asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will collect and publish in the Official Report details of all the paid appointments made by Ministers to positions not filled by the Civil Service Commission together with the total annual cost of such appointments.

If the Member has special advisers in mind, I provided a list on 22nd November last year in my answer to the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims). I should be glad to update it and include it in the Official Report. If the Member has in mind other paid appointments, I would refer him to the many answers given by Ministers to recent Questions on this subject from the Member for Coventry, Northwest (Mr. Edelman).

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what further representations he has received from the Civil Service unions with regard to the establishment of separate Scottish and Welsh Civil Services; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will propose bringing the Civil Aviation Authority and similar Government agencies within the ambit of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total number of men and women recruited to all grades of the Civil Service during the last year for which figures are available; and what were the total costs associated with this recruitment and the average recruitment cost per recruit.

In the year ending 31st March 1975 the provisional figure of staff recruited to the Civil Service was 68,000 of whom 12,750 were recruited centrally by the Civil Service Commission and the remainder by the employing Departments. The direct costs of the Commission in that year were £2·891 million and a crude average cost per recruit through the Commission would therefore be of the order of £200. It is not possible to supply a cost per recruit for those recruited by Departments.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total non-military recruitment advertising expenditure of the Civil Service during the latest year for which figures are available.

The total sum spent by the Civil Service Commission on recruitment advertising in the financial year 1974–75 was £901,404. Information about expenditure by individual Government Departments on advertising for staff recruited directly by them is not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether it has been policy of Her Majesty's Government to purchase typewriters manufactured by the Imperial Typewriter Company in recent years; and, if not, which manufacturer was successful in obtaining the orders for supply.

The purchase of typewriters for use in Government offices is by competitive tender. In all recent years Imperial Typewriter Co. Ltd. has been successful in securing contracts for part of the requirements.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many copies of the book "The Nationalisation of British Industry 1945–51" have been sold up to the present date.

It is estimated that approximately 250 copies of the "Nationalisation of British Industry 1945–51" have been sold up to the end of July.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will take steps to ensure that, when COI-commissioned films, commercials and shorts are being made in Scotland in future, Scottish-registered production companies are given the opportunity to tender for such productions.

The Central Office of Information commissions film companies on the basis of their suitability for the work to be carried out. The use of competitive tendering is kept under review but on balance it is considered not to offer any advantages over direct commissioning. Where films are being purduced in Scotland, Scottish-registered production companies are always considered.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether there is any system for annual entitlement to sick leave which does not have to be supported by a medical certificate; and whether there are any statistics available as the amount of such leave that has been taken in the past year.

Departments may at their discretion waive the requirement for a medical certificate for sick absence up to five days, provided that not more than 10 days of paid sick leave are allowed without medical certificate in any period of 12 months and provided that the civil servant does not draw national insurance benefit for the period of the absence. Uncertificated sick absences count against the sick leave allowances stated in my reply of 30th July—[Hansard, Vol. 896, c. 495.]. Departments keep a close watch on the working of the concession and withdraw it in any case where they have reason to think it is being abused.There is no information available centrally of the overall amount of such leave that has been taken in the past year and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the number and salaries of political appointees in each Government Department since 1st March 1974.

The numbers of special advisers appointed in each Government Department since 1st March are as follows:

Cabinet Office	2
No. 10 Downing Street (Civil Service Department)	9
Department of Education and Science	1
Department of Energy	3
Department of the Environment	3
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	2
Department of Health and Social Security	4
Home Office	3
Department of Industry	3
Northern Ireland Office	1
Ministry of Overseas Development	3
Department of Prices and Consumer Protection	3
Privy Council Office	2
Department of Trade	2
Treasury	2
Welsh Office	1

Of these 15 have resigned. The estimated cost of the salaries of these special advisers who are still serving is £165,000 per annum. The estimated annual cost of the salaries of those who have resigned was £75,000.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if increases in civil servants' pensions under the terms of the Pensions Increase Act 1971 will be unaffected by the pay limits set out in Command Paper No. 6151, "The Attack on Inflation", irrespective of whether the amount of the pension exceeds £8,500 per annum.

Yes. The pay limits set out in Command Paper No. 6151 do not affect existing provisions of pension schemes.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will make a statement about the provision by Her Majesty's Stationery Office of papers for this House.

During this Session the work of both Houses has called for a very large amount of print, on some occasions extending far beyond the normal requirement. The average content of the Vote Bundle has increased by 75 per cent. since Whitsun; amendments to Bills have increased threefold over the same period. Most of this has been supplied by St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press whose staff have willingly worked long hours to meet the needs of Parliament. Although the sheer volume of work has sometimes overloaded the Press, the vast majority of the material has been delivered on time. Delays due to disputes have been insignificant. I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the management and staff of the Press for their efforts.For a time work put out on contract was delayed by a dispute in the private sector but this has now been resolved.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many industrial workers are employed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office; how much time has been lost in industrial disputes during 1975; and how these figures compare with those for earlier years and with the record of industry generally.

The information required by my hon. Friend is as follows:

H.M.S.O.
	Industrial Staff (as at 31st March)	Number of Days lost	Days lost per 1,000 employees
Presses and Binderies
1972	2,578	1,147	445
1973	2,536	3,685	1,453
1974*	2,379	38,663	16,251
1975 (1st half)	2,296	6·5	2·9
Other Establishments
1972	1,678	Nil	Nil
1973	1,639	2,226·5	1,358·5
1974	1,585	4·5	2·8
1975	1,580	Nil	Nil
Total
1972	4,256	1,147	269
1973	4,175	5,911·5	1,416
1974	3,964	38,667·5	9,754
1975 (1st half)	3,876	6·6	1·7

Comparison with Industry generally Days lost per 1,000 employees
	All industries	H.M.S.O.
1972	1,058	269
1973	317	1,416
1974*	651	9,754
1975 (1st half)	170·5	1·71
* The H. M. S. O. figures for 1974 were largely influenced by one major stoppage in its presses.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the printing workers employed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office have been consulted regarding the installation of copying machines in the House of Commons Interview Floor.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today by the Lord President of the Council.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average time between the lodging of an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal and the hearing of the appeal; and whether there has been any reduction in that time over the past five years.

In the first half of 1975, the average interval between the lodging of an appeal and its eventual disposal was 107 days. In the same period in 1974, it was 99 days. In many cases there are two or more hearings before an appeal is disposed of. Records are not available for earlier years.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will reconsider his decision not to seek to extradite Mr. Nevard from Australia to face legal charges following a road accident at Ten-penny Hill, Thorington in August 1974 when three people were killed; and, if not, why he considers this is not possible.

It was not open to the Director of Public Prosecutions to seek to extradite Mr. Nevard, since the offences with which he had been charged are not extradition crimes. It was not considered justified to prefer more serious charges solely in order to seek extradition.

asked the Attorney-General what was the cost to public funds during the last three financial years of fees paid to counsel for the prosecution instructed by the Director of Public Prosecutions at courts of summary jurisdiction and Crown courts, and formerly courts of quarter sessions and assizes, in London and at such courts outside London, stating in each case in what proportion, if any, this cost was borne by the Director of Public Prosecution's department and the relevant local authority.

The cost to public funds of fees paid to counsel instructed by the Director of Public Prosecutions during the last three financial years is as follows:

1972–73:	£705, 844·15p, of which £678, 336·77p was borne by the Director's department and £27,507·38p was borne by local authorities.
1973–74:	£968,149·20p.
1974–75:	£l,591,376·37p.

In 1973–74 and 1974–75, none of the cost was borne by local authorities, and in 1972–73 less than 4 per cent. In all cases heard since 1st January 1972, these costs have been payable entirely from central funds. An analysis of these figures to distinguish between courts of summary jurisdiction and Crown courts, or between London and provincial courts, could not be provided without disproportionate expense.

asked the Attorney-General (1) in the case of maintenance orders administered by the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, now in arrear, what are the average numbers of payments in arrear;(2) in the case of maintenance orders, originally made by the high court or a county court, which have been registered in the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, under the Maintenance Orders Act 1958, during the last three years, how many orders have been made varying the rates of payments thereunder by reducing the same within 12 months of the registration thereof;(3) how many complaints for the enforcement of maintenance orders administered by the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, have been laid by the clerk to the justices in each of the last three years;(4) what is the total number of maintenance orders, originally made by the high court or a county court, which have been registered in the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, under the Maintenance Orders Act 1958, during each of the last three years;(5) what is the total amount of arrears under maintenance orders administered by the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, which have been remitted in each of the last three years;(6) what has been, during each of the last three years, the average period of time elapsing from a maintenance order administered by the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, first falling into arrear to the issue of process for the enforcement of the same;(7) how many attachment of earnings orders to enforce maintenance orders administered by the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, have been made in each of the last three years;(8) how many commitment orders in respect of maintenance orders administered by the Wrekin Magistrates' Court, Salop, have been (

I have been asked to reply.This information is not readily available. I will make inquiries and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Attorney-General what steps he takes to supervise and secure the due compliance by magistrates' clerks with their duty to proceed expeditiously for the enforcement of arrears accruing under maintenance orders administered by them, and the prompt accounting for payments falling due thereunder.

I have been asked to reply.None. Magistrates' clerks are responsible not to my right hon. Friend but to their magistrates for the efficient perfomance of their duty.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give an assurance that any proposals that he may be intending to make during the next few weeks on economy cuts affecting matters which fall within the responsibility of his Department will be made before the House of Commons adjourns for the Summer Recess and that this will be done if only on the basis of advising the House of Commons of his intentions if full and complete details of same are not available by the commencement of the recess.

Last Friday I informed the House of the total starts value of building programmes for schools in 1976–77 and I have today announced the corresponding figures for higher and further education. Provision for current expenditure, after consultation with the local authorities, will be made in a rate support grant order which will be laid before the House later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to announce the building programmes for further and higher education for the year 1976–77; and if he will make a statement.

For the 12 months beginning 1st April 1976 I shall be ready to authorise starts on major further and higher education building projects to a value of about £28 million at current prices. The University Grants Committee will have £8 million of this total at its disposal and will be settling the detailed programme for universities. These allocations compare with allocations of £56 million and £15 million respectively for 1975–76. My Department will be in touch with the local education authorities and providing bodies in England and Wales about the choice of individual projects in advanced further education—including teacher training—and in non-advanced further education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing expenditure by all higher education institutions and colleges on furniture, books, paper, &c., in Wales, showing in each case the proportion of expenditure in Wales.

(£'000)
	Polytechnic	Other major Colleges of Further Education	Evening Institutes	Other Further Education	Colleges of Education	Total
Furniture and fittings	4·0 (0·2%)	60·6 (0·4%)	15·8 (2·1%)	4·5 (0·1%)	34·7 (0·6%)	119·6 (0·4%)
Text books and library books.	23·3 1·3%)	141·1 (0·9%)	6·1 (0·8%)	5·1 (0·1%)	86·5 (1·5%)	262·1 (0·8%)
Education and PE equipment, stationery.	89·2 (4·9%)	920·9 (6·1%)	23·9 (3·2%)	23·8 (0·7%)	176·0 (3·0%)	1,233·8 (3·7%)
Other equipment and materials.	30 (0·2%)	71·7 (0·5%)	3·3 (0·5%)	14·2 (0·4%)	35·0 (0·6%)	127·2 (0·4%)

The figures in brackets indicate for each category of institution the proportions of their total expenditure which these items constitute. Comparable data for the University of Wales are not available but in the academic year 1972–73 its expenditure included the following:

	£000	Proportion of total expenditure by the institution Per cent.
Consumables	487	2·5
Apparatus and equipment	48	0·3
Library:
Books	218	11
Periodicals	185	1·0
Binding	40	0·2

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the amounts of central Government funds expended, respectively, on Fircroft College, Woodbrook College, Kingsmead College, West Hill College, Avoncroft College, College of the Ascension, Over-dale College, St. Andrews Hall Training Colege, Crowther Hall College and Prospect Hall College all at Selly Oak, Birmingham, during the year 1974–75; and if he will indicate the form and extent of public representation on the governing bodies of these colleges.

During the financial year 1974–75 my Department made grants to Fircroft College and West Hill College of £57,850 and £721,000 respec-

In the financial year 1973–74 expenditure on these items in institutions of further and higher education maintained by local education authorities in Wales was as follows:tively.The governors of Fircroft College are appointed in a personal capacity; those of West Hill College include 16 members representative of religious and other organisations.My Department does not grant-aid the other colleges mentioned and I do not know the composition of their governing bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what his decision is as to the future of the Welsh College of Music and Drama; and if he will make a statement.

I am at present considering the proposal of the South Glamorgan local authority for the reorganisation of higher education in Cardiff. I expect to announce my decision very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers in maintained schools have left the service in each of the past five years; and what these figures represent as a percentage of the total number of teachers in maintained schools in these years.

The information in respect of full-time qualified teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in England and Wales, for the last five years for which figures are available, is as follows:

Financial year	Number	Percentage of teaching force at the beginning of year
1969–70	31,152	10·0
1970–71	32,503	9·9
1971–72	33,326	9·6
1972–73	34,722	9·5
1973–74	36,300 (estimated)	9·4

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what evidence he bases his statement, made to the Council of Local Education Authorities Conference in Cardiff on 16th July 1975, that the number of teachers leaving the service had fallen as a result of the Houghton pay award.

In that speech I said that recent salary increases and improved pay structure had had the effect of producing a marked reduction in the number of resignations of teachers. Returns received from local education authorities since May 1975 show that resignations due to take effect at the end of the summer term represent about 7·6 per cent. of the teaching force in the maintained primary and secondary schools compared with 9·7 per cent. last year. It is a reasonable assumption that most of the change is attributable to the recommendations made by the Houghton Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present estimate of the number of teachers who will be employed in September 1975; and what was the number in 1974.

Local education authorities' returns show that they expect to be employing about 449,700 qualified teachers in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in September 1975: the number employed in September 1974 was about 442,000. Both figures include the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers but exclude teachers seconded for in-service training for a year or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he can yet say what financial help will be given to the local authorities which are faced with extra expense as the result of the use of high alumina cement in school buildings.

The financial implications for the public sector of the use of this material in buildings, including schools, are still being discussed with representatives of local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the £312 offered to university teachers to cover the cost-of-living increase from October 1974 to October 1975 is now to count as a principal increase under the guidelines of The Attack on Inflation White Paper; and if it will therefore prevent any further pay award being made during the next pay round to 1st August 1976.

The offer which has been made by the Government to the universities' side of the negotiating committee is intended to take effect from 1st October 1975. Since the 12-month interval between major pay increases will continue to apply, the next major increase thereafter would take effect from 1st October 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make further provision for the education of dually-handicapped children in North-East London and Essex, in particular those suffering from deafness and sub-normality.

It is the responsibility of the local education authorities to secure the provision of satisfactory school facilities for dually-handicapped children. No specific proposals for these children have recently been received from authorities in North-East London and Essex. Special schools for one handicap, however, generally contain a number of children with additional handicaps.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of expenditure under consideration in his Department.

I have recently announced the building programmes for schools and for further and higher education for the financial year 1976–77. Current expenditure for this period is the subject of consultation with the local authorities and other interests concerned. No decisisons have been taken in respect of later years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will expedite his promised statement in clarification of proposals for re-organisation of secondary school education in the Haywards Heath-Burgess Hill area.

I hope soon to make known my decision regarding the West Sussex local education authority's statutory proposals affecting some of the secondary schools in the Haywards Heath-Burgess Hill area.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the grant of a female student taking a teacher training or BEd degree course is fixed once and for all at the commencement of her studies, regardless of whether she marries or whether her father's earnings increase or decrease.

All students in receipt of mandatory awards, which includes those following teacher training and B. Ed courses, have their grants assessed annually in the light of rates and conditions of grant applying in that academic year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a female student teacher, taking a teacher training course or BEd degree, gets her annual grant assessed with reference to her father's earnings during the year previous to that in which she started her course.

If such a student is liable to a parental contribution, her grant for a given academic year would normally be assessed with reference to parental income during the preceding financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a female student teacher taking a teacher training course or BEd degree, who marries during the course of her studies, still has her grant calculated on her father's earnings rather than her husband's earnings.

If such a student is already subject to a parental contribution and, as from September next, has not reached the age of 25 in the academic year preceding the year of assessment, her grant will continue to be assessed on the basis of her parents' income.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a female student taking a teacher training course or BEd degree is ever asked to pay for her tuition costs; if so, on what basis; and why some are asked to pay and not others.

From the academic year 1975–76 when, as a consequence of the provisions of the Education Act 1975, teacher training courses—including courses leading to a BEd degree—will attract mandatory awards, tuition fees will be charged for such courses at the same levels as for other advanced courses of further education. Previously, separate grant arrangements have applied to teacher training courses and recognised—that is, grant-aided—students have received free tuition but have had no entitlement to the minimum grant payable irrespective of income to students in receipt of mandatory awards. Teacher training students not eligible for grant have been required to pay the full economic cost of tuition except for certain limited categories who have been charged a reduced fee of £62 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will authorise a special purchase grant for the Tate Gallery to enable its trustees to acquire for the nation the conversation piece by George Stubbs of Lord and Lady Melbourne with members of the Millbank family.

If the public collection decides that it needs a special purchase grant, its application will be considered on its merits under the usual arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present estimate of the number of pupils who will be in State schools in September 1975; and what was the comparable figure in 1974.

School pupil numbers are counted as at January. The estimated number of pupils in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools at January 1975 and January 1976 is 9,032,600 and 9,087,100 respectively. Within these totals the number of pupils of primary age is expected to decrease from 4,828,500 to 4,754,000 and the number of pupils of secondary age to increase from 3,809,500 to 3,913,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make special allowance in the rate suport grant 1976–77 to cover a greater proportion of the recently announced 22·3 per cent. teachers' pay increase than the proportion of teachers' pay met by the 1975–76 rate support grant.

I have been asked to reply.Rate support grant is given in aid of local authorities' revenue generally, not in aid of specific items of expenditure. The national total is fixed as a proportion of the agreed forecast of total local authority relevant expenditure for the year. The forecast of expenditure and the grant proportion for 1976–77 are matters for discussion with the local authority associations in the rate support grant negotiations and the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report details of the rates of payment made to disabled persons in sheltered workshops and adult training centres in Wales and if he has made any recommendations to local authorities to improve the level of payment.

The situation in Wales with regard to rates of pay in sheltered workshops and adult training centres does not differ from that in England, and I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consider issuing separate directives to planning authorities in Wales on the values to be adopted in deciding whether or not to approve of sporadic dwellings in view of the particular and distinctive history and pattern of development in Wales over the centuries.

No. General advice on development in rural areas was published in Development Control Policy Note No. 4 issued by the Welsh Office and the then Ministry of Housing and Local Government in 1969. It will be for the county planning authorities, in the light of that advice but having regard also to the particular needs and characteristics of their respective areas, to consider what future policies they should include in the structure plans which they are now preparing for my approval.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is now in a position to supply a date upon which the preferred route for the Cemmaes Road bypass will be announced.

I am examining the results of the public participation exercise held last November. I am not yet able to say precisely when my decision will be announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present waiting list of patients waiting for barium meal studies at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth; and what complaints he has received of the inadequacy of radiological services in Mid-Wales generally.

One hundred and thirty patients; urgent cases among these are seen without delay. I have not received any recent complaint about radiological services in Mid-Wales generally, but I am aware that temporary staffing difficulties and seasonal pressure have caused some recent increase in waiting lists.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration is given to the visual appearance of a road as an integral part of the Welsh landscape when rural road improvements are being planned and what consultations take place; and, in particular, what consultations took place on the improvements to the A490 road between Welshpool and Bwlch-y-Cibau near Llanfyllin in Montgomeryshire.

It is my practice to have regard to the desirability of conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside when undertaking the construction or improvement of trunk roads in rural areas. Planning authorities and other environmental bodies are consulted as necessary. The A490 Welsh-pool-Bwlch-y-Cibau road is a principal road for which Powys County Council is the responsible highway authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Principality concerning areas where the individual rating of holiday caravans would be a major administrative problem and excessively expensive; and what reply he has given.

I have received representations from 10 right hon. and hon. Members, from the Council for the Principality and from the Alyn and Dee-side and Delyn District Councils. I shall write to the hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the policy of his Department with regard to female nurses who are entitled to retire at the age of 55 years but continue beyond the age of 60 years; and, in view of the difficulty of recruitment in certain areas, if he will take steps to encourage such female nurses to continue with their nursing services.

Employment beyond the normal retirement age is a matter for area health authorities, which will have regard both to local considerations, including recruitment, and to the wishes of the individual officer concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the effects on the Welsh economy and industry of the social contract to date and of the new policies to combat inflation.

I do not think that these two factors should be separated. The social contract is an essential building block in the Government's anti-inflation policy. The most important problem we face is inflation. This is why the Government recently announced its new policy on "The Attack on Inflation". It is essential that the new policy is complied with over the coming 12 months if the economy, not only of Wales but of the United Kingdom as a whole, is to be put firmly on the road to recovery.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what advice he has given to local authorities in Wales concerning the prices to be paid for houses originally intended for owner-occupation, but subsequently offered to local authorities.

Advice is contained in Welsh Office Circular 111/74. For houses already built or under construction, the maximum price should be that recommended by the district valuer, but local authorities should be able to negotiate favourable prices. It is not intended that local authorities should acquire dwellings in the higher price brackets. Where it is proposed that a developer should build for the local authority on land which he owns, the circular requires the price to be reasonable.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total estimated commitments outstanding on 31st March 1975 and the total estimated new commitments in 1975–76 in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for principal roads and loans to highway authorities, respectively.

Trunk and principal roads—commitments: the information is as follows:

	Commitments outstanding on 31st March 1975	Estimated commitments 1975–76
	£m.	£m.
Trunk roads (including motorways)	60·3	73·6
Principal roads	10·5	Nil
Loans to highway authorities	Nil	Nil
	70·8	73·6

Specific grants to local authorities for principal road new construction and improvements ceased on the introduction of the transport supplementary grant system on 1st April 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the estimated cost of the trunk road schemes in the preparation pool and principal roads in the preparation list, respectively, on 31st March 1975.

£181 million and £28·7 million, respectively. The trunk road figure includes £13 million for motorways. The principal road preparation list ceased to exist on 1st April 1975 on the introduction of the new transport supplementary grant arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the lengths of public highways on 1st April 1975 in each of the following categories: trunk roads, classified principal roads, classified non-principal roads, unclassified roads and the mileage of motorway included in the totals of trunk and classified principal roads respectively.

The latest available information is as follows:

	Mileage
Trunk Roads	1,019
Classified Principal Roads	1,477
Classified Non-Principal Roads	7,635
Unclassified Roads	9,442

The trunk road mileage includes approximately 27 miles of motorway. There are no non-trunk road motorways in Wales.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will list in the Official Report the existing Select Committees (and Sub-Committees) of the House, including Standing Order and ad hoc committees, defining briefly the function of each and stating when each last reported to the House; and if he will make a statement, particularly so far as the burden of work falling on the Committee Office is concerned and the adequacy of the financial resources for the staffing of that office.

The existing Select Committees and Sub-Committees—other than the Business Committee on allocation of time orders on Bills, Committees on unopposed Bills and the Court of Referees—are listed below, with the requested information about each.The Committee Office is responsible for the servicing of these committees, some of which do not require full-time staff. The Office is manned by 24 established Clerks in the Department of the Clerk of the House, in addition to supporting staff and the specialist advisers which many of the Committees have the power to engage. Where necessary, as at present, it is the practice for Committee work also to be undertaken by Clerks in other offices of the Department. The burden of work has much increased in recent Sessions, but I have had no representations that the financial resources for the staffing of the office are not adequate.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will arrange for a re-examination of the situation whereby simultaneously there is a supplement to Members' salaries for Members with constituencies outside London and another supplement for those with constituencies inside London, and thereby, in effect, no basic salary which is not subject to supplementation.

The Top Salaries Review Body has recently considered the structure of Members' allowances. I do not think a further re-examination is called for.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the future of catering facilities in the House.

The Refreshment Department of the House has been incurring a trading loss over a long period. In view of the present serious financial position the Government have decided, after consultation through the usual channels and with the Services Committee, to set up a small committee of inquiry to examine the affairs of the Department and to make recommendations for its future financing and control. It is intended that this committee should be a Government committee composed of Members of the House with the addition of outside members with relevant expert knowledge.My hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Mr. Mikardo), has agreed to chair the committee. Other members will include my hon. Friends the Members for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Cant) and Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White), the hon. Members for Sudbury and Woodbridge (Mr. Stainton), and for Maldon (Mr. Wakeham), Mr. J. I. Andrw of Cooper & Lybrand Associates Ltd., Mr. Ivan Joseph, formerly of Gardner Merchant Food Service, Mr. H. Kidd, of St. John's College, Oxford, and Mr. D. Sawyer, Managing Director of Rank Hotels Ltd.The terms of reference of the committee are:

asked the Lord President of the Council if he has any further plans for taking up public room space in the precincts of the House with printing, copying or similar machinery.

There are no further plans that would permanently take up public room space.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he has consulted with any printing trade unions regarding the printing machinery installed on the Interview Floor in the House.

No printing machines have been installed in the House and there have been no consultations with printing trade unions. As I said on 3rd July, copying machines have been provided on the Interview Floor to ensure that the business of the House can proceed if normal deliveries of printed matter are not available in time, but documents produced by this means are not a substitute for print.

asked the Lord President of the Council how much the printing machinery on the Interview Floor cost to purchase and install.

I have been asked to reply.The copying machines on the Interview Floor are rented and their cost is dependent on the amount of work produced. Some ancillary equipment was purchased at a cost of about £5,000. Installation costs were approximately £4,250.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects to publish the register of Members' interests.

In accordance with the resolutions passed by the House on 12th June, the compilation of this register, and the arrangements for its publication, are matters for the Registrar of Members' Interests, in conjunction with the Select Committee on Members' Interests (Declaration).

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish the referendum accounts of the National Referendum Campaign and the Britain in Europe Movement.

These accounts will be published as soon as possible after they have been audited.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) what would be the cost of introducing air conditioning into the House of Commons Library;

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of interest rates.

The Government's policy is to keep interest rates at as low a level as is compatible with the external position and the need to finance the public sector borrowing requirement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present rate of inflation.

I have been asked to reply.The maximum recorded temperature in the Library last week as 85°F. This was recorded at 17.00 hours on 30th July. The maximum recorded temperature in each week of the summer was as follows:

In the 12 months to June the Retail Price Index rose by 26·1 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the current rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operation of the Government's counter-inflation policy.

The Government's policies for dealing with inflation are set out in the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation" (Cmnd. 6151) and have been debated at length and approved by the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now zero-rate VAT on sanitary towels.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now exempt second-hand organs from the higher rate of VAT.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to exclude second-hand electronic organs from the higher rate, but Customs and Excise have been asked to examine the case for a special scheme under which the tax would be chargeable only on the dealer's margin and not on the full resale value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the concern expressed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy regarding the 25 per cent. VAT chargeable on equipment used by physiotherapists; in view of the fact that 25 per cent. VAT charge on servicing will lead to poorer maintenance in hospitals and in private practices, if he will review the legislation on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many self- employed persons are at present making tax returns in respect of their income from self-employment.

It is estimated that about 2½ million self-employed persons make returns of income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to abolish income tax on State retirement and invalidity pensions.

No, Sir. It would not be justifiable to relieve State retirement pensions from tax regardless of the size of the pensioner's income. The substantial further increase in national insurance pensions we have promised for November, together with the new age allowance for elderly people, are much more effective ways of helping those in need.With regard to invalidity pensions, my hon. Friend will know that the contributory invalidity pension, which replaces sickness benefit after 28 weeks if an individual continues to be incapable of work, is exempted from income tax until it ceases to be payable after the retirement of the recipient. The non-contributory invalidity pension is not replaced at retirement and continues to be tax free even after the age of 70 is reached.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he intends to identify those single, widowed and divorced women who are taken above the tax threshold by their national insurance pensilon alone; and how he intends to administer the taxing of their pensions.

In the relatively few cases where such a person is liable to tax, and her only income is a national insurance pension, the tax will generally be payable to the collector of taxes in instalments under the Schedule E direct collection provisions. Information about liability is obtained in various ways, and there is no single method of identification of those concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to change the rules whereby a person receiving an invalidity pension is not taxed on that source of income but finds on reaching retirement age that the invalidity pension is converted to a retirement pension which is taxed.

No. To allow retirement pensioners who have been receiving invalidity benefits up to age 70 to draw their retirement pension tax-free could be regarded as unfair by other pensioners whose incomes are not larger.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures or incentives have been recently introduced by his Department to provide inflation-proof savings scheme for the ordinary citizen; and if he will make a statement.

The Department for National Savings recently launched two index-linked savings schemes. The first, an indexed National Savings Certificate, has been on sale since 2nd June to people of national retirement pension age. The second, a new issue of SAYE, has been available from 1st July to savers aged 16 or over.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, where applicable, for each year since 1949 the maximum number of weeks for which a married man with a wife and two children not over 11 years of age, earning the average manual wage, threequarters of the average manual wage, and half the average manual wage, could receive income tax rebates when unemployed, and showing in each case the value of the wage and of the rebate.

The figures are approximately as shown in the table below:

(a) AVERAGE EARNINGS
Year	Weekly earnings	Approx. weekly rate of rebate	Approx. maximum number of weeks for which rebate will run
	£	£
1949–50	7·13	0·70	3
1950–51	7·52	0·65	6
1951–52	8·30	0·90	5
1952–53	8·93	—*	—*
1953–54	9·46	0·85	5
1954–55	10·22	0·85	7
1955–56	11·15	0·95	2
1956–57	11·90	1·10	6
1957–58	12·58	2·05	7
1958–59	12·83	2·10	7
1959–60	13·55	1·85	10
1960–61	14·53	1·90	12
1961–62	15·34	2·00	12
1962–63	15·86	2·00	14
1963–64	16·75	3·10	7
1964–65	18·11	3·30	10
1965–66	19·59	3·35	17
1966–67	20·30	3·45	15
1967–68	21·37	5·35	12
1968–69	23·00	4·85	15
1969–70	24·83	5·55	16
1970–71	28·05	4·90	23
1971–72	30·93	5·20	23
1972–73	35·82	6·20	22
1973–74	40·92	6·15	26
1974–75	48·63	7·95	26

(b) THREE-QUARTERS AVERAGE EARNINGS
Year	Weekly earnings	Approx. weekly rate of rebate	Approx. maximum number of weeks for which rebate will run
	£	£
1960–61	10·90	0·50	1
1961–62	11·51	0·75	3
1962–63	11·90	0·75	3
1963–64	—	—*	—*
1964–65	13·58	1·00	1
1965–66	14·69	2·10	5
1966–67	15·22	2·10	8
1967–68	16·03	3·10	6
1968–69	17·25	3·10	14
1969–70	18·62	3·35	13
1970–71	21·04	4·90	13
1971–72	23·20	5·20	13
1972–73	26·86	6·20	12
1973–74	30·69	6·15	15
1974–75	36·47	7·95	17

(c) HALF AVERAGE EARNINGS
Year	Weekly earnings	Approx. weekly rate of rebate	Approx. maximum number of weeks for which rebate will run
	£	£
1974–75	24·32	4·45	1
* No tax liability in this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average amount of income tax paid by each household in 1974–75; and what is the estimated yield per household in 1975–76.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the proportion of income paid in income tax and the total tax payable by a single man, married couple, married couple with two children under age 11 years, and married couple with four children (two under 11 and two between 11 and 16 years) with an annual income of £5,000, a mortgage of £5,000 (interest rate of 11 per cent.) and life assurance premium of £100 per annum; and, taking into account all other allowances against tax, if he will provide this information for 1945, 1950, 1960, 1970 and all subsequent years, both in current prices at those dates and in 1945 prices;(2) what is the proportion of income paid in income tax and the total tax payable by a single man, married couple, married couple with two children under age 11 years, and married couple with four children (two under 11 and two between 11 and 16 years) with an annual income of £20,000, a mortage of £25,000 (interest rate 11 per cent.) and life assurance premium of £500 per annum; and, taking in account all other allowances against tax, if he will provide this information for 1945, 1950, 1960, 1970 and all subsequent years both in current prices at those dates and in 1945 prices;

I am afraid that each of these Questions involved several hundred calculations, and answers could be prepared only with disproportionate expenditure of staff resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk North on 9th July 1975, Official Report, cols. 196–200, if he will show how an increase in the tax threshold to £1,000, with no increase in the starting points for the higher rate bands, costs £6,600 million in lost revenue.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what were (a) the amount and, (b) percentage of income taken in tax and higher rates of tax. National Insurance contributions and all other stoppages, respectively, of a married couple with four children (two under 11 and two over 11 years) earnings; half average earnings, two thirds average earnings, average earning, twice average earnings and five times average earnings in 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975, respectively; and if he will express the figures up to 1965 in terms of 1945 prices;(2) what were (

I am afraid that each of these Questions involves several hundred calculations and answers could be prepared only with disproportionate expenditure of staff resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer, in terms of lost revenue in the current financial year, if the income tax threshold were to be raised to (a) national average manual earnings, (b) three-quarters of the above, and (c) two-thirds of the above, assuming that the starting points for the higher rates of income tax remained unchanged.

I regret that in the time available it has not proved posible to collect and collate the information requested. I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the extent of mortgage interest tax relief for the latest available year; if this sum can be broken down between those earning (a) up to £3,000 a year, (b) £3,000-£4,000 a year, (c) £4,500 to £10,000 a year and (d) £10,000 and above; and if he will list the number of taxpayers in each income group.

The estimated cost of tax relief on mortgage interest payments for the year 1974–75 is £700 million. Estimates of the distribution of this cost are not available by range of earnings but are given below for ranges of total net income. The available information about numbers of taxpayers receiving mortgage interest relief relates only to building society mortgages and does not include mortgages with local authorities, banks and insurance companies, although the cost of giving relief in such cases is included in the total cost quoted above.

COST OF LIFE ASSURANCE RELIEF
£ million
Total net income*£ p.a.			1960–61†	1964–65	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75
Under 1,000	…	…		18	10	8	6	6	6
1,000–2,000	…	…		31	43	41	37	29	24
2,000–5,000	…	…		12	44	54	68	78	108
5,000–10,000	…	…		3	9	12	13	20	36
Over 10,000	…	…		2	4	5	6	7	16
Total	…	…	53	66	110	120	130	140	190
* As defined in Inland Revenue Statistics 1974, page 41.
† Breakdown by income not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list in the Official Report the extent of mortgage interest tax relief for 1945, 1950, 1960, 1970 and all subsequent years; and if he will also present the loss in revenue as between standard rate and higher rate taxpayers for each of the years;

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the loss in rvenue in granting tax relief on (a) national insurance contributions and (b) life assurance premiums; and if he will break down these figures between standard rate and higher rate taxpayers for 1945,1950,1960,1970 and all subsequent years.

Tax relief to insured persons on their own national insurance contributions applied only for the years from the start of the scheme in 1948 up to 1964–65. The cost in 1960–61 was £48 million. An estimate for 1950 is not available. I regret that there is no information on the breakdown of the cost between relief at standard rate and against surtax.The available figures for the cost of tax relief on life assurance premiums by range of income are given below. This relief is available only against tax at the basic rate (standard rate for years before 1973–74)(2) if he will list in the

The available estimates are given below. I regret that for the years prior to 1973–74 information on the exact breakdown of the cost between standard rate and surtax payers is not available, but it is thought that relief to surtax payers formed about 5 per cent. of the total.

	Cost (£ million)	Cost of relief to
		Basic rate taxpayers	Higher rate* taxpayers
1945–46	10	—	—
1950–51	15	—	—
1960–61	70	—	—
1970–71	300	—	—
1971–72	340	—	—
1972–73	390	—	—
1973–74	500	470	30
1974–75	700	610	90
* Including the element of relief at the basic rate to a higher rate taxpayer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on net incomes if the ceiling on national insurance contributions was abolished for persons earning up to (a) £4,000, (b) £5,000, (c) £7,500, (d) £10,000 and (e) above £10,000; and what would be the saving to the Exchequer in each case.

				Building Society	Mortgage Interest	Life Assurance Premiums
Total net income*				Average tax relief	Numbers claiming relief	Average tax relief	Numbers claiming relief
(£p.a.)				£	'000	£	'000
Under 1,000	…	…	…	100	60	6	925
1,000–2,000	…	…	…	97	620	7	3,310
2,000–3,000	…	…	…	108	1,530	10	4,415
3,000–5,000	…	…	…	125	1,825	15	4,100
5,000–10,000	…	…	…	196	505	41	880
Over 10,000	…	…	…	560	60	110	145
* As defined in Inland Revenue Statistics 1974, page 41.