asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish his up-dated version of "Food from Our Own Resources".

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the updating of the White Paper "Food from Our Own Resources".

The White Paper "Farming and the Nation" published today sets out the Government's view of the medium-term prospects for the agriculture industry.There have been a number of developments since the earlier White Paper on agriculture, "Food from Our Own Resources", was published, particularly the exceptional droughts of 1975 and 1976. This has meant that the industry has not expanded smoothly, and it was necessary to take a fresh look at the way ahead for agriculture in the medium-term.Farming is one of Britain's most important industries, with a fine record over many years. The new White Paper examines the case for agricultural expansion over the next five years or so to provide for a greater share of the nation's food from within the United Kingdom, taking into account the likely cost and availability of imports and also the efficient allocation of national resources. The effect on our agricultural industry in the medium-term of the common agricultural policy is examined; and the White Paper reiterates the Government's determination to work to reform this. The availability of manpower and land, including considerations of land use and the conservation of the environment, and of technical and financial resources are also covered in the White Paper.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will attend a meeting of the Fisheries Ministers of the European Economic Community.

I shall attend the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 19 February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects next to meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

I met the president of the National Farmers' Union this morning and have no plans for a further meeting at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total acreage of tenanted agricultural land owned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

44,971 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the percentage productivity increase in farming output for 1978.

Percentage changes in labour productivity are less meaningful over a single year than over a longer period, because the weather plays so large a part in output. However, the 1979 annual review White Paper shows that the index of labour productivity is forecast to be 117 for 1978, compared with 113 for 1977. In the longer-term, productivity has risen by nearly 4½ per cent. per annum over the past 10 years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current differential between the green pound and the market rate of the £ sterling.

The current difference between the rate for the green pound and the market rate used for MCA purposes is 29·7 per cent., giving an applied MCA percentage of 28·2.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to devalue the green pound in 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The Commission has proposed a number of changes to the green currency arrangements including a 5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound. My right hon. Friend the Minister does not dissent from the Commission's proposals in this respect.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much he would have to devalue the green pound to achieve parity with the £ sterling.

At current exchange rates, the green pound would have to be devalued by 22·9 per cent. to bring it into line with the market rate for the pound which the EEC uses for calculating monetary compensatory amounts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what comments he has now received on the Food Standards Committee report on water in food; what action is to be taken in the light of these comments; and if he will make a statement.

Organisations representing food manufacturers, retailers, consumers and enforcement authorities have made comments which generally welcome the report. The Government supported an EEC directive made last December which requires the added water content of food to be declared and are now preparing proposals for implementing the directive in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the present totals of EEC stocks of butter, beef, wheat and skimmed milk powder in intervention or assisted private storage.

At recent dates some 230,000 tonnes of butter, 660,000 tonnes of skimmed milk powder, 210,000 tonnes of beef and over 1 million tonnes of wheat were held in intervention stores throughout the Community. In addition, about 175,000 tonnes of butter were in assisted private storage and 40,000 tonnes of beef had been contracted for such storage under the scheme which closed just before Christmas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the president of the Food Manufacturers' Federation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 14 December last.—[Vol. 960, c. 269.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the supply of foodstuffs; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is in regular contact with the general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union about the movement of food supplies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that there are now adequate supplies of food in the shops; and whether he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Members to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will attend a meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers of the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes next to meet EEC Agriculture Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects next to meet EEC leaders; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects next to meet his EEC colleagues.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet Commissioner Gundelach of the European Commission.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Bodmin (Mr. Hicks) and my hon. Friend the Member for Nelson and Colne (Mr. Hoyle).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the effect of recent disruptions in the supply of animal feed on the livestock industry.

At the start of the road haulage dispute, picketing interfered seriously with the movement of animal feed for the livestock industry. Once the strike became official and the code of practice had been agreed there was a steady improvement in the situation. The latest reports suggest that supplies of feed for the livestock industry are now flowing at near normal levels in most areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet representatives of the farm workers' union.

I frequently meet representatives of the farm workers' union but I have no specific plans for a meeting at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to be in a position to make a preliminary statement on the findings of the Northfield inquiry into the ownership of agricultural land in the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend the Minister hopes to receive Lord Northfield's report shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has made to his EEC counterparts for changing the method of calculating monetary compensatory amounts.

My right hon. Friend the Minister supports the Commission's proposal that, with the adoption of a European monetary system, the ECU should be used in agriculture, thereby replacing the existing unrepresentative unit of account at present used for calculating MCAs. He is continuing to press for further improvements in the calculation of pigmeat MCAs, in order to reduce the level of subsidy on pigmeat products imported into the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much British food prices would increase if MCAs were to be withdrawn by the Common Market.

At current exchange rates a devaluation of the green pound sufficient to remove the whole of the United Kingdom's MCA would increase the food price index by about 5 to 6 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action is proposed to deal with the disadvantages of the common agricultural policy.

I have set out the Government's objectives for reforming the CAP on many occasions. I shall pursue these on every possible opportunity and particularly during the coming negotiations on farm prices for 1979–80.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will present the annual price review proposals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will present the annual price review proposals.

The EEC Commission announced last week its proposals for CAP prices in 1979–80 and related measures, and copies are available in the Library of the House. Agricultural support arrangements which remain within national competence are dealt with separately.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with existing measures to conserve lobster fisheries.

As the hon. Member is aware, my Department has asked fishing organisations for comments on a consultation document on management of the lobster fishery in England and Wales. The need for further conservation measures to conserve lobster stocks will be considered when all comments have been received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the Potato Marketing Board.

My right hon. Friend has no specific plans for a meeting at present, but officials of my Department are frequently in touch with the chairman and officials of the Potato Marketing Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's final estimate of the 1978 grain crop; and how he expects this to affect retail prices.

The latest estimate of the 1978 United Kingdom cereals crop is for 17·4 million tonnes. The good United Kingdom harvest for wheat will benefit consumers by helping the milling and feedstuffs industries to contain their costs and minimise any increase in retail prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tons of cauliflowers, cabbages and other field vegetables have been bought into intervention in the United Kingdom during the past 12 months.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board.

I frequently meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board, but I have no specific plans for a meeting at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the Food and Drink Industries Council.

My right hon. Friend the Minister met the chairman of the Food and Drink Industries Council on 10 January; no date has been fixed for their next meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the animal and poultry feed situation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Circencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) earlier to-day.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the likely competitive position of British tomato growers in the home market in the coming season compared with foreign growers.

It is difficult to make such an estimate, since the market for horti- cultural produce such as tomatoes varies seasonally and is influenced by levels of supply and demand. However, returns to United Kingdom tomato producers last year were generally higher than in the previous two years, and I see no reason why the efficient United Kingdom grower should not continue to compete successfully with foreign suppliers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the British Fishing Federation.

In accordance with his usual practice my right hon. Friend expects to meet leaders of the national fishermen's organisations immediately before the next meeting of the EEC Council of Fisheries Ministers which is scheduled for 19–20 February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of timber and timber product consumption in 1978 and the proportion of this met by home production.

It is estimated that, based on the first 10 months of 1978, the apparent consumption of wood raw material equivalent in the United Kingdom was 40·5 million cubic metres of which 3·8 million cubic metres, or 9·3 per cent., was met by home production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the amount by which the world price of butter is cheaper than the EEC price; if this has affected consumption in the United Kingdom; and, if so, by how much.

The world price of butter implied by the EEC Commission's present calculation of the common import levy on butter is about £1,000 per tonne lower than the United Kingdom intervention price, but this relates to small unrepresentative lots offered at EEC frontiers and does not represent the price at which substantial quantities could be purchased on world markets. It does not therefore provide a meaningful basis for assessing changes in consumption.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish an up-to-date list of the total amounts paid and the persons and parties to whom they were paid, in financial aid to Opposition parties from public funds.

As at 6 February 1979, total payments from the House of Commons Vote in accordance with the resolutions of the House of 20 March 1975 and 13 February 1978 are as follows:

Conservative Party	£615,000·00
Liberal Party	£136,259·40
Scottish National Party	£39,761·80
Plaid Cymru	£9,557·08
Social Democratic Labour Party	£5,207·00
United Ulster Unionist Party	£7,875·00

It is not the practice to disclose the names of individuals to whom payments are made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men over 60 years of age are in full-time employment in the Greater London area and the Greater Manchester area.

It is estimated that in 1976, the latest year for which information is available, there were about 200,000 male employees in full-time employment in the Greater London area who were aged 60 and over. The corresponding figure for Greater Manchester is 50,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he is satisfied that a sufficient pool of skilled and semi-skilled people exists to channel into the manufacture of microcomputers as the demand increases;(2) if he is satisfied that a sufficient pool of skilled people exists to channel into the software industry as the demand increases.

The Government are aware that the development of microelectronic technology would be inhibited if there were not sufficient skilled and semi-skilled workers available. Such shortages could affect the development of computer technology and usage generally as well as the speed of application of microelectronic technology to various industrial processes and products. The Government have therefore taken steps to support the training of such workers by the industry in order to try to ensure that such shortages do not develop. The Manpower Services Commission has put in hand, through the national training system, a three-year programme beginning this year to ensure that computer manufacturers and users expand their training in software skills and new areas of skill for which systematic training has hitherto not been available generally. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Employment, for Industry and for Education and Science presented a joint paper to the National Economic Development Council on 6 December which set out, among other things, the action the Government are taking to ensure that skill shortages do not become a constraint. Copies of this paper were laid in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what actions are proposed by the Health and Safety Executive to determine whether persons working or living in the vicinity of brickworks in Bedfordshire are in danger of developing fluorosis as a result of emissions from the works.

Responsibility for preventing hazards to work people and the public from exposure to fluoride arising from the activities being carried out by the London Brick Co. Ltd. in Bedfordshire rests with the company. At the instigation of the Health and Safety Executive the London Brick Co. Ltd. has commenced a survey of its brickworks to determine levels of exposure to fluoride. The programme of atmospheric sampling involved is being carried out in a way satisfactory to the Executive; it has not yet been completed but preliminary results indicate that levels found have been well below the threshold limit value for fluoride.The need for any further action will be assessed once the results of the complete survey are received.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the study of unemployment in West Cornwall undertaken by his Department.

This study has recently been completed. I am sending copies of the report to hon. Members representing West Cornwall, to the relevant local authorities and to other interested bodies and individuals. I have today placed a copy of the report in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking on the recommendations made in the latest National Economic Development Council report on microelectronics.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost in strikes in the West Midlands area (a) between 1970 and February 1974 and (b) March 1974 to the latest available figures.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of vacancies for instructors in the training opportunities scheme in the Northern region at the most recent date; if he will list the courses where the vacancies exist; and what are his proposals for filling these vacancies.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there are immediate vacancies for 22 class instructors in skillcentres in the Northern region in the following courses:

• Pipe Fitting
• Capstan Setting/Operating
• Centre Lathe Turning
• Milling Setting/Operating
• Plate and Structural Steelwork
• Toolmaking Fitting and Machining
• Welding (7)
• Fitting Electrical
• Instrument Maintenance (2)
• Radio, TV and Electronic Servicing
• Contractors Plant Repair and Maintenance
• Heavy Vehicle Repair and Maintenance
• Motor Vehicle Repair and Maintenance
• Miscellaneous Engineering (2)

A further seven class instructors will be needed to take the places of instructors due to be promoted or transferred and 10 more are needed for relief duties.The Manpower Services Commission is continuing to make every possible effort, including local advertising, to fill these vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to extend the provisions of the job release scheme after 31 March 1979.

The job release scheme is being reviewed along with other special employment measures and a decision on its future will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table to show the net change in the level of employment in each of the areas covered by sector working parties under the industrial strategy between 1973 and the latest year for which figures are available.

The information in the following table relates to standard industrial classification groupings that correspond as closely as possible to the coverage of the sector working parties. The relationship between the sector working parties and individual MLH headings is often approximate and figures given in the table do not necessarily reflect the employment position in the sectors concerned. The figures for 1978 are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the unemployment levels in the new towns within the London ring.

Travel-to-Work Area (New Town)					Total unemployed	Unemployment rate (per cent.)
Southend-on-Sea (Basildon)	…	…	…	…	12,804	6·6
Crawley	…	…	…	…	3,999	2·5
Harlow	…	…	…	…	2,762	3·8
Reading (Bracknell)	…	…	…	…	5,088	3·1
St. Albans (Hatfield and Welwyn)	…	…	…	…	2,055	2·3
Watford (Hemel Hempstead)	…	…	…	…	3,249	2·6
Stevenage (Employment Office Area)	…	…	…	…	1,659	4·3

Unemployment percentages in new towns tend to reflect the regional and sub-regional area rates. With the exception of Basildon, the news towns of the London periphery have figures which compare favourably with regional and national rates.The Government recognise that whilst the latest figures represent a welcome improvement on those a year earlier, the level of unemployment of 6·6 per cent. in the Southend-on-Sea travel-to-work area, which includes Basildon, is far too high.The special employment measures introduced by my Department have so far helped over 1,000 people in Basildon and have been further strengthened by the extension of the small firms employment subsidy from the new year. A permanent improvement in the unemployment rate of the Southend area, including Basildon, depends upon measures to keep down inflation, improve the competitiveness of British industry and to bring about an increase in world trade.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East, Official Report, 31 January, column 432, he will make a statement on what contingency plans he has made in the event of computer staff withdrawing their labour.

My Department works with other computer-using Departments in the development of plans for dealing with the situation that would

The unemployed figures on 11 January for the travel-to-work areas which include new towns in the London periphery are as follows:arise if computer staff withdrew their labour, but it would not be appropriate for me to make a statement giving details of these plans.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will confirm that the Civil Service rules preclude gifts to wives and that rules covering Ministers exclude such a provision; and if he will now ensure that gifts to Ministers' wives come under the same restrictions as those for Ministers.

It is a well-established and recognised rule that no Minister or civil servant should accept gifts or services which would, or might appear to, place him under an obligation to any member of the public or organisation with whom he is brought into contact. Although the guidance given to Ministers, unlike the rules for civil servants, does not explicitly mention gifts to a Minister's family, the same principles apply in both cases to gifts to wives.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the reasons for the difference between actual expenditure and total estimated provision of aid to India between 1973–74 and 1977–78 of £36·060 million and 1977–78, in particular of £17·472 million.

Past shortfalls of budgeted expenditure for India have been caused by slower growth in the Indian economy and thus a lower intake of imports than had been expected. As most of our aid over these years was tied to the provision of United Kingdom goods and services, aid spending depended on Indian customers wishing to purchase from the United Kingdom. Because of fierce competition from other suppliers, purchases expected to be made in the United Kingdom were sometimes made elsewhere.Expenditure in 1977–78 was affected by these general factors and by slippage in the implementation timetables for certain major new Indian projects. Important discussions have taken place with the Government of India, and I expect the 1978–79 figures to be much better.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the incidence of hyatid disease in Scotland and in the Highland health board area in each of the past five years; and what steps are being taken to eradicate the disease.

The numbers of new cases and individual patients treated each year in hospital for Scotland and the Highland health board area from 1973 to 1977 are as follows:

		Scotland		Highland Health Board
		New cases	Individual patients	New cases	Individual patients
1973	…	5	6	2	2
1974	…	8	10	1	1
1975	…	3	4	—	—
1976	…	3	4	—	—
1977	…	4	5	—	—

Officers of the State veterinary service have recently issued a leaflet to all sheep-owners in the areas at risk and arranged a series of local meetings to explain how the disease can be prevented.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage increase in Scottish unemployment when comparing the latest available figure with November 1978.

Between November 1978 and January 1979 there was no change in seasonally adjusted unemployment in Scotland. Total unemployment increased by 9·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent hotel and catering interests are represented on the Scottish Tourist Board.

Members of the Board are appointed in a personal capacity. No present member is directly engaged in the hotel or catering industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the loan made to the British National Oil Corporation, under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, for the order of a drilling rig from Marathon Shipbuilding Company (UK) Ltd.; when the loan was made over to Penrod Drilling Company, of Dallas, United States of America; when the loan is due for repayment; and how much interest has been paid by Penrod Drilling up to 31 January.

I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 49 of the annual report on the Industry Act for the year ended 31 March 1978. It is not the practice to provide further details of individual cases where matters of commercial confidentiality are involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when house completions in Scotland were last as low as they were in 1978; and if he will make a statement.

In 1951. It should be borne in mind that the supply of houses overall is now generally in balance with the number of households, that the housing plan system provides for careful assessment of local needs and that there has been a huge increase in recent years in the amount of improvement work being done.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the grant to British Shipbuilders to acquire Ailsa Shipbuilding Company Limited; when it is due for repayment; and whether it is to be treated as public dividend capital.

I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 50 of the annual report on the Industry Act for the year ended 31 March 1978. It is not the practice to provide further details of individual cases where matters of commercial confidentiality are involved. I can confirm however that the offer was accepted and that since it is a grant which is involved, no repayment is required nor does the question of treatment as public dividend capital arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the board members nominated by him were present at the meeting on 9 January in London between the chairman of the British National Oil Corporation, the chief executive of the British National Oil Corporation, and the president of an oil industry company, to discuss the possible future consequences for that company of having hired a person employed previously by the British National Oil Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

I know of no such meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will compare the number of mines producing coal in 1965 and the latest date for which figures are available in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of West Germany, France and Belgium, showing the relationship of productivity with the size of mines.

The number of mines producing hard coal in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, France and Belgium in 1965 and 1977 were:

	End 1965	End 1977
United Kingdom	507	231*
Germany	107	43
France	70	26
Belgium	54	10
* 223 at end-1978.

Licensed mines in the United Kingdom, are excluded. Source: Statistical Office of the European Communities.Comparable information is not available about the relationship between pro- ductivity and the size of mines in the different countries.