asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the review of parole and whether they will make a statement.

The review of the parole system in England and Wales which has been carried out by my right honourable friend's department is published today. This review looks at the way the system has been working since it came into operation in 1968 and examines some possible changes in its scope and method of operation. In particular, it suggests how some equivalent of parole might be provided for shorter-term prisoners who are not eligible for release under the present parole system.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on his recent visit to Washington to discuss Central America made any reference there to the considerable concern expressed on all sides of the House on 14th April (H.L.

The Minister of State discussed Central America in a general sense with the State Department, and is in no doubt that the United States Government are aware of the concern expressed in this House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide figures of the percentages of total income payable in tax for the financial years 1978–79 1979–80, 1980–81 and (in accordance with the Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent proposals) for 1881–82 for the same types of cases and on the same or analogous assumptions as those specified in the earlier Questions answered on 9th July 1979 and 28th April 1980, assuming that both earnings and prices in April 1982 will exceed those of April 1981 by 12 per cent.

I refer the noble Lord to the Note prepared recently for the Select Committee on the Treasury and which is now published. On the basis of the information in this Note, estimates in percentage terms of the tax payable by the married couple at various income levels are as follows—

	Income tax per cent.	Indirect taxes per cent.
	1979–79
Two-thirds average earnings	15·7	20·9
1 x average earnings	21·5	17·4
1½ times average earnings	25·3	15·0
	1979–80
Two-thirds average earnings	14·9	21–5
1 x average earnings	19·9	18·6
1½ times average earnings	23·3	16·6
	1980–81
Two-thirds average earnings	16·0	21·6
1 x average earnings	20·7	18·6
1½ times average earnings	23·8	16·6
	1981–82
Two-thirds average earnings	17·4	23·1
1 x average earnings	21·6	19·3
1½ times average earnings	24·4	17·1

These figures differ from those provided in reply to previous questions partly because assumed average earnings are higher and partly because all indirect taxes and not just those specified have been taken into account.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to legislate on the basis of the report by Sir Wilfrid Burns on local authority assistance to industry of July 1980, and, if so, when.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State has the report under consideration and we hope to give the Government's views shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they have made towards the fulfilment of their election manifesto on animal welfare.

Her Majesty's Government have given whole-hearted support to the proposal for a European Community directive designed to develop the provisions of Directive 77–489 on the protection of farm animals during international transport, and have played a very active part in Brussels in the preparation of this directive. We expect it to be adopted shortly.The Farm Animal Welfare Council, which we appointed, is reviewing the welfare codes for farm animals in the light of developments since the Brambell Committee reported. The rules relating to the export of live food animals have been re-examined: the Farm Animal Welfare Council and interested parties have been consulted and two new statutory instruments are being prepared, one of which will include among its provisions a prohibition on the export of farm animals which have given birth during the preceding 48 hours. The other order will update and extend the current provisions relating to the welfare of farm animals carried by water.After advice from the Farm Animal Welfare Council, we introduced orders which have prohibited the removal of antlers in velvet from live farmed deer.We are actively engaged in the discussions at Strasbourg, which are to be resumed from 12th-15th May, on the preparation of a Council of Europe convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department is now studying the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Animal Experiments which he has received. It remains our intention to move forward towards modernising and improving the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.House adjourned at eighteen minutes past seven o'clock.