asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what percentage food prices have risen in the Greater London area between 18th June, 1970, and 30th September, 1971, and by what percentage during the year ended 30th September, 1971.

Separate price indices are not available for particular parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce legislation to control the excessive prices of sugar-free foods and confections, in view of the effect these charges have on the cost of living of diabetics who are compelled to buy them.

While I recognise that these special foods add variety to the diet of diabetics, there are several alternative sources of supply and I have no evidence that prices are excessive in relation to the costs of production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now make a statement on the future of the White Fish Authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with the White Fish Authority; and if he will make a statement.

No. As I told the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 2nd March, the future of the Authority will depend upon the outcome of our review of Government-aided fisheries research and development, and the organisational arrangements that will be necessary if we join the E.E.C. Until these two questions have been resolved there can be no such statement. I continue to maintain close contact with the Authority on matters of mutual interest.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will advance the date of the food labelling regulations due to come into force in 1976, so far as soft drinks are concerned, so that consumers can be made aware of the additive content of soft drinks as soon as possible.

My right hon. Friend knows of no new factors which would justify changing the decision taken in 1967 on the date at which these regulations should come into force.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now take steps to increase the production of sugar beet, as there is spare capacity, as farmers wish to increase production, and as it is his policy to give priority to the home producer.

Our domestic requirements of sugar are already met from the present authorised acreage, together with sugar which we are committed to purchase under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement at least until the end of 1974. There is therefore no room for any increase in beet production until that date.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the increasing number of small consignments of cereals imported into this country, he is satisfied with the present method of policing minimum import prices and levies; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that no imports subject to levy escape paying it, whatever the size of the consignment. But if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, I will gladly look into it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of foul brood have occurred in the United Kingdom over the latest available 12 months; and in how many instances these outbreaks were traced to imported honey.

In 1970 there were 928 known cases of foul brood disease of bees in the United Kingdom. No outbreak was traced to imported honey.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what efforts his Department is making to contain the spread of Dutch elm disease in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of grave depredation in Worcestershire arising from elm disease, and the request made by the Worcestershire County Council to the Forestry Commission for an order under their powers for plant and tree health and husbandry; and, in view of the negative response from the Forestry Commission, whether he will now assist the campaign against elm disease in Worcestershire by issuing an appropriate direction to the Forestry Commission.

I have authorised the Forestry Commission to make an Order under the Plant Health Act, 1967, conferring powers of inspection and control upon eligible local authorities in the areas mainly affected who elect to assume them. The Forestry Commission will contribute in total up to £250,000 towards the extra administrative costs of such authorities. I understand that Worcestershire County Council have signified its intention to accept the powers. The Commission is making the results of a recent survey of the disease available to local authorities, and is offering them its advisory services so that the most effective use can be made of the available resources in developing local strategy for containing the disease. The Commission is also conducting intensive research on the disease, and is in close touch with research abroad.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to enable local authorities to recompense retirement pensioners who have suffered hardship from having to meet the expense of felling trees with Dutch elm disease on their property, to prevent the further spread of disease.

Local authorities who accept the Order to which I referred in my reply today to my hon. Friends the Members for Woking (Mr. Onslow) and Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro) will have power to require the owners of elms to fell them at their own expense. The authorities will also have power to fell elms without cost to the owners. Which of these powers is used in a particular case must be left to the discretion of the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to prevent the use of hormones in mutton, lamb and poultry in this country, in view of the recent United States report, a copy of which is in his possession, of a possible link between residual hormones in meat and child cancer, taking into consideration that, although these hormones are only used on a very small scale in this country, in the United States of America, where this evidence was produced, hormones are fed to three-quarters of all cattle slaughtered.

Before reaching any decision on this matter my right hon. Friend is seeking the advice of the Veterinary Products Committee and others concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision he is making to ensure that consumers who, for health or other reasons, wish to know the country of origin of imported food, can obtain this information when new regulations on this matter come into force next month; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the fact that existing legislation requiring the marking of foods, including eggs, butter, fresh apples, tomatoes, cucumbers and some types of meat, will lapse under the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, on 30th November; that this will result in deception of housewives and others, whether he will now state what action he proposes to ensure for instance that consumers know the place of origin of foodstuffs.

As announced by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry today, we have decided to initiate formal consultations as required by the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, with a view to making origin marking orders as soon as practicable for imported goods—apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, meat, poultry, bacon and ham, eggs in shell, honey and butter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to appoint an independent committee of investigation into the matter of food distributors profiteering out of the conversion to decimal currency.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he now has of unwarranted food price increases consequent on decimalisation.

It is clear from letters I have received from the public and from reports in the Press that there is still some confusion about the true value of the new coins. This may have affected the extent of consumer resistance to higher prices and a small minority of less scrupulous traders may have taken advantage of the situation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of food manufacturers who have been unable to sign the Confederation of British Industry pledge to restrict price increases.

No, this is a matter between the C.B.I. and its members.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now take steps to prevent a further increase in the price of bread.

I am confident that the competitive situation in the baking industry will ensure that no increase in bread prices occurs unless it is really necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will ensure, on entry into the European Economic Community, that British wines, which account for approximately a quarter of all wines consumed in the United Kingdom and which are made in the traditional way from concentrated grape juice imported either from the European Economic Community or counties associated with the European Economic Community, will continue to be permitted to be manufactured in Great Britain, and under the nomenclature of British wine.

Discussions with the Commission suggest that arrangements can be agreed which will be acceptable to British producers, whom my right hon. Friend is keeping fully informed on progress.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many letters he has had since taking office on the question of rising food prices; and how many of these were from the Greater London area.

I have received about 1,450 letters about food prices since taking office, of which about 240 were from the Greater London area.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether a decision has yet been taken on the future of the hill livestock and beef cow subsidies when the schemes under which they are currently payable end shortly

Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval, the Government intend to renew for a further period the schemes under which they are enabled to pay the hill cow and hill sheep subsidies and the beef cow subsidy. The relevant schemes and Payments Orders will be laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what alterations he proposes to make in the arrangements for registration of contracts under the Cereals Levy Scheme.

Following representations from the cereals trade, I propose to make arrangements for the refunding of part of the registration charge in cases where the quantity imported is less than that registered, provided that the difference falls within the normal trade tolerance of 10 per cent. by weight, which caters for variations caused by factors such as handling losses in transit. The refunds will be made from the Contingencies Fund, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what taxes or other duties are charged on house purchase transactions in the United Kingdom; and what are the comparable tax charges in the countries of the European Economic Community.

On the purchase of a freehold house in the United Kingdom no stamp duty is payable if the consideration is £5,500 or less. Between £5,500 and £7,000 the duty is ½ per cent. and over £7,000 it is 1 per cent. I understand that in the countries of the European Economic Community there are registration or real property transfer taxes charged at various rates and that, except in the Federal Republic of Germany, stamp duty is charged at various rates on the relevant document.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in discussions with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress on wage restraint.

There have already been helpful discussions in the National Economic Development Council on inflation, unemployment and economic growth; and the action my right hon. Friend announced in July on prices and to stimulate a faster rate of growth has been welcomed by the C.B.I. and T.U.C. Discussions on a wide range of problems including inflation will be continuing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many infringements of the 1927 Superannuation Act have taken place since its inception.

The only infringements of which the Registrar of Friendly Societies is aware are those where documents required in respect of funds registered under the Act have been prepared or have been sent to him outside the periods specified by the Act for their preparation or delivery. No separate record of these instances is available, and their total number, which is believed to be small, could only be ascertained at the cost of disproportionate time and effort. There have been no prosecutions in respect of offences under the Act since 1938. Records prior to that year are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the 1927 Superannuation Act will be repealed with the enactment of the Government's pensions proposals.

The provisions of the Superannuation and Other Trust Funds (Validation) Act, 1927, and any question of the amendment or repeal of the Act will be considered in connection with the Government's legislation on pensions to be introduced in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will indicate his intentions as regards the rate of first-year allowance in respect of capital expenditure incurred after 19th July, 1971, on the provision of tractors and other mobile machinery and plant for use in agriculture, forestry and the service industries in development areas and Northern Ireland.

Yes. My right hon. Friend announced on 19th July his intention to include legislation in next year's Finance Bill whose effect will be that capital expenditure incurred after that date on new immobile machinery and plant for use in a development area or in Northern Ireland will qualify for the free depreciation (100 per cent. first-year) allowance, irrespective of the nature of the trade in which the equipment is used. The present statutory definition of mobile machinery and plant excludes certain equipment which in normal use has only limited mobility, but the exclusion is framed by reference to equipment used in those trades to which the 100 per cent. first-year allowance applied before 19th July. My right hon. Friend will propose in the legislation to exclude from the definition of mobile equipment machinery or plant which is suitable for use only

(i) in or about premises used for the purposes of a trade

(ii) on agricultural, forestry or amenity land

(iii) at a source of mineral deposits, Or

(iv) at or about a building or civil engineering site.

Expenditure incurred after 19th July, 1971, on such machinery or plant, if it is new and is for use in a development area or in Northern Ireland, will accordingly qualify for the 100 per cent. allowance.General-purpose farm tractors and farm trailers such as are commonly used for the conveyance of goods away from the area of the farm would not be eligible for the 100 per cent. allowance, but agricultural equipment which is suitable for use only on the land and whose normal movement is simply from one part of the farm to another, would be eligible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what rules and regulations exist governing the supply of information on individual contribution and benefit records by local offices of his Department to private insurance companies;

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to him on 4th November, 1970. To meet the requirement of Section 2 of the Law Reform (Personal Injuries) Act, 1948, information will be supplied on request to both parties to a personal injuries action, including a private insurance company acting for one of the parties, about sickness, injury or disablement benefit paid during the period of five years following the accident.—[Vol. 805, c. 400–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the purchasing power of the standard retirement pensions now, as compared to the level at which they stood immediately after the increase in November, 1969.

As measured by the General Index of Retail Prices to August, 1971, the purchasing power of the single pension is 18p, that is, 3·1 per cent. higher. The corresponding figure for a married couple is 28p, or 3·0 per cent. higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have been received for family income supplement in the North-Western (Manchester) Region; how many awards have been made, and how many claims have been rejected, up to the latest available date; and if he will list the Parliamentary constituencies covered by this region.

Up to 12th October I estimate that about 3,300 awards of family income supplement had been made to families in the North-Western (Man chester) departmental region. In addition, a further group of families estimated very approximately at 1,500 will be receiving additional supplementary benefit by virtue of the Family Income Supplement Act. I regret that regional estimates of numbers of claims made and rejected are not available at present.Following is the information:

PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES COVERED BY THE NORTH-WESTERN (MANCHESTER) REGION
LANCASHIRE	Manchester:
Chorley (Part)	Blackley
Clitheroe	Cheetham
Darwen	Openshaw
Farnworth	Exchange
Heywood and Royton	Ardwick
	Gorton
Middleton and Prestwich	Moss Side
	Withington
Newton (Part)	Wythenshawe
Westhoughton (Part)	Salford West
	Salford East
Burnley	CHESHIRE
Nelson and Colne	Cheadle
Blackburn	Knutsford
Accrington	Macclesfield
Rossendale	Stalybridge and Hyde
Bolton West
Bolton East	Stockport North
Bury and Radcliffe	Altrincham and Sale
Rochdale
Leigh	Stockport South
Oldham West	YORKSHIRE
Oldham East	Colne Valley (Part)
Eccles	Skipton (Part)
Stretford	DERBYSHIRE
Ashton-under-Lyne	High Peak (Part)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to introduce the scheme suggested by the West Riding County Council Education Committee, details of which are in his possession, whereby young people who, because they are unable to find work, decide to enrol on the industrial training course pilot scheme; and if he will ensure that social benefits are paid to these young people for the duration of the course.

I understand that the West Riding County Council began this part-time course on 6th October. Young persons attending the course who are aged 16 years or over can claim supplementary benefit provided they are registered and available for work. Unemployment benefit would depend on satisfaction of the ordinary conditions in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the complaints that have been sub- mitted to him concerning the misuse of Census information.

Seven complaints have been submitted to me, four of which were judged on investigation to be unfoundedFollowing is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet able to announce the appointment of a National Health Service Ombudsman.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he expects to make a decision regarding special responsibility allowances for additional work falling upon hospital administrations due to the number of undergraduate medical students being absorbed into the hospital for part of their training;

The Whitley Council has recognised such additional work by providing special gradings for top administrative posts in Boards of Governors and, more recently, University Hospital Management Committees. I hope it will be possible to deal with the application for Central Middlesex Hospital Management Committee, which does not have the statutory functions of a University Hospital Management Committee and is not therefore covered by the Whitley agreement, when the Staff Side has commented on a suggestion for recognising the additional work which was put to it by the Management Side last month. It was not possible to deal with the application until gradings for University Hospital Management Committees were settled earlier this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of new drugs for which licences have been applied for or specific information required since 1st July and the names of the manufacturers.

Consideration of what information should be published about the grant of licences under the Medicines Act, 1968, and the method of any publication is not yet complete. When it is I will announce the conclusions reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the two companies which refused to supply information requested by his Department in connection with the cost of drugs price regulation scheme; and if they have now complied with the directions issued.

It is normal Government practice not to disclose detailed information on relationships with industry and I think it right in this case not to publish the names of the companies concerned. The two companies have provided information in accordance with the directions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of injuries sustained in employment.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of injuries sustained in road accidents.

About £11 million—estimated—for hospital in-patient treatment in England.Detailed information is not available on which to assess the annual cost to other parts of the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to encourage doctors to report suspected adverse reactions from drugs to the Commission of Safety of Drugs; if he will take action to make such reporting easier; if he will give publicity to possible adverse effects of certain drugs; and if he will make a statement.

Reports of suspected adverse reactions to medicinal products for human use are made to the Committee on Safety of Medicines set up under Section 4 of the Medicines Act, 1968, whose terms of reference include promoting the collection and investigation of information relating to adverse reactions for the purpose of enabling the Committee to advise Ministers on this subject. This is in continuation of the work previously done by the Committee on Safety of Drugs. The new Committee has the same membership.For some years arrangements promoted by the Committee on Safety of Drugs have been in existence to facilitate reporting of suspected adverse reactions by supplying doctors with reply paid report cards for this purpose. Recently the Committee on Safety of Medicines has revised the format of the card to make its completion easier. As soon as the new cards are printed the Committee proposes to send a supply to all doctors and dentists in the United Kingdom with a covering letter urging the maximum use of these arrangements. The Committee also hopes to stimulate reporting by improving the feed-back of information about adverse reactions both direct to the professions and through regular contributions to the medical press. Members of the Committee and members of my medical staff also give lectures to professional audiences on this subject.The information collected from doctors and other sources is analysed and studied by the Committee. Any information about individual patients is treated as strictly in confidence but arrangements exist for providing all practitioners who send in reports, and others who request information, with summaries of reports of reactions to particular drugs; all particulars identifying patients are excluded.It is the Committee's policy to ensure that all doctors and others concerned are alerted to serious hazards of which it becomes aware, by sending them warning leaflets in a special Adverse Reactions Series On less serious but nevertheless important matters publicity is given by means of letters to doctors, dentists and practising pharmacists as appropriate, or by mention in the Committee's Annual Report. On occasion reports on studies commissioned by the Committee have also been published in medical journals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the normal waiting time from appointment time to actual examination in each clinic of every out-patients department of all the hospitals in the Manchester Regional Hospital Board area, giving this information in rank order for each type of clinic; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the normal waiting period for obtaining appointments to see consultants in each clinic of every outpatients department of all the hospitals in the Manchester Regional Hospital Board area, giving this information in rank order for each type of clinic; and if he will make a statement.

Information in the form requested about waiting periods for outpatient appointments and the time waited between appointment and examination is not readily available from hospital records. In all hospitals in the area covered by the Manchester Regional Hospital Board urgent cases are given appointments and seen without delay. The waiting period for other patients varies according to the specialty and the circumstances of the individual case and an average figure would have little meaning.My Department is currently investigating the waiting periods for out-patient appointments as a follow up to an earlier study in 1968 with a view to issuing further guidance to hospital authorities as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will advise and assist local authorities to obtain maximum response in compiling a list of disabled people in each local authority as required by Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act;(2) what advice he is giving to local authorities in using voluntary organisations to compile a list of disabled people under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970; and if he will make a statement.

Guidance on these matters was given in Circular 45/71 which my right hon. Friend sent to local authorities on 16th September, 1971. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the circular.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what restrictions he places on experiments which could cause discomfort or suffering to take place on terminal patients in teaching hospitals throughout Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

The participation of patients in clinical experiments is an ethical matter on which the relevant professional bodies have issued advice and guidance. The advice, which has been commended to hospital authorities, makes it clear that a patient's consent to participation must be freely given and must be based upon a proper understanding of the nature and consequences of what is proposed. I have no reason to suppose that this guidance is not being fully observed. The House will be aware that such allegations as have been made to the contrary have been strongly denied by the hospitals concerned. My responsibility in this matter relates to England only.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many, and what, experiments have been carried out upon terminal patients in hospitals in the United Kingdom, during each of the years from 1965 to 1971 inclusive, without the knowledge and consent of the patients concerned and of their relatives;(2) whether he will give an assurance that no experiments will be carried out upon terminal patients in future without their consent and knowledge and that of their relatives.

I would refer the lion. and learned Gentleman to my reply today to my hon. Friend, the Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Sally Oppenheim).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the real value of the retirement pension for retired single persons now, compared with 18th June, 1970, including any increase.

As measured by the General Index of Retail Prices between June, 1970, and August, 1971, 45p, that is, 8·1 per cent. higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications have been made, and how many granted, for the new attendance allowance payable under the National Insurance Scheme for very severely disabled people.

So far well over 60,000 claims to the new attendance allowance have been received for Great Britain. As at 12th October, nearly 41,000 had been dealt with and the allowance had been awarded in nearly 28,000 cases, either at the initial stage or following an application for review. The starting date for payment of the allowance is not until 6th December, and claims are still coming in.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it took his Department until 28th September to reply to a communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, dated 26th August, when his letter contained nothing in the way of information which could not have been sent within 24 hours; and why, on 30th September, his office failed to telephone the hon. Member for over two hours, and then only after an approach had been Made by the Prime Minister's office.

A reply to the hon. Member's letter of 26th August was not sent until 28th September because it was thought right first to review thoroughly all the medical aspects of the case to which his letter referred. As regards the hon. Member's request to discuss this reply and another war pension case with an official, it was necessary to refer to the detailed individual case papers which are kept at the Blackpool office, and arrangements were made for that office to telephone the hon. Member direct, which it did that same day as soon as the papers were to hand. I have written to the hon. Member about the points raised in his letter of 30th September.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that his office dealing with health and social security matters for Newham North and so designated is situated in Newham South, having removed from Newham North; and whether he will arrange to have this office re-sited in Newham North.

No. There are now two offices, at Woodgrange Park and Plaistow, conveniently situated within the area formerly served by the Newham North supplementary benefit office, which deal with all aspects of social security for that area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the consideration being given to the possible inclusion of brucellosis in the list of diseases prescribed under the Industrial Injuries Act; and when a decision is likely to be reached.

I understand that the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's inquiries into whether brucellosis satisfies the conditions for prescription laid down by Section 56(2) of the Industrial Injuries Act are not yet complete. As soon as the Council's report is received the need for prescription will be considered in the light of their recommendations. In the meantime claims in respect of brucellosis contracted accidentally in the course of insurable employment can be made under the accident provisions of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether all private pensions schemes will be supervised by the proposed Occupational Pensions Board.

We envisage that the Occupational Pensions Board will supervise those schemes which are or have been recognised for the purposes of exemption from the State reserve scheme. The Board will also be empowered to secure compliance with the requirements relating to the preservation of occupational pension rights on change of employment; we propose that these requirements should apply to all occupational pension schemes in which the employees have an enforceable right to the benefits and the employer contributes at least part of the cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the legislation under which private pension funds are regulated and controlled.

There is no general statutory provision for regulating and controlling private pension funds, but the National Insurance Act, 1965, lays down conditions under which occupational pension schemes can be used for the purposes of contracting out from the State graduated pension scheme, and the Superannuation and other Trust Funds (Validation) Act, 1927, exempts certain schemes which register with the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies from the rule of law relating to perpetuities. Rules for the tax treatment of occupational pension schemes are laid down in the Income and Corporation Taxes Act, 1970, and the Finance Acts, 1970 and 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of crimes of violence reported to the police in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years.

Following is the information:

INDICTABLE OFFENCES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE PERSON* KNOWN TO THE POLICE IN ENGLAND AND WALES FROM 1960 TO 1970
1960	15,759
1961	17,601
1962	17,948
1963	20,083
1964	23,470
1965	25,548
1966	26,716
1967	29,048
1968	31,850
1969	37,818
1970	41,088
* These cover the following offences: murder, attempted murder, threats or conspiracy or incitement to murder, manslaughter, infanticide, child destruction, causing death by dangerous driving, wounding and other acts endangering life, endangering railway passengers, endangering life at sea, malicious wounding and other like offences, assault, intimidation and molestation, abandoning children under two years, child stealing, procuring abortion and concealment of birth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the review of the law relating to postal votes.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on 5th August to a Question by the hon. Member for Hackney, Central (Mr. Clinton Davis).—[Vol. 822, c. 369.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on police officers were reported in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years.

The figures available for England and Wales, which relate only to persons found guilty since 1965 of offences classified as "assault on constable", are as follows:

1965	6,486
1966	6,741
1967	7,246
1968	7,609
1969	7,599
1970	7,989

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will extend the terms of reference of the Compton Commission into the treatment of internees and detainees in the first 48 hours of their arrest to cover their subsequent treatment and to cover cross-examination of witnesses by the legal representatives of the detainees.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to a Private Notice Question by the hon. Member for Salford, West (Mr. Orme).

			1970		1971
				£		£
			Tons	Thousands	Tons	Thousands
Ingots and other primary forms	January-March	…	109	14	8,972	454
	April-June	…	409	62	6,813	367
	July-August	…	324	56	10,775	544
Bars, rods, angles, shapes and sections.	January-March	…	123	17	866	119
	April-June	…	55	39	176	45
	July-August	…	105	60	125	29
Universals plates and sheets	January-March	…	1,620	492	11,518	1,215
	April-June	…	1,458	514	12,815	1,386
	July-August	…	1,558	456	12,582	1,125
Hoop and strip	January-March	…	33	19	131	22
	April-June	…	105	48	165	44
	July-August	…	60	21	5,109	271
Rails and railway track construction material.	January-March	…	—	—	—	—
	April-June	…	—	—	—	—
	July-August	…	—	—	—	—
Tubes, pipes and fittings	January-March	…	10,735	954	44,607	3,969
	April-June	…	198	237	11,153	1,172
	July-August	…	84	114	525	188
Unworked castings and forgings not elsewhere specified.	January-March	…	—	—	—	—
	April-June	…	—	—	181	161
	July-August	…	—	—	193	157

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has read the Lamsac report, concerning the number of Departments involved in consumer protection, a copy of which has

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will carry out an inquiry into high interest rates charged by money-lenders, with a view to possible legislative action.

No. The Committee on Consumer Credit, whose Report was published earlier this year, examined in great detail the activities of money-lenders and all other providers of consumer credit. It made major recommendations for new legislation which the Government are at present considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the quantities and values of Japanese steel sold in Great Britain in each of the three quarters of this year compared with 1970, detailed into the usual steel categories.

United Kingdom imports from Japan up to August, 1971, the latest month for which figures are available, and corresponding figures for 1970, were:been sent to him by the hon. Member for Eccles; and if he will take steps to implement its recommendations.

I have read with interest the document to which the hon. Member refers. As he is no doubt aware, it is a draft which has not yet been adopted by Lamsac (Local Authorities Management Services and Computer Committee). Until it has received its originators' authority it would not, in my view, be appropriate for me to comment on it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report of the Bolton Committee inquiring into the problems of the smaller businesses.

I received the report of the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms on 29th September. It is now being printed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider regulation weights for packaged biscuits in order to enable the consumer to have complete protection.

I am not convinced that it would be in the best interests of the consumer to introduce fixed weights for prepacked biscuits at the present time, but I will keep the matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the report of the Monopolies Commission on the supply of starch, glucoses and modified starches.

The Report was published today. The Commission found that monopoly conditions as defined in the legislation did not prevail in the supply of starch and modified starches. They found that such conditions did prevail in the supply of glucoses by virtue of the market share of Brown & Poison Ltd. (now CPC (United Kingdom) Ltd). The Commission found, however, that neither the monopoly conditions themselves nor anything done by Brown and Poison Ltd. as a result of, or for the purpose of preserving the conditions, operated or might be expected to operate against the public interest.My right hon. Friend accepts the Commission's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his proposals for replacement of the existing Origin Marking Orders which expire under the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, on 30th November, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his proposals for replacement of the existing Origin Marking Orders which expire under the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, on 30th November, 1971.

Existing origin marking Orders in respect of food and other goods will, under the terms of the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, no longer be effective after 29th November, 1971. The Act gives power to impose new marking requirements—as to origin or any other form of information relating to goods—but this power is only exercisable where it is considered that provision of the information is necessary or expedient in the interests of persons to whom such goods are supplied.The basic test applied in judging proposals for marking Orders is therefore whether, in the particular case, the information would give the potential purchaser reliable guidance in the selection of the goods best suited to his needs. On that basis, my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and I have now decided that formal consultations, as required by the Trade Descriptions Act, should be initiated with a view to making new origin marking Orders in respect of apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, meat, poultry, bacon and ham, eggs in shell, honey and butter.I recognise that it may well not be practicable for new Orders to become effective on 30th November, but our aim is to make them as soon as the prescribed consultations and the drafting can be completed.For various types of consumer goods other than food in respect of which I have considered proposals for origin marking, I have not found that, on the same basis, an Order would be justified by the facts and arguments advanced. I am still considering other proposals and certain further representations.It has, however, been suggested that the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act against false indications of origin—which apply to all goods and not merely to those in respect of which marking Orders now exist—may not be wide enough to ensure that the consumer is not misled into supposing that imported goods are in fact British, in the absence of a direct statement of origin. I am arranging for further discussions of this problem with interested parties.In the meantime, I believe that a case may be made out for origin marking in some fields where adequate after sales servicing and spare parts facilities are of especial significance and the consumer should consequently be warned of particular need to enquire about their availability. In other fields I am considering the desirability of marking Orders requiring the goods to be labelled with other forms of information—for example, as to their composition, construction, or performance. In some such cases I expect formal consultations to be initiated in the near future; in others, further preliminary study will be required before we reach that stage.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the reactions which he received on his recent visits to development areas, especially in regard to the consequences for those areas of United Kingdom accession to the European Economic Community.

During the Recess I visited Scotland, including Glasgow, and the North Riding of Yorkshire, when I discussed issues of economic development affecting these areas. I have found a growing understanding of the advantages which membership of the European Economic Community should bring to all parts of the country, including the development areas.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public state- ment made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at Brighton on Monday, 27th September on high food prices represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in London on 29th September on food prices represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will, during 1971, seek the opportunity to visit the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and discuss with the Soviet Government matters pertaining to Soviet espionage in the United Kingdom and the treatment of Jews in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Our concern about these matters is already well known to the Soviet authorities. I have no plans to visit the Soviet Union this year.

asked the Prime Minister if he will publish the evidence available to him of torture and mistreatment of men arrested by the Army and held without trial and charge in Northern Ireland.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to material which he enclosed with a letter he sent to me yesterday, and to which I have now replied.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on his inquiry into the dispersal of Civil Service work into the development areas.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him and other hon. Members on 14th July, 1971.I should emphasise that the nature of the work under review, much of which has a high policy content, may make it more difficult to relocate at a great distance from London, but development areas will be thoroughly considered alongside other places as the review proceeds.—[Vol. 821, C. 97–8.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what consultation there was with the Northern Ireland Government before the removal of 500 troops from Northern Ireland in September; why this decision was altered and the number of troops increased to 1,750 in October; and what steps are being taken to rationalise and co-ordinate troop movements.

Force levels in Northern Ireland are kept under constant review with the Northern Ireland Government through the Joint Security Committee; and vary in accordance with the needs of the situation. The recent reinforcements were provided to facilitate, among other things, a closer control of the border and the following up of the increasing amount of information being obtained.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the attacks on school children in Belfast, and in particular on the Crumlin Road, Oldpark Road, Cliftonville Road and Antrim Road; and what proposals he has to stop this interference.

I have received no specific reports of any attacks, although I understand that groups of unsupervised young children have on occasions thrown stones, etc., at each other when their routes to and from school have crossed. The supervision of young children is not normally a task for the Army; but patrols will continue to keep an eye on the situation whenever possible.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how much explosive material has been found intact in each of the last six months; and if he will indicate what percentage appears to have been manufactured in the Republic of Ireland.

Amounts of explosive material found intact and for which no satisfactory lawful explanation has been forthcoming have been:

April 1971	358 lbs.
May 1971	46 lbs.
June 1971	261 lbs.
July 1971	423 lbs.
August 1971	309 lbs.
September 1971	494 lbs.
	1,891 lbs.

Of this total, 59 per cent. appears to have been manufactured in the Republic of Ireland, as is much of the explosive legally imported into Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the explosion in the Four Step Inn, Shankill Road, Belfast; and what proposals he has to prevent further incidents of this type.

At approximately 10.30 p.m. on 29th September a bomb, believed to have contained 50–100 lbs. of explosive, caused extensive damage to the Four Steps Inn. Two civilians were killed and twenty-seven injured.The security forces are mounting road blocks and special patrols to deter or catch bombers, and more and more searches for explosives are being conducted as information becomes available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why he declined to meet a delegation from the Northern Ireland Police Federation during his recent visit to Belfast to discuss the withdrawal of Army guards from Royal Ulster Constabulary stations contrary to the committee report.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the visit of my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to Northern Ireland on 30th September and 1st October. The primary purpose of that visit was to discuss the security situation with senior officers and to meet Army units in the province. The opportunity was taken to hold other discussions as time permitted. The question of responsibility for guarding police stations was discussed with the Northern Ireland Police Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the organisations to which the Arts Council gave financial support during the last 12 months.

Information about all subsidies given by the Arts Council of Great Britain, including those made by the Scottish and Welsh Arts Councils, will be provided in the 26th Annual Report and Accounts of the Council which is now in preparation. In the previous financial year the Arts Council offered subsidies to approximately 670 organisations, details of which are available in the published Report and Accounts for that year, and this number has not significantly changed.I will arrange for the hon. Member to receive a copy of the 1970–71 Report as soon as it is published.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will take steps to make it mandatory to install dust extraction equipment on portable abrasive wheels in foundries.

This would require some modifications of the Chief Inspector's exemption given under the Grinding of Metals (Miscellaneous Industries) Regulations. Since these regulations apply to other industries as well as to foundries, a number of interested organisations will have to be consulted. We shall, however, examine the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present number of unemployed in Newcastle-under-Lyme; and whether he will make a statement.

At 11th October, 1971, there were provisionally 1,262 people registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Newcastle-under. Lyme employment Exchange, 83 fewer than 13th September.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers in Wales have claimed a rebate out of the Redundancy Fund in 1971, how many employees were involved; and how these figures compare with the first nine months of 1970.

I regret that figures are not readily available for the number of employers who have claimed rebate from the Redundancy Fund, and it would be too costly in terms of staff time to extract this information.The numbers of employees in respect of whom claims were dealt with during the period January to September are:

1971	12,854
1970	8,465

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will take the necessary action to declare 5th May, 1972, a public holiday.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on 18th March.—[Vol. 813. c. 377]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in relation to the recommendation of the East Midlands Economic Planning Council that the New Town of Corby, Northamptonshire, should be allowed to encourage the development of new industries so that the town may reach its planned population target of approximately 70,000, even if this is at the expense of development of new industries in other new and expanding towns in Northamptonshire; and whether he will make a statement.

I have only recently received the recommendations of the East Midlands Economic Planning Council. I shall be carefully considering them, and I will write to the right hon. and learned Member.It is the Government's view that. in seeking industrial growth and diversification, Corby should concentrate on the expansion of firms already in the town, on East Midlands firms with strong ties to the area, and on London firms which cannot reasonably make a long-distance move to the assisted areas.As a new town Corby already receives special consideration, along with other new and expanding towns, with regard to the location of industry. Against this background continued development of the town beyond its present population need not be at the expense of other new and expanding towns in the vicinity.In my statement on 12th October on the Strategic Plan for the South-East, I gave the Government's endorsement of Milton Keynes—Northampton—Wellingborough as a major growth area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the M62 Mid-Wirral Motorway to be open from the new Mersey Tunnel at Wallasey to Eastham.

The motorway between Hooton interchange and Bidston Moss—including the Moreton Spur—will be opened before the end of the year. The date of opening the new road between Bidston Moss and the second Mersey Tunnel depends on the outcome of the current appraisal of steel box girder bridges on this route. Part is already in use.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Midland Link Motorway to be extended eastward to join the M1.

The section in use will be extended to the M1 next month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Midland Link Motorway to be extended westward to join the M6.

Within a few months, subject to completion of appraisals and safety checks now being made on the steel box girder bridges on the length between Great Barr and Castle Bromwich.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has. received a letter from the Association of Public Passenger Transport Operators concerning certain statements in the 1970 Annual Report of the National Bus Company; and if he intends to publish his reply.

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes", and to the second part, "No."

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in assessing the cost of installing crash barriers on a motorway in use, what allowance is made for the adverse effect on the cost of the vehicle operation as a result of shutting off one lane.

None. As far as possible, work on motorways in use is carried out during off peak periods in short sections with long gaps in between. Any adverse effect on the cost of vehicle operation is considered to be negligible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to announce approval for further stages of the British Railways Board's £350 million investment programme in London and South-East England, and state the criteria he adopts for authorising expenditure on improvements listed in this programme.

Individual projects are considered for investment approval as and when the Railways Board puts them forward. The criteria for rail investment in London and the South-East are those my hon. Friend gave the hon. Member in answer to his question about the Fleet Line on 16th June.—[Vol. 819, c. 91.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can now give the precise date when M6 will be joined up with M1.

Not at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which Major Walsworth-Bell was dismissed from his position as an observer for Her Majesty's Government in Nigeria during the time of the civil war in that country.

Major Walsworth-Bell was appointed in March, 1969, as Assistant to the British Representative on the International Observer Team set up at the invitation of the Federal Government to observe the conduct of the civil war in Nigeria. His appointment was temporary and terminable at The Queen's pleasure.Soon after Major Walsworth-Bell arrived in Nigeria it came to the notice of the British High Commission that he was claiming that he had special and confidential instructions to advise the Federal military authorities on the conduct of the war and that in addition to his overt duties as a member of the Observer Team he had some kind of special intelligence brief for Her Majesty's Government, unknown to the major part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or to the High Commission. Neither of these claims was true.Since it was obviously essential that members of the Observer Team should be and be seen to be objective and impartial, the Minister at the High Commission in Lagos instructed Major Walsworth-Bell on 20th May, 1969, to confine himself to supporting the Chief British Observer in the Team. These instructions were repeated by the hon. Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Foley)—then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office—both orally on 4th June, 1969, when he met Major Walsworth-Bell in Nigeria and in a letter on 17th June, 1969. Major Walsworth-Bell was again instructed by a senior official at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 26th August, 1969, to confine himself to the job to which he was appointed.Major Walsworth-Bell did not comply with these clear, specific and repeated instructions. His appointment was accordingly terminated on 30th September, 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist for Her Majesty's Government to provide financial assistance for investigations by consulting engineers in underdeveloped overseas territories, thereby helping the development of those countries and assisting British suppliers of construction materials, plant and machinery; and if he will make a statement.

An important feature of Her Majesty's Government's aid to developing countries has for some time been the provision of the services of British consultants, in response to requests for assistance from the Government of the country concerned, to carry out economic and feasibility studies or other pre-investment investigations relating to worthwhile development. The number of such investigations by British consulting engineers which have been approved in the last three financial years, and the total aid commitments involved, are as follows:

	Numbers approved	Value
		£
1968–69	37	1,107,620
1969–70	32	951,685
1970–71	39	1,470,520

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present position concerning the third replenishment of the International Development Association.

The Third Replenishment of over $800 millions a year for three years cannot become effective until it has been ratified by the United States, but the Association has now received firm pledges of advance contributions of over $300 millions from eight donors. This will allow it to continue its planned commitments for some months. The pledges include £43·2 millions from Britain, or the whole of our first year's payment to the Replenishment, following parliamentary approval of the necessary draft Order in June. Further offers of support are expected from other Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of crimes of violence reported to the police in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years.

The number of crimes of violence reported to the police in Scotland in each of the years from 1960 to 1970 is as shown in the following table. While the number is regrettably high, there has been an improvement in the last two years.

NUMBER OF CRIMES OF VIOLENCE KNOWN TO THE POLICE IN SCOTLAND
1960	1,528
1961	1,661
1962	1,829
1963	1,936
1964	2,276
1965	2,623
1966	2,929
1967	3,535
1968	3,586
1969	3,366
1970	3,204

In Scotland the category "crimes of violence" comprises murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, assault, threat, rape, assualt with intent to revish and indecent assault.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many assaults on police officers were reported in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years.

Assaults upon the police in Scotland resulting in absence from duty numbererd 108 in 1970. The corresponding figures for the previous 10 years are as follows:

1960	53
1961	60
1962	60
1963	56
1964	64
1965	76
1966	88
1967	105
1968	132
1969	120

asked the Secretary State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the numbers of Welsh primary schoolchildren in each local education authority in Wales, and the numbers of such children who have been certified as being in need of free school milk.

The number of children on roll in maintained primary schools in Wales in January, 1971, the most recent date for which information is available, was 302,979 comprised as follows:

Anglesey	6,700
Breconshire	5,710
Caernarvonshire	12,182
Cardiganshire	5,365
Carmarthenshire	16,449
Denbighshire	19,138
Flintshire	20,945
Glamorgan	86,524
Merioneth	3,637
Monmouthshire	41,054
Montgomeryshire	4,518
Pembrokeshire	11,037
Radnorshire	1,917
Cardiff	30,019
Merthyr Tydfil	5,936
Newport	13,478
Swansea	18,370

The number of children who have been certified as being in need of free school milk will not be known until the analysis of the Autumn Census returns relating to provision of milk and meals has been completed. Local education authorities have been asked to submit the returns by 1st November, 1971.