asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost of recruiting to the Armed Forces and other employment in his Department in the last 12 months to the latest available date, stating separately the cost of Press and television advertising, recruiting staff and offices and other elements; what were the corresponding costs in the previous year: and if he will now reduce this expenditure by a stated amount.

As regards recruitment to the Armed Forces, the information requested is as follows:

	1974–5	1973–4
	£000	£000
Staff at Ministry of Defence headquarters and in out-stations, including certain miscellaneous overheads.	12,030	10,410
Advertising and other publicity costs borne on Defence Votes.	1,090	970
Premises for careers information offices.	360	380
Miscellaneous costs borne on Defence Votes.	190	180
Publicity costs borne on Central Office of Information and HMSO Votes, including Press and television advertising.	4,980	5,020
	18,650	16,960

In addition certain relatively minor expenditure is incurred on works services; figures for this are not readily available.As regards recruitment of civilian staff, expenditure on publicity and advertising incurred by the Ministry of Defence is as set out below. This excludes all recruitment activities for which the Civil Service Department is responsible.

1974–75	1973–74
£000	£000
410	410

Provision in COI and HMSO Estimates for recruitment of Service personnel will be less in 1975–76 than in 1974–75 at constant prices, but substantial expenditure will remain necessary for the foreseeable future to attract recruits in the numbers of the quality we require.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many military and civilian employees, respectively, are employed at each of the military bases located in Wales.

It is not the usual practice to give detailed information about individual establishments. However, there are currently about 9,500 civilians and 5,500 Service men employed in a hundred or so defence establishments-in Wales. The major employing establishments are:

• Army Apprentices College, Chepstow.
• RAF St. Athan.
• RAF Valley.
• RAF Sealand.
• P & EE Pendine.
• RAE Aberporth.
• ROF Cardiff.
• ROF Glascoed.
• RNAD Trecwn.
• RNAD Milford Haven.
• RNSD Llangennoch.
• The Welsh Depot, Crickhowell.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of his answer to the hon. Member for Stockport, North on Tuesday 14th January about the fuel costs of MRCA, he will indicate what figures were used for the fuel costs of MRCA training flights when the defence review was being carried out.

Cost estimates were based on studies carried out in association with the manufacturers, but these were not related specifically to training. They show that on current forecasts the MRCA should consume much less fuel than aircraft such as the Vulcan and Phantom which it is intended to replace.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for television for British forces in Germany; what installations and techniques will be used; what arrangements have been made with the German authorities; how many of the British forces and what areas will be able to receive it; what will be the cost of the television and on what Vote it will be borne; and whether he will make a statement.

The programme will be relayed within West Germany using the British Service communications system. The final distribution will be by low-powered transmitter within the major areas of Service population. The method of transmitting the signal from the United Kingdom to Germany is still under study. The capital cost of the project is estimated at about £8 million with running costs of about £1 million a year. The cost will be borne on Defence Votes and provision will be included in Estimates to be presented to Parliament in due course.The German authorities have been consulted at all stages and consultations are continuing. With regard to the other parts of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy) on 14th January 1975.—[Vol. 884, c. 180.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider increasing the provision of nursery education in view of the forecast decline in the primary school population between now and 1986.

It is expected that over the next few years local education authorities will be able to provide a substantial proportion of their additional nursery education places through the adaption of primary school places released by declining primary school rolls. Such places will usually be cheaper than new accommodation, and a more rapid decline in primary school rolls should tend to increase the number of nursery education places which can be provided from the available building resources. Increased admission of under-fives to school has more general recurrent expenditure implications, however, and it is not possible at present for rate support grant to reflect any more rapid expansion than that proposed in Cmnd. 5174.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has now reached a decision on the early leaving date for schoolchildren unable to leave at Easter 1975.

As I informed the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 17th December—[Vol. 883, c. 367–8.]—I am studying the views collected from local authority and teachers' organisations on the idea of an earlier leaving date in the summer term. Any change in school leaving dates would require legislation and there are no present plans for this in the current Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount of grant paid to the National Film School in 1973 and in 1974; how much of the grant was devoted to the production of films subsequently given public exhibition; and what were the titles of the films so produced.

Grant was paid to the National Film School of £220,000 in 1973–74 and £267,000 in the current financial year.The production of films is undertaken by the school as a training activity and it is for the governors of the school to decide what proportion of their grant is devoted to this aspect of their function. I understand that some 70 films have been produced and are made available for public showing without charge by the school. The school does not maintain a register of the films produced.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many persons are named on List 99 circulated by the Department to colleges of education and polytechnics;(2) whether the teachers named on List 99 are informed that they have been so named;(3) whether List 99 is regarded as advisory or prescriptive for education authorities;

The Department's List 99 contains the names of 1,200 persons whom I and my predecessors have determined to be unsuitable on grounds of misconduct for employment as teachers. All such persons have been informed in writing by the Department of their exclusion from teaching employment after they have been given an opportunity to submit representations in writing and personally at interview at the Department.Exclusion is prescriptive for local education authorities and other employers of teachers under statutory regulations. The regulations make no provision for appeal against exclusion but it is my practice to consider applications for reinstatement by excluded teachers after a period of time, the length of which depends on the seriousness of the misconduct which led to exclusion. If and when a person is reinstated, his name is immediately removed from List 99.People whose names appear in the list have all been convicted of criminal offences or been guilty of grave professional misconduct. These are the only criteria I am empowered by the regulations to take into account in exercising my disciplinary responsibilities. There is no truth in the suggestion that List 99 is a means of exercising political censorship on teachers.I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of Circular 4/68 which describes the Department's procedures in regard to teachers' misconduct.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the replacement project for the Upper Nidderdale High School was included by the North Yorkshire Education Authority in the list of projects it is starting under its 1974–75 block allocation; and when he expects this priority project to start.

No; secondary replacement projects were not eligible for inclusion in the 1974–75 starts programme. It will be for local education authorities to decide which major projects should be included in future school building programmes within their lump sum authorisations, and I cannot anticipate what priority the North Yorkshire Education Authority will give to this project.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current annual cost of the Training Services Agency; and if he will split this up into administration and the payment for training.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the cost of the Training Services Agency in the 1974–75 financial year is estimated to be in the region of £94 million. The division between administration and payment for training is approximately £11 million and £83 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost, per placing, of the Employment Service Agency expressed in terms of the cost of each person placed in employment; and how this compares with similar figures for other similar countries.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the estimated average cost per placing by the Employment Service Agency, excluding the professional and executive recruitment, in 1974 was about £30. This calculation excludes expenditure on services such as industrial rehabilitation and mobility payments but includes the cost of some activities not strictly involved in placing work and elements of social provision, such as the operation of the disabled persons' quota, which it is not possible to separate. Similar information is not available for other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are currently registered as self-employed.

In June 1973 the estimated number of employers and self-employed persons in Great Britain was 1,916,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether oil on board tankers sailing to the United Kingdom is included in his calculations of the strategic oil reserve.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on steps that have been taken to co-ordinate research and development of new energy sources with other countries, including support of a European Energy Research Authority, similar in concept to ERDA recently set up by President Ford in the United States of America.

Co-ordination of R and D into new energy sources in a multinational framework is making steady progress. The setting up of the International Energy Agency, in which we are participating, is an important step towards drawing together the work of all countries with significant research and development potential in the energy sector.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many directions were made under the multiple cccupation provisions of Section 19 of the Housing Act 1961 in each of the London boroughs during the year ended 31st December 1974.

The numbers are as follows:

Barking	0
Barnet	2
Bexley	0
Brent	206
Bromley	0
Camden	5
Croydon	22
Ealing	76
Enfield	0
Greenwich	8
Hackney	121
Hammersmith	50
Haringey	1
Harrow	2
Havering	0
Hillingdon	19
Hounslow	56
Islington	448
Kensington and Chelsea	404
Kingston	0
Lambeth	131
Lewisham	11
Merton	3
Newham	20
Redbridge	14
Richmond	1
Southwark	10
Sutton	0
Tower Hamlets	12
Waltham Forest	7
Wandsworth	136
Westminster	13
City of London	0

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the present cost of dog licences was fixed; how many dog licences are currently in issue; what is the estimated revenue from dog licences during the current financial year; what is the annual cost of administering these licences; and what estimate has been made of the number of unlicensed dogs.

The present fee for a dog licence was fixed in 1878. About 2·7 million licences are expected to be issued in this financial year producing revenue of approximately £.1·03 million. At present administrative costs amount to about half the revenue. I have no reliable estimate of the number of unlicensed dogs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to abolish the Severn-Trent Regional Water Authority;(2) if he will set up a board of inquiry to consider the efficiency of the management of the new regional water authorities.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in the House on 27th June 1974, he proposes to let the new system run for two years or so and then to review its progress with an entirely open mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes in numbers of councillors of London borough councils he proposes to make to take account of the abolition of aldermen in those boroughs.

Between now and the date when aldermen cease to sit on the London borough councils, i.e. 1978, these councils will review the ward pattern in their respective boroughs and hence the number of members on each council. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England, to which warding proposals must be submitted, will be considering what guidance it might give authorities on this subject. The limitation on the number of London borough councillors imposed by Section 1(4) of the London Government Act 1963 was repealed by the Local Government Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now give a firm date for the publication of his decision and the inspector's report on the Maidstone-Folkestone section of the M20 motorway.

I hope to make an announcement early in February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now give a firm date for the publication of his decision and the inspector's report on the proposed Singleton housing development in the borough of Ashford.

No. The proposals are, however, under urgent consideration and I hope to be able to make an announcement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will arrange for an informative exhibition on the proposals to be considered at the new inquiry into the route of the A25 between Wisley and Chertsey to be held in Byfleet.

Yes. My right hon. Friend hopes to announce the details next week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total expenditure by local authorities during the past 12 months on directly employed staff; and what was the comparable figure for each of the previous three years.

The latest figures are set out below. As comparisons before and after April 1974 are affected by the transfer of responsibility for some services from local authorities to regional water authorities and the National Health Service, some additional figures are given on the approximate expenditure on those services which are currently a local authority responsibility.

EXPENDITURE ON WAGES AND SALARIES BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN ENGLAND AND WALES
£ million
Period	All services	Services which are currently (post April 1974) a local authority responsibility
12 months ending:
September 1974	4,132	4,036
September 1973	3,577	3,397
September 1972	3,065	2,905
September 1971	2,564	2,428

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of persons directly employed by local authorities in Great Britain; and how this compares with the same date last year.

In June 1974 the number employed, both full-time and part-time, by local authorities and police forces in Great Britain was 2,696,672. In June 1973 the number employed was 2.698,936. Between these dates responsibility for a number of services was transferred from local authorities to regional water authorities and the National Health Service. Allowing for this change in the scope of local government services and consequently on staff numbers it is apparently estimated that there was a rise in numbers employed of around 100,000 during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he is currently making into the possibility of indexing rates with inflation.

The committee which my right hon. Friend has appointed to examine local government finance under Mr. Layfield's chairmanship will be examining, amongst other aspects of local government finance, the effect on rates of inflation and will be making recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his best estimate of the cost of the recent local government reorganisation.

No estimate is possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a special grant towards the repair and preservation of the mediaeval stained glass windows of Canterbury Cathedral, damaged by pollution and vibration, for which an appeal of £3·5 million has been launched.

No. Successive Governments have maintained the position that their powers to make grants for the repair of buildings of outstanding historic or architectural interest should not extend to cathedrals as ecclesiastical buildings in use.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the steps that have been taken by Her Majesty's Government's representatives in Cyprus to obtain information about the actions of the Cyprus authorities following the murder during July 1974 of Mrs. Leigh Matthews.

The High Commission has reported such evidence as is available about Mrs. Leigh Matthews' murder. Unfortunately the only witness, her husband, was shot at the same time and died three weeks later. We have studied his statements but are aware of no other source from which information could be expected. The Cyprus Government are not in control of Kyrenia, where the murder was done.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, during his visit to Tanzania, he raised with the authorities the amount of compensation paid to British subjects whose property had been confiscated; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to remedy the anomalies involved.

My right hon. Friend raised the question of compensation for British subjects with the Tanzanian Government. We shall continue to pursue the matter through our High Commission in Dar-es-Salaam.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will take steps designed to prevent the forgery and sale of fraudulent documents and the unauthorised offering of appointments by touts operating outside the British Embassy in Islamabad;(2) if he will take steps designed to preventing touting outside the British Embassy in Islamabad by unauthorised agents who seek to give the impression to would-be applicants for entry certificates that they are able to supply such certificates when in fact they are unable to do so.

We are aware of, and are concerned at, these activities and others which are prejudicial to United Kingdom immigration control, though not all of them are necessarily illegal. Any preventive action is a matter for the Pakistan authorities, who are well aware of the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums have been spent by or on behalf of the Government on pro-EEC publicity or have been contributed to pro-EEC organisations, and when.

There has been no Government expenditure on publicity either for or against membership of the EEC. Grants have been made to certain non-governmental organisations for specific non-political purposes, but these have not been determined by the attitude of those organisations towards the EEC.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds are proposed to be contributed by or on behalf of the Government to pro-EEC membership publicity; and what sums will be contributed to pro-EEC membership organisations.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 14th January that if the Government decide on a referendum it will be a matter for the House to decide the circumstances in which any test of public opinion is taken, including questions of expenditure and the question of fair presentation of the case by both sides.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the dates of the last two official visits paid to Belize—formerly British Honduras—by Ministers; and who the Ministers were.

The last two official ministerial visits to Belize were made by Lord Shepherd from 2nd-7th October 1969 and by the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Kershaw) from 3rd-8th June 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the estimated 1 million passports issued annually are renewals of existing passports; and how many are first-time passports.

Approximately 50 per cent. of passports issued are in replacement of previous ones.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Passport Office checks with the Registrar-General's Office to verify if new applicants for passports are dead or alive.

No. It would be quite impracticable with the time and resources at its disposal for the Passport Office to check each application with the several central records of deaths.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigations are, under the present arrangements, undertaken by the Passport Office to check on whether applicants for new passports are registered as deceased.

No such check is made. The Passport Office relies upon the countersignature of a professional person on the application form and one photograph as testimony that the facts on the form and the likeness of the photograph relate to the applicant.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to establish how many passports have been issued in recent years in the names of people after their registered death.

We could not justify the expense and labour of causing each of over a million passport applications handled annually to be checked against the several registers of deaths. Three such cases have come to notice in the past 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he is proposing in the existing procedures for the issue of passports.

We are currently considering what changes ate both practicable and desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Working Party Report on Lotteries in relation to increasing the fixed monetary limits in small lotteries from 5p a ticket to 25p a ticket;(2) if, in view of the financial circumstances of many cricket and football clubs, he will as an interim measure propose increasing from 5p to 10p the maximum price of tickets in small lotteries, thus providing urgently needed financial assistance, in line with the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Working Party on Lotteries.

We are considering as a matter of urgency proposals to amend the existing law on small lotteries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to require owners and operators of gaming machines, known as one-arm bandits, in both public and private premises to display on each machine the percentage which it is adjusted to pay out to users of the machines.

Section 31(7) of the Gaming Act 1968 already requires the minimum percentage payout to be displayed on machines used for gaming in clubs licensed or registered under Part II, or registered under Part III of that Act. The stake and prizes permitted for amusement machines used on other premises are strictly limited, and we do not consider that amendment to the Act to require the display of the percentage on these machines is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extra police were drafted to crowd control duties in and around the Palace of Westminster on 14th January; what was the estimated size of the TUC demonstration over which the police were expected to keep order; how many of the police were taken off other duties; what was the estimated cost of the operation; and if he will seek to obtain a reimbursement of the cost to public funds from the TUC or from its members who participated.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells us that 1,506 police officers were engaged on these duties on 14th January; about 8,000 demonstrators were present; all the police officers would have been engaged on other police duties; the additional cost to the Metropolitan Police was about £1,600.As regards the last part of the Question, the preservation of law and order in public places is a duty of the police and the cost is a proper charge on public funds and not on the organisers of particular events.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many rooms are exclusively available to the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Scottish National Party and the Plaid Cymru.

The following rooms are exclusively available in the House of Commons for the following parties:

Labour	160
Conservative	89
Liberal	12
Scottish National Party	2
Plaid Cymru	1

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now make a statement on the progress of the Government's proposals for a Scottish Assembly.

I expect to deal with this matter in the forthcoming debate on devolution.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the external financing of the public borrowing requirements including direct borrowing by the public sector and foreign currency borrowing through the banks for the first half of the financial year in the years 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1973–74, respectively.

The figures for the first half of each financial year are:

	£m
1971–72	1,055
1972–73	1,169
1973–74	384

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what controls exist over capital outflows to the other member countries of the EEC; and when they were imposed.

Capital movements to all countries outside the scheduled territories are controlled under the Exchange Control Act 1947. The controls are now the same for Common Market countries as for all other countries outside the scheduled territories with the minor exception of limited concessions for personal capital transfers so as not to inhibit the free movement of labour. Changes to these controls have been made from time to time. Most recently my right hon. Friend withdrew in his Budget in March 1974 the concession which allowed £1 million of official exchange per project per year for direct investment in Common Market countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he can now state the amount of damage done by the IRA during the destruction of the Maze Prison;(2) if he can now estimate the amount of money necessary to rebuild the Maze Prison.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder) on 6th November 1974—[Vol. 880, c. 176–7.]—It is not yet possible to give a more accurate estimate than the provisional estimate of £1·5 million already given.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action has been taken against those responsible for the destruction of the Maze Prison.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary are examining the circumstances in which damage was caused to the Maze Prison on 15th and 16th October last.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what has been the cost of supplying British Government facilities to oil-producing countries in the Middle East from which Great Britain purchases oil during each of the last five years for which records are available; and what is the proposed cost of providing the services of this division during the year 1975.

The services of my Department are available to developing Middle East countries both from its headquarters and associated bodies in this country and from its Beirut-based Development Division. It is not practicable to divide the costs of these services between the oil-producing countries—which number less than half the total—and the rest, but the bulk of these services is directed towards the poorer countries which have no oil.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the industrial visits he has made since March 1974 up to the present date, indicating on how many of these visits he held discussion sessions with shop stewards and other groups of workers.

I have had a number of formal and informal discussions with groups of workers and trade union representatives, although none of these has taken place during the course of industrial visits.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has received on matters arising from his statement on 8th April 1974 on land transactions; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of such letters from Members of Parliament and the general public, although I do not keep a detailed statistical record of my correspondence. I do not intend to make any further statement on these matters, for which there is no ministerial responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the extent of the financial support given by her Department to a research project on "The structure of British meals", an account of which happened in the journal New Society of 19th December 1974; and what benefit was obtained from the project.

The project "Sociological Research into Food Used as a System of Communication" was funded from 1st October 1971 to 30th September 1973 at a total cost of £2,990. The research was commissioned as an experiment, quite different from any other studies in my Department's research programme, as part of my Department's consideration of a possible rôle for social anthropologists in the total research effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will take steps to create an alcoholic treatment centre in the Leicester area.

There are no plans to establish a treatment centre for alcoholics in the Leicester area. Most mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units treat alcoholic patients, and in addition the majority of regional health authorities have specialised regional addiction units. The specialised unit in the Trent RHA is at Mapperley Hospital, Nottingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list in the Official Report the local authorities in England and Wales which operate day nurseries, and those that do not.

From returns which relate to 31st March 1974 the following authorities (i) operated day nurseries or (ii) did not do so on that date:(i)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Security how many day nurseries are operating in England and Wales at the latest convenient date; and how many children they cater for.

At 31st March 1974 there were 508 day nurseries provided by local authorities or by voluntary organisations under agency arrangements under Section 22 of the National Health Service Act 1946 with 25,724 children on their registers.There were in addition 1,174 private nurseries and nursery classes in England and 63 in Wales, catering for a permitted maximum of 24,304 and 1,670 children respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities operate priority waiting lists for day nurseries; and what is the average time for children to be admitted to day nurseries from these lists.

At 31st March 1974, 109 local authorities in England were operating priority waiting lists for day nurseries. I regret that information about the average waiting time is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost per child for day care in day nurseries in England and Wales.

The average gross cost per child day in local authority day nurseries in England in 1972–73, the most recent year for which figures are available, was £2·35. The one day nursery in Wales did not open until September 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average charge made for day care in day nurseries.

The average charge made by local authorities in England in 1972–73, the most recent year for which figures are available, was 31p per child day.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list in the Official Report the number of day nurseries and the number of children attending them in 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1973, respectively.

Such information as we have in respect of day nurseries in England and Wales provided by local authorities, or by voluntary organisations under agency arrangements under Section 22 of the National Health Service Act 1946, is given below:

Date	Number of Day Nurseries	Number of Children on the Registers
31st December 1949	903	N/A
31st December 1959	486	N/A
31st December 1965	448	N/A
31st December 1970	453	22,226
31st March 1973	493	25,129
N/A = Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list each of the national insurance benefits, including the industrial injury benefits, payable in the years 1970 to 1974, respectively, stating the value of the outgoings on each and its percentage of the overall total, and distinguishing benefits or parts of benefits to which self-employed contributors are not entitled.

The information is as follows:

Year ended 31st March

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

(a)

(b)

(a)

(b)

(a)

(b)

(a)

(b)

(a)

(b)

Benefit

£m.

Per cent.

£m.

Per cent.

£m.

Per cent.

£m.

Per cent.

£m.

Per cent

Unemployment benefit

…

…

…

…

127

5·2

150

5·7

239

7·8

209

6·0

174

4·4

Sickness benefit (flat-rate)

…

…

…

…

324

13·2

313

11·9

261

8·5

219

6·3

231

5·8

Sickness benefit (earnings-related supplement)

…

59

2·4

61

2·3

62

2·0

72

2·1

75

1·9

Widows benefit (flat-rate)

…

…

…

…

156

6·4

162

6·2

190

6·3

213

6·1

238

6·0

Widows benefit (earnings-related allowance)

…

6

0·2

6

0·2

6

0·2

7

0·2

7

0·2

Retirement pension (flat-rate)

…

…

…

1,617

65·9

1,765

67·1

2,028

66·1

2,346

67·7

2,722

68·2

Graduated retirement benefit

…

…

…

10

0·4

13

0·5

17

0·6

23

0·7

30

0·8

Invalidity benefit

…

…

…

…

…

—

—

—

—

91

3·0

196

5·7

242

6·1

Maternity benefit

…

…

…

…

…

38

1·5

40

1·5

42

1·4

42

1·2

42

1·1

Lump-sum payments

…

…

…

…

…

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

77

1·9

Other N.I. benefits

…

…

…

…

…

13

0·5

12

0·5

14

0·5

14

0·4

14

0·4

Industrial injuries benefit

…

…

…

…

105

4·3

109

4·1

115

3·7

125

3·6

138

3·5

(a) Actual cost of benefit.

(b) Cost of benefit as percentage of total benefit expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied that her Department's leaflet on the danger of malaria is being made available by airlines and air tour operators to all intending travellers to countries where the disease is still endemic; and if she will place copies of the leaflet in the Library of the House of Commons.

The general leaflet "Notice to Travellers", produced by my Department, contains advice on the risks of travelling to or through malarious countries and on measures to protect health. In addition, a new leaflet dealing specifically with malaria has been produced. British Airways are taking steps to ensure that this leaflet is available to travellers, and copies have been sent to 83 foreign airlines. Copies of the leaflet have also been sent to the Association of British Travel Agents for distribution to its 5,000 members, and to the Airline Users Committee for its air travel organisers. I am always glad to receive any suggestions for improving our publicity. I am arranging for a copy of both leaflets to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will consider adjusting the benefit scales so that a married couple in receipt of invalidity benefit receive an income at least as great as that of a retired couple.

Invalidity pension for a married couple and the standard rate of retirement pension for a married couple have been the same since the introduction of invalidity benefit in September 1971. If invalidity allowance is in payment when invalidity pension is converted to retirement pension, the value of this additional benefit is retained. If my hon. Friend has some other aspect in mind, perhaps he would let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of hospital beds now available in Great Britain; how many of these are allocated for private patients; and how these figures compare with the same date last year.

The total average daily number of available hospital beds in Great Britain in 1973, the latest year for which information is available, was 489,851.The number of beds in NHS hospitals approved for use by private patients at 31st December 1973 was 5,018. There has been no change in the number since then.Comparable figures for 1972 were 501,100 and 4,969 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children were treated in hospital in England and Wales for the toxic effects of non-medicinal substances, between 1967 and the latest available date.

The number of children under 15 years of age admitted as inpatients to hospital in England and Wales suffering from or suspected to be suffering from the toxic effects of substances "chiefly non-medicinal as to source" for each of the years 1968 to 1972 inclusive is estimated to have been as follows. The figures are derived from a sample survey.

1968	7,645
1969	9,755
1970	9,790
1971	10,000
1972	9,580

I regret that precisely comparable figures for 1967 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will provide details of the information she has recently sought from some nursing homes approved under the Abortion Act.

All nursing homes with either more than six beds or more than 25 per cent. of the total beds in the establishment approved for the treatment of termination of pregnancy have been asked the following:

(i) A detailed statement of the arrangements involved in:

a. the reception, counselling and social and medical assessment of the patients before admission;

b. the care and treatment of the patient on admission, and during her stay in the home, including ensuring her fitness for discharge and referral to a doctor if agreed by the patient.

c. the other facilities and amenities you provide for the patient;

d. the after care of the patient including advice on contraception.

(ii) The scale of fees charged for all aspects of the service provided as described in (i) above.

(iii) Do you at present quote a comprehensive fee or provide a detailed statement of charges for all services provided and if not are you prepared to do so?

(iv) During 1974 did you advertise your services and if so where? Did such advertisements quote any fees?

(v) Do you receive patients from pregnancy advisory bureaux or medical referral agencies? If so please give details of the organisations concerned and the percentage of patients received from each during 1974.

(vi) During 1974 what percentage of your patients were from outside Great Britain?

(vii) What was the normal channel of referral in 1974 in the case of patients treated from outside Great Britain?

(viii) During 1974 what proportion of your patients were referred to you by a doctor not connected with the nursing home?

My right hon. Friend is also seeking from organisations known to her to be involved in the running of pregnancy advisory bureaux or medical referral agencies their views on the creation of a register of such places. Their comments have also been sought on a list of possible conditions to be satisfied before a bureau or agency would be included on such a register.

						January-November
		1970‡	1971‡	1972‡	1973	1974
Meat, meat preparations and live animals wholly or mainly for human food £ million fob*.		41·1	34·7	71·2	102·3	81·3
Percentage in carcase form†	…	41·7	55·3	64·1	73·9	82·0
Notes:
* SITC(R) Divisions 00 and 01 less breeding and dairy animals, horses, asses, mules and hinnies.
† SITC(R) Division 01 less meat preparations in Group 013, but including offals and hams in cans or other airtight containers.
‡ Figures for years 1970–72 include swine exported for breeding purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in full the present departmental criteria adopted for the investigation of alleged dumping of goods in the United Kingdom.

The criteria to be followed in an investigation of alleged dumping in the United Kingdom are laid

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will encourage airlines to give free and adequate advertising facilities to the Airline Users Committee.

I understand that the committee will itself be giving further consideration to this matter, and I would certainly hope that it will be able to make satisfactory arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of meat exports in each of the last five years; and what percentage was in carcase form.

Following is the available information:down in detail in the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act 1969. Before accepting a case for investigation the Department requires reasonable prima facie evidence that there is dumping within the meaning of the Act and that this is causing or threatening material injury to a British industry. Under the Treaty of Accession to the EEC the Department may continue in general to investigate independently allegations of dumping in the United Kingdom until the end of the transitional period—i.e., 30th June 1977. But cases involving goods subject to the common agricultural policy or the interest of a Community producing industry or imports from other members of the Community must be dealt with by the EEC Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he plans any action to curb the quantity of Japanese imports into the United Kingdom.

No. In the first 11 months of 1974 imports from Japan comprised less than 2½ per cent. of total United Kingdom imports. To adopt discriminatory restrictions on imports from Japan would not only be in breach of our international obligations but also invite retaliation against our rapidly growing exports to Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what foodstuffs are now available at lower prices outside the EEC than within.

I will reply to my right hon. Friend as soon as possible.

£ per farm
						Acreage size group (total acres)
Type of Farming						50 or under	50·1–100	100·1–150	150·1–300
Livestock, mostly sheep		…	…	…	…	—	*	*	3,020
Livestock cattle and sheep			…	…	…	—	3,360	3,332	4,676
Specialist dairy	…	…	…	…	…	2,971†	—	—	—
* Insufficient farms in sample in 1972–73.
† This is the only category in the under 50 acres size group for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, before sanctioning the proposed new air routes in the London terminal control area, he satisfied himself that the radio station at Wallington would not be adversely affected if a stacking beacon for air traffic were to be erected at Barkway.

I am advised that the operation of this radio station is unlikely to be affected adversely by the currently envisaged use of the proposed air traffic beacon at Barkway.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average net income from livestock in Wales of 50 to 100 acres, 100 acres to 200 acres, and other small farms under 50 acres.

The latest available information is from samples of farm accounts for the year 1972–73 and is as follows: