asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many advance factories have been constructed since the Deeside industrial park was started; how many square feet of factory space this represents; how many jobs now exist on Deeside industrial park and how many are estimated to be in the pipeline; how many advance factories not yet constructed are scheduled for Deeside industrial park; what is the estimated overall cost so far of developing the Deeside industrial park; and what is its current acreage.

Ten Government advance factories, totalling 78,000 sq. ft. have been completed. Seven are currently under construction with a total area of 75,000 sq. ft. A further 100,000 sq. ft. of advance factory space is scheduled for Alyn and Deeside district and a substantial proportion of this will be located on the Deeside industrial park. The total area of the park is 635 acres; planning approval for industrial development already exists for 360 acres. The Welsh Development Agency has acquired 55 acres of the site and has to date spent £1,431,795 on its development. Details of the development of the remainder of the park are a matter for British Steel Corporation (Industry) Ltd. A breakdown of male and female employment is not readily available. In total, 60 jobs are currently provided and an estimated 250 are in the pipeline.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many advance factories have been built and are being built and are scheduled for the Mold Bromfield industrial estate; how much cash has been invested so far on this estate, including EEC grants and loans; how many jobs exist on this estate for men and for women and what is his estimate of potential jobs; and if he will make a statement.

Details of the development of the Bromfield Lane, Mold site are a matter for the Delyn borough council. £100,862 has so far been made available for its development from the European regional development fund and a further £35,000 is committed. A breakdown of male and female employment is not readily available. No jobs are currently provided but about 20 are estimated to be in the pipeline.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many advance factories have been or are being constructed on the Manor Park industrial estate, Flint; how big in acreage is this estate; what has been the cost so far, overall, in developing the industrial estate in so far as Government and Government agency funds have been used; how many jobs exist on the estate for men and for women; how many jobs are in the pipeline; how much cash from EEC sources has been received; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Development Agency owns 16·773 acres of the 29 acre Manor Park industrial estate, Bagillt. Details of the development of the remainder of the estate are a matter for the Delyn borough council. The agency has to date completed six advance factories. There are none presently under construction. A further 40,000 sq. ft. of advance factory space is scheduled for the Delyn borough council area, but it has to be determined whether any of this can be accommodated at Manor Park. The agency has spent £576,189 on developing the site. £118,068 has so far been made available from the European regional development fund and a further £153,500 is committed. A breakdown between male and female employment is not readily available, but a total of 44 jobs are currently provided on the estate with a further 67 in the pipeline.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total of regional selective assistance granted in Wales in the first quarter of 1979.

Regional selective assistance totalling £4,492,000 was offered during the first quarter of 1979 in respect of projects to be carried out in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many redundancies were notified to the Manpower Services Commission in the months January to May 1979 in Wales.

The Department of Employment has received 163 notifications of redundancies covering 10 or more workers involving in total 8,101 job losses.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on organic change in the local government structure in Wales.

My right hon. Friend sees no need for fundamental change in the local government structure though he will be ready to consider changing the present distribution of responsibilities where this is desirable in the interests of efficiency and economy.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will be seeking at least to maintain, in real terms, the financial support now being given to voluntary organisations by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend values greatly the work done by the voluntary organisations, which the Welsh Office supports, in Wales. His aim will be to continue to support them at as high a level as possible within the terms set by the Government's strategy on cash limits for public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the total of new jobs created between February 1974 and April 1979 in the constituency of East Flint.

There is no satisfactory basis for an estimate of the total number of new jobs created in the constituency.Between February 1974 and April 1979 14 offers of financial assistance under section 7 of the 1972 Industry Act were made in respect of projects in the Flint and Shotton employment exchange areas. These offers were associated with the expected creation of about 600 new jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the total amount of grants and loans allocated to the East Flint constituency, Clwyd from EEC sources, grants and loans during the period February 1974 to April 1979.

£1·3 million in grants and £1·85 million in loans respectively. These figures do not include receipts from the European social fund for allowances and benefits to individual farmers, neither of which can be identified readily on the basis requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many advance factories have been or are being constructed on the Llay industrial estate, Clwyd, what is the size of this estate, what has been the cost so far, overall, in developing the industrial estate; how much European Economic Community cash has been used; how many jobs exist on the estate for men and women; how many jobs are in the pipeline; how many

Financial Year				Project					Central Government Grant
									£
1975–76	…	…	…	Kinnerton community centre	…	…	…	…	10,000
1978–79	…	…	…	Frith community centre	…	…	…	…	7,000
1978–79	…	…	…	Sandycroft community centre	…	…	…	…	16,000

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to develop the former Royal Engineers depot, Sandycroft, for industrial purposes under the aegis of the Welsh Development Agency; what is the acreage involved; what was the cost of purchase from the Ministry of Defence; and what proportion of the current buildings and services are available for immediate use and development; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Development Agency has purchased 48·22 acres of land for industrial development, comprising part of the former

Details of the development of this estate are a matter for the Wrexham Maelor borough council. £48,483 has been made available to date from the European regional development fund and a further £112,022 is committed. A breakdown of male and female employment is not readily available. More than 850 jobs are currently provided and a further 60 are estimated to be in the pipeline.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of departmental grants towards community centre building projects in the constituency of East Flint in the years from March 1974 to March 1979; and if he will list the details of each project with their central Government grants.

The Welsh Office and, prior to 1 April 1978, the Department of Education and Science, approved grants totalling £33,000 towards community centre building projects in the constituency of East Flint between March 1974 and March 1979. The details are:Royal Engineers depot, Sandycroft, at a cost of £225,000. The agency plans to construct 20,000 sq. ft. of advance factory space on the site in the first instance. A comprehensive range of infrastructure services, including site roads, is planned. The site will be developed as rapidly as resources allow.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will prepare a brief on the Northern Ireland situation for distribution to foreign politicians.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in consultation with the Northern Ireland Office prepares such briefs for use by Her Majesty's Missions abroad. These briefs are made available to foreign politicians and others as occasion demands.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representation Her Majesty's Government has made to the Marxist Government in Vietnam about their policies which are forcing tens of thousands of their people to leave Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

The Vietnamese chargé d'affaires was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 24 May 1979, to receive representations in the strongest terms about his Government's policy. Our Embassy in Hanoi has repeated these representations to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how much was spent by the United Kingdom on official development assistance in 1977 and 1978; and what proportion of the gross national product these amounts represented.

Net flows of official development assistance—odaߞand their proportion of the gross national product in 1977 and 1978 were as follows:

	Official Development assistance (£ million)	Ratio oda/GNP per cent.
1977	524	0·37
1978	639	0·40

These figures are net of capital repayments to the United Kingdom in respect of past aid loans.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his intention to pay overseas allowances to officers and ratings in Her Majesty's ships forming part of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance Standing Naval Force to cover their extra cost of living whilst in foreign ports.

Seagoing local overseas allowance is paid to officers and ratings in all Her Majesty's ships when they visit foreign ports outside North-West Europe. The question of payment of the allowance for visits to foreign ports in North-West Europe is at present under consideration, and a decision is expected shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give figures for the latest available full year of (a) the cost of recruitment advertisements for the Ulster Defence Regiment, (b) the response to those advertisements, and (c) the actual recruitment during this 12-month period.

The information requested is as follows:

(a) total cost of UDR recruitment advertising: £135,566.

(b) the total number of applications to join the UDR: 3,045.

(c) the total number accepted for service in the UDR: 1,865.

All figures are for the financial year 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in the light of the return of the Royal Air Force to the Chivenor station in North Devon, whether he will allow a limited amount of civil air traffic in order to help an area poorly served with road and rail communication.

It is our policy to encourage the civil use of defence facilities, provided that this is consistent with defence requirements. It is too early to say whether civil flying will be possible at Chivenor once the station is fully engaged in flying training from late 1981. Such flying cannot, unfortunately, be allowed while the station is working up.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to limit low flying from Royal Air Force Chivenor to areas away from towns and villages.

The low-flying regulations already require aircraft to keep clear of built-up areas when possible although it is not always practical for the pilots to make the sharp changes in direction that would be needed to avoid every small town and village.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the present salaries paid to dentists working in the National Health Service;(2) what are the present salaries paid to doctors and consultants working in the National Health Service.

The remuneration payable to doctors and dentists (including consultants) in the NHS from 1 April 1979, subject to acceptance by the professions, is shown in the Ninth Report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (Cmnd. 7574). My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced the Government's acceptance of the report on 5 June 1979. Rates currently in payment from 1 April 1978 are set out in the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will be seeking at least to maintain, in real terms, the financial support now being given to voluntary organisations by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. There will be no reduction in the total level of grants provided for in this financial year to voluntary organisations, and I shall continue to support them at as high a level as possible having regard to the economic circumstances and the Government's strategy on cash limits for public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the general policy of the Department of Health and Socal Security regarding the continuation of special children's hospitals in the Health Service; and if he will make a statement and publish it in the Official Report.

The planning of hospital services is a responsibility of regional and area health authorities. They will wish to ensure that children admitted to hospital are, wherever possible, placed under the overall care of a consultant paediatrician and nursed by staff trained and experienced in the care of sick children, while at the same time providing them with access to the wide range of specialised diagnostic and treatment facilities required for particular conditions. These requirements are most commonly met by the creation of a children's department within a district general hospital; but in those areas where an existing children's hospital already provides comprehensive facilities, it is for the health authority to decide in what way its services can best be linked or co-ordinated with those of the district general hospital, both now and in any plans for the future rationalisation of their hospital services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities have now appointed access officers in keeping with the recommendation of the Silver Jubilee committee on improving access for the disabled; what action is being taken to increase the number of such appointments; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Silver Jubilee committee sent copies of its report to all local authorities; and to my knowledge on authority has already appointed an access officer. The local authority associations have been asked for their views on the report, and we shall be considering it further when these are received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he has yet received the report of the inquiry into the paediatric oncology facilities at the Royal Manchester children's hospital; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has received the report of the committee of inquiry into paediatric oncology services in the North-West; if he will publish the report; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the independent group appointed by my predecessor, with Lady Marre as chairman, expects to complete its report in the next few weeks. I will consider the question of publication when I have received the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report from the Royal Commission on the Health Service.

I understand that the Royal Commission on the National Health Service expects to report during the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is his policy to proceed with the reciprocal agreement on social security with Portugal as negotiated by the previous Administration.

Yes. It is in the best interests of everbody affected by the agreement, including British pensioners living in Portugal, for the new agreement to be ratified as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of pay beds in National Health Service hospitals in Leeds city council district as at the latest possible date; and if he will make a statement about his intentions with regard to the future of these beds.

There are 58 authorised pay beds in the Leeds district council area. I shall shortly be sending out a consultation letter on the Government's intention to introduce legislation on private hospital practice and on the future of pay beds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if there are any circumstances in which asbestosis is registered as pneumoconiosis by pneumoconiosis medical panels; and if he will make a statement.

Asbestosis is one of the industrial pneumoconioses prescribed in regulations under the Social Security Act 1975. For statistical purposes, it is often convenient to include asbestosis cases under the general heading of pneumoconiosis but separate figures of newly diagonised pneumoconiosis cases attributable to work involving exposure to asbestos dust are maintained. The hon. Member may like to know that, in 1977, the last year for which figures have been published, 150 such cases were diagonised.Given an appropriate occupational history and the evidence of radiographs, lung function tests and clinical examination, pneumoconiosis medical panels invariably distinguish between asbestosis and other forms of pneumoconiosis when recording their diagnosis.

asked the Secretary of State if he will publish a table, using the same basic assumptions as in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk North, Official Report, 30 November 1978, c. 298, showing the net weekly spending power during the first six months of unemployment of each of a single person, a married couple, married couples with two children aged four and six years, and 15 and 16 years, and a married couple with four children aged six, eight, 12 and 16 years, but assuming that unemployment benefit were taxable, that previous earnings were £55, £75 and £95, and taking into account the increase in child benefit to £4 last April.

I regret that this information could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the continuing closure of pharmacies and particularly the effect of such closures on rural areas.

My right hon. Friend's Department watches the effect of closures on the accessibility of pharmacies. I know that some closures have caused inconvenience and individual difficulty, particularly in rural areas and for less mobile people. There does not however appear to be widespread serious difficulty for patients. Of 210 pharmacies which closed in England and Wales in 1978, eight were 2 km or more from the next pharmacy but eight out of 132 which opened were similarly distant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the rapid increase in the price of petrol, he intends to review the mobility allowance or give a small allocation of petrol to those registered as disabled.

My right hon. Friend is required by law to consider each year whether the rate of mobility allowance should be increased, having regard to a number of factors. These include any changes in taxation which directly affect the cost of motoring, such as the current increases in excise duty on petrol and in value added tax. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 12 June, mobility allowance is being increased to £12 a week, and my right hon. Friend will very shortly be laying a statement before the House setting out his conclusion and the reasons for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue advice to prescribing doctors not to use oxyphenbutazone for any condition of eye trouble other than episcleritis.

No. Although oxyphenbutazone preparations are useful agents for episcleritis, it must remain a matter of clinical judgment for doctors whether to use them in other eye conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has refused to permit the distribution of free welfare baby milk through pharmacies to entitled mothers; what is his estimate of the additional cost this would involve in the North-West Thames region; what quantity of the entitlement is not being taken up by mothers in that region; and if he will make a statement.

To supply free welfare baby milk through retail pharmacies, instead of through child health clinics, would increase the cost of this service by approximately one-third. I regret that information about the cost of the service, and about the take-up of modified baby milk, is not available by health region.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Callaghan). Official Report, 18 February 1977, column 400–1, showing the percentage decisions in favour of claimants who appealed to supplementary benefit tribunals over the United Kingdom as a whole broken down also by regions.

The Secretary of State irresponsible for the administration of supplementary benefit appeal tribunals in Great Britain. Information requested by the hon. Member is given below on this basis for the year ended 31 December 1978:

	Favourable Decisions (per cent.)
Great Britain	20
Scotland	19
Wales	20
English Regions
Northern	22
Yorkshire and Humberside	21
East Midlands and East Anglia	20
London, North	18
London, South	15
London, West	22
North-Western	23
West Midlands	19
North-West (Manchester)	24
Merseyside	19

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date the report of the advisory committee on asbestos, chaired by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission, will be published; when the committee was established; if he will list the names of those individuals and organisations who have given oral or written evidence to the committee; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission, who also chairs the advisory committee on asbestos, that the committee submitted its final report to the Health and Safety Commission and Ministers closely concerned on 9 May 1979 and that the text has now been sent for final editorial work before printing. It is not possible at this stage to give an exact date of publication.The setting up of the advisory committee on asbestos was announced to the House on 30 March 1976.The names of the individuals and organisations who have given evidence to the advisory committee are listed alphabetically below.ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED EVIDENCE TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ASBESTOSA.—Mr. L. S. Alderman.Mr. W. L. Armour.Asbestos Cement Manufacturers Association.Asbestos Cement Pipe Producers Association.Asbestos Fibre Importers Committee.Asbestos Information Centre.Asbestosis Research Council.Association of County Councils.B.—BBA Group Limited.British Floor Covering Manufacturers Association.British Occupational Hygiene Society.British Railways Board.British Society for Social Responsibility in Science.British Standards Institute.C.—Cape Boards and Panels Limited.Cape Industries Limited.Construction Industry Research and Information Association.Consumers Association.County of South Glamorgan.Mr. N. C. Cropper.D.—Department of the Environment.(1) Central Unit for Environmental Pollution.(2) Building Research Establishment.Department of Health and Social Security.Department of Prices and Consumer Protection (Consumer Safety Unit).Dust Control Equipment.E.—Eternit Building Products Ltd.F.—Fibreglass Limited.G.—Greater London Council.H.—Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association.Health and Safety Executive.IJ.—Imperial Chemical Industries Limited.Dr. G. H. Jolliffe and Dr. E. J. Shellard.KL.—Richard Klinger Limited.M.—Marley Tile Company.Mr. Max Madden, chairman, "Asbestos Action".

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he intends to take to ensure that employees at Fafnir Bearings Ltd. Wolverhampton, who have been served with redundancy notices are found alternative employment.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to exempt from the provisions of the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act relating to night work, those bakeries in which no union labour is employed in the light of the fact that agreements under this Act require the consent of both the employers' association and the unions.

No. My right hon. Friend has no power under existing legislation to give exemptions except where there is an agreement in operation. I am already considering whether a review of the operation of the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act 1954 should take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the capital value of assets owned by trades unions in the United Kingdom.

In the annual report of the certification officer submitted to the then Secretary of Employment on 10 April 1979 the total of the gross assets of all trade unions at the end of 1977 was shown as £263,801,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will be seeking at least to maintain, in real terms, the financial support now being given to voluntary organisations by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

I value highly the work done by voluntary organisations and shall continue to support them at as high a level as possible within the terms set by the Government's strategy on cash limits for public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the country of origin of lorry drivers brought before St. Helens Magistrates Court at Haydock in March, April and May of the current year for offences relating to motor vehicles: how many of these prosecuted by Merseyside police were from (a) Great Britain, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) the Republic of Ireland and (d) other European countries.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any specific plans to allow those who through infirmity or because of the nature of their occupation, and who now feature on the absent voters' lists, to be allowed to vote at community council elections, in view of the fact that some thousands of voters in each constituency cannot use their votes on such occasions.

This is one of the matters which I shall be considering in the light of experience of the recent elections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that at community council elections in the future the hours at which the polling booths are open will be exactly the same as at parliamentary elections, that is from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and not curtailed by two hours as is the practice at present.

:None. The normal polling hours for all local government elections, and not only community council elections, are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take to ensure that British women who marry men from non-EEC countries may live together with their husbands and establish their families in Great Britain if they choose to do so.

Under the present immigration rules the husband of a woman settled in the United Kingdom, whatever her nationality, will normally be permitted to live here with her. We are reviewing this matter but are not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make an order under schedule 9 of the Local Government Act 1972 for new electoral arrangements in the Doncaster metropolitan district.

I shall do so as soon as practicable after I have received from the Doncaster district council a reply to the letter of 26 March from my Department asking for information relating to the council's request that serving councillors be assigned to the proposed new wards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of Her Majesty's Government's declared policy of further limiting immigration into the United Kingdom, he will undertake not to admit any further refugees from Vietnam over and above those referred to in his statement on 11 June.

The Government will consider any refugee case on its merits, having regard to our commitment to control immigration as well as to our international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the Government's intention to reduce the quotas of persons coming to the United Kingdom from the New Commonwealth as a result of the decision to admit large numbers of Vietnamese refugees to the United Kingdom.

The measures to make changes in the control of immigration referred to in the Gracious Speech will take account of all relevant circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make an announcement in respect of the licensed cab trade's application for a fare increase.

I have decided today to make an order allowing a substantial and long overdue increase in London taxi fares. This increase, which will come into effect on 22 July, will be the first change in London fares since December 1977. It will take fully into account the rise in cab operating costs since the last substantive fare increase in July 1975, as well as the implications for the trade of my right hon and learned Friend's recent Budget Statement.The new tariff will incorporate a minimum fare of 50p (which includes a hiring charge of 30p) for the first 1,060 yards or 6 minutes. Thereafter the basic rate will be 10p for each 530 yards or 3 minutes. I have decided to correct the dis- tortion in the present tariff by reducing the surcharge payable on journeys beyond 6 miles from 100 per cent. to 50 per cent. of the fare payable on the part of the journey beyond 6 miles.In order to increase the supply of taxis at night, weekends and public holidays, I have decided that the extra charges for hirings at night (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and at weekends should rise from 10p to 20p and for hirings on public holidays from 20p to 30p.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his intention that local government boundary changes will go ahead in May 1980; and whether it is intended to revise parliamentary boundaries in 1984.

I understand that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England will not have completed all of its reviews of local government electoral arrangements in time for them to be brought into effect by May 1980. The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is statutorily required to report on its current general review of parliamentary constituencies by April 1984; the Commissions for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also required to submit their reports in that year. If approved by Parliament, the new constituencies will take effect at the first general election after the appropriate Orders in Council have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community service orders were imposed in the last year for which figures are available; what was the average duration; what percentage was successfully completed; and what percentage of those breaking the order was sent to prison.

The latest year for which the number of orders imposed and hours specified is available from court proceedings is 1977 and these figures are given in Table 15 (page 17) of "Probation and After-Care Statistics, England and Wales, 1977" which are in the Library of the House. The percentage of community service orders breached in 1977 is shown in Table 6.20 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1977" (Cmnd. 7289); 30 per cent. of those sentenced for breaching their orders were sentenced to immediate imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community service orders have been imposed since the scheme was introduced to the latest available date; and what percentage of them was successfully completed.

Returns made by the probation service for the period 1 April 1975, when community service was formally introduced, to 31 March 1978 indicate that 27,910 persons were given community service orders. 18,772 orders were terminated during that period and 14,857, or 79 per cent., of these were successfully completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has in mind to improve the standards of conduct in public life.

To set a good example to others.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied

				Second quarter 1974 South-East excluding			First quarter 1979 South-East excluding
Price				GLC	GLC	UK	GLC	GLC	UK
Less than 10,000		…	…	12·1	23·5	55·2	3·1	4·8	15·6
10,000–14,999	…	…	…	56·4	49·9	29·3	17·1	19·7	30·6
15,000–19,999				31·6	26·7	15·5	29·0	30·5	24·8
20,000 and over Sample size							50·7	45·1	28·9
Sample size	…	…	…	285	857	3,652	696	1,729	7,301
Source: 5 per cent. sample survey of building society mortgages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of all statutory instruments, Orders in Council, and directives which were issued to all local government authorities in England and Wales for the years ended 31 March 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Any question regarding the payment of professional fees is for the two parties concerned to resolve, but associations are expected to meet their contractual obligations promptly where professional services have been properly commissioned. The financial assistance which is available to registered housing associations under the terms of the Housing Act 1974 can include reimbursement of fees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in respect of outer London boroughs, inner London boroughs, South-East England and the United Kingdom generally the proportions of houses and fiats bought within any convenient time interval, and falling into the price ranges of below £10,000, £10,000 to £15,000, £15,000 to £20,000, £20,000 to £25,000, £25,000 to £30,000, £30,000 to £40,000, £40,000 to £50,000 and above £50,000 or other figures in the same range (a) in the spring of 1974, and (b) in the spring of 1979.

The available information (for dwellings bought with a building society mortgage) is as follows:

I regret this information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.However, as my right hon. Friend stated on 17 May 1979—[Vol. 967. c. 401–21]—the Government are determined to reduce substantially the number of controls by central Government Departments over local government activities and an urgent and rigorous review has been commissioned to this effect. It is also the Government's intention to issue many fewer circulars and other communications to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total sum allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Community's disaster fund since 1 January 1978; and what has been the disposal of such funds since then.

A total allocation of £944,889 was announced in February 1978. Of this amount, £276,751 has been contributed to a fund for the relief of farmers who suffered especially heavy livestock losses in the winter of 1977–78. The remainder is to be distributed among local authorities qualifying for Exchequer assistance toward emergency expenditure that winter: distribution will be made as soon as that expenditure has been established.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of replacing the main computers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre by 1983.

The studies leading to the specification for new equipment are in hand: meanwhile it would be premature to speculate about the likely cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to commence on the Macclesfield north-south relief road.

Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and the availability of funds, construction is expected to start during the period 1982–1984.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to make a decision on the suggestion by the Norfolk county council that the Government should meet half the cost of providing a new pipeline to take water from the A10 at West Winch in order to avoid the continual flooding of local farmland; and if he will make a statement.

As the flooding is from nearby land which was used as a borrow pit by a contractor engaged on the Kings Lynn southern bypass scheme, Norfolk county council has been asked to look into insurance arrangements relating to the contract. Its report is expected very soon and a decision will then be taken without delay.

asked the Minister of Transport what instructions have been given by his Department to authorise stopping up roads and footpaths in the vicinity of the Leeds-Bradford airport at Yeadon, Leeds, prior to the holding of a public inquiry into the proposed authorisation of any extension to the runway.

None. A draft order under section 209 of the Town and Country Planning Act has been published on the application of the West Yorkshire metropolitan county council. The order, if made, would authorise the stopping up of certain highways, the provision of new highways, and the improvement of existing highways. Objections to the proposals will be considered at the public inquiry to be held at the Town Hall, Yeadon, commencing on 4 September.There is no question of the stopping-up order being made before the public inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the administrative cost of the system of road fund licences.

The provisional estimate of the total cost of the vehicle registration and licensing system in 1978–79 is £55 million.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what was the number of recorded accidents in 1978 in Great Britain on motorways and A(M) roads, roads in built up areas and roads in non-built up areas;

I regret that a detailed breakdown of the 1978 accident and casualty figures is not expected to be available for some weeks, due to the backlog of computer processing work which developed during the Civil Service strike.

INJURY ACCIDENTS
				Injury	Serious	Slight	All
27th September 1975—26th September, 1976*		…	…	—	—	3	5
1st April 1978—30th April, 1979† ‡	…	…	…	—	2	2	4
* Prior to the commencement of construction work on the flyover.
† After completion of the flyover and crash barriers.
‡ Provisional excludes March 1979 figures not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the additional revenue in a full year of charging to income tax the provision of petrol by employers to employees.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the International Monetary Fund decided to provide credit to the Government of Nicaragua; and how the United Kingdom director on the fund voted.

The executive board of the IMF approved credits of$66 million for the Government of Nicaragua on 14 May 1979. The decision was adopted without a vote, which is the fund's usual practice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the decision of the Premium Bond Office to reduce the number of monthly prizes.

So far, 269 letters and telephone calls have been received objecting to the new temporary prize structure

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents, fatalities and serious injuries have occurred in the vicinity of the Barton Turns flyover on the A38 since its construction and the erection of safety barriers, compared with comparable periods prior to these road safety improvements.

The available information is as follows:to apply to the September to December 1979 prize draws. There are 25·6 million premium bond holders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to the Exchequer in the current year of tax relief on interest or mortgages and other loans for house purchase up to the present level of £25,000 as fixed in 1974; and if he will estimate what the additional cost would be if the level were raised to £30,000, £35,000, £40,000 and £50,000; and what £25,000 on Budget day 1974 would now be worth, as measured by (a) the movement in the retail price index and (b) by the movement in house prices for houses in the range of £25,000 in 1974.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gain in income resulting from his Budget changes for taxpayers earning £1,000, £2,500, £5,000, £7,500, £10,000, £12,500, £15,000, £17,500, £20,000, £22,500, £25,000, £27,500 and £30,000; and what would be the size of wage increases to each type of taxpayer needed to give the same net increase in income.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers gained from his changes in higher rates of tax; and what was the average gain per taxpayer.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the share of profits in domestic income, excluding North Sea profits and net of stock appreciation, in each of the following years: 1960, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978.

Following is the information:

COMPANY PROFITS (EXCLUDING NORTH SEA OIL AND GAS)* AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (INCOME BASED).†
1960	16·1
1968	12·9
1970	11·6
1973	10·4
1975	6·2
1976	6·8
1977	8·1
1978	8·3
* After deducting stock appreciation.
† Excluding gross trading profits of North Sea oil and gas.

SOURCE: Derived from data published in National income and Expenditure 1967–77 and

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how Great Britain's comparative unit labour costs and index of export prices for manufactures compare with those of France, Germany, Japan and the United States of America for 1976, 1977 and 1978.

The information available is published in Economic Trends and appears on page 46 of the May 1979 edition.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on his policy in connection with the in lieu surrender provision for works of art in tax payments.

pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 14 June 1979], gave the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will be seeking it least to maintain, in real terms, the financial support now being given to voluntary organisations by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

:Voluntary organisations make a valuable contribution to the quality of life of many people in Scotland and I shall maintain my support for them to the extent to which this is possible within the limits set by the Government's plans for cash limits on public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can now report on the bing at Holytown; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the public local inquiry held in February on the Holytown No. 1 Bing compulsory purchase order was submitted to me on the 18 May and I hope to reach my decision on whether to confirm the order very soon.

asked the Secretary of State or Scotland when he expects the Possilpark health centre should be completed and operational.

I am informed by the Greater Glasgow health board that the health centre at Possilpark is now scheduled for completion in January 1980 and should start coming into use by March/April 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to make a decision on the mackerel quotas for this season; if he will also investigate the allegations that mackerel which is fit for human consumption is being sold to the Eastern bloc factory ships for fish meal instead of being landed at Scottish ports for processing into canned foods at factories in East Aberdeenshire, and elsewhere in Scotland, which are at present having to receive temporary employment subsidies due to the shortage of supplies; and when he proposes to meet the Fish Processing Association and fishermen's associations to discuss the whole question of the industry's problems.

My officials will shortly be meeting representatives of all sectors of the fishing industry to discuss the licensing arrangements for the West of Scotland mackerel fishery, which normally begins in mid-August.During last year's fishery adequate supplies of mackerel were available to meet

						1979–80 published estimate	Apportionment of savings announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer
NATIONL MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES						£	£
British Museum		…	…	…	…	7,722,000	149,000
Science Museum		…	…	…	…	4,009,000	77,000
V & A Museum		…	…	…	…	6,539,000	124,000
Imperial War Museum			…	…	…	2,531,000	49,000
National Gallery		…	…	…	…	4,401,000	82,000
National Maritime Museum				…	…	2,678,000	51,000
National Portrait Gallery			…	…	…	1,180,000	22,000
Tate Gallery	…	…	…	…	…	3,466,000	66,000
Wallace Collection		…	…	…	…	431,000	8,000
ARTS COUNCIL	…	…	…	…	…	61,275,000	*1,114,000
BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE		…	…	…	…	4,676,000	86,000
BRITISH LIBRARY		…	…	…	…	29,651,000	599,000
OTHER BODIES	…	…	…	…	…	5,378,000	163,000
						133,937,000	2,590,000
* In addition to the reduction of £1,114,000 the sum of £425,000 has been withdrawn from this grant respect of a contingency no longer requied.

Revised Estimates will be presented to the House to take account of these reductions. These revised Estimates may require further adjustment in the light of the Government's declared policy on Civil Service pay.I am also concerned with expenditure by local authorities in England on libraries, museums and galleries towards which the rate support grant is payable.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the items of expenditure for which he is responsible as Minister for the Arts together with the total expenditure; and if he will indicate those items of expenditure which will be reduced as a consequence of the Budget proposals.

The list of expenditure on votes for which I am responsible, and the apportionment of savings announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 June, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he intends to issue new guidelines for the National Enterprise Board.

Yes. It is expected that the guidelines issued to the NEB under the Industry Act 1975 will require amendment reflecting the legislation that the Government propose to introduce.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether it is the Government's policy to accept the 2·4 million gross registered tonnes EEC capacity for merchant shipbuilding, proposed by Commissioner Davignon; and what proportion of this total EEC capacity is to lie in the United Kingdom.

This proposal was overtaken by the EEC Council Resolution of 19 September 1978 on shipbuilding policy. The question of its acceptance by Her Majesty's Government does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what was Northern Ireland's share of world shipyard launchings in 1974 and in the latest available full year;(2) what was Northern Ireland's share of United Kingdom shipyard launchings in 1974 and in the latest available full year.

The information is as follows:

LAUNCHINGS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
	Gross registered tons
Percentage Share of	1974	1978
	per cent.	per cent.
—United Kingdom
Total	26	34
—World Total	0·9	1·8

asked the Secretary of State for Industry in the light of the serious competition to the British bearings industry especially from the Far East, what action he intends to take to prevent redundancies at Fafnir Bearings Ltd., Wolverhampton; and if he will make a statement.

The European bearings manufacturers have difficulties because of general over-capacity of world production. Against that background it is for Fafnir Bearings to judge the prospects for its production in the United Kingdom and the size of the labour force that is required. In this the company will no doubt take into account the price undertaking entered into by the Japanese exporters and the application made by the European manufacturers to the Commission of the EEC for anti-dumping action to be taken against certain imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if it is the policy of the Government to continue to encourage the use of indigenous resources for the producton of paper and board; and by what means.

The importance to the paper and board industry of the recycling of waste paper, and of supplies of indigenous timber, are fully appreciated, and the Government are ready to consider any proposals for the encouragement of the use of these resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if Her Majesty's Government will oppose British companies mining in the deep sea prior to a United Nations Law of the Sea Conference agreement.

No

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now publish in the Official Report an updated version of his reply to the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Aspinwall) on 27 July 1977 concerning Concorde costs, providing all figures at current survey prices.

The information about British and French Concorde expenditure and receipts given in the reply of 27 July 1977 to the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Aspinwall) was updated in the reply of 8 May 1978 to that hon. Member. Up to 31 December 1978 British net expenditures on the Concorde project totalled £1·96 billion at 1979 Public Expenditure Survey prices; corresponding information about French expenditures is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are his proposals for the telecommunications and postal services of the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

The Government intend to resolve quickly the uncertainties about the structure and powers of the Post Office that have existed since the Carter report of 1977. My hon. Friend the Minister of State will be carrying out consultations with the interests principally concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will be seeking at least to maintain, in real terms, the financial support now being given to voluntary organisations by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Voluntary organisations fulfil an important role in the education service, for example, in adult education, provision for the handicapped and in the youth service. I shall take this into account in considering financial support for these organisations within the resources available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the reorganisation of secondary education in Cheshire, with particular reference to the Macclesfield and Congleton districts, following the Government's decision to repeal certain clauses of the Education Act 1976.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received four letters about Macclesfield, including one from my hon. Friend, but has received no representations about secondary reorganisation in Congleton or anywhere else in Cheshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in the light of the strong objections on the part of many sections of the Asian population on mixed sex schools, whether he will facilitate the introduction of single sex schools for the children of these Asians on the understanding that they pay the full costs and that no such costs will fall upon the Exchequer or local rates.

Only independent schools are run at no direct cost to public funds. Any person wishing to establish an independent school, whether single sex or mixed sexed, is free to do so, subject only to compliance with the registration and inspection requirements of parts III and IV of the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each education authority the total sums spent in 1978 together with a breakdown into the following categories; teachers' salaries, schools meals and bussing.

My Department does not prepare figures of expenditure for each local education authority but analyses of their estimates and expenditure are contained in the education statistics published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will be seeking at least to maintain, in real terms, the financial support now being given to voluntary organisations by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

I value highly the work being done by voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland and shall continue to support them at as high a level as is possible within the terms set by the Government's strategy on cash limits for public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals have been received under the Rent Order (Northern Ireland) 1978; how many appeals have been heard by rent assessment convenors; and how many applicants have succeeded in achieving a reduction of rent.

Between 1 October 1978 and 8 June 1979, 5,334 appeals had been lodged against rent increases and 1,197 appeals had been heard by rent assessment committees. A further 1,098 had been withdrawn. Of the 1,197 appeals heard, 1,097 result in rent reductions.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the net increase or decrease in the number of policemen serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve each year since 1974.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give figures for the latest available full year (a) cost of recruitment advertisements for the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve, (b) responses to those advertisements and (c) actual recruitment during that 12-month period.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take up steps to re-establish in Northern Ireland the post of Governor.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase efforts to counter Irish Republican Army propaganda overseas, in view of the organised campaign to undermine the good name of Her Majesty's security forces and particularly of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 24 May. [Vol. 967, c. 1213.] I have already met our ambassador-designate to Washington to discuss these matters. As far as the security forces are concerned I shall send the hon. Gentleman a copy of an article written by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to rebut serious allegations about the Royal Ulster Constabulary which appeared recently in a New York newspaper. In the light of subsequent comments about the RUC by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the hon. Thomas O'Neill, Her Majesty's ambassador in Washington was instructed to call on him and express the British Government's surprise and regret.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he plans to take to avoid a further occurrence of the periodic flooding of part of Knocknagoney Avenue, Belfast; and if he will investigate the failure of sections of the Department of the Environment to respond to calls from residents, which, if acted upon, could have saved much loss and inconvenience on Monday 11 June.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he plans to continue the payment of selective employment premium in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

As part of the reduction in public expenditure in Northern Ireland, I have decided to discontinue the selective employment premium with effect from 31 July 1979. This will bring Northern Ireland into line with Great Britain where the equivalent regional employment premium was abolished in January 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what financial resources are currently allocated for nuclear power research and development; what is the equivalent figure allocated for alternative sources of energy, other than coal and oil; and if he will list those alternative projects now being investigated.

The Atomic Energy Authority expects to spend about £140 million on nuclear power research and development in 1979–80, including £16 million on fusion. The amounts so far allocated by the Department of Energy to specific programmes of research and development into alternative sources of energy are as follows:

	£m
Wave power	5·4
Solar energy	6·0
Geothermal	1·77
Wind power	0·97
Tidal power	1·59

In addition the United Kingdom is participating in EEC programmes on solar energy and geothermal research and development. The limitation to making faster progress on the alternative sources of energy is not the level of funding but the state of the technology involved.