asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prosecutions have been made under Section 30 of the Ministry of Social Security Act, 1966, since that Act became law.

The Ministry of Social Security Act came into effect on 28th November, 1966, and since then proceedings have been taken both under Section 30 and also under the similar provisions of Section 51 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, in respect of outstanding warrants. Under these provisions proceedings were taken against 811 persons in 1967 and 563 persons in 1968 up to 30th September, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what preparations he has made in view of the possibility of an influenza epidemic this winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that there is sufficient vaccine available for inoculation against the threatened epidemic of Asian flu.

In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Moonman) on 22nd November, I described steps being taken to increase supplies of vaccine and to give priority to those for whom protection is medically desirable. My right hon. Friend's Chief Medical Officer has now written to all family doctors on the subject, and wholesalers, as well as manufacturers, have been approached. My Department is also in touch with the pharmaceutical profession. We hope that, subject to the necessary testing and checking, substantial and increasing supplies of imported vaccine will start to become available to doctors before Christmas.—[Vol. 773, c. 349–50.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements have been made to make available to Members of Parliament and House of Commons staff anti-flu vaccine.

None. I indicated in my answer of 22nd November the categories of persons for whom vaccination against influenza might be desirable and the arrangements that have been made to make vaccine available to them. My right hon. Friend would not feel justified in extending these arrangements to other categories.—[Vol. 773, c. 349–50.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to enforce the priorities which he has established for the distribution of the Mao influenza vaccine.

My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that suppliers will not comply with the request he has made to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the number of doses of Mao influenza vaccine which will be needed to deal with the epidemic expected to break out in late December.

No estimate is possible since the extent to which influenza vaccine is used mainly depends on the clinical judgment of individual doctors. Routine use of the vaccine is not recommended.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the amount of health educational matter promoted by his Department on television, on the radio and in the Press.

Precise information is not available, but in the year ending 31st March last about £128,000 was spent by my Department on centrally produced material of all kinds. Other health education publicity was promoted through informal contacts with editors and programme producers. Responsibility now lies with the Health Education Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if prosecutions of persons who falsely claim exemption from prescription charges will be undertaken by his Department or that of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Where a prosecution is warranted it will be undertaken by my Department or by the Executive Council concerned. The services of my Department's legal officers will be available in all cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce a scheme whereby chronically sick patients who are not exempt from prescription charges can pay the 55s. cost of an annual season ticket by weekly instalments.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if a patient who purchases two six-month prescription charge season tickets in succession will be allowed a rebate of 5s. on the second.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services whether he will exempt from prescription charges dependants of men under 65 years of age who are in receipt of 100 per cent. war disability pension.

I do not consider that there are grounds for extending the present exemption arrangements, from which some of their dependants already benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, how long it takes between the application for a season ticket exemption form for prescription charges and its receipt by the applicant in the area of the London Executive Council.

The Inner London Executive Council issues prepayment certificates on the day that the applications are received or the next working day.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what is his estimate of the additional payments to pharmacists to compensate them for the additional work needed to collect pre- scription charges for this year and for the next full year.

About £500,000 this year and between £800.000 and £850,000 in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, on what criteria he fixed the sums of 30s. and 55s. as the figures for the purchase of prescription charge season tickets.

The aim was to help patients requiring frequent prescriptions, and on that basis a fee representing the charge for two prescriptions a month for six months seems reasonable. The small reduction for 12 month certificate reflects the lower administrative costs of issuing a single certificate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the holder of a season ticket to cover prescription charges will be allowed a rebate if it is returned within three months of issue.

There is no power to refund the prescribed fee once a valid prepayment certificate has been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to collect statistics concerned with the season ticket prescription charge arrangements.

Arrangements have been made to collect information about the number of prepayment certificates issued and the extent of their use.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of further advertising in the Press or on television to inform patients of their exemption entitlements regarding medical prescription charges.

No further press advertisements are at present contemplated, but we shall keep the situation under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he proposes to take a random sample of E.C. 10 prescription forms to check for false claims to exemption.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a similar Question today from my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken or proposes to take following the publication of the Report of the Royal College of Surgeons of England Joint Committee for Higher Surgical Training, a copy of which has been sent to him.

We have noted this report with interest. It has implications for the National Health Service; and it needs to be considered in the context of the proposals made by the Royal Commission on Medical Education for the reorganisation of postgraduate medical education. We are awaiting the comments of interested bodies, including the Royal College, on the Royal Commission's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate his Department has made of the saving to public funds of limiting pensions to people of pensionable age with an income of less than £15 a week for a couple and £9 for a single person.

None, since the Government have no intention of applying a means test to contributory pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount paid in family allowances in 1967.

In 1967–68, £160 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the cost of increasing the widows' dependency allowance so that widows benefit fully from the recent increases in family allowances.

The cost to the National Insurance Fund of increasing by 3s. the allowances for second and subsequent children of widowed mothers would be about £500 000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to increase the widowed mothers' allowance so that widowed mothers benefit from the recent increase in family allowance.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on this subject earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make arrangements for the payment of widows' dependency allowance for children in care directly to the authority looking after the children.

There are arguments for and against a general provision of the kind suggested. I am not at present convinced of the need for a change but the issues involved are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many immigrants who are in receipt of National Assistance have asked his Department for help in order to return to their native lands.

The number of immigrants in receipt of supplementary benefit (formerly National Assistance) who asked to be repatriated during the three years 1965, 1966, and 1967 was 647.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend the regulations concerning dental charges so that old age pensioners who still have their own teeth do not have to pay £2 for each course of treatment.

No. The maximum charge is 30s., and those who cannot afford to pay without hardship can obtain financial help from my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the Giro system is adaptable, or could be adapted, for paying all pensions and social welfare benefits on a more economical basis than the present system of payments.

Arrangements have already been made under which all payments of benefit hitherto made by postal draft will be made by giro cheque. For long-term benefits, however, a book of orders remains the cheapest and most efficient way of making payments and there is no way of adapting the giro system to do it as cheaply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to restrict potentially dangerous medical prescriptions to a maximum of one month's supply.

My right hon. Friend could not impose a formal restriction of this kind, but representations which have recently been made on the subject by the Central Chemist Contractors Committee are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will arrange for a full public inquiry before taking a final decision on the use of the Tottenham Drill Hall as a reception centre.

No. Planning clearance was obtained for this user on 12th February, and there is no reason to hold such an inquiry.At present it is envisaged that this drill hall would form part of a planned dispersion of London's homeless single men. At the moment their only reception and resettlement centre is in Camberwell.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidance to those London boroughs and other local authorities proposing to adapt the structure of thier committees and departments as a result of the Reports of the Maud Committee on Management, the Seebohm Committee on the Local Authority Personal Social Services, and other documents.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now issue specific guidance to local authorities on matters of reorganisation arising from the Reports of the Maud Committee on Management, and the Seebohm Committee on Local Authority Personal Social Services; and whether he will make a statement.

Local authority associations and other interested bodies were asked to submit their views on the Seebohm Report by the end of November. The Government will be studying these carefully before reaching their own conclusions. Meantime I would again endorse the view already expressed on a number of occasions that no action should be taken by local authorities that might pre-empt those decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to raise retirement pensions before the onset of winter.

No, for the reason I have given earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what annual reviews of the adequacy of the retirement pensions have been carried out since 1966; what form each annual review took; when was the last review; and if he will ensure that each future review covers the various nations of Great Britain and inquires as to the extent to which retirement pensioners are able to feed, clothe and heat themselves adequately.

All the factors which help to determine the rates of retirement pension are kept under constant review and the hon. Member should not overlook that at current rates pensions are worth in real terms about 14 per cent. more than those in payment in October 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the discussions between his Department and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on a change in the definition of pneumoconiosis.

As announced in the Press on 5th August, 1968, my right hon. Friend the then Minister of Social Security referred to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council the question whether any change should be made in the way that pneumoconiosis is defined in the Industrial Injuries Act. She also asked the Council to consider whether special provision should be made for disablement due to other respiratory conditions found when pneumoconiosis is present to be taken into account in assessing the extent of disablement due to the disease.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the hardships which the recent increases in the cost of living inflict on state pensioners, particularly old people; and if he will introduce legislation to increase pension rates and to give pensioners other relevant facilities to maintain their living standards.

I share my hon. Friend's concern for old people but despite the price increases to which he refers, pensioners still have the advantage of much the greater part of the increase made in October last year. Many of them are, of course, being further helped by the recent increase in supplementary benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the capital and recurrent costs of a place in a day nursery provided by his Department.

About £1,000 and £250 a year respectively for a local authority day nursery.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many working days were lost for the last year to the most convenient date as a result of arthritic and rheumatic illnesses in Scotland; and what amount was spent in Scotland or research into these diseases for this period.

The Department only knows about days of sickness notified for National Insurance purposes. In Scotland in the period from 6th June, 1966, to 3rd June, 1967, there were nearly 2½ million days of incapacity attributed to arthritis and rheumatism.I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that while research on these diseases is carried out in several units in Scotland, it is not possible to identify separately the sums spent on this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many paid appointments are within his official patronage; and what are the maximum and minimum salaries involved.

I am statutorily responsible for 17 appointments with annual salaries ranging from £500 to £5,000. In addition, I am responsible for about 1,900 statutory appointments for which a fee is paid.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will revise the regulations for the payment of industrial injury benefits for employees of British firms who are involved in industrial accidents abroad in the course of their employment so as to ensure parity of treatment.

The National Insurance Industrial Injuries Act, 1965 does not generally apply to accidents happening outside this country. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that there are good reasons for this restriction and that exceptions should be made only, as the Act provides, where the insured person is covered by our regulations on mariners and airmen or by a reciprocal agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services with which countries the United Kingdom has reciprocal agreements for medical and hospital treatment abroad; and if he will enter into negotiations with other countries for similar agreements.

Under our reciprocal agreements with New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia, people belonging to the United Kingdom can receive medical and hospital treatment under the health services and sickness insurance schemes in those countries. Similar agreements have been negotiated with Bulgaria and Poland, but they are not yet in force.There are more limited agreements with other countries covering only particular classes of people, which do not include tourists and other short-term visitors. I am always glad to enter into negotiations with other countries for agreements on social security.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on the level of the benefits paid by his Department in relation to the effects of the Government's recent tax increases.

Although the effect of these tax increases on prices is expected to be small, we shall watch the position closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the Scottish Old Age Pensions Association regarding increase in pension; and what reply he sent.

I think the hon. Member refers to a letter which this Association sent recently to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister noting the Government's proposals for public service pensions and claiming similar treatment for retirement pensions. In reply I have explained how the cases differ.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reciprocal arrangements there are for social security benefits between Great Britain and the United States of America.

There is no scope for a comprehensive agreement with the United States such as we have concluded with many Commonwealth and European countries, but my Department is in correspondence with the Social Security Administration in Washington about the possibility of a limited agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made on the study into the cost of fuel for retirement pensioners, announced by the Minister of Social Security in March; and whether he will publish the results.

A report on the inquiry undertaken by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power into the comparative costs of different methods of space heating for elderly people has recently been received and the report, together with the question of publishing the results, is now being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that chiropody is being practised by persons with as little training as a short-term postal course; and if he will seek powers to control this profession.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the former Minister of Health on 21st October, 1968, to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Harrow, West (Mr. John Page).—[Vol. 770, c. 212.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will amend his circular to local authorities which proposes that parental permission should be required before family planning advice is made available to an unmarried daughter, in order to make it consistent with the Family Planning Act, 1967, which lays down that such advice should be available to any person.

The hon. Member appears to be under some misapprehension. I am not aware of any inconsistency between the terms of the Act and the advice given to local authorities on this point in the circular he mentions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women are attending Family Planning Association Clinics; and how many are attending local authority clinics.

I understand that in 1967 in Great Britain 454,356 women were attending Family Planning Association Clinics, many of which were providing a service as agents for local health authorities. Similar statistics are not centrally available for local authorities' own clinics.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, at how many hospitals epidural analgesia is available in childbirth to those mothers asking for it.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds are closed through lack of staff; and in how many cases staff vacancies have not been filled in hospitals in recent months owing to lack of money to pay the salaries.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will undertake a review of the country's psychiatric services in the light of the recommendations of the Seebohm Committee.

I shall be considering this along with other recommendations of the Committee in the light of the comments now being received from the bodies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review, as a matter of urgency, the organisation of social work in hospitals in the light of the proposals of the Seebohm Committee for a unified local authority social service department.

This will be considered in the context of our consideration of the Seebohm Report and the Green Paper on the administrative structure of the medical and related services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what steps he intends to take to help the Whipps Cross Hospital, Waltham Forest, to retain its special oxygen bed.

I have written to the hon. Member about this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the proposed hospital development in Chelsea.

Plans for the development in Chelsea of a group of six postgraduate hospitals and their associated University Institutes are being reconsidered in the light of the Report of the Royal Commission on Medical Education, which made proposals which are incompatible with such a grouping. The Commission did, however, regard closer association between the Brompton Hospital and the National Heart Hospital as a desirable development, and planning for the joint development of the two hospitals and their associated University Institutes has commenced with a view to a start on the first phase of building in 1973–74.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when reconstruction of the Macclesfield Hospital is expected to start; and what is likely to be the completion date.

The Hospital Building Programme (Cmnd. 3000), shows phases of the new hospital at Macclesfield in the higher class of priorities following the period up to 1969–70. There has been no change. Under present proposals construction time is likely to be 2–3 years for the first phase and 3–4 years for the second.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he continues to defer the rebuilding of Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, which is due to have started; when building will now commence; and what money he plans to spend on existing hospitals in the county in the meanwhile.

This hospital has been largely rebuilt internally, as well as extended, in the past six years. As regards the timing of the proposed new district general hospital for Dorchester I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question on 30th April, 1968 which still represents the position.—[Vol. 763, c. 992.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that there are adequate facilities for in-patient treatment for drug addicts, particularly in the county of Surrey; and if he will make a statement.

I have no evidence of an unmet demand for in-patient accommodation in Surrey or elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to improve the facilities at present available for the treatment of drug addiction.

I am not aware of inadequacy in the treatment facilities either for out-patients or in-patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy relating to consultations between regional hospital boards and local authorities about the closures of departments in hospitals which will affect the local authority concerned.

I encourage Hospital Boards to consult on any important matter which affects the health services provided by local authorities or general practitioners. The closure of individual departments of hospitals will usually be a matter for such consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the local authorities concerned have been adequately consulted about the proposal to transfer certain facilities from Nuneaton hospitals to the Coventry Hospital, Walsgrave; and if he will make a statement.

The extent of consultation with local authorities is a matter for Hospital Boards to decide in the light of their local knoweldge of the effect their proposals are likely to have on the services provided by the authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has received from the regional hospital board about proposals for the possible future transfer of other facilities from Nuneaton hospitals to the new Coventry Hospital at Walsgrave.

I understand that the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board have approved the transfer of ear, nose and throat and ophthalmic in-patient services from Nuneaton to Coventry. The Board are not considering other transfers from Nuneaton.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what proposals the Regional Hospital Board have for the modernisation and improvement of the operating theatres at Nuneaton hospitals.

The provision of new twin operating theatres at the George Eliot Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what is the population of the catchment area served by Nuneaton hospitals.

About 122,000 for acute services and 177,000 for maternity, including populations outside the Birmingham region of some 13,000 and 68,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what estimate he has made of the population area to be served by Nuneaton hospitals in the years 1970, 1975, and 1980.

Using figures supplied by the Registrar General, the Regional Board have estimated the populations of the areas which they at present expect these hospitals to service (including some areas outside the Birmingham Region):

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue advice to hospitals on whether to purchase a slot machine for the collection of prescription charges at a cost of £210, to hire one at a charge of £20 per annum upwards, or to employ additional staff.

This has been done. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the advice issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many maternity beds are available per thousand of population in England and Wales, respectively.

At 31st December, 1967, the figures were:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what future proposals the Regional Hospital Board have for the training of nurses at the Coventry Hospital, Walsgrave.

A school of nursing to cater for about 400 student and pupil nurses serving Coventry hospitals will open in new buildings at Walsgrave in the spring of 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what future proposals the Regional Hospital Board have for the establishment of a medical school at the Coventry Hospital, Walsgrave.

This is not in the first place a matter for the Board. The recommendations of the Royal Commission on Medical Education about new medical schools are at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the weekly cost of maintaining an in-patient in the Manor Hospital, Nuneaton.

£47s 3s. 0d. during the year ended 31st March, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the weekly cost of maintaining an in-patient in the Coventry Hospital, Walsgrave.

£61 13s. 2d. in the year ended 31st March, 1968. The maternity unit is the only part of this hospital yet open.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he has had with the regional hospital board about the future development of the Manor Hospital, Nuneaton.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what discussions were undertaken by the Newcastle Hospital Board with the National Association for the Welfare of Children, with the Hartlepool Borough Council, or any other body, before a decision was made to discontinue treatment of in-patients in ear, nose and throat cases, at St. Hilda's Hospital, Hartlepool;

No such decision has yet been taken by the Regional Hospital Board. If it is, interested local bodies will be consulted before it is put into effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children received treatment in the Ear, Nose and Throat Unit. St. Hilda's Hospital, Hartlepool, during the last year; how many received treatment at Middlesbrough; and what staff is available at Middlesbrough to provide the treatment.

Figures are not available precisely in the form requested. 269 in-patients, mostly children, were treated by the removal of tonsils and adenoids during the period 1st January, 1968 to 30th September, 1968 at St. Hilda's Hospital, Hartlepool, and 1,494 during the same period at the North Riding Infirmary, Middlesbrough. The medical staff available at the latter hospital comprises three consultants, two registrars, two senior house officers and two general practitioner clinical assistants, some of whom provide sessions at the former.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many inpatients are receiving treatment at the Ear, Nose and Throat Unit at St. Hilda's Hospital, Hartlepool; how many of these are below the age of 10 years; and what are the figures for 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967.

On 20th November, 22 of whom 13 were under the age of 10. The information is not available for earlier years, but the number of in-patients, mostly children, who were treated by the removal of tonsils and adenoids were 550 700, 715 and 493 in the years 1964 to 1967 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what area is served by the Ear, Nose and Throat Unit of St. Hilda's Hospital, Hartlepool; what is the number of in-patients being treated from within the county borough boun- dary of Hartlepool; how many from outside the boundary; and what staff is employed to provide the treatment.

Hartlepool County Borough and part of Easington and Stockton Rural Districts. On 20th November 16 in-patients were being treated from within the County Borough and six from outside. The medical staff comprises one consultant, one registrar, one senior house officer and one general practitioner clinical assistant, all providing varying numbers of sessions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to make hospital beds available for the termination of pregnancies in areas where gynaecologists are consistently declining to operate the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967.

It is for the Regional Hospital Boards in consultation with the gynaecologists concerned to take what action they consider necessary to ensure that a service is provided to meet all reasonable requirements for treatment under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to order supplies of mobile intensive care units for cardiac sufferers for British hospitals.

Not at present.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the fact that the proposed withdrawal by the Thames Valley bus company of service 22 will leave areas in the Eton and Slough and surrounding constituencies without any form of public transport, if he will have discussions with the local authority to find ways of establishing a grant-aided service.

I understand from the South Eastern Area Traffic Commissioners that the operators have no present intention of withdrawing this service.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to amend existing legislation to provide that when bus fares increased 30 days notice of application should be given by the Traffic Commissioner to all local authorities.

Under the existing regulations, Traffic Commissioners have full discretion to give more than the fourteen days statutory minimum period of notice for the hearing of fares applications. I am informed that in practice local authorities now normally receive four weeks notice or more of applications. I see no present need for amending the regulations.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will publish the structural plan for the Channel Tunnel.

The British and French Governments and railway administrations are studying what might be the optimum dimensions of the tunnel and other structural aspects. But decisions would be taken by new Anglo-French bodies specifically concerned with operating the tunnel and arranging for its construction.

asked the Minister of Transport how many paid appointments are within his official patronage; what are the maximum and minimum salaries; and how the figures compare with those of 1958.

On the assumption that my hon. Friend refers to the number of salaried statutory appointments which I am, or the Minister of Transport in 1958 was, entitled to make, the figures are 58 in 1958 and 126 today.The normal minimum annual salary, that was paid to part-time members of nationalised boards, was £1,000 in 1958 and is the same today. The maximum salaries are in most cases determined by me, with the approval of the Civil Service Department, in accordance with the relevant statutes, and published annually in the White Paper listing members of Public Boards. The salaries of members of the Port of London Authority, however, are determined by the Authority.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the cost of the recent traffic census carried out in the Home Counties.

No large-scale census has been recently carried out by this Department involving the Home Counties. However an origin and destination survey, with which the Ministry was associated, was carried out this summer of the existing traffic situation in the Dover area. The results of this survey will assist in the design of the highway requirements for the Channel Tunnel. The cost of the survey is £10,800.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now announce the names and salaries of the chairman and members of the National Bus Company.

I have now appointed the chairman and live members of the National Bus Company.The chairman, who will serve on a part-time basis, is Mr. A. N. Todd.The five members are: —

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what is his estimate of the comparative costs of installing crash barriers on motorways before and after the motorways have been opened to traffic;(2) what assessment has been made of the economic losses resulting from the interference with traffic whilst crash barriers are being installed on the central reservations of motorways; and whether he will arrange for crash barriers to be provided on new motorways before they are opened.

It would generally be cheaper to install crash barriers beforehand, but costs vary greatly with each motorway. It would not be an effective use of road safety funds to install crash barriers on all new motorways. Where a crash barrier becomes necessary on an existing motorway, the investment appraisal would allow for the cost of delay to traffic during construction.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he had received from British Railways with regard to the new freightliner depot at Avonmouth.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to British Railways to prevent the granting of special facilities, cheap fares and special trains to football supporters and to ensure that spectators travelling to or from football matches by train are adequately supervised.

No. This is a matter of management for the Railways Board.

asked the Minister of Transport what have been the major changes since the publication in March 1967 of the British Railways Network for development showing the Newport to Hereford and Gloucester line as scheduled for development, which have led to his refusal of grant aid for local services between these points.

None. The long-distance services over these lines are continuing. Publication of the Railway Network Map did not preclude the need to review from time to time the type and level of services on the lines shown in the map and the possible closure of individual stations; this was made clear in the Foreword.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now announce his decision regarding the future of the Whitland-Pembroke Dock line.

As the hon. Member has already been told, my right hon. Friend has deferred a decision on this closure proposal until he has examined the case for grant under Section 39 of the Transport Act 1968. He has not yet completed this examination. If he is unable to reach a decision on the proposal before the end of the year, the service will be given a transitional grant under the provisions of Section 39(4) of the Act.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, how many qualified structural and civil engineers are employed by his Department.

481 on 1st November, 1968.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, what has been the total expenditure of all kinds on the Palace of Westminster in each of the past five years; and how this is divided between repairs to the structure, improvements, and total running costs, including depreciation.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works on what new work at defence establishments in Northern Ireland his Department has been engaged since January, 1967 and since January, 1968.

On 1st January, 1967 major new works to a total value of £1·8 million were in progress at defence establishments in Northern Ireland. By 1st January, 1968 additional works totalling £1 million had started and further projects worth £800,000 have started since then. The projects include barrack redevelopments for the Army, technical works at R.A.F. stations, and married quarters.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many successful prosecutions of United Kingdom residents for speculating in foreign currencies there have been in each of the past 10 years; and what was the value of currency concerned in these prosecutions in each of these years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many succcessful prosecutions for currency speculation by United Kingdom citizens or institutions authorised to operate in foreign exchange markets took place during the last four years.

I regret this information is not readily available and to obtain it would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to re-introduce the tobacco token scheme or some alternative scheme to safeguard old-age pensioners from having to meet the increased tax on tobacco.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost in a full year to agriculture and to industry in Scotland of the recent increase in duty on petrol and auto-diesel.

Detailed statistics for calculation are not available but it is estimated that the additional costs to agriculture and to industry and commerce in Scotland in a full year are about £1¼ million and £4 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was withdrawn from National Savings and the Post Office Savings Bank on Saturday 23rd November; and how this compares with the previous four Saturdays.

These figures could not be produced without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the latest official financial forecasts for expenditure on the gross domestic product, personal incomes and savings, and the balance of payments.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state his estimate of the outturn of public expenditure in 1968–69 on a basis consistent with the White Paper, Public Expenditure in 1968–69 and 1969–70, Command Paper No. 3515.

The target of public expenditure for 1968–69 laid down in Cmnd. 3515 and revalued at 1968 Survey prices is £15,746 million. This includes the £31 million cost of the 1968 Farm Price Review, as published in the 196869 Financial Statement (House of Commons paper 151 of 19th March, 1968, Table 5). With one-third of the financial year still to go, it is clearly impossible to be completely sure of the outturn. My latest assessment of public expenditure in 1968–69 is £15,718 million at 1968 Survey prices; that is, almost exactly in line with Cmnd. 3515.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that those on small and limited incomes such as old-age pensioners and recipients of welfare benefits do not contribute to inflationary demand by unnecessary expenditure; and whether he will take steps to exempt, or partially exempt, such people from the effects of the recently announced financial measures which would otherwise fall on them.

What my hon. Friend proposes is impracticable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to withdraw the halfcrown in anticipation of its demonetisation on 1st January, 1970.

No halfcrowns will be struck after the end of this year and those already in circulation will be progressively withdrawn throughout 1969. I shall shortly advise Her Majesty The Queen to issue a Royal Proclamation under Section 11 of the Coinage Act 1870 to deprive halfcrowns of their status as current coin and legal tender with effect from 1st January, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Regular and Volunteer reserves have accepted Special Army Volunteer Reserve liability during each month since April 1967; how many have renounced Special Army Volunteer Reserve liability; how many with Special Army Volunteer Reserve liability have resigned from the Volunteers; and how far the total at the last available date fell short of the establishment or target figure for Special Army Volunteer Reserve, showing each category of Reserve separately.

The answer to the first two parts of the Question is as follows: —

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve I have not accepted Special Army Volunteer Reserve liability; how many members are trained and available to give logistic support to a United Nations force; how far this falls short of the target; and if he will make a statement.

The answer to the first part of the Question is 409; to the second part 639; to the third part 1,024; as regards the last part, I would refer the hon. and gallant gentleman to my statement of 28th November.—[Vol. 774, c. 739–48.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the estimated foreign exchange defence expenditure in the Middle East for the financial year 1969–70, compared with the £16 million given in Annex H of the Defence White Paper for the current year.

I expect the figure to be available for publication in next year's Statement on the Defence Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the estimated foreign exchange defence expenditure in the Far East for the financial year 1969–70, compared with the £79 million given in Annex H of this year's Defence White Paper.

I expect the figure to be available for publication in next year's Statement on the Defence Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the estimated annual cost, at current prices, of maintaining the composite force in the Singapore-Malaysia theatre now planned to be there on 1st April, 1971.

Present plans provide for a continuing run down in forces in Singapore and Malaysia together with associated reductions in operational support outside the theatre and in logistic and administrative backing in this country. It would not be practicable merely to suspend the rundown at a specific point in time without completely recasting plans for the defence forces as a whole and it would therefore be quite misleading to make a cost assessment on the arbitrary and unreal basis requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, when deciding on the future of the territorial, auxiliary and volunteer units in Northamptonshire, he will take into account not only the recruiting record of the county but also the planned expansion of Northamptonshire towns such as Corby.

Recruiting potential is the major factor in determining the location of TAVR units and is being assessed not only in the light of past recruitment but also of foreseeable population changes.