asked the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made in introducing office work measurement into the Civil Service.

Methods of assessing and inspecting the numbers and gradings of the staff required for the clerical work of the Civil Service are in general use and are constantly being refined, although it has not so far proved practicable to introduce formal office work measurement schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the full analysis of the 1974 nuclear test programme.

I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave in the House on 14th January.—[Vol. 884, c. 177.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail any differences in the procedures by which costing checks are made in Government contracts with the publicly-owned and the privately-owned sectors of the aerospace industry.

There is none.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a complete list of the members of the Warnock Committee.

The members of the Warnock Committee are:

• Mrs. H. M. Warnock, Research Fellow in Philosophy at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (Chairman).
• Mr. G. V. Cooke, County Education Officer, Lincolnshire (Vice-Chairman).
• Mrs. J. Bisby, Senior careers officer, Sheffield.
• Sir Edward Britton, Retiring General Secretary of NUT.
• Miss M. Cairley, Assistant Head of Kirkriggs School for Physically Handicapped and ESN children, Glasgow.
• Dr. I. Chesham, Specialist in community medicine (child health), Cheshire Area Health Authority.
• Mr. D. Coe, Assistant Director, Middlesex Polytechnic.
• Mr. G. H. Dalziel, Headmaster, Odsal House School for the Deaf, Bradford.
• Mr. R. A. Davis, Headmaster, Pindar Comprehensive School, Scarborough.
• Dr. R. M. Forrester, Consultant paediatrician. Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan, and consultant paediatrician to the Royal National Institute for the Blind.
• Professor P. J. Graham, Consultant Psychiatrist, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street.
• Mr. D. Guthrie, Director, Action Research for the Crippled Child.
• Mr. J. Harding, Member of Education and Training Committee of Scottish CBI.
• Mr. L. Macho, Headmaster, Pen-y-bryn ESM (M) School, Swansea.
• Mr. J. Michie, Director of Education, Aberdeenshire, and Director of Education designate for the Grampian Region.
• Mr. P. Priestley, Head of Special Educational Services Division, Edinburgh Education Authority.
• Mr. G. P. Newton, Director of Social Services, Wiltshire.
• Mr. E. J. Richards, Assistant Education Officer for Special Education, Clwyd LEA.
• Lady Roth, JP, Chairman of governors of Feversham non-maintained special school for maladjusted children, Newcastle.
• Mrs. M. E. Thruston, Community Nurse Training Officer, Croydon Area Health Authority.
• Mrs. S. Tumim, Parent of two hearing impaired children.
• Dr. M. Tyson, Senior educational psychologist, and adviser for special education. Hounslow LEA.
• Professor P. Williams, Professor of Education, Open University.
• Mr. D. Winnard, Formerly Secretary, TUC Education Committee.
• Mr. D. P. T. Woodgate, Headmaster, Priory Meadow School for maladjusted children, Clacton.
• Mr. P. Young, Tutor, Cambridge Institute of Education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there is a parent of a deaf child on the Warnock Committee which is reviewing educational provision for handicapped children; and, if not, if he will consider appointing one.

Yes; Mrs. S. Tumim.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Warnock Committee is prepared to receive representations from parents of handicapped children in regard to educational provision for school-leavers who are handicapped; and, if so, if he will publish in the Official Report to whom, and where, parents can write.

The committee will welcome evidence from parents of handicapped children among other interested bodies and individuals. Evidence should be submitted by 31st July 1975 to the Secretary, Committee of Enquiry into Special Education, c/o Department of Education and Science, Elizabeth House, York Road, London SE1 7PH. This invitation has already been given wide publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will ask the Warnock Committee to make an interim report on the problems of deaf school leavers.

No. It is for the committee to decide whether there are matters in which it wishes to report separately to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the London borough of Bromley advised him of its proposal to close Craybourne School; and when he expects to announce a decision on the proposal.

The proposal was received in November 1973. The London borough of Bromley has now been informed of my right hon. Friend's decision not to approve it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has given Derbyshire County Council approval for the Clowne Infants School to be replaced; and if he will make a statement.

My Department wrote to the Derbyshire Local Education Authority on 31st January agreeing to its proposal to use part of its 1974–75 minor works allocation for the replacement of Clowne Infants School.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the latest statistics showing the percentage of pupils staying at school beyond the statutory leaving age, by region and by educational authority.

It will take about two weeks to assemble these statistics, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the relevant age group in each education authority gains two or more A-levels.

Information in this degree of detail is not available in my Department and could not be obtained except at disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now recommend a special purchase grant for the acquisition by the National Portrait Gallery of the portrait of Sterne by Reynolds.

The Government would not be justified in providing by special grant the very large proportion of the purchase price which remains outstanding beyond what the gallery had been able to make available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in what form the Government's proposals for an extension of industrial democracy will be published.

As I said in a previous reply to my hon. Friend, the Government are considering how to carry out their commitment to a far-reaching extension of industrial democracy. There will be extensive consultation with all interested parties to assist the formulation of proposals, and it is still too soon to say in what form these proposals will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the public sector whose salaries are (a) over £5,000 and (b) over £10,000 are in receipt of threshold payments in addition to salary.

I regret that I do not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the light of his examination of the problem, whether he will now provide Government funds to enable a concerted programme to be undertaken to combat the spread of sargassum muticum (Japanese seaweed).

My right hon. Friend will take a decision about Government action when he has been able to consider the advice, not yet to hand, of the Nature Conservancy Council on the recommendation for a research programme contained in the report of the Portsmouth Working Party.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the staff of British Rail are currently in receipt of a salary of more than (a) £2,500 per annum, (b) £5,000 per annum, and (c) £7,500 per annum; what proportions these represent of the total workforce; and how this compares with the situation in the railway industry in France, Germany and Italy, respectively.

I regret that I do not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department advised the Greater London Council that the rents for flats in Stranraer Way, Islington, NI, having been first determined under the Housing Finance Act, could not, pending consideration by the rent scrutiny board, be revised downwards; and, if it did, on what provisions in the Act this advice was based.

There is no record of any such advice. But I refer my hon. Friend to the reply he was given on 19th December—[Vol. 883, c. 601.]—and to subsequent correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on whose instructions, and for what purpose, Mr. Robert Fisk, Belfast correspondent of The Times, was questioned by a member of the staff of the British Embassy in Dublin; who was present with the official; and if he will ensure that officials of British embassies in foreign countries make clear to British subjects whom they are questioning the reasons for the questions;(2) what is the nationality of the member of the staff of the British Embassy in Dublin who interviewed Mr. Robert Fisk; how long he has been a member of the staff at that embassy; and what are his rank and duties.

The Head of Chancery of the British Embassy in Dublin, who is a British subject and an established member of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service, saw Mr. Fisk, on instructions from Her Majesty's Government, in the evening of Thursday 6th February at his hotel in Dublin. He instructed Mr. Fisk to surrender official documents, the property of Her Majesty's Government, which were understood to be in his possession. This action arose from a statement made by Mr. Fisk in the course of conversation with a British Government official in Dublin earlier that day. This action and the reasons for it were explained to The Times newspaper in London the same evening.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department is making in considering the feasibility of using tape recorders for police interviews with suspects during criminal investigations.

I have set up a steering committee, including representatives of the Bar Council, the Law Society, the Justices' Clerks' Society, chief officers of police and the Government Departments concerned, to consider the feasibility of an experiment in the tape recording of police interrogations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan Police officers were off duty through sickness for any period during 1973 and 1974 suffering from mental exhaustion caused by the stresses of performing their duty in London.

This information could be obtained only by disproportionate effort. The Commissioner is, however, aware of the strains imposed on members of his force, and to alleviate them he has recently increased the number of rest days available to be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) about how many Metropolitan Police officers, by rank, have reports been made to the Director of Public Prosecutions after investigations into allegations of corruption arising from the pornographic trade in London's West End;(2) how many Metropolitan Police officers, by rank, are currently under investigation following allegations of corruption arising from the pornographic trade in London's West End.

It would not be right to provide detailed information of this kind about the progress of an investigation—whether or not it involves police officers—not yet completed. To do so would be prejudicial both to individuals involved and to the success of the investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan Police officers, by rank, have been prematurely retired after allegations made of corruption against them in connection with the pornographic trade in London's West End.

None. The allegations are still under investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers, by rank, are currently under suspension in connection with allegations of corruption against senior officers of the Metropolitan Police arising from the pornographic trade in London's West End.

Five officers, holding the ranks of chief inspector, inspector or sergeant.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement concerning the present and future control of scrap exports to other member States in the EEC.

The European Treaties establish unrestricted trade in scrap between member States. With the ending of the transitional period provided for the United Kingdom by the Treaty of Accession restrictions on trade in scrap between the United Kingdom and other member countries have now been removed. The operative dates were 1st January 1973 for non-ferrous scrap and 1st January 1975 for ferrous scrap. If significant shortages were to recur in the United Kingdom the Government would seek whatever remedy seemed most appropriate and if necessary seek a derogation from the Treaty.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his estimate of the turnover and profit or loss for Govan Shipbuilders in the current year.

The latest year for which figures are available is the year ended 27th December 1974. The company estimates that the work done during that year had a contract value of about £23 million. Losses are expected to be about £5¾ million. Audited accounts should be available by about May 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made in the arrangements to govern the provision to him of information of former Court Line companies, mentioned in his letter of 19th September 1974 as requiring settlement as soon as possible.

Arising from the Letter of Understanding of 19th September 1974 with each of the shipbuilding and ship repairing companies of the former Court Line group, my Department now receives cash flows, balance sheets, profit and loss accounts and production figures on a regular basis. Additionally, there is very frequent contact between the officials of my Department and the companies

£m. Outturn prices
									1965–66	1966–67	1967–68
IREs and Computer-Aided Design Centre						…	…	…	7·5	8·4	10·3
R & D contracts and other extra-mural expenditure							…	…	3·4	3·7	4·3
Technological and industrial sponsorship						…	…	…	0·4	1·8	8·5
International Computers (Holdings) Ltd						…	…	…	—	—	—
Totals	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	11·3	13·9	23·1
									1968–69	1969–70	1970–71
IREs and Computer-Aided Design Centre						…	…	…	9·8	9·8	11·0
R & D contracts and other extra-mural expenditure							…	…	4·0	4·3	4·6
Technological and Industrial Sponsorship						…	…	…	4·9	4·5	4·7
International Computers (Holdings) Ltd.						…	…	…	—	—	—
Totals	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	18·7	18·6	20·3
									1971–72	1972–73	1973–74
IREs and Computer-Aided Design Centre						…	…	…	11·2	12·6	13·2
R & D contracts and other extra-mural expenditure							…	…	4·4	4·3	7·3
Technological and Industrial Sponsorship						…	…	…	3·0	5·0	5·2
International Computers (Holdings) Ltd.						…	…	…	—	8·8	9·5
Totals	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	18·6	30·7	35·2
Grand Total			…	…	…	…	…	…	£190·4m.
Annual average			…	…	…	…	…	…	£21·2m.

The powers in the Act also cover support to the Agricultural, Medical, Natural Environment, Science and Social Science Research Councils, all of which are the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science, and some expenditure by other Government Departments, including energy research by the Department of Energy and work on weights and measures by the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a table itemising the number of projects and the total and average of grants made in each year since the introduction of the Science and Technology Act 1965.

Expenditure under the powers contained in the Science and Technology Act 1965 embraces a wide variety of programmes and the information is not available in the form requested. Expenditure on the industrial research and development and technological and industrial sponsorship programmes, and in support of International Computers (Holdings) Ltd., which together include the bulk of my Department's expenditure under these powers, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many of the staff of the British Steel Corporation are currently in receipt of a salary of more than (a) £2,500 per annum, (b) £5,000 per annum, and (c) £7,500 per annum; what proportions these represent of the total workforce; and how this compares with the situation in the steel industry in France, Germany and the Benelux countries, respectively;(2) how many of the staff of the Post Office are currently in receipt of a salary of more than (

I regret that I do not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many spinning mills and weaving mills have closed in 1973, 1974 and up to the last convenient date in 1975 in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The following figures on closures in West Yorkshire of wool textile firms are based on returns from firms liable to pay levy under Article 4(a) of the Wool Textile Industry (Export Promotion Levy) Order 1970 and the Wool Textile Industry (Scientific Research Levy) Order 1970, i.e., manufacturers as distinct from merchants. They are based on the date when a closure was notified to the administrators of the levies which is often in arrears of actual closure.

1973	1974	1975	(to date)
22	22	7

These closures cover all wool textile manufacturing activities, since separate information on spinning and weaving is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report measures available to assist textile firms in the intermediate areas.

The main measures available are regional development grants for the provision of new buildings and the adaptation of existing buildings and selective assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act. Firms which qualify for assistance under the Wool Textile Industry Scheme, a special scheme involving assistance under Section 8 of the Industry Act, are not also eligible for assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act. Where a project is eligible for both Section 8 assistance and regional development grants the payment of Section 8 assistance is net of any payment of regional development grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has for further advance factory building in the assisted areas.

I am pleased to announce the following new programme which will provide 24 factories at an estimated cost of £3¼ million. Part of the programme takes up the balance of the special allocation to provide early help to the construction industry announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11th September 1974, and most of the locations will, therefore, be on land we already own or will shortly purchase. I also have to announce that the Department is taking over from the Property Services Agency a 21-acre site at Gillmoss, Liverpool, which we plan to redevelop with modern factories.

List of factories.
	sq feet
Scotland
Queenslie (Glasgow)	25,000
Lochlands (Falkirk)	20,000
Shotts	20,000
Edinburgh*	15,000
	80,000
Northern Region
Sunderland (Leechmere)	2×15,000
Tanfield Lea	25,000
Tynemouth	15,000
	70,000
North-West
Knowsley (Terrace Units)	15,000
Lancaster	15,000
Burnley	15,000
	45,000
Wales
Fishguard (Terrace Units)	2×5,000
Portmadoc	10,000
Gaerwen	10,000
Ynyscedwyn (Terrace Units)	2×5,000
	40,000
Yorkshire and Humberside
Doncaster	2×15,000
	30,000
East Midlands
Chesterfield	15,000
Clay Cross	15,000
	30,000

	sq. feet
South-West
Pennryn	10,000
Plymouth	10,000
Newquay	10,000
	30,000
GRAND TOTAL	325,000
* Increase in size of factory already announced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing average earnings per head net of direct taxes and national insurance contributions in 1950, 1960 and 1974 for each of the following groups: senior Cabinet Ministers, holders of offices and appointments covered by the Boyle Top Salary Review, GPs and dentists within the National Health Service, head teachers in local authority schools, and the five groups who headed the manual workers' wages league in 1974; and if he will show in each case the percentage increases between 1950 and 1974.

The information the hon. Member is seeking will take some time to assemble, and I will let him have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it the practice of his administration that any Government Department which buys textiles orders British-made textiles wherever possible in view of the difficulty confronting the British textile industry.

I am of course aware of the current difficulties of the British textile industry, but it would not be in the national interest to depart from the policy of obtaining best value for money.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the last appointment was made to the Steward- ship of the Manor of Northstead; and by what procedure the holder relinquishes the appointment.

The last appointment to the Stewardship of the Manor of North-stead was made on 16th February 1973.An appointment normally continues until determined by a subsequent appointment to the Stewardship, but a Steward may relinquish his post before a new appointment is made, by application to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation, based on the increase in the retail price index over the 12 months to February; and what is the rate based on the last three months calculated to an annual basis.

The retail price index for February will not be published for another month. The retail price index for January, published today, shows an increase of 19·9 per cent. The rate of increase in the RPI in the three months to January expressed at an annual rate is 25·9 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing for each EEC country, the United States of America, Sweden, Canada and Japan the proportion of national income represented by direct public expenditure, indirect public expenditure and total public expenditure, respectively, in each year since 1960.

The table shows central Government and local government expenditure on goods and services expressed as a proportion of GDP at market prices. Because of differences in national accounting practice this is the only meaningful international comparison. The figures follow the United Nations System of National Accounts, which differs in some respects from the usual United Kingdom presentation, particularly in excluding the capital expenditure of public corporations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates of public expenditure on the acquisition of land are included within the forecasts of gross and net investment for each of the years 1974–75 to 1978–79, inclusive, given in Table 2.7 of Command Paper No. 5879. "Public Expenditure to 1978–79"; and what are the estimates for expenditure on land by local authorities, new town development corporations and the central Government, respectively.

					£m. at 1974 Survey Prices
					1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
Housing: Table 2.7*
Acquisition of land and buildings:
Local authorities		…	…	…	432·7	412·1	398·3	398·7	398·5
New towns corporations			…	…	22·5	23·2	22·3	21·9	21·2
Other public corporations			…	…	1·2	1·2	1·2	1·2	1·0
Total (Gross)		…	…	…	456·4	436·5	421·8	421·8	420·7
Sale of land and buildings:
Local authorities		…	…	…	-41·6	-58·8	-62·9	-63·3	-63·3
New towns corporations			…	…	-20·4	-24·6	-21·1	-20·7	-21·3
Other public corporations			…	…	-1·5	-0·1	-0·1	-0·1	-0·1
Total	…	…	…	…	-63·5	-83·5	-84·1	-84·1	-84·7
Net Total		…	…	…	392·9	353·0	337·7	337·7	336·0
All Programmes
Acquisition of land and buildings:
Central Government (Votes)				…	84·3	107·1	75·4	69·1	66·0
Other central Government			…	…	7·3	9·6	10·4	10·2	10·0
Local authorities		…	…	…	662·9	618·5	615·4	613·1	592·9
New towns corporations			…	…	31·4	35·3	33·7	33·3	31·2
Other public corporations			…	…	13·3	7·0	7·2	8·0	8·4
Total (Gross)		…	…	…	799·2	777·5	742·1	733·7	708·5
* There is no direct central Government expenditure on this element of public expenditure in Table 2.7.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his intention that the requirement for a return of gifts to be made in respect of capital transfer tax shall apply for every type of gift without a minimum level for disclosure.

No. Forms of returns of gifts will indicate appropriate minimum levels below which details need not be supplied.

asked the Chancellor at the Exchequer whether expenditure incurred by a parent on the maintenance, education and training of his child can count as a transfer giving rise to a liability to capital transfer tax.

I regret that it is not possible to distinguish between land and existing buildings for the purpose of analysing public expenditure. The table below gives an analysis by spending authority of the totals for acquisitions and for sales of land and buildings included in Table 2.7 of Command 5879. The table also provides an anlysis of acquisition of land and buildings contained within the totals of public expenditure in the White Paper as a whole.

I am considering this following the Committee stage debates on the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the provision by a shareholder-director of a close company of an interest-free loan to that company will give rise to a liability to capital transfer tax in respect of the interest figures.

I am considering this point in the light of the debate in the Committee on the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor at the Exchequer what would be the appropriate figures in columns 2, 3 and 4 of the table in the Written Answer of 6th February to the hon. Member for Blaby, assuming that it was the combined value of the asset and the tax paid by the donor which had appreciated in money value, and assuming the same set of capital transfer tax rates as before; and what would be the comparable figures (a) in the answer given on 6th February and (b) in the answer to the above Question, assuming that, in each instance, the recently announced reduced rates for lifetime gifts were to apply.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide revised versions of the tables given in the Financial Secretary's Written Answer of 27th January to the hon. Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Baker) in the light of Her Majesty's Government's new proposals for a reduced scale of rates of capital transfer tax on lifetime gifts.

pursuant to his reply—[Official Report, 10th February 1975; Vol. 886, c. 8], gave the following further reply:I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports he has received on the work of the Resettlement Association in Belfast; what assistance it is being given from public funds; and whether he will make a statement.

The Resettlement Association of Northern Ireland is a private organisation responsible for ordering its own affairs. The association has to date been paid a grant-in-aid of £15,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what powers he has, and what his present policy is, concerning the issue and the calling in of licensed arms.

Responsibility for the issue, renewal or variation of firearm certificates is vested in the Chief Constable. Appeals against his decisions may be made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In the present security situation the policy must necessarily be restrictive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the security being provided for the Royal Avenue GPO in view of the recent £18,000 robbery.

Security at the Royal Avenue GPO is the responsibility of the Post Office, although the Royal Ulster Constabulary is always ready to give advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many policemen have been killed or injured on Dun-cairn Gardens since 1972 after the hours of darkness.

None killed; but two have been injured.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the effect the cuts in educational expenditure will have on school building plans and educational services in Dundee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the effect the cutback on the school building programme is likely to have on the Strathclyde authority's building projects inherited from the Ayrshire Education Committee.

Because of the limitations on public expenditure imposed by the economic situation there will be only limited scope in 1975–76 for starting projects to improve or replace existing primary and secondary school accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average net income, including interest, from capital from privately-owned forests in Scotland during the years 1966 to 1974; and if he will make a statement.

No official statistics are held, but, according to sample surveys of private forestry income and expenditure in Scotland carried out annually by the University of Aberdeen, the estimated average net income per acre from privately-owned managed woodlands in Scotland for the years 1966 to 1973 was:

Year to 30th September	£ per acre
1966	0·04
1967	-0·57
1968	-0·12
1969	-1·05
1970	-0·77
1971	-1·41
1972	-2·35
1973	-1·58

Statistics for 1974 are not yet available.The figures take into account grant-aid from the Forestry Commission, but they exclude interest on capital and the effects of personal taxation for which no information is available. Annual net income has fallen recently, largely because of increased expenditure on new planting and because timber sales have been relatively low owing to the immaturity of the plantations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters he has received seeking Government action on near-monopoly private land ownership on the islands of Scotland; and what replies he has sent.

I have received one letter, which was acknowledged.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of jobs to be created in Shetland owing to the discovery of oil.

Most directly created oil-related employment so far is in service and supply activities—a total of 125 jobs, with a further 180 in prospect. Construction of the oil terminal at Sullom Voe, and related facilities and infrastructure, is likely to require a short-term labour force of over 1,000. Long-term estimates of permanent employment cannot be made with accuracy, but on present plans it is expected that the Sullom Voe complex will provide about 400 jobs when it is fully operational after 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made towards overcoming the lack of speech therapists in Scotland.

There are 155 students currently undergoing training as speech therapists in Scotland. Training schools have been encouraged to increase the number of students in training.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many day nurseries there are in England, listed for each local authority; and how many places they provide.

At 31st March 1974 there were 507 local authority day nurseries and 1,175 private nurseries and nursery classes, providing 24,552 and 24,332 places respectively. The total of nurseries and private nursery classes in each authority is given below; numbers of local authority day nurseries are shown in brackets.

NORTHERN REGION
Cumberland CC	1	(—)
Durham CC	13	(1)
Northumberland CC	7	(1)
Westmorland CC	1	(—)
Carlisle CB	3	(1)
Darlington CB	1	(—)
Gateshead CB	4	(2)
Hartlepool CB	3	(2)
Newcastle upon Tyne CB	10	(5)
South Shields CB	7	(3)
Sunderland CB	3	(3)
Teesside CB	25	(6)
Tynemouth CB	1	(—)
YORKSHIRE REGION
East Riding CC	3	(—)
North Riding CC	25	(—)
West Riding CC	5	(5)
Barnsley CB	17	(—)
Bradford CB	7	(7)
Dewsbury CB	1	(1)
Doncaster CB	4	(—)
Halifax CB	2	(2)
Huddersfield CB	5	(4)
Kingston upon Hull CB	14	(1)
Leeds CB	24	(8)
Rotherham CB	1	(—)
Sheffield CB	6	(6)
Wakefield CB	1	(1)
York CB	3	(2)

NORTH-WESTERN REGION
Cheshire CC	23	(14)
Lancashire CC	65	(55)
Barrow in Furness CB	2	(1)
Birkenhead CB	5	(2)
Blackburn CB	5	(5)
Blackpool CB	6	(1)
Bolton CB	5	(4)
Bootle CB	1	(1)
Burnley CB	1	(1)
Bury CB	1	(1)
Chester CB	1	(—)
Liverpool CB	36	(14)
Manchester CB	45	(23)
Oldham CB	4	(1)
Preston CB	4	(3)
Rochdale CB	2	(1)
St. Helens CB	1	(1)
Salford CB	7	(2)
Southport CB	6	(2)
Stockport CB	2	(2)
Wallasey CB	3	(3)
Warrington CB	1	(1)
Wigan CB	4	(1)
WEST MIDLANDS REGION
Herefordshire CC	7	(1)
Salop CC	3	(—)
Staffordshire CC	6	(2)
Warwickshire CC	8	(—)
Worcestershire CC	3	(—)
Birmingham CB	46	(20)
Burton upon Trent CB	1	(—)
Coventry CB	12	(9)
Stoke on Trent CB	7	(5)
Walsall CB	9	(3)
Warley CB	3	(2)
Wolverhampton CB	3	(3)
Worcester CB	2	(—)
EAST MIDLANDS REGION
Derbyshire CC	7	(4)
Leicestershire CC	3	(2)
Lincolnshire-Holland CC	37	(—)
Lincolnshire-Kesteven CC	3	(1)
Lincolnshire-Lindsey CC	1	(—)
Northamptonshire CC	21	(—)
Nottinghamshire CC	30	(5)
Derby CB	6	(5)
Grimsby CB	1	(—)
Leicester CB	13	(6)
Lincoln CB	2	(1)
Northampton CB	9	(—)
Nottingham CB	15	(10)
LONDON NORTH REGION
Bedfordshire CC	12	(2)
Buckinghamshire CC	6	(1)
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely CC	13	(2)
Essex CC	64	(6)
Hertfordshire CC	26	(8)
Huntingdonshire and Peterborough CC	3	(1)
Norfolk CC	3	(1)
Oxfordshire CC	205	(1)
Suffolk-East CC	16	(—)
Suffolk-West CC	4	(—)
Great Yarmouth CB	1	(—)
Ipswich CB	1	(1)
Luton CB	3	(3)
Norwich CB	1	(1)
Oxford CB	2	(2)
Reading CB	13	(1)
Southend On Sea CB	1	(1)

LONDON CENTRAL REGION
Camden LB	22	(10)
Greenwich LB	6	(3)
Hackney LB	10	(7)
Hammersmith LB	11	(7)
Islington LB	15	(9)
Kensington and Chelsea LB	12	(5)
Lambeth LB	24	(12)
Lewisham LB	7	(5)
Southwark LB	8	(8)
Tower Hamlets LB	8	(5)
Wandsworth LB	21	(8)
Westminster LB	23	(8)
Barking LB	3	(3)
Barnet LB	6	(4)
Bexley LB	3	(1)
Brent LB	26	(13)
Bromley LB	13	(—)
Croydon LB	4	(3)
Ealing LB	8	(6)
Enfield LB	3	(1)
Haringey LB	11	(6)
Harrow LB	4	(2)
Havering LB	15	(4)
Hillingdon LB	9	(4)
Hounslow LB	18	(3)
Kingston Upon Thames LB	8	(2)
Merton LB	8	(2)
Newham LB	5	(3)
Redbridge LB	10	(2)
Richmond Upon Thames LB	11	(3)
Sutton LB	10	(1)
Waltham Forest LB	36	(5)
LONDON SOUTH REGION
Dorset CC	10	(1)
Hampshire CC	17	(2)
Kent CC	37	(—)
Surrey CC	19	(6)
Sussex-East CC	60	(1)
Sussex-West CC	15	(—)
Wiltshire CC	16	(—)
Bournemouth CB	5	(1)
Brighton CB	5	(1)
Canterbury CB (at 31 3 73)	1	(—)
Eastbourne CB	4	(1)
Hastings CB	3	(—)
Portsmouth CB	4	(3)
Southampton CB	4	(2)
SOUTH-WESTERN REGION
Cornwall CC	1	(—)
Devon CC	2	(—)
Gloucestershire CC	3	(3)
Somerset CC	7	(3)
Bath CB	1	(1)
Bristol CB	15	(9)
Exeter CB	3	(1)
Gloucester CB	5	(5)
Plymouth CB	5	(1)
Torbay CB	3	(—)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many-more day nurseries will be provided in England and Wales by the end of the 1976 financial year; and the number of additional places expected.

It is for local authorities to initiate and phase plans for building day nurseries subject to approval if they wish to finance them from loans. Projects expected to receive loan consent in the current financial year would increase by 14 the number of day nurseries and provide 681 additional places. Projects provisionally approved under the Urban Programme of the 1975–76 social services capital programme would increase the number of nurseries by 46 and provide about 1,800 additional places. But neither I nor my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, who has responsibility for the social services in Wales, can predict how many of these projects will be completed by the end of the financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many preschool children are now attending playgroups; and how many playgroups there are in England and Wales.

At 31st March 1974 there were 18,562 groups of this type catering for 371,100 children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals in England and Wales run playgroups or nursery classes for children of their employees; and if she will list them in the Official Report.

In June 1972, the most recent date for which information is available, 74 hospitals provided facilities of this type. I will write to my hon. Friend with details. I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is conducting an inquiry into day care facilities for the children of hospital staff in Wales. Results of this inquiry will be sent to my hon. Friend as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much financial help she now gives each year to the playgroup movement in England and Wales.

In the current financial year my Department has agreed to grant up to £123,450. In addition, the Department of Education and Science is granting up to £16,400 and the Welsh Office up to £23,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many firms in England and Wales provide playgroup or crèche facilities for the children up to 5 years of age of their employees; and how many places are so provided.

From returns relating to 31st March 1974 there were then 91 factory premises providing facilities of this type for 2,626 children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pre-school children are being looked after by registered childminders in England and Wales.

At 31st March 1974 registered child-minders were authorised to provide all-day care for 57,162 children and sessional care for 29,792 children. The latter are also included in my answer to the previous Question today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, for the most convenient period of 12 months available, what were the number of self-employed persons paying national insurance contributions, the number of such people receiving national insurance sickness benefit and the total sum so paid; and for the same period what were the numbers of employed persons paying national insurance contributions, the number of such people receiving national insurance sickness benefit and the total sum so paid.

The numbers of self-employed contributors and employed contributors in 1973–74 are given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington. South and Finsbury (Mr. Cunningham) on 30th January.—[Vol. 885, c. 291–2.]On 2nd June 1973, the most recent date for which figures are available, there were about 20,000 self-employed persons and about 429,000 employed persons in receipt of sickness benefit. In 1973–74 it is estimted that self-employed persons received about £11 million in flat-rate sickness benefit and that employed persons received about £220 million. In addition, employed persons received about £75 million by way of earnings-related supplement in return for their earnings-related contributions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nursery centres will have been built in England and Wales by the end of 1976 financial year; where they will be built; and how many full-time places they will provide.

I know of no plans to build additional combined nursery centres at present. My Department and the Department of Education and Science are commissioning a research project to evaluate the seven existing centres which were provided by Urban Aid.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the minimum and maximum, or average percentage of reference earnings, net of tax and national insurance contributions, which an unemployed man with wife and three children, who previously earned the national average wage for manual workers, will receive during the first six months of unemployment in Great Britain and the USA, taking into account income tax rebates in this country and assuming in each case that he has been in the same job at the same wages for one year, and that all the conditions necessary to full entitlement to benefit were fulfilled.

In Great Britain, weekly income while unemployed as a proportion of income from earnings and family allowances, net of tax and national insurance contributions, would be smallest—between 45 and 50 per cent.—in the first week of unemployment, if that week fell early in the tax year so that no tax refund was due, and when only three days' flat-rate unemployment benefit would be payable; and largest—between 95 and 100 per cent.—in a week when earnings-related supplement and a tax refund would both be payable.The average weekly benefit for total unemployment in the United States, including Puerto Rico, in June 1974 was $62·50, with a range by State from $36·83 to $83·37. Average weekly earnings in the United States, excluding Puerto Rico, for manufacturing industry then were $177.As the hon. Member will be aware from my reply of 28th January to his earlier Question—[Vol. 885, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the numbers of claimants accused of fraud under the supplementary benefits scheme and under the National Insurance Scheme, respectively, and the numbers of claimants convicted in each case for each year since 1964.

The number of claimants accused before the courts of benefit fraud were:

SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT
Year
1967*	2,219
1968	3,763
1969	4,398
1970	3,904
1971	4,767
1972	5,891
1973†	6,103

NATIONAL INSURANCE BENEFITS INCLUDING FAM
Year
1964	1,661
1965	1,332
1966	1,343
1967	1,264
1968	1,745
1969	1,924
1970	2,217
1971	2,910
1972	3,373
1973†	3,001
* The first full year of the scheme.
† The latest figures available.

It is estimated that some 98 per cent. of these claimants were convicted of fraud.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the number of claimants who were subject to the wage stop on their earnings-related benefit for each year since the scheme's inception, broken down between the relevant earnings-related benefits.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to Section 2(4)(b) of the National Insurance Act 1966, which restricts the amount of earnings-related

					Benefit with which supplement payable
					Sickness benefit	Injury benefit thousands	Maternity allowance	Unemployment benefit
1967	…	…	…	…	2·0	0·5	*	2·0
1968	…	…	…	…	2·5	*	*	2·0
1969	…	…	…	…	2·0	*	*	2·0
1970	…	…	…	…	4·0	1·0	*	3·0
1971	…	…	…	…	10·0	1·0	4·0	3·0
1972	…	…	…	…	11·0	3·0	5·0	7·0
1973	…	…	…	…	21·0	6·0	7·0	6·0
1974	…	…	…	…	†	†	†	8·0
* Estimate too small to be reliable.
† Information not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the opening of the new Royal Gloucestershire Hospital has been delayed; when she now expects the hospital to be opened; and if she will make a statement.

Delay in the opening of phase 111B of the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has been caused by construction difficulties. The development as a whole was handed over to the South-Western Regional Health Authority by the contractors on 7th February 1975, and the Gloucestershire Area Health Authority is proceeding immediately with commissioning arrangements. It is hoped to admit the first patients towards the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present number of persons employed in social services departments in local authorities; what is the number of social workers employed in field work; and to what extent there is a shortage of field workers.

At 30th September 1973, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 151,100 staff, in whole-time equivalents, employed in local authority social services departments in

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which nationalised industries have increased the pensions paid to former employees in 1972 and 1973; by what percentage in each case; and how these compare with pension increases to former civil servants under the terms of the Pensions Increase Act 1971.

There is now no ministerial responsibility for the details of pension schemes in nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list in the Official Report those parliamentary constituencies where, according to the 1971 census, less than 10 per cent. of all persons in employment use public transport as a means of transport to work.

The following figures are the percentages of persons travelling to work by bus or train in those parliamentary constituencies in which the percentage is less than 10 per cent.

GREAT BRITAIN—BASED ON A 10 PER CENT. SAMPLE FROM THE 1971 CENSUS
England	Bus and Train
Bodmin	9·1
Bridgwater	8·1
Bury St. Edmunds	7·9
North Cornwall	5·2
North Devon	6·3
West Devon	6·1
North Dorset	6·9
North Dorset	6·0
Eye	5·9
Gainsborough	8·1
Holland with Boston	5·7
Honiton	7·9
Horncastle	5·3
Huntingdonshire	89
Isle of Ely	8·2
Leominster	5·6
Ludlow	8·3
North West Norfolk	7·6
South Norfolk	9·0
South West Norfolk	6·0
Oswestry	8·1
Rutland and Stamford	8·6
St. Ives	8·6
Stratford-on-Avon	8·0
Taunton	9·9
Tiverton	8·6
Truro	7·7
Wells	8·4
Westbury	9·0
Westmorland	9·9
Yeovil	7·9
Scotland
Argyll	8·8
Galloway	6·2
Moray and Nairn	8·3
Orkney and Zetland	3·1
Ross and Cromarty	7·8
Wales
Anglesey	8·0
Caernarvon	9·6
Cardigan	7·9
Merioneth	7·5
Montgomery	3·5

The figures are derived from the 1971 Census of Population and do not include the small number of persons who were returned on their census forms as travelling to work by "public transport" or those few who were returned as travelling by other forms of public transport such as "ferry".

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present cost to the Exchequer, in a full year, of the earnings-related part of unemployment benefits; what is the net income of a married man with two children under 11 years of age who is earning the average national wage; and to what the same man's earnings-related unem- ployment benefit—together with any other social security allowances he and his family may typically expect to receive—would amount.

In 1973–74, the cost to the National Insurance Fund of earnings-related supplement of unemployment benefit was £23 million. The Exchequer supplement represents about 15 per cent. of the income of that fund. Using £50 a week as an estimate of current national average earnings, weekly income net of income tax—taking personal allowances only into account—and national insurance contributions, and including family allowance, would be £38.92; and on the assumption that throughout the tax year 1973–74 the man received weekly earnings at the level of the national average in October 1973–i.e., £40.92—he would be entitled to earnings-related supplement of £8.55 a week, payable in addition to flat-rate unemployment benefit of £18.40 and family allowance of 90p.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she expects to be in a position to give the ratio, overall, of administrative staff to medical and nursing staff in the running of the health services in England in the year 1974.

This will not be possible until the necessary underlying statistics have been received and processed. I regret that this may take a little time yet, but I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman when they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the estimated proportions of a retirement pension begun in 1975 for a married man aged 65 years which have been provided by (a) his own contributions, (b) compound interest thereon, (c) his employer's contributions, (d) compound interest thereon, and (e) the Exchequer.

The National Insurance Fund, from which retirement pensions are paid, is financed on pay-as-you-go principles under which the cost of pensions now in payment is met mainly from current contribution income and not from the product of contributions paid in the past.On the contribution rates applying from next April, about 34 per cent. of the fund's income comes from the contributions of insured persons, about 49 per cent. comes from the contributions of employers, and about 15 per cent. comes from the Exchequer through the Treasury Supplement. The remaining 2 per cent. is the interest on the balances in the fund.I would also refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Marks) on 4th February.—[Vol. 885, c.