the current financial year, 71 companies have bene given specific consent under this section, the United States of America being the country to which the highest number (nine) of these transfers has been made. The corresponding figures for 1967–68 and 1976–77 are 49 and 70 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Blaby, Official Report, 27th June, column 88, if he will now provide comparable figures showing the change in output per head of occupied population for the specified countries between 1973 and 1976.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what income net of tax would currently be required to equal the purchasing power of £5,000 at 1960 prices.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the basis of income tax liability calculations on redundancy payments; and how much tax, using these calculations, would be paid on redundancy awards of £6,000, £8,000, £10,000, £12,000 and £14,000 respectively.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he is giving to zerorating VAT for materials and labour employed for thermal insulation and other expenditure which achieves energy conservation.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of £1 sterling in terms of 1960 prices.

In 1960, the sum of 26p had internal purchasing power equivalent to that of £1 in January 1978—the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had about removing the existing disincentive to energy conservation arising from the VAT on materials and labour employed for thermal insulation and other expenditure which reduces fuel consumption.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his decision announced on 26th October 1977 to anticipate and implement in 197–78, the increases in the main personal tax allowances required for 1978–79 by the indexation provision of the Finance Act 1977 precludes him from making a further increase for 1978–79.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st February 1978; Vol. 944, c. 620], gave the following answer:No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what information he has on the number of international airports which have a traffic of 25 million passengers a year on a single runway.

There are no international airports at present handling 25 million passengers a year or more on a single runway.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has concluded his discussions with the Electrical Contracting Industry Joint Board concerning the pay settlement; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing further to add to my reply to the hon. Member's similar Question of 7th February.—[Vol. 943, c. 426.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 2nd February 1978, columns 287–8, if he will give the same information relating to single people, married couples and married couples with one and three or more children.

The available information is given below. Separate analyses are not available for households living on national assistance/supplementary benefit scales. As an indication of the spending pattern of those households information is given for households with a similar total income but from whatever source.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 2nd February 1978, columns 287–8, if he will give the same information for single and married retirement pensioners, assuming incomes equal to standard retirement pension plus supplementary pension.

The available information is given below. It covers pensioner households with incomes of at least three-quarters derived from national insurance retirement and similar pensions, including benefits paid in supplement to, or instead of, such pensions.The proportion of household expenditure on all goods and services spent on food, housing and fuel, light and power by pensioner households in the United Kingdom comprising one person and two persons is:—

Year	One-person pensioner households percentage expenditure	Two-person households percentage expenditure
1953	72	64
1971	70	63
1972	72	62
1973	70	63
1974	69	60
1975	70	61
1976	69	63

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total numbers of staff involved in the Manpower Services Commission, including, former departmental staff, training services staff and employment service staff throughout the United Kingdom, on 1st January 1974; and what is the equivalent figure at the most recent convenient date.

The total number of staff employed in the Manpower Services Commission on 1st January 1974 was 12. On 1st April 1974 5,446 staff were transferred from the Department of Employment to the new Training Services Agency and on 1st October 1974 12,424 staff were transferred to the Employment Service Agency. The number of staff in post at 1st January 1978, excluding casuals, was:

MSC	727
TSA	8,413
ESA	14,865

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are taken to ensure that calculations of redundancy payment awards by officials of his Department concur with those made by the employer and the trade unions in the British Steel Corporation.

In order to ensure payment of the right amount of rebate to an employer it is necessary for my Department to be satisfied that the payment to the employee under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1965 has been calculated correctly.For the purposes of verification no distinction is made between the British Steel Corporation and other employers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that in cases where recently redundant workers in the steel industry have lost money as a consequence of differing calculations of awards by the British Steel Corporation and officials of his Department the deficiency will be made up by cash payments.

My officials are in touch with the British Steel Corporation with a view to ensuring that redundant steel workers have received their proper entitlement under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the application of the Redundancy Payments Act in the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, although occasionally there are problems to be resolved in establishing entitlement and the amount due. But these are problems which occur generally in the operation of the Redundancy Payments Act 1965 and are not peculiar to the British Steel Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, pursuant to the Written Answer to four Questions by the hon. Member for Melton given by the Minister of State on 20th February regarding the published correspondence about the John Lewis Partnership, it is the normal practice of his officials, when giving guidance to companies about blacklisting, to place a note of the telephone conversation on the file; why this was not done in this case; and what steps he is taking to ensure it is done in future.

The role of my officials is to give explanations and advice about pay policy and, as appropriate, to encourage negotiators to observe the pay guidelines.My Department's experience over many years in dealing with a wide range of problems connected with collective bargaining is that telephone conversations with employers are best conducted informally, on a basis of mutual trust and good will, and that detailed note-taking of such conversations is unnecessary. It is quite exceptional for this approach not to be reciprocated.

asked the Prime Minister whether the "Gaitskell rule" whereby each party's leader advises upon new peerages to be given to members of that leader's party, applies to all parties and all party leaders.

I am not aware of any such rule.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet the TUC and CBI.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) on 2nd February.—[Vol. 943, c. 248.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in respect of the proposed demolition of Eastgate Bridge, Bury St. Edmunds, what further examination he has made of the exceptionally heavy rainfall during the present and last winter; and whether, in view of the fact that this has not caused the water levels of the River Lark to reach bank levels, he will reconsider the technical advice he gave on this subject to the inspector who conducted the public inquiry.

I am advised that the rainfall at Bury St. Edmunds this winter has not been of such intensity as to affect the advice which my Department gave to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment last autumn.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the light of the case of the bee keepers at Stanley, Derbyshire, if he will amend his Department's regulations to allow employees to be paid at wages below what his Department recommends if they are so agreeable.

No. Statutory minimum wage rates are prescribed by the independent Agricultural Wages Board, and my Ministry's inspectors are concerned to ensure that these are observed. Section 11 of the Agricultural Wages Act 1948 expressly prohibits agreements of the kind described by the hon. Member; and any exemption from the statutory minimum rates, for example for persons with some disability, calls for a statutory permit issued by the local agricultural wages committee. Contrary to some Press reports, there has not recently been any case concerned with bee keepers at Stanley, Derbyshire, although action was taken for underpayment of wages on a beef enterprise there.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he is satisfied with the import into the United Kingdom of Cyprus agricultural and horticultural produce in the light of Common Market regulations; and if he will make a statement.

It is important that traditional trade between Cyprus and the United Kingdom should be maintained with as little disturbance as possible. The Government consider it essential that the current review of the agricultural provisions of the EEC/Cyprus Agreement take into account the needs of Cypriot producers and exporters of primary products.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the light of the EEC's offer of a quota of 852,000 tons to the British fishing fleet and the failure of the EEC negotiations, he regards the British fishing effort as currently being restricted to a quota; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government have not agreed to the quotas proposed by the Commission, and consequently the Britsh industry is not bound by the figures in those proposals.But as my right hon. Friend told the House on 1st February, the Government are holding talks with the industry on how it might practise self-discipline in its catching operations.—[Vol. 943, c. 470–84.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken following the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in Case No. C452/77, Session 1977–78.

As indicated in the Parliamentary Commissioner's report, the local council was advised that it was for it to decide whether or not to pay an improvement grant in this case. Steps are being taken within my Department to avoid any repetition in the future of the circumstances referred to in paragraph 2 of the Commissioner's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will set out the projects for the improvement of the infrastructure of the Northern Region of England which have received financial assistance from the European Regional Development Fund in the past 12 months;(2) whether he will set out the projects for the improvement of the infrastructure of the North-West Region of England which have received financial assistance from the European Regional Development Fund in the past 12 months.

I have written to the hon. Member today giving the information he asked for.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what activities are undertaken by his Department in connection with the needs of gipsies and other travellers; what are the costs to public funds; and what plans he has to expand such activities.

The Department's concern is with the provision of caravan sites for gypsies. The primary responsibility for this lies with local authorities, who have a duty to provide sites under Part II of the Caravan Sites Act 1968, but the Department plays an advisory and co-ordinating role. In addition, my right hon. Friend is required under the Act to deal with district councils' objections to site proposals and with applications for designation, and to exercise certain other functions. The costs to public funds for the current financial year are estimated at £86,000. Certain recommendations in the Cripps Report would, if implemented, involve some expansion of these activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken as a result of the Cripps Report on the provision of caravan sites for gipsies; and what plans he has to amend existing legislation.

The report was given a wide circulation and many comments were received. My right hon. Friend is preparing his response in the light of these comments and hopes to publish it soon. A few of the report's recommendations would, if accepted, require the introduction of amending legislation. However, I cannot say at present when this might be possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the building and construction industry concerning his proposal to introduce a scheme to register building firms and their workers.

My right hon. Friend has referred the proposals of the Construction Industry Manpower Board to the trades unions and employers federations concerned. Some preliminary views have been received, but it is too soon for most of the industry to have reached firm conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the amounts spent by local government in the past five years on community relations.

Such expenditure is not separately distinguished in existing financial returns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is contemplating, through legislation or other means, to ensure that trolleys which supermarket owners allow to be taken off their premises are properly collected at the expense of the supermarket owners.

Action on such matters does not appear to fall within the responsibilities of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he is giving to providing rate relief to householders who improve the value of property by thermal insulation and other expenditure which achieves energy conservation.

I am advised that in most cases thermal insulation and other measures intended to improve energy conservation in private dwellings are unlikely, by themselves, to have more than a minimal effect on the rateable value of a private dwelling. On the evidence at present available to me I therefore see little case for considering any special rate relief.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the application of techniques developed for the insulation of solid walls.

Laboratory studies and practical field trials of solid wall insulation techniques are part of the programmes of the Building Research Establishment and Housing Development Directorate. I shall consider what steps should be taken in the light of this work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that water authorities have adequate powers to regulate water supply and standards, in the light of the refusal of Harworth Colliery, Nottinghamshire, to allow the Severn Trent Water Authority to have control over the source of the local water supply.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the public use of discoloured water supplies, in the light of the dispute over the water which is having to be brought by the Severn-Trent Water Authority from Harworth Colliery in the Bassetlaw district after being used for washing coal.

The quality of water put into supply is the responsibility of the Severn-Trent Water Authority. It is the duty of the local council to ascertain the sufficiency and wholesomeness of the supply and to notify the water authority of any insufficiency or unwholesomeness.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many private rail sidings have been installed with Exchequer assistance under the Transport Act, to date; and how many of these sidings are now being used on the scale envisaged when the assistance was granted.

Of the 40 schemes approved for grant, 21 are fully or partly operational. The recession in the steel industry has adversely affected those involving scrap metal and steel but most of the others are developing as expected.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest position in respect of the construction of trunk road schemes (a) in the North-West Region, (b) in Cheshire, and (c) in the area covered by the Macclesfield constituency.

The following schemes are under construction in the North-West Region:

M67 Hyde bypass, and

M66 Bury easterly bypass—north section—

and tenders have been accepted for the construction of the M46 Hapsford to east of Stoak, M56 Stoak interchange and M58 Aintree to Skelmersdale. Tenders are expected to be invited soon for the M56 west of Stock to Powey Lane and the M67 Denton relief road.Only the M56 schemes are in Cheshire and none is in the Macclesfield constituency.All other trunk road schemes in the North-West Region are currently under review in the light of the White Paper on transport policy and the Leitch Committee report.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will use part of the money allocated for the seat belt campaign to initiate a campaign to supply a breathalyser testing station at or near to the entrance of a public house or the parking ground where motorists can use, on a voluntary basis, a breathalyser before entering their vehicles.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is in a position to make a statement concerning Rectory Road Motoring Centre, Basildon, following the presentation of the paper submitted by the hon. Member for Basildon regarding MOT testing.

The matter is still being investigated by the Department. As soon as I know the outcome, I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the North-Eastern Road Construction Unit gave written authority to the Pudsey Motorway Action Group to reproduce additional questionnaires during the public consultation exercise on the Kirkhampton-Dishforth route; and if he will make a statement to this effect.