asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated annual cost in recent years to the National Health Service of unpaid bills not met by private patients and others allowed to run private hospital accounts; what steps he is taking to reduce these costs; and if he will make a statement.

Records of small bills which remain unpaid are not kept centrally. Those over £100 amounted in England to between £6,000 and £7,000 in each of the last three financial years. I have no reason to think that hospital authorities do not make every effort to recover the charges due.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish the report of the doctors and gynaecologists which he is having made into the working of the Abortion Act.

This study was sponsored by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and publication is a matter for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether in view of the fact that deferred retirement pensioners who finally retired at 70 years of age before the arrangements of 30th October 1967 will be 12s. a week worse off by 1972 than identically situated pensioners who retired with the advantage of these arrangements, he will increase the increments payable to those in the former category to achieve parity.

Additions for deferred retirement provide some return for the amount of pension forgone and contributions paid during the period of deferment and these amounts can differ as benefit and contribution rates change. It follows that there is no justification for caculat- ing additions earned at materially different times on a common basis. But under the new scheme we are proposing to increase the value of any additions in payment in the regular biennial upratings of pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will call a round table conference of relevant voluntary and official organisations to discuss the problems of child poverty and extension of family services in social work.

My right hon. Friend does not think a round table conference is what we need at this stage. As regards the consideration of the financial problems, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton). As to family services, their promotion and development is the main concern of the Local Authority Social Services Bill now before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of general practice health centers in England and Wales in each of the past seven years; and whether he will make a statement.

In 1963 there were 23 health centres. On 31st March, 1970, there were 155. 180 further health centres are being built or have been approved. I will circulate full details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has referred to the General Medical Council the cases of the 12 National Health Service doctors suspected of over-prescribing drugs.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the remarks of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on Second Reading of the Misuse of Drugs Bill. My right hon. Friend made it clear that he was speaking of over-prescribing that could be dealt with more effectively after the enactment of the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the amount of money spent on providing kidney machines within the hospital service in England and Wales.

£1·7 million excluding accommodation and running costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that people are not waiting an unreason able period for dental treatment; and how many unfilled vacancies for dentists are known to him.

I have no reason to believe that there is any general difficulty about getting dental treatment within a reasonable time. There is no establishment for dentists which would enable vacancies to be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many mentally subnormal people are now receiving residential care in local authority homes and hostels.

The most recent figures available show that at 31st December, 1968, there were 3,492 mentally handicapped persons in England and Wales receiving residential care in local authority homes and hostels.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to ensure that pocket money permissible to patients in hospitals is arranged in mental hospitals so as to ensure that mentally sick patients are as effectively treated in this respect as patients in general hospitals.

The solution of the problem which the hon. Lady has in mind presents difficulties. I am confident, however, that they will shortly be overcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the number of detainees under Section 29 of the Mental Health Act 1959, in 1968 and 1969, respectively; and in how many cases were hospital orders made.

15,011 patients were admitted under Section 29 in England in 1968, and 14,705 in 1969. Of these, 6,541 in 1968 and 6,290 in 1969 subsequently stayed in hospital not subject to detention; 8,216 in 1968 and 8,157 in 1969 were detained for further observation under Section 25; 118 in 1968 and 129 in 1969 were admitted for treatment under Section 26 immediately following their detention under Section 29. Information is not available about the number detained under Section 26 after a period of observation under Section 25. The 1969 figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what regulation and in what form a patient detained under Section 29 of the Mental Health Act 1959 and his next-of-kin are informed in cases where no hospital order is made.

There is no such regulation or prescribed form.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to bring up to date the food hygiene regulations to meet present-day requirements.

Revised Food Hygiene (General) Regulations have been drafted and submitted to the Food Hygiene Advisory Council. We hope to make the regulations next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a general review of the Food and Drugs Acts with a view to introducing legislation to enable those employed in the handling of food to receive protective clothing as a condition of employment in the interests of food hygiene.

We have no proposals for early general revision of the Act, the operation of which is kept under constant review, but we are at present giving special consideration to the question of protective clothing in the light of the representations made by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were waiting for vacant beds to receive gynaecological treatment in Weston-super-Mare on 1st April or other convenient date in each of the last 10 years.

The waiting list for admission of gynaecology patients on 31st December was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners were in receipt of supplementary benefits in Bristol; what percentage of the whole this figure represented; and what were the like figures in the Bristol, North-West constituency.

In February 1970 about 21,000 retirement pensioners—excluding the wives of male recipients—were receiving a supplementary pension from the five local offices in Bristol which however cover some areas outside Bristol. Three of these local offices deal with such claimants in the Bristol, North-West constituency, and it is estimated that there are about 7,000 of them in that con- stituency. National insurance pension records are centralised, and, therefore, the number of pensioners by area is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many fines imposed by courts in Scotland were paid by the National Assistance Board or the Supplementary Benefits Commission on behalf of claimants in Scotland; and what was the total amount of such payments in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date.

None. It has always been the policy of both the former National Assistance Board and the Supplementary Benefits Commission not to pay fines imposed by the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the results of the Whitley Council negotiations on improved salary scales and other matters for physiotherapists and other professions supplementary to medicine; and what progress on lead payments has been made in psychiatric and geriatric hospitals.

On 15th April the Whitley Council agreed substantial salary increases. The agreement runs for one year from 1st April this year, and during this time discussions will be held on the grading structure of the professions. The new agreement does not introduce psychiatric or geriatric leads.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money will be spent by his Department in 1970 on research into the drug problem.

Expenditure committed by my Department to research in drug addiction in the current year is £30,000. Other proposals are currently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will not seek powers to appoint a Hospital Commissioner to investigate complaints from patients.

I do not think it would be right to anticipate the outcome of the consultations which are now taking place with professional and other interested bodies on our proposals for a health commissioner in the Green Paper on the future structure of the health services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take on the representations made to him by hospital doctors, for direct negotiation with bodies responsible for pay and conditions of service, improved conditions of service, payment comparable to that in other professions, a reformed career structure, freely available postgraduate training, and improved conditions of work in regional hospitals.

I am not sure what representations my hon. Friend has in mind. The professions have access to the independent Review Body on levels of pay, and the other matters are frequently discussed with the Department.

asked die Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take action to exempt from prescription charges all children undergoing full-time education at school or college.

No. Any who would suffer hardship and are 16 or over can apply for exemption. Those aged 15 are dependants, and any claim for them should be made by the head of the family. Where complete exemption cannot be claimed the prepayment certificate is available for those who need frequent prescriptions, at an average cost of less than Is. 3d. a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of any changes which would affect the National Health Service on Great Britain entering the Common Market; and what is his estimate of the effect upon the standards of medical service to the patient in United Kingdom hospitals, and in their own homes, and of the effect on the level of the National Health Service contributions.

The only direct effect that can be foreseen is the extension to this country of the proposed provision that members of the healing professions should have greater freedom to practise in any part of the Community area. I see no reason why National Health Service standards or contributions should be affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what diseases other than tuberculosis were detected by the Mass X-ray Service in 1967; and what were the total numbers of each of these diseases detected over this period.

Following are the figures: —

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assistance is provided by his Department to families where a parent dies suddenly or is seriously injured as a result of a road or other accident; whether he will take steps to issue, in consultation with other Departments, a short explanatory booklet on the national and local government help available and hints on how to cope with such a situation; and if he will make a statement.

The health and welfare services will normally help a family who are in touch with them to get help from appropriate services, including social security. Standard death certificates contain information which directs the next-of-kin to the Department's social security offices. The importance of paying supplementary benefits and national insurance promptly is impressed upon officials. Since the local services vary from place to place, a booklet on the benefits and services available in an area and how to claim them is best produced locally. Some areas already have such booklets, and the material which we have provided for them about national benefits and services is available to any other authority wishing to produce similar booklets.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ensure that the drafting of the White Paper on the future structure of the National Health Service will not take place until after the end of May, or request those responding to his invitation to send him their views before that date so that their submissions may be taken into account.

In the Green Paper, I asked all wishing to comment on its proposals to send me their views not later than the end of May. Those views will certainly be taken into account when the time comes for drafting a White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what representations he has received, and from what bodies, concerning the loss of social security benefits suffered by members of local authorities.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the possible effect on some national insurance benefits if earnings have been reduced as a consequence of service as a local councillor. Since the introduction of earnings-related short-term benefits in 1966 representations have been received about this from the Urban District Councils Association, the County Councils Association Labour Group, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, the Transport and General Workers Union, the Composite Section (Building Trade), the Welsh Council of Labour, the East Fife Constituency Labour Party, the Don- caster Trades Council and a small number of individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has given further consideration to the loss of social security benefits suffered by members of local authorities; what action he now proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.

Graduated contributions and the earnings-related benefits which accrue from them are payable by reference to the actual earnings, and, while sympathy is felt for local councillors and others whose earnings are interrupted for any reason, it would not be practicable to calculate and take into account " notional " earnings for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in respect of those persons who serve as members of local authorities, he will list the social benefits to which they are otherwise entitled but which are adversely affected as a result of social service.

The earnings-related supplement to flat-rate unemployment and sickness benefit, the widows supplementary allowance and the graduated addition to retirement pension may be payable at a lower rate if earnings, and, therefore, graduated contributions, are reduced for any reason, including service as a member of a local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will take steps to establish a standing committee to advise him on the hazards to health of smoking tobacco, tobacco substitutes and any mixture of tobacco and tobacco substitutes;(2) if he will consult with the tobacco companies and chemical companies at present engaged in producing a tobacco substitute which does not lead to cancer of the lungs in order to arrange for comprehensive clinical testing;(3) what arrangements he has made to assess the consequences to health of smoking cigarettes containing tobacco substitutes other than those used in herbal cigarettes.

The hazards of tobacco smoking are already well known. As regards tobacco substitutes, the Medical Research Council is at my request calling a meeting of independent experts to evaluate the tests used and the evidence supplied by the manufacturers of the new smoking materials. I shall consider what further action is desirable when I have received their report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the provision of medical and pharmaceutical facilities in the Listerhills area of Bradford; and if he will make a statement.

I understand the area is being redeveloped. The movement away of some of the population has in turn caused practitioners to go elsewhere. Patients remaining in the area have been accepted on the lists of nearby doctors, and the Bradford Executive Council will help anyone who has difficulty in getting accepted. The nearest pharmacy is about half a mile from the centre of the area and there are several pharmacies in the centre of the city about a mile away. Neither my right hon. Friend nor the Executive Council has power to direct practitioners where they should practise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what special brassieres are available to women under National Health Service treatment following mastectomy; if they are supplied to all parts of the country; who decides if the superior foam-filled brassiere should be provided; and whether psychological factors are taken into account as well as medical considerations.

The prescription of a prosthesis following mastectomy is a matter of clinical judgment for the consultant concerned, who may choose from a range of artificial breasts made from moulded sponge rubber, kapok, plastic granules, viscose fluid, sponge rubber combined with plastic granules, and inflatable rubber.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what numbers and types of special brassieres were provided by the National Health Service to women after mastectomy in 1969; what was the individual cost of these brassieres; if he has received complaints about the seed-bag type filler which is generally supplied in certain parts of the country; and whether he proposes to make the foam-filled brassiere more generally available.

In 1969 approximately 44,000 breast prostheses were supplied under the National Health Service, of which about 30 per cent, were of moulded sponge rubber and a similar proportion of viscose fluid: some 25 per cent, were of plastic granules and a little over 10 per cent, of kapok. It is not the practice to reveal contract prices. All these types are generally available. Bird seed filling has not been used for 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of workers involved in stoppages due to industrial disputes claimed supplementary benefits for the years 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969, respectively; and what were the respective costs of these claims.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was paid during 1969 in social security benefits to employees on unofficial strike.

In 1969 supplementary benefit payments of £747,141 were made during the course of trade disputes to the dependants of men disqualified for receiving benefit on account of the dispute. Figures distinguishing between official and unofficial disputes are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT, setting out the grants payable over the period 1959 to 1969 to enable disabled drivers to convert conventional vehicles for operation by hand control.

The grants for conversion of cars to hand control, which are offered as an alternative to disabled people who are eligible for a three-wheeler, changed once during 1959–69: from £70 to £90 in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current infant mortality rate for Gateshead; how this compares with the rate during the past 10 years with towns of a similar size and population; and what was the national average at the most recent date.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will discuss with the life insurance companies the question of lower premiums being charged to non-smokers, with a view to legislation.

Since smoking increases the likelihood of death at all ages I will certainly take up my hon. Friend's suggestion of discussions with life insurance companies, but I doubt if this would be a suitable subject for legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the waiting list for Bideford hospital has risen from 51 to 235 in one year; and if he will make a statement.

The waiting list at Bideford Hospital increased by 51, not from 51, to 235.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to reduce the dental charge to patients for routine dental maintenance.

This would involve difficulties of definition, and I am not convinced that it would necessarily be in the best interests of dental health. Where a course of dental treatment involves only a small amount of simple treatment, patients already pay less than the statutory maximum charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are on the out-patient waiting list for ear, nose and throat at Stratton Hospital; and when he expects the post of clinical assistant to the ear, nose and throat consultant to be filled.

59 persons are on the out-patient waiting list. I understand that the consultant has been ill for some months but that he has now recovered. As regards the clinical assistant post, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he has sent to the recent representations to him to postpone the operation of the pensions and contributions provisions of the National Superannuation Bill made by the National Chamber of Trade.

My right hon. Friend has not received any such representation from this organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been done by the Usk River Authority, following his approval of the proposed survey in the Senni Valley, Breconshire, for the purposes of constructing a reservoir.

I am not responsible for the day-to-day activities of River Authorities. I understand that since the Usk River Authority anticipated that entry onto the site would be refused by the occupiers, it applied to a magistrate in November, 1969, and again in February, 1970, for a warrant under Section 111 of the Water Resources Act to enter on the land. The magistrate adjourned the application on both occasions. The authority failed to obtain an order by the High Court compelling the magistrate to hear and determine its application, but I understand that the authority will be appearing before the magistrate again on 15th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales upon what date he proposes to hold his inquiry into the proposed increases in harbour dues at Tenby.

I cannot give a firm date because under the Harbours Act, 1964, 42 days are allowed for representations to be made about the objection lodged by the Tenby Harbour Users Association and what thereafter would be reasonable notice of the inquiry will depend in part on whether any such representations are received.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the reasons for the delay in repairing the bridge crossing the A40 road at Wolfscastle, Pembrokeshire; and what has been the total cost so far to public funds of the delay and his estimate of the eventual cost before work commences.

The condition of this bridge was found in 1969 to have deteriorated. Extensive design work is involved in planning a new bridge and I do not accept that there has been delay. I hope that construction work will start in the late summer. The cost of the present single lane system on the old bridge has been about £2,000, and might eventually be about £2,750.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will seek to obtain from local authorities in Wales information concerning tree preservation orders, including such details as the number or acreage of trees involved in each order, the geographical location and the amount of compensation paid; and if he will publish the results each year as a Command Paper.

I am considering ways in which I can obtain information about the numbers of effective tree preservation orders and the amount of compensation paid as a result of refusals of consent to fell or lop trees or of grants of consent subject to conditions. I will publish the information in the Wales Reports. I do not consider that the collection of more detailed information is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, upon local government reorganisation in Monmouthshire, he will transfer the assets of the Cwmbran Development Corporation to the strengthened unitary authority.

I have no authority under the New Towns Act, 1965, to transfer the assets of development corporations to local authorities. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government hopes to make a statement in the summer and I cannot anticipate this.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimates he has made of the total cost of the Llysyfan reservoir and the Milford Haven Bridge; and how far the combined costs of these two projects compare with the estimated cost of the original Milford Haven Tidal Barrage in 1959.

It is estimated that the cost of the Milford Haven Bridge will be approximately £3 million and the Pembrokeshire Water Board's latest estimate of the cost of the Llysyfan Reservoir and the ancillary works is £4·5 million. The tidal barrage proposed in the 1959 Bill was estimated to cost £3 million at that time.

asked the Minister of Technology what study his Department is making into the possible implications for the United Kingdom of the measures proposed by the European Economic Community Commission in its memorandum on industrial policy of March, 1970, details of which are in his

The information available is as follows:possession, for improved business management in the European Economic Community and the creation of a European management and training foundation.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Chataway) on 4th May.—[Vol. 801, c. 27.]

asked the Minister of Technology what study his Department is making into the possible implications for the United Kingdom of the measures proposed by the European Economic Community Commission in its memorandum on its industrial policy of March, 1970, details of which are in his possession, regarding free access to public contracts in the European Economic Community.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Chataway) on 4th May.—[Vol. 801, c. 27.]

asked the Minister of Technology what representations he has received from the North-East Divisional Council of the National Study for Clean Air about smokeless fuel supplies in the North-East; and what replies he has sent.

The Teesside Clean Air Committee has been in touch with the Department about the closure of gas works. I shall send my hon. Friend a copy of the reply.

asked the Minister of Technology what proportional increase in industrial costs there has been since November, 1967; and what estimate he has formed of the increase in the coming six months.

Statistics of total industrial costs are not available. The only inputs for which statistics of cost are available per labour and basic materials and fuel. Estimates of labour cost per unit of output are made on an annual basis and are not yet available for 1969. The wholesale prices of basic materials and fuel used in manufacturing industry rose by 13 per cent, between November, 1967 and March, 1970. It is not customary to publish forecasts of costs and price movements.

asked the Minister of Technology what was the total value of contracts placed in Northern Ireland by his Department in each of the last 10 years; and what was the figure expressed as a percentage of the total United Kingdom figure.

The average total value of contracts over the last 10 years has been £6 million, 1·3 per cent, of the total United Kingdom figure. I am circulating a breakdown in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Following is the information.The figures related to net values are:

asked the Minister of Technology what is the total amount of factory space occupied by industrialists from the United States of America in Scotland and Lanarkshire, respectively; what amount is rented by the Industrial Estates Corporation; what efforts are being made to persuade the United States interests to purchase these factories; and what results have been achieved.

The answer to the first part of the Question is not readily available. Of Ministry of Technology factory space provided under the Local Employment Acts and administered by the Scottish Industrial Estates Corporation, about 6·4 million square feet in Scotland are rented by American interests, and of this area 2·6 million square feet are in Lanarkshire. In addition, 2·8 million square feet have been sold in Scotland to American interests, and of this 0·4 million square feet are in Lanarkshire. We continue to draw the attention of industrialists to the advantages of their owning factories where all conditions are suitable.

asked the Minister of Technology how many industrial development certificates have been granted for firms wishing to move from the West Midlands conurbation during the last convenient period of six months, to Telford and to Daventry, respectively; and how many applications are pending for these two places and for other overspill towns in the area, respectively.

During the six months from 1st October, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, the number of industrial development certificates approved for firms wishing to move from the West Midlands conurbation to Telford and Daventry were two and nil respectively. As regards the last part of the Question, figures of applications pending are not collected.

asked the Minister of Technology how many industrial development certificates he has issued in the borough of Bedford during the past 12 months; and how many square feet this represented.

From 1st April, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, 10 industrial development certificates for 207,000 square feet were issued in the Bedford Employment Exchange area.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that new passports being issued to citizens still necessitate the holder declaring the colour of his or her hair; and, in view of the undertaking previously given by him that this obligation would be removed, what steps are being taken in the matter.

The assurance given to the hon. Member has not been overlooked. The omission of colour of hair is one of a number of changes in a new United Kingdom passport about which we hope shortly to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he is making in his talks with the Argentine Government about the promotion of free communications with the Falkland Islands.

Since the reply given on 23rd February by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to a Question by the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison), exchanges have continued between representatives of my Department and the Argentine Government. The Falkland Islands Government have been kept fully informed throughout. It has been possible in these exchanges to identify some ways in which free communications and movement in both directions might be promoted, and both sides believe that these deserve detailed study. I expect the talks to proceed on a continuing basis. Meetings will be held from time to time with appropriate participation from the Falkland Islands.—[Vol. 796, c. 229.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in regard to infringements of parking regulations by members of the diplomatic corps.

The attention of Heads of Diplomatic Missions is drawn to fixed penalty notices incurred by members of their staffs every month. I am satisfied that the great majority of diplomats in this country behave responsibly in this respect and a number of Ambassadors ensure that all fines are paid by their staffs despite their diplomatic immunity, but I am informed that the Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps has recently raised the matter again with his colleagues.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the quantity of the Fact Sheet on the National Health Service and the 60-page booklet prepared by the Central Office of Information at present in stock at the British Information Service Office in New York.

The quantities of the fact sheet and pamphlet on the National Health Service held by the British Information Services New York on the 1st of May, 1970, were 183 copies and 6,000 copies respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he will not propose negotiations in London for the establishment by treaty of a Commonwealth European Market involving the countries of the Commonwealth, the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association; and whether he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government's policy is to seek full membership of the European Communities, a policy which has been fully debated in this House on numerous occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the amount of accommodation available for seriously maladjusted educationally sub-normal children.

Direct responsibility for providing suitable school places for handicapped children of all kinds lies with local education authorities. In approving projects for inclusion in special school building programmes the Department accords highest priorities to provision for educationally sub-normal and maladjusted pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many posts for youth and community workers are currently unfilled.

My right hon. Friend is in course of obtaining the figures. Information received so far shows that there are 77 vacancies in 72 out of 163 local education authorities. There should be about 200–210 newly-trained youth leaders available for employment at the end of the current academic year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the siting of polytechnics close to other institutions of higher education and on the developing of polytechnics wherever possible on a single site.

The polytechnics are being formed from existing further education colleges substantially engaged in full-time higher education and this governs their initial location. The desirability of siting polytechnics close to other institutions of higher education was hence not one of the factors taken into account in choosing the centres to be developed as polytechnics but it is part of the Government's policy that links should be established between the polytechnics and other institutions of higher education and in many cases polytechnics are being established in towns where such institutions already exist. I recognise the educational and social advantages of establishing a polytechnic on a single site but plans for the development of the polytechnics will need to be decided on an individual basis in the light of all local circumstances, particularly the need to make proper use of existing accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are at maintained boarding schools; how many of these are at the primary age, under 16 and over 16 years of age, respectively; and what is the cost per annum per child at each age group.

In January, 1969 there were 25,000 boarding pupils at maintained schools in England and Wales. 270 were at primary schools, 10,950 at secondary schools and 13,780 at special schools for handicapped pupils. No figures are available for the separate numbers of boarders under and over 16. My Department does not collect figures for the cost per pupil in maintained boarding schools. In their First Report, the Public Schools Commission recorded that in 1967 the average boarding cost per pupil was probably something over £210 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many physically disabled children from Swindon attended the National Children's Home, Harpenden, Valence School, Westerham, the Chailey Heritage Craft School, Lewes, and other residential schools for physically disabled children, respectively.

The numbers are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average annual cost per child of sending physically disabled children to residential schools; and what is the average annual cost per physically disabled child from Swindon.

The average fee for residence and tuition at non-maintained residential special schools for physically handicapped children is £905 per annum. The average fee paid for the five children from Swindon at non-maintained special schools is £890 per annum. At the hospital school in Chailey the local education authority pays for tuition only a fee of £330 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children of school age in Swindon are physically handicapped; and how many of these can be educated at ordinary schools.

Sixty-two children of school age in Swindon are known to the county authority as having some degree of physical handicap. Of these, 51 are attending ordinary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the numbers, grades and locations of industrial civil servants employed by his Department who are expected to become redundant in each of the next three years.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. The approximate number of industrial civil servants known to be affected by decisions already announced to close, amalgamate or relocate establishments in the three years ending on 31st March 1973 is as follows: 1970–71, 2,300; 1971–72, 800; and 1972–73, 1,400. The effect of other adjustments cannot yet be assessed.Not all the employees noted above will be discharged as redundant. Retirements and wastage without replacement, the retention of staff where a station is to be used for another defence purpose, and transfers to other government employment will assist in the run-down and lessen the impact on existing employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian employees of Royal Air Force maintenance units are registered as dilutees; how many of these have been doing skilled engineering work for 25 years or more; and what proposals he has for skilled status for these men.

522 civilian employees of Royal Air Force maintenance units are currently registered as dilutees under agreements made with the trade unions. Of these 187 have been engaged on skilled engineering work for the Royal Air Force for 25 years or more. The status of these employees is a matter for negotiation with the trade unions concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the percentage shortfall for each of the Armed Services against peacetime establishments for 1st April, 1969, and 1st April, 1970.

The percentage shortfall in requirement for trained male officers and other ranks for each of the three Services is:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships fly an ensign from the jackstaff.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships follow the general practice of vessels in the public service entitled to fly the Blue Ensign. They fly, at the jackstaff, a jack which, though the same design as the Ensign, is smaller in size and square in shape.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when tenders for swill from Aldershot Garrison messes were last invited; and when they are now due to be re-advertised.

Tenders were invited in January, 1969, and a contract was subsequently placed with the successful tenderer to cover a five-year term as from 1st January, 1970. Tenders will not be re-invited until shortly before the current contract expires at the end of 1974. Advertising, though not normal practice, was tried for an earlier contract and did not prove a success. We should, of course, be glad to take note of any firms expressing an interest in tendering in future.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for how long the Royal Ordnance Factory, Radway Green, has been manufacturing rifle ammunition to standards more rigid than to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation specification.

Since 1956 when the NATO specification was established.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have taken place with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about cross border traffic in cement from Northern Ireland; and whether he will make a statement.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why it was decided to include diamonds in the figures of merchandise trade after 1965; and why gold bullion, a comparable commodity, is not included.

The current treatment follows general international practice. Diamonds were excluded in the years 1949 to 1964 only because of difficulties of documentation. Trade in gold bullion, because of the importance of gold as a monetary asset, is of very different significance from that of trade in diamonds and other merchandise; for this reason it is shown in a separate table in the Overseas Trade Statistics.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will issue a directive to the British Overseas Airways Corporation to ground any aircraft containing fans made of experimental materials and to refit them with proven components.

No. I am advised by the Air Registration Board that their approval which is required for the installation of any engine on British Overseas Airways Corporation aircraft takes into account the materials used in fans. Any such material must have completed substantial ground running and have complied with all the relevant airworthiness requirements. In the case of hyfil carbon fibre blades over 17,000 hours of operation have been satisfactorily completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the British Overseas Airways Corporation Super VC10 aircraft which lost part of a starboard engine shortly after take-off from London Heathrow Airport on 27th November 1969 was fitted with hyfil-bladed jet fans for the purposes of testing their dependability.

I am advised that hyfil carbon fibre fan blades were not fitted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the VC10 aircraft which crashed in Nigeria on 20th November 1969 was fitted with hyfil-bladed fans provided for the purposes of testing their dependability.

I am advised that hyfil carbon fibre fan blades were not fitted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the returns collected from business and industry under the Statistics of Trade Act with numbers of respondents.

pursuant to her reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th April, 1970; Vol. 800, c. 187]gave the following information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute proceedings against Business Promotions

The company has been requested to file annual returns for 1968 and 1969. If the company continues in default, the institution of proceedings will be considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of gold bullion exported to the Trucial States in 1969.

£29,726,000. I should like to apologise for the omission of these States and of Bahrain from the reply to my hon. Friend on 13th April, 1970. The list relating to exports of gold bullion in 1969 should read:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the current stage of discussion on a new national airport within the Severnside area.

There are no current discussions on this subject. Whether there is a need in Severnside or elsewhere for a new national airport in the foreseeable future will fall to be considered when the site of the third London airport has been determined.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a definition order under the Trade Descriptions Act to limit the use of the

No. I think that the proper meaning of the term is already sufficiently clear.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will commission a study of the effects on health of road noise.

We are examing what further research is needed on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) how many road accidents were reported during the year 1969 on the A616 between the Hudders-field boundary at Honley, and Jackson Bridge; how many resulted in fatal injury; how many resulted in other injury; how many involved persons under 15 years of age; and what were the comparable figures for 1968;(2) how many road accidents were reported during the year 1969 on the A62 at Marsden, between its junction with Stanley Road and its junction with Stub-bin Road at Cellars Clough; how many proved fatal; how many resulted in other injury; how many involved persons under 15 years of age; and what were the comparable figures for 1968;(3) how many road accidents were reported during the year 1969 on the A62 between its junction with Sandbed Lane, Delph, and its junction with Thorpe Lane, Austerlands; how many resulted in fatal injury; how many resulted in other injury; how many involved persons under 15 years of age; and what were the comparable figures for 1968.

Information on injury accidents is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatal accidents there have been in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years involved collisions during the hours of darkness with vehicles parked without lights; and how many of these have occurred in fog.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he now proposes to take regarding compensation to householders at Camberley whose homes are made uninhabitable by the noise of night work on construction of the M3 motorway; and if he will make a statement.

Claims for compensation will be treated on their merits. Every effort will be made to keep disturbance to a minimum.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is now taking to help those pensioners who before the increase in the pension were drawing rate rebate allowances, but now are not eligible to do so.

As I informed the House in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshaws on 2nd February, my right hon. Friend proposes to lay before the House a draft Order to raise with effect from 1st October the income limits by reference to which entitlement to rate rebates is determined. Because these limits relate to income in an earlier period, the rebate period beginning on 1st October is the first in which rebates will be more than marginally affected by the increase in State pensions.—[Vol. 795, c. 52.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he is aware that empty tower blocks, awaiting strengthening work according to his regulations, are costing the Newham Council £2,400 per week in lost rents and rates; and, as these amounts will have to be passed on to the local ratepayers, whether he will agree to reimburse the council for these losses;(2) whether he is aware that strengthening work on six system-built blocks of fiats began in Newham last December and will not be completed until next year, and the loss in rents and rates is expected to be £180,000; and what action he proposes to take to reimburse the Newham Council and ratepayers for their loss of revenue.

Details of the scale and scope of the Government grant for appraising and strengthening high blocks of flats were given to local authorities in Circular 29/70. In general grant will be payable on actual losses of rental income from occupied blocks that have to be vacated, but not on estimated losses due to delay in the completion of blocks nor on losses of rates.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what amount was made available by building societies to house builders in the last period of 12 months for which figures are available.

£7·3 million was advanced in 1968 by Building Societies to speculative housebuilders and property developers on houses being built for sale. A much larger sum, the amount of which is not known, was advanced to prospective owner-occupiers of houses under construction, and used to finance the building operation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received from the Land Commission concerning the development of 250 acres of land connecting St. Albans and the village of Sandridge contrary to the green belt policy; and what reply he has sent.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will seek to obtain from local authorities annual information concerning tree preservation orders, including such details as the number or acreage of trees involved in each order, the geographical location, and the amount of compensation paid, so that a complete record may be presented to Parliament each year in the form of a Command Paper;(2) whether he will seek to obtain from local authorities as much detailed information as is possible concerning tree preservation orders made during the past five years; and if he will publish the results in a Command Paper.

The numbers of tree preservation orders made in England are published annually in the Department's Handbook of Statistics.I propose to obtain information about the operation of the compensation provisions and I shall consider how this should be made available. The work involved in collecting other detailed information about tree preservation orders would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has for ensuring that greater publicity is given to the opportunities for third parties affected to make known their objections to the planning authorities.

Steps have already been taken in the Town and Country Planning Act 1968 to ensure that where development proposals have to be advertised in the local Press, a notice must be displayed on or near the site. Such notices draw attention to the opportunity to make representations. I am about to consult local authority associations on the draft of a circular on publicity for planning applications.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many office development permits he has issued in the borough of Bedford during the past 12 months; and how many square feet this represented.