asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) how many British subjects residing overseas receive Service pensions; and by what percentage these pensions have risen in two-yearly periods since 1960;(2) if he will consider the position of those British subjects living overseas whose Service pensions are paid with no provision for regular reviews.

Former members of the United Kingdom-based Armed Forces resident overseas receive the same pensions increases as they would receive if living in this country and individual increases since 1960 have varied in accordance with the date of retirement of those concerned.The number of Service pensioners resident abroad who receive their pension direct is about 12,700 but figures are not readily available for those overseas whose Service pensions are paid into banks in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will take steps to decrease the stock of chemical weapons in the United Kingdom.

:There are no stocks of lethal chemical weapons in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what new orders have been given to the troops in Northern Ireland since 29th March, 1972.

I am sure the House will not expect me to give details of the orders issued to the troops in Northern Ireland. However, orders issued since 29th March take into account, of course, the changed political situation and the Government's desire to achieve a solution by peaceful means to the Northern Ireland problem.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what are the number of members of the Armed Forces at present stationed in Northern Ireland and the numbers available to be sent there as reinforcements, if required.

The total current strength of the regular forces in Northern Ireland amounts to some 14,600. In addition there are about 8,200 members of the Ulster Defence Regiment. Also, there are some 800 Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel engaged in their normal duties.Substantial reinforcements could be made available if required.

asked the Minister of State for Defence on how many occasions since 22nd March, 1972, attacks have been made on, or shots fired at, the security forces in Northern Ireland; what injuries or loss of life have been suffered; how many times the fire has been returned; and how many suspected terrorists have been detained, injured or killed in these incidents.

I regret that it is not possible without disproportionate effort to provide details of attacks other than shooting incidents involving the Army.Between 22nd March and 18th April, there were 419 incidents of shots being fired at the troops, resulting in four military deaths and 23 injuries.Troops fired in 196 incidents; three suspected terrorists are known to have been killed and 72 others are believed to have been hit. Four were arrested by the Army at the time of the shooting

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many of the soldiers presently stationed in Ulster come from Lancashire and Scotland, respectively.

This information is not immediately available. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many British soldiers have been killed Ulster by terrorist activities since the troubles began in 1969; and how many of these came from Lancashire and Scotland, respectively.

Sixty-two member of the Regular Army, of whom three came from Lancashire and nine from Scotland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many foreign countries have made inquiries about the purchase of Harrier aircraft.

It is not the practice to reveal confidential inquiries from foreign Governments about the possible purchase of British defence equipment.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will reconsider his decision to move the Wessex Depôt to Lichfield, in view of the concern in Dorset and Devon that a regimental presence should be retained in Wessex and of the anticipated adverse affect on recruiting to the Devon and Dorset Regiment.

No. The question of retaining Wyvern Barracks, Exeter as a third depôt for the Prince of Wales's Division was considered very carefully but the implications of departing from the planned reorganisation of infantry depôts, in terms of manpower, economy and divisional esprit de corps could not be overlooked.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he next hopes to take the chair at the Ministerial Aerospace Board meeting.

It is not the practice to reveal the working arrangements of ministerial committees. The Board met again on 18th April.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the total cost to public funds borne in Defence Votes of the recent Royal tour of the Far East.

:The extra cost arising mainly from the use of the Royal yacht and RAF aircraft amounted to £17,000.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for the protection of British merchant shipping off the east coast of Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. As the House knows Her Majesty's ships and RAF aircraft are regularly deployed east of the Cape; and these could be reinforced if the need arose.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether the Government have received the report of the Armed Forces Review Body; and what decisions have been reached.

:The Government have accepted the recommendations of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay in its report which is published today as Command paper 4954. Copies are available in the Vote Office.These involve increases in basic pay, certain major forms of additional pay, and committal pay and increments related to length of engagement and service, together with a step towards equal pay for Servicewomen. Charges for food and accommodation are to be increased on the same occasion.The proportionate increases in pay for individuals will vary over a wide range—depending on rank and particular circumstances. Taking account of the interim flat rate pay increase of 7 per cent. awarded last August, the average gross increase per annum since the last comprehensive review of Service pay two years ago is 9 per cent.; the average net percentage after allowing for increase in food and accommodation charges is 8 per cent. per annum.The new rates will take effect from 1st April, 1972.The Government are most grateful to the members of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay for their work in preparing their report.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what changes there have been in the security instructions to the troops since 24th March; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave today to my hon. Friend, the Member for Walthamsow, East (Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action he proposes to take to encourage the suppression of terrorism in the United Kingdom.

The main defence of society against violence of all kinds is a strong, well-equipped and efficient police service, and it is the Government's policy to strengthen the police by all possible means.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not introduce legislation to make himself responsible for the operational deployment of the Metropolitan Police force.

Because I believe a change of this kind would be open to objections of principle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action the Metropolitan Police proposes to take to prevent uninsured vehicles being driven on the roads.

They already do what they reasonably can to enforce the relevant provisions of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the communication he sent to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, dated 10th April on the question of free entry to and from the European Economic Community of British citizens.

No. The information given in the letter to the hon. Member had already been made known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the new Chairman of the Totalisator Board will take up his appointment.

1st May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adults and children have been killed or injured due to the dangers created by derelict land or buildings in the past five years in Bolton, and in England and Wales, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received, or when he expects to receive, the Tenth Report of the Criminal Law Revision Committee; when he expects such report to be published; and when he expects any legislation consequent upon the recommendations made in such report to be brought before Parliament.

The Tenth Report was published in August, 1968. If the hon. and learned Member has in mind the Committee's Report on Evidence, the answer is that my right hon. Friend expects to receive it within the next few weeks, and that he will then arrange for it to be published and presented to Parliament. He cannot, before he has even had the report, speculate on the Government's attitude to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received of organised gangs stealing dogs off the streets for the purposes of pelting.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet able to announce the result of his reconsideration of the London weighting allowance for probation officers in the London area.

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been murdered in the course of duty in each of the past 20 years.

:The table below shows the number of police officers who have been murdered on duty in England and Wales in each year from 1952:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it took him until 14thApril to reply to the communications dated 14th and 23rd March sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, in view of the fact that the reply contained nothing which could not have been sent within a few days; and whether he will expedite his replies to correspondents in general and to the hon. Member for West Ham, North in particular.

:The hon. Member was told on 30th March that the Director of Public Prosecutions had been asked for advice. He was informed on 14th April of the Director's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in future, when collating details of fines imposed and collected at magistrates' courts, assizes and quarter sessions, he will take such action as may be necessary to ensure that details of the amounts of fines for which the time for payment has expired and which were still outstanding for any stated period are made available.

My right hon. Friend would not feel justified in imposing this additional burden on justices' clerks.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will examine Section 5 of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920 with particular reference to education in order to see whether its provisions are a hindrance to the development of non-segregated education in Northern Ireland.

My right hon. Friend sees no obstacles in the provisions of Section 5 of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will reconsider the change in colour in uniforms for members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary below the rank of inspector; and whether he will allow the members of the force to have their uniforms tailored, which was the practice until recently.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which benefits have been withdrawn from individuals or households on rent strike; how many withdrawals have been made of each type of benefit; and how much public expenditure has been reduced in the case of each benefit both in aggregate and per average household.

Unemployment benefit has been re-directed in 1,000 cases to meet the liabilities of rent defaulters: sickness benefit in 1,200: supplementary benefit in 2,000: pensions in 2,000: family allowances in 5,500: and other benefits in 1,000 cases.There has been no reduction in public expenditure. The allocation benefits have been paid direct to the housing authorities rather than to the normal beneficiaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are currently on rent strike; how long they have been involved in such strikes; how much is now owing in rent arrears in aggregate and per average household; and how these households are distributed in each of the main towns.

Approximately 22,000 tenants of public authority dwellings are withholding rent, the majority of whom have been doing so since August, 1971. The total arrears including rates amount to just over £1 million; the average per household is about £50. The distribution of households in the main areas is:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether he will arrange to make a radio and television broadcast to explain the Government's policy on plebiscites in matters connected with Northern Ireland and to do this before taking any irrevocable action in connection with the initiation of these plebiscites; (2) whether the regular plebiscites he is to hold on matters regarding Northern Ireland will be similar to that which the Government held on Gibraltar and Spain;(3) when he proposes to introduce the first plebiscite in Northern Ireland: and what its terms will be.

As was made clear in the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 24th March, we propose that the people of Northern Ireland should have the opportunity of making clear their wishes in the continuation of Northern Ireland's constitutional status as part of the United Kingdom by means of a series of periodic plebiscites. The form which such plebiscites will take has yet to be decided but when we are in a position to announce our proposals, we shall consider the most effective way of giving publicity to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what localities in Northern Ireland are not regularly patrolled by the police; and in which areas writs and summonses are not being served.

The Creggan and Bogside areas of Londonderry.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many shots have been fired at the security forces in Northern Ireland from 1st April to the latest convenient date; what sort of weapons the terrorists used; what injuries occurred; how many times the terrorists' fire was returned; and with what results.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that without disproportionate effort it is possible only to provide details of shooting incidents involving the Army.Between 1st April and 19th April there were 325 incidents of shots being fired at the troops, resulting in four military deaths and 15 injuries. The exact number of rounds fired is not known, but the terrorists used automatic weapons, high-velocity weapons, carbines, pistols and revolvers.Troops fired in 158 incidents; two suspected terrorists are known to have been killed and 57 others are believed to have been hit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a Ministerial broadcast on the Government's economic policy.

My right Hon. Friend has no plans at present to make a ministerial broadcast.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the cost to the revenue of exempting the announced increase in State pensions from income tax for 1972–73.

The proposed exemption applies not to State pensions generally but only to the increases in national insurance widows' and retirement and war widows' pensions. The cost to the Revenue is estimated at £15 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the saving in additional salary and over time to the Inland Revenue of the exemption of the announced increase in State pensions from income tax for 1972–73.

The exemption of the increase will save the Inland Revenue about 500,000 hours work, the cost of which as overtime would have been approximately £435,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his present proposals for the future of Cambridge Gate, Regents Park; and whether he has reconsidered the proposals of the Crown Estate Commissioners to demolish this terrace.

The Commissioners have not of recent years considered the future of this Victorian Terrace which Lord Gorell's Committee in 1947 recommended should be pulled down. The present leases run until 1976.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what current consideration is being given to the future of Cam- bridge Terrace, Regents Park, and the buildings behind it in Albany Street.

The Commissioners are currently considering outline proposals for restoration of Cambridge Terrace as part of a development of the terrace and the buildings behind in Albany Street which would be, in the main, residential. Before any such scheme can go ahead, the proposals would be submitted by the developer to Camden Borough Council for planning approval.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income gross trading profits have been in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national output has been devoted to investment in each year since 1959.

Since the nation's total investment is equal to its saving, the information requested is that given in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 14th April, 1972.—[Vol. 834, c. 251.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income wages have been in each of the last five years.

Figures relating to wages only are not available. The information in respect of wages and salaries is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the purchasing value of the £ sterling has fallen since 1958; and, from information available from international sources, how this reduction compares with similar figures for the member countries of the European Economic Community.

Taking the purchasing power of the £ sterling to be 100 pence in 1958, its average value in 1971 is estimated to have been 62·8 pence, a fall of 37·2 per cent. This estimate is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index over the period.For comparison with member countries and the European Economic Community, the only published indices refer to retail prices. Figures based on these price indices, and using the General Index of Retail Prices for the whole period in the case of the United Kingdom, are shown in the following table.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if arrangements will be made for existing establishments in Winsford receiving regional employment premium to continue to receive payments after September, 1974 in line with the general arrangements for phasing-out regional employment premium.

:Yes. Provision will be made in due course for extending to Winsford the same arrangements for phasing-out REP as will apply elsewhere. The Order necessary to amend the one approved by the House on 27th March will be laid at a later date, after the arrangements for phasing-out have been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons in Sunderland were unemployed at the latest available date.

On 13th March, 1972, 787 people registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts were unemployed at Sunderland employment offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males are unemployed in the county of Monmouthshire; and how many male vacancies existed at the latest available date.

At 10th April, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the county of Monmouthshire was 8,423. At 5th April, 278 notified vacancies for males remained unfilled. The vacancy figures relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons were unemployed in Monmouthshire; and how many vacancies existed at the latest available date.

Provisional figures for April, 1972, show that there were 984 unemployed young people and 164 unfilled vacancies in the County of Monmouthshire. The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men, boys, women and girls, respectively, were registered as unemployed at the Penygroes, Caernarvonshire, Employment Exchange on the latest count; and what were the figures on comparable dates in 1971 and 1972.

The following table shows the numbers of men and women registered as unemployed at the Penygroes Employment Exchange. It also shows the numbers of boys and girls registered at the Caernarvon Careers Office, whose area covers Penygroes. The statistics do not indicate how many of these boys and girls were in the Penygroes area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent in the assisted areas in 1971 by way of special retraining grant for workers over 45 years of age who had been unemployed for at least eight weeks; and how many men and women were given new job opportunities through the operation of this grant.

In 1971 a total of £50,000 was paid by way of such grants to employers in respect of the training of 569 men and 38 women taken on for permanent jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of persons whose unemployment could be attributed to the industrial action of third parties in each of the 12 months preceding March, 1972.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current totals of youth employment in the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency.

I regret that the information is not available. Employment estimates for local areas are not available for young persons separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unfilled vacancies are registered in each of the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the percentages of job opportunities notified to his Department by prospective employers in the categories unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, executive, supervisory, and other vacancies, including retail trade.

I regret that information by categories is not available. The best estimate we can make overall is that between 20 per cent. and 25 per cent. of job opportunities are notified to our local offices. The proportion could vary considerably in particular areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males are unemployed in the Newport, Monmouthshire, employment exchange area; and how many male vacancies existed at the latest available date.

At 10th April, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Newport and Newports Docks Employment Exchanges was 2,672. At 5th April, 86 notified vacancies for males remained unfilled. The vacancy figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the figure by which the Cost of Living Index has increased over the last six years to the latest available date.

:The General Index of Retail Prices rose by 39·7 per cent between 22nd February, 1966, and 22nd February, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now able to publish the next forward programme of hospital building in Scotland, including the replacement of Peel hospital.

I hope to be in a position to make an announcement about an extension to the hospital building programme shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will reconsider his decision not to authorise the road crossing of the Dornoch Firth;(2) if, in the light of the industrial developments in the Inner Moray Firth area, he will now initiate an engineering survey for a road crossing of the Dornoch Firth.

I have myself for some years past been aware of arguments in favour of such a scheme and called attention publicly to them. I have already promoted the bridging of the Beauly and Cromarty Firths and these schemes have been warmly welcomed. For the present I believe that design, engineering and money resources must be concentrated on improvement of the A9 between Perth and Invergordon, but the necessary studies will be put in hand as soon as I am able to envisage a place for a Dornoch Firth Bridge in the road programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to announce the findings of the public inquiry into the proposed Chester southerly bypass (Welsh section); and if he will make a statement.

I am awaiting the report of the inspector who conducted the public inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will request the Welsh Economic Council to report on the cost of living in rural areas in Wales, as compared with the United Kingdom average.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales by what date he expects Mid-Wales to be connected by a motorway to other parts of Great Britain.

I have no plans to build a motorway, but a variety of schemes is in progress or preparation designed to improve road communications between mid-Wales and other parts of Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average cost of National Health Service prescriptions in Wales; and how this compares with the average for the United Kingdom.

:The information is not readily available in the form requested. The average cost of National Health Service prescriptions dispensed by chemists in Wales for the period January to November, 1971, the latest period for which comparable figures are available, was 78·10p. The figure for England and Wales was 75·61p.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what the infant mortality rate is in Cardiganshire and in Wales, respectively; and how these averages compare with the United Kingdom figure.

The latest corrected figures available are for 1970 and are:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has received about the possible non-viability of the proposed new market site at Nine Elms, particularly in view of the forecasted high rents; and whether he will reconsider the current proposals for the removal from Covent Garden.

On the basis of all available information, my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the Covent Garden Market Authority will be able at Nine Elms to discharge its financial duty to break even taking one year with another. I can see no reason to reconsider the move from Covent Garden to Nine Elms where the construction of much needed modern and efficient facilities for the market is already well advanced.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent the cleaning of Government offices is carried out by contract firms and what proportion is cleaned by direct labour; what is the average payment by Her Majesty's Government per worker per hour to the contract firms; and what is the average payment received by employees, compared with cleaners directly employed by the Government.

I have no later information on the first point than that contained in the answer to a similar Question by the hon. Member on 15th June, 1971, when she was informed that in October, 1970, about two-thirds by area of Government offices were cleaned by contract cleaners.The remainder of the information requested is not available. Contract prices for office cleaning are quoted in pence per 100 square feet. Contractors have an obligation to observe the Fair Wages Resolution approved by the House of Commons in 1946, but otherwise there is no obligation upon them to inform Departments of the actual wages paid. However I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 67 of the NBPI Report on the Contract Cleaning Trade (Cmnd. 4637, April, 1971) which comments on the relative levels of pay at the time of their investigation.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will make trade union recognition a condition of Government agreements with contract cleaning firms.

No. All cleaning contracts let by Government Departments include the Fair Wages Resolution, paragraph 4 of which requires contractors to recognise the freedom of their employees to belong to trade unions. The Industrial Relations Act covers recognition of trade unions by employers.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is satis- fied with the operation of the Fair Wages Resolution approved by the House of Commons in 1946 for Government cleaning contracts; and if he will make a statement giving his reasons.

Yes. The National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on the Contract Cleaning Trade (Cmnd. 4637, April, 1971), paragraphs 63 and 64, stated that, from over 2,300 Government cleaning contracts, only 14 complaints in two years that cleaning contractors were not abiding by the terms of the Fair Wages Resolution reached the Department of Employment. Of this 14, only seven were referred to the industrial Court and, of these, only four were upheld. I have ascertained that in each case the contractor implemented the award and the contract was allowed to continue. Only one similar reference has been made to the Court since the report was published.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement of Government policy on the placing in Scotland or the distressed areas of the North of England of the offices of the European institutions in preference to their siting in London; and whether on entry into the European Economic Community Great Britain will be free to decide such matters without reference to the enlarged Community.

In appropriate cases we should be glad to consider the location of offices of European institutions in London or elsewhere in this country. But Her Majesty's Government have to take into account a number of factors in deciding policy on these questions. The siting of such offices is a matter for agreement between participating States.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Paymaster-General obtained authority from the boards of trustees of the national museums and galleries before giving an undertaking on their behalf that they would impose admission charges at the institutions for which they are responsible.

:My noble Friend is not called upon to give any undertakings on behalf of the trustees of the national museums and galleries. All the institutions concerned have submitted for parliamentary approval estimates of the sums expected to be earned from admission charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action she proposes to take on the resolution submitted by Sale Borough Council and supported by Northampton Borough Council urging that more facilities be provided for nursery schools.

The borough councils have been informed that my right hon. Friend shares their belief in the value of nursery education. Its expansion in deprived areas is continuing under the Urban Programme but elsewhere the first priority for the present is the improvement and replacement of old primary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of classes in secondary schools in Staffordshire has 30 or more pupils; and how this figure compares with the previous two years.

The percentage of classes "as taught" with 31 or more pupils was:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of classes in primary schools in Staffordshire with 40 or more pupils.

In January, 1971, 169 classes with 41 or more pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent on primary school building in Staffordshire in each of the last 10 years; how many primary schools were built in Staffordshire in each of these years; and what the comparable figures are for England and Wales as a whole.

Expenditure over this period on primary schools in England and Wales as a whole is not readily available. The remaining information requested is:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children attended schools in Staffordshire in June, 1970; what proportion she estimates took school dinners; what proportion of those taking school dinners had free dinners; and how these figures compare with the most recently available figures.

No figures are available for June, 1970, but on a day in September 1970, 117,530 pupils attended maintained schools in Staffordshire; 67·6 per cent. of these took the school dinner and 9·3 per cent. of those received it free of charge. Corresponding figures for October 1971, the latest available, were 123,153; 57·6 per cent. and 13·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the new school building projects either under construction or expected to start in the present financial year in Staffordshire.

Major school building projects in Staffordshire are:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schemes for comprehensive schools she has vetoed since June, 1970, because the buildings were not suitable.

My right hon. Friend has not rejected any schemes on such grounds. Her decisions are in respect of statutory proposals for individual schools submitted under Section 13 of the Education Act, 1944 (as amended).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is aware of the overcrowding at Kempshott, Basingstoke, Junior School, and when she anticipates work will commence on the new Kempshott County Infants' School.

My right hon. Friend has recently agreed to the addition of a project for the new Kempshott County Infants' School in the authority's 1972–73 major school building programme for a start in the current financial year to meet the growing pressures on primary school accommodation in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation restricting future grants of planning permission for housing development to a period of one year only, unless a building start is made within that period.

:Authorities already have discretion to restrict the life of planning permissions to a short period such as a year where the circumstances warrant it. Legislation making such a restriction mandatory would require so many exceptions, for example, giving time to provide roads and sewers, that it is unlikely that it would materially accelerate development, which I assume is the effect my hon. Friend seeks to achieve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities received loan sanction to build new houses by direct labour in 1971; how many schemes were involved; what was the total value of the work involved, and the number of houses; and what were the equivalent figures for 1970.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will indicate briefly in each case the reasons why he granted loan sanction for 14 local authority house building schemes to be built by direct labour in 1971, naming the local authority concerned and the scheme involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he granted planning permission for the building of a school on the Baynard's Castle site; and what weight was attached to archæological or historical considerations.

:The circumstances surrounding each of the schemes were carefully considered before permission was given for the use of direct labour without competition. In all cases the basic reason was to allow the authority concerned time to adjust its policies and the size of its direct labour organisation to the guide lines laid down for it. Material considerations in each case were, for instance, the efficiency of the particular direct labour organisation, local unemployment, the probable cost of redundancy payments to displaced direct labour and the urgency of, and need for, the scheme in question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the local authorities which have received loan sanction to build new houses by direct labour so far this year, naming the scheme in each case, indicating the value of the work involved and the number of houses for each scheme, and in total.

Following is the information available to the Department as at 13th April, 1972

:The City Corporation did not consider that the proposed school involved a substantial departure from the provisions of the development plan, and was therefore free to secure planning permission by means of a resolution passed, under Regulation 11(1) of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations. 1969, on 16th December, 1971. It was for the Corporation to take account of any archæological and historical considerations which seemed to it material under Section 29(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will advise local authorities of the desirability of having one officer with direct responsibility for pollution.

:The appointment of pollution control officers is a matter for local authorities to decide and I will be discussing these problems with the new local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make funds available to local authorities to provide more official tips with fully qualified staff to deal with the dumping of toxic wastes.

:Local authorities have a statutory duty to remove house refuse but powers in connection with the removal of trade waste are, except in Inner London, discretionary. Where local authorities exercise their discretion to provide disposal facilities for trade waste, they might be expected to recover the costs of those facilities by charges for their use. In so far as there is a residual burden on local authorities, the poorer authorities would receive assistance by way of the resources element of rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he will not establish a committee of inquiry into ways and means of ensuring that all cars and vehicles using the public highways are taxed, insured, road-tested and registered in accordance with the laws; and what action needs to be taken to enforce these laws.

Because I do not consider that it would help.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will initiate action with the appropriate authorities to preserve the historically significant Liverpool Road railway station in the city of Manchester.

:This building is statutorily listed as of special architectural or historic interest in Grade I. It cannot be demolished without the consent of the local planning authority or of my right hon. Friend; and he has to be notified of any proposal by the local authority to grant consent to demolish it. The site of which the listed building forms part is still in operational use, but the station has not been used for passenger services for some years. I am asking the British Railways Board what plans it has for its future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made during the course of consultations about the proposed ban on vehicles waiting at urban junctions.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have been persuaded by the representations we have received that this restriction can be made less rigorous and yet still retain its value as a safety measure. We propose therefore that the ban should extend for only 15 yards from the junction instead of 20 yards on main roads and for 10 yards elsewhere. There will be no ban opposite "T" junctions. We also propose that buses should be allowed to use part of the banned area and to allow some local discretion in special cases where the ban would be excessively restrictive for goods vehicles in commercial streets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will advise public bodies to accept family planning advertisements.

I have been asked to reply.I am in favour of suitable publicity for family planning services and have encouraged both local and national health authorities to this end; but it would not be right for me to interfere generally with the discretion of public bodies over the acceptance of these advertisements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of printing explanatory leaflets relating to claims for welfare benefits and exemption from health charges during 1971 and for the previous five years.

The cost of 34¼ million leaflets issued during the 1971 campaign to increase take-up of welfare benefits and exemptions from health charges was £45,300. Comparable figures for 1970 were 11½ million leaflets costing £23,150 and for 1969 were three million leaflets costing £3,850. Earlier figures are not available.The leaflets concerned are "Your Right to Free Welfare Milk and Foods" (W11), "Free Prescriptions" (PC11), "Optical and Dental Charges, How to Claim Exemption" (F11) and "Which of These are Yours by Right?" (FB11).These figures do not include the cost of leaflets describing other benefits administered by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he has made in the arrangements for making free vaccination for smallpox available to children; and if he will make a statement about the current regulations and policy of European Economic Community countries in this matter.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg) on 28th July, 1971. No change has been made in the arrangements whereby free vaccination against smallpox is made available to children who are considered to need protection, for example by reason of travel to areas where the disease has not yet been eradicated. I am not aware that the European Economic Community has any common regulations or policy on the vaccination of children against smallpox nor do I have detailed information about arrangements within the individual countries of the Six on this subject.—[Vol. 822, c. 126.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of families now receiving family income supplement; and what is the average amount of benefit received by each family.

Approximately 65,000 families are now receiving family income supplement and an additional 10,000 awards are in the process of being made; these are estimated figures, because precise information following the recent uprating is not yet available. The average amount of benefit received by each family at 28th March, 1972, which was before the uprating and is the latest date for which the information is available, was £1·67.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the fact that four nurses have been suspended from Napsbury Mental Hospital following a police inquiry into the death there of a woman patient from severe internal injuries, he will immediately institute a full-scale inquiry into conditions in that hospital.

Until the outcome of the police inquiries is known, I cannot decide whether any further inquiry is needed. I understand that the police have recently submitted a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average figure for net expenditure by local authorities per deaf person registered under Section 29 of the National Assistance Act.