asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to pay an official visit to Jakarta.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the grounds for the statement, Official Report, 24th May, column 1552, that the Banabans regarded the Government offer of an ex-gratia payment of $A10 as generous; and which individual or representative body said this and when.

Banaban representatives have indicated their acceptance of the offer: that fact alone suggests that they do not regard it as ungenerous.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any commitment or financial agreement has been reached between the Council of Ministers of the Gilbert Islands and the new Rabi Council representing the Banabans; and whether he will make a statement.

I understand that no financial commitment or agreement has been reached between the parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has made to the partner Governments of Australia and New Zealand for the rehabilitation of Banaba or Ocean Island when phosphate mining by the British Phosphate Commission there comes to an end.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has taken any steps to ascertain the views of the new Rabi Council of Leaders on the future of Banaba or Ocean Island.

The Gilbert Islands Government and the new Rabi Council of Leaders recently met in Tarawa to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the constitutional future of Banaba. We look forward to exchanges of view with the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government plan to extend an invitation to the Chairman of the People's Republic of China to pay a state visit to the United Kingdom.

There are no immediate plans to invite Premier Hua, but I hope we shall be able to welcome him here at some future date.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the Argentine about the constitutional future of the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

The last meeting with the Argentine Government on this subject, which was at working group level, took place in February. We are currently discussing with them arrangements for carrying forward the negotiating process. We also remain in close touch with the Islands' Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take to protect the interests of the Falkland Islanders following the reaffirmation of the Government of Argentina's claim as reported on 12th June.

We remain fully committed to the protection of the interests of the Falkland Islanders and have through the Governor already discussed the issue with the Islands' Councils. We shall continue to leave the Argentine Government in no doubt of our position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action he is taking against the deliberate infringement of British sovereignty in the Falkland Islands and their dependencies.

We are following up our protests by further diplomatic and political exchanges with the Argentine Government with the aim of securing arrangements designed to ensure that such infringements do not re-occur.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British subjects are currently held in custody in Saudi Arabia; what charges have been preferred against them; and if he will make a statement.

There are 32 British subjects currently held in custody in Saudi Arabia. Eleven have been charged with making and selling alcohol; six with drinking alcohol; five with drinking and driving; seven with other driving offences; two with theft or fraud and one with possession of drugs. Of these, 14 have already been sentenced to periods of imprisonment and in eight cases to corporal punishment also. Eighteen have yet to receive sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet the Foreign Minister of Ethiopia.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the operation to date of the Council of Europe Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism.

The European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism was opened for signature on 27th January 1977. It has been signed by 18 of the 20 member States of the Council of Europe, including the United Kingdom, and ratified by three. It will come into force on 4th August this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will raise in the United Nations Organisation the question of human rights in South Africa.

The British Government have on many occasions at the United Nations condemned apartheid in South Africa as a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights. We will continue to make clear our attitude at the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the impact on the United Kingdom economy of the imposition of economic sanctions on South Africa either by the EEC or the United Nations.

My right hon. Friend is well aware that any wide-ranging economic sanctions against South Africa could have important and serious consequences for the United Kingdom economy. The precise effect would depend on the nature of the sanction.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement of his policy on relations with the developing world, in the light of his recent Gilbert Murray Memorial Lecture.

The Government's policy towards the developing world remains as set out in their manifesto—that is, one of dedication to the improvement of living standards, in particular those of the poorer countries and the poorest in those countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his efforts to achieve a settlement in Namibia.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of the proposal by the Soviet Union to reduce the number of Warsaw Pact troops in central Europe, he will convene a conference of NATO Foreign Ministers with a view to reaching an understanding and encouraging détente.

Both East and West have recently tabled new proposals in the Vienna MBFR negotiations. My right hon. Friend regularly discusses MBFR with his NATO colleagues, and at last month's NATO Summit the Western MBFR participants agreed to propose a meeting of all the Foreign Ministers concerned once progress justifies this. An MBFR agreement would be a major gain for détente.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy for the definition of the edge of the Continental Shelf; and how this differs from the new formula put forward by the USSR at the Conference on the Law of the Sea.

At the conference the United Kingdom supports the formula based on a line 60 miles from the foot of the continental slope or were the sediment thickness is 1 per cent. of the distance from the foot of the slope. The USSR has proposed a line 300 miles from territorial sea baselines. This proposal is unacceptable to Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response the Argentinian Government made to representations about harassment of foreign trawlers by Argentinian naval vessels and aircraft in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands.

As regards the representations about the interception of Polish trawlers to which my hon. Friend referred on 8th June, the Argentine Government reserved their own position on sovereignty. As regards the representations about the violation of Falkland Islands' airspace to which my hon. Friend referred on 19th June, the Argentine Government rejected our protest. In view of the nature of these replies, we are continuing to press the Argentine Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to encourage the creation of a Palestinian Arab State supported by a United Nations world district in Eastern Sinai, as part of a Middle East settlement, as proposed in a detailed study sent to him a year ago.

The Government understand and sympathise with the aspirations of the Palestinian people but, candidly, we see no practical prospect of securing international agreement to my hon. Friend's proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held about the state of affairs in Zaire.

My right hon. Friend has taken the opportunity recently to discuss Zaire with the Foreign Ministers of a number of countries. The United Kingdom was represented at discussions on Zaire's economic future held in Brussels on 13th and 14th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total maritime zone claimed by the Gilbert Islands Government; and what proportion of this they would lose on the separation of Banaba as requested by the Banaban people.

The Gilbert Islands fishery zone established by the Governor's proclamation of 10th March 1978 encompasses some 307,000 square nautical miles. Of this area, approximately 70,000 square nautical miles may be considered to be dependent on basepoints on the island of Banaba.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on any recent talks he has had with the Prime Minister of Belize.

My right hon. Friend met the Premier of Belize and the Leader of the Opposition on 2nd June to discuss progress towards achieving Belize's secure independence. A copy of the memorandum of understanding agreed at that meeting has ben placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances he has received from Guatemala regarding the territorial integrity of Belize.

None. We are still intent on securing a negotiated settlement with Guatemala which would ensure an early and secure independence for Belize and which would be acceptable to the people of Belize.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the acceptance by the United Kingdom of the compulsory jurisdiction of the European Court on Human Rights will now continue indefinitely, or will need an act of renewal; and, if so, by what date.

Acceptance by the United Kingdom of the compulsory jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights is not indefinite. Her Majesty's Government renewed the United Kingdom's acceptance on 14th January 1976 for five years, which thus runs until 13th January 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what latest consultations he has had with European Economic Community and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies over implementing the Helsinki agreement.

I discussed CSCE matters at the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Nine at Hesselet on 20th and 21st May and, with NATO allies, at the NATO Summit meeting at Washington on 30th and 31st May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any reply to the note issued by the Cambodian Foreign Ministry on 22nd April in which British Ministers are accused of being imperialist monopoly capitalists living in opulence on top of piles of corpses.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will follow the example of Canada and cease to base his policy on nuclear weapons.

The Canadian Prime Minister announced in his speech to the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament on 26th May that Canada was in process of replacing her nuclear capable aircraft in North America with conventionally armed aircraft. The United States-owned nuclear weapons system involved is obsolete, and its absence will make no significant difference to the overall balance of forces between East and West. Canada remains as committed as Britain to NATO's policy of deterrence, including nuclear weapons, on which the security of all the allies depends. Both Canada and Britain continue to contribute effective forces to the common deterrent including, in our case, our own nuclear forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken, is taking, and proposes to take to protect British oil interests in the South Atlantic, especially in the area around the Falkland Islands and their dependencies.

The question of British and Falklands interests in the potential but as yet unproven hydrocarbon resources in these areas forms an integral part of our current negotiations with Argentina.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government have to follow up the recent United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the situation in Rhodesia.

Our aim remains to bring all the parties together in round-table talks to achieve a satisfactory negotiated settlement to the conflict. Mr. John Graham and Ambassador Low are pursuing their consultations in Africa with all concerned and have today flown from Johannesburg to Blantyre.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to make an official visit to Cuba.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Cuba.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will insist on the withdrawal from Southern Thule Island of the illegal Argentine presence there.

We believe that this question has to be solved by negotiation. We are now considering ways of resolving this problem whilst leaving the Argentines in no doubt of the serious view we take of this violation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase his reports to the House on meetings held by the EEC Council of Ministers.

Since my right hon. Friend took office reports have been made on all the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council which took place while the House was sitting, either by oral statement or by reply to a parliamentary Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends next to meet the Foreign Secretaries of the other EEC member countries.

At the meeting of the European Council on 6th and 7th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans next to raise the subject of the European Economic Community's links with the Middle East at future meetings of the Council of Ministers.

My right hon. Friend has at present no such plans but the Council will, of course, consider the matter whenever it seems appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in discussions about greater transfer of resources from the more prosperous to the less prosperous parts of the European Community, on the scale needed to cope with the problems of enlargement.

The question of transfer of resources is being looked at in the context of discussion of the Commission's "fresco" on the overall implications of enlargement. The Government welcome the recognition in the "fresco" that the weaker regions of the existing Community must also obtain adequate assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise in the Council of Ministers the need to improve the administrative efficiency of all organs of the Community in particular by reducing the volume of documents issued

It is our constant aim to improve administrative efficiency in the Community and we achieved improvements during the United Kingdom presidency last year. My right hon. Friend does not, however, consider it necessary or appropriate to raise the question of documents in the Council of Ministers at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is making arrangements for a new printing of the Treaty of Rome as amended.

My hon. Friend the Member for Newham, South has written to my hon. Friend the Minister of State about this. The Office of Official Publications of the European Communities plans to reprint very shortly the volume "Treaties Establishing the European Communities" containing, among other texts, the amended text of the Treaty of Rome. In these circumstances my right hon. Friend does not think it would be right to incur the expense of duplicating the work of the Communities Office of Official Publications.

asked the Attorney-General on what grounds of convenience a recent murder trial case was transferred from the court at Caernarvon to the court at Mold.

In the interest of the defendant, so that his trial should proceed as expeditiously as possible.

asked the Attorney-General to what extent the Law Officers' Department and the Lord Chancellor's Department make use of the National Giro service; and what was the value of payments made and of receipts collected in this way in the last financial year.

The Lord Chancellor's Department uses the National Giro service at the Supreme Court, at some county courts, and at pensions appeal tribunals. £263,000 was paid out and £766,000 received by this method in the last financial year.The Law Officers' Department has no separate responsibility for any service involving the payment of money to or by members of the public.

asked the Attorney-General what arrangements have been made to enable solicitors and members of the public to pay fees to the Land Registry by transfer or in payment into a National Giro account.

The Land Registry has no arrangements at present for the payment of fees by means of a National Giro account. The Chief Land Registrar is, however, considering whether it would be advantageous to introduce payment by this method.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many livestock exporters have been prosecuted in 1978 for breach of the welfare code for export of live animals to the EEC; and what were the corresponding figures for the last five years.

Local authorities and the police are responsible for enforcing the relevant legislation in Great Britain and the number of prosecutions for offences related to the export of live animals is not recorded separately. In Northern Ireland, where the relevant legislation is directly enforced by the Department of Agriculture, there have been no prosecutions in the first three months of this year, the latest date for which figures are available, nor were there any in the previous five years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state in the Official Report the number of public bodies, excluding departmental committees but including statutory corporations, to which he makes paid appointments, the total number of such appointments and the estimated total cost to public funds for the last year for which the information is available.

I made 174 appointments—in some cases jointly with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as appropriate—to 17 bodies, excluding departmental committees, which are paid from public funds. The estimated total cost of salaries and fees during the past year is approximately £143,000; information about expenses, other than salaries and fees, is not readily available and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the event of non-availability of sufficient poultry meat inspectors required by EEC legislation, it will be for local authorities, without additional cost, to take whatever emergency steps are necessary to ensure the continuing functioning of poultry meat slaughterhouses and continued supplies of saleable poultry meat.

I hope that by the scheduled date of 15th August 1979 sufficient poultry meat inspectors will be in post to carry out the level of inspection required by the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976. The action which might be necessary if this situation is not achieved could be considered only in the light of the circumstances at the time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give an assurance that, as central component authority on poultry meat inspection, his officials will not seek to control official veterinarians employed by local authorities beyond the role of giving advice on what is required by the FEC Commission.

While responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976 rests with local authorities, the Government, as central competent authority, have responsibility for ensuring that their Community obligations are properly met. This responsibility includes not only giving advice but seeing that persons designated by it as official veterinary surgeons remain suitable for the task.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current representation on the Burnham Committee; and whether she will now consider offering a place on that Committee to the Professional Association of Teachers.

The composition of the Burnham Primary and Secondary Committee is as follows:

Management Panel
Association of County Councils	13
Association of Metropolitan Associations	10
Welsh Joint Education Comimttee	2
Department of Education and Science	2
Teachers' Panel
National Union of Teachers	16
National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education	2
National Association of Schoolmasters	3
Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters	2
Incorporated Association of Assistant Mistresses	2
Incorporated Association of Head Masters	1
Incorporated Association of Head Mistresses	1
National Association of Head Teachers	1

In view of the merger between the Incorporated Associations of Head Masters and Head Mistresses to form the Secondary Heads Association, and the intended merger in September of the Incorporated Associations of Assistant Masters and Assistant Mistresses, my right hon. Friend intends, once these mergers have been completed, to review the membership of the teachers' panel. Representations that she has received from the Professional Association of Teachers for membership of the Committee will be considered at the same time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will give the number of public bodies, excluding departmental committees but including statutory corporations, to which she makes paid appointments, the total number of such appointments and the estimated total cost to public funds for the last year for which the information is available.

I am responsible for 122 paid appointments to 14 public bodies at an estimated annual cost of £185,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the countries of origin of the 83,595 overseas students in higher and further education in 1976–77, showing so far as possible how many came from each country.

The information is as follows:

FULL-TIME AND SANDWICH COURSE STUDENTS FROM OVERSEAS IN HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 1976–77
	Universities	Non-university Higher and Further Education
Commonwealth countries and United Kingdom Dependencies:
Antigua	5	12
Australia	642	179
Bahamas	22	40
Bangladesh	314	379
Barbados	63	82
Belize (British Honduras)	15	8
Bermuda	22	27
Botswana	34	77
British Virgin Islands	1	—
Brunei	127	375
Canada	879	193
Cayman Islands	2	—
Cyprus	490	1,131
Dominica	14	20
Falkland Islands	1	—
Fiji	21	42
Gambia	39	52
Ghana	243	525
Gibraltar	62	74
Gilbert Island and Tuvalu	4	6
Grenada	7	25
Guyana	109	189
Hong Kong	1,299	2,878
India	808	938
Jamaica	82	229
Kenya	510	1,187
Lesotho	36	19
Malawi	86	196
Malaya	677	—
Malaysia	3,262	7,986
Malta	34	26
Mauritius	259	569

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will prepare and issue guidance for candidates for election to the European Parliament.

Draft regulations for the detailed conduct of European Assembly elections will be laid before Parliament for approval in due course. I do not think it will be necessary for my right hon. Friend to issue guidance for candidates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the number of public bodies, excluding departmental committees but including statutory corporations, to which he makes paid appointments, the total number of such appointments and the estimated total cost to public funds for the last year for which the information is available.

At present my right hon. Friend makes paid appointments to 12 public bodies; and currently there are 121 such appointments. The total cost for salaries and fees in 1977–78 was about £310,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the

CURENT ACCOUNT, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLES, BALANCES PER CAPITA 1946–1977*
	…	…	…	…	Current account balance	Visible balance	Pound Sterling Invisibles balance
1946	…	…	…	…	-4·67	-2·09	-2·58
1947	…	…	…	…	-7·68	-7·28	-0·40
1948	…	…	…	…	+0·52	-3·02	+3·54
1949	…	…	…	…	-0·02	-2·72	+2·70
1950	…	…	…	…	+6·06	-1·01	+7·07
1951	…	…	…	…	-7·29	-13·62	+6·33
1952	…	…	…	…	+3·21	-5·50	+8·71
1953	…	…	…	…	+2·85	-4·80	+7·65
1954	…	…	…	…	+2·29	-3·99	+6·28
1955	…	…	…	…	-3·03	-6·11	+3·08
1956	…	…	…	…	+4·04	+1·03	+3·01
1957	…	…	…	…	+4·51	-0·56	+5·07
1958	…	…	…	…	+6·63	+0·56	+6·07
1959	…	…	…	…	+2·97	-2·21	+5·18
1960	…	…	…	…	-4·66	-7·63	+2·97
1961	…	…	…	…	+0·42	-2·64	+3·06
1962	…	…	…	…	+2·40	-1·87	+4·27
1963	…	…	…	…	+2·44	-1·49	+3·93
1964	…	…	…	…	-6·59	-9·25	+2·66
1965	…	…	…	…	-0·48	-4·10	+3·62
1966	…	…	…	…	+1·90	-1·21	+3·11
1967	…	…	…	…	-5·46	-10·10	+4·64
1968	…	…	…	…	-5·20	-12·09	+6·89
1969	…	…	…	…	+7·94	-2·82	+10·76
1970	…	…	…	…	+12·79	-0·45	+13·24
1971	…	…	…	…	+19·28	+5·01	+14·27
1972	…	…	…	…	+2·25	-12·55	+14·80
1973	…	…	…	…	-15·77	-42·04	+26·27
1974	…	…	…	…	-62·76	-92·75	+29·99
1975	…	…	…	…	-28·88	-57·25	+28·37
1976	…	…	…	…	-15·35	-62·72	+47·37
1977	…	…	…	…	+2·95	-28·83	+31·78
* No official comparable figures are available for 1945.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has recently authorised the bringing in of all traffic approaching London Airport, Heathrow, across central London on a lower and noisier flight path.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in the light of evidence now available to him, he will carry out an

Following are the figures:investigation of the Performing Right Society Limited under Section 165(

I have received no new evidence warranting an investigation since my reply to the hon. Member for Nantwich (Mr. Cockcroft) on 10th March 1978.—[Vol. 945, c. 832.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will give the number of public bodies, excluding departmental committees but including statutory corporations, to which he makes paid appointments, the total number of such appointments and the estimated total cost to public funds for the last year for which the information is available.

I am compiling the information requested and will arrange for it to be published in Hansard as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade from which countries live cattle and sheep are imported into the United Kingdom; and what was the volume from each for the last available 12-month period.

Following is the information for the period May 1977 to April 1978:

CATTLE
	Number
Irish Republic	342,134
Australia	35
France	28
Total	342,197

SHEEP
	Number
Irish Republic	67 167
France	71
Austria	2
Total	67,240

In the period June 1977 to May 1978, 337,117 live cattle and 70,805 live sheep were imported. Details of imports from individual countries in May 1978 are not yet available.Source: UK Overseas Trade Statistics—SITC (Rev 1) 001.1 and 001.20 (part); SITC (Rev 2) 001.1 and 001.21.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many live cattle were imported from Northern Ireland in 1977; and what were the corresponding numbers for the last 10 years;(2) how many live cattle were imported from Ireland in 1977; and what were the corresponding numbers for the last 10 years.

Information on imports into Great Britain from Northern Ireland is not available from the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics. Following are figures of the numbers of live cattle (a) sent from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and (b) imported into the United Kingdom from the Irish Republic:

	(a) Sent from Northern Ireland to Great Britain*	(b) United Kingdom imports from Irish Republic†
1968	110,168	620,107
1969	102,500	553,865
1970	83,003	523,173
1971	94,489	618,596
1972	52,849	491,938
1973	45,988	341,128
1974	58,239	381,263
1975	76,424	501,644
1976	20.855	229,271
1977	1,266	304,036
Sources:
* Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture (figures exclude cattle imported on direct consignment from the Irish Republic).
† Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom (SITC (Rev 1) sub-group 001.1—live animals of the bovine species).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he is making to the EEC Commission about the unfair competition which results from the British woollen industry's paying higher water and effluent charges than its EEC competitors.

It has not been represented to me that the variations in charges for water and effluent treatment between member States of the Community result in unfair competition. However, we are currently assessing the working party report on charges for water and effluent treatment and if it is felt necessary to make representations to the EEC this will be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has been consulted about the setting of special reduced tariffs for bulk electricity consumption by large manufacturing processes, such as those in the aluminium smelting industry.

My right hon. Friend is consulted about such questions when industrial interests are involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will give the number of public bodies, excluding departmental committees but including statutory corporations, to which he makes paid appointments, the total number of such appointments and the estimated total cost to public funds for the last year for which the information is available.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will now seek to ensure that sewerage charges in Wales are appropriately reduced in all cases where a property is connected only to a surface water drain and not to a foul sewer.

The Government's proposals for dealing with problems of this sort are set out in paragraphs 101–105 of the White Paper "The Water Industry in England and Wales: the Next Steps" (Cmnd. 6876).

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will give the number of public bodies, excluding departmental committees but including statutory corporations, to which he makes paid appointments, the total number of such appoinements and the estimated total cost to public funds for the last year for which the information is available.

I make a total of 69 salaried appointments to 20 Welsh public bodies, the total salary costs amounting to £155,946 per annum. In addition, I make a total of 50 appointments to two Welsh public bodies where fees are paid on a sessional basis. The total paid in fees in 1977–78 amounted to £19,212.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the recycling of materials and spare parts for the car trade.

Ferrous scrap from old vehicles is already widely used as a raw material for the steel and foundry industry; and assemblies and components are reconditioned and exchanged whenever this is commercially viable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the powers of the appropriate local government legislation which will enable the Greater London Council to provide rent-free factories for industry locating in London.

In disposing of land—and this includes letting of factories—local authorities are required by Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 or Section 26 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1959 to obtain not less than the best terms reasonably obtainable unless they seek and obtain my consent to dispose on concessionary terms—for example, by giving a rent free period when letting out a factory.Clause 10 of the Inner Urban Areas Bill seeks powers to enable local authorities to give grants equivalent to up to two years rent to firms taking leases of commercial or industrial buildings in partnership areas, which in London will be Docklands, Lambeth, Hackney and Islington.I am not aware of any other relevant powers in London local authority private legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost broken down by the initial purchase price and the annual running and manning costs of ministerial cars provided for members of Her Majesty's Government.

The initial purchase prices range from £3,000 to £6,000 at present. The average annual operating cost is £10,900 per car.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to public funds of the option mortgagors scheme.

Provisional outturn expenditure in 1977–78 for Great Britain was £154 million. The effect on the Exchequer was, of course, less than this as option mortgages are not entitled to tax relief on their mortgage interest payments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in addition to consulting the local planning authority, he will undertake to hold a public inquiry before any final decision is taken to station United States KC135 air tankers at Brize Norton or Fairford.

No proposal has yet been made by the Ministry of Defence to use either RAF Fairford or RAF Brize Norton as a base for KC135 aircraft. Any consultation necessary as a result of such a proposal would in the first instance be a matter for the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the environmental effects of the proposal to station United States KC135 air tankers at Brize Norton or Fairford; and what reply he has made.

Representations mainly about noise, air pollution and danger have been received from the National Trust, the British Tourist Authority, the Council for the Protection of Rural England, 19 parish councils and 30 local residents. All have been acknowledged and copied to the Ministry of Defence.