asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the provisions of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Economic Community which exist to safeguard from over-exploitation waters to which Community fishermen have access, and which will apply if Great Britain joins the Community.

Article 2 of the Structure Regulation allows each member State to maintain and add to its national conservation régime within its fishery limits, but only by measures which do not discriminate against other member States. Article 5 enables the Council of Ministers to supplement these national measures if required.The provisions which will apply if we join depend of course on the outcome of the entry negotiations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect entry into the Common Market will have on the position of producer marketing organisations in the United Kingdom.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement on this subject which my right hon. Friend made during the debate on the European Economic Community on 21st January.—[Vol. 809, c. 1323–4.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what way recent farm price increases in the European Economic Community will affect the prospects for British cereal producers if Great Britain joins the Community.

If they applied when we joined, the recently announced increases in the European Economic Community's cereals prices for the 1971–72 season, though small in relation to its existing price levels, would slightly increase the already higher returns United Kingdom cereals producers could expect within the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those items of the European Economic Community's fishing policy which Her Majesty's Government is prepared to accept if Great Britain enters the Community; those which Great Britain cannot accept; those which are subject to negotiation; and those upon which Great Britain has reserved her position.

No. My right hon. Friends and I are carefully studying the implications of every part of the common fisheries policy of the Community, and the reservation of our position on it in the entry negotiations means that we have not committed ourselves to acceptance of any of its provisions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the British fishing industry could expect to benefit from the proposals for market support included in the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Economic Community, if Great Britain joins the Community.

This will depend on the outcome of the entry negotiations but if the support arrangements were to prove successful in an enlarged Community in their aim of maintaining a more stable market there should be some advantage to our industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what figure the European Economic Community's budget for structural reform of agriculture has been set; and what prospect there is of its being increased in future.

The budget for the Guidance Section of the Community's Agricultural Fund is at present set at 285 million units of account per annum. Its future level will depend on decisions of the Council of Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the estimated effect on hill farmers who use grass for fodder, if the United Kingdom joins the European Economic Community, of the higher cost of livestock feedingstuffs in the Community.

How much the higher European Economic Community cereal prices will affect hill farmers' costs will depend on their success in making better use of their grazings. This is a matter to which the Hill Farming Research Organisation is paying particular attention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the British butter blending industry will be affected if Great Britain joins the European Economic Community; what changes would be required in the European Economic Community food regulations to enable this industry to operate in the Market; and if he will make a statement.

There is no regulation in the European Economic Community preventing the manufacture of blended butter. There is a draft proposal which would prevent the mixing of different makes of butter, but this is not in effect. The draft reflects the market circumstances of the present European Economic Community, where there is not a taste for blended butter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the workings of Articles 2 to 4 of R.2124/70 of the European Economic Community fishing policy at fishing ports within the European Economic Community; what is likely to be the effects in British fishing ports; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied that Regulation R.17/64, Article 18 of the European Economic Community will be of benefit to the British fishing industry should Great Britain join the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he is satisfied that Regulation R2455/70 of the European Economic Community fisheries policy is workable in United Kingdom circumstances and to the benefit of the British fishing industry and the consumer, should the United Kingdom join the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement;(4) if he will make a statement on the estimated benefits which will accrue to the British fishing industry, should Great Britain join the European Economic Community, of Regulation R.110/71 of the European Economic Community fisheries policy:(5) what he expects to be the effects of Regulations R 2142/70 of the European Economic Community fisheries policy on the British fishing industry; and if he will make a statement;(6) if he is satisfied that the application of the Article (2)(1/1b) of Regulation R 170/71 of the European Economic Community fisheries policy is in the best interests of the British fishing industry, should Great Britain join the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement;(7) what study he has now made of the effects of the regulations arising from the European Economic Community fisheries policy on the United Kingdom fishing industry.

As we have in the entry negotiations reserved our position on the whole of the common fisheries policy of the Community, how far and to what effect any particular regulation forming part of that policy might apply in the United Kingdom cannot be forecast with any assurance at this stage. Moreover it is not yet clear how the existing Community will operate certain provisions, for example those on Community and State aids to which Article 18 of Regulation 17/64 is relevant, and those prohibiting discrimination by nationality such as Article 2(1)(b) of Regulation 170/71.I can, however, assure my hon. Friend that we are well aware of the doubts in our own fishing industry about the possible effects of the provisions he mentions (except Regulation 110/71 which deals with cereals), and that the aim of our continuing study is to ensure that all necessary issues will be covered in negotiation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now call a round-table conference with representatives of employees and employers in the fishing industry to discuss the implications of the British application to join the European Economic Community; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends and I have been and will continue to be in touch with every sector of the industry in whatever way proves most useful as the entry negotiations develop.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why, in view of the fact that last year his Department stated that food prices would rise by 18 per cent. to 26 per cent. on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, his Department is now disputing these figures.

There is no question of disputing the figures estimated in 1970 since as I told the House on 21st January, that they may now be on the high side.—[Vol. 809, c. 1319–20.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under present known conditions of entry into the European Economic Community, to what extent the United Kingdom apple and pear acreage would be expected to be grubbed up; and what payments would have to be paid to offset the loss to these fruit producers.

It is generally agreed that the United Kingdom apple and pear acreage will have to be reduced, whether or not we enter the European Economic Community, but I cannot set a figure on the likely reduction. I have made it clear that I will discuss with the leaders of the industry what help the Government might give to horticulturists who face difficult problems of adjustment on entry into the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he now has to ensure that the standards of animal hygiene and animal welfare required by law from British farmers will not place them at a disadvantage when competing with the agricultures of Common Market countries.

The animal hygiene requirements of the Common Market are no less stringent than our own, and the question of disadvantage is not likely to arise. United Kingdom legislation makes reasonable provision for animal welfare without imposing undue restrictions on producers. If we enter the European Economic Community it will be our aim to safeguard the interests of British producers, while maintaining suitable animal welfare standards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now give an undertaking that the compensation and slaughter policy for combatting foot-and-mouth disease will be maintained irrespective of the policies that are implemented in the Common Market countries where the disease is endemic.

Foot and mouth disease is dealt with in European Economic Community Member States by a policy of vaccination, combined with slaughter and compensation in appropriate cases. If we become a Member, the European Economic Community Directive governing intra-Community trade in cattle and pigs would require us to accept imports of vaccinated stock, which would raise difficulties on the continuation of our present policies on foot-and mouth. We have therefore raised the matter in the negotiations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, having regard to further rises in food prices, whether he will now state the aggregate increase and percentum rise in retail food prices since 18th June, 1970, and what measures he has in hand to prevent further increases in retail prices.

Between 16th June, 1970, and 16th March, 1971, the latest date for which information is available, the Food Index rose by 7·8 points or 5½per cent. Inflationary wage settlements are the main cause of these increases and the first requirement is to get these under control.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent he estimates the Food Price Index has risen since June, 1970, due to delays by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in considering requests of companies for changes in prices.

While it is not possible to quantify the extent, I accept that the residual effects of the previous Government's prices policy, of which the National Board for Prices and Incomes formed part, have contributed to the rise in food prices since June, 1970.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has obtained of reductions in food prices, other than seasonal reductions in the last three months.

Promotional price reductions are a regular feature of most retailers' pricing policies. In addition a number of leading food chains have already made special price reductions following the announcement of the forthcoming reduction in selective employment tax.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the tonnage of sugar imported into this country from Commonwealth sources, other sources, and the tonnage manufactured from sugar beet grown in this country in each of the past five years.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the tonnage of sugar imported from different sources in future years depending upon whether the outcome of the Common Market talks are successful and in the event of failure, respectively.

Whether we join the European Economic Community or not we are contractually committed to import the negotiated price quotas under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement at least until the end of 1974. The amounts of these quotas were given on 3rd May in reply to a question from the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis). I cannot forecast the position after the end of 1974.—[Vol. 816, c. 285–6.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now consider opening negotiations with the National Farmers' Union with a view to taking steps to set up statutory marketing organisations for meat and cereals.

Under the Agricultural Marketing Act, it is for producers to take the initiative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of his Department's expenditure is concentrated on research; and how this compares with previous years.

Expenditure on research and development is expected to amount to 1·7 per cent. of the total estimated expenditure by my department in 1971–72. Comparable percentages for previous years are: 1970–71, 1·7 per cent.; 1969–70, 1·5 per cent.; 1968–69, 1·5 per cent. The main block of applied agricultural research carried out by the Government is undertaken by the Agricultural Research Council but this is not on my Department's vote.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the concern aroused by the Order of the Registrar of Restrictive Practices Court preventing agricultural organisations giving advice or making recommendations regarding the marketing of livestock, or recommending the prices to be paid for agricultural machinery; and what steps he proposes to take so as to allow agricultural organisations to continue to carry out this work in the interests of their members.

This is, of course, primarily the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Restrictive Practices Court has found certain recommendations made by the National Farmers' Union to be restrictive and against the public interest. The National Farmers' Union did not contest the case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to announce his decision on the future of bull and boar licensing in England and Wales.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about proposals to increase the commercial glasshouse acreage in Her Majesty's prisons.

Three of my hon. Friends have made representations to my right hon. Friend about how local growers may be affected by proposals which are under consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department for expanding the glasshouse acreage at Kirkham Prison.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the approximate number of trees planted by the Forestry Commission in 1970, and the number of each of the six varieties of trees most frequently planted by the Commission.

The latest available statistics are for the year ended 31st March, 1970, when the Forestry Commission planted about 64 million trees.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total number of acres in which trees were planted by the Forestry Commission in 1970, and the number of acres in England and in Wales in which trees were planted in that year.

In the year ended 31st March, 1971, the Forestry Commission planted and restocked about 70,000 acres of which 13,300 acres were in England and 8,200 acres in Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the pollution of the River Great Ouse below St. Neots, and its effect upon the public water supply to places in the southern part of the Huntingdonshire constituency.

I have been asked to reply.I understand that on 26th April the Nene and Ouse Water Board received a number of complaints about the unpleasant taste of the water supplied in part of their area. They traced it to the river Great Ouse, closed their Brampton intake from that river and alerted the river authority. The indications are that the material which caused the taste was present in only minute quantities and, partly no doubt for that reason, it has so far defied indentification. It does not appear to have harmed the fish or any of the lower forms of life in the river and there is no other indication of danger to public health. The local Medical Officer of Health has been in constant touch with the Board's Engineer.All signs of the pollution had disappeared from the river in two days, though it has taken a little longer for taste to disappear from some parts of the public water supply, and the Brampton intake was reopened on 28th April.The Water Pollution Research Laboratory and the Nature Conservancy, as well as the river authority and the Board, who are primarily responsible in this matter, have continued with their attempts to identify the polluting substance and trace its source.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the sums wrongly paid to United Kingdom farmers under each Annual Review from 1958 to 1970, as a result of the mistaken inclusion of cost increases on production of milk and eggs outside the standard quantities in each of those Review Determinations.

No sums have been wrongly paid out. The estimate of cost increases is only required under the Agriculture Act, 1957, to calculate the minimum overall determination permissible. Since the passing of the Act, no government has made, or purported to make, a minimum determination.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, having regard to the reception by the farming industry of the Annual Price Review, March, 1971, what increase in output of farm products may be anticipated in 1971–72, aggregate ad valorem and percentum-wise among principal review commodities.

I cannot make the kind of precise prognostications for which my hon. Friend has such a reputation. The level of guaranteed prices is but one of the factors leading to changes in output, and the effects of price changes are not computable in isolation. The recent determinations were, however, formulated to re-establish the industry's confidence and to re-create a resurgence of expansion in the years ahead.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the total consumer expenditure in the United Kingdom is represented by the household food bill, at the latest available date.

In 1970, household expenditure on food represented slightly over 20 per cent. of total consumer expenditure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set up an independent inquiry into the incidence of fowl pest and the methods used to control it.

My right hon. Friend is anxious that an examination of our control measures should be made as quickly as possible. He is giving urgent consideration to the best way of achieving this in the light of all the suggestions which have been made and he will make a statement very shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if steps will be taken to ban the manufacture and use of the unicar cow pen in the United Kingdom.

The Unicar cow system is not in use even on an experimental basis in this country. So far as I am aware it is not being used commercially anywhere. As I explained in a previous reply my right hon. Friend has no power to impose a ban on its production without evidence to justify such a step: but if what we have heard of the system is an accurate description of it, neither my right hon. Friend nor I would be likely to favour its introduction into this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate the possibilities of giving further encouragement to the home-grown timber industry so that British paper manufacturers are less reliant of imported pulp.

The wide-ranging review of forest policy to which I have already referred today will take into account all the relevant factors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to introduce a compulsory colour code for milk bottle caps.

An effective colour code is a desirable measure of consumer protection. I expect to consult shortly with interested organisations on proposals for regulations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what flood prevention measures have been taken by the Kent River Authority in Dartford and the Darenth Valley since the floods of September, 1968.

I understand that the Kent River Authority have undertaken maintenance work to repair breaches, clear debris and remove silt on the River Darent, especially after the 1968 floods: but, because of other pressing problems, they have not yet been able to undertake improvement works. It is for the River Authority to decide priorities, but we shall consider any suitable schemes they put forward for grant-aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) from what countries he anticipates that butter will be imported into this country following the suspension of quotas; and if he will give details of import arrangements entered into with foreign suppliers;(2) for what period he has suspended quotas on imported butter into the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has announced that traders holding open individual licences may now import butter freely into the United Kingdom from any country in the world other than Southern Rhodesia. I anticipate that some butter, which could not be imported under quota, may now be imported from countries having no quota such as the United States of America and Canada, from countries with small quotas such as Belgium and from private traders' stocks of butter not always in the country of origin. These arrangements supplement the import quotas announced on 17th March and our principal suppliers were consulted about them. No other import arrangements have been entered into with foreign suppliers.Open individual licences are valid in the first instance for butter imported into the United Kingdom before 1st July. The supply situation will be reviewed in good time for a decision to be taken whether any extension is necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total figure of butter stocks held in this country on 1st June, 1970, 1st January, 1971, and on the latest convenient date.

The butter stock in public and Government-owned cold stores in the United Kingdom was:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the effect of the latest United Kingdom price review on the way in which Eire subsidises its dead-meat plants, in view of the effect on trade in their products between the United Kingdom and Eire.

There is no formal link between the United Kingdom Annual Review determinations and the way in which the dead-meat plants are subsidised in the Irish Republic: but in recent years the Government of the Irish Republic has maintained its beef carcase export subsidy at a rate of 1¼d. per lb. deadweight below the deficiency payments made under the United Kingdom Fatstock Guarantee Scheme. For 1971–72, however, revised arrangements have been introduced by the Government of the Irish Republic whereby this differential is to be widened to a maximum of 2¼d. per lb. deadweight, on a seasonal scale. The arrangements for lamb are unchanged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to encourage a reduction in the prices of beer consequent on the proposed reduction in selective employment tax.

I have made it known that the Government expects the benefit of the forthcoming reduction in S.E.T. to be passed on in some way to consumers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Association of British and Irish Millers about the proposed variable general import levy scheme for cereals; and what replies he has sent.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Deakins) on 19th March, 1971.—[Vol. 813, c. 429.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he decided to introduce a variable general levy scheme for cereals rather than a more selective scheme.

General levies are better suited to our purpose, which is to stop cheap imports affecting market stability.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of his official engagements for Saturday, 5th June, 1971.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what extra weekly charge he estimates has been placed on the average paid worker as a result of the extra health and welfare charges already announced, and as a result on rising prices since June, 1970 up to the last available date.

Details of the weekly extra social service charges paid from April, 1971 by the average worker earning£28 a week are shown in the following table, together with details of the effects of the reduction in the standard rate of income tax and increased child tax allowances operative from the same date. The effects of the charges will vary according to individual circumstances, but in general these will be more than offset by the changes in taxation.In the period June, 1970 to March, 1971, the latest date for which information is available, the Index of Retail Prices rose from 139·9 to 149·0, an increase of 6·5 per cent. The effect of this increase on the weekly expenditure of an average worker earning£28 a week will vary according to his pattern of personal consumption.Following is the table:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publicise the fact that taxpayers are entitled to telephone their tax inspectors in any part of the country for the normal local call charge.

I fear that the hon. Member is under a misapprehension. There is no general arrangement under which taxpayers, wherever they may be, are entitled to telephone their tax Inspectors for the normal local call charge. This arrangement applied only in respect of two particular London Provincial Districts. In the case of other taxpayers in the London area arrangements exist for them to telephone a local enquiry office and for the query to be passed on by teleprinter or other means to the London Provincial District Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that public telephone boxes are now out of action due to badly minted and faulty 2p coins jamming the slots of the telephone boxes; how and why such faulty coins were allowed to be distributed; where they were made; how many of such coins have been returned or stoppetd due to faults in production; what is the cause of these defective coins being produced; and whether he will make a statement.

For the first time on a large scale newly minted coins are being used in new coin slots. Jamming has occurred on a few occasions with coins near the upper limit of manufacturing tolerances. The coins are neither badly minted nor faulty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer taking the date when the Common Market was started as being equal to 100 in each of the countries of the Six, what has been the real rise in the standard of living in each of these countries, allowing for wage and price rises; and how these compare with similar details in Great Britain.

Following is the reply: Changes in the standard of living can be measured in various ways. The table below shows two of these. The first column shows the increase in consumers' expenditure per head of the population at constant (1963) prices. The second shows the increase in gross national product per head also at constant 1963 prices. The broader coverage of the

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the Gini coefficients for pre-distribution incomes and post-distribution incomes for as many of the years as are practicable from 1937 to the present date.

Following is the information.Gini coefficients of inequality of the income of different types of household before and after redistribution through taxes and social service benefits have been calculated on a comparable basis for the years 1961 to 1968, using the results of the Family Expenditure Survey. Similar estimates are not available for earlier years. Gini coefficients for 1969 are available on a slightly different basis. A single Gini coefficient covering all types of household is not available; instead, weighted averages are calculated of the Gini coefficients for the six most important types of household taking part in the Family Expenditure Survey. These are shown in the table below.second measure thus includes government expenditure and capital formation as well as personal consumption. The figures for the United Kingdom are based on the latest available estimates for the national accounts and those for the Common Market Countries are based on the E.E.C. National Accounts 1959–69.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it takes his Department a week to send a formal acknowledgement or card of receipt to Members of Parliament's correspondence; and whether he will expedite both the formal acknowledgement of mail and the substantive replies to same.

If the hon. Member is referring to a recent letter from himself, the answer is because it arrived in the Treasury six days after he dated it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it is possible for him to give details only of the number of reports and prosecutions and the amount of loss of revenue through the evasion of the payment of the road fund excise licence for the year 1969; when he expects to be able to publish similar details for the year ended December, 1970; and whether he will supply details of the same when available to the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

The figures for the year ended December, 1970 of reports and prosecutions of apparent V.E.D. offences have been delayed by the postal strike. They will be available next month and I shall send them to the hon. Member, together with the figure for payments ordered by the Courts in penalties and back duty. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 27th April, this last figure relates to enforcement and not to loss of revenue.—[Vol. 816, c. 66–67.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, since 16th June, 1970, the£sterling has dropped by 6p, based on the General Index of Retail Prices; and what action he has taken, or intends taking to prevent this continued depreciation in the purchasing value of the£sterling.

The answer to the first part of the question is, Yes. The Government are continuing to pursue with vigour and determination their policy for a de- escalation in the rate of wage settlements as an essential condition for slowing down the rate of increase in prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the results to date of his take-up campaign to persuade those entitled to claim free milk, prescriptions, etc., to do so.

The campaign has made an encouraging start though it is too early yet to say how successful it will be.Following are the figures:Claims for free milk and welfare foods which averaged 32 a week before 1st April total 26,350 during the week ended 27th April and claims during the month up to 27th April totalled 45,697.Claims for repayment of prescription charges which averaged 346 a week before beginning of April, amounted to 18,193 during the month.Claims for help with dental and optical charges have respectively increased fivefold and six-fold.With so many claims there is naturally a time-lag before awards are made, but the cumulative awards during April were:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give further publicity for the season ticket for prescription charges for those requiring frequent prescriptions, in view of the large numbers of patients who are still unaware of this fact.

I have already done so, and advertisements have been appearing in the national daily and Sunday newspapers over the past two weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the percentage of nurses recruited from the Commonwealth countries employed in hospitals in Huddersfield.

15 per cent. were born in other Commonwealth countries, not necessarily by recruitment direct from overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many powered myo-electric arms and hands have been fitted under the National Health Service; how many have been returned to the various centres because of failure; how many complaints he has received about these arms and hands; and if he will make a statement.

Thirteen sets of myo-electric arms and hands have been issued to National Health Service patients for clinical trials, and most of them have at various times been returned because of failure. The comments of users have been helpful for evaluating the suitability of this form of control. The trials continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the amount of co-ordination taking place on the research and development of powered limbs, in view of their role in the National Health Service; if he is satisfied with the output of such limbs; and if he will make a statement.

Co-ordination of research and development on all types of artificial limbs was among the subjects studied by the group of experts referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 29th March. The output of limbs is matched to the clinically appraised requirements of the patients.—[Vol. 814, c. 273–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why powered myo-electric arms and hands are not made available under the National Health Service for thalidomide children as well as for suitable arm and hand amputees, in view of the fact that 1,500 such arms and hands have been successfully fitted in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and The Netherlands; and if he will make a statement.

Thalidomide children, unlike patients with surgical amputations, do not normally have the muscles available to provide the myo-electric signal need to control powered upper-limb prostheses. Research into ways of overcoming this handicap is going on. Despite the number of myo-electric hands which have been supplied in other countries, there is no evidence that the problem of their satisfactory use by thalidomide children has yet been successfully solved.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average running time of myo-electric arms and hands supplied under the National Health Service powered by gas before needing replacement; what improvements he expects in the next six, 12, 18 and 24-month periods; what improvements took place from 1963–65, 1966–68, 1969–71; and if he will make a statement.

Because running time depends on the type of equipment, the amount of use, and the size of power storage pack an average figure would not be meaningful. Myo-electric hands can usually be kept in continuous operation by recharging batteries each night.Within the next six months it is planned to produce a gas cylinder which should last about a day for most patients equipped with present types of arm systems. This is believed to be the largest storage of gas that can be conveniently carried.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what trials and assessments his Department has conducted into powered arms and hands which have been available for a considerable time in Europe; and when and where comparative trials were carried out by his Department.

It is the Department's practice to evaluate all overseas developments of powered arms and hands which may offer advantage to United Kingdom patients. In recent years all the main prosthetic research and development units in England and Scotland have participated in trials of European hardware.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute a public inquiry into the research, development and production of powered arms and hands; if he will publish forthwith the departmental or other official investigations which have taken place in this field; and if he will make a statement.

No. In relation to prosthetics research and development I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 29th March.—[Vol. 814, c. 273–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hours have to be worked by hospital doctors before they receive overtime pay; if he is satisfied with their rate of pay and with the number of hours they are required to work; and if he will make a statement.

Hospital doctors do not work fixed hours; but junior and intermediate grades are entitled to minimum periods of time off under the conditions specified in their terms of service and if these are encroached on, extra duty allowances are payable at rates determined on the advice of the Kindersley Review Body. A doctor will have been on duty or on call for an average of a little over 100 hours a week before qualifying for the allowance. Hospital authorities have recently been asked the provide detailed information about the working of the system which it is hoped will enabled further advice to be given on how extra duty might be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange to pay immediately part of the increase in state retirement pensions payable in September next, to enable pensioners to obtain coal at summer prices.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the United Kingdom compares with other countries in its financial provision for the disabled, from information available from international sources.

The provision made for disabled in other countries varies greatly. If the hon. Member wishes information about the provision made in a particular country perhaps he will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he now intends to introduce a disability income related to loss of earnings.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Morpeth (Mr. George Grant) and Hornchurch (Mr. Loveridge) on 4th May.—[Vol. 816, c. 312.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will make a statement on the paper on Cancer Organisation prepared by a subcommittee of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee; and if he will make an interim statement.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 16th March. The consultations to which I referred are still proceeding.—[Vol. 813, c. 283–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) to what extent he estimates that expenditure will have to be increased in a calendar or financial year to increase all social welfare benefits to those now operating in each of the countries of the European Economic Community;(2) whether he is aware that in each of the Common Market countries more is spent per person on social welfare than in Great Britain, and that family allowances and pensions are higher; whether he will give details as to how much increase would have to be made to harmonise these benefits between the countries of the Six after allowing for the differences in the cost of living; and whether he will consider doing this to assist Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

Because of differences of scope and definition it is impossible to make valid comparisons of benefit levels, or to estimate the financial consequences of bringing our schemes into line with those of any of the Common Market countries. Changes in our social security benefit rates would not affect the negotiations for entry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will seek to change the existing reciprocity agreements whereby pensions payable to former British citizens, and increases, are made where these persons are resident overseas so as to exclude such payments where these persons have publicly declared that their object in leaving Great Britain is to evade the payment of British taxation.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, in view of the contents of the communication dated 8th April from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, complaining of neglect and failure upon the part of his Department to deal expeditiously with Members' of Parliament's correspondence, it took him until 23rd April to send a formal reply to this communication.

The hon. Member's letter of 8th April referred to efforts which had been made over a considerable period to secure the most appropriate placement for the son of one of his constituents, and included a complaint that he had not been informed when a transfer to another hospital was arranged. The transfer arrangements, as is usual, had been made locally. Inquiries had, therefore, to be made of the hospital authority and careful study given to the hon. Member's letter. A reply was sent nine days after its receipt: the reply would have been sent earlier but for the hon. Member's telephone request for copies of earlier correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give further details showing, in cases which are not sub judice, where alleged fraud by Ford workers over social security benefits is being considered, and the total amounts of such alleged frauds; and to what extent he estimates the costs of prosecutions being considered will cover the returns of illegal benefits drawn.

Nineteen cases of alleged fraud by Ford workers over social security benefit are under consideration. The total amount obtained by alleged fraud in all these cases was about£280. Criminal proceedings are a separate issue from the recovery of benefit overpaid. Any comparison of the cost of prosecution with the amount of benefit recoverable is irrelevant because it ignores the element of deliberate abuse implied in the charges and the deterrent effect of prosecutions, if successful.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why he will not cease the present practice whereby his Department keeps under constant review the prices and charges for which he has responsibility, and initiate a system of monthly reviews of such prices and charges to enable him to show from month to month to what extent since June, 1970, the Government's policy of reducing prices and costs is operating so far as it affects his departmental responsibilities.

A system of monthly reviews would not be worthwhile and would be too costly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the average amount spent by each local education authority in England on a pupil in a nursery, primary and secondary school, respectively, for the latest convenient year.

For expenditure per primary and secondary pupil I would refer the hon. Member to Education Statistics 1969–70 published by the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants and the Society of County Treasurers, a copy of which is available in the Library. With regard to nursery education, the estimated expenditure is as follows: