asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds the Government have made available in the last three years to support voluntary social and community work in Liverpool.

The Government made the following sums available for the support of a wide variety of voluntary organisations in the field of community and social work:

	£
1975–76	28·0 million
1976–77	35·4 million
1977–78	46·5 million
	(estimate only)

Much of this money was for organisations whose work is on a national scale and it is not possible to identify the funds which are available to a particular locality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds the Government have made available in the current financial year to support voluntary social and community work in Birmingham.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds the Government have made available in the current financial year to support voluntary social and community work in Newcastle.

Central Government made available an estimated £46·5 million in 1977–78 for the support of a wide variety of voluntary organisations in the field of community and social work. Much of this money was for organisations whose work is on a national scale and it is not possible to identify the funds which are available to a particular locality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that in no circumstances the Government would countenance one constituency for the European Assembly which contained the whole of the three counties of Gwynedd, Clwyd and Dyfed.

Under the European Assembly Elections Act, it will be for Parliament to decide the European Assembly constituencies in Wales on the basis of the final recommendations of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales. The commission will first publish its provisional recommendations, on which it will be open to the hon. Member and others to make representations direct to the commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of different forms which his Department, and its subordinate agencies, currently have available for different purposes requiring completion by members of the general public; and how that number compares with the answer given to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 8th March 1976.

About 350, as in March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many open prisons there are (a) for men and (b) for women; and how many prisoners each accommodates.

This information is published annually in the report on the work of the Prison Department. There has been no significant change from the position described in Cmnd. 6877, pages 79–80 and 85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many open prisons have been closed in the past 10 years and on what dates; where they are situated; and how many prisoners they accommodated.

Three open training prisons for men were closed in December 1974. They were Bela River (Cumbria), Drake Hall (Staffordshire) and Haldon Camp (Exeter, Devon). Certified normal accommodation before closure was 250, 380 and 196 respectively. Drake Hall was re-opened in October 1975 as an open training prison for women.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants there were in his Department in 1976, 1977 and at 1st April 1978.

The number of staff in post on 1st April in each of the three years was 32,266, 32,637 and 33,194 respectively. This growth was almost entirely in the prison service.

asked the Attorney-General what is the number of cases involving the affairs of individuals dealt with by the Court of Protection in the last three years for which figures are available, the number of such cases in which the consent of the individual concerned was obtained, the number in which such consent was obtained from a relative, the number of such cases in which no such consent was obtained or could be obtained; and in these cases whether public notice was given or not.

For the years 1975, 1976 and 1977 the numbers of estates under administration in the Court of Protection were 23,178, 23,636 and 24,104 respectively. Whilst the individual concerned and other interested persons may raise objections in the course of proceedings, their express consent is not normally required and figures for cases where such consent was given are not available. Notice of proceedings is given only to the parties and to appropriate relatives.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will bring forward proposals to amend the law of libel so as to provide an appropriate remedy for the present situation whereby an organisation can finance a penniless plaintiff to bring an unfounded action for defamation, thereby making it impossible for a successful defendant to claim his costs, in view of the fact that this practice stifles legitimate public criticism.

If the action is patently unfounded, the court already has power to strike it out before any substantial costs have been incurred. And if it is not patently unfounded, care must be taken that an impecunious plaintiff should not be placed in a worse position than other litigants merely because he is impecunious. But my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is considering whether there is a need to amend the Rules of the Supreme Court so as to enable the court, in the circumstances envisaged by my hon. Friend, to order a plaintiff to give security for the defendant's costs.

asked the Attorney-General if he will state the approximate proportion of wage earners who would have qualified for legal aid in 1954, 1969 and 1977, respectively; and if he is satisfied with the present scales of legal aid.

Information relating specifically to wage earners is not available. A recent study by the special consultant to the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Aid, with the help of the Central Statistical Office, showed, however, that in 1950 the proportion of the population eligible for legal aid on income grounds alone was over 80 per cent., though the low capital limits would have reduced this proportion. By 1973 this proportion had fallen to about 40 per cent. of the population, but since then annual upratings in the limits appear to have maintained that level. My noble Friend is not satisfied with the financial limits for legal aid and has already announced that he intends to improve them as soon as sufficient resources are available. In the meantime, my noble Friend proposes to continue his policy of increasing the limits annually to offset the effects of inflation.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether the Government now have any proposals to try to identify persons whose names appear on the electoral register in Wales or in Scotland, who at the time of the referenda on devolution, have (a) died or (b) are registered in more than one location either as students or owners of second homes.

All aspects of this matter continue to receive careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total number of different forms which his Department, and its subordinate agencies, currently have available for different purposes requiring completion by members of the general public; and how that number compares with the answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 8th March 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total number of different forms which his Department, and its subordinate agencies, currently have available for different purposes requiring completion by members of the general public; and how that number compares with the answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 8th March 1978.

I have also been asked to reply to the Question addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade.Details of the number of statistical forms issued by the Departments of Industry, Trade and Prices and Consumer Protection, which share a common statistical service, were given in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Wirral (Mr. Hunt) on 12th April 1978. The figure of 780,000 statistical forms given in answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 8th March 1976 related to the number of statistical forms sent out in the 12 months ended June 1975. Similar information about non-statistical forms could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Intervention Fund for shipbuilding in Great Britain in light of his recent negotiations with Vicomte Davignon of the EEC; and when decisions are likely to be taken on the EEC Commissioner's proposal for a 40 per cent. reduction in EEC shipbuilding capacity within the next few years.

No negotiations have taken place with Viscount Davignon. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State has discussed the renewal of the Intervention Fund with Commissioner Vouel and consultations between my Department and the Commission are currently taking place.The Commission's proposals for the reorganisation of the Community shipbuilding industry are still being studied by member States.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the designation of further derelict land clearance areas.

We have decided to designate the following areas as derelict land clearance areas: the Docklands area of London, as delineated on the map referred to in Article 3(i) of the Docklands Land Board Order 1977(a); the employment office area of Swadlincote; and the employment office areas of Aldridge, Aston, Bilston, Birmingham, Brownhills, Cannock, Cradley Heath, Darlaston, Dudley, Halesowen, Handsworth, Kingswinford, Oldbury, Small Heath, Smethwick, Stourbridge, Tipton, Walsall, Washwood Heath, Wednesbury, Wednesfield, West Bromwich, Willenhall, and Wolverhampton. The necessary order will be laid before the House as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if steps are being taken to tighten control, under the Mock Auctions Act, of fraudulent mock auctions at holiday resorts in Wales.

Enforcement of the Act is a matter for the police. If the hon. Member has evidence that any abuses are escaping the controls in the Act and other legislation I should, of course, be willing to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the total number of different forms which his Department, and its subordinate agencies, currently have available for different purposes requiring completion by members of the general public; and how that number compares with the answer given to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 8th March 1976.

No forms are issued by my Department for completion by individual members of the general public. Only one statistical inquiry is carried out involving a form being sent weekly to each of 40 businesses which voluntarily provide information. In March 1976 the comparable figure was 66.Forms issued by the Office of Fair Trading, the Price Commission and the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are not the direct responsibility of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on prescribing of drugs by doctors.

Under the National Health Service Acts, family doctors are free to prescribe any drug they consider necessary for the proper treatment of their patients. Doctors may be called upon to justify their prescribing decisions to their professional colleagues if the cost is apparently in excess of what was reasonably necessary. I also refer the hon. Member to the joint statement which the British Medical Association and I issued on 19th April, as follows:

Joint Announcement by the British Medical Association and the Secretaries of State for the Health Departments in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The British Medical Association and the Health Departments share a growing anxiety about rising patient expectation and consumption of National Health Service facilities including pharmaceutical products and the implications these tendencies have for public health and Health Service resources. They recognise that the underlying causes of these phenomena are complex and attributable to diverse factors. Nevertheless they ask every doctor to consider how best to contribute towards arresting the trend; and they draw the following points to doctors' attention. It must be noted that this statement covers only one item in the rising cost of the NHS.

1. Both the Health Departments and the British Medical Association recognise that it is for the doctor alone to decide what medicine to prescribe, or whether to prescribe a drug at all.

2. It will be in the patients' interests, both as users of the National Health Service and as taxpayers, if their attention is drawn to the Health Education Council's publicity intended to dissuade them from:

(a) asking for patent medicines they can buy from a pharmacy;

(b) expecting unnecessarily large quantities of medicines to be prescribed at any one time; and

(c) demanding medicines which the doctor has explained they do not need.

3. There are dangers to patients and their families, particularly young children, inherent in the accumulation of unused drugs in the home, in view (among other things) of the physical deterioration to which many drugs are subject, and it is advisable to consider accordingly the quantities prescribed at any one time. It would be helpful for doctors to indicate (whether by use of the "box" on the prescription form or otherwise) the number of days' treatment envisaged.

4. The public are not generally aware that all drugs have side-effects and the reaction of individual patients is often variable. The British National Formulary and the Compendium of Data Sheets are useful and convenient reference works on drug actions and side-effects and the preparations listed meet the needs of most patients. The Health Departments are co-operating with the medical and pharmaceutical professions to develop an improved version of the Formulary which will be revised at more frequent intervals than at present.

5. Where alternative forms of treatment for a particular patient are likely to be equally effective the relative cost should be taken into account.

David Ennals,Secretary of State for Social Services.Dr. James Cameron, C.B.E., T.D., Chairman of Council of the British Medical Association.also on behalf of the Secretaries of State for the Health Departments in Northern Ireland and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the level of drug prescription by doctors within the National Health Service.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 20th April and to the statement mentioned in that reply.—[Vol. 948, c. 334–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has circularised general practitioners advising them not to prescribe expensive drugs on the National Health scheme even where they may be the most appropriate in the individual cases.

No. Family doctors in the National Health are free to prescribe according to their judgment as to what is necessary. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 20th April.—[Vol. 948, c. 334–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that there is no sex discrimination in the social security system.

Some aspects of social security legislation are particularly favourable to men, while others benefit women. The Government's views on the subject of the equal treatment of men and women in social security were explained in the debate on the European Commission Document R/48/77 on 13th December 1977 and in the debate on the Fourth Report of the Lords Select Committee on the European Communities on 24th January 1978 in another place.—[Vol. 941, c. 423–454; Official Report, House of Lords; Vol. 388, c. 311–32.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies he has made of sex discrimination in the social security system.

The question of equal treatment of men and women in social security matters is being considered in the context of the European Commission Document R/48/77. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) on 11th April.—[Vol. 947, c. 370.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the level of social security support for working families with children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the level of social security support for working families with children.

No. This is why we have just announced increases of child benefit for November this year and for April 1979, which together will produce a very significant rise in the value of support for these families.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on unemployment among nurses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on unemployment among nurses.

I am glad to say that the number of qualified nurses and midwives registering as unemployed in England is continuing to fall. However, in March there were still 3,901 on the register, not all of whom are seeking employment in the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he next expects to meet the chairman of the North-East Thames Regional Health Authority.

I expect to meet Mr. Moore on 16th May at my next regular meeting with chairmen of regional health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with progress in redistributing National Health Service resources within the North-East Thames Region.

It is for the regional health authority to determine the pace at which resources can be redistributed without putting important services at risk. I am satisfied that the authority's policies are directed towards redressing inequalities within the region and I have no reason to doubt its judgment as to how quickly this can be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the Government's future strategy on retirement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the Government's future strategy on retirement.

Yes. Last month saw the introduction of the Government's new pension scheme which makes the biggest improvement in pension provisions since the present scheme was introduced in 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are estimated to be contracted-out of the new second pension scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are estimated to be contracted-out of the new second pension scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are estimated to be contracted-out of the new second pension scheme.

It is estimated that about 9 million employees will be contracted-out of part of the new State pension scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now reconsider his refusal to hold a public inquiry into the use of hormone pregnancy test drugs.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 10th April.—[Vol. 947, c. 274–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has studied recent evidence linking hormone pregnancy testing drugs with damage to the foetus; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any evidence which establishes a clear causal link between hormone pregnancy testing drugs and damage to the foetus. I refer my hon. Friend to my previous replies on this subject to my hon. Friend Member for Stock-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 10th April 1978, 2nd March 1978 and 28th February 1978.—[Vol. 947, c. 274–6; Vol. 945, c. 391–2, and 206–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the 400 extra kidney machines will be allocated in the Merseyside area.

Regional health authorities are being consulted on means of achieving the most effective distribution of the additional resources now available for the development of dialysis services. Allocations to individual regions will not be made until these consultations have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he next expects to meet representatives of the retail pharmacists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he next expects to meet representatives of the retail pharmacists.

I have no immediate plans for further meetings with representatives of retail pharmacists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will appoint a working party to analyse and rationalise the benefits currently payable to handicapped people and the criteria on which such benefits are determined.

I am considering what scope there is for a general review, but have no announcement to make at the moment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department treats women differently from men in the provision of benefits for the disabled and those who care for them.

Yes. Some provisions are designed to take account of the differences in the social and economic position of women, although we do not regard these differences as static.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the state of the National Insurance Fund.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for hip operations in orthopaedic wards.

The mean waiting time for all joint replacement operations during 1975, the most recent year for which Departmental statistics are available, was 28 weeks. Separate figures for hip joint replacements alone are not available, but a one in 10 sample survey suggests that in 1975 they represented over half of the joint replacement cases on the waiting lists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfield with progress in implementing the Motability scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the Motability scheme.

I refer the hon. Members to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has in the near future to set in train a fresh reappraisal in his Department of the special problems faced by disabled persons in gaining access to public buildings.

My deep concern about the barriers which disabled people still have to face in using many public and social buildings and other facilities led me to establish last year the Silver Jubilee Committee on Improving Access for Disabled People. The Committee's campaign to increase public awareness of the problems, and of how they can be overcome, is to culminate in a National Access Week from 4th to 10th June. There will subsequently be a report on the Committee's work. This will be published and I shall study it closely to see what further positive action I can take.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he regards as adequate his Department's provisions for handicapped children.

My Department and the health and local authorities provide a great deal of help for families in which there is a handicapped child. Yet much remains to be done and, as resources allow, we shall be continuing to improve provision. My right hon. Friend is asking health and social services authorities jointly to review the needs of all mentally handicapped children now in hospital. They are being requested to set firm dates after which no further inappropriate hospital admissions will take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received since the Budget Statement about the treatment of kidney patients.

None, apart from Questions from hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to prevent the denial of pension payments to persons who are entitled to them.

The Department's staff in local and central offices have full and detailed instructions about the implementation of the statutory provisions relating to the award of pensions and other benefits. Instructions also provide clear guidance on the reference of points of doubt or difficulty for resolution by higher authority at regional and headquarters level.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on future spending in the area of mental health after-care.

Our long-term strategy for the development of after-care services for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped is set out in the White Papers "Better Services for the Mentally Ill" (Cmnd. 6233) and "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" (Cmnd. 4683). It is our policy that an increasing proportion of health and social services expenditure should be devoted to mental health services and, in particular, to those services which are needed for effective after-care. Health and local authorities have been advised of the Government's priorities in this field and asked to take them into account in planning their expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beds are available for geriatric patients in the Stockport Area Health Authority now; how many extra beds will become available during the next five years; and what is the estimate for the population over 75 years of age in the Stockport Area Health Authority area now and in five and 10 years time.

The Stockport Area Health Authority has 325 beds available at present for geriatric patients. During the next five years a further 74 beds will become available. Population estimates for those aged 75 and over are:

1978	14,600
1983	17,100
1988	18,600

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take to prevent a major multinational cigarette company from promoting the sale of its products by incentives to purchase sent indiscriminately through letter boxes; what advice he has given the Health Education Council; and if he will make a statement.

I am not yet in possession of all the details of the promotion to which my hon. Friend refers, but inquiries are being made of the industry with a view to determining whether the proposals contravene the relevant agreement. This is not a matter on which the Health Education Council would expect to receive advice from me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to the National Health Service of provision of hospital facilities for foreign nationals visiting the United Kingdom.

No special hospital facilities are provided for foreign visitors; they are however allowed, in some circumstances, to use the facilities provided for the people of this country. Separate financial records are not compiled and information on the cost is not therefore available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to extend the range of styles available for National Health Service spectacle frames.

We are considering the possibility of improving the range of National Health Service spectacle frames, but, at a time when there are so many claims on the limited resources available for the NHS, I cannot give any indication whether early changes are likely.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department makes social security benefit payments to claimants towards the upkeep of their dogs or other animals; and if he will make a statement.

No. It is not true, as the Sunday People alleged on 30th April, that a family is receiving £7 a week extra benefit for the cost of kennelling its dogs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many private hospitals have been opened during the past year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Between 1st January and 31st December 1976, which is the latest period for which information is available, 46 private hospitals and nursing homes were registered by area health authorities under the Nursing Home Act 1975. This number does not include homes opened within Kent AHA, for which the information is not available. Area health authorities reported a similar number of nursing homes whose registration was withdrawn during that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why Northamptonshire has only two members on the regional health authority whereas Oxfordshire has 10 members; and whether he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 2nd March—[Vol. 945, c. 381.] Eight members are drawn from Oxfordshire, three

							1948			1966			1975
							£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£p
Examination		…	…	…	…	…		10	0		8	0	1·25
Scaling	…	…	…	…	…	…		16	6		13	6	1·60
Filling (amalgam—single surface)					…	…	1	0	0		13	6	1·40
Filling (silicate)		…	…	…	…	…	1	5	0		19	0	2·00
Extraction (one tooth)			…	…	…	…		10	0		11	0	1·50
Extraction (20 teeth)			…	…	…	…	2	0	0	1	16	0*	3·90†
* Plus up 6s. 0d. depending on the quadrants of the mouth involved.
† Plus up to £1·50 depending on the quadrants of the mouth involved.
Current fees payable under the NHS general dental services remain the same as those quoted for 1975 but with the addition of 3 per cent. to cover the 1976 expenses increase.
Due to the dispute with the British Dental Association, the 1977 review of dental practice expenses has not yet taken place and consequently the scale of fees introduced with effect from 1st April 1975 plus the 3 per cent. increase from 1st April 1976, remains in force. Until the Dental Rates Study Group has met to review dental expenses I cannot say what percentage increase would be necessary to bring fees into line with current costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken to curtail the abuse of unemployment benefits and other social welfare services by individuals taking up temporary residence in areas with already high unemployment levels with no intention to seek work with special reference to the coming summer season in coastal resorts such as Torbay.

In my reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) on 8th July 1977—[Vol. 934, c. 685–6.]—I described the special arrangements which exist for dealing with social security benefit claims

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the dental fees for an examination, a scaling, an amalgam (single surface), an ore extraction, an extraction of 20 teeth, and a silicate, in 1948, 1966, and 1975, respectively; what is the current fee in each case; and what percentage increase would be required to bring these fees up to the 1966 level in real terms.

The information requested is set out below:in areas where seasonal work is plentiful. The Supplementary Benefits Commission has now decided that, so far as supplementary benefit is concerned, these arrangements, which then applied only to single men, should be extended to single women and childless couples. These will operate in Torbay this summer, and in the following 28 local office areas:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of different forms which his Department, and its subordinate agencies, currently have available for different purposes requiring completion by members of the general public; and how that number compares with the answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 8th March 1976.

The number of forms remains substantially the same as in the reply given to the hon. Member on 8th March 1976.—[Vol. 907, c. 111.]An exact comparison could not be made without incurring disproportionate costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now able to list the perinatal and infant mortality rates in 1977 for each area health authority in England.

The rates for 1977 are not yet available but I will circulate the information in the Official Report as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to which local authorities he has written concerning possible misunderstandings on their part of their duties under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; what action has been taken as a result; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has been in touch with a large number of authorities about misunderstandings of their duties under the Act, but it is not practicable to identify them all since this is part of our ongoing exchange of information—not all of which is by correspondence—with local authorities. In all cases where authorities have been contacted, our purpose has been to ensure that they are fully aware of the legal requirements of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the response of health authorities to the Oppé Report and the accompanying circular HC(76)40.

My hon. Friend will recall my reply to his Question on 14th February 1977—[Vol. 926 c. 44]—in which I said that all Regional Health Authorities had confirmed that they were reviewing services for the newborn as requested in the circular. The Department's planning guidelines for 1978–79 (HC(78)12) reaffirmed the priorities set out in the Consultative Document on "Priorities and The Way Forward", in both of which the importance of special care for low birthweight and sick newborn babies was stressed and authorities' action in this area will now be followed up as part of the planning mechanism. A recent letter to RHAs stated that my right hon. Friend is anxious to ensure that, nationally, the English share of the additional £50 million for the National Health Service announced in the Budget Statement of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be used to secure a number of defined ends within the existing priorities and that one of these ends is improvement of equipment and staffing for special care baby units and provision of additional foetal monitoring equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement about the progress being made by Motability.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent consideration he has given to abolishing one tier in the health authorities; and what representations he has received on this subject.

The Royal Commission on the National Health Service was set up to examine, among other aspects, the tiered structure imposed by legislation enacted by the previous administration. I intend to await its report before contemplating major changes, such as the abolition of a tier, and meanwhile to make improvements wherever possible within the present statutory framework. Most representations on this issue are properly made in the form of evidence to the Royal Commission. Those made to my Department show no consensus in favour of abolishing a particular tier.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish figures in the Official Report showing the marginal net benefit from a £1 increase in gross earnings as at July 1977, March 1978 and May 1978 for a married couple with two childen aged four and six years with the wife not earning, for each £1 increment in gross weekly earnings of husband from £20 per week to £120 per week;(2) if he will publish figures in the

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Nelson and Colne (Mr. Hoyle) Official Report, 24th April, column 437, he will show the real value of increases in State pensions for: (a) a single person and (b) a married couple since 1946, taking October 1967 as base 100.

The following table shows the real value of retirement pensions at uprating dates since 1946, for a single person and a married couple, in both money and percentage terms, taking October 1967 as base 100.satisfied with the standards of care provided by the personal social services.

Standards of care vary, depending on the problems of individual authorities and their differing degrees of commitment. I hope that standards will improve further as more resources become available and the number of trained social services staff increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring forward proposals to reform the Children and Young Persons Act.

No; the Act provides a sound framework for dealing with children in trouble.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the reasons for the delay in restoring the value of the cash allowances paid to severely disabled war pensioners, either in respect of their departmental cars or for the maintenance of their private cars; and if he will make a statement.

These allowances have been left unchanged for many years and by successive Governments. I am glad, therefore, to have been able recently to announce substantial increases, from July this year, in both the war pensioners' car maintenance allowance and the private car maintenance allowance. For the details of the increases, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) and to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kempton (Mr. Bowden) on 27th April.—[Vol. 948, c. 624.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will list the financial allowances made to the blind in the other countries of the EEC, country by country.

The social security cash benefits to which blind persons may become entitled as a result of their disability are listed under the headings sickness benefit, invalidity benefit and employment injuries benefit in the Department's comparative social security tables for member States of the European Communities, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. None of the benefits concerned is provided specifically in respect of blindness.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the estimated cost of paying a death grant to men born before July 1883.(2) what is the estimated cost of paying a death grant to women born before 1888;(3) what is the estimated cost of paying a full death grant to women born between 1888 and 1898;(4) what is the estimated cost of paying a full death grant to men born between 1883 and 1893.

The estimated costs, in 1978–79, of paying the full death grant of £30 to the categories referred to are as follows:

	£
Men born before 5th July 1883	50,000
Women born before 5th July 1888	850,000
Men born between 5th July 1883 and 4th July 1893	450,000
Women born between 5th July 1888 and 4th July 1898	1,650,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the particulars of the incidence of any disease attributable to the consumption of green top milk in the last three years.

In the three years 1975 to 1977 inclusive, the Public Health Laboratory Service recorded in England and Wales, in relation to cases of food poisoning, 372 isolations of salmonella attributable to the consumption of untreated milk and 30 of campylobacter thought to be attributable to the same cause. Records do not distinguish between bottled and unbottled untreated milk.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, because of the dubiety expressed by a number of legal experts over current procedures, he will introduce a short Bill in Parliament to seek to establish the legality of adding fluoride to public water supplies, in view of the suggestion of at least one leading water authority chairman that such a definitive move is overdue.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) on 16th December 1977.—[Vol. 941, c. 580–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is having discussions with a view to providing referenda for areas which will have fluoridation of water supplies recommended for them, or where such areas, having experienced such medication, require authorisation for its continuance.

No. The decision to seek the introduction of fluoridation of water supplies rests solely with the area health authorities for the areas concerned, as part of their statutory responsibilities for preventive health. It is for each authority to decide what prior consultations are necessary locally. My Department has commended fluoridation to area health authorities as a safe and effective means of protecting the community against the widespread disease of dental decay. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has encouraged water authorities to comply with requests from area health authorities to implement their decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations have been made by retail chemists regarding falling profit margins; and when he proposes to conduct a review.

I have received 407 letters since 14th March 1978 from retail pharmacists in England and Wales about profit margins. In answer to the second part of the Question, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 12th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average net cost per item of prescriptions dispensed in 1972, 1974, 1976 and 1977; what was the percentage on cost paid in those years and the average professional fee in each instance.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th May 1978] gave the following information:

	Average net ingredient cost per prescription pence	Percentage on-cost per cent.	Average professional fee per prescription pence
1972	59·2	10·4	15·7
1974	73·1	10·5	16·9
1976	114·8	10·5	24·4
1977	144·3	10·5	24·4

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has given to the Darlington Community Health Council arising from the refusal of local dentists to provide treatment for National Health Service patients.

The Community Health Council have been asked to advise people having difficulty in getting National Health Service dental treatment to contact the Durham Family Practitioner Committee, which, although having no power to compel a dentist to accept any particular patient, will do its best to help in individual cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the British Dental Association's statement that children and pensioners would not be refused treatment under the National Health Service during the current dispute, if he will inquire why this assurance is not being implemented in Darlington.

Although the British Dental Association may have given this advice to its members, as independent contractors dentists are entitled to decide for themselves which patients they will accept for National Health Service treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will obtain from the Durham Family Practitioner Committee a list of those dentists who will continue to supply dental treatment under the National Health Service during the current dispute with the British Dental Association.

The Durham Family Practitioner Committee has a list of dentists who provide National Health Service treatment, but, as dentists are entitled to make their own decision in each individual case, the list cannot be broken down to show which dentists will continue to accept NHS patients during the dispute.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Confederation of British Industry.

I met representatives of the CBI on 6th February. Further meetings will be arranged as necessary.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 25th April.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the Trades Union Congress.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 25th April.

asked the Prime Minister when he is next taking the chair at a meeting of the National Economic Development Committee.

I hope to take the chair at a meeting of the NEDC from time to time as I did on 1st February but I have no specific date in mind at present.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Roxburgh.

I have at present no plans to visit Roxburgh.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Tuesday 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 9th May.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk).

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the circumstances surrounding the letter which was sent by his office to the editor of the Morning Star relating to matters of intelligence.

asked the Prime Minister in what circumstances a confidential letter relating to matters of intelligence was sent from 10 Downing Street to the Morning Star; and whether he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for St. Albans on 25th April (Mr. Goodhew).

asked the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for co-ordinating comments on the report of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury.

The Royal Commission's report covers subjects within the responsibilities of a number of Ministers, including my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Social Services, Prices and Consumer Protection and Transport. They are consulting those bodies which have particular interests in the recommendations which fall within their own responsibilities so that the Government can reach a preliminary view on the report as a whole as soon as possible.