asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many Service personnel died whilst in transit at sea and were buried at sea without a post mortem examination; and in how many such cases widows and other dependants were refused a war or Service widow's pension resulting from service in the Armed Forces during the two war periods 1914–18 and 1939–45; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many war widows and Service widows, who are still living, were refused the appropriate pension as a result of medical reports; and how many where the deceased were either buried overseas or buried at sea.

The information requested is not available. Title to a Service widow's pension in no way depends on the circumstances in which the husband dies; a war widow's pension is payable where death results from service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to complete his review of family planning under the National Health Service.

My right hon. Friend hopes to complete his review before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further proposals he has for the expansion of family planning research.

None, until the results are available of current research and my review of policy is complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions have been given by his Department to social security officers, in dealing with requests for financial help by elderly people who are facing finan- cial hardship in buying new gas appliances as a result of gas conversion.

Local gas boards are responsible for converting appliances to use North Sea gas, without charge to the consumer. Where safety is involved, for example if an unsafe appliance has to be replaced before conversion, the Supplementary Benefits Commission's instructions provide for discretionary payments to help claimants with the expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet in a position to announce to the House the results of the inquiry into the death of a Watford woman patient at Napsbury Hospital.

No. I understand the police inquiries are still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for social security payments for rents and rates to be paid direct to the local authority, thus avoiding the cost of collection and of court charges.

The commission is advised that it would not be a proper exercise of its discretion to make it a general practice to pay rent and rates direct to local authorities, in view of the terms of Section 17(3) of the Ministry of Social Security Act, 1966, which provides that benefit or part of it may be paid to third parties where it appears to the commission that it is necessary for protecting the interests of the claimant or of his dependants, or where the claimant requests it.If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in his next review of State retirement pensions, he will consider proposals for them to be geared to the cost of living, the average wage in industry and wage increases in separate industries.

We have promised that we will at least restore the purchasing power of pensions at each review. Increases beyond that must depend on the prevailing economic and other circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will begin this year's review of retirement pensions and other benefits.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 22nd February, 1972.—[Vol. 831, c. 239.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the light of the case of James Martin, of Leicester, he will give special consideration in his appraisal of the attendance allowance to the cases of limbless children whose disabilities were not due to the drug thalidomide.

As the hon. and learned Gentleman will be aware, the basis on which attendance allowance is awarded is the degree of attention or supervision needed and not the cause of the disability which leads to that need.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies he is undertaking to assess the value of home care services; and what plans he has to improve these services.

My Department's research and development programme includes a wide range of research in home care services. I am sending my hon. Friend the published programme.I have issued circulars of guidance to local authorities in recent months setting out ways in which home care services can be improved: two particular examples are circular 53/71 on home help and related services and circular 13/72 on community health services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the new formula for revenue allocations to regional hospital authorities will provide sufficient funds to meet the cost increases which will be created by the enlarged capital programme he has authorised; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I am satisfied that each board will have sufficient funds to meet the running costs resulting from its capital programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the working of the rule requiring 156 paid national insurance contributions as the basis for qualification for various benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The National Insurance Scheme is a contributory one, and I think the payment of 156 flat-rate contributions represents a reasonable basis for entitlement to the long-term benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in his next review, he will consider improving national insurance benefits for the long-term unemployed.

The level of unemployment benefit will be included in this year's review of pensions and benefits. As I have already informed the hon. Member in my reply to him on 22nd February, we see no need for other changes at present.—[Vol. 831, c. 249.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the ratio of general practitioners to patients in the area of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board; and how this compares with the ratio in the South Eastern Hospital Board area now and in 1968.

At 1st October, 1971, the average number of patients on the lists of general practitioners in the area of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board was 2,558, and in the area of the South East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board 2,453. The corresponding figures at 1st October, 1968, were 2,554 and 2,467.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the birth rate in the last three months of 1970 and of 1971.

15·6 and 14·9 per thousand population in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the favourable representations he has received from local authorities regarding the publication of their records of identifying and assisting the disabled; what representations he has received from local authorities objecting to the publication of their records of identification and assistance to the disabled; if he will now rationalise such statistics; and if he will make a statement.

The local authority associations share my view that it would be undesirable for me to publish statistics in a form which is misleading. As I have already explained, a thorough review of social services statistics is now in hand.—[Vol. 831, c. 925–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider the desirability of legislation to prevent the public sale of pregnancy testing kits.

The matter is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average annual expenditure on hospital services in Leicestershire per head of population in the last three years; and what was the comparable figure nationally and in Nottinghamshire.

Hospital service current expenditure per head of population in Leicestershire and Rutland in 1968–69 was £9·6; in 1969–70 it was £102 and in 1970–71 £12·2. The corresponds figures nationally are £12·9, £140 and £16·5, and for Nottinghamshire £12·6, £13·7 and £16·3.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on his plans to pay an official visit to the City of Portsmouth.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to prohibit touting for abortions.

I intend to await the recommendations of the Lane Committee before considering the introduction of legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what replies have been received by the Chairman of the Manchester Regional Hospital Board from the members of the Whittingham Hospital Management Committee following his request for their resignations.

All the members have resigned and a reconstituted committee has been appointed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in his appraisal of the scope of the attendance allowance, he will consider making it payable when constant attendance is needed only by day or only by night.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to extend constant attendance allowance to those persons very severely handicapped but not needing attention round the clock who are now being refused attendance allowance on the ground of insufficient disability.

I would refer the hon. Members to my reply to similar Questions from hon. Members on 21st December. 1971.—[Vol. 828, c. 1284–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision he intends to make for an allowance for attendance to be paid in respect of a child in the care of a foster-parent, under an arrangement with a local authority.

None. It would be inappropriate to pay the allowance for those, whether adults or children, for whose accommodation, care and maintenance a local authority has accepted responsibility, either directly or indirectly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now review the regulations governing award of constant attendance allowances, in view of the number of deserving cases where this has been refused.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to similar Questions on 21st December, 1971.—[Vol. 828, c. 1284–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest weekly and yearly amount being paid in supplementary benefits; and how these figures compare with those for one year previously.

Average weekly expenditure in November, 1971, is estimated to be £12·3 million compared with £11·0 million in November, 1970. Annual expenditure in the financial year 1970–71 was £525·1 million compared with £471·3 million in 1969–70.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that the areas to be served by the new regional health authorities will coincide with the present boundaries of regional economic planning councils.

No. I propose that the new health regions should be based on the areas of the present regional hospital boards, with adjustments to fit new local government boundaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the efficiency of social services in the Colne Valley constituency; and what reply he has sent.

The only representations I have received are those in a letter from the hon. Member to which I have sent a full reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will under take a national publicity campaign calling attention to the dangers to health from drug taking.

Some educational activities on the misuse of drugs are already being undertaken. The judgment of the Health Education Council is that a national campaign would be inappropriate at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the conditions under which consultants in hospitals may be appointed on a part-time basis by regional hospital boards.

The main conditions are prescribed in the National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations, 1969, and in the terms and conditions of service of hospital medical and dental staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is yet able to state when he expects to introduce the legislation to establish a Health Service Commissioner.

The necessary provisions will be included in the legislation required for the reorganisation of the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will confirm that, in considering candidates for appointment as the Health Commissioner, he will consider suitably qualified women as well as men.

Of course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, since his recent decision on vehicles for the disabled, he has studied the article in the March issue of Which?, the Consumers' Asociation magazine, a copy of which has been sent to him, dealing with such vehicles; and what action he proposes to take in the light of it.

The matters referred to in this article are known to me. Some of the technical criticisms are accepted and I shall do my best to ensure that necessary improvements to the newly-designed vehicle are made as soon as possible. We are particularly conscious of the desirability of reducing the noise and the Department's engineers have for some time been examining this in collaboration with the Motor Industries Research Association. As my right hon. Friend explained in his reply to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter Jones) on 8th March, the vehicles are safe and harm could be done by contrary allegations.—[Vol. 832, c. 364.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will seek to alter the law so that, on the death of widows of war-wounded men from the First World War who could not pay stamps on account of total disablement, death benefit should be payable.

It is possible for death grant to be paid on the basis of credits rather than paid contributions. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will let me have details I will gladly look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's policy with regard to the opening of local offices; if he is satisfied that postal inquiries and visits by departmental officers provide a satisfactory service to the public; and if he will make a statement.

Our aim is to provide a network of reasonably accessible all-purpose social security offices where people may call and transact their business in person if they so wish. Most claims and inquiries are made and dealt with by post, although new claimants to supplementary benefit are normally visited in their homes. I am satisfied that the service given is generally satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what basis he decided not to open a local office of his Department in Newton Aycliffe.

Recent investigations do not indicate sufficient demand to justify opening a separate office, but the matter will be kept closely under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the criteria he uses in estimating the demand for a local office of his Department.

The main consideration is that the volume of business in the area should be sufficient for an office to be run as a viable administrative unit. Whether an office should be opened in a particular town will depend on the geographical situation, the distribution of population in the area to be served, local communications and other circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time in the Sheffield Hospital Management Committee Group for sterilisation by vasectomy operation under the National Health Service; and what is the average time for private patients.

The average waiting time for National Health Service patients is about two months. So far as private patients are concerned, waiting time depends on individual arrangements made between the patients and the surgeon.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to amend the law regarding the payment of social benefits to strikers and their families when no strike pay is available.

I indicated in the debate on the Second Reading of the Social Security Bill that the Government would be reviewing the effect of the legislation in the light of experience to see whether any change was necessary and this is being done.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he yet has details of the total cost to public funds of supplementary benefits paid to those involved in the miners' strike, and to their dependants during the duration of the strike, of payments made after resumption of work, and of the administrative costs of making these payments to suit the convenience of recipients; and if he will instance the last industrial stoppage which involved his Department, or the predecessor Departments, in larger outgoings than this.

The total amount of supplementary benefit paid during the dispute to the strikers themselves was £152,659 and for their dependants £5,370,821. A further £521,573 was paid following resumption of work. The administrative cost of the dispute is not yet known. The length of the miners' strike together with the large number of men involved combined to make the amount of supplementary benefit so far paid out the highest in an industrial dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is functioning efficiently with easy access for the public; and if he will make a statement.

The council's functions under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act are to advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on proposals for regulations, and on questions relating to the Act which he may refer to it. On such questions the council's practice is to invite evidence from interested persons and organisations. In addition, the council may make recommendations on its own initiative to my right hon. Friend in relation to the schedule of prescribed diseases. In this connection it is open to the council to consider representations from outside bodies. I have no doubt that all the functions of the council are being satisfactorily performed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make arrangements for an additional heating allowance to be paid to those living on small fixed incomes and the disabled, in view of the increases in the prices of gas, electricity and coal; and what investigations are being made into special heating both in the short- and long-term.

As my hon. Friend knows, the Government have undertaken to review retirement pensions and other social security benefits every year, and rises in fuel and other prices will be taken into account at each review. The Supplementary Benefits Commission makes special additions to benefit to meet exceptional needs for extra heating, and the levels of these additions will also be increased when movements in fuel prices make this appropriate. I cannot anticipate the contents of this year's uprating of benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what allowance is made for fuel in calculating the weekly supplementary allowance and supplementary pension.

The supplementary benefit scale rates are intended to cover all normal living expenses. No specific sum is allocated to fuel within the total, or within the long-term addition where that is payable. Those with exceptional needs for heating may receive special additions for the purpose to the extent that the expense is not already met by the long-term addition. The amounts of the special additions depend upon the circumstances in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will investigate the methods used to provide humidifiers in medicinal tablet containers and take steps to ensure that the sachet process is used in order to prevent elderly people who cannot or do not read the small print mistaking such humidifying capsules for the tablets which they have been medically prescribed.

I understand that various dehumidifiers are in use depending on the size, nature and content of the pack. I am not aware of any adverse effects from present methods but will arrange for discussion with the pharmaceutical industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that simplified and easily understandable language is used by his Department on duplicated letters which are intended for the general public; and if he will make a statement.

I have written to the hon. Member in connection with this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with the Liverpool City Council regarding the implementation of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970; what was the response; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received for additional financial aid to local authorities in connection with the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Suggestions are often put to me that additional Government aid should be given for implementation of the Act. The forecasts of relevant expenditure attracting rate support grant in 1971–72 and 1972–73 provided for increased spending on the welfare of the handicapped; and local authorities' views on further expenditure will be taken into account in the forthcoming negotiations on grant for 1973–74.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will seek powers to appoint a commissioner whose function it would be to assist local authorities to implement legislation affecting the chronically sick and disabled.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for The Hartlepools (Mr. Leadbitter) on 25th January.—[Vol. 829, c. 416.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many married doctors have to live in hospitals; and how many married quarters are available in hospitals.

I regret that the information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now take steps to award war widows' pensions to the widows of all Far Eastern prisoners of war whose deaths cannot clearly be proved as having been caused by, or hastened by, their ordeal as a prisoner of war, in the light of recent evidence.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Questions on Monday, 13th March.—[Vol. 833, c. 28.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement regarding the provision of neurosurgical facilities at the Ipswich and Suffolk Hospital.

The East Anglian Regional Hospital Board and the Board of Governors of the United Cambridge Hospitals plan to develop a single neurosurgical unit for the region based on the present unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital and no neurosurgical beds will be provided at the new Ipswich hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now seek to exempt from prescription charges all women retirement pensioners over 60 years of age.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Openshaw (Mr. Charles R. Morris) on 3rd December, 1971.—[Vol. 827, c. 193.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider the maintenance of community hospitals as a priority in future financial provisions made by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The maintenance of all hospital services is in the hands of hospital boards which determine priorities in the light of advice from my Department and of local circumstances. I have not issued guidance on community hospitals, but I hope to do so in the course of the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now reconstitute the Standing Joint Committee on the Classification of Proprietary Medicines.

We do not consider that there is a case for doing this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will tabulate the shortages of staff in the ancillary hospital services both for the country as a whole and for the area of the Newcastle Hospital Board.

Levels of ancillary staffing have not been laid down centrally. The filling of vacancies is a matter for employing authorities, and no records of such vacancies are maintained either nationally or by the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representation he has received from the associations actively engaged in the interest of disabled drivers since he made his last statement on vehicles for the disabled; if he expects to widen the methods of assisting disabled drivers with their mobility problems; and if he will make a statement.

The changes my right hon. Friend announced on 21st February have in general been taken as a welcome advance. The further examination we are now about to undertake is intended to identify more comprehensively the mobility needs of severely disabled people and the most effective methods of dealing with them.—[Vol. 831, c. 213–15.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that when certain high calorie protein-free products and other line substances are prescribed by the Hospital Service, and the patient is informed that these may be prescribed by his general practitioner on National Health Service prescription, the designed therapy is not delayed by any failure to achieve the appropriate understanding between the hospital department and the general practitioner; and if he will make a statement.

In general, yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in reviewing the death grant, he will consider relating the sum payable to the circumstances of the deceased.

We have no proposal in mind for varying the grant in this way

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to extend benefit to people whose pre-existing conditions had remained dormant until precipitated by an industrial accident or disease; and if he will make a statement.

It is already the position that where an industrial accident or disease accelerates the onset of or aggravates a disability arising from a pre-existing condition, the disablement due to such acceleration or aggravation is taken into account for the purpose of benefit under the Industrial Injuries Act to the extent to which the adjudicating authority considers that the condition would not have been disabling but for the accident.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will require notices on industrial injury benefit to be displayed in all places of work and in doctors' surgeries to ensure that people are made fully aware of their right to claim benefit; and if he will make a statement.

We consider that the existing arrangements for bringing the benefits of the Industrial Injuries Scheme to the notice of potential claimants are adequate without placing these requirements on employers and doctors. Medical certificates make provision for claiming that incapacity is due to an industrial injury or prescribed disease and the Department's local offices issue claim forms and leaflets as appropriate where it appears that there may be title to the disablement benefits of the Industrial Injuries Scheme. Posters have been issued to employers with large numbers of employees in the past and these are still available on application.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to abolish the six-day time limit for filing claims for industrial injury benefit; and if he will make a statement.

As a consequence of the National Insurance Act, 1966, the time limits for claiming industrial injury benefit were brought into line with those for sickness benefit and are now 21 days where there has been no previous claim for sickness or injury benefit, six days where the claim is not an original claim but is the first in a period of incapacity for work and 10 days for any continuation claim. As all these limits can be extended where the claimant proves that there was reasonable cause for his failure to claim within the prescribed time we consider them to be entirely adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many requests for commutation of pension rights into a capital lump sum have been received by his Department or its relevant predecessors each year since 1945.

This information is not available. The number will however have been small, since it is generally known that social security benefits and war pensions cannot be commuted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has yet received the evaluation on tobacco substitutes from his Scientific Liaison Committee.

No. I understand that the Committee has begun to investigate what tests are available. This is a complicated matter which will need to be looked at in some detail and I do not expect the committee to have completed its work in this area for some time—particularly since further research may be required.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which general hospitals completed in the last 10 years have provision for accommodating in-patients with ear, nose and throat disease and which have not; and what is now the ratio of ear, nose and throat beds to population in their catchment areas.

The details are as follows:

Hospital*	Number of Ear, Nose and Throat beds	Ratio of Ear, Nose and Throat beds to 1,000 population in Catchment Area†
Ashington Hospital	None	0·06
West Cumberland Hospital	10	0·07
Airedale General Hospital	None	Nil
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary	27	0·11
QueenElizabethII Hospital, Welwyn Garden City	14	0·09
General Hospital, Southend	20	0·09
Isle of Thanet District Hospital, Margate	10	0·08
Crawley Hospital	20	0·08
Leighton New Hospital near Crewe	28	0·23
Poole General Hospital	42	0·13
* General hospitals where all phases of development or redevelopment have been completed and there is no firm plan for further work on the site.
† Area served by the Group to which the completed hospital belongs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the proportion of ear, nose and throat beds to population in the hospital region currently making the highest provision for in-patients with ear, nose and throat diseases; what is the national average of such provision; and what is the provision in the areas of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board, the South Teesside Hospital Management Committee and the North Teesside Management Committee, respectively.

The information is as follows:

	Ear, Nose and Throat Beds per 1,000 population*
North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board (highest provision)	0·18†
England	0·13
Newcastle Regional Hospital Board	0·12
South Teesside Hospital Management Committee	0·18‡
North Teesside Hospital Management Committee	Nil‡
* Figures include teaching hospital provision.
† Excluding the Royal National Ear, Nose and Throat postgraduate teaching hospital which is a national centre, the figure is 0·13.
‡ The policy of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board is to provide ear, nose and throat services for all Teesside from the North Riding Infirmary, and the aggregated figure for both North and South Teesside is 0·13.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what payments are made by surgeons for the use of National Health facilities and staff when performing operations on private patients.

In accordance with Sections 1 and 2 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968, the private patient pays for the use of these facilities through the hospital charges which are designed to cover the full cost of the accommodation and services, including the services of National Health Service staff, made available. No charge is payable by the surgeon.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the recent report on the drug imipramine, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange;(2) what further steps he will take to warn of the possible danger of taking the drug imipramine during the early part of pregnancy.

The latest information from the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee indicates that the earlier reports were inaccurate. Of the cases reported only one of the mothers is now said to have taken imipramine during pregnancy. This further information will be brought to the attention of the Committee on Safety of Medicines.Abnormalities of the kind reported may occur spontaneously and too much significance should not be placed at this stage, and in the absence of further evidence, to this single reported case.Many women are treated with drugs during pregnancy, or may become pregnant while undergoing treatment with drugs. Imipramine is a valuable and widely used drug for the treatment of psychiatric disturbances and it is for the patient's doctor to weigh carefully the benefit of treatment with the drug against the possible hazards when prescribing for women of child-bearing age

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the safety of the drug imipramine, and if he will call for an early report from the Committee on the Safety of Medicines into its use.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking with respect to recent reports concerning imipramine; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Halifax (Dr. Summerskill) on 13th March.—[Vol. 833, c. 27–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with the warning on the drug tofranil if taken during pregnancy; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied with the warning on the drug berkomine if taken during pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

Literature available to doctors advises that the drugs should only be given to women during pregnancy if there are compelling reasons. The Committee on Safety of Medicines is considering whether any further steps are necessary or desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that the most recent pay increase awarded to the nurses is insufficient to match the rise in the cost of living which has occurred in the last 12 months and that the standard of living of nurses is therefore being reduced; and what steps he intends to take to remedy this situation.

I do not think this will be found to be the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now double the long-term addition to those in receipt of supplementary benefit.

No, but we are keeping the question of possible improvement in the long-term addition under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further representations he has had from the dental profession regarding the effect of increased dental charges on the number of patients they are now treating; and what replies he has given.

So far this year I have received one letter from a dentist on this matter. In reply I pointed out that evidence so far available does not indicate that fewer patients are seeking dental treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the 7½ per cent. increase in the price of coal, and the consequential rise in prices of other items affecting retirement pensioners and all on welfare payments, if he will now increase all welfare benefits.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply yesterday to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Mr. Michael Cocks).—[Vol. 833, c. 28.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the Report on the Forestry Policy as a Green Paper ahead of any Government decision on policy.

I cannot at present add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, West (Mr. Wingfield Digby) and the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. David Clark) on 29th February.—[Vol. 832, c. 57.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the increase in the cost of production of barley on one acre of land between 1970 and 1971.

It is not possible to make an accurate estimate but the increases in the guaranteed prices recently announced will provide full recoupment of cost increases on cereals after taking account of the reduction in the fertiliser subsidy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tons of beef were produced in the year 1971–72; and how many tons he estimates will be produced in 1972–73.

Home-fed production of beef and veal in the fatstock year April, 1971, to March, 1972, is expected to total some 940,000 tons. We expect home-fed production in 1972–73 to increase by about 4 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will cause an investigation to be made in his Department to ascertain how and why the midday London evening newspapers were able to publish full details of the answers to his Parliamentary Question on the reduction of food prices on Thursday, 9th March, before his announcement to the House of Commons.

No. While some newspapers speculated about possible changes, there was no publication in advance of my informing the House on Wednesday, 8th March, of my decisions on milk and sugar prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider treating maintenance paid to divorced and separated women as earned income.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a similar question by him on 8th November, 1971.—[Vol. 825, c. 82.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people receiving earned income would be relieved of the necessity for any net deduction for income tax purposes to be made from their wages or salaries if child allowances and family allowances were abolished for all children under 16 years of age and positive tax credits were allowed to be offset simultaneously against their tax liabilities by their employers at a rate of £1·50 per week for each child affected.

About £ million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total tax revenue in Great Britain for the year 1938–39; what percentage of the gross national product this was; and what are the comparable figures for the year 1970–71.

Total tax revenue in 1938 was £1,086 million, representing 21 per cent. of gross national product. Figures of G.N.P. for the financial year 1938–39 are not available. For the year 1970 the corresponding figures are £16,555 million and 38·6 per cent. and for the financial year 1970–71, £16,633 million and 37·9 per cent. The figures for total tax revenue are taken as the sum of taxes on income, expenditure and capital as defined for national accounts purposes. They thus include local authority rates but exclude national insurance and health contributions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he received a communication from the Secretary-General of the Royal Automobile Club on motor taxation, sent under date of 1st March; what were its contents; what was the nature of his reply; and whether he will make a statement.

The Secretary-General of the Royal Automobile Club wrote to my right hon. Friend on 28th February. It is not the practice to comment on such representations before a Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a means of reflating the economy, increasing employment, reducing costs and prices and the cost of living, he will, in his forthcoming Budget, reduce the various forms of taxation on motoring.

The hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a general direction to British Railways to introduce visual indicators at all stations giving last-minute train announcements, platform changes, etc., for the benefit of deaf people.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from his alkali inspectorate about pollution from the Rock Metal Works at Jackfield and its effect on nearby homes and the character of the neighbourhood; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that complaints have been made about these works. I am advised that although they are complying with statutory requirements by using the best practicable means to prevent and minimise emissions, in the present state of knowledge no technological methods can ensure that trouble from fumes will not occur intermittently. The enclosed nature of the site and the proximity of dwelling-houses makes the problem an awkward one. Failing a technological solution the only statutory remedy would be by way of a discontinuance order. This would be primarily the responsibility of the Salop County Council but if they make one my right hon. Friend will consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation compelling a local planning authority to consult with neighbouring authorities whenever their amenities, or well-being, are likely to be affected and to enable him in such circumstances to grant, where he deems it justified, the neighbouring authorities an equal say in the planning permission; and if he will make a statement.

The Town and Country Planning (General Development) Orders require local planning authorities to consult a neighbouring planning authority before granting permission for development likely to affect land in the area of the latter. They must take into account any representations received within a specified period. Where an appeal is made to my right hon. Friend about development affecting land in the area of a neighbouring planning authority, he ensures that the views of both authorities are taken into account. I do not think it practicable to give two authorities an equal say in the handling of a single matter. In the exceptional case my right hon. Friend could exercise his power to call an application in for his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet able to state his policy on the proportionment of liability for prophylactic measures designed to combat motorways or trunk road blight, including noise, where it will substantially affect the cost of nearby residental development.

This must await consideration of the report of the Urban Motorways Committee, which will be submitted later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost of building a house in a new town, including the cost of providing services, the average cost of bringing older houses up to the standards required for improvement grants, and the number of such houses that can be modernised in relation to one new construction.

The average cost in 1971 of a house built by a development corporation in a new town was estimated to be £5,500. This includes the cost of land, construction, siteworks, associated roads, and water and sewerage services. In the same year the average grant-aided expenditure on each dwelling improved with the help of a discretionary grant was £1,113. No answer can be given to the last part of the Question because no figures are available of the cost of non-grant-aided work needed to bring houses which were improved into a state of good repair. But expenditure on bringing older houses up to modernstandards is money well spent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which planning authority in the North-West Region spent most on restoring derelict land in 1970, where the costs of acquisition and restoration are expressed as a percentage of the authority's rateable income.

Taking the estimated gross capital costs for 1970–71, before the payment of grant, as a proportion of the estimated rate or precept income for that year, the highest percentage among local planning authorities in the North-West Region is 11 per cent. for Bury C.B.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the local authorities in the North-West Region which failed to reach their land clearance targets for 1970, as given in the 1969 derelict land survey.

The derelict land surveys do not identify targets of individual authorities. They provide figures of land restored by all agencies, including local authorities, during a given year and estimates—which tend to be over optimistic—of the amount expected to be restored by all agencies in the ensuing year. In the North-West Region the acreage restored in 1970 was less than the estimate in all local planning authority areas except one. In Barrow-in-Furness C.B. three acres were restored compared with an estimate of two acres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities in England with derelict land capable of being renewed which failed to deal with any acreage in 1970.

The annual derelict land surveys show the acreage of land the restoration of which has been completed during the year. They do not show the acreage of land the restoration of which is in progress but has not been completed. The 1970 survey showed a nil acreage restored in the areas of 37 local planning authorities. The areas are as follows:

• NORTH WEST REGION
• Blackpool C.B.
• Burnley C.B.
• Bury C.B.
• Liverpool C.B.
• Oldham C.B.
• Rochdale C.B.
• Salford C.B.
• Stockport C.B.
• Wallasey C.B.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost of acquiring and reclaiming an acre of derelict land in southeast Lancashire.

The average gross cost per acre of derelict land reclamation schemes in south-east Lancashire approved by the Department since 1st April, 1970, was £1,520, including land acquisition.The costs of individual schemes range from about £150 an acre to £3,800 an acre, omitting the very small schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total acreage of derelict land in the West Riding; how many acres were restored in each year from 1966 onwards; and what land reclamation schemes are currently in progress or planned and given final approval by his Department in the county.

The last completed derelict land survey showed a total of 7,726 acres of derelict land in the administrative county at 31st December, 1970, of which 5,092 acres were considered to justify treatment. 38 acres were reclaimed in 1966, 160 in 1967; 91 in 1968; 103 in 1969 and 537 in 1970. The present position as regards local authority schemes finally approved for great purposes is as follows:

Schemes in progress	Acreage	Estimated gross cost
27	812	£991,519
Schemes not vet started	Acreage	Estimated gross cost
32	166	£293,750

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give a new grant to Manchester for housing and slum clearance to offset the rate increase caused in part by the drop in Manchester's population.

The Housing Finance Bill provides for a slum clearance subsidy, payable for 1971–72 and subsequent years, which will meet 75 per cent. of the net loss on slum clearance which would otherwise fall on the rates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that road vehicles from Ireland are enabled to travel on the British roads for 12 months without a Road Fund licence, and that no registration of such vehicles has to be made; what are the reasons for this; and whether, in view of the latest developments in the use of such vehicles for terrorism, he will initiate a system of licensing and registration on entry into Great Britain of all vehicles from Ireland.

Registration and licensing of vehicles temporarily imported from the Irish Republic is governed by multilateral international agreement. Long standing administrative arrangements apply in the case of Northern Ireland on a reciprocal basis. I see no advantage in any alteration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name in the Official Report those local authorities which provide a consumer protection bureau.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the forthcoming legislation on consumer protection, he intends to propose a replacement of the Consumer Council.

No. The object of the legislation which we have in mind is to restrain the exclusion of implied conditions in contracts for the sale of goods, which is generally recognised to be among the most urgent requirements in the field of consumer protection.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cause of the dispute with the staff of the Registrar of Companies; what effect this has had on the work of the Registrar; and if he will make a statement.

I have no knowledge of any dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many joint studies public undertakings in Great Britain have undertaken with the French Atomic Energy Agency; what they are; and what technical advice Her Majesty's Government have given.

Bilateral arrangements for exchanges of information and international co-operation through, for example, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Nuclear Energy Agency, have given rise over the years to a number of studies and experiments on specific topics undertaken jointly by the French Commissariat for Atomic Energy and United Kingdom bodies concerned with nuclear matters. Current examples are economics of building a large gaseous diffusion enrichment plant in Europe, graphite coolant chemistry and fast reactor safety.No technical advice has been given by Her Majesty's Government in any of these cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what calculations have been made of the year in which Great Britain could be self-sufficient in oil; and what capital sums are likely to be involved in reaching such a goal.

The estimates of production are not yet firm enough to make such calculations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the travel times, from city centre to city centre, via London, Heathrow Airport, and via the Channel Tunnel and advanced passenger train, from London to Brussels, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Marseilles, Hamburg and Hanover.

Average journey times to the centre of these cities via Heathrow Airport and direct air link are:

			Hours
Brussels	…	…	3¼
Luxembourg	…	…	3¼
Amsterdam	…	…	3½
Marseilles	…	…	4½
Hamburg	…	…	3¾
Hanover	…	…	3¾

At present no worthwhile estimates can be made for the equivalent journey time using high-speed trains and a Channel Tunnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what distance from London he expects travel by air from Central London via Heathrow to be quicker than via the Channel Tunnel and the advanced passenger train, city centre to city centre.

At present no worthwhile general comparisons can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1), in view of the fact that 65 per cent. of all new cases of pneumoconiosis diagnosed each year are from the coal mining industry and that 773 were diagnosed during 1970, if he will list the amount of research being carried out by Government establishments which is designed to combat this industrial disease;(2) if he is aware that deaths from pneumoconiosis among coalminers are on the increase, namely 657 in 1967, 714 in 1968, 716 in 1969 and 726 in 1970; and whether he will consider apportioning more Government funds on preventive and curative research into this industrial disease;(3) if he will list the establishments in the United Kingdom that are involved in pneumoconiosis research, indicating their specific research activities.

The following is a list of Government and other establishments in Great Britain and their activities in relation to the cause, prevention and cure of coal workers' pneumoconiosis:

1. The Safety in Mines Research Establishment of the Department of Trade and Industry—dust sampling, instrumentation, fundamental research in dust control, methods of personal protection.

2. The Pneumoconiosis Research Unit of the Medical Research Council—clinical aspects of pneumoconiosis, treatment and prognosis.

3 The Institute of Occupational Medicine (an N.C.B.-financed trust comprising the Board's former medical research establishments)—relationship between environmental dust and pneumoconiosis, causation of progressive massive fibrosis, X-ray film reading techniques, relationship between chronic bronchitis and dust exposure, relationship between emphysema and oxides of nitrogen, dust physics.

4. The Mining Research and Development Establishment of the National Coal Board—dust suppression engineering, dust physics.

All these institutions keep in close touch with research being conducted in other countries. The Medical Research Council is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. I am assured, however, that no worthwhile projects are being held up for lack of funds.The number of deaths from pneumoconiosis in recent years does not reflect present day working conditions but those prevailing up to 60 years ago. Despite the decline in the prevalence of pneumoconiosis amongst coal workers as measured by the National Coal Board's periodic X-ray scheme over the past 15 years, research connected with the prevention of the disease has recently been increased, both by the National Coal Board, which is responsible for the bulk of the research, and the Department's Safety in Mines Research Establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the number of tons of coal imported in each of the last three years, the average cost per ton in each of those years, and the cost per ton of domestically produced coal in each of those years.

Figures of imports are published in Volume 1 of the Annual Statement of Trade for 1969 and 1970 and in table III of the December, 1971, issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics. The average c.i.f. value per ton was £9·85, £11·67, £9·42 in 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively; these average values are not true prices as they are influenced by varying qualities of coal, transport costs to United Kingdom ports and other factors. Average colliery proceeds per ton for coal produced by the National Coal Board, not including distribution costs, were £5·12 per ton in 1969–70, £5·84 per ton in 1970–71 and are estimated at £6·70 per ton for 1971–72.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many privately-owned coal mines there are in the United Kingdom; what is the annual average tonnage produced from them, and the average number of employees at such mines; and if he will make a statement on their future.