Written Answers
Fires At Factory Farms
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they can confirm that during the last two months of 1977 there were tires at 13 factory farms resulting in the loss of a large number of animals; whether there are any safety or fire prevention conditions imposed on premises at such farms; and if so whether such conditions are adequate.
I regret that information about livestock losses in fires in intensive livestock units during 1977 is not available. Buildings housing intensive livestock units must comply with the statutory provision for structural fire precautions set out in the Building Regulations 1976. The Agriculture Departments already make it a condition of grant-aid for all livestock buildings that the standards of fire protection recommended in the livestock welfare codes are observed, and in future they will also for purposes of grant-aid require compliance with the standards of fire protection in the new BSI code of practice for farm buildings. We have no evidence that livestock in intensive units are unduly at risk from fires, but the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee proposes to review the position in the near future and its findings will be considered by the Agriculture Ministers.
Report On The Mentally Handicapped
asked Her Majesty's Government:When the first report of the National Development Team for the Mentally Handicapped will be published, and whether it will be made available free of charge.
The report by the director of the Development Team for the Mentally Handicapped on the team's activities to date is expected to be published in June. It will be a priced document, but copies will be sent free of charge to health and local authorities and certain other interested bodies.
Child Benefits
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give the level to which child benefits should have been raised in each year since 1970 to equal the support given in real terms in that year in family allowances and child tax allowances, for a one, two, three and four child family respectively.
The information requested is given below together with the actual values of child support in each of the years. They do not reflect the real improvement in the value of child support which is produced by the increase in child benefit to £2·30 a child in April 1978.
| AMOUNT OF CHILD SUPPORT(1) REQUIRED TO EQUAL THE VALUE OF SUPPORT IN 1970(2) | ||||
| Year (December) | 1 child | 2 child | 3 child | 4 child |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| 1970 (actual) | 0·91 | 2·10 | 3·36 | 4·62 |
| 1971 | 0·99 | 2·29 | 3·66 | 5·04 |
| 1972 | 1·07 | 2·46 | 3·94 | 5·42 |
| 1973 | 1·18 | 2·73 | 4·36 | 6·00 |
| 1974 | 1·41 | 3·25 | 5·20 | 7·14 |
| 1975 | 1·76 | 4·06 | 6·49 | 8·92 |
| 1976 | 2·02 | 4·67 | 7·47 | 10·27 |
| 1977 | 2·27 | 5·23 | 8·37 | 11·51 |
| (1) The combined value for FAM/CHB plus the CTA (for children under 11) to taxpayers (at the standard rate). | ||||
| (2) Based on the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices. | ||||
| ACTUAL VALUE OF CHILD SUPPORT(1) | ||||
| Year (December) | 1 child | 2 child | 3 child | 4 child |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| 1970 | 0·91 | 2·10 | 3·36 | 4·62 |
| 1971 | 1·16 | 2·63 | 4·17 | 5·71 |
| 1972 | 1·16 | 2·63 | 4·17 | 5·71 |
| 1973 | 1·15 | 2·59 | 4·10 | 5·61 |
| 1974 | 1·52 | 3·32 | 5·18 | 7·04 |
| 1975 | 1·62 | 3·86 | 6·10 | 8·34 |
| 1976 | 2·02 | 4·66 | 7·30 | 9·94 |
| 1977 | 2·28 | 4·89 | 7·50 | 10·11 |
| (1) The combined value for FAM/CHB plus the CTA (for children under 11) to taxpayers (at the standard rate). | ||||
Belgrade Conference: Non-Aligned States
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish in the
Official Report the names of the neutral and non-aligned signatury States at the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe which on occasion worked together as a group during the recent Belgrade Conference, each category being shown separately.
Nine countries participating in the Belgrade Meeting formed a self-styled "neutral/Non-Aligned Group": these were Austria, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Leichtenstein, San Marino, Cyprus, Malta and Yugoslavia. Of these nine the latter three were represented at the Non-Aligned Conference in Colombo in 1976.
Ethiopia: Alleged Foreign Interventions
asked Her Majesty's Government:What response has been received from the USSR to representations about alleged interventions in Ethiopia.
I can assure the noble Lord that the Soviet Government are well aware of our concern. We believe Somali withdrawal should be accompanied by the withdrawal of all foreign forces. This would enable progress to be made towards a negotiated and lasting settlement which would safeguard the territorial integrity of all States in the area, while paying due regard to the human rights of the peoples who live there.House adjourned at twenty-two minutes past eight o'clock.