asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will refuse ploughing grants in downland areas of Dorset of outstanding beauty or of archaeological or botanical interest under the terms of the Countryside Act, 1968, and urge the farmers involved instead to apply for compensation under the same Act.

Grant is not paid for work which would conflict with the statutory provisions governing the protection of field monuments and sites of special scientific interest. Other cases are considered on their merits having regard to the needs of agriculture and to the desirability of conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside.The Field Monuments Bill, now before the House, will provide for payments to farmers who protect scheduled field monuments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received with regard to the compensation for brucellosis reactors; and what replies he has sent.

Our attention has been drawn to this issue both in individual representations and during a debate last week in another place. In our replies, we have pointed out that the flat-rate replacement grant is only one part of the financial assistance available to owners under the compulsory eradication terms.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his attention has been drawn to recent incidents involving poisoning by paraquat; and what action he proposes.

Yes; and as with all cases that have come to our notice nothing untoward would have happened if the prominent warnings on the manufacturer's containers had been observed. We have intensified our publicity, particularly against the practice of decanting chemicals of this kind into soft drink or other containers, but no Government action can be an effective substitute for common sense.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will consider introducing a minimum import price for malt;(2) if he will consider the introduction of restitutions to enable the British Malting industry to compete in export markets on equal terms.

These matters are under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the Torry Research Station, Humber Industrial Unit and the White Fish Authority regarding overfishing upon the Icelandic Continental Shelf; and if he will make a statement.

Neither the White Fish Authority nor the Torry Research Station is responsible for advising me on conservation. My scientific advisers share the views of the international bodies concerned that stocks of white fish off Iceland are not at present being over-fished.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the increased price of bread.

The leading plant bakers yesterday increased their recommended retail prices by ½p per loaf. I would also refer the hon. Member to the replies which my hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Churchill) on 2nd December and the right hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. Cledwyn Hughes) on 3rd December.—[Vol. 827, c. 169–70; 177.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average price of apples today compared with 1961; and what is the average price of all other foodstuffs in the cost-of-living index compared with 1961.

On 19th October, 1971, the average retail price of dessert apples was 8·5p per lb. No exactly comparable figures for 1961 are available but returns collected in a few large towns indicated an average retail price of dessert apples in mid-October, 1961, of 7·8p per lb. 1961 was, however, a year of exceptionally low output and high prices. In October, 1960, the average retail price was 4·8p and in October, 1962, it was 5·4p.The All Food Index in October, 1971, was 158·0 and in October, 1961, was equivalent to 97·6 (adjusted to current base: January, 1962 = 100).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the price of bread is to rise again; to what extent his recent levies have been responsible for this and previous price increases; and whether he will remove these levies.

As to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Mrs. Doris Fisher). As to the second part, there has been no change in the price of bread flour since the revised levy scheme for cereals was introduced last July, so it cannot have caused any increase in bread prices. The answer to the last part of the question is, "No".

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has now given to the establishment of a meat marketing board.

None. Under the Agricultural Marketing Act it is for the producers to take the initiative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria he observes in giving his consent to the establishment of private slaughterhouses.

The criteria are set out in the Slaughterhouses Act, 1958. My right hon. Friend is required to have regard to whether there is a need for additional slaughtering facilities or to whether the grant of a licence is expedient for special reasons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will commission a feasibility study to ascertain the technical barriers to the free movement of agricultural products following Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

I see no reason for such a study.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has happened to the butter mountain in the European Economic Community; and what will be the trend of European butter production in the future.

The butter mountain has been eaten. The trend of butter production in Western Europe is still downwards but the fall may be levelling off.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has finalised his plans for the reorganisation of the agricultural advisory services; and if he will make a statement.

These services were combined in the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service on 1st March and the process of integration is proceeding steadily.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with the National Farmers' Unions concerning future levels of domestic sugar beet production; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I discussed this subject with the Unions during the last Annual Review, and the subject has been raised with us again since then.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now redefine his monetary strategy for the remainder of the current financial year, and state whether it is intended to be passive, or if less than passive, the extent to which it is intended to be less than passive.

To ensure that sufficient money is available to finance the growth of real output for which we are planning, but to avoid exacerbating inflationary pressures by excesssive growth of the money supply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will use the regulator now, as an immediate stimulus to consumer demand, to reduce unemployment while longer-term measures take effect, and to help stabilise the cost of living.

Name of Company						Number of Shares
Beagle Aircraft Ltd. (in liquidation)			…	…	…	1,000,000 £1 Ordinary Shares.
British Petroleum Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	…	…	174,461,538 £1 Ordinary Stock,
						1,000 £1 8% Cumulative First Preference Stock.
British Sugar Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	1,125,000 £1 Ordinary Shares.
Cable and Wireless Ltd.	…	…	…	…	…	30,000,000 £1 Shares.
Cammell Laird (Shipbuilding and Engineers) Ltd.					…	1,500,000 £1 Ordinary Shares*.
International Computers (Holdings) Ltd.				…	…	3,500,000 £1 "C" Ordinary Shares†.
Itabira Iron Ore Co. Ltd. (in liquidation)				…	…	61,200 £1 First Preference Shares,
						380,000 £1 Second Preference Shares,
						493,982 £1 Ordinary Shares.
Power Jets (R. & D.) Ltd. (in liquidation)				…	…	200,000 £1 Ordinary Shares.
Rolls Royce (1971) Ltd.	…	…	…	…	…	30,000,000 £1 Ordinary Shares.
SB (Realisations) Ltd.‡	…	…	…	…	…	581,302 25p Ordinary Shares,
						250,000 25p "A" Ordinary Shares,
						42,050 5% Redeemable Cumulative £1 Preference Shares.
Suez Finance Company	…	…	…	…	…	645,591 FF 100 Capital Shares.
Toplis and Harding (Middle East) Ltd.			…	…	…	998 50p Shares.
Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd. (in liquidation)				…	…	875,000 £1 Ordinary Shares,
						7% Unsecured Loan Stock 1975 (£940,000)§.
Welsh Highland Light Railway Company (in liquidation)						5% Debenture (£35,774).
* The Public Trustee holds these shares on behalf of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
† Only £0·35 million of this total is so far paid up. The balance of £3·15 million will not be paid until September, 1972.
‡ SB (Realisations) Ltd. is the holding company for the Government's shareholding in Short Brothers and Harland.
§ This Loan Stock is in Fairfields (Glasgow) Ltd. which is a wholly owned non-operative subsidiary of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd. In addition the Shipbuilding Industry Board holds 750,000 25p shares in Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd.
Notes:
(a)This table covers all shareholdings held by Government Departments except for a number of small groups of shares held mainly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in mixed agricultural enterprises such as agricultural co-operatives. The total nominal value of these shares is very small.
(b)Details of shareholdings held by nationalised industries and other public corporations are shown in their annual reports and accounts.
(c) Details of loans to the Private Sector are given in the National Loans Fund White Paper (Cmnd. 4635) and the monthly return showing transactions of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said on 2nd December.—[Vol. 827, c. 669–76.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list all investments of all kinds by the Government or its agencies in private industry.

This Question could only be fully answered at the cost of disproportionate time and effort. However, details of loan stock or other shares previously held by the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation but transferred to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 1st May, 1971, were given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, South-West (Mr. Tom Boardman) on 15th November, 1971. Other shareholdings held directly by Government Departments are given in the list below.—[Vol. 826, c. 27–30.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a White Paper dealing with policy changes in the realm of prices, incomes and productivity in the last 18 months, and with forward projections up to 1974.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Customs authorities will not agree to the British Railways Board's proposal that Customs formalities for travellers coming by the night-ferry from Europe to London should be carried out on the train, as they are on the Continent.

No such proposal has been made to Customs in recent years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of tax relief given to private home owners.

If the hon. Member means relief for mortgage interest, about £300 million for 1970–71.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he will not seek powers for housewives to be granted a shopping expense allowance for income tax purposes.

Such an allowance would not be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many £25,000 tax-free prizes for Premium Savings Bonds have been paid out since that value was introduced in February, 1966, as a quarterly prize, and subsequently a weekly prize; and how many of the recipients live in, or bought their bonds in, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Greater London and in the rest of England by county borough and administrative county.

Eleven tax-free quarterly Premium Savings Bond prizes of £25,000 were won between February, 1966, and August, 1968, and 170 similar weekly prizes were won between September, 1968, and 4th December, 1971.The geographical distribution based on the recorded addresses of bondholders at the time the prizes were won is as follows:

Scotland (7)
Edinburgh.	Dumfriesshire.
Glasgow.	Perthshire.
Aberdeenshire.	Wigtownshire.
Ayrshire.
Wales (7)
Swansea.	Monmouthshire.
Glamorgan (3).	Denbighshire.
Carmarthenshire.
N. Ireland (1)
Belfast.
London(including Middlesex) (36).
England (129)
Birmingham (6).	Cornwall (2).
Bradford.	Devon (7).
Brighton (2).	Durham (2).
Bristol (2).	Dorset (5).
Coventry (2).	Essex (10).
Derby.	Gloucestershire (3).
Hull.	Hampshire (2).
Leeds.	Hertfordshire (2).
Leicester.	Kent (7).
Liverpool.	Lancashire (5).
Manchester (2).	Lincolnshire (4).
Middlesbrough (2).	Northamptonshire (2).
Nottingham (2).
Newcastle-on-Tyne (2).	Norfolk (5).
	Oxfordshire.
Plymouth.	Somerset (4).
Stoke-on-Trent.	Suffolk.
Southampton.	Surrey (6).
Berkshire (3).	Sussex (9).
Buckinghamshire (3).	Wiltshire.
	Worcestershire (4).
Cambridgeshire (2).	Yorkshire (7).
Cheshire (3).

In addition to the above, one £25,000 prize has been won by a United Kingdom resident overseas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the fact that Her Majesty's Government are considering the draft directives issued by the Commission of the European Economic Community designed inter alia to secure the mutual recognition in Community countries of the qualifications of tax consultants and other professional persons engaged in tax work, he will give an assurance that he will discuss the subject with the recognised professional bodies in Great Britain before agreeing to them or taking any irrevocable steps with the European Economic Community.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the reasons why he will not give an estimate as to what extent the adoption of a similar system of a value-added tax of 15 per cent., 23 per cent. and 7½ per cent. on food will affect the British consumer and the revenue to the Exchequer, in view of the fact that evidence is available of these taxes operating in the European Economic Community.

It would be misleading and wasteful of resources to make estimates for hypothetical schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he sends to letters he receives concerning the alleviation of poverty.

I take every opportunity to affirm that the alleviation of

NATIONAL ASSISTANCE/SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT
Date		Average Earnings	Effective Date of Rate			Single Non-householder +rent addition	Per cent. of Average Earnings	Single Householder +average rent	Per cent. of Average Earnings
October:
1948	…	£6·90	July, 1948	…	…	£1·00*	14·5	£1·20*	17·4
1949	…	£7·13	July, 1948	…	…	£1·00*	14·0	£1·20*	16·8
1950	…	£7·52	June, 1950	…	…	£1·10*	14·6	£1·30*	17·3
1951	…	£8·30	September, 1951		…	£1·30*	15·7	£1·50*	18·1
1952	…	£8·93	June, 1952	…	…	£1·55*	17·4	£1·75*	19·6
1953	…	£9·46	June, 1952	…	…	£1·55*	16·4	£1·75*	18·5
1954	…	£10·22	June, 1952	…	…	£1·84	18·0	£1·75*	17·1
1955	…	£11·15	February, 1955		…	£1·98½	17·8	£1·87½*	16·8
1956	…	£11·90	January, 1956		…	£2·12	17·8	£2·00*	16·8
1957	…	£12·58	January, 1956		…	£2·13	16·9	£2·00*	15·9
1958	…	£12·83	January, 1958		…	£2·40	18·7	£3·08	24·0
1959	…	£13·35	September, 1959		…	£2·70	19·9	£3·38	24·9
1960	…	£14·53	September, 1959		…	£2·73	18·8	£3·41	23·5
1961	…	£15·34	April, 1961		…	£2·91½	19·0	£3·64½	23·8
1962	…	£15·86	September, 1962		…	£3·04½	19·2	£3·91½	24·7
1963	…	£16·75	May, 1963	…	…	£3·23	19·3	£4·30½	25·7
1964	…	£18·11	May, 1963	…	…	£3·27	18·1	£4·38½	24·2
1965	…	£19·59	March, 1965		…	£3·91½	20·0	£5·12	26·1
1966	…	£20·30	November, 1966		…	£3·95	19·5	£5·77	28·4
1967	…	£21·38	October, 1967		…	£4·05	19·0	£6·18	28·9
1968	…	£23·00	October, 1968		…	£4·25	18·5	£6·54	28·4
1969	…	£24·83	November, 1969		…	£4·40	17·7	£6·86	27·6
1970	…	£28·05	November, 1970		…	£4·75	16·9	£7·39	26·3
The figures marked with an asterisk do not include an allowance for rent as the relevant statistics were not kept at the time.
The value of supplementary benefit in respect of those who are over pension age and certain other long-term claimants has been increased since November, 1966 by the long-term addition (45p increased to 50 p.) in October, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now announce the date when the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board expect to begin the construction of the new hospital at Redditch.

The board hopes to complete the planning of the hospital so that construction could start in 1974–75.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the value of supplementary benefits as a percentage of average industrial earnings for each November since and including 1948.

The value of supplementary benefit (national assistance before November, 1966) for a single person under pension age as a percentage of the average earnings of adult male manual workers over the period requested by the hon. Member is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of registered homeless families in each of the 32 boroughs, in the Greater London Council area.

The numbers of families living in temporary accommodation at 30th September, 1971, were as follows:

Inner London
Camden	200
Greenwich	47
Hackney	106
Hammersmith	62
Islington	469
Kensington and Chelsea	46
Lambeth	383
Lewisham	171
Southwark	205
Tower Hamlets	128
Wandsworth	163
City of Westminster	104
City of London	—
Total Inner London Borough	2,084

Outer London
Barking	8
Barnet	56
Bexley	54
Brent	150
Bromley	27
Croydon	124
Ealing	65
Enfield	9
Haringey	186
Harrow	13
Havering	4
Hillingdon	25
Hounslow	142
Kingston-upon-Thames	15
Merton	82
Newham	35
Redbridge	25
Richmond-upon-Thames	24
Sutton	32
Waltham Forest	22
Total Outer London Boroughs	1,098
Total Greater London Area	3,182

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give instructions to his Department to sanction the supply of extra food to sufferers of hypothermia, the cost to be borne by his Department;(2) if he will give instructions to his Department to sanction the supply of coal and heating supplies to sufferers from hypothermia, the cost to be borne by his Department;(3) if he will give instructions to his Department to sanction the supply of additional clothing to sufferers of hypothermia, the cost to be borne by his Department.

The Supplementary Benefits Commission already uses its discretionary powers to increase the weekly rate of supplementary benefit when a person needs help with the cost of additional clothing, or extra heating, or requires extra nourishment on medical advice. Its standing instructions provide for help to be given in appropriate cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what methods are used in the detection of hypothermia.

The taking of anal temperature by means of a low-reading thermometer is the most reliable means of diagnosing hypothermia. This is an important part of the work of local authority domiciliary nursing staffs. Further information about pre-disposing conditions is contained in an article in the February, 1970, issue of Health Trends published by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions are given to local offices of his Department to assist people suffering from hypothermia.

Standing instructions issued by the Supplementary Benefits Commission specially require local officers to consider help with the expense of extra heating where a supplementary benefit claimant lives in very cold surroundings and there is risk of hypothermia. They are also expected to keep in close touch with local social services departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will remove the limit imposed on the quantity of interdens prescribed to patients between the ages of 15 and 21 years in the interests of the prevention of dental decay and the costly subsequent treatment that arises therefrom;(2) why prescriptions for interdens issued by dental departments of hospitals and by doctors have a limit imposed on the quantity allowed on each prescription.

Interdens is not one of the appliances which a chemist is required to supply under the National Health Service: the Act of 1946 does not authorise its prescription by dentists providing general dental services. In dental departments of hospitals the quantity of any item prescribed would be governed by the assessment of the patient's needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the figures to 30th September and the latest available date, respectively, of applications for attendance allowance, applicants who initially failed to satisfy the medical conditions, applications for a review and unsuccessful reviewed cases, giving a breakdown of the figures for the regional

						Number of claims received		Number of applicants who initially failed to satisfy the medical conditions
Regional Centre						28th September, 1971	(Approximate) 30th November, 1971	28th September, 1971	(Approximate) 30th November, 1971
Scotland	…	…	…	…	…	5,000	9,000	1,500	3,000
Wales	…	…	…	…	…	4,800	8,500	800	2,200
Northern		…	…	…	…	4,100	7,000	900	1,800
Yorkshire and Humberside				…	…	6,100	9,000	1,100	2,600
East Midlands and East Anglia					…	5,900	9,500	800	1,700
London North		…	…	…	…	5,100	9,000	900	1,700
London South		…	…	…	…	6,900	11,000	1,100	2,300
London West		…	…	…	…	5,100	9,000	1,100	2,000
South Western		…	…	…	…	4,100	8,000	900	2,300
West Midlands		…	…	…	…	4,100	8,100	1,300	2,800
North Western (Manchester)				…	…	4,900	8,000	900	1,800
North Western (Liverpool)				…	…	4,900	7,900	1,000	2,500
TOTAL		…	…	…	…	61,000	104,000	12,300	26,700
Separate figures for Edinburgh and Glasgow are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it is not possible to provide statistics on the number of applications for the constant attendance allowance on a county basis.

Claims for attendance allowance are dealt with at Edinburgh and Cardiff and at the 10 regional centres in England. An analysis by counties would cause a disproportionate amount of work.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements

At 28th September some 61,000 claims had been received, 12,300 applicants had initially failed to satisfy the medical conditions, nearly 3,200 had applied for a review, and nine of those dealt with had failed to satisfy the conditions at the review stage. The corresponding figures for 30th November, the latest date for which figures are available, are 104,000, 26,700, 7,400, and 850, respectively. A breakdown for Scotland and Wales and for each of the 10 regional centres can only be given in respect of the numbers of claims received and the number of applicants who initially failed to satisfy the medical conditions. The figures are as follows:he has made to ensure that the booklet, "Family Benefits and Pensions", issued by his Department in October, 1971, reaches social workers, citizens advice bureaux, voluntary organisations, trade unions and professional and other people who come into contact with those who are likely to be eligible for the benefits and pensions it describes.

The booklet has been distributed by direct mail to the clergy and women's organisations; through executive councils to doctors, dentists, opticians and pharmacists; in bulk to the National Citizens' Advice Bureaux Council, local authority health and social services departments, British Association of Social Workers and a wide range of voluntary social organisations. Over 400,000 copies have so far been distributed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provisions his Department makes to help the dependants of men who are involved in an industrial dispute which the Department of Employment has declared as no longer constituting a stoppage of work.

Where the independent statutory authorities have decided that an industrial dispute is over, persons involved in the dispute and therefore disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for themselves become eligible to claim benefit subject to the usual conditions about availability and registration for work. A person who failed to satisfy these conditions would not be entitled to unemployment or supplementary benefit but he could be helped where necessary under the Supplementary Benefits Commission's discretionary powers to prevent hardship in urgent cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is expected to reach a conclusion on Raynaud's Phenomenon;(2) if he will prescribe Raynaud's Phenomenon as an industrial disease.

The question of prescribing vibration syndrome, which includes Raynaud's Phenomenon, as an industrial disease will be considered when the report of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is received but I cannot at present forecast when this will be. The Council is currently awaiting the outcome of further research which, on its recommendation, is being promoted under Section 71 of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will widen the definition of pneumoconiosis as a prescribed industrial disease.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 28th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 468.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many new cases was industrial injury benefit paid in 1969 and 1970, respectively.

There were 828,000 and 820,000 for the years ending 31st May, 1969 and 1970, respectively. Figures for the year ending May, 1971, are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men and women are at present receiving industrial injury benefit in respect of asbestosis.

Statistics are not kept for asbestosis alone. For pneumoconiosis, which includes asbestosis, benefit is in payment to about 46,000 men and 1,000 women.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many death benefit claims were made in 1969 and 1970, respectively; and how many were successful.

In 1969, 1,896 pensions and 733 allowances and gratuities in respect of 1,918 deaths were awarded under the industrial Injuries Act. The provisional figures for 1970 are 1,700 pensions and 650 other awards in respect of 1,750 deaths. I regret that figures of disallowed claims are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what entitlement to death grant exists for the next of kin of a widow who attained the age of 50 years before 5th July, 1948, and whose husband was over 55 years of age on 5th July, 1948.

On the death of a widow who was between the ages of 50 and 60 on 5th July, 1948, a death grant of £15 is payable, provided that the contribution conditions are fully satisfied. If the contribution conditions are partly satisfied a reduced grant may be payable. For the death of a widow who was over 60 years of age on 5th July, 1948, no death grant is payable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department is carrying out or sponsoring into the origins, incidence, and treatment of glandular fever; and if he will list this work as a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

None.Biomedical research concerned with individual diseases is generally sponsored by the Medical Research Council and not by this Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many private Section 5 beds there are in Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital and the Sutton Infirmary Hospital; and what is the rate of acceptance of them.

The figures are as follows:

	Number of pay beds	Average daily occupancy by paying patients for the 6 months ending 30th June, 1971
Hull Royal Infirmary	3	1·8 (60 per cent.)
Hull Royal Infirmary (Sutton)	2	0·9 (45 per cent.)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what facilities are available for private patients to receive out-patient treatment in Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital and Sutton Infirmary Hospital.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to private fee-paying patients in the Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital of a private Section 5 bed.

The hospital charge to private patients who have made their own arrangements for medical treatment is £10·10 per day for a single room and £9·20 per day for other accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total income received by Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital and Sutton Infirmary Hospital for services provided for private fee-paying patients in the last five financial years.

The figures are as follows:

	£
1966–67	3,346
1967–68	3,776
1968–69	6,215
1969–70	9,095
1970–71	9,860

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many whole-time and part-time consultants are employed by the Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital and the Sutton Infirmary Hospital.

Twenty-four whole-time and 43 part-time consultants attend Hull Royal Infirmary, and 11 whole-time and 17 part-time consultants attend the Sutton Branch.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the waiting time for operations in the specialty of gynaecology for Health Service patients and private fee-paying patients in the Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital.

Gynaecological operations are not performed at Hull Royal Infirmary but at Hull Royal Infirmary (Sutton). Emergency cases, whether paying or non-paying, are admitted immediately. Waiting time for other cases varies according to the degree of urgency. For some non-urgent cases it may be up to two years. There are no records of waiting time for private patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make a further statement on the provision of vehicles for disabled persons.

My right hon. Friend expects to make a statement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it took his Department until 24th November to reply to the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sent under date of 25th October.

The main reason was the two-and-a-half weeks needed to obtain the report from the local authority which formed the basis of my reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, as measured by the movement in the price of rent, rates, milk, bread and meat up to October, 1971, by how much social security benefits have decreased in purchasing power since the increases given last September.

The prices of these items taken together went up by 1 per cent. in the period from September to October, 1971. The purchasing power of social security benefits, however, cannot be measured by reference to these items alone, since they are only a few of those covered by the General Index of Retail Prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for improving the organisation of services for the mentally ill; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are today issuing to hospital and local authorities and to general practitioners a Memorandum on Hospital Services for the Mentally Ill which sets out the main elements of a local district service and foreshadows the eventual replacement of the large isolated mental hospitals. The memorandum envisages a comprehensive hospital and community service based on psychiatric departments in general hospitals.It has for some time been generally accepted that patients who are mentally ill can be treated in hospital on much the same footing as those who are physically ill; and in many areas long-term custodial care has given place to a pattern of treatment in which the time spent as an inpatient is but one episode in a course of treatment most if which is carried out while the patient lives and works in the community. This pattern of treatment is made possible by services based on psychiatric departments in general hospitals with day patient and out-patient services playing just as important a part as the in-patient services. Close links with general practitioner services and local authority health and personal social services are essential; all need to work together to provide a properly integrated service. The whole concept is that of a professional team approach in which all the members work together as flexibly as possible. Complementary planning of hospital and local authority services is vital. The voluntary services can make a significant contribution.The expectation is that general hospital psychiatric departments, given a proper combination of in-patient, day patient and out-patient services and fully developed links with corresponding community services will eventualy be able to provide all the hospital services needed for the treatment of mental illness, including the small proportion of patients who will require relatively longer-stay. It is important to avoid transferring such patients to the mental hospitals and so building up a separate service. The memorandum stresses that before a patient's discharge appropriate arrangements should be made as necessary for his continued treatment as a day or outpatient; and for his living and work conditions to be reviewed to ensure that the situation to which he is discharged is acceptable. As each general hospital psychiatric department is set up the professional teams responsible for the service in the district will transfer their base from the mental hospital to the general hospital where all new patients will be treated, the teams retaining responsibility at the mental hospital for existing patients so long as they remain there. The setting up of services in all areas on the lines described in the memorandum is intended to lead in time to the replacement of the large isolated mental hospitals. In the meantime it will be important to take advantage of the steady decline in numbers of patients in these hospitals to raise the standards in them. This is one of the objectives I had in mind for the extra money which I announced on 22nd November.We are encouraging regional hospital boards to develop services in this way as rapidly as their building programmes permit and to consult local authorities and local medical committees about co-ordinating hospital plans with plans of the corresponding local authority services, for which extra resources are also being made available.Clearly the transition to a fully modern service will take many years to accomplish. Although this new type of service needs fewer hospital beds, it needs just as many nursing staff and so far as possible staff will transfer to the new departments as and when these replace the services in and present mental hospitals. The memorandum emphasises the need in each case to explain fully to staff at the outset the objectives, phasing and timing of the programme of transition.The memorandum does not deal with services for elderly patients suffering from mental deterioration due to ageing or physical illness. Additional services are needed for them and separate guidance will be issued on this.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the situation on the border of India and Pakistan in so far as it affects refugees and the aid programme.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House yesterday.—[Vol. 827, c. 937–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community E.2; E.2263 Production Refunds, Exemption from Levies, to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(2) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as E.2 European Economic Community, E.225 Oils, Oil Seeds and Fats are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(3) whether he can now state when he will have aavilable enough copies of the authenticated agreed translation of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community E.2; E.2262 Export Refunds are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(4) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community E.2; E.2261 Price and Levy Rules to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(5) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.10 Legal Bases are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(6) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.11, Financing and Production, are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(7) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.110 Conditions for Assessment are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(8) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.1101 Amount and Methods of Application are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(9) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.1102 Collection are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;(10) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.111 Equalisation Levies in accordance with sections 25 and 26 of the Transitional Agreement are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament.

The index to which the hon. Member refers is not up to date. It is not to be assumed that all the instruments in it are valid for the present Community, or that all those which are valid now will be binding on this country on the date of our accession to the Communities.English texts of relevant Community legislation in force on 10th November, 1971, will be printed and made available to the House through the Vote Office at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that membership of the European Parliament will involve the British Parliament in nominating 36 members of a delegation, each of which will have to spend an average of at least two days or more a week throughout the year on the business of the European Parliament; and what proposals he has for manning such a delegation.

We shall have the same representation in the European Parliament as the countries of the Community of comparable size to Britain, that is, 36. The extent of an individual Member's commitments to the European Parliament will vary.The composition of the British delegation to the European Parliament is a matter for decision nearer the date of accession.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that the proposals made by the European Parliament's Agricultural Committee would increase food prices in the European Economic Community by 8 per cent. next year; and what effect this would have on United Kingdom food prices.

I am aware that the Agricultural Commission of the European Parliament has suggested that farm prices, not food prices, in the Community should be increased by 8 per cent. But no proposals to this effect have been submitted by the Commission to the Council of Ministers, which has the responsibility for fixing agricultural prices. The question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent Her Majesty's Government's decision to apply for membership of the European Economic Community was dependent upon joint admission with Great Britain of Norway, Denmark and Ireland; to what extent the non-admission of these three countries will affect Great Britain's application; and whether he will make a statement.

The reasons for the decision to apply for membership of the European Communities are fully set out in paragraphs 1–8 of the White Paper "The United Kingdom and the European Communities" (Cmnd. 4715).The position over the applications of the other members of the European Free Trade Association and Her Majesty's Government's application to join the Community has been most recently stated in the communiqué issued after the last European Free Trade Association Ministerial Meeting. It was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 11th November. Similar considerations apply in the case of the application of Ireland.The second part of the Question is hypothetical.—[Vol. 825, c. 1247–48.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether on the terms negotiated a British firm could be liable to a fine of 4,000 dollars under Articles 11 to 14 of the European Economic Community Regulation No. 17 of 1962, if they acted similarly to a Belgian firm, details of which are in his possession, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he will not publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a comprehensive statement showing to what extent, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, Members of the British Parliament will be prevented from raising day-to-day matters and opposing, amending and rejecting rules, regulations, and edicts as promulgated by the Council of Ministers in Brussels.

The application by Parliament of relevant Community instruments is dealt with in paragraphs 22 and 23 of the White Paper on the Legal and Constitutional Implications of United Kingdom Membership of the European Communities (Cmnd. 3301). As to the powers of Parliament in relation to Community instruments, I have nothing to add to the answers given to the hon. Member on 21st June, 8th July and 20th July.—[Vol. 819, c. 168; Vol. 820, c. 444; Vol. 821, c. 259–60.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he will not arrange for a full and complete list of all rules, regulations and edicts which the British Parliament will have to pass before entry into the European Economic Community to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT and/or placed in the Library; and why he will not state to what extent it will be possible for Parliament to reject or amend these instruments.

English texts of the relevant Community instruments will be made available to the House at the appropriate time.As to the powers of Parliament in relation to Community instruments, I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 20th July, 1971.—[Vol.821 c.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will reconsider the need for the reservation to Article 68 of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, which retained the right to impose the death penalty in occupied territories without regard to whether the offence was punishable by death under the law of the occupied territory at the time when the occupation began.

As part of our contribution to the present international discussions on the reaffirmation and development of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of War Victims, we have decided that our reservation to Article 68 is no longer necessary and we are taking steps to effect its formal withdrawal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the high level of unemployment in the North-East, he will agree to receive at No. 10 Downing Street a deputation of civic heads of North-East local authorities.

I would be willing to receive such a deputation at a suitable time and place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT local authorities which are operating a housing advisory service with the co-operation of a voluntary agency, specifying the voluntary agency in each case.

I regret that this information is not available within the Department. I should expect, however, that any local authority which is running a housing aid centre would seek the co-operation of local voluntary agencies which might be of assistance to them, either generally or in relation to specific cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT local authorities which are operating a housing advisory service.

To my knowledge the following local authorities are operating housing aid centres:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of housing in England at the latest available date is being built for private ownership; what the percentage was in June, 1970; and what estimate he has made of what it will be in five years time.

About 50·8 per cent. at 31st October, 1971, compared with

Month				Type of accident				1968	1969	1970	1971
January		…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	72	142	165	249
				All injury	…	…	…	..	375	420	642
February		…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	84	103	161	230
				All injury	…	…	…	..	264	406	595
March	…	…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	107	138	174	213
				All injury	…	…	…	..	374	452	606
April	…	…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	109	139	172	293
				All injury	…	…	…	..	350	478	680
May	…	…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	120	177	231	284
				All injury	…	…	…	..	458	605	767
June	…	…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	121	191	208	268
				All injury	…	…	…	..	448	505	741
July	…	…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	133	180	255	279
				All injury	…	…	…	..	468	651	746
August	…	…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	136	174	243	306
				All injury	…	…	…	..	472	611	812
September		…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	120	212	243
				All injury	…	…	…	..	503	572
October		…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	111	178	292
				All injury	…	…	…	..	459	716
November		…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	141	147	275
				All injury	…	…	…	..	436	678
December		…	…	Fatal or serious		…	…	149	212	333
				All injury	…	…	…	..	564	899
.. Not available.

The rise in the number of accidents shown in the table reflects the increase in the

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents have been caused by motor vehicles colliding with builders' refuse containers on the carriageway of roads in the Metropolitan Police area in each of the last three years; and how many drivers or passengers were killed or permanently injured as a result.

Information on builders' refuse containers is not included in the accident reports received by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents occurred, known to be related to drunken driving, in each of the last 12 months preceding the introduction of breathalyser tests, in each of the 12 months following their introduction, and in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available, respectively.

The numbers of drivers involved in injury accidents whose breath tests gave a positive result were as follows:number of breath tests required by the police since the introduction of the Act and is not evidence that there has been an increase in drunken driving. No comparable information relating to drunken driving is available for the period prior to the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will institute an examination of recent American experience, details of which have been sent to him, of the use of small helium-lifted airships, one of which is now under construction at Royal Air Force, Cardington, to display public service notices;(2) if he will give consideration to the use of small helium-lifted airships, one type of which is under construction at the Royal Air Force, Cardington, for use in archaeological surveys, oceanic surveys and other environmental-protecting activities in the light of the document forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Ilkeston; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will give consideration to the use of small helium-lifted airships, one type of which is now under construction at the Royal Air Force, Cardington, for use in such emergencies as observing and helping to control woodland fires, and aiding snow- or flood-bound villages, in view of the now demonstrable difference in cost-effectiveness between such airships and helicopters.

I have not yet received the documents from the hon. Member. In any case, the activities referred to are not, in general, the direct responsibility of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage of the average income in England paid in rent at the present time; and what it is for, respectively, council house tenants, tenants in unfurnished private accommodation, and tenants in furnished private accommodation.

Information on incomes and rents is contained in the Family Expenditure Survey Reports, copies of which are available in the Library. However, this information does not show average incomes for the groups specified nor the rents actually paid by those groups, but only the rents charged before any rebate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the infrastructure in East Kent is sufficient to meet the demands of industry in the area, in particular to serve the growing activity in the port of Dover: and if he will make a statement.

Subject to certain planned improvements, I have no reason to doubt the general adequacy of the infrastructure of the area. I am however still considering the views expressed on this subject by the deputation which saw my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade on 30th November last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown by trunk roads, principal roads and other roads of the expenditure figures for each of the years 1971–72 to 1975–76 on new construction and improvement and on maintenance, respectively, contained in the White Paper on Public Expenditure 1970–71 to 1975–76, Command Paper No. 4329.

The breakdown is expected to be broadly as follows:

	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74
	£m	£m	£m
New Construction and Improvements
Trunk Roads (including Motorways)	248·3	275·8	318·7
Principal Roads	188·6	210·3	227·6
Major Roads	436·9	486·1	546·7
Maintenance
Trunk Roads (including Motorways)	29·0	34·8	32·6
Principal Roads	50·2	54·4	56·0
Major Roads	79·2	89·2	88·6

These figures for "Other Roads" are shown separately in Table 2.9.Beyond 1973–74 the allocations have not been fully worked out. Local authority expenditure in particular is imprecise for the reasons given in paragraph 24 of Cmnd. 4829.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the practice of local authorities of placing statutory notices concerning waiting and parking restrictions only in positions parallel to the road concerned; and if he will consider requesting them to place additional notices at right angles to the adjacent traffic flow.

No, the extra signs would have to be much larger and would be expensive and ugly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide the British Broadcasting Corporation with more specific details of motorway closures instead of such imprecise information as, in Bedfordshire; and whether he will arrange to exhibit signs to motorists during motorway closures stating at what junction the motorway re-opens.

I have been asked to reply.It is for the police to decide what information to provide on each occasion. It may be better to let motorists know the area to avoid than to give details of a temporary diversion which may have to be changed without notice. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment that signs are to be erected at all entry and exit points telling drivers in emergencies the route to the next junction.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what replies he sends to those letters addressed to him on the subject of industrial change and employment opportunities.

The great majority of such letters are concerned with individual cases which are investigated to see what assistance can be given by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about unemployment in the engineering industry in the West Midlands; and what reply he has sent.

I recently received a delegation of hon. Members to discuss general unemployment in the West Midlands. My hon. Friend has also had correspondence with local employment committees. His replies have stressed that the best prospect for employment in their areas lies in achieving a high rate of growth in the national economy which we intend to bring about.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why, in a time of high unemployment, the grants and allowances available to help unemployed men and women to transfer to work away from home, under Form EDL123, are not available to those engaged in civil engineering and the construction industry, even though such persons have no work available in their home area; and what action he proposes.

My Department's Resettlement Transfer Scheme provides grants and allowances to unemployed workers transferring to jobs in the building, civil engineering and constructional engineering industries which offer prospects of permanent resettlement. I should expect workers transferring to jobs in these industries which do not offer prospects of permanent resettlement, normally to qualify for assistance from their employers under the provisions for travelling and lodging of the working rule agreement for the industries.

asked the Secretary of State for employment what percentage of those registered as unemployed at the latest available date were men who had retired before the age of 65 years, in Scotland and in Great Britain, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons included in the most recent unemployment figures have reached the retiring age in their particular profession before registering as unemployed.

The monthly counts of the unemployed include all persons registered for employment at Employment Exchanges and Youth Employment Service Careers Offices who are both available for and capable of work. There is no requirement for registrants to give details of any occupational retirement pensions they may be receiving. However, as a result of a special sample survey held in January, 1971, it was estimated that about 4,000 registered wholly unemployed men aged 60–64 in Scotland and about 52,000 in Great Britain as a whole were receiving occupational pensions. These men constituted about 31 per cent. and 7½ per cent. of all unemployed registrants in Scotland and in Great Britain respectively in that month.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the people included in the most recent unemployment figures have been unemployed for more than one year; and how many of them have never had a job at all.

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AT 8TH NOVEMBER, 1971 IN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS IN LANARKSHIRE
			Men, 18 and over	Boys, under 18	Women, 18 and over	Girls, under 18	Total	Percentage rate*
Airdrie	…	…	1,499	149	460	86	2,194	8·9
Bellshill	…	…	621	85	226	59	991
Blantyre	…	…	556	36	211	39	842
Carluke	…	…	132	8	63	12	215
Coatbridge	…	…	1,885	196	535	101	2,717
East Kilbride		…	699	60	210	31	1,000
Hamilton	…	…	1,531	74	471	68	2,144
Larkhall	…	…	510	41	235	33	819
Motherwell		…	1,036	95	361	71	1,563
Uddingston	…	…	588	50	162	19	819
Wishaw	…	…	1,145	117	473	105	1,840
Lanark	…	…	324	41	163	39	567	7·2
Lesmahagow		…	379	14	226	30	649	24·6
Shotts	…	…	359	26	177	34	596	10·1
* Percentage rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the total numbers registered as unemployed as percentages of the estimated numbers of employees, employed and unemployed. Rates can be calculated for the whole of the North Lanarkshire travel-to-work area but not separately for its constituent parts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many persons who are currently unemployed are receiving no unemployment benefit;(2) how many of the people included in the most recent unemployment figures are in receipt of unemployment benefit;

At 11th October, 129,909 people had been registered as unemployed for more than 52 weeks, and 19,299 were school-leavers who had not entered employment since terminating full-time education. At 8th November, the number of unemployed school-leavers was 11,935.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will set up a special tribunal to hear appeals from the Registrar of Trade Unions additional to the Industrial Court.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details showing the numbers of males and females, over and under 18 years of age, registering at each employment exchange in Lanarkshire, and the percentage these figures represent of the insurable population.

Following is the information:and what percentage of the unemployment figures these people constitute.

At 9th August, the latest date for which information about persons receiving unemployment benefit is available, 859,000 people were registered as unemployed in Great Britain. It is estimated that of these about 432,000 were not receiving unemployment benefit, including 221,000 who received neither unemployment benefit nor supplementary allowance. Of the 427,000 (nearly 50 per cent.) who received unemployment benefit, 106,000 were also in receipt of supplementary allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those local authorities which are not selling council houses; and what proportion they are of the total number of local authorities in Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on Friday, 5th November, when I gave a list of the 22 out of the 168 local housing authorities in Wales which sold houses between 1st October, 1970, and 30th September, 1971. Since then I am informed that the Crickhowell R.D.C. has sold 1 house.—[Vol. 825, c. 46.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek powers to authorise special assistance to expedite and increase the council house building programme in Wales.

The proposals in the Housing Finance Bill are designed to encourage the building of council houses where the need for them is greatest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be in a position to report on the review being made by the Northern Ireland Government of licensed guns.

I understand that so far the review has led to the temporary surrender of over 1,500 weapons and the permanent surrender of over 700 weapons. The interviewing of owners of weapons is continuing as fast as the commitments of the Royal Ulster Constabulary permit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences, during 1968, 1969, and 1970, separately caused loss of, or damage to, property to the value greater than £5,000, £7,500 and £15,000; and in how many of these cases there was a successful prosecution.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in 1968, 1969 and 1970 magistrates' courts imposed two or more consecutive sentences of imprisonment of an aggregate of more than six months.

I regret that this information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will initiate legislation for the purpose of making kerb-crawling for the purpose of soliciting or seeking prostitution a specific offence.