asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ask British Airways how, with only 5 Concordes, they expect to maintain their present and future services to New York, Washington-Dallas, Singapore-Melbourne, Japan and China.

This is a matter for the British Airways Board, who have been informed of the noble Earl's Question.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ask British Airways when they will increase their New York services with Concorde already operating at 90 per cent. capacity so as to cater for the many passengers at present turned away.

This is a matter for the British Airways Board, who have been informed of the noble Earl's Question.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether gin traps, already unlawful for use in this country, are still being manufactured here for export and, if so, to which countries and for what purpose.

The export of gin traps is too small to be recorded separately in the trade statistics. Small numbers are believed to have been manufactured and exported, mainly to West Africa, where they are presumably used to trap pests.In view of the noble Lord's previous interest in this matter, we have recently examined whether gin traps should be brought under export control. We have concluded that they should not. I will write to the noble Lord and place copies of my letter in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In what circumstances certain letters from officers of the Home Office on matters relating to the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 are signed by persons designated as officers in the "After-Care" branch of the Department.

Staff dealing with these matters are, for organisational and management purposes, grouped, with others, in a Department whose largest single function is probation and after-care and which is, for convenience, designated the "Probation and After-Care Department" notwithstanding that it has wider functions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have now received the report of the Home Office Advisory Committee on the use of living animals for toxicity testing, and when it will be published.

We hope shortly to receive the Advisory Committee's Report on the LD (Lethal Dose) 50 test. Consideration will then be given to the form of publication of its findings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What exhortation they have recently sent to all persons licensed under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 to use alternatives to living animals wherever possible.

The following note has been sent to all holders of licences under the 1876 Act and will be sent to all new licensees:"It is a matter of great public concern about which there is unlikely to be disagreement that the use of living animals for scientific experiments should be limited to the minimum compatible with the pursuit of legitimate scientific ends. The Government brings to the attention of all those carrying out experiments under authorities granted under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 the importance of taking every reasonable step to confirm before using living animals that their investigations cannot be effectively carried out by any alternative means. To this end it is reasonable to expect that they will consult the available scientific literature and authorities and seek the advice of colleagues who may be able to assist, and the Government urges them to take these precautions. Licensees under the Act are also urged to give thought to the possibilities of developing new alternatives to the use of living animals and to publishing information about successful new methods so that other licencees may be encouraged and helped to reduce the use of animals."

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they have made in defining the word "pain" for the purpose of applying the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.

This is being considered as part of a general review of conditions attached to licences, but it is too early to report progress.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, as part of their present consideration of further measures for the protection of horses, they will stipulate that all auctioneers conducting horse sales shall be members of the Auctioneers Institute or other approved body.

This suggestion is one which the Government will certainly consider.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list the total number of social security and other benefits, indicating the annual cost of each benefit and the number of beneficiaries in each case over the past five years and whether they are taxable or means-tested.

The information requested on social security and other benefits administered by my Department is as in the attached tables:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they have now made in their consideration of the proposal to set up a Standing Royal Commission on Animal Protection and Welfare.

The proposal is still under consideration.

asked Her Majesty's Government:(

The work was started in the University of Sussex and continued in the University of York. Apart from authorisation by these universities Mr. Pearce held a licence and certificate under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. The Government are unaware of the cost of the work and is not responsible for assessing the results. Experiments involving stress have been referred to the Advisory Committee when they have presented new questions of principle. The Committee will shortly be reconstituted and its functions will at the same time be reviewed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have reconsidered their view about the likely cost of linking tourist or craft industry aids to development plans under the Less Favoured Area Directives.

We are still keeping the situation under review. The Tourist Board, Development Commission and COSIRA continue, as the designated United Kingdom organisations, to offer assistance in their respective fields. At present we have no reason to believe that the demand for aids towards tourist and craft industry from farmers in Less Favoured Areas is such that the cost of new administrative arrangements would be justified. Any recoveries from the EEC resulting from the linking of these aids with development plans would be likely to be small.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much it is estimated that the accumulated deficit of the Refreshment Department will be at 31st March 1979; what proposals there are for improving the Department's financial position; and whether they will make a Statement.

The forecast accumulated deficit at 31st March 1979 is about £130,000. The Department's main difficulty is that it is unable to spread its overheads over a full year's trading. For about one-third of the year the House is in recess but the Department's basic wages bill has still to be met during these periods of low receipts. The income from special functions makes a useful contribution to the Department's finances but the profits generated are not sufficient to meet the rising losses in other areas of the Department's operations. The Government, in consultation with the House authorities, have given careful consideration to the Department's difficulties. They have concluded that it would be unrealistic to expect the Department to eliminate its deficit and break even on its future operations from internally generated resources. The kind of price increases required to achieve this would be so large as almost certainly to lead to a fall in turnover, thus exacerbating the position. The Government have, therefore, decided to make available from public funds in the current year a grant equivalent to the cost of salaries and wages during the periods of recess in 1978–79 (with the exception of any such costs which relate solely to special functions) and a further grant towards the accumulated deficit which will enable the Department to start off 1979–80 in financial balance. Provision for these grants will be made in a Supplementary Estimate. In future the Department will receive an annual grant equivalent to its recess salary and wages costs The Department's financial position will of course continue to be kept under close review and the arrangements will in any case be reconsidered in two years' time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who is the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Airports Policy.

The chairman of the Advisory Committee on Airports Policy is Mr. J. R. Steele, a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Trade.House adjourned at twenty-six minutes past eight o'clock.