asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has had about the difficulty of recruiting head teachers.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which school building proposals in the major and minor works programmes will be affected in the West Riding County Council's educational areas, due to the Chancellor's announcement of public spending cuts.

The West Riding local education authority is responsible for deciding which minor works projects at county schools should be carried out within its minor works allocation. My Department has yet to decide whether any minor works projects at voluntary aided schools should be deferred.The list of major works projects which will be affected is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which school buildings have been deleted from the 1974–75 and 1975–76 building programmes for Sunderland as a result of the Government's economy measures

Two projects in the 1974–75 programme, for the replacement of High Southwick Junior School and Redby Infants' School.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect the recent cuts in public expenditure are likely to have on the development of schools in Liverpool; if she will name the schools that will be affected; and what is the total amount of cash involved.

Major school improvement or replacement projects will not be eligible for approval between 1st January 1974 and 30th June 1974. A list of projects affected follows. Their value at 1973 price amounts to some £782,000 for 1973–74 and about £721,000 in 1974–75.The list of major works projects which will be affected is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what circulars she has issued to local education authorities about the provision of single sex schools.

None, because local authorities are expected to provide, where possible, a variety of schools which can best meet local needs and wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will introduce legislation to meet the unavoidable minimum costs incurred by candidates in attending interviews required by colleges of education of those seeking admission.

No. Local education authorities already have discretionary powers to meet such expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science upon what grounds discretionary grants to students in respect of dependants

Annual standard rates of grant for students taking first degree and comparable courses and for students at colleges of education. The board and lodging element, where appropriate, is shown in parentheses.
		GRANT RATES FROM SEPTEMBER
		1970	1971	1972	1973
		£	£	£	£
London University and other establishments of higher and further education in the London area. and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.		420 (245)	465 (267)	480 (275)	520
Elsewhere	…	380 (205)	430 (232)	445 (240)	485
At Home	…	305 (130)	345 (147)	355 (150)	390
Married woman living in her husband's home	…	275	275	275	295
College of Education student (in England and Wales) in residence	…	170	190	200	220
Note:
The notional element for board and lodging in the grant rates for 1973–74 for London, Oxford and Cambridge, "elsewhere" and "at home" has not been calculated separately. The board and lodging element is not calculated for the married woman's rate of grant. Rates of grant for resident college of education students do not include a board and lodging element, since board and lodging is provided by the college, subject where appropriate to a parental contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will seek to ascertain the extent of the provision of synthetic meat in school meals, and advise local education authorities about its use.

My Department's nutritional standards provide for 18·5 grams of animal protein to be included in the average school meal. Vegetable protein processed and flavoured to are paid only for term time and not for vacations.

Grants made under the Students' Dependants' Allowances Regulations 1973 are intended for students with dependants who do not qualify for assistance under the main awards regulations. The purpose of these grants is to relieve hardship and provide assistance in a manner compatible with the principle that grant arrangements should not encourage young students to take on family responsibilities when they are dependent on public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will provide details of student grants for the periods 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1973–74, showing the board and lodging element of the full grant.

The information is as follows:resemble meat should not be used as a substitute. A working party is at present reviewing all nutritional aspects of school meals, and I will consider in the light of its report whether any advice needs to be issued specifically on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the estimated effects of the cuts in public spending on education in the Stockport metropolitan district.

The programmed replacement of four primary schools will be deferred until after July 1975, namely:In the present Stockport county borough area, All Saints Church of England (Controlled) Primary School, St. John's Church of England (Controlled) Primary School, Parish Church Church of England (Controlled) Primary School;In the present Cheshire County area, Woodford County Primary School.The local education authorities are responsible for deciding which projects should be carried out within their minor works allocation and for deciding how the necessary savings in recurrent expenditure should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards the establishment of the Business Education Council recommended in the Haslegrave Report.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Mr. John Bruce Lockhart as Chairman of the Business Education Council; and that I shall shortly issue invitations to others to serve as members. As soon as the membership is complete I shall formally establish the council.It will be concerned with the development of policies for schemes of further and higher education for people whose occupations fall within the broad area of business and commerce and whose educational needs will not be met by courses and qualifications in the office skills such as shorthand and typewriting, on the one hand, or by degrees or the diploma in higher education, on the other. As proposed in the Haslegrave Report, the council will plan, administer and keep under review the establishment of a unified national system of courses for such people; devise or approve suitable courses; establish and assess standards of performance and award certificates and diplomas to those meeting its requirements. I shall want the council to seek association with the courses and examinations in its field administered by joint committees for national certificates and diplomas and with other relevant examinations until these are replaced. In all its work I see the council proceeding with the fullest possible involvement and co-operation of employers, the professional bodies and the education service, both centrally and at local and regional level. I also expect the council to consult wiith the Technician Education Council about joint action in areas of mutual interest.As in the case of the Technician Education Council, whose establishment I announced last March, the adminitrative servicing will be provided by the City and Guilds of London Institute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in secondary schools in England and Wales are currently involved in at least one link course between secondary schools and colleges of further education and technical colleges.

Precise figures are not available but surveys carried out during the academic year 1972–73 indicated that about 100,000 pupils were taking part in linked courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the effects of the public spending cuts on education in the Greater London area.

The effects of the 20 per cent. cuts in capital expenditure, described in my Department's Circular 15/73, will vary from authority to authority within the Greater London area. So far as school building programmes are concerned the authorities with the largest basic needs will inevitably incur the smallest proportionate cuts.The effect of the 10 per cent. reduction in procurement will depend on the authorities' decisions as to how they will secure the necessary economies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the report of the Pay Board on the salaries of scientific civil servants; and if he will make a statement.

The Pay Board was not required to report by any specific date but it is making every effort to report to the Minister for the Civil Service as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will pay particular attention to the problem of finding alternative work in mining communities for men whose physical condition or age have obliged them to leave the mining industry.

I am aware of the problems facing workers obliged to leave the mining industry through age or infirmity. A great deal is already done by my Department's employment, disabled resettlement and training services for people in this position. In addition

ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES—AVERAGE GROSS WEEKLY EARNINGS
FULL-TIME MANUAL MEN, 21 AND OVER, WHOSE PAY WAS NOT AFFECTED BY ABSENCE
		Great Britain	England and Wales	Scotland	(iii) as percentage of (i)	(iii) as percentage of (ii)
		(i)	(ii)	(iii)	(iv)	(v)
		£	£	£
April 1970	…	26·80	26·90	25·70	95·9	95·5
April 1973	…	38·10	38·20	37·10	97·4	97·1

Comparisons of average earnings for different areas are affected by influences such as variation in the pattern of industry and they may not therefore give a precise indication of differences in earnings for comparable work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of all employees who have concluded settlements approved by the Pay Board as falling within the terms of phase 3 has done so at the maximum permissible rate.

The Pay Board is required to ensure that settlements are within the provisions of the pay code. It does not examine the extent to which advantage might have been taken of the various arrangements in the code allowing for pay increases within and outside the pay limit. This information is not, therefore, available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage difference at the latest available date between the average basic wage in Scotland and that in England and Wales and in the United Kingdom as a whole; and what the respective differences were in June 1970.

This Department does not compile estimates of average basic wage rates. Figures of average earnings by area are compiled regularly, however, and the following table gives information taken from the New Earnings Survey in Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why he will not invoke the Industrial Relations Act and cause a ballot to be held on the offer made to the miners.

The National Union of Mineworkers is now arranging a ballot of its members relating to the rejection of the National Coal Board's offer and a recommendation for strike action.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of redundancies in the Northern Region that have been notified to his Department in each month from 1st January 1973 to the latest available date.

Information supplied to my Department by individual employers on redundancies is often given in confidence and my right hon. Friend would not feel justified in publishing a list. However, our records show that the following numbers of workpeople were involved in redundancies recorded as due to occur in the Northern Region in each month last year:

1973 Month	Numbers involved
January	770
February	380
March	1,040
April	510
May	520
June	470
July	220
August	170
September	850
October	1,130
November*	560
December*	560
Total	7,180
* These figures are provisional as they may have to be amended in the light of later information received—for example, belated notification etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken, and proposes to take, upon the recommendations of the Quirk Report wtih regard to speech therapists.

I would refer my right hon. and learned Friend to my reply to the hon. Members for Hackney, Central (Mr. Clinton Davis) and Coventry, North (Mr. Edelman) and the right hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 22nd January.—[Vol. 867, c. 1436–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are employed in Carlisle and Cumberland, respectively, in speech therapy; how many vacancies exist; if he is satisfied with the present services: and if he will make a statement.

1·2 and 2·5 speech therapists (full-time equivalent) are employed in Carlisle and Cumberland respectively. I understand that in Carlisle and Cumberland employing authorities would like to increase these numbers. The committee of inquiry into the speech therapy services concluded that deficiencies in the service exist and its report is being carefully studied by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many qualified speech therapists are practising in the area covered by the East Cheshire Hospital Management Committee

Three, one being employed by the hospital management committee and two by the local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for informing the public about the National Health Service Ombudsman and how to approach him with a complaint: and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) on 25th January.—[Vol. 867, c. 385.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of evidence in favour of smaller community hospitals, he will ask the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board to review its plans for the future of Sedge-field General Hospital.

I understand that the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board has now completed local consultations on the change of use of Sedgefield General Hospital, and will be making recommendations to my right hon. Friend very soon. He will consider its proposals very carefully, and will take into account any representations received, including those of the hon. Member, before reaching a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date he received the communication dated 20th January 1974 from the hon. Member for West Ham, North concerning new evidence of delay upon the part of Ministers and others within ministerial control replying to letters from Members of Parliament; and what action he has taken or intends taking to deal with these and related matters.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister sent me a copy of his reply of 23rd January to the hon. Gentlemen's letter of 20th January. I am writing to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that, while according to official estimates the population of inner London is 2,700,320, the number of persons registered on doctors' lists in the same area is 3,223,737; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

Under arrangements described in my answer to the hon. Member on 8th August 1972—[Vol. 842, c. 1472–3]—the Inner London Executive Council has written to over 1 million patients on doctors' lists. 74,000 names have been removed from the lists and similar action is in train on a number of additional names. The completion of this special check, after 1st April 1974, will be a matter for the new health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money can be earned by the wife of a striker without a corresponding reduction in supplementary benefit.

Two pounds net per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the maximum amount of mortgage repayment allowance payable to the family of a man on strike;(2) what is the maximum amount of rent allowance payable to the family of a man on strike.

The amount to be added for a tenant's rent or an owner-occupier's outgoing in the calculation of a claimant's requirements for supplementary benefit purposes is for the Supplementary Benefits Commission to decide in accordance with paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 to the Supplementary Benefit Act 1966. Only the interest element of mortgage repayments is taken into account. The considerations taken into account in deciding what is a reasonable rent are described in paragraphs 44 to 52 of the Supplementary Benefits Handbook which is available in the Library of the House. I understand that the commission does not specify maximum amounts in either case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will permit the establishment of a doctor's surgery in Enderby, Leicestershire, in order to provide improved medical facilities which are needed there.

Approval of a doctor's surgery premises is a matter for the executive council in consultation with the local medical committee; a doctor has a right of appeal to my right hon. Friend against a council's decision. I understand that an application to open a branch surgery in Enderby has been recently refused by a joint committee of the Leicestershire and Rutland Executive Council and local medical committee on the grounds that the community were well served by existing facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the figure of 20 shillings was fixed as the total of other income to be disregarded in calculating supplementary pensions for people over pension age; what is his estimate of the present figure on the basis that it had been increased from that date in line with the rise in the cost of living; and what plans he has for increasing the present level.

The level of £1 was fixed in November 1966, and the amount currently needed to give it the same purchasing power would be £1·58. We have no immediate plans for an increase.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Wales are now in receipt of family income supplement.

About 4,600 families in Wales were receiving family income supplement at the end of November 1973, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now review the training facilities available for chiropodists in the Greater London area with a view to securing an adequate number of practitioners to man local authority services.

My right hon. Friend has reviewed the training facilities available for chiropodists nationally. Two of the four recognised schools in England are located in London; the Chelsea school increased its intake by 50 per cent. in 1972 and this will result in more chiropodists qualifying in 1975 onwards.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he can now say what health service projects in the area covered by the Northern Regional Hospital Board will be affected by the cut-back in public expenditure that has been announced by the Chancellor.

No. Discussions with regions have not yet been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the recognised establishments of nursing staffs in each of the hospitals of the new Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority; what are the numbers at present on

International Classification of Diseases (7th Rev.)				Miners (Occupational Units 010–013)	Other Industrial Workers (Occupational Units 014 and 015, and Occupational Orders III to XX)
				(All occupations = 100)
001	…	Respiratory tuberculosis with mention of occupational disease of lung	…	1,235	86
410–416	…	Chronic rheumatic heart disease	…	125	106
500–502	…	Bronchitis	…	159	120
523–524	…	Pneumoconiosis	…	1,504	70
The data for calculating the underlying rates came from two sources: the registration of deaths, 1959–1963, and the 1961 Census of Population. The ratios should only be treated as general indicators in mortality comparisons as they are subject to a margin of error because they reflect the occupation reported at death which, for example, may not have been the deceased's main occupation during his life. Ratios based on the 1971 Census data are not yet available

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the recognised establishments of staff in the strength; and what steps are being taken to recruit more staff.

Information in the form requested is not readily available and detailed figures could not be obtained from hospital authorities without disproportionate effort.Overall the number of nursing staff employed by hospital authorities to be administered by the Nottinghamshire AHA(T) has increased from 3,539 to 3,744 between September 1972 and January 1974.From 1st April 1974 recruitment to meet local need will be a matter for the new health authorities, which will no doubt continue the expansion of nursing services in step with planned hospital developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make available the figures comparing the standardised mortality rate for miners with other industrial workers in respect of the following diseases: bronchitis, pneumoconiosis, pneumoconiosis complicated with tuberculosis, and rheumatic heart disease.

The following standardised mortality ratios are derived from the Occupational Mortality Supplement for England and Wales based on the 1961 Census of Population and relate to men aged 15–64:professions supplementary to medicine in each of the hospitals of the new Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority; what are the numbers at present on strength; and what steps are being taken to recruit more staff.

Information in the form requested is not readily available and detailed staffing figures could not be obtained from the hospital authorities without disproportionate effort.In terms of whole-time equivalents the numbers of staff currently employed by hospital authorities in the area covered by the Nottinghamshire AHA(T) are:

Chiropodists	6¾
Dietitians	10
Medical Laboratory Technicians	214
Orthoptists	6¼
Occupational Therapists	27
Physiotherapists	82
Radiographers	102½
Remedial Gymnasts	8

Recruitment to meet local need is a matter for the appropriate hospital authority, and from 1st April 1974 this will be the area health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will outline in the OFFICIAL REPORT the categories of children at risk when they are immunised;(2) if he is satisfied that all parents are aware of the possibilities of adverse reactions when their children are immunised;(3) if he is satisfied that all children are adequately screened for possible allergies before being vaccinated;(4) if he is satisfied that proper care is taken in the vaccination procedures under the National Health Service.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information: Guidance to doctors about the hazards associated with different immunisation procedures and about the circumstances in which vaccination and immunisation are contra-indicated is given in the Standing Medical Advisory Committee's Memorandum on Immunisation against Infectious Diseases. It is for the individual doctor to satisfy himself before offering vaccination to a child that no such contra-indications exist in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has not yet instituted a scheme of compensation for vaccine-damaged children.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867 c. 360], circulated the following information: I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on the subject of compensation on 17th January.—[Vol. 867, c. 176.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study he has made of the six European countries' schemes for compensation to vaccine-damaged children.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:I am aware, through information exchanged on the Public Health Committee of the Council of Europe and otherwise, of compensation schemes that have been introduced in European countries; and am keeping in touch with developments in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he has taken to establish the actual number of children who have been damaged by vaccines;(2) if he will take steps to institute a comprehensive statistical study of the adverse effects of vaccines;(3) if he will take steps to ensure that all local authorities report to him suspected cases of vaccine damage.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:The available information is mainly derived from reports of adverse reactions received by the Committee on Safety of Medicines from medical practitioners.I am considering whether any steps could be taken to secure more precise information on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will now estimate the number of children who have been damaged by vaccines since they became routine;(2) what evidence he has for his statement, in a letter to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South on 20th November 1973, that the incidence of severe reactions to vaccinating healthy children is small.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:It is possible from the clinical experience of doctors in this and other countries to state that the incidence of severe reactions to vaccines by children is small, and this is confirmed by reports given by doctors to the Committee on Safety of Medicines. But it is not possible to make a quantitative estimate covering all children affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children under five years of age, in each of the last five years, developed whooping cough after being vaccinated; and what proportion they were of all children vaccinated against whooping cough;(2) how many children under five years of age, in each of the last five years, developed whooping cough and were not vaccinated against it; and what proportion they were of all children who got whooping cough.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following reply:I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why he is not wholly satisfied with the proportion of adverse reactions to vaccines reported by doctors;(2) if he is satisfied that the Committee on Safety of Medicines is well informed about adverse reactions to vaccinated children.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:The impression gained from experience of the system of reporting of adverse reactions to medicinal products generally is that the majority of adverse reactions are not reported, although it appears that under-reporting is less marked with the more severe reactions.The responsibility for identifying and reporting reactions must rest with individual doctors and the Committee on Safety of Medicines, and I will continue to urge them to make more reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what cause he attributes damage to children damaged by vaccines.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:In many cases the precise mechanism by which the damage is caused is unknown.The number of cases of permanent damage resulting from the use of licensed vaccines is very small. No consistent pattern has ever been found relating severe damage to any single batch of vaccine or to any clear-cut property of the vaccine.In the past during the early stages to development of attenuated measles vaccine it was suspected that the vaccine virus may not have been sufficiently attenuated. This possibility is unlikely to arise at present with the extended system of control exercised under the Medicines Act.Some children have underlying conditions which may predispose to adverse reactions following certain vaccines e.g. a history of fits may predispose to encephalopathy following whooping cough vaccine and eczema or a history of eczema may predispose to eczema vaccinatum following smallpox vaccination.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the standards of all vaccines used by the National Health Service.

pursuant to his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:Yes. The manufacture of all vaccines, including those imported, for human use is controlled by a system of licensing under Part I of the Therapeutic Substances Act 1956 and the Medicines Act 1968. Regulations made under the Therapeutic Substances Act lay down stringent requirements relating to the quality and the testing of vaccines which licensees must observe.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he gives to medical officers of health about means of identifying adverse reactions to vaccines.

pursuant to his Answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:Whenever new vaccination procedures are introduced the attention of all doctors including medical officers of health is drawn to the possibility of specific reactions. Current guidance is summarised in the Standing Medical Advisory Committee's Memorandum on Immunisation against Infectious Disease a copy of which I recently sent to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Personal Injury allow it to recommend retrospective compensation to children damaged by vaccines.

pursuant to his Answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th January 1974; Vol. 867, c. 360], circulated the following information:I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19th December 1972—[Vol. 848, c. 1119–25.] It is, of course, for the Royal Commission to interpret its terms of reference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he sent to letters from the general public requesting his support of the Bill to abolish hare coursing due for Second Reading on 1st February next.

To the effect that the attitude of the Government towards previous Bills of a similar nature has been one of neutrality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what figures is based the Minister of State's statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT, column 819 of 16th January 1974, that in a significant majority of cases investigated by the questionnaire on the use of social inquiry reports launched in February 1973 reports were supplied; and whether this statement applies to each of the categories specified in Home Office circulars 188 and 189 of 1968.

Returns from five of the probation and after-care areas in the survey indicated that social inquiry reports were not called for in only about one-quarter of the cases in the recommended categories, and this suggested that reports were supplied in a significant majority of all such cases. A detailed analysis of cases in each of the recommended categories is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT a comparison between the use of social inquiry reports as established by the 1972 Home Office research unit survey based on a November 1970 sample of offenders and any comparable figures which have emerged from the investigation into the use of social inquiry reports launched in February 1973.

I am having the results of the two surveys further examined to see how far comparisons may be possible and I shall write to the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests he has had from prisoners, serving sentences in prisons in England and Wales, for transfer to Northern Ireland; and if he will give details.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost but I can say that my right hon. Friend has no such requests under consideration at present. As regards recent requests and numbers actually transferred in recent years, details were given in answer to Questions by the hon. Membtr for Mid-Ulster (Mrs. McAliskey) on 5th December last and to the hon. Member on 11th December last.—[Vol. 865, c. 432–3, and Vol. 866, c. 113–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in prison in the United Kingdom, male and female, are currently being force-fed; and for how long this process has been used on these prisoners.

On 23rd January 1974, four men and two women in prisons in England and Wales were being artificially fed. The men had been so fed over a period of 800, 62, 52 and 3 days and the women over a period of 52 and 50 days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of men and women, respectively, at present on hunger strike in prisons in the United Kingdom, and the time for which they have been on hunger strike; and if he will make a statement.

On 23rd January 1974, five men and two women in prisons in England and Wales were refusing meals. Two of the men and both women had been doing so for 70 days, and the other three men for 819 days, seven days and six days respectively. In accordance with prison regulations, these prisoners are kept under special surveillance by the medical officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, men and women, have been convicted of drug offences in the GLC area during the last 12 months.

Statistics of drugs offences for 1973 are not yet available but I am arranging for the relevant information in respect of 1972 to be obtained and I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in respect of the Maintenance Orders (Overseas Enforcement) Act in obtaining reciprocal enforcement agreement with other countries; what agreement has been reached; and if he will make a statement.

Negotiations regarding the reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders are being pursued with several countries. The Government hope to lay before Parliament shortly orders bringing Part I of the Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 into force in relation to certain Commonwealth countries and territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage integration committees and community relations organisations to prepare booklets to help immigrants know their rights under the law similar to the one issued by the Brent Community Relations Council in conjunction with the local police, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Willesden. West.

Several community relations councils have produced material similar to the booklet issued in Brent. The Community Relations Commission has a close interest in literature published by community relations councils and I am arranging for the hon. Member's interest to be drawn to their attention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how soon he is expecting to publish a Bill to implement his proposals on equal opportunities for men and women.

I am not yet in a position to announce a date, but in view of the importance of the Bill I shall publish it as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent visit of the Under-Secretary of State to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan and on the results achieved by this visit.

The purposes of my visit were to see the working of our entry clearance offices, to appraise the procedures for dealing with applications from dependants and others seeking to enter this country, and to discuss with the Governments concerned what further steps could be taken to counter illegal immigration. I derived great benefit from seeing at first hand the work of our entry clearance officers and from reviewing with our representatives in the three countries some of the problems with which they have to deal. I was able to discuss the measures against illegal immigration and other matters of common concern in a spirit of practical co-operation with the three Governments. My right hon. Friend is considering the conclusions to be drawn from the visit, which we believe to have been very useful.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of such practices as the unsolicited circularisation to 10-year-old children of invitations to obtain a 30-day free supply of vitamin tablets, whether he will take urgent steps designed to end such advertising methods.

I should regard it as deplorable if such circulars were being deliberately distributed to children. I hope the hon. Member will let me have any evidence he has of this.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what countries and for what main products United Kingdom tariff concessions in products not included in the EEC generalised system of preferences will be phased out; and what is the value of such products currently imported.

The tariff concessions granted by the United Kingdom but excluded from the GSP of the EEC are mainly in primary products and the processed agricultural sector. They will be phased out except for those beneficiaries associated with the EEC or eligible for association; for them the United Kingdom GSP scheme is maintained for the present.Although the number of tariff headings affected is large, the trade is significant in only a few cases. Among the more important items are certain types of leather from India and certain dried vegetables from Ethiopia and the Lebanon. The trade in this leather cannot be readily quantified because of problems of definition; but India can make use of the Joint Commission for discussing her trade problems with the EEC. Our imports of the dried vegetables from the countries concerned were about £1½ million in 1972: the Common Customs Tariff rates of duty on them are relatively low.In the industrial sector Hong Kong's exports of footwear do not enjoy preference in the current Community scheme. Our 1972 imports were £11 million.Palm oil is among the products which are not currently in the EEC scheme but are still under consideration in the Community. Malaysia and Singapore sent us some £17½ million worth under preference in 1972. The same countries sent us canned pineapples worth £3 million in 1972. The EEC is opening a duty-free GSP quota for some part of this trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give such information as he has from international sources of the assistance that is given to the Press for capital or running costs from Governmental sources in each major West European country, including Scandinavia.

Any assistance given is a matter for the Government of the country concerned. I have no special information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider ways in which financial assistance could be given to the Press from Governmental sources.

I have no plans for special financial assistance to the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to encourage United Kingdom participation in deep-sea mining for manganese nodules.

I have offered two United Kingdom companies, Rio Tinto Zinc and Consolidated Gold Fields Ltd., up to £830,000 towards their participation in an international consortium to examine manganese nodule deposits on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. The assistance will be repaid if the project leads to commercial production, and in addition the companies have agreed that United Kingdom consumers will have the first option to purchase a proportion of any metals produced by the consortium. This project, therefore, not only provides an opportunity for United Kingdom companies to break into a new technology but in the longer term could give United Kingdom consumers access to a new source of metals—copper, nickel and cobalt.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animals are being exported live for slaughter in respect of licences issued before the suspension of the granting of new licences to the latest available date.

No new licences to export animals overseas for slaughter have been issued since 13th July 1973. In the six months since that date some 11,700 animals have been shipped for slaughter on licences issued before that date. This figure compares with about 79,700 in the corresponding period in the previous year.Export of animals overseas for slaughter has now ceased.Overland transit of animals from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland is not subject to licensing control, and such animals form about three-quarters of all recorded United Kingdom exports of live food animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how standards proposed for EEC-type inorganic fertilisers compare with current United Kingdom standards.

Part IV of the Agriculture Act 1970 requires that the sale of any fertiliser be accompanied by an accurate declaration of its contents in terms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash and of certain trace elements. If the seller chooses to use a name scheduled in the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Regulations 1973 (SI 1973/1521), the product must then conform to the corresponding scheduled description, which may include a standard of composition. Under the draft Directive only those inorganic fertilisers conforming to its provisions would qualify to be termed "EEC type." The provisions include prescribed descriptions and maximum and minimum nutrient standards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current basic rate for a 40-hour week for agricultural workers.

The statutory minimum rate for an ordinary adult male agricultural worker in England and Wales is £21·80 for a 40-hour week with effect from 22nd January 1974.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Intervention Board has yet purchased any meat in the United Kingdom; and what are the present market and intervention prices for beef and veal.

To date the Intervention Board has bought approximately 10 ions of beef offered to it in Northern Ireland. There are no intervention arrangements for veal. The current market and intervention prices for beef are as follows:

	Latest average market prices p per lb	Intervention prices p per lb (According to cut)
Great Britain
Meat derived from:—
Steers (medium)	30·30	26·20 to 26·26
Steers (heavy)	29·64	25·19 to 26·19
Heifers (medium and heavy)	30·31	25·38 to 26·38
Northern Ireland
Meat derived from:—
Steers L (medium)	27·91	26·10 to 26·26
Steers L (heavy)	27·10	25·10 to 26·10
Steers T	27·50	26·11 to 26·19
Heifers T	25·76	24·74 to 25·74

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the latest estimates he has made of the cost in 1973–74 of expenditure under the Common Market organisations of the EEC, together with comparable figures for the preceding year.

Following are the details of the latest estimates for the financial year 1973–74, together with comparable figures for the outturn in the financial year 1972–73.

EXPENDITURE UNDER COMMON MARKET ORGANISATIONS OF THE EEC
	Latest estimate of outturn 1973–74	Actual outturn 1972–73
£ million
Cereals	20·6	0·2
Milk and milk products	47·5	0·1
Pigmeat	16·4	—
Sugar	3·1	—
Processed products	8·9	—
Other	5·6	—
	102·1	0·3

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the latest estimate he has made of the cost in 1973–74 of expenditure by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland under United Kingdom price guarantees and other grants and subsidies, together with comparable figures for the preceding year.

Following are the details of the latest estimates for the financial year 1973–74, together with comparable figures for the outturn in the financial year 1972–73.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about potato supplies for the remainder of the present season.

I am glad to say that the 1973 crop is of good yield and quality, and I believe that supplies from the home crop will meet our needs until next season. However, as consumption could well be higher than last year, the Government have decided to prohibit the export of ware potatoes as from midnight on 20th February. This period of notice is being given in order to allow exporters a reasonable time to deal with business already arranged so that undue disturbance of the trade will be avoided. The normal ban on the import of main-crop potatoes will be suspended from the same date. The EEC Commission has been informed of these measures. Seed potato exports are not affected by this ban: licences will be issued for them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the use of British defence facilities and staff for the training of members of the armed services of Chile.

Her Majesty's Government intend to continue the policy of making defence training facilities available for members of the Chilean armed forces which has been adopted in the past.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the proposal by Mr. Gerald Smart, Hampshire County Development Officer, that for third-level aviation—club flying, executive flying, and some limited schedule services—in the Portsmouth area there should be joint civilian and Service use of facilities at Thorney Island.

If the hon. Member will send me details of Mr. Smart's proposals I shall be happy to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the Government's current policy towards the deployment of the Armed Services in support of the civil authorities within Great Britain.

In accordance with long-standing practice, the Armed Forces may be deployed with ministerial authority in response to requests for assistance from the civil authorities in Great Britain where appropriate and so far as their resources permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the latest recruiting figures for the three Armed services.

I have nothing to add to what was said on the subject of recruiting by my right hon. and hon. Friends in the defence debate on 12th December.—[Vol. 866, c. 432–3 and 536–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the operations in Northern Ireland.

The Army, working in support of the civil authority, helped to bring about a considerable reduction in violence in 1973, a year which saw sustained constitutional progress in Northern Ireland. This effort will continue so long as it is necessary.

asked the Minister for Energy, in view of the fact that Command Paper No. 5519 on Public Expenditure shows a planned reduction in expenditure on nuclear research from £61·2 million in 1973–74 to £18·0 million in 1977–78, if he will make a statement on the Government's commitment to research into nuclear fusion.

Following the Government's announcement of 22nd March 1973, expenditure on fusion research is being increased. The research forms part of the co-ordinated programme of the European Community. The full cost over the three years to 31st December 1975 is estimated at £17 million: part of this will be met by Euratom.The forecasts in Command Paper No. 5519 of net nuclear expenditure cover not only research and development but also other expenditure and receipts, including receipts of the Atomic Energy Authority from the sale of uranium ore. The net provision for research and development is £51·9 million in 1973–74, decreasing to £30·6 million in 1977–78. As shown by paragraph 20 on page 39 of the Command Paper, the greater part of this is on nuclear reactor research and development. The net provision for other research and development in 1973–74 and 1977–78 is £8·4 million and £8·2 million respectively: this allows for expenditure on fusion research to be maintained at its current level.

asked the Minister for Energy what was the average net manpower loss per week in the coal mining industry in November 1969 and in November 1973.

The average net manpower loss per week by the National Coal Board in November 1969 was 340. In November 1973 the corresponding figure was 589.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will now permit hairdressing establishments to open on four normal working days each week from Wednesday to Saturday, in view of the difficulties hairdressers are facing under the present arrangements.

I cannot in present circumstances offer any further concessions to hairdressers.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will amend the regulations governing the restricted use of power so that all trades and all shops are treated alike.

No.

asked the Minister for Energy what exemptions he has made to Statutory Instrument No. 2092 for the use of direct electrical heating in public halls; and whether he will publish the procedure to be followed for the issue of a licence.

Apart from those specified in the order, I have made no general exemptions. Any case of special difficulty will be considered on its merits on application to the appropriate regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will issue a general direction to the Gas Corporation to discontinue the conversion of domestic gas lighting to natural gas and to install electric fittings instead.

No.

asked the Minister for Energy what would be the average basic wage for a 40-hour week for underground workers in the coal mining industry if they accepted the current offer from the National Coal Board.

The working week underground in the coal industry is five shifts each of 7¼ hours plus one winding time. Under the NCB's present offer the basic wage for this week would be as follows:—

	£
Men on the National Power Loading Agreement (Face workers)	39·36
Plus £1·20 pence productivity	40·56
Non-craftsmen underground (minimum rate)	29·86
Plus £1·20 productivity	31·06

In addition, workers receive benefits in kind currently worth on average £2·64 per week.This projects acceptance of a 3½ per cent. productivity deal which is part of the NCB offer.

asked the Minister for Energy what was the British share of ownership in the consortium which received licences for North Sea oil exploration in each of the four separate rounds of distribution of licences; what is the British share in the consortia who are licence holders for the fields already established; and what is his latest estimate of the British share of total North Sea oil production.

The following table sets out on a round-by-round basis the percentage share of territory licensed to British interests—taking Shell as 40 per cent. British—when the licences were first issued.

	British interest per cent.
First round	26·2
Second round	28·3
Third round	36·4
Fourth round (i) Auction	20·0
(ii) Discretionary .	34·8
(iii) Total	34·0

Because of uncertainties about the exact size of the fields so far considered to be commercial it is not possible to give a firm figure for the British share. It is estimated however that the share of recoverable reserves held by British interests in these fields is some 40 per cent.—50 per cent., or about 300–400 million tons. If further appraisal drilling confirms that other finds already reported are commercial the latter figures could be higher.

asked the Minister for Energy what amounts have been spent by his Department on advertising in (a) newspapers, (b) radio, and (c) television, in each of the weeks since the declaration of the state of emergency on 16th November, giving a breakdown on a weekly basis.

The breakdown of this information is not immediately available but I shall have it published in the OFFICIAL REPORT as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister for Energy whether he will give the tonnage amount of coal exported to stated countries during the month preceding and each month of the miners' dispute and similar details for the same dates in 1972.

I have been asked to reply.The available information is given each month under SITC(R) 321.4 in table VI of the Overseas Trade Statistics copies of which are held in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on what further progress has been made in resolving the problems associated with establishing a common regional policy for the EEC; and what matters still remain to be resolved in relation to the proposed regional development fund.

I have at present nothing to add to the statement I made to the House on 16th January.—[Vol. 867, c. 540–554.]As the hon. Member will no doubt be aware, the Council of Ministers is to hold a further meeting on 30th January to discuss the Community's regional policy.