asked Her Majesty's Government:What research has been conducted into the wide variation in the number of new outpatients per thousand population in accident and emergency departments from one Regional Hospital Board to another, as shown in Table 69 of

My Department has not conducted research specifically into regional variations in the number of new patients attending accident and emergency departments.Such services are provided by general practitioners as well as by hospitals, and variations in the number of new attendances at hospital accident and emergency departments reflect not only possible variations in the accident rate but, among other factors, the tendency in a particular area for patients to go first to their general practitioners in an emergency or to go to hospitals. It is, for example, likely that both in areas where people work rather than live and in holiday areas an unusually large number of patients will go direct to hospitals for any medical help.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What would be the estimated cost of providing free family planning advice and prescriptions under the National Health Service, and on what assumptions concerning demand is the estimate based.

Provisional research findings just received suggest that there may be about 6 million women in England with a theoretical, though not necessarily an actual, need for family planning. The figure needs further study, but on this basis the total cost would be £30 million a year, assuming the Family Planning Association standard charge to local authorities of £5 per year per person. In practice, of course, not all women at risk of unwanted pregnancy would wish to use family planning services. Authorities in London planting an entirely free service estimate a cost in 197273 of around £250 per 1,000 population, which would give a national cost of £11·5 million, but demand would vary in different parts of the country. The figures of £30 million and £11·5 million relate to the cost to the National Health Service of providing free family planning advice and supplies to all who want them regardless of medical or social need. The latter figure, unlike the former, makes allowance for those people who would not wish to undertake family planning and those who would prefer to make private arrangements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the British loan of £51 million, granted in 1964 to Malta, and to be spread over ten years, has already been provided; when the most recent instalment was paid; and whether the remaining element of this loan is affected by the Maltese Government's decision, causing the withdrawal of British troops from Malta.

My Lords, £41·6 million of the £51 million financial assistance agreed under the 1964 Financial Agreement has been issued. £31·8 million was in grant form and £9·8 million in loan. The most recent instalments have been £1·2 million grant, paid on July 13, 1971, and £2·8 million loan, advanced on January 27, 1971. No further payments will be made to the Government of Malta under these arrangements. This was agreed at the Chequers' meeting between the Prime Minister and Mr. Mintoff last September, when other interim financial arrangements were made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the Government's policy on the training of psychiatric nurses following implementation of their decision to incorporate wards for the treatment of psychiatric patients in district general hospitals.

General policy on training for psychiatric nursing is within the terms of reference of the Committee on Nursing, under the Chairmanship of Professor Asa Briggs, whose report is expected in the summer. Current training policy, agreed with the General Nursing Council and promulgated in 1966, is that psychiatric units in general hospitals should participate with hospitals for the mentally ill in the training of psychiatric nurses. Progress has not been as fast as was hoped and the Department, in consultation with the Council, is considering how best to encourage the establishment of more linked training schemes.House adjourned at thirteen minutes before seven o'clock.