asked the Minister of Health which antibiotics were used to combat the outbreak of gastro-enteritis on Teeside; which of these antibiotics proved ineffective owing to multiple drug resistance; and if he will make a statement.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the statement my right hon. Friend intends to make when the report on the outbreak has been fully studied.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration his Department has given to the problem of infective drug resistance; what regulations he will introduce to deal with the problem; and if he will make a statement.

Aspects of this problem were studied by the Netherthorpe Committee whose recommendations have now been accepted in principle by Her Majesty's Government, and my right hon. Friends' and I are giving further consideration to the problem in the light of recently published articles. Most antibiotics are already controlled under the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1956 and the Medicines Bill now before Parliament provides for stricter control should this be found necessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an assurance that any steps taken by local health authorities to promote the welfare of the elderly will lead to increased Exchequer support for local authority expenditure through Rate Support Grant.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January that the Government will propose Rate Support Grant for 1969– 70 on the basis of relevant expenditure not exceeding a figure in the region of three per cent. in real terms above what has already been agreed for purposes of the Exchequer contribution in 1968– 69. It will be for each local authority to decide, in the light of this statement of the Government's intention, what resources can be devoted to particular services. I recognise that local authorities may well need to proceed rather more slowly than they would wish with development of general welfare services for the elderly. —[Vol. 756, c. 1591.]

asked the Minister of Health what is the total annual cost of all welfare services; how much of this is spent on administration; how many people are employed; and how much is paid in wages and salaries.

Assuming that the hon. Member is referring to the welfare services provided by local authorities in England and Wales under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948, the estimated gross cost in 1966– 67 was about £68 million. The number of staff employed was about 46,000 at a total wages and salary cost of about £31 million. Expenditure brought to account under the heading of administration was about £ 8½ million but this included part of the cost of casework.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total number of home helps employed by local health authorities at the latest available date; and what estimate he has made of the shortage of home helps in England and Wales as a whole.

Thirty thousand, two hundred arid forty-four (in whole-time equivalents) in England and Wales at 30th September, 1966. On the second part of the hon. Member's Question I would refer her to my right hon. Friend's reply on 5th February to the hon. Member for Farnham (Mr. Maurice Macmillan).—[Vol. 758, c.15.]

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied with the operation of the scheme for providing treatment centres for drug addicts; and if he will make a statement.

As regards facilities In the London area, where the problem of heroin addiction is most acute. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 30th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, South (Mr. Carol Johnson). In other parts of England and Wales, hospital returns do not indicate any unmet demand, but the position is being kept under review.—[Vol. 757, c.259–60.]

asked the Minister of Health what proposals he has for the establishment of hostels for the after-care and support of those receiving in-patient treatment for drug dependence.

I have advised local health authorities that hostels will be needed in some areas and asked them to consider with hospital authorities and voluntary bodies how provision can best he made.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement about the provision of clinics for the treatment of drug addiction.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall).

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking in consequence of the report of the medical advisory panel of the Pre-Retirement Association, details of which have been sent to him; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is arranging for a full study of the report which has only recently become available.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the recent 50 per cent. rise in the price of Mercury hearing aid batteries, he will make them available on National Health Service prescription to sufferers from chronic deafness.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes that all disabled people will be exempt from prescription charges, and not only the war disabled or industrial disabled.

asked the Minister of Health if persons in receipt of industrial injuries benefit will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health if persons in receipt of war disability pensions will be exempted from prescription charges.

As before, war pensioners will be relieved of charges for prescriptions for their accepted disability. The extent to which other disabled people between the ages of 15 and 65 will be exempted depends on the criteria for identifying the chronic sick, which are still under discussion.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a person suffering from bronchitis will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if a person suffering from bronchial ashma will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health if a person who has suffered from a coronary thrombosis will come within the definition of chronic sick and be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health if a person suffering from hearing loss will be allowed analgesics free of prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health if a person suffering from rheumatoid arthritis will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health if a person suffering from a duodenal ulcer will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a person suffering from a gastric ulcer will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if a person suffering from ulcerative colitis will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a person with a colostomy will be allowed drugs and dressings free of prescription charges;(2) if a person with an ileostomy will be allowed drugs and dressings free of prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a person suffering from progressive muscular atrophy will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if a person suffering from schizophrenia will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a person suffering from congestive heart failure will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if a person suffering from cancer will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a registered blind person comes within the category of chronic sick for the purpose of exemption from prescription charges;(2) if a person under the age of 65 years who sustains a fractured limb which takes a long time to mend is considered as chronic sick for the purpose of free prescriptions.

asked the Minister of Health if a person suffering from fairly regular incontinence will be allowed drugs and dressings free of prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a person suffering from congenital heart disease will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if a person suffering from emphysema will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health for the purposes of exemption from prescription charges, after what period an illness will be regarded as chronic.

asked the Minister of Health if a person who has been recognised as being chronically sick because of a chest complaint and who requires medicine for other illnesses or disabilities will pay for some prescriptions and not for others.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if a woman on the waiting list for admission to a hospital for gynaecological treatment will come within the category of chronic sick and be allowed free prescriptions;(2) if a person who has suffered from bronchitis during two successive winters will come within the definition of chronic sick and be exempt from payment of prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if, under his proposals, a person suffering from disseminated sclerosis will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if, under his proposals, a person suffering from osteo-arthritis will be exempt from prescription charges.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if, under his proposals, a person suffering from anxiety neurosis will be exempt from prescription charges;(2) if, under his proposals, a person suffering from depressive neurosis will be exempt from prescription charges.

Eligibility of patients who do not qualify on other grounds would depend on the criteria, which are still under discussion, to be adopted for identifying the chronic sick.

asked the Minister of Health if he intends to exempt from prescription charges women over the age of 60 years.

Not those between 60 and 65 unless they are among the chronic sick.

asked the Minister of Health whether the proposed prescription charges will apply per item or per series of items on each prescription form.

As announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January, the charge will be 2s. 6d. per item.—[Vol. 756, c. 1587.]

asked the Minister of Health for what period after a miscarriage a woman will be exempted from prescription charges.

Exemption is not proposed after miscarriage.

asked the Minister of Health what measures he will take to ensure that medicines prescribed for a child under 15 years of age are not used by other members of the family.

No measure can ensure this but care by doctors in the prescription of medicines and by parents in their use will always be the best safeguard against any misuse by other members of the family of medicines prescribed for children.

asked the Minister of Health if he proposes to exempt from prescription charges all children in full-time education.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 2nd February to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardigan (Mr. Elystan Morgan).—[Vol. 757, c. 429.]

asked the Minister of Health if, excluding those on National Assistance, he will give his estimate of the number of people entitled to free prescriptions who did not apply for refunds in each of the years 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964; and if he will make a statement.

I know of no basis for a reliable estimate. I shall be consulting my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Social Security about measures to ensure that patients who are entitled to have the future charges remitted or repaid are aware of the arrangements which apply to them.

asked the Minister of Health in the last convenient 12-month period what would have been the revenue from a prescription charge of 2s. 6d. per item on each prescription issued.

On the basis of the number of prescriptions actually issued in England and Wales, about £34 million during the financial year ended 31st March, 1967.

asked the Minister of Health what was the revenue from prescription charges in each of the last four years in which they were applied.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what is the estimated proportion of the community that will be exempted from prescription charges; and what proportion of the total number of prescription items he anticipates will be issued to this section of the community this year.

Exemption of the categories referred to in the Statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January would affect upwards of 40 per cent. of the population. I should expect roughly half of all prescriptions to be issued to patients in these categories.—[Vol. 756, c. 1587.]

asked the Minister of Health what is the proportion of the community that will obtain refunds of prescription charges; and what proportion of the total number of prescription items he anticipates will be issued to this section of the community this year.

No close estimate is possible owing to the increase in the number of people receiving Supplementary Benefit since prescription charges were last payable and the effect of the proposed exemption arrangements.

asked the Minister of Health on what percentage of prescriptions refunds were obtained in each of the last four years that there were prescription charges.

In England and Wales, approximately 9 per cent. in 1961– 62 and 11 per cent. in each of the succeeding three years.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he has made of the revenue which would have accrued in the last convenient 12-month period from a prescription charge of 2s. 6d., assuming that there were refunds for those patients who obtained refunds when charges were last in force.

On the basis of the number of prescriptions actually issued in England and Wales, the net revenue during the financial year ended 31st March, 1967, would have been just over £30 million.

asked the Minister of Health what charges he proposes to make for elastic stockings provided on prescription.

I am at present considering the matter.

asked the Minister of Health if a person suffering from diabetes will be exempt from prescription charges.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins) and others.

asked the Minister of Health for what period will a nursing mother be exempted from prescription charges.

I am considering with the profession how long exemption should continue after a confinement.

asked the Minister of Health when he intends to introduce legislation to ban cigarette coupons.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 11th December to my hon. Friend the Member for Wandsworth, Central (Dr. David Kerr).—[Vol. 756, c. 3.]

asked the Minister of Health what was the rise in the cost of National Health Service medicines in each of the full years following the three occasions when prescription charges were made or increased.

Compared with the preceding year, the net cost of prescriptions dispensed by chemists in England and Wales in the year ended 31st March, 1954, was £3· 2 million lower, in the year ended 31st March, 1959, was 0· 4 million higher, and in the year ended 31st March, 1962, was £5· 8 million lower.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made to implement the proposals contained in the Sainsbury Report in order to economise in the National Health Service.

Consultations have been taking place on the Committee's recommendations and I shall make a statement as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to introduce regulations to implement the Government's decision to increase the dental treatment charge and to introduce the prescription charge.

I have nothing to add as yet to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16th January.—[Vol. 756, c. 1587–8.]

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of the cost of the National Health Service was related to salaries, fees, superannuation, etc., for those employed in the National Health Service in 1966 and 1967.

About 66 per cent. in 1966– 67 and an estimated 65 per cent. in 1967–68, for Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will define the term chronically sick person as used by his Department.

Chronic sick patients in hospital are those needing long-term care for chronic disabilities or illnesses. For those not in hospital I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) on 23rd January.—[Vol. 757, c.81–2.]

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of brucellosis in human beings; and what information he has about its present incidence.

Incidence can most effectively be reduced by heat treatment of milk and 96 per cent. of all milk sold by retail in England and Wales is so treated. There should also be routine examination of untreated milk, and on this my right hon. Friend issued a circular of guidance for Medical Officers of Health in October, 1966. In addition a cattle population should be built up as far as possible free from the disease; this is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food.With regard to the incidence of the disease I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply on 2nd February to the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith). —[Vol. 757, c.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish a further progress report on the fluoridation experiment done in Anglesey, Kilmarnock, Watford and Andover in 1955 and 1956, in order to cover both children born in the respective years since the start of the experiments and those born during the previous seven years which were covered by reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects Number 105 published in 1962.

My right hon. Friend hopes to publish before long a report on the dental examinations of the children who have lived in Anglesey and Watford since birth and have experienced fluoridation for most of or all of their lives.

asked the Minister of Health what guidance he gives to regional hospital boards on the selection of hospital management committees.

Appointments are made in accordance with Part II of the Third Schedule to the National Health Service Act, 1946, which requires Boards to consult a wide range of interested bodies. General advice has been given that the community served by each Committee should be as closely as possible identified with the Committee and the hospitals it controls. Guidance has also been given on particular points such as the proportion of medical members and the appointment of officers as members.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has given to the telegram sent to him on 25th January about the occupancy of pay beds and National Health Service beds.

I have sent the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total number of hospital staffed beds in England and Wales in each of the years 1962, 1963, 1965 and 1966.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions he gives to hospitals, with casualty departments, to ensure that they are able to deal efficiently and promptly with cases of suspected poisoning as presented in the case of Mr. Southwood of Brentwood, details of which have been sent to him.

Advice on the emergency treatment of cases of acute poisoning was issued to hospital authorities in 1962.

asked the Minister of Health what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of treating victims of road accidents; and if he will introduce legislation to ensure that this cost is recovered from vehicle users.

On the first part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply on the 29th January, 1968, to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Dr. David Owen). Certain fees and charges for treatment are already recoverable under the Road Traffic Act, 1960.—[Vol. 757. c.221.]

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has to centralise the purchasing of hospital uniforms and bedding in order to economise in the National Health Service.

These matters have been examined by Working Groups of hospital officers. One report on bedding has been implemented and others are under consideration. My right hon. Friend will adopt central purchasing whenever this seems likely to lead to economies.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of public concern, he will hold an inquiry into the treatment of patients at Hensol Castle Hospital, Miskin, Glamorganshire.

I have asked the Welsh Hospital Board to set up an independent inquiry.

asked the Minister of Health how many members of regional hospital boards in general, and of the Wessex Regional Hospital Board in particular, have been appointed on the recommendation of local trades councils, as opposed to the Trades Union Congress.

None, but I understand that the Trades Union Congress undertake local consultations before making their recommendations to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to implement the agreement reached by the Pharmaceutical Whitley Council Committee C regarding salaries and an immediate investigation into the hospital pharmaceutical service.

The revised salaries came into operation from 1st July, 1967.For progress in implementing the remainder of the settlement I would refer

the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) on 29th January, 1968.—[Vol. 757, c.

asked the Minister of Health if patients in attendance at the out-patients department of a hospital and obtaining their medicines from the hospital dispensary will be charged for medicines.

Yes, subject to arrangements for exemptions or refunds.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to remove the obligation of local authorities to provide mandatory rate relief to public schools.

My right hon. Friend has at present no proposals for amending the law on the rating of charities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the effect of fixing by Order, as in the case of the River Hull, an arbitrary point beyond which rivers are deemed to be non-tidal is to require river boards to insist on a higher standard of effluent than would otherwise be needed; and if he will take steps to amend the Order by altering the basis on which the non-tidal point is determined.

No. The effect of such an Order is to define the tidal waters into which no discharge may be made without the consent of the river authority. There is no automatic effect on effluent standards.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total loan sanction issued, for facilities for general physical recreation as defined in the 1966 Report of the Sports Council, to local authorities in England and Wales, respectively, for each of the last five years.

Loan sanctions issued were:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will detail the publicity his Department has given to the Leasehold Reform Act, 1967, in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region.

Nearly 8,000 copies of the 16-page free booklet have been distributed in this Region so far, through local authorities and Citizens' Advice Bureaux, and the national publicity through Press, radio and television channels was supported by advertisements in two regional papers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a contribution to Human Rights Year and to commemorate the 50 years since the enfranchisement of women, he will introduce legislation to abolish the legal obligation of a husband to declare his wife's Income Tax for tax purposes and take responsibility for the accuracy of the information.

No. The husband's responsibility to return his wife's income is a natural consequence of our system of assessing husband and wife as one unit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, to commemorate the 50 years since the enfranchisement of women, he will introduce legislation to permit a wife entitled to a refund on Pay As You Earn to have the cheque made payable to her, to enable a woman to cover the risk of widowhood by payment of her National Insurance contribution, and to enable a wife who has custody of or maintains children to qualify for Income Tax child allowance.

The Answer to the first and third parts of the Question is that I cannot undertake to change the law. The second part of the Question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Social Security.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the amounts of money loaned and the amounts given by grants, excluding that given for disaster purposes, to overseas countries, since 1964.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate duty today on a packet of 20 standard cigarettes; and what were the comparable figures for 1963 and 1953.

4s. 2d. on a packet of 20 standard plain cigarettes; in 1963 it was 3s. 4d.; and in 1953 2s. 9d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make an order by Statutory Instrument under Section 13 of the Trustee Investments Act, 1961, to increase the equity holding of investment in trusts to 75 per cent. from 50 per cent.

No. I have no evidence to suggest that the generality of trustees find the 50 per cent. limitation unduly restrictive.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of printing the special pink edition of weekly tax tables provided for use for the period from 29th February to 3rd April, 1968.

£ 26,256.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will direct the Bank of England to discuss with the Central Banks of Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda means whereby merchants in Great Britain trading in commodities from the above-mentioned countires can buy their currencies forward, thereby helping to avoid the danger of such international markets moving outside Great Britain.

No. Whilst forward cover facilities are essentially a matter for the commercial interests concerned, the Bank of England will continue to enter into discussions on these matters whenever they properly can.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the offer of a £5,000,000 loan by the Bank of England to commodity traders who have suffered through the devaluation of the British £ sterling and non-devaluation of various sterling area currencies, is sufficient to meet the claims of the commodity markets in Great Britain which have over a long period helped Great Britain's balance of payments in the way of massive invisible exports.

The loans are intended to help ensure that trading in general can continue. I understand that the £5 million offer is estimated to apply to at least three quarters of total net losses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of public expenditure, inclusive of transfer payments and investment of public corporations, in each year since 1964, expressed as a percentage of gross national product, and what he estimates it will be in 1968 and 1969 on the basis of Command Paper No. 3515 and the forecasts he has given for future increases in the gross national product.

Below are set out figures for Gross National Product and total public expenditure (including transfer payments and the capital expenditure of nationalised industries, etc., but excluding debt interest), for 1964, 1965 and 1966. Comparable figures for 1967 and estimates for 1968 and 1969 are not available. For the reasons given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Nott) on 18th January, 1967, I do not think it is useful to express total public expenditure as a percentage of gross national product.

—[Vol. 739, c.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of central and local government taxation, including National Insurance contributions, in each year since 1964, expressed as a percentage of the gross national product, and what he estimates it will be in 1968 and 1969, on the basis of the forecasts he has given for increases in gross national product, assuming no changes in the rates of taxation and contributions.

Central and local government taxation, including National Insurance contributions, amounted to 32· 2 per cent. of the gross national product at factor cost in 1964, 34· 4 per cent. in 1965, and 36· 3 per cent. in 1966. Figures for 1967 are not yet available, and it is not the practice to give estimates of this type for future years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that some Government Departments are Interpreting paragraph 53 of Command Paper No. 3515 to mean that, if they replace their own office cleaners by contractual cleaning they are in a position to recruit a corresponding number of additional civil servants to perform other duties; whether this is in accordance with Government policy in view of the extra expenditure involved; and if he will make a statement to clarify the position.

The policy is that there is to be no further net increases in the number of civil servants as a whole in 1968– 69 despite an expected increase in work load overall. Within this overall stability there will naturally be variations between Departments. The continuance of the general policy of transfer to contract cleaning is designed to reduce the cost of office services, although it will also lead to a reduction in the numbers employed. The fact that a Department has gone over to contract cleaning gives it no automatic right to any compensating increase in other staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the practice of Her Majesty's Government in withholding more than 15 per cent. from dividends paid to holders of United Kingdom securities who are not resident in the United Kingdom is contrary to the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund, what steps he proposes to take to conform with this agreement.

The withholding of tax from dividends at a rate above 15 per cent. does not run counter to any agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing personal disposable income per head of Population at constant prices for 1946 to 1966 inclusive, and for the first nine months of 1967 expressed in terms of an annual equivalent; what the annual average increase was for the periods 1946 to 1951, 1952 to 1964 and 1964 to 1967; and what estimate he has made of the average annual rate of increase between 1967 and 1970.

I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the figures requested up to 1967.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that single women with dependent elderly relatives recently had their tax allowance raised from £75 to £110 per annum, if he will now take steps to grant the same facilities to single men in similar circumstances.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion but I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much higher revenue from taxation and National Insurance contributions will be in 1968– 69 than if the rates and forms of taxation and contribution prevailing on 16th October, 1964 had remained unaltered; how much of this arises from charges falling directly on industry; and whether he will list the changes announced since 16th October, 1964, given in each case the estimated yield of the change in 1968– 69 and the additional charge directly upon industry.

I cannot anticipate the estimates of taxation for 1968– 69 which will appear in the Financial Statement. Moreover, since it is not possible to say how the economy would have developed on certain hypothetical assumptions no estimate can be made of what would now be the yield of the taxes and National Insurance contributions at the rates applying at that time if those measures had not been taken.

asked the Secretary of state for Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for publication of the proceedings of the Commonwealth Sanctions Committee.

No. As the House is aware, the proceedings of this Committee are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the benefits to medical science derived from work at Porton Chemical Warfare Research Station.

The work of the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment is directed towards research on defence against chemical warfare but some of the work of the Establishment has found applications to medical science.The benefits to medical science include:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many research contracts his Department has currently let with British universities;

I am having the information assembled and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what universities and departments are concerned in research contracts related to defence; what has been the annual value of such contracts over the past three years; and how many such research contracts are classified;(2) in how many cases are any of the university staff or attached researchers on defence contracts required to have security clearance.

I have been asked to reply.I am having the information assembled and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make it a condition in his contracts with the Hawker Siddeley group that work on such contracts for his Department shall be spread out evenly between their various factories; and whether he will make a statement.

No. It is for the contractor to decide which factories are best equipped to undertake economically work under Ministry of Defence contracts and it is not the practice of my Department to intervene in such matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what present contracts from his Department are being worked at the Hawker Siddeley factory at Coventry; and to what extent they will be affected by proposed cuts in Government expenditure.

No contracts from my Department are being worked at the Hawker Siddeley factory at Coventry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to introduce legislation to cover the misuse of the drug methedrine.

Methedrine is already subject to control under the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1964, and Schedule 4B of the Poisons Rules, 1968. The Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence is considering whether further safeguards against misuse are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the administrative class of the Civil Service are currently employed in his Department.

123.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he is unable to ascertain the number of members of the administrative branch of the Civil Service currently employed in his Department who do not hold university degrees.

The hon. Member did not ask for this information. The total is 34.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that although for three years details have been supplied to the Metropolitan Police of hundreds of unlicensed vehicles on the roads, these vehicles are still used without the current road fund licence; why, when police officers near Bethnal Green Road were asked on Sunday, 4th February, to take action, none was taken; and what steps he will take to see that the police enforce the law when requested.

I am sure the police do what they can, having regard to all their other responsibilities, to assist the vehicle licensing authorities. The Commissioner of Police informs me that none of the officers on duty in Bethnal Green Road on 4th February has reported being approached by my hon. Friend; but if he will let me have particulars of the occasion, I will ask the Commissioner to make further inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state, giving the mileage in respect of each, those motorways or lengths of motorway for which no line had yet been proposed, a draft scheme had been published, a scheme had been made, tenders had been invited, a contract had been placed, which were under construction, and which were in use, respectively, as at 31st October.

The following lengths of motorway for which I am responsible were in use:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will anounce the proposed level of expenditure on the construction and improvement of roads in Wales in 1968– 69 and 1969– 70, respectively.

Estimates for 1968–69 and 1969– 70 have not been settled but for planning purposes it is estimated that the level of expenditure on the construction and improvement of roads in Wales will be in the region of £15½ million and £16½ million, respectively.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Secretary of State for Defence on television on Monday, 22nd January on cuts in Government defence spending represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public statement of the Secretary of State for Defence, made in a television broadcast in London on 22nd January, about the offer of financial assistance from the rulers in the Persian Gulf, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

As the House will know, my right hon. Friend took part in two television discussions on 22nd January. In both cases his remarks, where they dealt with policy matters, were consistent with the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the recent extensive cuts in defence expenditure, whether he will take steps to combine the duties of the Secretary of State for Defence with those of another Minister.

No.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make recommendations that the hotel and catering industry should be entitled to apply for the Queen's Award to Industry.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Lord Hamilton) on 7th November.— [Vol. 753, c.96.]

asked the Prime Minister what progress he has made with the renegotiation of the undertakings given by the British Government to the Governments of Malaysia and Singapore and of the Persian Gulf States regarding British assistance for their defence and the maintenance of British forces in those areas for that purpose.

I told the House on 16th January that our cuts in defence expenditure would mean renegotiating a whole new series of arrangements, agreements and treaties with our allies and partners. We are actively considering these but, as the right hon. Gentleman well knows, this process will take time.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a further statement about Rhodesia.

I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions on this subject on 1st February.

asked the Prime Minister what contribution Great Britain will make to the celebration of Human Rights Year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 6th February to a Question by the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow).—[Vol. 758, c. 227.]

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will issue a White Paper outlining the discussions that took place between the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, local authorities, the National Coal Board, the Central Electricity Generating Board, the firms intending to set up aluminium smelting plants in Great Britain and all others involved in the negotiations.

The Government are currently engaged in a wide range of confidential discussions on this matter and a statement will be made at the appropriate time. I would not as yet care to forecast the form the statement will take.

asked the Prime Minister whether the letters of appointment of part-time members of a new town development corporation still require them to abstain from the making of political speeches or other political activity on matters affecting the work of that corporation; and what steps are taken to secure compliance with such requirements.

If the hon. Member has in mind an appointment in Scotland, he should address his Question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland: if in England, to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government: and if in Wales, to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. They would each, I am sure, be happy to let him have details of the rules and conventions governing political activity by the appointees to whom his Question relates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food for how long consultations have been carried on between his Department and bodies representing farming interests on the question of a reform of the law of landlord and tenant.

The working of the agricultural holdings legislation is kept under review, and the exchange of views with the bodies representing farming interests is a continuing process. Amendments to the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1948 were incorporated in the Agriculture Acts of 1954, 1958 and 1963 and the present Miscellaneous Provisions Bill; and a number of other matters are still under discussion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what communications his Department have received during the last ten years from either the Law Reform Committee or the Law Commissioners with regard to extending security of tenure to the family of a deceased agricultural tenant.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children left school at the statutory age, and how many beyond it, in 1965, 1966 and 1967: and what are the estimated numbers for 1968, 1969 and 1970.

For 1964– 65 the figures were 273,100 and 372,700 and for 1965– 66, 286,000 and 337,300. The figures for 1966– 67 are not yet available. Estimates for future years are not usually made in this form but estimates in a different form will he published at the end of March Statistics of Education volume 2, table 27.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many 15year-olds left school at Easter, and how many in July in 1967, 1966 and 1965.