asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what organisations have been consulted during the Government's consideration of the working party report on dogs.

Since the report was published we have received representations from the local authority associations, the joint advisory committee on pets in society, several of its member organisations and many other bodies and individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of average rate increases in 1978–79 in shire counties, metropolitan districts, outer London boroughs, and inner London boroughs, respectively.

In 1978–79 average domestic rates increased by 11·6 per cent. in the shire counties, by 9·1 per cent. in metro politan districts, by 1·9 per cent. in outer London and by 7·1 per cent. in inner London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now take steps to introduce regulations to impose prohibition notices in respect of playground machinery and equipment which is inherently dangerous or in a dangerous condition.

I have no power to act as my hon. Friend suggests. I intend to remind local authorities of the steps they can take to minimise the risk of accidents in playgrounds, and shall consult the local authority associations about this very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he allowed the appeal by Seismograph Limited against the decision by Bromley borough council to refuse planning permission for the erection of a large industrial building on green belt land at "Holwood", Keston, particularly as the report of the inspector recommended that the appeal should be dismissed; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend decided that the merits of the case justified the granting of planning permission even though the site is in the green belt.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he remains satisfied with the workings of the Community Land Act.

With the difficult economic circumstances and the low demand for building land during the last two years, what has been achieved is a useful start. With the revival of demand, more resources and the experience gained I expect to see a considerable expansion of activity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the council of the city of Birmingham has failed to take up the capital grants allocated to it by central Government during the last complete year for which this information is available.

Capital grants are not allocated specifically but paid as projects are undertaken. However, Birmingham underspent in its capital budget for housing in 1977 by about £5¾ million. Under the housing investment programme rules this may be added to the 1978 capital budget of £78 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have a firm figure for the acreage of building land released for housing development in 1977–78 by local authorities under the Community Land Act scheme.

When local authorities have submitted their statements of account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the rate of sale of houses and flats owned by local authorities to sitting tenants; and if he will make a statement.

I do not think it right to establish target rates of disposals of council houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest return he has received from local authorities showing the sales of council houses.

The latest returns were those for March, from which it is provisionally estimated that English authorities sold 13,300 existing rented houses in the financial year 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are selling council houses to their tenants.

In the year ending March 1978, 223 English authorities reported sales of council houses. Of these authorities, 104 reported 20 or fewer sales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what new initiatives he plans to improve the rate of reclamation of derelict land in the north-west of England.

Some good progress has already been made. More land reclamation teams have been set up and are working closely with the inner area partnerships. A number of authorities with the most acute problems have drawn up rolling programmes aimed at clearing up most of their derelict land over the next five years. And the region will be getting a fair slice of the special allocation of £4 million we have made this year for reclamation in inner cities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce a scheme for rebates on water service charges to be available to pensioners and low income families.

Water service charges, including sewerage, have not been eligible for rate rebates since the implementation of the Water Act 1973, although sewerage charges were eligible for rebate before that date. Water and sewerage charges now have a similar status to those of other public utilities such as gas and electricity and are therefore taken into account in the calculation of supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the cost of nationalising the building industry.

I have nothing to add to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction gave to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 29th June —[Vol. 952, c. 648.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with representatives of building trades employers and civil engineering contractors regarding Government proposals to nationalise the building industry.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Romford (Mr. Neubert) and Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received in connection with proposals for the nationalisation of a number of major construction companies, some building material manufacturers and the reorganisation of professional institutions connected with the industry; and what advice he has for those who work for and are responsible for their future.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I have received copies of a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit from the Campaign Against Building Industry Nationalisation. For the most part, this report does not address itself to matters of Government policy, and no useful purpose would be served by commenting on its conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce building regulations for inner London that will provide for noise and thermal insulation.

Proposals for applying the relevant Parts of the building regulations in inner London were circulated for comment in April 1975, but further action was postponed because of the added enforcement costs which the GLC would have incurred. Discussions with the council about thermal insulation have recently been resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has calculated the effect of the recently announced increase in employers' national insurance contributions on the cost of local government services.

The increased cost to the rate fund in respect of local authority employees in England and Wales is expected to be about £56 million in 1978–79—about £113 million in a full year. This will be eligible for rate support grant and my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has already given assurances about adjusting the cash limit to accommodate this increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local authorities on the reduction of rateable values of houses affected by floods, such as those of January 1976 and January 1978.

No. The valuation of property for rating is the responsibility of valuation officers of the Inland Revenue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions have been given to the Property Services Agency concerning the use of Crown land for gipsy encampments.

No specific instructions have been given to the Property Services Agency. However, Government Departments, including the Property Services Agency, are aware of the advice which successive Governments have given to local authorities that until enough gipsy caravan sites have been provided gipsies should not needlessly be evicted from land on which they are camping illegally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an inquiry into the workings of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act as it affects local authorities with United States military bases in their areas.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake a programme of research on the effects of chlorophenols on the environment; and if he will make a statement.

Several research projects with a bearing on the possible environmental effects of chlorophenols are already funded by this Department and the need for further work is currently being examined.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give an estimate of the prospects for the future sales of coke following the introduction of the British Steel Corporation's policy increasingly to produce its own product.

I am informed that the British Steel Corporation has always produced a high proportion of its own blast furnace coke requirements. The recession in the iron and steel industry has reduced the corporation's requirement for coke from both its own and National Smokeless Fuels coke ovens. However, BSC will take 1¼ million tonnes of coke from NSF over the next five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the findings to date of the working group set up by his Department to consider greater fuel economy in motor transport; and when it is anticipated that the group will complete its work.

The joint working group, whose remit is to investigate the feasibility of setting progressive targets for raising the average miles per gallon achieved by new cars and methods of achieving those targets, hopes to be able to submit an interim report in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what finance is available to tenants suffering mining subsidence to enable them to obtain legal advice or legal representation against the National Coal Board.

The settlement of mining subsidence claims is mainly a matter for surveyors and valuers, and for this reason the National Coal Board normally contributes towards surveyors' fees which may be incurred by a claimant. The great majority of claims do not require separate legal advice but, in cases of unusual complexity or where personal hardship might otherwise be caused, the board will consider making a contribution towards a claimant's costs in obtaining legal advice. This would be a matter for negotiation.I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the board's recent publication "Compensation for Mining Subsidence Damage—Supplement on Claimant's Surveyors Fees", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will appoint a committee of inquiry to review the Mining Subsidence Act 1957 in order to consider if more adequate compensation should be paid to tenants affected by such subsidence.

No. May I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in the House on 2nd March 1976 accepting the recommendations of the Working Group on Mining Subsidence Compensation—[Vol. 906, c. 497–98].I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the National Coal Board's publication "Compensation for Mining Subsidence Damage", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. This incorporates the improvements in compensation referred to in my statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when Stephenson's School Building, Dunmurry, will be procured by the Education and Library Board for youth purposes.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10th July 1978], gave the following information:The title to this property is uncertain and since the cost of adapting the premises could be substantial, the South-Eastern Education and Library Board, acting on legal advice, is seeking an opinion on the Board's right to acquire the building. If title can be secured, the premises will be adapted for youth purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the debts owing to public bodies under their various headings; and what they were at the end of each financial year since 1968.

Date	31st March 1974	31st March 1975	31st March 1976	31st March 1977	31st March 1978
Debt owed to:	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Northern Ireland Housing Executive	2·8	4·0	5·7	6·7	8·4
Rating Division, Department of Finance	Comparable figure not available	4·7	4·4	4·5	3·8
Belfast Gas	1·0	1·7	2·5	3·1	3·5
Northern Ireland Electricity Service (domestic consumption)	2·8	4·1	5·6	8·3	12·5

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Reportthe sums collected against public debt in Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1968 showing each heading separately.

Public debt in Northern Ireland is collected in a variety

					YEAR ENDING
					31st March 1972	31st March 1973	31st March 1974	31st March 1975
	…	…	…	…	£	£	£	£
Public sector rents	…	…	…	…	367,600	1,955,700	1,374,400	572,400
Rates	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	2,600

							YEAR ENDING
							31st March 1976	31st March 1977	31st March 1978
							£	£	£
Public sector rents	…	…	…	…	…	…	429,500	1,245,200	1,057,100
Rates	…	…	…	…	…	…	34,400	44,500	12,600

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many bee-keepers there are known to be in Northern Ireland; of these, how many are members of the Ulster Bee-keepers' Association; how many are known to be members of the Northern Bee-keepers' Association; how many are not members of, or affiliated to any of these bodies; what sums have been paid to any association of bee-keepers in Northern Ireland from United Kingdom or EEC sources in the last two years; for what purposes these sums were granted; under what conditions they were granted; and

I regret that as a result of the reorganisation in 1973 of the public bodies concerned, it is not possible to provide figures for debts owed in financial years up to March 1973 which could properly be compared with the figures for debts owed in later years. Details of debts owed at the end of each financial year from 1973–74 onwards are as follows:of ways; voluntary agreement with the creditor bodies, court action and Enforcement of Judgment Office procedures, special budgeting schemes, and benefit allocation. I regret that it is impossible to quantify the sums collected in all these ways. The sums collected from benefit allocations were as follows:if he is satisfied that all bee-keepers were given equal treatment in the disbursement of these sums.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th July 1978], gave the following information:Following the winding up of the Bee-Keepers Compensation Fund in 1971 the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland no longer keeps a register of bee-keepers; however, it has been estimated that there are some 800 bee-keepers in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Bee-Keepers' Association claims a membership of 600; but no information is available on the size of the membership of the Northern Ireland Bee-Keepers Association or on the number of bee-keepers who are not members of or affiliated to either of these bodies.In the last two years the money received by the Ulster Bee-Keepers' Association has been £615 which was Northern Ireland's share of £36,670, allocated to the United Kingdom by the EEC for aid to bee-keepers.A condition of this aid was that it would be distributed through representative associations of bee-keepers; the money could be spent on suitable schemes to improve the production and marketing of honey, or on teaching and training or it could be given direct to individual members. The Ulster Bee-Keepers' Association has undertaken to use the money for the benefit of Northern Ireland beekeepers in general and it was on this understanding that the money was paid in March of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any local authorities have sent him, as required by paragraph 2(1) of schedule 8 to the Community Land Act 1975, copies of resolutions declaring disposal notification areas since 18th November 1977; if so, which were the authorities concerned; what are the names of the areas contained in those resolutions; and from what date or dates the resolutions become operative.

Grampian region and Banff and Buchan district council have done so jointly. The Longside airfield, Peterhead disposal notification area resolution became operative on 29th May 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will bring up to date the information regarding circulars, letters, publicity booklets, orders, regulations, including joint orders, and directions under the Community Land Act given in Written Answers by the Under-Secretary of State, Official Report, 18th November 1977, columns 421–4 and 423–6, and on 6th February 1978, column 440.

The information is as in the following table:March 1977 have since been resold; what were the total receipts; and how they compare with the £245,282 expenditure costs for acquisition;(2) whether he will give details for the Grampian and Strathclyde regions, separately, as to how much of the 1·14 acres of commercial land which they acquired under the community land scheme up to 31st March 1977 have since been resold; what were the receipts in each case; and how they compare with the £181,750 expenditure costs for acquisition.

Details of disposals in 1977–78 and subsequently will not be available until all the relevant community land accounts for the year in question have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give for each region the figures for staff and administration costs relating to land acquisitions and to the initial setting up of the local authority arrangements for operating the community land scheme in Scotland in 1976–77.

The information is as in the following table:

Staff and Administration Costs 1st April 1976 31st March 1977
Region or Islands Area		Amount
		£
Borders	…	3,506
Central	…	15,809
Dumfries and Galloway	…	8,304
Fife	…	16,091
Grampian	…	38,153
Highland	…	5,794
Lothian	…	18,518
Strathclyde	…	72,275
Tayside	…	12,237
Orkney	…	1,110
Shetland	…	7,409
Western Isles	…	477
Total	…	199,683

NOTE. These figures exclude interest payments, which are not allocated among staff, administration and other costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give details of the criteria under which he gave loan sanction to a local authority in the Strathclyde Region to acquire one acre of commercial land under the Community Land Act at a cost of £159,000; where the specific site or sites is or are located; and whether he regards such a price per acre as being a normal and acceptable transaction which he would be prepared to repeat in appropriate cases.

The criteria used in determining applications to acquire land under the community land scheme are set out in Scottish Development Department circulars, he latest being SDD circular No. 29/1978, dated 12th May 1978. Copies of these circulars are available in the Library. The site in question is in Monklands district. The purchase price was agreed by the district valuer. Future applications for consent under the community land scheme will continue to be judged on their merits in the light of the current criteria.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards paragraph 14 of recommendation 834 of the Council of Europe, urging more independent broadcasting channels in order to break up monopolies.

The Government's policy is consistent with paragraph 14 of the recommendation 834 taken as a whole inasmuch as responsibility for the broadcasting services in the United Kingdom is vested in two public authorities rather than one. The existing arrangements have been reviewed by the Annan Committee on the future of broadcasting whose report recommends the setting up of two additional broadcasting authorities, to supervise local radio and the unallocated fourth television channel respectively. The Government's policy in relation to these matters will be reflected in their proposals for the future constitution, structure and organisation of broadcasting which my right hon. Friend hopes to publish in the form of a White Paper before the end of this Session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the reasons which have caused the prison authorities to judge it to be not worthwhile to recommend a mentally abnormal offender to be transferred to National Health Service hospitals.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a Question by him on 22nd June—[Vol. 925, cc. 270–1.]: in a number of cases prison medical officers have not recommended a prisoner's transfer to hospital because in the light of past experience or informal inquiries of suitable hospitals they have foreseen difficulties in finding a hospital vacancy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for selected years from 1938, perhaps at quinquennial intervals, the surplus or deficit of prison accommodation in relation to prisoners on the assumption that if there were no deficit no prisoner would have to share a cell with any other.

The information is as follows:

Year		Daily average population	Certified normal accommodation on 31st December
1938	…	11,086	15,778
1948	…	19,765	19,754
1953	…	23,610	22,467
1958	…	25,379	24,350
1963	…	30,896	29.026
1968	…	32,461	32,474
1973	…	36,774	36,391
1977	…	41,570	37,520

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for selected years from 1938, perhaps at quinquennial intervals, the weighted average age of prison accommodation, namely, weighting the age of each prison by the number of inmates or the accommodation there, whichever is the greater.

The information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of the date establishments were first used for the custody of offenders and of their certified normal accommodation are given in Appendix A to "Prisons and the Prisoner" published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office at the end of last year. Apart from the subsequent reconstruction of some of the establishments, most have been added to, and improved, over the years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to simplifying the procedure relating to stolen items retained by the police as exhibits in court proceedings, in order to enable the property in question to be returned to its owners with the minimum of delay.

This is not an easy problem, but I am considering whether the existing Home Office guidance to the police needs to be revised, and will write to the hon. Member when I have completed by consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will seek to clarify the law as it relates to the rehabilitation of offenders who have been convicted of drink and driving offences;(2) if he will make a statement on the working of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 in relation to motorists convicted of drink and driving offences.

The period of rehabilitation under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 is related, in each case, to the penalty imposed by the court. The penalties applicable to drink and driving offences include imprisonment, a fine, disqualification from driving and endorsement of the driving licence. Under section 5 of the Rehabilitation of offenders Act 1974 a five-year rehabilitation period is applicable to a fine and a seven-year period to a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding six months.The rehabilitation period applicable to a disqualification, disability, prohibition or penalty—which include a licence endorsement—ends on the date on which the disqualification, and so on ceases to have effect. Where a conviction involves a fine or imprisonment and a disqualification, and so on, which attracts a longer rehabilitation period, the conviction does not become spent until the period of the disqualification, and so on, expires. The period of rehabilitation for drink-driving offences is therefore determined by section 101(7) of the Road Traffic Act 1972, as amended by the Road Traffic Act 1974, which requires an endorsement in respect of an offence of driving while unfit to drive through drink or drugs to remain on the licence for 11 years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to monitor the uptake of lead in the blood of Metropolitan Police officers, in the light of their close and continuous exposure to airborne lead pollution from London traffic; and if he is satisfied that officers are not exposed to undue health hazards.

None. There has been no evidence to suggest that Metropolitan Police officers are subject to undue health hazards from airborne lead pollution. Measures generally to control pollution are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount granted to local education authorities under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in 1977–78; and which authorities benefited, and to what extent, in each case.

Audited claims from local authorities for grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for 1977–78 have not yet been received. The following table shows the latest estimates by local authorities of eligible expenditure in 1977–78 on education staff. Grant is payable at the rate of 75 per cent. of eligible expenditure.

County Councils
Avon	…	…	170,261
Bedfordshire	…	…	844,000
Berkshire	…	…	303,770
Buckinghamshire	…	…	204,547
Cambridgeshire	…	…	92,557
Derbyshire	…	…	416,000
Gloucestershire	…	…	60,900
Hampshire	…	…	67,601
Hertfordshire	…	…	105,000
Kent	…	…	61,847
Lancashire	…	…	538,500
Leicestershire	…	…	1,490,626
Northamptonshire	…	…	64,190
Nottinghamshire	…	…	459,350
Oxfordshire	…	…	46,800
Salop	…	…	5,663
Staffordshire	…	…	4,550
Suffolk	…	…	14,750
Warwickshire	…	…	182,464
District Councils
Birmingham	…	…	1,214,460
Bolton	…	…	173,489
Bradford	…	…	1,309,500
Caldersdale	…	…	205,554
Coventry	…	…	447,750
Dudley	…	…	61,833
Kirklees	…	…	520,594
Leeds	…	…	371,910
Manchester	…	…	493,580
Oldham	…	…	138,563
Rochdale	…	…	325,425
Rotherham	…	…	3,625
Sandwell	…	…	795,765
Sheffield	…	…	192,500
Tameside	…	…	66,390
Trafford	…	…	101,883
Walsall	…	…	607,955
Wolverhampton	…	…	1,064,300
London Boroughs
Barking	…	…	47,605
Barnet	…	…	237,700
Brent	…	…	1,332,030
Croydon	…	…	336,161
Ealing	…	…	1,475,850
Enfield	…	…	56,649
Haringey	…	…	1,027,578
Harrow	…	…	84,430
Hillingdon	…	…	31,863
Hounslow	…	…	206,563
Merton	…	…	110,377
Newham	…	…	506,000
Redbridge	…	…	115,220
Waltham Forest	…	…	572,750
ILEA	…	…	6,628,880
TOTAL:	…	…	25,998,108

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from local authorities or local authority associations about the guidelines issued by his Department for expenditure qualifying for grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966; and what replies he has sent.

I have had no representations from local authority associations on this matter. A few local authorities have represented that the statutory provisions and the administrative guidelines for the payment of grant are too restrictive. In reply I have said that these questions are under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British dependent territories still operate the death penalty for murder.

Seven.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake to have the contents of Mr. Jorge Jardim's book "Sanctions: Double Cross" perused by his Department with a view to an examination of the allegations it contains regarding widespread violations of oil sanctions imposed in respect of Rhodesia.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mr. Rhodes James) on 4th July.—[Vol. 953, c. 137.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make representations to the French Government for the return to Great Britain of the entrails of Henry V, which have recently been discovered in a lead casket during excavations at the abbey at Saint Maur des Fosses and which should be placed with the rest of his remains in the tomb in Westminster Abbey.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the arrangements currently in force for the parking of bicycles at the office of the United Kingdom permanent representative at the European Communities in Brussels; and what steps are being taken to provide adequate facilities for those wishing to travel by bicycle who arrive for meetings there.

There are adequate parking facilities in the underground car park at the office of the United Kingdom permanent representative to the European Communities in Brussels for anyone wishing to travel to it by bicycle.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to ensure that no restrictions are placed on the dissemination of news from Great Britain by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas; and if he will confirm that it remains his policy not to seek to influence the independent reporting of news from Great Britain.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Her Majesty's Ambassador in Washington on the future policy of the British Information Service in New York, concerning particularly the daily dissemination of news from Great Britain; if there has been any change of policy; if so, why, other than for economic reasons; and if he will make a statement.

British Information Services' practice of distributing in written form the BBC's daily summary of British newspapers has been under review for some years. My right hon. Friend has not discussed this particular matter with the Ambassador. Foreign and Commonwealth Office inspectors recommended at the end of last year that it should no longer be distributed on a daily basis, but as a weekly or twice-weekly summary instead. Its usefulness and cost-effectiveness, which are the only criteria by which it is judged, have been further considered as part of the follow-up to the review of overseas representation by the Central Policy Review Staff. At present it is still appearing on a daily basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that projects offered financial assistance under the accelerated projects scheme have adhered to their accelerated timetable; and in what percentage of those projects delays have occurred.

All projects assisted under the accelerated projects scheme are monitored to check progress, on which assistance payments are conditional. It is estimated that some 10 per cent. of the expenditure brought forward by the scheme has been delayed for three months or more. Where appropriate payments have been withheld or warnings given.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will arrange to have an analysis published explaining the basis upon which nationalisation compensation is to be paid to Swan Hunter Ltd.

Compensation under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 for the unlisted securities of nationalised companies is the net amount of the base value (section 38) less any appropriate deduction (section 39). The base value is related to notional Stock Exchange prices in the six months ended 28th February 1974. As to appropriate deductions, these may arise from the safeguarding provisions of the Act.Unless there is recourse to the arbitration tribunal, the determination of compensation involves agreement between the stockholders' representative and the Department on this net amount.However, agreement on individual constituent elements is not an essential part of the negotiation of the net amount of compensation, nor would it facilitate negotiations to require such detailed agreement.The compensation of £15 million for the Swan Hunter companies was negotiated as a net amount and it is not possible to give a detailed analysis of the composition of the settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to announce the appointment of the chairman of the Co-operative Development Agency.

I am pleased to announce that Lord Gram will be the first chairman of the new Co-operative Development Agency. The appointment is for three years from 1st September. The salary, on the basis of a part-time commitment of three days a week, is £7,200 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the operating plan for the year 1978–79 for Chrysler UK Ltd., differs from the Stoke Linwood and Truck Plan, which it has superseded.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mrs. Wise) on 13th June.

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.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th June 1978; Vol. 952, c. 573], gave the following information:My right hon. Friend is responsible for making salaried appointments to nine public bodies, excluding advisory and similar departmental committees. The total number of such appointments is 77. Salary costs for only one of these bodies falls to public funds, the estimated total for the 12 months ending 31st March 1978 being £7,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he will take to ensure that there are adequate facilities for men seeking work in Penistone.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that in normal circumstances facilities for job seekers seeking work in Penistone are met by the jobcentre at Barnsley. However, in cases of major redundancies the MSC will send special teams into firms to interview the workers. In early June, for example, a team visited the Penistone foundry of David Brown Gear Industries Ltd., interviewed some of the existing employees, mounted a vacancy display in the factory, arranged for a few workers to be submitted to other jobs and gave preliminary advice about the training available through the training opportunities programme. Plans were made for the team to visit the firm on two days for each of three consecutive weeks, but these plans were suspended while further discussion took place about the future of the redundancy.The MSC's employment service division will, however, be ready to provide any further special provision as the need arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are currently employed by firms that produce tobacco and tobacco products in the United Kingdom; and what percentage of the total number of persons currently employed this figure represents.

At April 1978, there were 36,800 employees in employment in the tobacco industry in the United Kingdom, representing 0·16 per cent. of all employees in employment. These figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if a youngster who leaves school at Easter and who is likely to have particular difficulty in finding suitable employment will have to wait until 1st September before he or she can take advantage of the youth opportunities programme.

No. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that Easter school leavers are eligible for entry to the youth opportunities programme at any time after leaving school, provided that they have been registered as unemployed for at least six weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what provision has been made for those youngsters who leave school during or at the end of the summer term and who are likely to have particular difficulties in finding suitable employment, especially disabled school leavers; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that young people leaving school during or at the end of the summer term will be eligible for entry to the youth opportunities programme from 1st September in England and Wales and from 1st August in Scotland. However, disabled young people can enter courses within the programme at employment rehabilitation centres or residential training centres at any time after leaving school. In addition, in an area where unemployment is such that young people are likely to experience exceptional difficulties in finding employment, there is provision for the restriction on entry to the programme to be waived.The question of the eligibility conditions for disabled young people entering other parts of the programme and of additional provision for the particular needs of the disabled which might appropriately be made under the programme is currently being examined by the Manpower Services Commission. I shall make a statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if a disabled youngster who leaves school at Easter will have to wait until 1st September before he or she can take advantage of the youth opportunities programme.

No. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that all Easter school leavers are eligible for entry to the youth opportunities programme at any time after leaving school provided that they have been registered as unemployed for at least six weeks. Disabled Easter school leavers can enter courses within the programme which are specifically designed for their needs immediately after leaving school and they are eligible to take up other opportunities in the programme at any time provided that there is no waiting list of young people who have been registered as unemployed for six weeks or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of vacancies for employment as notified to him from the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency; and what were the comparable figures in 1970 and 1974.

In the area covered by the Leek, Biddulph, Cheadle and Kids-grove employment offices, which corresponds closely to the Leek parliamentary constituency, the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at 2nd June 1978 and at comparable dates in 1970 and 1974 were as follows:

		Employment Offices	Careers Offices
June 1970	…	336	219
June 1974	…	645	210
June 1978	…	137	20

The statistics relate only to vacancies: notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication, the two series should not be added together.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been called in to disputes between The Daily Telegraph and the National Union of Journalists, and the Newspaper Publishers' Association and the National Union of Journalists.

I understand that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has not been asked to intervene in negotiations between the National Union of Journalists and the Newspaper Publishers' Association. I am not aware of any dispute between the NUJ and and The Daily Telegraph.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the jobcentres which have operated for a one-year period or longer which have not succeeded in reducing the cost per placing compared with the office they replaced.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the identification of any such jobcentres could be made only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the (a) average, (b) lowest and (c) highest cost per placing by jobcentres which have operated for more than a full year.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information required could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the population over 15 years of age was at work in Wales and England, respectively, in June 1978.

In Wales, about 53 per cent. of those aged 16 and over were in employment in June 1977, the latest date for which estimates are available. The corresponding figure for England is 59 per cent. These percentages have been based on the populations aged 16 and over because there are very few people at work under 16 years of age.

asked the Sectary of State for Employment what representations he has received from organisa- tions currently involved with, or that have previously been involved with intervention by, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service in industrial disputes.

I have had a number of representations from employers and trade unions about industrial disputes in which the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has at some stage been involved. Such representations are generally made on a confidential basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how often his Department reviews the performance of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service in order to ensure that it is operating in accordance with the Employment Act 1975.

It is for the courts to determine whether the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is correctly interpreting its statutory responsibilities, not for my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the Ipswich employment area have been the subject of financial support by his Department and the Manpower Services Commission.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10th July 1978 Vol. 953, c. 380], gave the following information:Over 2,400 people in the Ipswich area have been helped by the special employment measures introduced by the Government to alleviate the worst effects of the recession.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list (a) the number of male employees in employment in the United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted, for each quarter since March 1970, (b) the numbers of males unemployed in each quarter on the same basis, and (c) the numbers in (b) expressed as a percentage of (a).

The available information requested under (a) and (b) and the numbers in (b) expressed as percentages

				Seasonally adjusted
				Male employees in employment('000)	Unemployed males excluding school-leavers ('000)	(b) expressed as a percentage of (a)+(b)
				(a)	(b)	(c)
1970
March	…	…	…	14,112	506·2	3.5
June	…	…	…	14,005	510·2	3·5
September	…	…	…	13,977	517·3	3·6
December	…	…	…	13,942	530·8	3·7
1971
March	…	…	…	13,803	581·0	4·0
June	…	…	…	13,721	652·8	4·5
September	…	…	…	13,564	702·3	4·9
December	…	…	…	13,572	749·0	5·2
1972
March	…	…	…	13,588	771·3	5·4
June	…	…	…	13,617	709·6	5·0
September	…	…	…	13,612	702·9	4·9
December	…	…	…	13,684	635·5	4·4
1973
March	…	…	…	13,782	558·5	3·9
June	…	…	…	13,782	516·3	3·6
September	…	…	…	13,816	467·8	3·3
December	…	…	…	13,783	434·2	3·1
1974
March	…	…	…	13,682	494·1	3·5
June	…	…	…	13,671	493·9	3·5
September	…	…	…	13,681	523·8	3·7
December	…	…	…	13,614	†	†
1975
March	…	…	…	13,599	630·2	4·4
June	…	…	…	13,545	733·2	5·1
September	…	…	…	13,490	826·0	5·8
December	…	…	…	13,429	923·1	6·4
1976
March	…	…	…	13,410	964·6	6·7
June	…	…	…	13,400	979·5	6·8
September	…	…	…	13,388*	990·4	6·9
December	…	…	…	13,399*	†	†
1977
March	…	…	…	13,391*	992·0	6·9
June	…	…	…	13,393*	1,010·0	7·0
September	…	…	…	13,377*	1,042·9	7·2
December	…	…	…	13,367*	1,033·5	7·2
* Employment estimates after June 1976 are provisional.
† Not available owing to industrial action.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of male full-time workers and what percentage of female full-time workers earn less than (a) £45 per week, (b) £50 per week, and (c) £60 per week in the following areas: South-East England, Greater London, East Anglia, South-West England, West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, North-West England, the North of England, Scotland,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10th July 1978; Vol. 953, c. 379], gave the following information:The following estimates for April 1977 are taken from the New Earnings Survey 1977. They relate to workers employed in the specified region, irrespective of their places of residence, and to gross earnings per week of the reference pay period, including overtime, bonuses and other additional payments. They are liable to be affected by regional dif-

DISTRIBUTION OH GROSS WEEKLY EARNINGS, APRIL 1977
		Full-time adult employees whose pay was not affected by absence
		Males aged 21 and over			Females aged 18 and over
		Percentage with weekly earnings less than			Percentage with weekly earnings less than
Region		£45	£50	£60	£45	£50	£60
England:
South East	…	4·7	9·0	22·5	34·3	47·6	69·2
Greater London	…	3·9	7·5	18·8	25·3	37·3	61·9
East Anglia	…	7·6	14·6	36·2	50·5	63·9	81·8
South West	…	7·8	15·2	36·0	46·5	61·2	78·7
West Midlands	…	4·5	9·4	25·3	47·7	62·9	81·6
East Midlands	…	5·5	11·4	29·6	54·4	67·3	83·4
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	5·9	11·7	29·9	51·8	66·6	83·5
North West	…	5·9	11·2	28·3	46·8	62·4	81·2
North	…	4·8	9·3	24·8	48·2	62·0	81·2
Wales	…	5·8	11·6	28·4	45·2	60·7	78·8
Scotland	…	6·5	12·6	29·1	48·2	62·7	82·1
Northern Ireland	…	11·4	20·0	40·9	46·8	60·1	78·0
United Kingdom	…	5·6	11·0	27·3	43·9	58·0	77·4

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the progress in formulation of the comprehensive education policy in Essex.

The further proposals required under section 2(4) of the Education Act 1976 for the completion of comprehensive reorganisation in Southend by September 1982 and in Chelmsford by September 1980, are not due to be submitted until after the Essex county council's meeting on 11th July.Of the further proposals submitted for the Colchester area, the Secretary of State has directed under section 3(1) of the Act that the one relating to the reorganisation of the Gilberd school be treated as if

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether local education authorities have sufficient resources to implement fully the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.

The calculations underlying the rate support grant settlement for 1978–79 took account of the estimated additional cost to local education authorities of implementing the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, relating to the appointment of safety representatives and safety committees from October 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether all local education authorities have made arrangements, as recommended in the rate support grant settlement, for probationary teachers to have reduced teaching time, from September, in order to receive help and guidance with their initial year's work.

The Government's expenditure plans have been made on the planning hypothesis that programmes of induction, involving reduced teaching time, will have been introduced for all probationary teachers by September 1979. Information is not yet available about the arrangements made by individual local education authorities. A survey of the extent of in-service training and induction programmes is currently being carried out by my Department in co-operation with the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the teaching accommodation in Wales and England, respectively, date from before 1903.

According to a 10 per cent. sample survey held in 1975, the proportion of school places built before 1903 in England and Wales is estimated to have been:

Percentage
	England	Wales
Primary school places	20	27
Secondary school places*	4	5
Primary and secondary school places	13	19
* For secondary places the difference in proportion between England and Wales is within the margin of error of the sample survey.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from the governors of the Darlington college of education on matters arising from the closure of the college; and, in view of the fact that the redundancy date is 31st August, when they can expect a reply.

Arrangements for the closure of the college and the winding up of its affairs have been discussed with the college authorities on various occasions. The governors have recently made representations via my hon. Friend to whom I have now replied.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the hon. Member for Darlington may expect a reply to his letters on the situation at the Darlington college of education.

I replied on 11th July to the letters from my hon. Friend on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what agreements were made as to the retention of Eaton Hall training college as part of the Trent Polytechnic between her Department and Nottinghamshire County Council at a meeting at the Department of Education on 26th April 1977, and as set out in a letter from her Department to Nottinghamshire County Council dated 27th June 1977; and to what extent the agreement has been put into effect since that date;(2) what discussions have taken place between her Department and Nottinghamshire County Council concerning their change of policy and refusal to guarantee any future use for Eaton Hall teacher training college, Retford, or to continue with the administration of Eaton Hall under the responsibility of the Trent Polytechnic;(3) how many teachers and ancillary workers are likely to be made redundant due to the decision by Nottinghamshire County Council to close Eaton Hall teacher training college, Retford;(4) whether she will make an investigation into the decision by Nottinghamshire County Council to close completely Eaton Hall teacher training college, Retford.

No agreement was made at the April 1977 meeting but my right hon. Friend in the letter of 26th June accepted the local education authority's counter-proposals that higher and further education, including some courses for teachers, should continue at Eaton Hall as part of Trent Polytechnic. This acceptance was subject to discussion with the authority of detailed arrangements to minimise the difficulties of operating on two sites, and this has taken place with Her Majesty's inspectors at the authority's request.My right hon. Friend has not yet been informed of any decisions reached by the authority as a result but expects to hear from it shortly and will then consider the matter. There are 156 teaching and non-teaching staff at Eaton Hall, including part-time staff. On the question

of redundancy, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to his Question on 1st March.—[Vol. 945, c.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of total United Kingdom consumption of apples, pears, sugar, potatoes and oats were obtained from home production in 1960 and 1977, respectively.