asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied that the level of retained profits in United Kingdom industry is sufficient to enable industry to have adequate reserves to invest in renewal and modernisation and to finance expansion.

I am satisfied that, in general, investment by United Kingdom

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of his economic strategy as outlined in the Budget.

My Budget was designed to promote sustained growth, reduce unemployment and bring down inflation. The latest economic indicators show progress on all three fronts. The Finance Bill amendments carried by the Opposition threatened to put this strategy at risk; but the further measures which the Government took on 8th June have put us back on course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is yet in a position to announce any Government proposals in response to the Equal Opportunities Committee report on the taxation of women.

As I told the Finance Bill Committee on 7th June, we are looking at the general questions raised in this document. While it will not be possible to make fundamental changes this year, we intend to bring forward proposals at

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total of British private capital investment overseas in each of the last five years.

The following table gives the breakdown:the Report stage of the current Finance Bill to extend the rights of married women to receive their own repayments of PAYE tax, and to remove certain sex discriminatory features of the minor personal allowances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the index of industrial production has risen since July 1970 and since March 1974.

It is estimated that industrial output in recent months is slightly above the average in the first three months of 1974, and some 3 per cent. or so above that in the third quarter of 1970.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the tax revenue from North Sea oil which will accrue in the fiscal year 1978–79; and how this compares with the estimate which he made in 1976.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 26th June 1978.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the present system of assessment of tax upon pensioners and those on small incomes.

Where a pensioner has a source of income taxed under PAYE, any tax due on the pension is ordinarily collected through the PAYE deductions, without the need for an assessment. We are currently examining the possibility of a scheme for the application of PAYE direct to State pensions; but, pending such a development, I see no good reason for any change in the arrangements for making assessments, where these are required, on pensioners and other taxpayers with small incomes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy further to redistribute income from the rich to the poor; and what proposals he has to this end.

One of the priorities of my right hon. Friend's Budget was to concentrate help on the low income groups and families and this concern will continue to underlie our decisions in all areas of policy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends next to chair the National Economic Development Council.

I hope to take the chair at the next meeting on Wednesday 5th July 1978.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the total debts and liabilities which have been incurred by Her Majesty's Government since 1st March 1974; what percentage has been repaid to date; and by what date he expects to repay the whole.

In the period from 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1978, Her Majesty's Government borrowed £474 billion of which 89 per cent. was repaid during the period. Much of the remainder represented the refinancing of debt incurred earlier which matured during the period. The latest maturing date of stocks issued in the period is 1999.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of increased expenditure arising from his Budget which will be spent on imported finished and semi-finished manufactured goods.

It is estimated that the proportion of the additional total final expenditure arising from my right hon. Friend's recent Budget which will be spent on imported finished manufactured or semi-manufactured goods will reach a maximum of about one-fifth by the first half of 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now announce his proposals for stage 4 of voluntary incomes policy, including the details of sanctions and blacklisting policy envisaged by the Government for firms which do not choose to abide by the voluntary arrangements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to make a statement on incomes policy from 1st August.

It is too early to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to invite the Prime Minister of Japan to visit the United Kingdom.

I have at present no plans to invite the Prime Minister of Japan to this country, but I shall be meeting Mr. Fukuda at the Economic Summit in Bonn next month.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next visit Madrid.

I have at present no plans to visit Madrid.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for. Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engaments for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister what are his official engaments for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engaments for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 29th June.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker).

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the Heads of EEC Governments.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Watkinson) on 27th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Nelson.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether his recent statement on inflation took account of the 6½ per cent. rise in the costs of raw materials during the past three months and the Government's own estimate of an annual rate of 28 per cent.; and what his estimate is of raw material price rises in the next six months.

My right hon. Friend took into account all available information. The cost of raw materials and fuel purchased by manufacturing industry is still l¾ per cent. below its level of a year earlier. I expect no major upturn in world prices of raw materials in the next six months.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection why the Price Commission's inquiry into taxi fares is delayed; and if the delay will be taken into account when findings are eventually made by recommendation.

The principal reason for the extension in time allowed to the Price Commission to complete its examination was that the Commission's staff were fully committed to other investigations and examinations at the time the direction was made, and a start on the cab fares examination had to be delayed. My right hon. Friend will decide what action needs to be taken on the report when it is presented to him and when interested parties have submitted representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, on the basis of continuing current trends, when the index of retail prices for all items will have doubled, taking 15th January 1974 as the starting point.

As my right hon. Friend has stated on a number of occasions, the rate of inflation will remain at or about its April level for the remainder of this year. Such calculations are based on factors other than simply continuing current trends. Continuing current trends is too imprecise a basis upon which to make the calculations the hon. Member requests.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what information he has on the cost in £ sterling in each of the European Community member States of the following goods and services: one litre of milk, one litre of beer, one litre of wine, one kilo of chuck steak, one kilo of fresh cod, one kilo of fresh herrings, 12 eggs, one kilo of apples, one kilo of oranges, one kilo of bananas, one kilo of tomatoes, one kilo of potatoes, one kilo of standard bread, one kilo of sugar, 20 cigarettes, 50 kilometres of commuter return rail travel, and 15 kilometres of commuter return bus travel.

I have been asked to reply.The available data for capital cities of all the EEC Countries, derived from the last EEC "Survey of Retail Prices" conducted in Autumn 1975, are given in the following table.Comparisons should be made with caution, since the items priced are not always fully comparable between countries and the prices cannot be regarded as national averages.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and proposed merger of the Hastings and Thanet Building Society with the Anglia Building Society.

My right hon. Friend has decided, on the evidence before him, not to refer this merger to the Commission for investigation. The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies has considered those aspects of the proposed merger that concern him and is satisfied that the amalgamation should be allowed to proceed.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now answer Questions on the security services.

I shall adhere to the normal practice of not commenting on security matters.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to make an official visit to Alderley Edge.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects next to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he plans next to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends next to meet the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 15th June.

asked the Prime Minister when he proposes next to meet the Governor of the Bank of England.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 22nd November.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will raise at the Summit conference in Bonn in July the question of Russian and Cuban involvement in Africa.

No. The purpose of the Summit will be to concentrate mainly on overcoming the problems of the world recession.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends next to meet CBI leaders.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thornaby (Mr. Wrigglesworth) on 13th June.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects next to meet the heads of nationalised industries.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 16th May.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the major report of the committee to review the functioning of financial institutions; and if he has made arrangements for it to continue beyond the next General Election.

I understand that the committee hopes to present an interim report at the end of this year and a final report in the second half of 1979. I see no reason why, if there were a dissolution of Parliament before the committee presents its final report, the current arrangements for its work should be affected.

asked the Prime Minister when he plans next to pay an official visit to Didcot.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has for the streamlining and consequent effective operation of the major Departments of State.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall) on 22nd June.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Wolverhampton.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he intends to visit Cambridgeshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will publish in the Official Report the text of any agreement, communique, memorandum, minute or note to which he assented at the EEC Heads of Government meetings in Copenhagen in April concerning the proposed EEC Foundation.

The text of the Presidency's conclusions at the April European Council concerning the European Foundation, and the annexes to which they refer, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Her Majesty's Prisons are receiving regular psychiatric treatment.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report all the various areas in which police authorities in England and Wales have responsibility for the granting, renewal and cancellation of licences and certificates.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many communications have been received from individuals and organisations, respectively, into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Liddle Towers from injuries sustained whilst in police custody.

One hundred and sixty-seven and 34 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detention orders have been passed on young people of the age of 14 years and below during the last year for which records are available.

A detention centre order cannot be made in respect of a person under the age of 14. Separate statistics for 14 year olds are not readily available. The most relevant information, which is published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1976"—Crrind. 6909—shows that 5,388 offenders aged 14 to 16 inclusive were made subject to a detention centre order in that year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last year for which records are available magistrates wished to impose a detention order but were unable to do so because there were no vacancies in appropriate detention centres.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the income of local authorities over the past 12 months resulting from holding lotteries; and which councils have received the greatest amount of revenue from this source.

I understand that provisional figures for the total amount of income to local authorities from lotteries are £3,643,528 for lotteries held during the year 1st May 1977 to 30th April 1978 and £534,888 for lotteries held in the period 1st May 1978 to 22nd June 1978. Information about the amounts received by individual authorities is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the date for the completion of the magistrates' and Crown courts in King's Lynn.

This is a joint Department of Environment-County Council project combining Crown and magistrates' courts. I am informed by Norfolk County Council that it hopes to let the contract for both elements early next year and that its nominated architects estimate that work will be completed in 1981–82.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give the number of bodies in each of the past three years whose staff salaries and other conditions of service were subject to ministerial control, and give or estimate the equivalent number of such bodies in 1945, 1964 and 1970.

The number of bodies—excluding Government Departments—in each of the past three years whose staff salaries and other conditions of service were subject to ministerial control was as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations which provide such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to her Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if she will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations pro- viding such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to her Department for online searching of computerised information services; and if she will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the capital and running telecommunication costs to his Department for on-line searching of computerised information services; and if he will make a statement giving the names of the organisations providing such computerised information services.

I have been asked to reply since my Department places contracts for departmental use of the services referred to.There is no capital expenditure involved in the telecommunication costs for on-line searching of computerised information services, and the running costs are not separately distinguishable within Departments' telecommunications expenditure.The organisations with which my Department has contracted for the provision of such computerised information services are: The British Library; Lockheed Missile and Space Company; Systems Development Corporation.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report of the Royal Commission on Gambling.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has made any recent estimate of how many people are taking jobs in addition to their permanent work.

It is estimated from the General Household Survey that during 1977 the number of people in Great Britain with more than one paid job averaged about 800,000 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give the actual or estimated trades, groups or numbers of workers who had salaries and wages in May 1965 of the then stated amounts who have had their incomes so depreciated in purchasing value by cost of living and retail price index increases that they now receive incomes worth only two-thirds or less of their 1965 values.

For the reasons given in my reply to my hon. Friend's question on 15th June, I regret that such estimates cannot be made from the information available.—[Vol. 951, c. 641.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the primary purpose of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is to expedite the collective bargaining process by, namely, methods such as the reduction of the number of unions representing like groups of workers.

One of the statutory duties of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is to encourage the extension of collective bargaining and the development and, where necessary, reform of collective bargaining machinery. It is for the Service to decide how that duty should be discharged.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what process is used to adjust seasonally the figures his Department publishes on the rate of unemployment.

The process used is technically known as the Census Method II Variant X-11, additive version. An article describing in some detail the methodology will be published in the Department of Employment Gazette shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money was spent over the past 12 months by his Department, the Manpower Services Commission and by other groups which report to him on compiling statistical information.

In the year ended March 1978, about £9·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken by his Department to advise school leavers of the availability of, and conditions pertaining to, employment in the other member States of the EEC.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list by region the number of workers who are presently unemployed and whose previous employment was in (a) the scientific instruments and systems industry, (b) the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry, (c) the ordnance and small arms industry, (d) the aerospace manufacturing and repairing industry, (e) the radio and radar and electronic capital goods industry and (f) the radio and electronic components industry.

The following table gives for 11th May, the latest date for which the quarterly industrial analysis of the unemployed is available, the numbers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers were benefiting from (a) the Government's short-time working proposals, (b) the temporary employment subsidy,

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people were on the disabled persons' register in May of each year from 1961 to 1978; how many were employed and how many unemployed; what percentage of the total working population was represented by the number registered; and what percentage of firms was satisfying the disablement employment quota at each date.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the amount of financial assistance given to industry in Ipswich under the temporary employment subsidy since 1974.

I regret that I am unable to provide information in the precise form requested. Since the inception of the scheme on 18th August 1975 until 23rd June 1978, it is estimated that the expen-

The latest information is as follows:diture, including future commitment, on approved applications for TES, from firms in the Ipswich employment office area is about £1·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to lay before the House the draft of the new dock labour scheme which was published in August 1977.

The draft of a new dock labour scheme was laid before both Houses of Parliament yesterday, 28th June 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Empoyment on what dates the early May bank holiday will occur in England in 1979 and 1980.

My right hon. Friend announced on 28th July last year that the first Monday in May would be designated as the May Day bank holiday in 1979 and subsequent years.—[Vol. 936, c. 454]. The relevant dates are 7th May 1979 and 5th May 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether it is the intention of the Government to agree that the EEC should, as a single entity, affiliate to the International Labour Organisation.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many apprenticeships were notified in the Medway Towns in the years 1974 to 1977 inclusive; and what is the anticipated number in 1978.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st June 1978; Vol. 952, c. 208], gave the following information:The available statistics do not enable me to give a precise reply. However, I am informed by the Careers Service that during the past few years in the Medway area recruitment of apprentices in the engineering industry has risen from about 140 in 1974 to 280 in 1977, and it is expected to be in the order of 300 to 350 in 1978. We have no firm figures for other industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the fact that under the recent legislation on homelessness the Forest Health District Council is being asked to provide council homes for common-law wives or girl friends of United States airmen stationed at nearby air bases who are abandoned by their common-law husbands or men friends leaving the United Kingdom or deserting them, and that the housing department may be compelled to provide them with accommodation at the expense of local people who for long periods have been waiting on the housing list with, in consequence, damaging effects on Anglo-Amercian relations, if he will seek to amend the Act to relieve local authorities from the obligation to provide council houses in such cases.

The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act requires the housing authority approached to secure that accommodation is available to those it is satisfied are homeless and in priority need.The Act itself makes clear there are a number of ways in which this obligation can be fulfilled; it does not necessarily require the allocation of a council house. The Act does not, therefore, require amendment. I have replied to the hon. Member's letter of 20th June about this situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an assurance that there were no major injustices perpetrated in the distribution of the rate support and other Government grants to local authorities in 1978, given that approaching 40 per cent. of the formula used to govern the distribution was based upon statistical material over seven years old; and what steps he intends to take to update some of the statistics involved before the distributions for 1979 are made.

No authority has represented to me that it has suffered a major injustice as a result of the use of factors based on the 1971 census in distributing rate support grant in 1978–79. I accept the need for up-to-date data wherever possible. We are constantly seeking to limit the dependency of the factors used in the national rate support grant distribution on ageing data, but it is still too early to specify the factors to be used for 1979–80, since consultations with the local authority associations are still proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken since the 1976 report on electrical fatalities in the home to encourage the safe rewiring of domestic premises; and if he will make a statement.

Few, if any, of the accidental deaths described in the report to which the hon. Member refers, were directly caused by defective or worn out wiring systems. None-the-less, I am very much aware of the desirability of renewing outdated domestic electric wiring and I am considering how rewiring might best be encouraged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities operate waste recycling schemes; what annual saving this represents after administrative costs; and which local authorities have been most successful in this sphere.

In 1976–77 some 190 local authorities in England reclaimed waste materials, mainly paper and ferrous metal. The national income to waste disposal authorities from the sale of reclaimed waste was £2·1 million, but comparable figures are not yet available for waste collection authorities. Because accounting practice varies between local authorities, it is not possible to specify the annual saving after administrative costs or which schemes are most successful in financial terms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what authorisation has been given for the dumping of radioactive waste at Lesley Road, Stretford, Manchester; what information has been given to local residents of such dumping; if he will give an assurance that this presents no health hazard to the large numbers of people, especially children, who roam over the tip; and whether he has plans for issuing any further authorisation for the dumping of radioactive waste at this tip.

The University of Salford is authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of low-level radioactive waste at the Lesley Road tip, which is operated by the Greater Manchester County Council. Both the county council and the Trafford Borough Council are aware of the authorisation. The conditions imposed by the authorisation ensure that there is no radiological hazard to tip-workers or to members of the public. Consultations with the local authorities and the North-West Water Authority about the disposal on the site of low-level radioactive wastes from other institutions in the Manchester area are in progress, but no decisions have yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of State ownership of the building and construction industries, together with the expected annual running cost;(2) what assessment he has made of the cost of public ownership of the building industry, in relation to the likely costs of construction and any improvements in productivity;(3) if he will give an assurance that no proposals will be put forward to nationalise the construction industry, in the light of the likely effects, such as raising interest rates, prices and the money supply, and lowering the exchange rate.

My right hon. Friend has no proposal to nationalise the building and construction industry. No assessment of costs has therefore been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to provide up-to-date estimates on the extent to which families and individuals who are currently sharing their accommodation are satisfied with such arrangements.

The Department's national dwelling and housing survey, for which the fieldwork has recently been completed, will provide up-to-date information on the extent of such sharing. To complement such information the Department has commissioned a small scale national survey of such households and families to provide more details of their housing situation and their housing preferences. This survey is being carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and will involve interviews at about 3,000 addresses in England.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the statement, in his response to the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries Report on the British Waterways Board, that he regards the Fraenkel Report as a key document, means that he accepts its basic analysis; and, if so, what provision he intends to make to meet the arrears of maintenance which it discloses.

Of course the Government accept the basic analysis of the problem which the Fraenkel Report contains. This was made clear in the Response to the Select Committee—Cmnd. 7248—which said that the Government regard the Fraenkel Report as a key document. We have already provided £11 million over two years to meet the most urgent repair works identified by Fraenkel and we are currently considering what financial provision may be required for the following three years. It is not possible for any Government to make a more open-ended financial commitment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the chairman of the British Waterways Board about the reply of his Department to the Report of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries and the Fraenkel Report.

I have not received any representations from the Chairman of the British Waterways Board about this subject. The Government's Response is a declaration of faith in the future of the canal system and shows our determination to maintain it as a national asset. While the Response confirms our intention to encourage the greatest possible use of the canal system for the carrying of freight, it also accepts that realistically the prime function of the waterways in the future will be to provide facilities for amenity and recreation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the expansion of direct labour, in the light of the uncompetitive nature of most direct labour organisations, and the likelihood that any expansion would have to result from allocation of work in defiance of market forces.

I have already stated that I wish to provide a framework for the operation of local authority direct labour organisations which will encourage them to become more efficient and competitive, and I hope shortly to publish a consultative document which will explain our policies and proposals in detail.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is able to estimate the average subsidy per heavy vehicle arising out of public expenditure on roads.

There is no subsidy for the average goods vehicle of over 3½ tons gross weight. Revenue from taxation in 1978–79 is expected to exceed allocated public expenditure on roads and policing by about ·100 per vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if it is still the policy of the Government to give priority in the road construction programme to the bypassing of towns and villages and to routes to the ports; if he will publish the figures showing the amount of expenditure on such roads in recent years and the amount scheduled for the next three years; and if he will compare these figures with total new road expenditure.

Yes. Paragraph 33 of "Policy for Roads: England 1978"—Cmnd. 7132—states:

Priority will go to vital industrial routes, and to routes to ports; and to dealing with those parts of the trunk road network where the problems of congestion and environmental damage are most severe."

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans for closer co-ordination between train and bus transport services in rural areas.