asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the extent of home treatment available to those suffering from haemophilia.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a further statement on her plans for giving more effective help to haemophiliacs

No. It is a question of trying to make the best use of limited resources. The ideal would be to have AHG concentrate readily available in the home of all haemophiliacs for whom treatment at home can be recommended. We hope to be closer to this situation when we are producing more of our own AHG concentrate in the national blood transfusion service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the facilities for chest and kidney injuries in the Sheffield area of the Trent Regional Health Authority.

Patients requiring treatment for chest and kidney injuries are seen at one of Sheffield's designated accident and emergency centres. Sufficient beds are available for patients requiring hospital admission although I recognise that some premises are less than satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will give a firm date for the introduction of the invalid care allowance.

We shall be introducing this allowance in the financial year 1976–77, but I cannot yet give a more precise date.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the take-up of heating and dietary allowances for the elderly; and what steps she is taking to eliminate hypothermia in the elderly.

The Supplementary Benefits Commission has recently eased and extended the criteria under which extra heating additions are awarded. We have no reason to think that supplementary pensioners who follow special diets are not getting the extra dietary additions to which they are entitled. My Department has drawn the attention of health and local authorities to the need to take such steps as may be practicable to assist old people at risk from suffering from the effects of cold.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what machinery is in existence to permit Army, Navy and Royal Air Force hospitals to provide financial aid in respect of civilian patients.

The responsibility for payment of travel expenses incurred by civilian patients referred by the NHS to Service hospitals normally rests with the appropriate health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement about any recent developments affecting her Department's budgets.

My Department's budget for social security has not been affected by the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th April.—[Vol. 890, c. 294–8.] For the effect on the health capital building programme I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins) on 15th April.—[Vol. 890, c. 85–8.] I append a table showing the effects of the reduction of £62·5 million for 1976–77 on the figures given in Cmnd. 5879. As the House will remember, it was possible to increase the health capital programme by £19 million in 1975–76 and there has been no reduction in the budget for health and personal social services for this year. This has meant that we have been able to lift the moratorium on hospital building starts necessitated by the cuts imposed by my predecessor in December 1973 and increase the revenue allocation. I have decided that I must ensure that for 1976–

COMPARATIVE FORECASTS OF EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH AND PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMME
England £million at 1974 survey prices
			Cmnd. 5519 revalued	1974–75 Cmnd. 5519 as adjusted by December 1973 reductions	Cmnd. 5879	1975–76 Cmnd. 5879	1976–77 Cmnd, 5879	Cmnd. 5879 as provisionally adjusted
HEALTH
Capital expenditure:
Hospitals and community health services	…	…	294·4	235·9	235·9	255·5	233·1	192·1
Family practitioners	…	…	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2
Other health services	…	…	1·1	0·9	1·8	2·7	6·0	5·4
Current expenditure:
Hospitals and community health services	…	…	1,807·4	1,778·9	1,791·5	1,845·7	1,884·3	1,873·5
Family practitioners	…	…	561·4	561·4	561·9	598·5	621·9	623·9
Other health services	…	…	42·3	41·8	42·3	42·9	42·6	42·0
PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES
Capital expenditure:
Central Government	…	…	1·0	0·8	0·9	1·6	2·3	2·0
Local authorities	…	…	83·8	67·1	73·9	76·3	70·0	57·0
Current expenditure:
Central Government	…	…	2·7	2·7	3·0	2·7	3·0	3·0
Local authorities	…	…	400·6	390·9	440·9	465·6	476·0	476·0
CENTRAL AND MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES
Capital expenditure	…	…	0·4	0·3	0·4	0·5	0·4	0·4
Current expenditure	…	…	77·9	75·7	82·8	86·5	88·5	90·3
Total (excluding VAT paid by local authorities)	…	…	3,273·2	3,156·6	3,235·5	3,378·7	3,428·3	3,365·8

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will publish a pamphlet setting out in simple and readily understandable terms the various benefits available to widows and the rules governing such benefits.

We do already issue leaflets which explain the conditions for the award of the various types of widow's benefit. But the whole range of leaflets is currently being reviewed to see what improvements we can make in the interests of simplicity and clarity.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is satisfied with the working of the new system of national insurance contribu- 77 the revenue allocation to health authorities has a sufficient growth to match inescapable commitments and demographic factors. This has meant taking a larger cut on capital for 1976–77 than previously envisaged.tions; and whether she will make a statement.

Three weeks is too short a period on which to judge the working of the new arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her policy towards volunteers working in NHS hospitals.

I welcome and encourage the growing contribution made by volunteers, especially in hospitals for long-stay patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on the emigration of doctors to posts overseas.

Forward indicators suggesting a rising trend in emigration of British doctors were considered by the independent Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body. I share the concern it expresses in its report. I hope that the new rates of remuneration will encourage British doctors to remain in the National Health Service. I am watching the situation closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many medical personnel, having contracts with the National Health Service, are known to have emigrated or applied for permission to emigrate in the last two years; and if she is able to say how many were general practitioners, how many were registrars or junior medical staff in hospitals and how many had consultant status.

Information in the form requested is not available. The following table gives figures of doctors leaving the National Health Service in England and Wales during 1973 and 1974 and expressing an intention to emigrate.

	British Doctors	Overseas-born Doctors	Total
All doctors	444	1,360	1,808
Consultants	24	24	48
Senior registrars	67	102	169
Registrars	79	613	692
Other hospital doctors	150	572	722
General practitioners	124	53	177

The high figure for overseas-born doctors, particularly in the junior grades, reflects the characteristic migration pattern that such doctors come to this country for three or four years' post-graduate medical training in junior hospital posts, after which most leave the country. The actual outflow from the NHS is usually higher than the "intention" figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on her policy regarding private beds in National Health Service hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on the latest position regarding private beds in NHS hospitals.

I hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will waive payment by patients in private beds for days when the services available to patients are affected by industrial action.

No. These charges are made on a statutory basis and have to be settled by reference to total annual costs. Once laid down they have to be applied unchanged for a period of 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in reopening the pay bed unit at Preston Royal Infirmary; and whether she will make a statement.

The Chairman and officers of the Lancashire Area Health Authority met representatives of the consultant medical staff on 21st April to discuss this matter. It was agreed that there should be further discussions involving other staff interests, and a meeting of all concerned will be held in May.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will give comparable figures for basic pension for a married couple living in the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

The standard rate of retirement pension payable to a married couple in the United Kingdom is now £18·50 a week. There is no basic rate of pension in Germany or France. In Germany the pension is based on the number of years of insurance and average earnings, with no increase for a dependent wife. In France the pension is based on average earnings, with a minimum pension of 146 francs a week for a married couple if the man has been insured for at least 15 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her Department's estimate of the impact of the Budget and related matters in particular the increases in nationalised industry prices, on the standard of living of the recipients of supplementary benefit, retirement pensions and the chronically sick and disabled.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has stated that the retail prices index will rise by about 2¾ per cent. as a result of the Budget measures. The Government are, and will continue to be, fully alive to the impact of this, and of the effects of increases in nationalised industry prices, on those mentioned by my hon. Friend

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she has received the Chatham House report on social security in the European Community.

Yes.

Clarke asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement about the Government's proposed family endowment scheme.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is now in a position to undertake the implementation of the Finer Report on single-parent families.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now make a statement on the progress of consultations on the recommendations of the Finer Report.

Progress in implementating the many recommendations of the committee, which cover a wide field, is continuing, and my colleagues and I have made announcements as decisions have been reached. In particular I have just published the Child Benefit Bill which fulfils a major recommendation of the Finer Committee in extending a cash payment to first children, and does so for one-parent families one year in advance of the main scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will consider increasing the amount which may be earned by a woman in a one parent family before her allowances are reduced.

The weekly amount that an unsupported mother can earn without her supplementary benefit being affected is to be increased from £2 to £4 later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she intends taking to improve eye hospital care facilities in the West Midlands.

Thirty-two additional ophthalmic beds will be provided when phase I of Selly Oak Hospital, now under construction, is completed, and work is planned to start this year on new operating theatres at the Wolverhampton Eye Infirmary. The health authorities are considering the nature and timing of further improvements, particular replacement of the unsatisfactory facilities at the Birmingham Eye Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is satisfied with the provision for patients leaving mental hospitals; and whether she will make a statement.

No. Though there has been considerable improvement in the supporting facilities in the community much remains to be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of calling in family allowance books and overstamping them with the new rate.

It is estimated that staff and postage costs amounted to about £1 million, in addition to £92,000 on publicity, including national newspaper advertising.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on the Hospital Advisory Service report on geriatric in-patient provisions in Nuneaton and Coventry.

The report was completed in February 1974. Many of its recommendations have been implemented; the remainder are under consideration by officers of my Department and the regional and area health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now state the exact date on which the non-contributory invalidity pension will be made available to disabled housewives.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Lady the Member for Lancaster (Mrs. Kellett-Bowman) on 25th March.—[Vol. 889, c. 74–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions she has had with bodies representing occupational pension funds about their present financial problems.

Representatives of occupational pension scheme interests have taken the opportunity of raising this matter in the course of the many discussions in connection with the Government's new pensions scheme held with Ministers and officials of my Department in the last few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish the evidence submitted to the Occupational Pensions Board in connection with its recent report (Command Papr No. 5904) on the solvency of occupational pension schemes, the disclosure of information about schemes and the participation of members in the running of schemes.

I have today published Volume 2 of the Occupational Pension Board's report (Cmnd 5904–1). This Volume contains the written evidence submitted to the board by the main organizations in the pensions field, the Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry and Government Departments. Summaries of the rest of the evidence which the board received from many other organizations and individuals, and a note on trust law prepared by board officials, are also included. I will be publishing shortly a further volume containing evidence on overseas practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients have been struck off the NHS panels of general practitioners for ideological reasons in the past five years.

Since under existing regulations no reason need be given either by a doctor requesting the removal of a patient's name from his list, or by a patient who wishes to transfer to another doctor, the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to alleviate the poverty of many one-parent families; and whether she is able to assist, with funds, such organisations as seek to provide shelter for battered wives.

I am very much aware of the financial difficulties facing many lone parents. This is why we are extending a cash payment to the first child in one-parent families a year in advance of other families. Those one-parent families receiving social security benefits —three-fifths of the total—will also be helped by the upratings this month and later this year; and those among them on supplementary benefit from the improvements being made in the supplementary benefit scheme in response to the Finer Report.Under the urban aid programme £150,000 has already been provided for refugees for battered wives. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction, when replying to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mrs. Wise) on 19th March—[Vol. 888, c. 1634–5]—said that housing, including hostels, for battered wives and their children would be eligible for local authority subsidies and housing association grant. Local voluntary organisations in the personal social services field normally look first to the local authority for any support they need, but my Department is always prepared to consider with the organisation and the local authority any cases or special difficulty.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the manner in which social services departments have organised their social workers following the implementation of the Seebohm Report; and if she intends to issue further guidance to local authorities on this matter.

Since their creation in 1971 local authority social services departments have made impressive advances in the establishment of a new unified service to individuals and families. They have been faced with many burdens including new legislation, the reorganisation of local government and the National Health Service, and a massive upsurge in public demand for their services, and there have inevitably been transitional difficulties. With increasing experience, however, with further developments in training, and with the advice and support of my Department's Social Work Service I am confident that, notwithstanding current financial stringency, these problems can and will be overcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on the impact of the consultants' work-to-contract on patients in the Southampton area.

The effects of the consultants' industrial action are difficult to isolate, as waiting times for hospital appointments and admissions can be influenced by a number of factors. In the Southampton and South-West Hampshire district, since the start of industrial action by consultants, there has been a general increase in waiting times for out-patient appointments and for non-emergency admissions in most specialties. The extent of the increase has varied according to the specialty. Waiting lists have lengthened overall by about 5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is her policy to discourage middle-aged parents or foster parents from bringing up young children.

No. In general, children are best brought up by their own parents, whether middle-aged or otherwise. Local authorities have not been discouraged from appointing middle-aged foster parents. Age is one of the factors taken into account in determining the suitability of foster parents to have charge of a child, but the weight to be attached to it is best left to local authorities to judge in the light of each child's needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now place a copy of the A-Code in the Library.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on the proposed rebuilding of Orpington Hospital.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins) on 15th April.—[Vol. 890, c. 85–88.]—about the 1975–76 health capital programme. In the light of the continuing restraints on public expenditure in 1976–77, discussions are to take place with health authorities about the capital programme for 1976–77 and later years. It is not possible to say at this stage what priority will be afforded to the development of a district general hospital in the Bromley health area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will pay an official visit to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital during 1975.

No visit is planned. The future of this hospital is under formal consideration by the Camden and Islington Area Health Authority (Teaching), and, as I told the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Churchill) in my reply to him on 21st February—[Vol. 886, c. 549.]—any proposals must be agreed by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations there have been on the need for an additional consultant in the radiological department of the Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport; and, in view of the increasing waiting list for examinations, if she will approve such an appointment.

I am considering general representations from the North-Western Regional Health Authority about the total number of new consultant posts for the region. In addition the Stockport Central Health Council has recently made specific representation about Stepping Hill Hospital. Last year the authority sought my approval of a number of new consultant posts in radiology, including one for Stockport. The Central Manpower Committee, which advises me, considered that, in the light of limited recruitment in radiology nationally, and of the needs of other regions, the region might plan to increase by four the number of consultants in this specialty in 1975–76. The authority was accordingly asked to use for this purpose four planning approvals previously given but not used, and it is for the authority to consider the priority of hospitals within the region.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what facilities there are within the National Health Service, and in what areas, for the detection of breast cancer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will take further steps to give the widest possible publicity to the facilities within the National Health Service for the detection of breast cancer among women;(2) if she will make a statement on the facilities available within the NHS for the detection of breast cancer in women.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on the facilities available within the National Health Service for the detection of breast cancer in women.

I would refer my hon. Friends to my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White), Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) and Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 28th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what alternative methods of punishment are practised in community homes in place of corporal punishment.

Control in a community home should be maintained primarily on the basis of good personal relationships between the staff and children, as the equivalent of good parental control. Alternative methods used to reinforce this control include stopping pocket money for deliberate malicious damage to property or stealing money; restrictions on watching TV and on outside recreational activities; withdrawal of privileges; and loss of home leave. The particular measures adopted would vary between one local authority and another and even between one home and another, the object being to provide the measures of control best suited to the home and the type of children there.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men known to be certified as suffering from pneumoconiosis have on death been certified to have died from emphysema, bronchitis and natural causes, respectively, over the past five years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in which test or tests by the Motor Industry Research Association an invalid tricycle was blown over or otherwise overturned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on the circumstances in which an invalid tricycle overturned during MIRA wind tests.

No invalid tricycle overturned in the course of any of the MIRA tests. I understand that one was overturned, while being reversed, by a member of the association's staff who was not familiar with tiller steered vehicles. This was not during a test and consequently is not referred to in any of the MIRA reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration she has given to the report, a copy of which has been sent to her, that the noise level in invalid vehicles is so high that driving could be impaired; and if she will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the internal noise level of invalid vehicles constitutes a safety hazard; and if she will make a statement.

No allegation that driving could be impaired was made in the reports of the five noise tests under-taken by the Motor Industry Research Association which was placed in the House of Commons library on 14th April. The first test, in March 1972, had demonstrated a noise level which could not be considered satisfactory; and possible measures to reduce noise have been the subject of the further tests. Sound-deadening head linings will be introduced on new models shortly and further measures are being considered.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will dismiss the Secretary of State for Industry and appoint a pro-EEC Minister in his place.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now dismiss the Secretaries of State for Trade, Energy, Employment, Industry, Scotland and Social Services and the Minister for Planning and Local Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether he envisages the dismissal of any more Ministers.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now dismiss the Secretaries of State for Trade, Industry, Energy, Scotland, Employment, Social Services, and the Minister for Planning and Local Government.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now appoint a Minister for children, to co-ordinate provision for those under five years of age

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Members to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 24th April.

asked the Prime Minister upon what criteria he decides whether or not to dismiss Ministers for breach of collective responsibility.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend would consider the circumstances of the individual case.

asked the rime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Hanoi.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 22nd April.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Secretary of State for Trade on the EEC made in London on 12th April represented the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

:I have been asked to reply.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to ensure that his guidelines for the conduct of Ministers over the EEC referendum are observed.

asked the Prime Minister how many breaches there have been by Ministers in Her Majesty's Government of the guidelines laid down for ministerial conduct in regard to British membership of the European Economic Community as set out in his Written Answer given to the House of Commons on 7th April 1975.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend is satisfied that all Ministers are behaving in accordance with the intentions of the guidelines.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister whether he plans to meet the TUC to discuss the working of the social contract.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to meet representatives of the Trades Union Congress.

I have been asked to reply.I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) on 24th April.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects the agenda of the forthcoming Commonwealth Conference to be published.

I have been asked to reply.In accordance with past practice, the agenda of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting will not be published.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Great Wysley.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Foreign Secretary of Israel.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary saw Mr. Allon on 14th April. He gave them an account of the last round of negotiations involving Israel and Egypt. The details of the discussion must remain confidential.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29th April.

I have been asked to reply.As the House knows, my right hon. Friend is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kingston, Jamaica until 7th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why service with the Palestine Police Force, which was by proclamation by the High Commissioner placed under the operational control of the General Officer Commanding Palestine during the war, is not reckonable for pension purposes under the teachers' superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

For men teachers to whom the Teachers' Superannuation (War Service) Act 1939 did not apply, only service in the Armed Forces of the Crown or in the Merchant Navy or the mercantile marine may reckon for pension under the teachers' superannuation scheme. My right hon. Friend is advised that the Palestine Police Force was not one of the Armed Forces of the Crown.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the percentage pay increases and the dates they were awarded to teaching staff in universities, polytechnics and schools, respectively, during the past five years.

:I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the Huddersfield Polytechnic teacher training department, explaining the reason behind the proposal.

The proposal that Huddersfield Polytechnic education department should cease initial teacher training is a consequence of the need to reduce the number of teachers planned for 1981 from 510,000 to an upper limit of between 480,000 and 490,000 resulting in a reduced requirement for teacher training places and the cessation of teacher training at some 30 colleges of education. I made a statement about this matter in this House on 20th March last. —[Vol. 888, c. 471–2.]—The reasons for the proposal include the small size of the department and the fact that the poly- technic should find little difficulty in using redundant teacher training places for other purposes. I am awaiting the observations of the local education authority on the proposal before I come to a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of nursery school places available for children under 4 years of age in the Thanet area at the present time; how this compares with the previous 12 months; and what number is intended for the next 12 months.

The information asked for is not collected on a district basis by my Department. In Kent as a whole there were, in January 1974, 23 full-time equivalent nursery school places and 189 full-time equivalent primary school places occupied by children under 4 years of age. As regards future provision, it is for the local education authority to decide what individual projects should be started within its allocation for nursery education building.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he can now say when he expects to be able to make a statement about the Government's intentions concerning the report of the working party, under the chairmanship of Mr. M. W. Hodges, on school transport.

I have at present nothing to add to the reply I gave on 8th April to Questions by the hon. Member for Faversham (Mr. Moate), the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Madel), and my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdare (Mr. Evans).—[Vol. 889, c. 1003–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given regarding the training of careers teachers in giving guidance to disabled students.

The special needs of handicapped pupils were discussed in my Department's Education Survey 18 "Careers Education in Secondary Schools". I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Roman Catholic schools there are in the area of the Liverpool Education Authority; and what percentage of the school going population attends them.

In January 1974 there were 136 primary and secondary schools attended by 34·7 per cent. of the total maintained school population in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what application he has received from the Avon County Council for financial assistance in the rebuilding of Speedwell School, Bristol, largely destroyed by fire.

On 25th April my Department received advance notification of rebuilding proposals which would necessitate increased capital expenditure authorisation in the current financial year. The proposals will be considered when the county council has finally approved them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will convene a conference of all NATO Heads of Government in order to dissuade the Turkish Government from the bi-zonal partition of Cyprus as a pre-condition of the Cyprus talks.

No. The details of a constitutional settlement in Cyprus should be decided by the two communities, in the first instance. The resumption of the intercommunal talks in Vienna gives them a new opportunity to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common-wealth Affairs how many official forms, pamphlets and leaflets, magazines, book-lets and books published by or on behalf of his Department are currently available to the public or to sections of the public; and how many in each class of publication are available in the Welsh language and in bilingual form, respectively.

I regret that the information is not readily available and that the cost of obtaining it would not be in the public interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards a report to the EEC Commission that an EEC unemployment fund be created, financed by a direct tax on wages and salaries paid over as a direct contribution to an EEC fund.

This suggestion was put forward in a report on economic and monetary union, submitted to the Commission by a study group under Professor Marjolin. The report is a theoretical study and is in no sense an official proposal for action. Her Majesty's Government have not, therefore, taken a view on it at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will raise from £175 to £300 the rateable value limit of houses outside London on which improvement grants can be made, or in some other way encourage suitable improvement; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 18th April.—[Vol. 890, c. 185.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the value of central grants or loans given to local authorities in Cheshire, particularly the Congleton Borough Council and the Macclesfield Borough Council, for the purpose of improving existing council housing in the last five years for which figures are available.

The totals of allowable costs approved for Government contribution in respect of improvements to council-owned dwellings in Cheshire and in the boroughs of Congleton and Macclesfield were as follows:

	Cheshire * including Congleton and Macclesfield	Congleton	Macclesfield
	£	£	£
1970	417,000	75,000	9,000
1971	842,000	87,000	28,000
1972	2,507,000	421,000	166,000
1973	6,449,000	386,000	592,000
1974	1,115,000	364,000	234,000

* Figures for 1970 to 1973 are for Cheshire as constituted prior to local government reorganisation in April 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what increases in council house rents will result from the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement that housing subsidies are to be reduced by £65 million; and what effect the proposed changes will have upon the public sector housing programme.

These are matters for early discussion between my right hon. Friend and the local authority associations; no reduction is, however, proposed in local authority house building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations exist relating to the insulation of roofs with fibreglass for energy conservation purposes; what thickness of fibreglass is stipulated; whether sufficient supplies of such thicknesses are available; and if he will make a statement.

Minimum standards of thermal insulation for roofs of dwellings are specified in building regulations. Regulations requiring thermal insulation of factory roofs have been made under the Thermal Insulation (Industrial Buildings) Act 1957, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy. The building regulation requirements are in the interests of health; consideration is being given to their extension in the interests of energy conservation, under the powers in Part III of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange to collect and publish regularly data giving the amount of furnished accommodation available to rent since the passage of the Rent Act 1974.

My Department is, so far as is practicable, monitoring the effects of the Act on the supply of private rented accommodation. The results will be made available when they are ready, though this will not be for some time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authority associations, individual local authorities, and other bodies and individuals have made representations regarding high alumina cement; and what percentage of such representations were critical of this substance.

I regret that this detailed information could not be made available without disproportionate expenditure. I can, however, say that representations have been received from the three local authority associations in England—the Assocation of District Councils, the Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities—and that these, like many of the representations received from other bodies and individuals, were primarily concerned with the financial implications of the problems caused by the use of high alumina cement concrete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the net expenditure has been for local authorities in England during each of the last three years for which figures are available on rent rebates, rate rebates, school meals. old people's homes, home helps and meals on wheels services; and what are the comparable figures for Scotland and Wales.

The figures are:

	England	Wales	Scotland
	£'000	£'000	£'000
Rent rebates:
1972–73 (1st Year)	6,444	333	1,083
1973–74	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.
Rate rebates:
1971–72	4,026	263	645
1972–73	5,158	318	753
1973–74	6,382	357	858
1974–7‡	6,560	213	N.A.

	England and Wales*	Scotland†
	£'000	£'000
School meals, etc.:
1970–71	111,704	9,748
1971–72	118,179	11,197
1972–73	143,557	13,955
Homes for the elderly:
1970–71	60,845	4,670
1971–72	74,075	6,054
1972–73	71,470	7,028
Home helps:
1970–71	27,288	3,176
1971–72	35,090	4,236
1972–73§	39,913	5,527
Meals in the home:
1970–71	2,280	209
1971–72	2,911	258
1972–73§	3,304	348
* Net expenditure to be met by rates, rate support grant and specific grants.
† Net expenditure to be met by rates and rate support grant.
‡ Estimated figures.
§ Excluding administration and social works cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many lorry routes have been designated by his Department; what are the criteria used for establishing them; and whether it is his intention, as far as is possible, to divert heavy road traffic out of city and town centres.

I am considering policy on national lorry routes in the light of the many comments received on the consultation paper I issued last year. One aspect will be how far heavier lorries can at acceptable cost be kept away from town centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for diverting heavy road traffic away from Pangbourne in Berkshire, particularly traffic using the A329.

None. It is for Berkshire County Council, as highway authority for roads in the area, including A329, to formulate any proposal for easing traffic conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the Minister for Housing and Construction learnt from his visit to Liverpool on 9th and 10th April when he looked at the inner area; and what message he received from the Inner Area Study group whose meeting he chaired.

My visit to the study area had to be postponed because of important business in the House. However, I shall take the earliest possible opportunity of visiting it. The message I took away from the meeting of the Steering Committee of the Inner Area Study was that this is a worthwhile study and that it is concentrating on key issues. I look forward to the final phase of its work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the nature of the recent survey of waste disposal sites made by his Department and involving the Institute of Geological Sciences; and what sites were considered to present a potential threat to water supplies.

Desk studies of some 3,000 sites in England and Wales were made by the Institute of Geological Sciences as part of a survey in 1972–73 of waste disposal sites to provide information for the authorities taking over waste disposal after local government reorganisation. These desk studies were reviewed by the then river authorities in the light of their more detailed knowledge of the site; of the wastes for which they were being used; of any operating restrictions already imposed; and of such monitoring as had been considered necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will reconsider his decision to proceed with the construction of the M54 motorway.

No. This has already been given the fullest consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what were the average number of square metres of useful floor space per dwelling in the housing stock and in dwellings completed in the last 10 years in the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Italy and the EEC, respectively, on the latest available figures;(2) what were the average number of rooms per dwelling in the housing stock

			United Kingdom	France	Federal Republic of Germany	Italy	EEC
Dwellings completed 1964–73
Useful floor space per dwelling, square metres	…	…	..	75·3 (a)	81·1 (b)	..	..
Rooms per dwelling	…	…	4·6	4·4 (c)	4·3	3·9 (c)	4·3 (c)
Dwelling stock 1973
Dwellings per 1,000 population	…	…	355·1	320·4 (d)	364·4	326·0 (e)	342·5 (f)
Persons per dwelling	…	…	2·81	3·12 (d)	2·74	3·07 (e)	2·92 (f)
Dwelling stock, censuses of 1960–62
Rooms per dwelling	…	…	4·6	3·1	4·1	3·3	3·9
Persons per room	…	…	0·68	1·01	0·88	1·14	0·86
Notes:
.. Not available.
(a) Excluding 1970 for which information is not available.
(b)1964–71
(c)1964–72.
(d)1970, excluding second homes.
(e)1972.
(f)1973, except Belgium (1972), France and Italy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution is made to import savings by the glasshouse sector of horticultural food production; and why it was omitted from the White Paper, "Food From Our Own Resources."