asked the Minister of Overseas Development what were the results of the review of aid to Sri Lanka carried out in December 1977.

As a result of the mission's recommendations we propose to provide £12 million of new project aid for Sri Lanka and to increase our maintenance grant there from £3 million to £5 million. We have also agreed to finance a comprehensive consultancy to help plan and cost the large Victoria irrigation and power project which will form the first part of the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Scheme and, in the light of the outcome of the consultancy, to offer help to finance the project.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she proposes to visit the developing countries of the Middle East.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the Middle East at present but I recently visited Jordan and the Yemen Arab Republic, where I saw British aid projects and discussed our aid programmes, and Saudi Arabia where I had discussions on co-operation with Arab aid agencies and on possibilities for paid technical co-operation.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what progress was made at the recent meeting of the Development Council in Luxembourg on aid to non-associates.

The Council agreed on a regulation to govern aid to non-associates, subject to conciliation proceedings with the European Assembly. Aid is to go in general to the poorest countries, and their poorest people, with priority for rural development and improving food production. This is of course very much in accord with United Kingdom aid policy.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the recent meeting of the EEC Development Council in Luxembourg.

The main outcome was the decisions concerning aid to non-associates outlined in my earlier reply today to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, West (Miss Boothroyd). There was also a general exchange of views on the volume and distribution of aid.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how much overseas aid the Government propose to give to Ethiopia in the current financial year.

Existing bilateral aid commitments to Ethiopia will produce spending of about £1·6 million this year. The main element is a rural water supply project. No new projects have been approved in the last year.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many posts in her Department at assistant secretary level are filled by members of the professional and scientific categories of civil servants and how many by members of the administration group.

Twenty-three assistant secretary posts in London are filled by members of the administration group, of whom two have transferred from the professional and scientific groups, and one is filled by a member of a professional group.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many of the development divisions in her Department are headed by members of the professional and scientific categories of Civil Service staff.

None of the five Development Divisions overseas is currently headed by a member of the professional or scientific categories of the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statutory powers are available to Government and local authorities to investigate and take action on allegations of neglect or mistreatment of animals and birds kept in zoos and safari parks.

Such allegations would suggest that offences under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 or the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912 might have been committed. The primary responsibility for enforcing those Acts rest on the police. There are no other relevant powers available to central or local government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of damage to property by football hooligans in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.

Information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the National Front march from the West of London to Hoxton on 1st May, during which marchers carried offensive weapons.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that there was a National Front march from Langham Place to Hoxton Market on the afternoon of 1st May. There was no disorder, and there were no reports of breaches of the law relating to offensive weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to reply to the letter sent on 18th January by the right hon. Member for Huntingdonshire about the Home Office grant to the Albany Trust; and whether he will make a statement.

I have written to the right hon. and learned Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the appointment of a statutory advisory committee to adjudicate on questionable research using live animals, to promote the concept of alternatives and to stimulate inquiries into the whole field of animal experimentation.

No. Since 1913 my predecessors and I have been advised by the non-statutory Advisory Committee on the Administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 on proposals presenting difficult issues in connection with the exercise of the powers under that Act. I do not think that legislation to establish a statutory advisory committee would be justified or that such a committee is required for the other purposes mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the response of his Department to the representation of the hon. Member for Walsall, South on the need to licence the private security industry.

I am aware of the careful study which my hon. Friend has made of this subject, and of the proposals which he has put forward. To facilitate wider discussion I intend to publish a paper setting out the information which is available, the arguments submitted by my hon. Friend and others, and the important issues which are raised by proposals for control over private security activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Surrey North-West, on Tuesday 2nd May, whether he will consider making the relevant changes in the reasons for granting bail form, at the earliest opportunity, in order that in those cases where defendants are granted conditional bail, the penalties for absconding are clearly stated for the defendants to know.

I shall consider in the light of experience whether a change in the prescribed form is desirable. But I have no reason yet to believe that the arrangements I described in the reply to which the hon. Member refers are not working satisfactorily, and I believe it would be wrong to make precipitate changes in the implementation of an Act so recently brought into force.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what will be the increase in air traffic at Sumburgh Shetland and Grimsetter Orkney airports over the next five years.

There were 398,000 passengers at Sumburgh in 1977; the aerodrome is being developed to cater for 800,000 passengers a year.At Kirkwall—Grimsetter—there were 112,000 passengers in 1977, and there are expected to be 134,000 in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the recent preparatory meeting of UNCTAD at Minister level has completed preparations for a further full meeting on the Common Fund; and whether he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations on the Common Fund.

There was no substantial discussion of the Common Fund at the meeting, at ministerial level, of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board on 6th to 11th March. Informal consultations are, however, in progress on the possibility of resuming the negotiations on the Common Fund. The Commonwealth ministerial meeting in London on 13th-14th April may have improved the prospects for such a resumption.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list types of animals which were imported into the United Kingdom over each of the last five years for the purpose of research experimentation; what regulations govern their importation; and if he will make a statement.

Animals imported for research experimentation are not separately distinguished in the trade statistics. So far as my Department is concerned, any live animal may be freely imported into the United Kingdom under the provisions of the open general import licence; that is, without the need for an individual import licence. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Department of the Environment have powers to licence imports of animals in order to prevent disease and for conservation purposes respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, in view of the current world shipping recession, he will take steps to help those United Kingdom shipping companies which may otherwise have to sell their ships.

By agreement with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry, and in consultation with the clearing banks, I am prepared to consider the limited extension of Government guarantees given on loans made under Section 10 of the Industry Act 1972. I intend to make this facility available to companies which have short-term problems, and no recourse to other sources of finance, but which are expected with the aid of such moratoria to be able to come through this recession as viable entities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of Great Britain's requirement of large diameter steel pipes is imported from Japan.

The information is not available. Trade statistics only identify separately imports of tube and pipe up to 152 mm in internal diameter and tube and pipe exceeding 152 mm. Statistics of United Kingdom deliveries of tubes and pipes from home production collected and published by the Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau are not analysed by diameter. It is only possible to calculate import penetration for pipes and tubes as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the total level of central Government expenditure on soundproofing grants for (a) public, and (b) private buildings surrounding each of the United Kingdom's civil airports in each of the last five years.

None. Sound insulation grants schemes, whether made by central Government under Section 29A of the Civil Aviation Act 1971 or by airport authorities, are financed by the airport authority concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what arrangements he has now made to monitor compliance by United Kingdom firms with the EEC code of conduct for European companies with subsidiaries in South Africa; and in what way he intends to report the results of such monitoring to the House.

The code provides for annual report by companies and annual reviews by Governments. We intend that these reports will be thoroughly assessed and the results published.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement in respect of his recent statistical survey into the architectural profession; how many firms were sent questionnaires; and what is his estimate of the time required to be spent on these for satisfactory completion.

I would be grateful if the hon. Member would write to me indicating to which survey he is referring.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will specify the rate of duty payable on components bought from the United States of America for incorporation into an aircraft being built in Great Britain for sale to British Airways for service on international routes.

As I informed the hon. Member for Hastings (Mr. Warner) in reply to a similar Question on 14th February 1978—[Vol. 944, c. 177–8.]—no Customs duty is payable on aircraft engines, parts of engines and airframe parts intended to be fitted to aircraft built within the United Kingdom. As regards other components bought from the USA for constructing British aircraft for delivery to United Kingdom airlines, Customs duties are chargeable at the rate appropriate to the components concerned, except where they are suspended on an annual basis by means of an EEC Council regulation when such items are not produced within the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what products and derivatives from harp and hooded seals are imported into the United Kingdom; for what purpose; and in what quantities.

Imports of harp and hooded seals and their products are not separately distinguished in the United Kingdom overseas trade statistics. 41,345 complete furskins of sealions, fur seals and other seals were imported in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what steps he proposes to take to make it illegal, in accordance with EEC Directive 770/76, to sell sand and ballast in cubic yards; and how many lorries used for transporting sand and ballast are calibrated in cubic yards.

The Units of Measurement Regulations 1978 (SI 1978 No. 484) which came into operation on 27th April implement that part of EEC Directive 76/770. The regulations cease to authorise the use of a number of units including the cubic yard for sand and ballast. The directive generally requires the cubic yard to be phased out with effect from 31st December 1977 but there are provisions allowing the continued use of existing equipment. In accordance with this the regulations provide for the continued use, for the purposes of transactions in ballast—including sand—or agricultural materials, of existing measures of ¼ cubic yard or any multiple thereof until 31st December 1978, provided that such measures have been passed as fit for use for trade and officially stamped before 27th April 1978.No information is available about the number of lorries calibrated in cubic yards but since the authorisation of measures of 0·2 cubic metre and multiples thereof in January 1971, an increasing number of lorries have been calibrated in cubic metres.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection why he did not approach the larger independent millers and plant bakery companies, in particular, Messrs. Bugbrooke Mills' Fine Lady Bakeries, to buy the 23 Spillers bakeries to be closed.

The circumstances in which the Government were told of the imminent withdrawal of Spillers from baking—at very short notice and in confidence—required us to accept Spillers assessment that there was no possible alternative to the plan it proposed. The company specifically told us that it had considered—but had ruled out—the possibility of a sale to independent bakeries of the plants that were to be closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is currently the maximum permitted mark-up by the grocery trade for instant coffee.

Profit margins on instant coffee are not separately controlled under statutory powers. The voluntary agreement limiting margins on certain coffee lines ended in February. Margins on instant coffee in the grocery trade are therefore those resulting from the operation of normal market forces. Retailers margins generally remain subject to the Price Code.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many inspectors are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary and expenses required to pay this inspectorate.

My Department does not employ inspectors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress his Department is making in its talks on the problem of those houses and flats which have only one source of heating; and whether he will treat them as urgent, in view of the high and increasing cost of domestic electricity.

I can assure the hon. Member that the Department is giving urgent attention to the problems arising with heating in some public sector dwellings as a result of high electricity bills. I would refer the hon. Member to my comments during the recent Adjournment debate on 20th April on council housing and insulation—[Vol. 948, c. 853–64]—and the answer I gave him on 8th March 1978.—[Vol. 945, c. 637.] At present, there is nothing further I can add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy with regard to the installation of domestic heating controls.

The Government advocate the installation of domestic heating controls where these will be cost effective for the householder. A leaflet was issued last year. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the £157 million allocated for building society lending on the nomination of local authorities is likely to be taken up in 1977–78.

About two-thirds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the operation of the scheme under which local councils nominate people for building society mortgages; and if he will make a statement.

I am continually seeking ways to improve the operation of the scheme, with the co-operation of the local authorities and the building societies. Several important measures are being introduced in 1978–79:

(1) the appeals procedure and the publication by the societies of the broad criteria on which they lend;

(2) the extension of the scheme to all housing authorities wishing to participate;

(3) the forthcoming publication of a "code of good practice".

I hope that these measures—and the continuing building up of relationships between societies and local authorities—will lead to a higher take-up in 1978–79 of the £300 million available in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's monitoring survey of the building societies' support lending 1977–78.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. M. Latham) on 13th April 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has given to the complaint on rate support grant in a letter dated 28th April from the leader of the Northamptonshire County Council with support from all political parties and teachers' organisations that Northamptonshire has been unfairly treated in the grant distribution formula.

I replied to this letter today saying that I would be prepared to see a deputation from Northamptonshire to discuss the distribution of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any proposals for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street station; and whether he will make a statement.

I called in proposals submitted in 1976 by the British Railways Board to demolish and redevelop Liverpool Street and Broad Street stations as one new station, with improved Underground and bus interchanges, offices, shops and community facilities. A public inquiry was held and I am presently considering the inspector's report. I shall make a statement when I issue my decision on this scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he issues any guidance to local authorities as to the amounts it is proper or desirable for them to put into contingency reserve funds.

No. This is entirely a matter for the individual authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has still not introduced building regulations to provide for minimum standards of thermal efficiency in the non-housing sector; and when he hopes to do so.

My right hon. Friend is now satisfied with the legal and technical requirements of this proposed legislation, and the laying of the Statutory Instrument will follow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if any discussions have been held between his Department and building societies resulting in restrictions on new advances more than the 10 per cent. reduction already announced.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further advice he has given to building societies on the amount by which they should cut back on mortgages beyond a 10 per cent. reduction from the sum advanced last December.

The agreement with the Building Societies Association related to a reduction in the second quarter of 1978 of about 10 per cent. in the monthly guidline level previously agreed for the first half of 1978. The Government have given no advice about a further reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he remains convinced that his 75 per cent. contribution to local authority flood relief payments was of realistic help to the stricken areas; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will now give his estimate of the damage caused by the January floods on the East Coast; how many applications for 75 per cent. contributions from central Government he has received; how many he has paid; how many remain in the pipeline; and what is the latest date at which his Department will consider further claims.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his Questions on 14th March.—[Vol. 946, col. 167.]—To date, I have received one application for financial assistance in respect of damage caused by the January floods on the East Coast and my Department is discussing this with the local authority concerned. I see no reason yet to set a latest date for the consideration of claims.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions the Government have reached on the recommendations contained in chapter 17.8 of the inspector's report on the Windscale inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

The recommendations fall into three categories; those addressed to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. (BNFL); those directed to the Government for modifications to existing control arrangements for environmental protection and safety, and those which call for organisational changes. The Government accept immediately all the 12 recommendations in the first two categories. We also accept entirely the underlying purpose of the remaining three recommendations in the last category.I set out below the Government's detailed response to each of the recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on which districts he proposes to designate under the Inner Urban Areas Bill.

As I have already informed the House. I propose to designate all the partnership and programme districts. These are:(

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that adequate safeguards exist to protect both investors in building societies and mortgagors; and if he will make a statement on this subject in the light of the recent crash of the Grays Building Society.

I have been asked to reply.These are matters which we shall be considering when inquiries into the irregularities at the Grays Building Society are completed. In the meantime the Building Societies Association has undertaken that Grays shareholders and depositors will not lose their money. The arrangements being made to implement this undertaking take fully into account the interests of mortgagors.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what date will the first British plant for the mass production of steel pipes of large diameters be in production.

The British Steel Corporation already manufactures large diameter pipes at Hartlepool, Stockton and Clydesdale. There are also private sector facilities for producing such pipes at Motherwell and Ipswich. Expenditure is at present being incurred by the British Steel Corporation on enhancing facilities at the 44-in diameter pipemill at Hartlepool.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will indicate the progress made into research into substitutes for sperm oil with the support of his Department; and when a report will be published.

For some time now my Department has been involved in promoting research into substitutes for sperm oil. In 1975 my Department commissioned the British Leather Manufacturers' Research Association to carry out a study into the properties of sperm oil and its application in the leather industry, culminating 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. My Department is now funding through the Garments and Allied Industries Requirements Board a further BLMRA study on sperm oil and available substitutes; its final report is due this autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the membership of the English regional industrial development boards.

I have recently reviewed the membership of the Northern, North-West, South-West and Yorkshire and Humberside Industrial Development Boards. Below is a list of the current members of each board.I am glad to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by those who give up their time to serve on these boards.SOUTH-WEST INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many new jobs have been created in the St. Ives parliamentary division since 1973; and what proportion these jobs represent as a percentage of the growth in the working population of the area during the same period.

In the period from August 1972 up to 28th February 1978, offers totalling £686,000 were made under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 in aid of 15 projects in the St. Ives division expected to provide 540 jobs. 124 of those jobs had been created by 28th February 1978; that is about 12·6 per cent. of the growth in the working population in the St. Ives division, excluding Hayle, during the three years ending June 1976.Other new employment is expected to have been created as a result of regional development grants paid under Part I of the Industry Act; and from other Government schemes of assistance to industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what arrangement he has made for interest relief grants for small firms; what are the qualifying terms for such grants; what moneys have so far been expended on such grants; and how much has been associated with principal loans from the European Investment Bank.

Small firms may qualify for interest relief grants for projects with employment benefits in the assisted areas under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, and for grants available through sectoral schemes under Section 8. Statistics of the assistance provided are not broken down by size of firm. Under the scheme announced on 15th December 1977, up to £20 million is available in loans from the European Investment Bank for seven years at 7½ per cent., plus 1 per cent. for a guarantee against the exchange risk. Several applications from small firms—that is under 200 employees—are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what was the total expenditure on regional grants and assistance granted to the St. Ives parliamentary division in 1976 and 1977; what amount this represents as expenditure for each member of the working population; and what was the comparable figure for the United Kingdom as a whole;(2) what was the total expenditure on regional grants and assistance to the Cardiff, South-East parliamentary constituency in 1976 and 1977; what amount this represents as expenditure for each member of the working population in the area; and what was the ocmparable figure for the United Kingdom as a whole.

Loans and grants have been offered as selective financial assistance

							Assistance offered £'000	Assistance per head of working population £
1976—
St. Ives Parly Divn (excluding Hayle Employment Office Area)	…	…	…	…	…	…	412	20·3
Cardiff Employment Office Area				…	…	…	480	3·3
Great Britain (5 main Assisted Areas)				…	…	…	139,388	13·6
1977—
St. Ives (excluding Hayle Employment Office Area)						…	—	—
Cardiff Employment Office Area				…	…	…	1,204	8·3
Great Britain (5 main Assisted Areas)					…	…	125,872	12·3
Other assistance has been made available by way of regional development grants under Part I of the Industry Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if the chairman of the Co-operative Development Agency is to be a full-time or part-time job; and what salary is proposed.

The working group on a Co-operative Development Agency, whose majority recommendations we accepted as the basis for the proposals now before Parliament, suggested that the chairman should make the chairmanship of the Agency his main, but not necessarily his only, business. Paragraph 8 of the schedule to the Co-operative Development Agency Bill provides that the salary should be determined with the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service. Consultations are currently in progress and I will let the House know the outcome as soon as a decision has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what qualifications and attributes he will be seeking when appointing the chairman of the Co-operative Development Agency.

We shall be seeking a chairman whose experience and personal qualities make him the most suitable person for the job. The appointee will need to have all the characteristics of a good chairman, and to contribute to the range of experience of the Agency's membership as a whole. As the working group said in paragraph 37 of its report, (Cmnd 6972) the chairman must be someone acceptable to the co-operative movement

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what method of selection is proposed for the chairman of the Co-operative Development Agency; and if nominations will be invited from co-operative organisations by public advertisement.

In selecting the chairman of the Agency, and indeed the other members of the board, my right hon. Friend intends to proceed as envisaged in paragraph 35 of the report of the Working Group on a Co-operative Development Agency (Cmnd 6972) that we have accepted as the foundation on which the Agency will be built. The Co-operative Development Agency Bill currently before the House stipulates that the chairman and other members of the Agency shall be appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with persons appearing to him to represent the interests of the co-operative movement. It follows that this is the method my right hon. Friend shall use.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his latest estimate of the development and production costs of Concorde, and production receipts; and what is the net Government commitment to production expenditures.

The latest estimate of the manufacturers' total development costs in Britain and France is £1,137 million. The expenditure is divided as follows

						British expenditure £ million	French expenditure £ million	Both countries £ million
Actual costs from 29th November 1962 to 31st December 1977 at the prices and exchange rates prevailing when the costs were incurred						532	530 (6,302 Fr. million)	1,062
Estimated costs from 1st January 1978 to completion of programme at January 1978 prices and at an exchange rate of £1=9·0 francs					…	43	32	75
Totals	…	…	…	…	…	575	562	1,137

The latest estimates of the manufacturers total production costs to the end of 1978 are £352 million in the United Kingdom and 3,330 million francs in

									Britain £ million	France Fr. million
Actual costs to 31st December 1977 at the prices and exchange rates prevailing when the costs were incurred						…	…	…	306	2,920
Estimated costs from 1st January 1978 to 31st December 1978 at January 1978 prices and at an exchange rate of £1=9·0 francs									46	410
Totals	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	352	3,330

Without taking account of possible receipts from further sales or leases the latest estimates of the manufacturers' receipts from the sale of aircraft, and from sale or lease of engines and spares

									Britain £ million	France Fr. million
Actual receipts to 31st December 1977 at prices and exchange rates prevailing when income was received						…	…	…	119	1,437
Estimated receipts from 1st January 1978 to 31st December 1978 at January 1978 prices and at an exchange rate of £1=9·0 francs									20	52
Totals	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	139	1,489

The Government's net commitment to Concorde production expenditures now stands at £259 million and net expenditure to 31st March 1978 at £206 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the progress being made in the implementation of the Government's industrial strategy.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Lamont) on 10th April. Sector working parties are currently engaged in communicating the results of their work to individual companies in their respective sectors.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many people are now employed in the central administration of British Shipbuilders;(2) what management charges have been levied by the central administration of British Shipbuilders; and what these charges represent.

These are matters for British Shipbuilders.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report the names of the firms that have received grants or loans from the National Enterprise Board since its formation, the amounts of money that were granted or loaned to each on their initial application and any subsequent sums that were made available to them.

This is a matter for the NEB.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the National Enterprise Board's investments in the East Midlands and the West Midlands regions, respectively, giving the name and location of the companies involved.

The Board has investments in the following companies in these regions:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, following his Department's research into substitutes for sperm oil in industry, he will state which substitutes have been found to be suitable and for which uses.

In 1975 my Department commissioned the British Leather Manufacturers Research Association to carry out a study into the properties of sperm oil and its application in the leather industry, culminating 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. My Department is currently supporting a further study at BLMRA on substitutes for sperm oil in the lubrication of leather. This project is not due for completion until the autumn when a full report will be issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is taking to reduce the delay in paying regional development grants; and if he will take steps to pay interest to claimants in cases where payment is unreasonably delayed.

Over the life of the regional development grant scheme the average time taken to process applications has been 13 weeks. The average time taken at present has been 15 weeks and I do not regard this situation as requiring special measures, particularly as the position is kept under constant review. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, I would be happy to investigate it.Payment of interest would not be appropriate because more public expenditure would be involved and because payments of grant are discretionary and it is not possible to define a date when they fall due. General rules describing "unreasonable delay" would not therefore be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his Department's latest estimate of the probable level of investment in manufacturing industry in the next 12 months.

My Department's latest investment intentions survey, carried out in November and early December of last year, indicated an increase in the volume of investment by manufacturing industry of between 10 per cent. and 13 per cent. in 1978 over 1977. The latest estimate of investment for 1977 is £1,761 million at 1970 prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take further steps to encourage public discussion on the proper allocation of funds from North Sea oil and gas.

The recent publication of the White Paper "The Challenge of North Sea Oil" has made an important contribution to the public debate on the use of the North Sea oil revenues. I and my ministerial colleagues will continue to take appropriate opportunities to explain the Government's priorities for the use of the North Sea oil benefits. In the longer term, the annual progress report which the Government intend to publish will give a sound basis for informed public debate on our progress towards the objectives set out in the White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans any changes in the arrangements for repaying income tax post-war credits.

Yes. The great majority of those entitled to claim payment of post-war credits have now been repaid since the general release in 1973. Only relatively small numbers of claims continue to reach the Inland Revenue, but the organisation to deal with them is costly in staff, office accommodation and storage space for war-time records. This is particularly true of claims made by claimants who are unable to produce a PWC certificate so that the Revenue has to try to trace the relevant details of the claimant's war-time earnings.The Government consider that it would now be reasonable to set a time limit for claims not supported by certificates and have decided that uncertificated claims, if they are to be accepted, must be submitted by the end of this year. A Statutory Instrument setting 31st December 1978 as the final date for the acceptance of such claims will be laid shortly. This change relates only to uncertificated claims; claims accompanied by one or more PWC certificates will continue to be accepted after 31st December 1978 until further notice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated revenue effect in 1978–79 and in a full year of altering the capital gains tax provisions contained in Clause 35 of the Finance Bill so that all taxable amounts in excess of £5,000 for an individual in any year of assessment were to be chargeable at a maximum rate of 30 per cent. instead of 50 per cent.

If subsection (3) of Clauses 35 were amended so as to limit an individual's liability on net gains exceeding £5,000 in a year of assessment to £600 plus 30 per cent. of the excess over £5,000, it is estimated that the cost of the clause would become £22 million in 1978–79 and £95 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking February 1974 as 100, what was the index of the United Kingdom's industrial production in February 1978; and what percentage per annum growth rate this represents.

The provisional all-industries index of industrial production for February 1978, seasonally adjusted and resealed to February 1974=100, was 100·6. This represents an annual growth rate of some 0·15 per cent. between February 1974 and February 1978. But the use for some industries of series which measure deliveries rather than production can result in the index overstating the level of output when industry is drawing on stocks of finished goods—as it was during the three-day working week—or understating the level when stocks are being built up. This effect makes the assessment of growth since February 1974 particularly hazardous.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the reason for the difference between the definition of the borrowing requirement of the central Government in the outturn 1977–78 and forecast 1978–79 in Table 15 of the Financial Statement (HC 310).

There is no difference of principle in the definition of the central Government borrowing requirement for the two years 1977–78 and 1978–79. The difference in wording to which the right hon. Gentleman refers reflects the fact that no analysis is given for 1978–79 of the financing of the CGBR, of which the change in the exchange reserves is part.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the estimated £8½ billion borrowing requirement for 1978–79 is represented by interest on Government borrowings.

The public sector borrowing requirement is the balance all receipts and all expenditure of the public sector as a whole. It would be wrong to attribute to it any particular item of expenditure—or receipts. The Budget forecast of public sector interest payments to the private sector and overseas in 1978–79 is £8·4 billion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated interest payable in 1978–79 on Government debt issued since March 1974.

£5·2 billion is estimated to be payable from the National Loans Fund in 1978–79 as interest on Government securities issued since March 1974 and still outstanding, including those issued to finance securities redeemed in the same period and those held in central Government funds and accounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the forecasts of future unemployment and other relevant data provided by the Treasury model are made available to the Manpower Services Commission.

No. The Manpower Services Commission has its own specific needs for disaggregated employment projections and it is therefore right that it should make its own arrangements for meeting those needs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in view of the fact that many companies which have increased their prices by large amounts are declaring profits of between 10 per cent. and 20 per cent. above the previous year's results, he will not take action to prevent any organisations increasing their prices where a profit above the 10 per cent. wage guidelines is reported.

Because I am not in favour of a crude price control policy based on an assumption that company profits last year were at a generally satisfactory level. In fact, industry's profit ability in 1977 was on average lower than in any previous year except 1976, the worst of the last recession. We have frequently said that company profits need to be increased substantially above this level for British industry to be regenerated. The Government's counter-inflation policy includes a system of price control operated by the Price Commission which is intended to balance the interests of consumers with the Government's industrial objectives; it is not intended to operate as a general restraint on profits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Pardoe), Official Report, 28th April, columns 733–4, if he will publish a revised version of the table in which income tax levied on company profits for the years 1959–60 to 1965–66, inclusive, is classified as a tax on companies and not as a tax on personal incomes.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of dependency allowances, child tax allowances and family allowance or child benefit for a working widow with two children in 1977 and 1976; what will be the corresponding value for 1978; and how these figures compare with the value of child tax allowances and family allowance or child benefit for a married man with the same family.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in a full year of increasing both the single and married allowances and also the age allowances, by £200, and at the same time cancelling the introduction of a lower rate of tax of 25 per cent. on the first £750 of taxable income.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on Inland Revenue staff numbers if the married and single allowances, non-retired, were raised beyond the levels set for 1978–79 by £240 and £120 respectively.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27th April 1978; Vol. 948, c. 673], gave the following answer:The effect would be to reduce Inland Revenue staff requirements by about 450 units.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, for a married man with no investment income and an earned income of £2,000, £3,000, £4,000, £5,000, £6,000, £7,000, £8,000, £9,000, £10,000 and £15,000, respectively (a) the proportion of his total income taken in tax on the basis of the proposals contained in the Budget statement and (b) the proportion of his total income that would be taken in tax if the married allowance were raised to £1,700, the lower rate and basic rate of tax consolidated at 30 per cent., the higher rate threshold raised to £8,000 of taxable income, and the higher rates consolidated at 60 per cent.; and what would be the cost to the Revenue in a full year of implementing the proposals implicit in (b) above, assuming a similiar increase in the single allowance.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in a full year of taxing all earned income above the basic rate band at 50 per cent.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his estimates of the cost to the Revenue in 1978–79 and in a full year of making the following tax changes over and above those in the Budget statement: (a) a reduction in the basic rate of tax from 34 per cent. to 33 per cent.; (b) extension of the basic rate band by £1,000 to £7,250, (c) an increase in the investment income surcharge thresholds to £2,000 for those under 65 years of age and £3,000 for those aged 65 years of age and over, and harmonisation of the 10 per cent. band at £500 in each case, and (d) taxing slices of taxable income in excess of £8,000 at the following rates: the first £2,000 at 40 per cent., the next £4,000 at 50 per cent., the next £7,000 at 60 per cent., and the remainder at 70 per cent., and the cost of (b) above to be calculated on the basis that the change in (a) above has already been achieved, and the cost of (d) above to be calculated on the basis that the change in (b) above has already been achieved.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd May 1978; Vol 949, c. 188–89], gave the following information:The costs at 1978–79 income levels are:

1978–79		Full year
£ million		£ million
(a)	340*	370
(b)	40	50
(c)	5	30
(d)	155	335
Total	540	785
*This does not include the first-year cost, estimated at £33 million, of a consequential change in the rate of advance corporation tax. There is no cost on this account in a full year.

As requested, the costs above have been calculated in the order shown and on the assumption that each change is additional to the previous changes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be additional cost to the Revenue, following the Budgets, of reducing the top rate of tax from 83 per cent. to 80 per cent. on earned income and from 98 per cent. to 95 per cent. on unearned income.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2nd May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 103], gave the following answer:About £25 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the additional cost to the Revenue, following the Chancellor's Budget proposals, of increasing the basic rate band of taxable income from £7,000 to £10,000 with new higher rate bands as follows: £10,000–£12,000 at 40 per cent., £12,001–£14,000 at 45 per cent., £14,001–£16,000 at 50 per cent., £16,001–£18,000 at 55 per cent., £18,001–£20,000 at 60 per cent., £20,001–£22,000 at 70 per cent., £22,001–£23,000 at 75 per cent., and over £23,000 at 83 per cent.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2nd May 1978: Vol. 949, c. 103], gave the following answer:About £445 million at 1978–79 income levels and after taking account of the proposals in the Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the revenue effect of reducing the proposed lower rate band of income tax at 25 per cent. from £750 to £500.

, pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 2nd May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 103], gave the following answer:About £490 million at 1978–79 income levels and after taking account of the proposals in the Budget Statement, on the assumption that the proposed width of the basic rate band was increased by £250 to £6,500.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the basic rate of value added tax would need to be raised to compensate for a reduction of 1 per cent. in the standard rate of income tax.

The standard rate of VAT would need to be raised from 8 per cent. to 9 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of printing and publishing the "VAT Newsletter"; what research has been done into the acceptability and comprehension of this publication; and if he will make a statement.

"VAT News" is intended to advise VAT registered traders of changes in the tax which may affect their businesses. The latest edition—No. 13—cost about £160,000 for printing and posting. It was issued in November 1977 primarily to explain the changes in the law which were made in last year's Finance Act, and in consequential Treasury orders, to implement the Sixth EEC Directive on VAT as from 1st January 1978. As I explained during the Finance Bill debates, many of these changes were technical in nature and had little practical effect on most registered traders. This was also explained in the introductory paragraph of "VAT News" 13. Nevertheless, it was necessary to publicise these changes since it was not possible to single out those traders who might be affected from the generality of the 1¼ million registered businesses.The Commissioners of Customs and Excise are conscious of the need to simplify their publications, including "VAT News", so far as this is possible considering the wide range of businesses which are registered for VAT. To this end they consult interested trade bodies, whenever practicable, and are always glad to receive constructive suggestions as to how their publications could be simplified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the rise in the retail price index occasioned by each public holiday on which employees have a statutory right to be paid.

Any change in the retail price index resulting from additional paid holidays would depend upon a variety of factors, which would vary from firm to firm. There is no ready-made formula for estimating the overall effect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the pastel by Degas of two dancers, currently on loan to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, has been accepted from the Jenyns Estate in part satisfaction of tax liabilities; and, if so, whether an appropriate sum has been debited to the National Land Fund in respect of the transaction.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons in the year 1975–76 and in the year 1976–77 respectively, whether as sole traders or partners showed profits assessable under Schedule D, Case I or II, in excess of £23,000.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2nd May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 104], gave the following answer:The latest year for which figures are available is 1975–76. For that year it is estimated that about 6,500 persons, counting wives separately, had profits in excess of £23,000 assessed under Schedule D, Case I or II.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the percentage of a married man's gross income paid in income tax

1977–78		1978–79
Income (including child benefit)£	Percentage paid in tax and national insurance contribution percentage	Income (including child benefit £	Percentage paid in tax and national insurance contribution percentage
3,130	18·3	3,568	19·0
4,130	23·5	4,668	24·1
5,130	26·7	5,768	27·2
6,130	28·3	6,868	29·0
7,130	29·1	7,968	29·7
8,130	29·8	9,068	30·3
9,130	31·0	10,168	31·4
10,130	32·5	11,268	32·8
The figures for income in 1978–79 take account of the proposed increases in child benefit in November 1978.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of removing stamp duty on the purchase of houses of the value up to £5,000, £7,500, £10,000, £15,000 and £20,000.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 4th May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 250], gave the following answer:Stamp duty is not currently chargeable on the purchase of a house with a value of £15,000 or less. The estimated cost of abolishing stamp duty on purchases of houses valued at between £15,000 and £20,000 is about £18 million, assuming that scales of duty remained otherwise unchanged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 4th May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 252], gave the following information:The figures are as follows:the Inland Revenue has been given rights of entry to private premises with warrants to obtain documents under Section 20B of Schedule 6 to the Finance Bill 1976.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 315], circulated the following answer:The Inland Revenue has on seven occasions been given search warrants under Section 20 of the Taxes Management Act 1970, as amended by Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 1976. These seven cases involved a total of 38 search warrants.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will arrange for ex-Prime Ministers to draw their pensions on the same basis as hon. Members, at the age of 65 years or 62 years when such is eventually adopted for hon. Members.

No. As my hon. Friend is probably aware, the arrangements for the payment of pensions to former Prime Ministers were considered by the Top Salaries Review Body in July 1976 and the review body made no recommendations for change.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what formula is currently employed to calculate a retired Service man's commuted pension entitlement, including the rate of interest currently applied in that computation; how often that rate of interest is changed; on what basis it is changed, and what is the life expectancy assumed; and whether any different life expectancy is assumed as between men and women.

As the information requested is rather lengthy, I will write to the hon. Member about it as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his re-examination of the A66 bypass at Temple Sowerby and Kirkby Thane, as part of the overall review of the trunk road programme, is likely to alter the proposed route which was originally announced in September 1975.

No. I have written to the hon. Member about the Temple Sowerby scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his conclusions on the timing of the construction of the southern relief road in Leighton Buzzard following his recent meeting with Bedfordshire County Council; and whether his conclusions include any special financial assistance that the Government would consider for this road.

My right hon. Friend will not form conclusions on this scheme until his consultations with the local authorities concerned with the Swindon-Oxford-A1 route as a whole are further advanced.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his present policy with regard to making the wearing of seat belts compulsory for front seat passengers in cars.

I support the principle of compulsory wearing and regret that shortage of parliamentary time has ruled out legislation this Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify what requests have been sent by his Department or its predecessors to hon. Members suggesting that inquiries and conflicts relating to matters dealt with by the Swansea Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre should be sent direct to public servants of the centre rather than to Ministers; and what is the total number of inquiries and complaints that have been dealt with under these arrangements.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th April 1978], gave the following additional information:The number of cases put directly to officials between February 1974 and 31st March 1978 was 1,882. Figures recently given of hon. Members' inquiries have, of course, included those which came through this channel.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group about the level of financial support for the disabled.

Both Ministers and officials in my Department have frequent and informal contacts with representatives of the Disablement Income Group and I am aware in detail of their proposals for realising a national disability income.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish figures tabulating the total gross cost to the employer, including employer's national insurance contribution with 2 per cent. surcharge, and any other statutory payments, as well as wages, of providing a wage which will leave a married man with four children aged 16, 14, 12 and 9 years with a net weekly income, net of housing costs and after allowing £3 a week for work expenses, equivalent to (a) 100 per cent., (b) 120 per cent. and (c) 140 per cent. of his supplementary benefit entitlement plus addition for free school meals;(2) if he will publish figures tabulating the total gross cost to the employer, including employer's national insurance contributions with 2 per cent. surcharge, and any other statutory payments, as well as wages, of providing a wage which will leave a married man with two children aged 15 and 13 years with a net weekly income, net of housing costs and after

£p
					Gross wage	Employer's national insurance contribution	Cost to employer
1					2	3	4
(a) 34·69	…	…	…	…	20·96	2·52	23·48
(b) 41·21	…	…	…	…	46·06	5·53	51·59
(c) 47·73	…	…	…	…	69·32	8·32	77·64
NOTES
COLUMN 1.The figures have been arrived at by taking (a) the supplementary benefit scale rates (b) 120 per cent. of the scale rates and (c) 140 per cent. of the scale rates, and adding in each case the value of free school meals and free welfare milk.
COLUMN 2. Shows the gross wages needed to produce net disposable incomes equal to the amounts in column 1. Net disposable income is defined as gross earnings plus child benefit, family income supplement, rent and rate rebates and the value of free school meals and free welfare milk; less tax, employee's national insurance contribution for an employee who is not contracted out, gross rent and rates, and work expenses. Gross rent and rates are assumed to be £6·30 and £2·35 respectively Work expenses are assumed to be £2·10.
COLUMN 3. The figures comprise the national insurance contributions for employers who are not contracted out and the 2 per cent surcharge. I understand that there are no other similar statutory payments which apply to all employments.
COLUMN 4. Shows the totals of the figures in columns 2 and 3.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the expenditure on general ophthalmic services for 1976–77 was £1,735,673 less than the sum granted.

The difference, 3·9 per cent., represents a margin of error in estimating expenditure on a demand-led service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what latest estimate he

I regret that information in the form and to the extent requested could not be obtained without disproportionate expense. However, the following table gives such information as is available for a married man with two childen aged 4 and 6 on the basis of the assumptions included in the notes below:has made of that amount of child benefits payable at the new rates announced on 11th April 1978 that will go to families where the head of the family is earning above the national average wage, or the joint income of husband and wife is above the national average.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Weetch), Official Report, 1st December 1977, if he will list the benefits not available to the self-employed for which employees contracted out of the pension scheme can qualify.