asked the Secretary of State of Social Services what representations he has received from Old Age Pensioners' Associations about pension increases since the publication of the National Insurance Bill, and what replies he has sent.

I have received two letters, and I have explained the policy of the Government as put before Parliament during the Second Reading of the National Insurance Bill on 3rd May in relation to the points raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will, as a matter of urgency, provide further help for old-age pensioners to help them pay the increased charges for pre-paid gas meters.

No. The benefit increases due next September more than compen-

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the age groups, for males and females, when people are more liable to suffer from alcoholism; what is the number of deaths as a result; and what relationship the number bears to the five most lethal diseases.

Between 40 and 50 for both males and females. The latest statistics on the number of deaths by age groups registered in England and Wales attributed to alcoholism, alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver and the toxic effects of alcoholism are given below.The five most lethal diseases mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member on 4th May all had larger numbers of deaths.—[Vol. 816, c. 1144–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of males and females known to be receiving some form of treatment for alcoholism; and what are their respective age groups.

The latest available figures are for 1969. In that year the number of admissions to mental illness hospitals and units in England of patients whose diagnosis included alcoholism or alcoholic psychosis was 5,890 for men and 1,598 for women. Figures are not available for those treated as out-patients or by general practitioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to require catchment area hospitals to inform local health authorities of the numbers and location of patients returning to their community.

Hospital authorities have been advised that in appropriate cases, and with the patient's agreement, the local health authority should be informed of a patient's discharge.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many directors of social services have now been appointed by local authorities.

162 of the 174 authorities concerned in England and Wales have made appointments, including all 17 in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the working of Section 4 of the Social Security Act; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that Section 4 of the Ministry of Social Security Act, 1966 is working in accordance with Parliament's intentions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for extension and modernisation of Selly Oak Hospital.

Selly Oak Hospital is to be a district general hospital and the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board are now engaged in planning the development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services how many gynecology patients are waiting for treatment in the Medway hospitals area.

56 at All Saints' Hospital which serves the Medway area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of handicapped people are in receipt of supplementary benefit; and what steps he is taking to reduce their dependences.

Approximately 45 per cent. of those receiving benefit who have been sick for more than six months have supplementary benefit, either alone or as an addition to sickness or industrial injuries benefits. The hon. Member will be aware of the improved provision for the chronic sick contained in the National Insurance Bill now before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients are receiving psychiatric treatment in hospital and as out-patients.

About 165,000 patients were receiving psychiatric inpatient treatment in England on 31st December, 1970. The number of outpatients on any particular day is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for a hospital appointment to a consultant psychiatrist in the National Health Service.

The information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what complaints and reports he has received about the treatment of patients at Oakwood Hospital; and what action he proposes to take.

I have received no complaints, nor any reports apart from that of the Hospital Advisory Service on their recent visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions have been held between the Registrar General and the British Computer Society about the dissemination and sale of census information; and whether he will make a statement.

The first of a series of meetings between the Registrars General and representatives of the British Computer Society and of the Royal Statistical Society has taken place. The purpose is to discuss various aspects of the security of Census information, including the release of statistical tables. I shall in due course report to the House the outcome of the discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions he issued concerning the payment of a Census enumerator's fee to people who are in receipt of unemployment benefit; and whether he will make a statement.

Payment of fees to all Census enumerators in England and Wales and in Scotland, respectively, was made on the same basis and without regard to other income. For the effect of these fees on unemployment benefit, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Nicholas Edwards) on 8th April.—[Vol. 815, c. 269.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations have been made to his Department drawing his attention to anomalies in the machinery established to carry out the national Census.

If my hon. Friend will indicate what kind of anomalies he has in mind, I will try to give him the information asked for.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, following representations made to him, he is satisfied that the payments made to the enumerators in the national Census are adequate; and whether he will take steps to increase the rates.

Information is now being obtained from census officers of instances in which they consider enumerators had excessive workloads I shall consider, in the light of these reports, whether there is any case for an increase in their remuneration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have been reported to him of census forms, completed and otherwise, that have gone astray, been mislaid, stolen and wrongly directed; and what have been the results of his investigation of these reports.

I have received reports on four cases in which Census forms were 9tolen or otherwise went astray. All the forms concerned have been recovered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that on Friday 14th May, 1971 there were many completed Census forms still to be collected; what is, at the latest date, the number of completed Census forms which have not been collected; and when he expects the collection to have been completed.

The number of completed Census forms not yet collected is not known centrally but my information is that collection was virtually finished some 10 days ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the duties on the basis of which Census enumerators were engaged; and to what extent these were exceeded.

The duties of the Census enumerators, as set out in the form of application, were:

To make an advance round of the enumeration area, deliver Census forms, collect Census forms, complete Working Records, assign National Grid references, check, arrange and number Census forms, complete Permanent Record, a population summary and complete computer input sheets.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to remove the time limit from a Commissioner's appeal in all cases where there is new medical opinion in support of a further appeal.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to issue the guidance to hospitals on the use of patients for teaching purposes which has been under consideration since August, 1969.

This is a complex matter but I hope to be able to issue guidance during the course of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds there are in the Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames; and how many of these are set aside for psychiatric patients.

725. 300 of these are for the mentally handicapped but not solely for the population of Richmond. Mental illness beds and other beds for mental handicap are available outside the borough.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the admission rates of psychiatric patients per 100,000 population to the most recent date for which figures are available in Greater London as a whole, and in the Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, separately.

Admission rates in terms of local authority areas are not readily available. The average admission rate in 1969 for the four Metropolitan Hospital Regions was 407 per 100,000 population.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to encourage the production of powered invalid vehicles able to be used with equal facility both indoors and outside.

Present research is directed to improvements in indoor and outdoor chairs. This could assist in the design of some aspects of a dual-purpose powered chair, but the difficulties are formidable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has received about a definite site for a nurses social centre at Airdale Hospital.

None.I have been informed of only one proposal to acquire property for this purpose but it was not proceeded with because of planning objections.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has yet reopened discussions with the British Medical Association on prescription charges for psychiatric patients.

I have discussed with representatives of the British Medical Association the exemption of the chronic sick from prescription charges. Psychiatric conditions were among those which I bore in mind. In the light of the discussion I have however accepted that there is no prospect of any extension of the arrangements being possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he will not 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 their object in leaving Great Britain is to evade the payment of British taxation.

Apart from any other consideration, such provision would be unworkable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of fraudulent claiming of sickness and unemployment benefit, respectively, have been detected in each of the last 10 years; what was the total annual sum involved for each of these years for both

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the consultative document on the integration of the health and social services will be published.

The consultative document on National Health Service reorganisation was issued on 17th May.

The number of prosecutions completed by the Department in respect of fraudulent claims for sickness and unemployment benefit in each of the last 10 years and the penalties imposed are as follows. Central records of the sums obtained as a result of these claims are not maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what rôle he envisages in the new health authorities described in his Consultative Document on National Health Service Reorganisation for those with special knowledge and experience in dealing with the problems of permanently and substantially handicapped persons.

The treatment and care of the handicapped will continue to need special attention in the reorganised health service and area and regional health authorities will be expected to draw on the experience of those with particular knowledge in this field in the operation of their services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of hospital beds unoccupied owing to lack of nursing staff in the London area and in England as a whole, respectively; and what steps are currently being taken to recruit sufficient nurses to overcome this problem.

Hospital beds may remain unoccupied for a wide variety of reasons and it is not possible to identify those that may be unoccupied owing to lack of nursing staff. Recruitment of nursing staff is a matter for individual hospital authorities who undertake a wide variety of recruitment activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to increase the recruitment of nurses, in view of the offers currently being made to trained nurses by representatives of hospitals in the United States of America.

Recruitment is primarily a matter for hospital and local health authorities and we are continuing to give them general support.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will withdraw Leaflet PC 11, dated April, 1971, because of the errors contained in the paragraph "How you Qualify on Grounds of Income".

I am not aware of any error. Apart from the income table, which is for general guidance only, leaflet PC 11 contains detailed information, which would enable a person to work out his exact entitlement to exemption from or a refund of prescription charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total payment of supplementary benefit and/or national assistance to strikers and their dependants in the first four months of all the years between the establishment of the National Assistance Board and the coming into force of the Ministry of Social Security Act, expressed cumulatively; and the total payment in the first four months of each of the years since the latter date.

Following is the information:1. Total amount of national assistance paid out in trade disputes during January to April of the years 1951 to 1966 inclusive was £287,349. (Figures are available only from 1951 onwards.)2. Payments of supplementary benefit in trade disputes during January to April of the years 1967 to 1971 inclusive:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will inquire into the shortage of permanent care facilities for severely sub-normal, or severely handicapped, children in South-East Derbyshire.

My Department has recently discussed with the Regional Hospital Board its future services for the mentally handicapped in this area and discussions will shortly take place with the Derbyshire County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to provide special accommodation for those mentally disturbed adolescents who require some security provisions, as outlined in the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North.

This problem occurs rarely and there is no easy solution. I am writing to the hon. Member about the individual case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he took into consideration the fact that a children's home was adjoining, when he granted a licence to the Parkfield Nursing Home at Liverpool to carry out abortions under the National Health Service.

The abortions in the Parkfield Nursing Home are not carried out under the National Health Service. The answer is, Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to reply to the letter dated 16th May from the President of the Northamptonshire Association for Mental Health regarding the housing project for the mentally sick at 82 and 100 Dorking Walk, Corby.

Within the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health centres were in full operation on 1st January, 1971; how many were in the process of being built; how many had already received approval for future building; what is the number of new plans submitted this year; and if he will make a statement.

At 1st January, 1971, 188 health centres were operating in England, 102 were under construction and 69 had been approved for building. A further 124 schemes are being actively planned, of which 42 have been submitted to my Department since 1st January.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will initiate an inquiry into the problem of elderly persons dying alone in their own homes.

This is a problem which can best be tackled by local inquiries by the responsible local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has noted the Coroner's report of the death of a cancer patient in St. Pancras Hospital in April last, following misunderstandings or argument over the operating table, between an English surgeon and an immigrant anaesthetist; what evidence he has as to the difficulties encountered by immigrant doctors in respect of language, or temperament, or of unfamiliarity with English conditions; and if he will institute an inquiry.

I think my hon. Friend is referring to events at Bethnal Green Hospital. The Regional Hospital Board is undertaking an inquiry into the case and I cannot comment on it at present. Immigrant doctors sometimes encounter initial difficulties, which the arrangements for attachment to a hospital consultant before employment help them to overcome. The General Medical Council is undertaking a review of the arrangements for registering overseas doctors and I do not think any other general inquiry is appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to initiate a European conference in an endeavour to create a European comprehensive health service; and if he will make a statement.

Whilst we appreciate the advantages there might be in the creation of a European comprehensive health service, we do not think that it would be useful or practicable at the present time for the United Kingdom to attempt to initiate a Conference to examine this possibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what investigations he is making to establish the disincentive registered by low-income families from the accumulation of means-tested benefits restricted to such families.

We are aware of the consequences which the withdrawal of means-tested benefits can have for a man's net income. This is a complex problem and we are considering how the more extreme effects can be mitigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek powers to make necessitous clothing grants to those schoolchildren who are now deprived of such grants as a result of the cuts made by local education authorities.

No. The Supplementary Benefits Commission already have discretionary power to make lump-sum payments to cover essential needs, and will give help where the child of a supplementary beneficiary would otherwise go short of necessary clothing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research, for which he is responsible, is at present being undertaken in the United Kingdom into the causes and cure of epilepsy.

The Medical Research Council, which is administered by the Department of Education and Science, is the main government agency for the promotion of Medical research and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science to my hon. Friend the Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Haselhurst) on 12th January, 1971.My Department is not at present supporting any research specifically into epilepsy, but some of the research which it supports into the care of mentally and physically handicapped children and adults may be applicable to the identification of problems of epilepsy.There are several pieces of individual research into problems of epilepsy in the annual programmes for locally organised clinical research which are administered by the Regional Hospital Boards and Boards of Governors, with support from

central funds, although we do not have details.—[Vol. 809, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider increasing the provision of treatment for epilepsy under the National Health Service.

Treatment for epilepsy is provided by general practitioners and by those hospitals with appropriate consultant staff. The Government is considering in the light of recommendations made by an Advisory Committee, whether additional facilities are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to enable a widow of a deceased person who was receiving industrial injury benefit in respect of pneumoconiosis and silicosis to receive a pension without the need to conduct a post-mortem examination of the deceased.

In England and Wales the death of any person who in life had been in receipt of industrial injuries benefit for pneumoconiosis is almost invariably reported to a coroner because coroners have a duty to investigate any death which there is reasonable cause to suspect may have an unnatural cause. The decision whether or not to order a postmortem examination as an aid to this investigation is entirely a matter for the coroner's discretion.As regards industrial death benefit I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the provision in the National Insurance Bill which will enable industrial widow's pension to be paid irrespective of any determination of the cause of death in certain cases where the deceased had been entitled to constant attendance allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have been heard by the National Insurance Commission for Wales during the last 12 months; and in how many of these cases was an oral hearing granted.

In the 12 months from 1st January, 1970 to 31st December, 1970, the latest period for which figures are available, the National Insurance Commissioner stationed in Wales dealt with 171 Welsh cases of which 22 were oral hearings; in addition the Commissioner dealt with 115 English cases, of which two were oral hearings.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many extra persons he estimates will be in receipt of old-age retirement pensions and supplementary allowances when the increased pensions are implemented in September.

About 50,000 non-pensioners over 80, will become entitled to retirement pensions as a result of the September changes. We estimate that the number of persons receiving supplementary pension will be about 30,000 fewer after all the increases are implemented.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for providing a career structure to enable hospital staff to transfer to community welfare services.

I am not sure which categories of hospital staff my hon. Friend has in mind. Where transfer would promote more effective co-ordination of health and personal social services, it might suitably form part of the study to be made of arrangements for collaboration between health authorities and local authorities, as proposed in the consultative document on National Health Service reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were discharged from mental hospitals and units, including teaching hospitals, in England and Wales in 1969 and 1970 in all, for each of the usual diagnostic groupings, and for each ten year age group, respectively; and if he will also state the rate per 100,000 population for each of the above categories.

The following tables relate to hospitals and hospital units for the mentally ill and handicapped in England and Wales for 1969. Figures for 1970 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the patients discharged from mental hospitals and units, including teaching hospitals, in 1969 and 1970 were first admissions and what percentage were readmissions; and how this compares with 1959 and 1960.

In 1969, 50 per cent. were first admissions and the remainder readmissions. Figures for 1970 are not yet available. Comparable information for 1959 and 1960 is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give, to the nearest convenient date, the incidence of venereal disease in the Greater London area compared with that 10 years ago.

The numbers of new cases attending clinics in the Greater London area in 1969 the latest date for which figures are available were:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent consultations he has had with regional hospital boards and hospital management committees regarding the admission of the Press and public to meetings; and if he will make a statement.

The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, 1960, gives the Press and public the statutory right to be admitted to Regional Hospital Board meetings, subject to exclusion by resolution in the public interest I have recently discussed with Regional Hospital Board Chairmen the effect on the conduct of their business and my conclusion is that the arrangements are satisfactory. The meetings of Hospital Management Committees are not subject to the Act, though some do open their meetings to the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to investigate the extent to which the dental services under the National Health Service are used by organised flights of patients from Canada.

There is insufficient evidence for detailed investigation but such information as is available suggests that private treatment is involved rather than treatment under the general dental services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received from the Trades Union Congress concerning the Government's social security policies; and what replies he has sent.

The Trades Union Congress asked to see me about some aspects of the Government's social security policies and I had a discussion with their representatives yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many housewives he estimates are prevented by disability from doing their own housework; and in what ways his Department intends to help them.

The recent O.P.C.S. survey estimates the number of non-active housewives at nearly 490,000, of whom nearly three-quarters are over 65. Local authorities have wide powers to provide services for the handicapped, including housewives, and my right hon. Friend is discussing with the local authority associations how these can best be developed Very severely disabled housewives will be eligible for the new attendance allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sent under date of 15th May, with an enclosure from Mr. Zahoor Ahmed making allegations of racialism and colour prejudice upon the part of his Department's officials; and what action he proposes to take in connection with this matter.

Yes and I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what he now estimates will be, following the upgrading of the prescribed levels, the annual cost of the family income supplement scheme and the number of persons who will benefit; and what percentage take-up he assumes in these calculations.

I have no reason to think that the number of potential beneficiaries

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage take-up of the family income supplement he regards as a minimum criterion for the success of the scheme in the case, respectively, of those eligible for £1 or less, £3, and £4 per week supplement.

It is not likely to be possible to measure take-up with the precision implied in the Question, because estimates of the potential field are inevitably subject to wide margins of error. Estimates of take-up will therefore have

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the weekly rate of successful claims of the family income supplement and of each of the benefits tied to it by the passport system for each week since 3rd May; and what were the corresponding rates for each of the previous four weeks.

Claims for Family Income Supplement could not be made before 3rd May but from that date up to 18th May 9,048 claims had been received. They are now being processed and it is too early yet to give figures about the number of successful claims. Statistics are provided below about successful claims for help with those charges which will shortly be automatically remitted for recipients of family income supplement, so far as they are available and relate to my Department's responsibilities. Earlier figures are included for comparison.to be in general terms; our aim is to ensure that it is high.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will seek to provide funds to enable retirement pensioners to have free emergency servicing for gas fittings.

No; but in cases where a supplementary pensioner has to meet a charge for an emergency service the Supplementary Benefits Commission would normally be prepared to help.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are at present subject to the wage stop to the extent of up to £1 per week, more than £1 but less than £2, more than £2 but less than £3, more than £3 but less than £4, and over £4 per week.

I regret that this information is not available, and I have written to the hon. Gentleman to explain why this is so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Government Actuary's fourth survey on occupational pension schemes will be published.

There has been no further survey of occupational pension schemes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what grounds certain specified medical conditions are excluded from exemption from prescription charges.

The representatives of the medical profession, who are understandably unwilling that doctors should have to make discretionary judgments as to individual patients to be exempted, do not feel that they can accept responsibility for identifying for the purpose of exemption from prescription charges other conditions than those specified in Regulaiton 7(1)(d) of the National Health

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployment review officers have been appointed in each of the Department's regions during each of the last five years.

The present regional structure was formed in June, 1967. The following table shows the numbers of unemployment review officers in post at 1st July, 1967, and at 1st May each year from 1968 to 1971. In West Midlands Region each supplementary benefits local office undertake the work of unemployment review for its own area and specialist unemployment review officers are not appointed.Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations, 1968. The list includes only well-defined conditions which in virtually all cases call automatically for continuous medication for long periods.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services being in receipt of which of the following benefits, family income supplements, rent rebates, rate rebates, school uniform grants, free school meals, free welfare foods, exemption from prescription charges and exemption from optical and dental charges, is taken into acount in assessing eligibility for each respective benefit.

Eligibility for family income supplement is not affected by any of these benefits, but it will automatically entitle recipients to free school meals, free welfare foods, exemption from prescription charges and remission of National Health Service dental and optical charges. Free welfare foods and National Health Service charge assessments take account of rebated rent and rates. Assessment for rate rebates is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and school uniform grants and free school meals are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. Assessment for rent rebates is the responsibility of local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons he estimates will be eligible for the new invalidity allowances at each of the three age rates; and what will be the total annual estimated expenditure for each of these age groups.

It is estimated that invalidity allowance will be payable as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is in hand or proposed into the problems of extra expense incurred by disabled persons.

In view of the fact that we have only just received the report of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on "The Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain", and in view of the substantially improved national insurance provision for the disabled, both through the chronic sick package and the attendance allowance, we do not consider that this is an appropriate time for launching further research in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he now intends to raise the level of disregards as they affect supplementary benefits.

Not at present. As the White Paper on the 1971 increases (Cmnd. 4652) showed, priority is being given this year to those who are in the greatest need because they have no income or capital to be disregarded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the cost to a chronically sick patient suffering from bronchial asthma of each prescription given on Form E.C.10, assuming that the general practitioner prescribes the normal quantities, in the event of a system of payment being instituted in which the patient would pay half of the cost of the prescription, graded in 5p steps, with a minimum charge of 20p and a maximum of 50p per prescription;(2) what is his estimate of the cost to a chronically sick patient suffering from chronic bronchitis of each prescription given on Form E.C.10, assuming that the general practitioner prescribes the normal quantities, in the event of a system of payment being instituted in which the patient would pay half of the cost of the prescription, graded in 5p steps, with a minimum charge of 20p and a maximum of 50p per prescription;(3) what is his estimate of the cost to a chronically sick patient suffering from emphysema of each prescription given on Form E.C.10, assuming that the general practitioner prescribes the normal quantities, in the event of a system of payment being instituted in which the patient would pay half of the cost of the prescription, graded in 5p steps, with a minimum charge of 20p and a maximum of 50p per prescription;

It would be misleading to attempt such estimates because the nature and quantity of the drugs prescribed will vary according to a doctor's judgment of the clinical needs of individual patients. No charges are payable by patients covered by the wide categories of exemption, including those on supplementary benefit or living at a little above that level; and the prepayment certificate is available for people who need frequent prescriptions but are not otherwise exempt.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, from information available to him from international sources, what is the average level of incomes of those employed and engaged in agriculture in New Zealand; and how this compares with agricultural incomes in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy.

Estimates of gross product per person engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing give an indication of the average level of incomes earned, and information on this in respect of the United Kingdom and European Economic Community countries was given in reply to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Deakins) on 10th May. Comparable information for New Zealand is not available, but estimates made in my Department suggests that gross product per person employed in New Zealand agriculture is somewhat greater than for the United Kingdom.—[Vol. 817, c. 42.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has reconsidered forestry policy in the light of increasing imports of wood and wood products; and if he will make a statement.

The factor to which my hon. Friend refers will be taken into account in the Government's review of forestry policy. I cannot yet say when it will be completed, but we shall announce our conclusions in due course

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he has received about recent outbreaks of fowl pest among some species of game birds and wild birds; what steps he is taking to investigate and check the spread of this disease; and if he will make a statement.

Outbreaks of fowl pest among game birds are notifiable only if they are in contact with domestic poultry. Outbreaks among wild birds are not notifiable. I have however received reports indicating heavy mortality particularly among pheasants in East Anglia. Disease has also been diagnosed in a kestrel and in owls and partridges. Ministry officers advise on the disposal of infected birds and recommend the vaccination of game birds in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.There is no evidence at all that wild birds or game birds have been infected by live vaccine; in those cases where we have carried out post-mortems the virus identified has invariably been the same as that causing the disease in poultry generally and not the vaccinal strain. The Hitchener B1 strain of vaccine has-very low diffusibility, and it does not spread readily from one bird to another even within a poultry house. Waste products from infected poultry houses are required to be disinfected, and vigilance is exercised by my officials to check that this is complied with.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, following his announcement on 17th May that there would be further food price increases over the coming: months, he will state which commodities will be affected; and what will be the extent of the increase in each case.

As the right hon. Member will know it is not the practice to publish detailed forecasts of changes in food prices. In giving a general warning about the likelihood of further price increases, I had in mind that, while certain seasonal price reductions may be expected in the coming months, other foods are bound to increase in price because of the effect of world market forces and of wage inflation in this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the United Kingdom could take action under the European Economic Community common fisheries policy to prevent the use by foreign factory fishing ships operating outside United Kingdom territorial waters of small vessels to fish inside those waters.

How the common fisheries policy might apply to the United Kingdom is dependent upon the outcome of the entry negotiations: but nothing in the present policy prevents a member State from continuing to exclude from its waters the vessels of non-member States, or from restricting the activities in those waters of all Community vessels on a non-discriminatory basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent it will be possible to continue the present Agricultural Remoteness Grant to Northern Ireland, and each of the schemes through which it is at present administered, in the event of entry to the European Economic Community.

It is too early to say precisely what forms of national aid may be permissible within the European Economic Community. Article 92 of the Treaty of Rome states that national aids which distort or threaten to distort competition and adversely affect trade between member States are incompatible with the Common Market, but Article 92.3 provides that aid intended to promote the economic development of regions where the standard of living is abnormally low or where there is serious underemployment may be deemed compatible with the Common Market. Article 42 also provides for agricultural aid in areas of special difficulty.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many maggot farms are in operation in this country; and what regulations apply to their method of operation.

My Department has no responsibilities for exercising control over premises where maggots are grown. No information is available as to the number of these premises or of the maggots produced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether John Hudson Limited have yet dumped any industrial wastes near the Kentish Knock in the area authorised by his Department;(2) whether his Department has yet approved the proposal of John Hudson Limited to dump industrial wastes in the outer Thames Estuary;(3) if he will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of the chemical analysis of the first batch of industrial wastes to be dumped by John Hudson Limited in the outer Thames Estuary.

My Department has agreed, under its voluntary arrangements to certain applications by John Hudson Ltd. to dispose of wastes at sea in the outer Thames Estuary beyond the Kentish Knock. The timing of agreed disposals is a matter for the firm concerned: but the voluntary arrangements include periodic notifications to my Department that disposals have been made in accordance with the terms of the Department's agreements.My Department regards it as important in the operation of voluntary arrangements to guarantee that information supplied by commercial enterprises about the composition of wastes proposed to be dumped will remain confidential.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the question of reviewing the fowl pest control arrangements.

I am glad to say that the fowl pest epidemic now seems to be on the wane. The time has come for us to review the course of the epidemic and the lessons to be learnt from it for the future. I have decided that it would be desirable to associate with the review four independent persons with a knowledge of the poultry industry. I am glad to say that the following have agreed to help my Department in this way:

Dr. R. F. Gordon, M.R.C.V.S., Director of the Houghton Poultry Research Station.

Mr. W. M. Justice, a Director of J. Sainsbury Limited.

Mr. G. Kidner, Chairman of the British Egg Marketing Board from 1968.

Mr. J. F. Phillips, O.B.E., LL.M., F.C.I.S., Deputy Chairman of the Eggs Authority.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will invite representatives from various regions of the country to a meeting at No. 10 Downing Street under his chairmanship to discuss unemployment.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is yet in a position to report on the review being held by his Department into the future of the proposed Inland Revenue Computer Centre at Washington New Town.

No. There is nothing I can add to the Answer I gave on 8th April—[Vol. 815, c. 287.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he will give to sites available in the Chester-le-Street constituency area before reaching a decision on headquarters for the administration of value-added tax.

I would ask the hon. Member to await a statement about the location of V.A.T. offices which will be made at the appropriate time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now arrange to transfer to the Northern Ireland Government the management of Irish land purchase services.

No. The services include management of the outstanding securities issued in connection with Irish land purchase. These are liabilities of the British Government and a change in this arrangement would not be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many land purchase annuities made after the passing of the Government of Ireland Act, 1921 are still outstanding; and how long the longest annuity has still to run before being fully completed.

About 37,000. The longest annuity has 31½ years to run before being terminated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he anticipates that the Irish land purchase services will be wound up.

Not later than the year 2,002 following final repayment of all outstanding annuities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends to take, arising from the Report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, on the income tax affairs of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Farrow (paragraph 8) to ensure that departmental standing instructions are always carried out by all Inland Revenue Department staff concerned before raising assessments in respect of underpayment of tax.

Much as I regret the errors in the case to which the hon. Member refers, it is not possible to ensure that departmental instructions are never overlooked.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the former members of the Royal Irish Constabulary are in receipt of pensions and compensation allowances, respectively; and how many of these are resident in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many widows of former members of the Royal Irish Constabulary are in receipt of a pension; and how many of these are resident in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.