asked the Lord President of the Council if he will give consideration to providing some means whereby hon. Members may register their outside interests on a voluntary basis.

On this issue generally I refer the hon. Member to the written reply I gave the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) on 19th January. Any attempt to devise a scheme of voluntary registration would be faced with the same problems of defining "outside interests" as would a compulsory one.—[Vol. 829, c. 182.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a table showing the average monthly quantity of cereal feedingstuffs imported into Northern Ireland from outside the United Kingdom in each year from 1961 to 1971, inclusive, and the actual monthly quantity imported in each month since January, 1969, analysed by country of origin, together with the minimum import prices which operated at the time where applicable.

The information on imports is not available in the form requested. Minimum import prices of cereals applicable since January, 1969, are published in The Price Stability of Imported Products (Minimum Import Price Levels) Order, 1968 (S.I. No. 1132) and The Price Stability of Imported Products (Minimum Import Price Levels) (Cereals) Order, 1971 (S.I. No. 632).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his further discussions with the bacon curers about the marketing of contract bacon pigs in 1972–73.

I have nothing to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member Arundel and Shoreham (Mr. Luce) on 21st January, 1972.—[Vol. 829, c. 269–70.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle have been slaughtered in the last 12 months for which figures are readily available under the provisions of the Tuberculosis Order, 1964; and how many of these have subsequently been shown not to have had tuberculosis.

The number of reactors slaughtered in the 12 months ended 30th September, 1971, was 1,856. None of these was subsequently shown not to have had tuberculosis.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what are the noise restrictions on landing and take-off of Service planes at Northolt, particularly after 20.00 hours.

Specific operating instructions that have a direct bearing on aircraft noise during take-off and landing at Royal Air Force Northolt are as follows:

(a) Use of the south-eastern taxiway has been discontinued because of its proximity to neighbouring private houses.

(b) Special clearance is required for landing any jet aircraft larger than the HS125 (which is categorised as a light jet).

(c) On take-off, aircraft are required to have attained a height of 70 ft. on reaching the end of the runway and are prohibited from turning before having attained 700 ft. above ground level.

(d) Subject to operational necessary, use of the airfield is restricted to the period between 08.00 hours and 20.00 hours except for the occasional aircraft returning to base at the end of a flight.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement about the number of occasions in the last 12 months when British troops and security forces have been attacked from the Irish Republic across the United Kingdom land frontier; how many shots were fired or mines exploded; and with what result.

I regret that to give a full answer to this Question would involve a disproportionate amount of effort. However, from 29th August, 1971, to 21st January, 1972, there have been some 150 incidents on the border including shootings, bombings, burnings and civil disturbances. In only 10 of these incidents were local people alone involved. There have been 83 shooting incidents, and troops returned fire on 60 occasions. Though exact records are not available, considerably over 2,000 rounds have been fired by the terrorists at the security forces. Two members of the security forces have been killed and seven wounded.

asked the Minister of State for Defence under whose control and direction British troops were acting at MacGilligan Camp, Northern Ireland, in the confrontation with civil rights demonstrators on Saturday, 22nd January.

The troops were under the command of 8 Infantry Brigade and were responsible, through the General Officer Commanding. Northern Ireland, to the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what offence was committed by the civil rights demonstrators outside MacGilligan Camp on 22nd January which resulted in British troops firing rubber bullets at the demonstrators.

Demonstrators attempted forcibly to approach a prohibited area, and thereby threatened its security. In the process some of them repeatedly threw stones, and only when they could not be deterred by other means were rubber bullets fired.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when MacGilligan Beach was bought by the Ministry of Defence.

No land at Magilligan below high water mark is owned by the Ministry of Defence, but about 135 acres known as Magilligan Strand have been leased since 1966 from the Crown Estates Commissioners.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what warnings were given to the demonstrators at MacGilligan Beach on Saturday, 22nd January, before the troops fired rubber bullets.

They were warned at their assembly point and at the approaches to the camp that they would not be permitted to enter the prohibited area.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what briefings are given to British troops in the handling of peaceful civil rights demonstrations on private roads and public beaches in Northern Ireland.

Troops do not intervened in demonstrations, wherever they occur, unless there is or is likely to be a breach of the law. In that case, they act in accordance with their general instructions, which include a requirement to use only such force as is necessary and reasonable, and with any specific instructions which a particular situation may require.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will hold a public inquiry into incidents on MacGilligan Beach and outside MacGilligan Camp on Saturday, 22nd January, in which the Army was involved; and if he will make a statement.

No. Between 1.30 and 2.30 p.m. a crowd of about 700 people assembled at the Golden Slipper Ballroom, Magilligan, with the expressed intention of demonstrating at Magilligan Camp. They were warned that they would not be permitted to enter the prohibited area of the camp but no attempt was made to stop them moving along a lane and subsequently along the beach towards the camp.The approach to the camp along the beach was barred by a temporary wire fence. The crowd stopped about 200 yards from this. A small number came forward, and were reminded that they were approaching the prohibited area. Nevertheless, the main body of demonstrators was called forward and stones were thrown at the security forces. The latter did not respond but withdrew out of range.The crowd then surged forward and attempted to force its way towards the prohibited area. The troops fired rubber bullets and made a baton charge, preventing the demonstrators from advancing further. Stone-throwing continued for a few minutes, to which the troops replied with rubber bullets. Many of the demonstrators began to move back along the beach, but some 300 moved inland towards Magilligan Camp itself. Seeing that they would be stopped, they set fire to a hut and then retired across fields to the ballroom. The security forces did not intervene.On their return to the Ballroom the demonstrators threw stones and other missiles at the security forces on duty there, and at about 6.15 p.m. set fire to the ballroom, causing considerable internal damage. At about 6.30 p.m. the security forces dispersed the remaining crowd.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many houses and flats will be built in the years 1971–72 and 1972–73 for Royal Naval families in Plymouth.

As part of a large continuing programme for acquiring houses as married quarters in Plymouth, it is expected that 26 for officers and about 200 for ratings will be completed in 1971–72 and about 400 for ratings in 1972–73.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the programme for the building of new quarters for naval ratings and the Women's Royal Naval Service at H.M.S. "Drake"; and what he anticipates will be the dates of completion.

A new block for male junior ratings at H.M.S. "Drake" will be completed in about July, 1972. It comprises 840 beds and galley, dining hall and N.A.A.F.I. club for all junior ratings. A new W.R.N.S. block will be completed about the end of 1972. It is planned that additional blocks for about 370 junior ratings and 120 officers will be completed in the second half of 1974. Further improvements to accommodation for both senior and junior ratings are envisaged after 1974.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many new parking places are going to be provided for those working in Her Majesty's Dockyard in 1970–71 and 1972–73.

The number of new parking spaces already provided or expected to be provided are 16 in 1970–71, 600 in 1971–72 and about 200 in 1972–73.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether the figure of £4 million which is the saving in capital costs of moving the Royal Naval Stores Depot from Copenacre to Hartlebury takes account of rehousing employees and installing new test rooms at Hartlebury.

£4 million is the net saving in capital costs which will be achieved by transferring the functions of the Royal Naval Stores Depots at Copenacre and Eaglescliffe to Hartlebury. It takes account of works services required at Hartlebury including the installation of new test rooms. No works costs are expected to arise on Defence Votes in respect of rehousing employees.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether there will be any redundancies in the clerical grade in connection with the move of the Royal Naval Stores from Copenacre.

The effect on employment at Copenacre should be small over the next two to three years. It is hoped that any need for redundancy in the clerical grades will be eliminated by normal wastage and by opportunities for transfer to Hartlebury.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to ensure that, in future, copies of non-parliamentary papers or reports of her Department are available in the Vote Office at the time embargoed for their publication.

I will ensure that action is taken by my Department in accordance with the statement by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House at yesterday's Business questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the average weekly earnings, including overtime, of men and women manual workers, normally working full time in all industries and services covered by the half-yearly inquiries carried out by his Department for the years 1950, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1968, the first half of 1970, the second half of 1970, and for 1971.

The available information is set out below:

	Men, 21 years and over	Women, 18 years and over
	£	£
April, 1950	7·29	4·01
October, 1950	7·52	4·12
April, 1960	14·10	7·25
October, 1960	14·53	7·4
April, 1964	17·62	8·82
October, 1964	18·11	8·95
April, 1966	20·25	9·97
October, 1966	20·30	10·07
April, 1968	22·26	10·94
October, 1968	23·00	11·30
October, 1970	28·05	13·99

Inquiries were not held in April, 1970 or April, 1971. The results for October, 1971 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest monthly unemployment figure for the Walthamstow and Leyton area; and what were the comparable figures for one, two and three years previously.

At January, 1972 there were provisionally 2,731 people registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Leyton and Walthamstow Employment Exchange. The figures for January, 1971, January, 1970, and January, 1969, were 2,025, 1,788 and 1,696 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the costs to his Department of a redundant married coalminer who has to change home due to being transferred to a pit in another district when this is organised by his Department and of a redundant married coalminer or other married industrial worker who, also organised by his Department, has to transfer his home to work in some other industry.

Allowances to redundant married coalminers who are transferred to pits in other districts are paid by the National Coal Board.A redundant married coalminer, or any other redundant worker, who is placed by my Department in employment in another industry beyond daily travelling distance of his home, and is eligible, will receive the grants and allowances offered under my Department's Resettlement Transfer Scheme. The cost varies, depending on individual circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that the European Economic Community has now agreed to pay wage rises between 6 per cent. and 7 per cent.; to what extent Her Majesty's Government's figure of 7 per cent. is based upon the European Economic Community's recommendation; and whether, on entry into the European Economic Community, this country will be bound by this regulation.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury, on 21st January. The Government have not adopted a specific figure as their objective in their efforts to achieve a substantial and progressive reduction in the level of pay settlements.—[Vol. 829, c. 300–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that, since June, 1970, the total number of registered unemployed in the London Borough of Newham has risen from 2,888 to 4,219 as at January, 1972, and that during this period the number of male unemployed rose from 2,690 in June to 4,010 in January, 1972; and what action he now proposes to take to restore the employment situation in Newham to that which was in being in June, 1970.

I am, of course, aware of the figures. I would expect Newham to benefit from the extensive measures we have taken to expand the economy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received the commissioner's report of the public inquiry which sat on 2nd and 3rd February, 22nd, 23rd and 24th March and 5th April, 1971, to consider objections to the highly flammable liquids regulations.

The report has not yet been received. My right hon. Friend has written to the commissioner informing him of the importance which he attaches to this matter and asking him to let him have his report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to publish his new proposals on industrial training.

On 1st February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what grant Retford Rural Council will receive for the slum clearance of 71, Middleton Row, North Leverton, Retford; whether he will refuse to pay the grant in view of the fact that the Council are refusing to rehouse the occupants who have lived there four years; and whether he will make an investigation into the eviction of the tenants under the Small Tenements Act, 1838.

If Clause 11 of the Housing Finance Bill becomes law, subsidy will be paid towards the annual loss incurred by an authority on slum clearance operations generally. Provided the statutory requirements are satisfied, my right hon. Friend has no power to withhold the subsidy. He has no jurisdiction in the statutory procedures in Part II of the Housing Act, 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the seven authorities at present issuing precepts to the County Borough of Bolton, and state which of these will be able to precept on either Metropolitan District B or the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County Council after local government reorganisation.

The seven authorities are:

• Bolton and District Joint Sewerage Board.
• Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries Joint Committee.
• Mersey and Weaver River Authority.
• Manchester Corporation: Assize Courts.
• Lancashire South-East Probation Area Committee.
• Lancashire Police Authority.
• S.E.L.N.E.C. Passenger Transport Authority.

(Source: Bolton County Borough Rate Demand Note.)After local government reorganisation, the functions of the S.E.L.N.E.C. Passenger Transport Authority and of the Lancashire Police Authority are expected to be taken over by the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County Council by virtue of the Local Government Bill. Assize courts were abolished under the Courts Act, 1971.The arrangements in the probation service will depend upon the outcome of consultations which the Home Office are conducting with the interested bodies.The Bolton and District Joint Sewerage Board is one of the bodies to be replaced by the proposed regional water authority for the North-West, which will also take over at least some of the functions of the Mersey and Weaver River Authority. In principle the revenues to enable the regional water authority to discharge its main functions are expected to come from charges for the services it provides. The future of sea fisheries committees will have to be reviewed in the light of the reorganisation of local government water services and that review will extend to their precepting powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue a circular to local authorities concerning their arrangements for publicising and making available to the public lists of planning applications received by them.

The circular is in draft and will include, among other matters, firmer guidance about the notification of planning applications to parish councils, on the lines indicated in my reply of 24th January to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Winchester (Rear Admiral Morgan-Giles). I hope that it will issue shortly.—[Vol. 839, c.339.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision on the proposal to include a conference centre as part of the Covent Garden redevelopment.

I have not yet received the report of the inquiry. It is too early to give any estimate of when a decision on these proposals is likely to be issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of drivers of foreign lorries entering British ports were found to have insufficient documentation in each of the past five years;(2) what percentage of foreign lorries entering British ports he estimates to have been longer than permitted by British law in each of the past five years;(3) what percentage of foreign lorries entering British ports he estimates to have been overweight in each of the last five years.

I regret that the information requested is not available. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the maximum weight permitted for lorries in each of the European Economic Community member and candidate countries, showing how these figures differ from that for the United Kingdom;(2) what is the maximum length permitted for lorries in the United Kingdom; and what are the comparable figures for each of the European Economic Community and European Free Trade Association countries.

According to the best information immediately available, the limits are as follows:Weight Limits:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now assess the effect on individual authorities of the Government's reform of housing finance.

The effect on any authority depends upon the current and future income and expenditure in the authority's housing revenue account. This is most readily estimated by the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the short-term and longer-term improvement of the Western Avenue-Hanger Lane intersection, Ealing; and what are the maximum designed traffic flows into and out of Hanger Lane for each scheme.

The short-term plan is to widen Hanger Lane railway bridge to enable Hanger Lane to carry a peak two-way traffic flow of 7,000 vehicles per hour.Consultants have not yet submitted their final report of a feasibility study into the longer-term improvement of this intersection and others on the North Circular Road and Western Avenue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many places have to date been provided by each local authority for gipsies or other travellers under the Caravan Sites Act, 1968.

Following is the information:

Provision made since Pt. II of the Caravan Sites Act, 1968, was brought into force on 1st April, 1970
County Councils	Caravan Pitches
Devon	8
Essex	16
Gloucestershire	14
Hertfordshire	15
Kent	12
Lincolnshire (Kesteven)	16
Somerset	8
County Boroughs	Caravan Pitches
Manchester	16
Plymouth	15
St. Helens	12
West Bromwich	15
Wolverhampton	15
London Boroughs
Sutton	15
	177
Provision made Prior to 1st April, 1970 17 local authorities had provided 409 pitches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider the possibility and advantages of legislation to require motorists to carry their driving licences with them when using their vehicles.

I am not convinced that such a requirement is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for improvements to the principal road system in the South-East Lancashire and North-East Cheshire and Yorkshire conurbations.

The following 46 road schemes in the urban areas of South

Authority					Scheme
Bolton C.B.C.	…	A673	…	…	Inner Renet Road, Northern limb (Chorley New Road to Moor Lane and Kaye Street).
					Daubhill link (junction A58/6140 to A579) (Bolton section).
		A579	…	…	Bury Road improvement (Bradford Street to Oaken-bottom Road).
Bury C.B.C.	…	A58	…	…	Rochdale Road widening (Heywood Street to Bury Easterly By-pass).
Cheshire C.C.	…	…	…	…	Hyde Inner Relief Road, Stage 1.
		A5102	…	…	Widening (A6 diversion. Stockport to Bridge Lane). Bramhall.
		A538	…	…	Dualling (M56 to Wilmslow).
Lancashire C.C.	…	A6017	…	…	Guide Lane improvement, Audenshaw (Nelson Street to Denton Road).
		A663	…	…	Broadway improvement, Failsworth and Royton (Moston Lane East to Eustace Street).
		A57	…	…	Diversion, Eccles town centre.
					Southern slip roads at junction of link road from Ashton-under-Lyne with Manchester Outer Ring Road.
					Daubhill link (junction A58/A6140 to A579) (Lancashire section).
		A668	…	…	Blackburn Street diversion Radcliffe.
Manchester C.B.C.	…	A6	…	…	Downing Street overpass at Mancunian Way.
		A5103	…	…	Princess Road improvement (Parkside to Inner Ring Road).
					Inner Ring Road, Stage 2 (Palmerston Street to Rochdale Road and including Oldham Road diversion Butlar Street to Inner Ring Road).
					Inner Ring Road, Stage 3 (Rochdale Road to Salford boundary at A56).
					Princess Road improvement (Parkside Road to Mauldeth Road).
		A57	…	…	Hyde Road improvement (Intermediate Ring Road to Inner Ring Road).
		A57	…	…	Hyde Road improvement (Intermediate Ring Road to Reddish Lane).
		A56	…	…	Bury New Road improvement (New Bridge Street to Salford boundary).
Oldham C.B.C.	…	A62	…	…	Manchester Street improvement (Southern Internal bypass to Frederick Street).
		A62	…	…	Manchester Road improvement (Frederick Street to Clowes Street).
Rochdale C.B.C.	…	A671 and A627		…	Molesworth Street, Wood Street and Oldham Road improvement (John Street to Ainsworth Street).
		A627	…	…	Oldham Road improvement (Ainsworth Street to Broad Lane).
		A58	…	…	Yorkshire Street and Halifax Road dualling (Lomax Street to Albert Royds Street).
Salford C.B.C.	…	…	…	…	Manchester Inner Ring Road, Salford section (M602 to A56 North).
Stockport C.B.C.	…	A626	…	…	Diversion, Stage 1 (Manchester Road/Sandy Lane to Great Portwood Street).
		A626	…	…	Diversion, Stage 3 (Spring Gardens to Offerton Lane/ Woodlands Drive).
Bradford C.B.C.	…	A6036	…	…	Outer Ring improvement (Laisterdyke to Dudley Hill).
Dewsbury C.B.C.	…	…	…	…	Southern By-pass, Stage 1.
					Huddersfield Road improvement.
Halifax C.B.C.	…	A629	…	…	Huddersfield Road improvement.
		A629	…	…	Inner Relief Road, Stage 3.
Huddersfield C.B.C.	…	A629	…	…	Halifax Road improvement (East Street to M62).
		A629	…	…	Wakefield Road improvement.
		A616	…	…	Lockwood Road improvement.
Leeds C.B.C.	…	A6120	…	…	Outer Ring Road improvement (Leeds C.B. boundary eastwards to existing dualling at Parkstone Avenue).
Wakefield C.B.C.	…	A61/A638		…	A61/A638 Flyover.
		A638	…	…	Doncaster Road improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why no reply has yet been sent to letters addressed to him on 11th September, 1971, and 11th January, 1972, from the hon. Member for Islington, South-West, about his responsibility for higher rented accommodation in Islington.

I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday explaining the need for me to have inquiries made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what request he has received from the Northern Ireland Government for help by the Home Office Prison Inspectorate in examining prisons in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

A full inspection of Belfast Prison was carried out in March, 1971, by a team of inspectors from the Home Office Prison Department Inspectorate. The inspection was carried out on the same lines as those of Prison Department establishments in England and Wales. A report containing a number of recommendations was forwarded to the Northern Ireland Ministry of Home Affairs in August, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he has taken to implement his assurance that he would discuss detailed suggestions about internment with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland;

I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to his Questions on 20th December, 1971.—[Vol 828, c. 253–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to open the inter-party talks on Northern Ireland at Westminster; and what numbers of representatives from each party will be invited.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 9th December, 1971.—[Vol. 827, c. 364.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers of foreign lorries were prosecuted in each of the last five years on account of their vehicles not complying with the Road Traffic Acts and related regulations; and what proportion resulted in successful prosecutions.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no action is proposed against Mr. Beverley Nichols, in view of the fact that he has made a self-confession of three attempts at murder and published evidence of how and in what way these murder attempts were made; and under what statutory authority the Metropolitan Police have declined to take action.

Because the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis does not think that evidence on which to base a prosecution is available or could be obtained. This is a matter of judgment, not statute.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has completed his review of the practice of the Inland Revenue of paying tax rebates to married women through their husband's pay; and if he will publish the content of the review as well as his decisions.

Not yet. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as a decision is reached in this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much corporation tax for the year 1970–71 was still outstanding, compared with the same figure for 1969–70, and 1968–69, on the same date in each case.

The corporation tax outstanding at the end of each year of account was as follows:

Year of Account ending on	Total outstanding	Under appeal	Collectable
	£m.	£m.	£m.
31.10.1969	140	99	41
30.10.1970	193	145	53
29.10.1971	197	138	59

The corporation tax charged in 1970 was substantially greater than that charged in 1969.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the annual Exchequer gains or losses on the abolition of both family allowances and child tax allowances and their replacement by a child endowment cash benefit, for each child including the first, of, respectively, £1.50, £1.75, £2.00, £2.25 and £2.50 per week, taxed or tax-free, respectively, in each case.

Assuming that the endowment would be paid to all those children now qualifying for the child tax allowance the estimated figures for 1971–72 are approximately as follows:

COST (-) OR YIELD (+)
Weekly Benefit	Benefit not taxed	Benefit taxed
£p	£m.	£m.
1·50	-100	+ 200
1·75	-300	+ 75
2·00	-500	- 75
2·25	-700	-225
2·50	-900	-375

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the annual gains or losses to, respectively, single persons, married couples without children, married couples with two children and married couples with four children, with income in each case, respectively, of £750, £1,000, £2,000, £3,000, £4,000, £5,000, £10,000 and £20,000 on the raising of the single person's allowance to £700 and the married man's allowance to £1,000, the wife's earnings allowance being unchanged, on the abolition of tax allowances and on the levying of income tax at 25 per cent. on income below £1,000 and at 5 per cent. higher rates on each successive £1,000 block of income, stabilising at 75 per cent. beyond £10,000;(2) what is his estimate of the annual Exchequer gains or losses regarding, respectively, single persons, married couples without children, and married couples with one, two, three, and four or more children, respectively, on raising the single person's allowance to £700 and the married man's allowance to £1,000, the wife's earnings allowance being unchanged, on the abolition of child tax allowances, and on the levying of income tax at 25 per cent. on income below £1,000 and at 5 per cent. higher rates on each successive £1,000 block of income, subject to a 75 per cent. ceiling beyond £10,000.

I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind. If he will write to me saying whether he is thinking of a type of unified tax system as set out in the Finance Act, 1971, and, if so, precisely how he would deal with such things as the differential between earned and investment income, the claw-back and the other allowances and reliefs, I will try and supply him with the figures asked for and an estimate of the cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the circumstances in which a working wife can claim tax relief for her husband who is not working, and the procedure that men on strike have to go through to become eligible for such tax relief.

Where it can be established that the husband's tax allowances will exceed the combined total incomes of husband and wife—excluding the wife's earnings—estimated for the full tax year, the excess may, on a claim being made to the husband's tax office, be set against his wife's earnings. Few, if any, men on strike are likely to qualify.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what directions have been issued to regional and branch offices relating to entitlement to supplementary and other benefits to miners' families during the current industrial dispute.

As my hon. Friend said in his reply to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) on 18th January, the staff have instructions for dealing with supplementary benefit claims received from miners on strike. These follow the standing instructions for dealing with supplementary benefit claims during industrial disputes, amplified as necessary to deal with any special features of the situation.—[Vol. 829, c. 123.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons in Wales, at the last available date, were eligible for family income supplement; and how many of these had made a claim.

No estimates of numbers eligible for family income supplements have been made except for Great Britain as a whole. Up to 21st January, 1972, about 3,700 families in Wales had claimed this benefit successfully.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons living in Cardiganshire were eligible for family income supplement; and how many of these had made a claim.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further proposals he has for publishing to persons who are likely to be eligible therefor the provisions of the family income supplement scheme.

There will be further television and Press advertising, posters, leaflets and direct mail to make known the higher F.I.S. payments and income levels. There will be an official in each region who will review the publicity arrangements to ensure that all practicable efforts are made to see that people know of their entitlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what advice he received from his inter-departmental committee on smoking and health concerning the licensing of retail tobacconists once again with a view to controlling the sale of cigarettes in the neighbourhood of schools; if he will now initiate discussions with the Government Departments concerned with a view to the introduction of legislation; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will introduce legislation for the purpose of controlling the siting of cigarette vending machines so that they are not in the neighbourhood of schools and colleges, in accordance with the policy of the British Medical Association; and if he will make a statement.

The Royal College of Physicians' Report recommended that:

"Further consideration should be given to strengthening and extending the regulations that forbid selling cigarettes to children and to the abolition of all cigarette-vending machines in public places".

The recommendations of the Royal College of Physicians were considered in the interdepartmental discussions to which the hon. Member refers and I have nothing to add to my replies to

him on 23rd November and 16th December, 1971.—[Vol. 826, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of waiting lists for admission of non-emergency cases to

			1970	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
Sheffield Regional Hospital area	…	…	11·3	10·8	11·1	11·3	11·3	11·5
England	…	…	11·4	10·9	11·2	11·2	11·0	11·5

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of waiting lists for the admission of non-emergency cases to the Nottingham General Hospital.

The numbers waiting, by speciality, on 31st December, 1971, were:

General surgery	564
Orthopaedic surgery	82
E.N.T. (T. and A.)	215
E.N.T. (other)	555
General medicine	14
Dental surgery	141

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what investigations he intends to carry out into the complaints made by the Nottinghamshire National Health Service Executive Council at a meeting on 20th January, 1972, that the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board has failed to allocate a fair share of the resources available to it to the Nottingham area.

There is no need for special investigation. Officers of my Department have been actively associated with the board and the hospital management committees concerned in the development of services. I am satisfied that the area which has received substantial increases of both capital and revenue has been allocated its fair share of the resources available to the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many medical consultants for each 100,000 populations are now practising in the area of the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board; how this compares with the national average; and what are the comparable figures for the previous five years.

The numbers on hospital waiting lists per 1,000 population on 31st December, 1970, and the previous five years, were as follows:

The numbers at 30th September each year, in terms of whole-time equivalents, were:

	Sheffield Region	England and Wales
1971 (provisional)	12·4	16·8
1970	12·1	16·3
1969	11·7	15·9
1968	11·6	15·5
1967	11·2	15·3
1966	10·8	14·9
All these figures include teaching hospital staff employed by boards of governors.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made by his Department in rectifying the deficiency of funds allocated to the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board in comparison with the national average of funds in relation to populations for all hospital boards.

Under the arrangements designed to enable all regions progressively to achieve similar standards of hospital service, the revenue allocation per head of population in the Sheffield Region has increased from 85 per cent. of the average for all regions in 1971–72 to 88 per cent. of the average in 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he has had concerning offers by branches of the Post Office Engineering Union to install, free of labour costs, telephones in the homes of disabled people, particularly in respect of the operations in Wales and the Marches and the refusal of the Post Office to permit the Metropolitan West Branch of the union to install such telephones in the Borough of Ealing.

If the Post Office decides to take advantage of an offer by the union to carry out work of this kind in any area in the light of the experiment in Wales, I should of course be glad to bring it to the notice of the local authority concerned. My Department is maintaining contact with the Post Office on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of local authority hostels for the mentally disturbed and mentally subnormal and the total number of places in such hostels.

At 31st December, 1970, the latest date for which information is available, local authorities in England provided 1,753 places in 109 homes for the mentally ill and 4,785 places in 229 homes for the mentally handicapped.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of private and voluntary hostels used by local authorities for the mentally disturbed and mentally subnormal and the approximate number of places available in them.

Information is not readily available in the form sought. At 31st December, 1970, local authorities were making use of 818 places for the mentally ill and 1,814 places for the mentally handicapped in private and voluntary hostels.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will amend Regulation 7(i)I of the National Insurance (Unemployment and Sickness Benefit) Regulations, 1967, to enable a person to earn a higher figure than 33½p per day before unemployment benefit is disallowed.

No, but the matter will be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review social security benefits on an annual basis in future.

I announced on 16th December that national insurance retirement pensions and related benefits would in future be reviewed annually, as supplementary benefits are already.—[Vol. 828, c. 852–9]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the results of the inquiry his Department has carried out regarding the establishment of ethical committees.

My Department's inquiry of hospital authorities about progress made in establishing ethical committees has shown that all teaching hospital authorities and over 70 per cent. of other hospital authorities have now established such committees. Overall about one-fifth of all committees include lay members. My Department will consider with the professional bodies concerned whether in the light of the results of the inquiry further guidance to hospital authorities on the subject of clinical investigation should be issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will list those supplementary benefits offices in England where the four-week rule restricting supplementary allowances is still applied.

Following is the information:London North Region:

asked the Secretary State for Social Services if he will list those regions where the four-week rule restricting supplementary allowances is now no longer applied.

Awards of supplementary benefit limited at the outset to four weeks are not made in Scotland and Wales or in the Northern, Yorkshire and Humberside, North Western (Merseyside), North Western (Manchester), or East Midlands and East Anglia Regions of England.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what research and development work he is doing in the field of multi-scanning techniques from aircraft;(2) what research he is doing into aerial surveying and interpretation of data gained from aerial surveying.

The Department is not directly engaged in research into surveying techniques from aircraft. However, a research project is being financed at Bedford College, University of London, which involves the analysis of multi-spectral photography and infra-red linescan imagery taken from aircraft. This project, the main objective of which is mineralogical, is of potential relevance to the development of remote sensing techniques for surveying earth resources from space.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work he is doing on sounding rockets.

Sounding rockets have been used for some years for the space-proving of equipment developed under the National Space Technology Programme for which the Department is now responsible. During 1972 trials are being conducted with specially equipped Skylark sounding rockets to prove their use in the remote sensing of earth resources from space.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will compile and publish an inventory of European legislative, regulatory and administrative measures on pollution control for the use of those in trade and industry.

This would be a considerable task and, given that the European Commission has proposed a study of the legislation of member States on pollution control, I am not satisfied that the cost of compiling and publishing the inventory would be justified. However, the Department is prepared to help individual firms and industries which require specific information and is making available to trade associations a list of E.E.C. directives issued (or in draft) under Article 100 of the E.E.C. Treaty which includes all those in any way connected with pollution control.

						1968	1969	1970	1971
North	…	…	…	…	…	18,750	15,380	16,510	5,290
Yorkshire and Humberside			…	…	…	9,340	11,190	9,390	5,870
East Midlands	…	…	…	…	…	6,280	8,140	6,950	5,920
East Anglia	…	…	…	…	…	4,720	9,910	4,160	4,200
South East	…	…	…	…	…	14,220	22,190	25,520	23,470
South West	…	…	…	…	…	7,560	10,200	8,340	4,870
Wales	…	…	…	…	…	16,510	16,790	14,650	5,610
West Midlands	…	…	…	…	…	5,240	7,320	6,870	4,480
North West	…	…	…	…	…	23,300	20,380	17,030	6,900
Scotland	…	…	…	…	…	20,520	17,250	10,580	13,260

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it remains his policy to support the relocation of industry from Greater London to other regions.

The Government will continue to encourage industry in London to put new projects or significant expansions in the assisted areas or where they have strong ties to the South-East, in the new or expanding towns. Industrial development certificates will continue to be available in greater London for rehousing firms planned out of their existing premises, rebuilding schemes involving increased productivity with no increase in labour and projects tied to the area which do not lead to an undue additional demand for labour. In 1971 industrial development certificates for nearly 6 million sq. ft. were granted in the Greater London Council area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new jobs were created in each of the economic planning regions in 1971; and what are the comparable figures for 1968, 1969 and 1970.

I regret that information on jobs created is not available; but the additional employment estimated to arise from projects of 10,000 sq. ft. and over when the projects are complete and fully manned and for which industrial development certificates were issued is as follows:

the Secretary of State for Wales if he will assist Glantawe Hospital Management Committee to postpone the closure of the traumatic unit of Morriston Hospital, Swansea, due to take place on 31st January; and if he will make a statement.

In spite of every effort the Glantawe Hospital Management Committee has, unfortunately, been unable to recruit medical staff for the unit. The management committee is therefore reluctantly compelled to close the unit at the end of January. Arrangements have been made for all accident and casualty cases to be attended to at Singleton Hospital until further notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current rate of gross migration out of Wales; how many of the persons concerned are between 18 to 40 years of age; and what significant improvement he expects in the present trends within the next three years.

Detailed figures on internal migration within Great Britain are only available from the Census. The figures from the 1971 Census are expected to be available later this year.

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 so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.14 Protective and Special Measures are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24th January.—[Vol. 829, c. 308–10.]