asked the Secretary of State for Employment what forms of professional training he proposes should be available under the Training Opportunities Scheme.

Normal training for people entering a professional career and postgraduate courses leading to higher degrees or diplomas will be excluded from the scheme. I recognise, however, that some people who wish to change their occupation may require a measure of professional training and this matter is currently being examined by my Department and the Education Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for making the availability of increased training grants and other training opportunities more widely known.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for making the availability of increased training grants and other training opportunities more widely known.

The advantages of retraining and the increased allowances. which came into effect last September, have been widely publicised by means of leaflets and posters in employment exchanges and also on television and in the local Press. My right hon. Friend will not hesitate to take further publicity measures as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present take up of places for industrial training at technical colleges.

In March about 2.700 people were being trained under the Vocational Training Scheme in colleges of further education and a further 700 in private colleges. In addition. colleges of further education provide integrated courses of training and education under arrangements made with industrial training boards and in 1970–71 some 18,000 students attended such courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress made in the most convenient recent period in on-the-job training.

The Department's New Earnings Survey in April, 1971, showed that there were 1·2 million persons being trained under employers' arrangements at that time. Comparable figures for 1972 will not be available until towards the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much the indices of average weekly earnings and of retail prices, respectively, have risen during the last six months and how this compares with the same period a year ago.

Between July, 1971, and January, 1972, the Index of Average Earnings, seasonally adjusted, rose by 4·1 per cent. and the General Index of Retail Prices rose by 2·4 per cent. The corresponding percentage increases between July, 1970, and January, 1971, were 7·0 and 4·3, respectively. The increase in earnings exceeded that in prices by approximately the same amount in each of these years.There is no figure for the index of average earnings for February because of the miners' strike.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for Birmingham.

At 10th April, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Birmingham travel-to-work area was 32,432, including 2,161 who were temporarily stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the major pay settlements made during the past six months and notified to his department in which the average rate of increase has not exceeded eight per cent.

The list is given below. In addition to the 22 settle-

MAJOR SETTLEMENTS AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF APPROXIMATELY EIGHT PER CENT OR LESS ONEARNINGS NOTIFIED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SINCE 1ST NOVEMBER, 1971(Standard Industrial Classification Order)
Agreement									Effective Date
Order I—Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing
Agriculture, England and Wales				…	…	…	…	…	17th January, 1972
Order VI—Metal Manufacture
British Steel Corporation Clerical Workers					…	…	…	…	1st January, 1972
Order XIII—Textiles
Hosiery and Knitwear Trades NJIC				…	…	…	…	…	3rd January, 1972 (1st stage)
									3rd July, 1972 (2nd stage)
Order XVII—Timber, Furniture etc.
Furniture trade NJIC		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1st January, 1972
Order XVIII—Paper, Printing and Publishing
Newspaper Printing, London (Production workers)						…	…	…	1st July, 1971
Order XXI—Gas, Electricity and Water
Gas Supply NJIC—general workers				…	…	…	…	…	18th January, 1972
Electricity Supply NJIC—general workers					…	…	…	…	20th September, 1971
Electricity Supply, administrative and clerical workers							…	…	1st February, 1972
Water Supply, manual workers (England and Wales)						…	…	…	5th December, 1971
Order XXII—Transport and Communication
Company-owned' Buses, platform staff					…	…	…	…	3rd March, 1972
Municipal Road Transport Undertakings (platform staff)							…	…	1st January, 1972
Road Haulage Wages Council			…	…	…	…	…	…	24th May, 1972
London Transport, platform staff				…	…	…	…	…	8th April, 1972
Order XXV—Professional and Scientific Services
National Health Service:
Doctors and Dentists		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1st April, 1971
Administrative and Clerical			…	…	…	…	…	…	1st April, 1972
Professions Supplementary to Medicine					…	…	…	…	1st April, 1972
Nurses and Midwives		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1st April, 1971
University Teachers (England and Wales)					…	…	…	…	1st October, 1971
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, manual workers								…	1st October, 1971
Teachers in Establishments of Further Education, Farm Institutes and Colleges of Education			…	…	…	…	…	…	1st April, 1972
Order XXVII—Public Administration and Defence
Non-industrial Civil Service, administration group and clerical								…	1st January, 1972
Police Service	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1st September, 1971
NJIC … National Joint Industrial Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what policy conclusions he has reached as a result of his negotiations during the rail work to rule.

As the House knows, following the Government's use of the emergency procedures in the Industrial Relations Act, the National Industrial Relations Court issued a restraint order for a cooling-off period. The unions subsequently called off their industrial action and resumed negotiations with the Railways Board. I hope these will be successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to put into effect all the powers, available within the terms of the Indus- ments included there are four major settlements of the same order which have been notified in confidence by individual companies and associations in the private sector.trial Relations Act, in relation to the industrial strife in the railway industry.

The purpose of the order made by the National Industrial Relations Court on 19th April was to enable the parties to continue to negotiate freely and without duress. The order expires at midnight on 8th May. Further discussions are now taking place between the parties and I shall consider in the light of these what further action is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his latest actions in relation to the dispute in the rail industry.

The British Railways Board and the three railway unions have now resumed their discussions and I hope that these will lead to a successful conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the latest percentage figure of male unemployment in the Manchester travel-to-work area, together with that for June, 1970.

The rates of unemployment for males in the Manchester travel-to-work area at April, 1972, and June, 1970, were 7·1 and 3·3 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment at what stage he anticipates that officers of his Department will intervene in the industrial disputes affecting the British Steel Corporation and Associated Electrical Industries/General Electric Company factories at Openshaw, Manchester.

In my judgment intervention in either of the disputes mentioned would not be helpful at present but my officers are keeping in close touch with the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to alleviate the number of unemployed in the Manchester area; and by what percentage the number has risen since 18th June, 1970.

The number of people unemployed in the Manchester travel-to-work area increased by 117 per cent. between June, 1970, and April, 1972.The Government have taken a very great number of measures designed to stimulate the demand for goods and services and to improve the environment. These measures will help to increase employment in all parts of the country. It is encouraging that vacancies for April in the Manchester area were 23 per cent. higher than in March.Manchester was given Intermediate Area status on 22nd March, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what prospective redundancies have been notified to him at the Bilston, Wolverhampton and Birchley Works of the British Steel Corporation.

My Department has not been notified of any prospective redundancies at these establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases were heard in 1971 by the Industrial Arbitration Board.

A total of 16 cases were heard in 1971 by the Industrial Arbitration Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he calculates to be the recent rate of increase in productivity in manufacturing industry.

It is provisionally estimated that in the 12 months up to the last quarter of 1971 output per head in the manufacturing industries increased by 3·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage increase in the index of retail prices for the latest six-month period for which figures are available, and for the same period in 1970–71.

The percentage increase in the General Index of Retail Prices between mid-September, 1971, and mid-March, 1972, was 3·1 per cent. The rise in the same period in 1970–71 was 5·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the rate of increase in retail prices since August, 1971; and how this compares with the same period up to August, 1971.

The General Index of Retail Prices rose by 3·2 per cent. between 17th August and 21st March, 1972, compared with 5·6 per cent. between 19th January, 1971, and 17th August, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many requests for his Department's conciliation in disputes were made in 1971 by employers, by trade unions, or by both acting jointly what percentage of the total these represent; and how these figures compare with those for the previous year.

In 1971 employers requested conciliation in 182 cases and trade unions, either alone or acting jointly with employers, in 618 cases. 77 per cent. of all requests were therefore from trade unions. The figures for 1970 were 164 and 555, respectively, and the percentages were the same.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days have now been lost through trade disputes since June, 1970; and how this figure compares with that for a similar period prior to June, 1970.

Following is the information:

Period	Working days lost in all stoppages in progress in period 000's
1st July, 1970–31st March 1972 (21 months)	31,975
1st October, 1968–30th June 1970 (21 months)	12,631

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many stoppages of work due to industrial disputes have been recorded by his Department since 1st January, 1972; and how this figure compares with the same period in each of the past 10 years;(2) how many days' production have been lost due to industrial disputes since 1st January, 1972; and how this compares with the same period in each of the past 10 years.

Following is the information:

Period	Stoppages beginning in period	Working days lost in all stoppages in progress in period 000"s
1st January-31st March:
1972*	448	12,439
1971*	627	9,496
1970	1,212	2,201
1969	718	1,552
1968	518	714
1967	529	459
1966	661	485
1965	711	915
1964	596	739
1963	466	211
1962	749	4,072
* Provisional figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now modify the over-seven-years rule in connection with claims for disability pensions by ex-Japanese prisoners of war.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Petersfield (Miss Quennell) on 13th April. My meeting with the deputation from the National Federation of Far Eastern Prisoner of War Clubs and Associations had to be postponed because of travel difficulties and will take place shortly.—[Vol. 834, c. 223-4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received a report from Derbyshire County Council on the numbers of children deprived of necessitous school clothing grants; and in how many oases his Department has made grants in lieu by way of supplementary benefit.

No such report has been received from Derbyshire County Council. These grants are entirely at the discretion of the local education authorities, which are not required to report on the use they make of their discretionary powers. As to the second part of the question, the Supplementary Benefits Commission co-operates closely with the council to ensure that no child goes short of essential clothing. I regret, however, that no information is available on the number of cases in which the commission has made payments for this particular purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce amending legislation to ensure that members of the General Medical Council who represent the views of junior hospital doctors do not lose their seats if the Registrar exercises his discretionary powers to erase their names from the Register.

I am considering this matter in connection with the prospective legislation referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Halifax (Dr. Summer-skill) on 11th April.—[Vol. 834, c. 1013–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to issue guidance on minimum standards of staffing, space, food and other amenities in hospitals for the mentally sick and handicapped.

Guidance on minimum standards for hospitals for the mentally handicapped was issued to regional hospital boards in December, 1969, as mentioned in paragraphs 226 to 230 of "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" (Cmnd. 4683). Guidance for hospitals for the mentally ill was issued in March this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what records his Department has of the number of deaths caused by cancer of the lung, etc; which parts of the United Kingdom suffer the highest death rates as a result of cancer: and if he will make a statement.

Details of all deaths registered in England and Wales, and of their causes, are available in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, which publishes extensive mortality statis- tics. Similar data are available in the other parts of the United Kingdom.In 1970 the deaths and death rates in England and Wales attributed to malignant neoplasms were as follows:

	All Sites	Trachea, Bronchus, Lung
Deaths:
Males	62,550	24,913
Females	53,179	5,371
Death rates per million living:
Males	2,625	1,045
Females	2,114	214

Corresponding death rates were slightly higher in Scotland (males 2,709, females 2,168) than in England and Wales but lower in Northern Ireland (males 1,979, females 1,714). Among the regions and conurbations of England and Wales in 1970, the highest mortality rates were recorded in the Merseyside conurbation (2,912 for males, 2,178 for females).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will obtain and study the Report of Professor Howe, of Strathclyde University, details of which have been sent to him, into the cause of deaths due to cancer; and whether he will make a statement on the report's claim that cancer may be caused by trace elements in soil and water and that the water reacting with lead pipes to older house properties may be adversely affecting the health of the nation;(2) whether he will cause a national survey to be made to ascertain to what extent death from cancer may be resulting from the contamination of drinking water caused by lead pipes in older types of properties; and whether he will seek to consult with Professor Howe of Strathclyde University in arranging such a survey;(3) whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, regarding the analytical survey carried out in the London Borough of Newham, claiming that cancer death in West Ham, being 52 per cent. above the national average, is due in part to the contamination of the water supplies by the lead pipes in private households; and whether he will have an investigation made and make a statement.

Professor Howe's survey is an account of the geographical distribution of cancer of the lung and stomach and is based primarily on mortality statistics published in the reports of the Registrar General. The unequal geographical distribution of cancer of the stomach has long been known and has been the subject of much research. It is possible that trace substances in the environment may be a factor and these are at present being investigated. Lead, however, is unlikely to be a significant factor, since sections of the population exposed to high occupational intakes have not been shown to be specially susceptible to cancer of the stomach. No special investigation relating cancer of the stomach to the lead content of water has been carried out in Newham, since the lead content of the water is low.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what application he has received from the Beechwood Clinic, Sheffield, for permission for the Norton Annexe to be used for private abortions; and if he will carry out a survey in Sheffield before considering such an application.

I have received an application for approval under the Abortion Act from this clinic and I am considering it; I do not think it would be appropriate for me to carry out a survey in Sheffield in connection with the application, but I am willing to take into account representations made to me which are relevant to my function under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names and addresses of the members of the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the accepted norm used by his Department in deciding how many beds shall be allocated to geriatric cases in each of the hospital board areas.

Ten beds for every 1,000 persons aged 65 and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Service (1) how many people in the Borough of Prestwich are now receiving pensions for the over-eighties;(2) how many people in the Urban District of Whitefield are now receiving pensions for the over-eighties;(3) how many people in the Borough of Middleton are now receiving pensions for the over-eighties.

Figures are not maintained of the numbers of people receiving pensions in local authority areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is aware that there is no special hospital accommodation for the young chronically sick in Leicestershire and that at present they are accommodated in geriatric wards; and if he will indicate what he intends to do to remedy this deficiency, including in his reply an indication of the approximate date when the first appropriate unit will be in operation;(2) what plans he has for the provision of short stay accommodation for the young chronically sick in Leicestershire.

I am aware of the lack of special hospital units for younger chronic sick patients in Leicestershire. The Sheffield Regional Hospital Board plans to provide a unit of 25 beds for such patients at Leicester General Hospital by 1975–76, and a further unit of 25 beds by 1981 at a site to be determined, also to serve the population of Leicestershire. Some beds at each unit will be set aside for regular intermittent admissions and holiday admissions to relieve relatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many field trials of possible new National Health Service management organisations have been carried out by his Department; which centres have been used; what is the number and category of personnel deployed; and if he will make a statement.

Testing is taking place in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Doncaster, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Hillingdon, and Lambeth and Southwark. It is being conducted by teams comprising departmental officers, seconded National Health Service staff and management consultants, who number 14 people in all. On completion the steering committee of the management study will consider what arrangements to recommend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library the hypothesis document on management plans for the National Health Service, together with the explanatory second document which explains the technical terms of the first, both of which he has now received from the firm of consultants advising him on managerial efficiency.

The document referred to is a statement of working hypotheses prepared by the National Health Service Reorganisation Management Study Group for use in the study programme. A glossary of management terms was prepared at an earlier stage of the study for use by the steering committee. I am placing a copy of both documents in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to increase the number of dentists in Hampshire to meet the demands of a rapidly increasing population.

The number of dentists practising in the geographical counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is already keeping pace with the increase in population. The ratio of dentists to population in the area at 30th September, 1971, was 1:3,722 compared with 1:4,431 for England as a whole, and in the six months to 31st March, 1972, there was a further 8 per cent. increase in the number of practitioners on the dental lists of the five executive councils in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average number of registered patients per doctor in Hampshire; and what are the equivalent figures for Southampton and for the country as a whole.

At 1st October, 1971, the latest date for which figures are available, the average number of patients per doctor in Hampshire was 2,347. The equivalent figures for Southampton and England at the same date were 2,436 and 2,460, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people requiring non-urgent surgical operations are awaiting admission to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

There were 1,504 on the waiting lists at 31st March, 1972, for all surgical specialties including gynaecology, ophthalmology and dental.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidance to local health authorities on the supply of aids to the disabled by an increased use of occupational therapists to advise on their use.

I intend to review the role of remedial professions in the various parts of the Health Service, and will bear in mind the hon. Member's suggestion. As a first step in my review, I shall be meeting representatives of these professions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received that he should reconsider the proposals in Command Paper No. 4755, "Strategy for Pensions ", Chapter 2, paragraph 54, that graduated pension earned in the present scheme will not be revalued to allow for the effect of inflation, in the light of the waiting period and the fact that this was unknown to persons making the decision to contract in or out of the graduated scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Since the White Paper was published, 10 hon. Members have forwarded letters, eight from the same correspondent, and a few letters have also been received direct from members of the public. I cannot accept that the proposals in the White Paper are in any way contrary to what an employer was entitled to expect when deciding whether to contract out. An undertaking was given when the graduated scheme was introduced that no employee who was contracted out would be worse off as a result and the scheme made no provision for increasing pensions in the light of changing money values.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent he requires his staff to work on their normal rest days and to work overtime; and whether such staff are able to refuse to work overtime and on their normal rest days without disciplinary action being taken against them.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, on 27th April.—[Vol. 835, c. 361.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from Mr. Eric Camp, the retirement pensioner on hunger strike outside the House of Commons, intimating his intention of remaining on hunger strike until the pension and supplementary benefit are raised substantially; and if he will make a statement about the steps he intends to take to remedy his grievance.

Mr. Camp wrote recently to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my Department has been asked to reply. In accordance with usual practice, we are checking to ensure that Mr. Camp is receiving all the benefits he is entitled to, and a reply will be sent to him as soon as possible.As I announced in the House on 22nd March, both retirement pensions and supplementary benefits will be increased from October next. These increases will not only fully restore the value of pensions and supplementary benefits to last September's level, but they should also provide a real improvement in purchasing power.—[Vol. 833, c. 1501–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how and why the North Middlesex Hospital, Silver Street, Edmonton, failed to reply to two letters and a telephone call from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, and that when the Chairman of the North-East Metropolitan Hospital Board was approached on two occasions no action was taken; and whether he will ensure that action is taken to prevent such happenings in the future.

I understand from the board that the hon. Member has now received a reply to his letters to the hospital. There were particular circumstances which delayed the reply and the board is satisfied that the hospital is conscious of the need to deal with correspondence quickly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Supplementary Benefits Commission in withdrawing a woman's supplementary benefit because she is co-habitating with a man, will take action to prevent hardship where there are children of a former union who are not being supported by their own father.

The commission has decided that in these circumstances it will use its discretionary powers to continue to pay supplementary benefit where necessary to meet those children's requirements for a period of four weeks to give the family time to adapt to the changed circumstances. After that time some benefit will continue to be paid if the resources of the whole family—including the man's earnings and family income supplement—are insufficient for their requirements—that is, are below supplementary benefit level.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many persons are employed full-time in coast protection and land drainage works under appropriate authorities; and what increase there has been in their number in the last five years.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be provided without considerable expense which would be in my view unjustified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the Greater London Council's plans to expand pig-farming operations at Wood Lane Farm, Stanmore, Middlesex, conform to the normal operational principles of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The grant application for Wood Lane Farm, like all applications for farm capital grant, was carefully considered by my Department's officials and they were satisfied that all the conditions and tests of the grant scheme were met.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the operations of the International Whaling Commission in recent years in controlling and reducing the hunting of whales, indicating the results of this work.

Since the mid-sixties, following the adoption of arrangements to improve the scientific advice available to the Commission, the restrictions imposed on whaling have become progressively more effective. Together with the continued ban on hunting the species which have been most heavily exploited, the quota restrictions have resulted in a general improvement or stabilisation of stocks. An international observer scheme has recently been introduced to help enforcement, and the Commission has agreed that this year it will improve still further the effectiveness of the quota system by replacing over-all quotas by separate ones for each species. Government policy is to press for further restrictions so as to speed up the recovery of the stocks.For a fuller account of the work of the Commission I would refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the Adjournment Debate on 1st May, and to the current Schedule to the Convention setting out the regulations now in force, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.—[Vol. 835, c. 166–70.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the amount of assistance to hill farmers will continue unchanged until such assistance is replaced by comparable European Economic Community help.

It is intended to continue to provide special help to hill farmers to enable them to maintain reasonable incomes. The amount and form of assistance that is appropriate will be determined from time to time in the light of circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent he requires his staff to work on their normal rest days and to work overtime; and whether such staff are able to refuse to work overtime and on their normal rest days without disciplinary action being taken against them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 27th April.—[Vol. 835, c. 361.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the estimated cost of £15 million of exempting the proposed increases in National Insurance widows' and retirement and war widows' pensions is accounted for by married couples with an annual total income of £1,250 or less, and single persons with an annual total income of £1,000 or less, respectively.

About 25 per cent. and 20 per cent., respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons receiving National Insurance widows' and retirement and war widows' pensions are currently paying tax on their incomes.

About 2 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the estimated cost of £15 million of exempting the proposed increases in national insurance widows' and retirement and war widows' pension from taxation is accounted for by married couples with an annual total income of £1,040 or less, and single persons with an annual total income of £884 or less, respectively.

About 10 per cent. and 15 per cent., respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries regarding the consequences on the public collections of this country of treating works of art under the provisions of value added tax as consumer goods intended for a final purchaser.

My right hon. Friend received on 21st April a letter from the Chairman of the Standing Commission in which he expressed the Commission's concern at the possible effect of VAT on museum activities and said that the Commission would be seeking further information from his Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the increased revenue which will result from placing education and health in the exempt category instead of the zero-rated category for the purposes of value added tax at 10 per cent.

The data necessary to make such an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue from a 10 per cent value added tax on the supply of rented accommodation by taxable persons.

The Question is hypothetical. Rent, other than rent of hotel rooms and other short-term accommodation, is proposed to be exempt from value added tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed statement giving his estimate of the amount of revenue he estimates receiving from value added tax on entrance fees to association football matches, rugby matches, cricket matches, theatres, boxing, swimming, cinemas; and how he expects this will affect amateur clubs and associations.

The expected yields from VAT at 10 per cent. on admissions to association football matches and other spectator sports are £2 million and £750,000 respectively, and from admission to theatres and cinemas about £4 million and £6 million respectively. Most amateur clubs and associations will be exempt from tax under the small trader exemption.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, making protest on behalf of the various associations representing the amateur sports of Great Britain regarding the value added tax; what reply he has sent; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received the hon. Member's letter. In reply I have explained that I gave careful consideration to the views put forward by the sports organisations, clubs and societies who have written to me, but my right hon. Friend does not feel able to propose any form of relief from VAT for admissions to sporting events as such.However large numbers of sports clubs and societies of all kinds will come within the scope of the exemption for organisations whose turnover in taxable goods and services does not exceed £5,000 per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the practice with regard to value added tax on wines and spirits in each of the countries of the Six as compared to his proposals for value added tax on British wines and spirits, both home-produced and imported.

Following is the information: Value added tax has not yet been introduced in Italy. In the other five countries VAT is applied to wines and spirits at the following rates:

	Wines Per cent.	Spirits Per cent.
Belgium	6	25
France	17·6	17·6
Germany	11	11
Holland	14	14
Luxembourg	10	10

Any revenue duties on these commodities form part of the base on which VAT is computed.The Finance Bill proposals are that VAT should apply to wines and spirits at the standard rate and that the revenue duties will be part of the VAT base.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will discuss with the European Economic Community Finance Ministers or other European Economic Community organisations either the principles or the details of his 1973 Budget before this is submitted to Parliament.

The implications of the Community's provisions for consultation on budgetary matters are being studied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total special finance being allocated for use in Scotland to help with creating employment; and, in view of the high level of unemployment in the north-east of England, whether similar financial assistance is on an equal scale.

Resources are made available by the Government to help create employment in development areas in many different ways and figures for the total amounts spent in Scotland or the north-east are not available on a comparable basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent fees and expenses earned whilst lecturing in the United States of America are treated by the Inland Revenue as being liable for British income tax and surtax where appropriate on such earnings.

Income earned in the circumstances mentioned would in general be liable to United Kingdom income tax (and surtax as appropriate) on the amount arising, credit being given for any United States tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what replies he sends to letters he receives on inflation.

The answer depends on what is said in the letter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether cash prizes awarded to British citizens such as those given by the City of Aachen under the Charlemagne Prize scheme are treated by the Inland Revenue as being liable to British taxation.

It would be contrary to practice to comment on the taxability of particular payments.

asked the Lord President of the Council what action he is taking to implement the recommendations of the working party of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists submitted to him, that the Government should establish a population policy.

The working party's recommendation about population policy has been drawn to the attention of the Population Panel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to examine and report on land usage in its economic, environmental and planning aspects.

No. The current problems associated with land use are well defined and are under constant review within my Department. A new structure for local and regional planning is in course of being introduced and my right hon. Friend has recently announced major new initiatives to increase the supply of land for housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in order to maintain environment standards and make use of municipal and industrial waste, whether he will assess the feasibility of a process developed by Osaka City Institute of Hygiene, details of which have been supplied to him, under which plastic waste is convertible into natural gas and petrochemical feedstock; and if he will make a statement.

The Government laboratory at Warren Spring is examining processes of this type. Their viability depends largely on whether the waste can readily be made available in a suitable form and adequate quantity, and whether there is a market at an economic price for the material reclaimed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now studied the survey of car seat belt usage completed by the University of Aston in Birmingham and commissioned by the British Safety Council, sent to him by the hon. Member for Nuneaton; and what conclusions he has reached.

Yes. I welcome the results of this survey, which broadly confirm the results of other work available to the Department about the national situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the water requirements of the Staffordshire Potteries Water Board in 1975, 1985 and 2000, respectively.

The board which is responsible for assessing its needs estimates that for 1975, 1985 and 2000 they will be 32, 42 and 57 million gallon per day, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have now refused to participate in Operation Eyesore.

None of which I am aware.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to carry out a further review of the penalties for driving offences.

These matters are regularly reviewed.

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

The average gross cost per acre, including land acquisition, of derelict land reclamation schemes in Staffordshire approved by the Department since 1st April, 1971, was £1,678. The costs of individual schemes ranged from about £600 an acre to about £14,000 an acre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to increase the traffic capacity at the junctions at both ends of Hampton Court Bridge.

This is a matter for the responsible highway authorities, which are the Greater London Council and the Urban District Council of Esher.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why, in his Department's Press notice of 19th April, it is stated that hard shoulders are to be replaced by verges on the M1 motorway.

My right hon. Friend regrets that the Press notice of 19th April did not make it clear that hard shoulders as well as verges are to be provided on the section of the A1(M) motorway between Hatfield and the Clock Roundabout at Welwyn, Hertfordshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, showing the mileage in respect of each, those local authority motorways or lengths of motorway in use, under construction, motorways schemes confirmed by the Secretary of State, and those made by the local authority and submitted to the Sectetary of State for confirmation, as at 30th April.

Following is the information:

Local Authority Motorways in use	Miles
Stretford-Eccles Bypass M63	6·0
Stretford-Eccles Extension M62	0·8
Leeds Inner Ring Road Stage IA58(M)	0·7
Leeds Inner Ring Road Stage IIA58(M)	0·8
Bristol Parkway Stage I M32	2·8
Blackfell/White Mare Pool A194(M)	3·8
*Westway-London A40(M)	2·7
*West Cross Route Stage I—LondonM41	0·6
*Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach—London A102(M)	2·6
Mancunian Way A57(M)	1·4
* Restricted to motorway classes of traffic by GLC Order.
	Miles
Eccles Bypass M602	1·8
Middleton Link M68	1·2
Liverpool Outer Ring Road Stage IM57	3·3
Broadway Extension A627(M)	4·2
Aston Expressway A38(M)	1·6
	34·3
Under Construction
	Miles
Ringway Airport Link	0·4
Bradford South Radial MotorwayM606	2·3
Relief Road (Stage I Berkshire Section) A329	2·3
Bristol Parkway Stage II M32	0·9
East Cross Route Stage I—LondonM68	0·9
Leeds South East Urban Motorway Stage I M1	2·5
Leeds Inner Ring Road Stage IIAA58(M)	0·4
Leeds Inner Ring Road Stage IIIA58(M)	0·7
Liverpool Outer Ring Road Stage III (Kirkby/Tarbock) M57	6·5
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central Motorway East Al	1·2
Portsmouth City Council (M27) (Twyford Avenue Section) Motorway Scheme M27	1·6
	19·7

Schemes confirmed by the Secretary of State
	Miles
East Cross Route Stage II—LondonA102(M)	0·6
Ellesmere Port Motorway M53	5·2
Relief Road (Stage II and III Berkshire Section) A329	3·0
Relief Road (Reading CBC Section)A329	0·7
	9·5

Schemes made by the local authority and submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation
	Miles
Dover Radial Route A102(M)	3·3
West Cross Route Stage II (under review)	2·8
Leeds South-West Urban MotorwayM621	1·7
Eccles Boundary—Cross Lane Section (Salford) M602	2·2
Portswood Link Road SouthamptonM272	3·2
	13·2

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the results of his examination of the environmental and social consequences of the proposed Channel Tunnel.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many alkali inspectors are employed by his Department at the present time; and if he intends to increase this number.

The inspectorate's complement has been increased from 26 to 36 over the last year; 35 are now in post. There will be a further increase when testing teams are set up within the inspectorate.

asked the Attorney-General what procedures are adopted to acquaint the alleged offending parties of the terms of reference in cases he refers to the Industrial Court; and if he will state the period of time allowed for such alleged offending parties to table a defence.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind emergency applications made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.Under the Industrial Court Rules, it is for the court to communicate to every respondent the substance of any such application and to give notice of the time at which it is to be heard. A respondent is not required to deliver a written answer before the hearing but the court may, if it thinks fit, adjourn to give him time to prepare his grounds for opposing the application.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the estimated generating cost, in pence per unit or the nearest appropriate calculation, for each of the following electricity generating stations, before Ministerial approval was given to their construction; and how in each case the out-turn varies, namely, Berkeley, Bradwell, Hinkley Pt. A. Trawsfynydd, Dungeness A, Sizewell A, Oldbury on Severn, Drakelow C, Ferrybridge C, West Burton, Ratcliffe, Eggborough, Tilbury B, Coltam, Iron-bridge B, Fawley, Pembroke and Kings-north; and what was the final capital cost of each of these stations, expressed in £, and £ per kilowatt.

Approval is given to the CEGB's capital development programme as a whole and not to specific stations at specific costs. I am asking the Chairman of the CEGB to write to the right hon. Member giving such information as is available and not commercially sensitive.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for how many hours each of the Berkeley, Bradwell, Hinkley Pt. A, Trawsfynydd, Dungeness A, Sizewell A, Oldbury on Severn, Drakelow C, Ferrybridge C, West Burton, Ratcliffe, Eggborough, Tilbury B, Coltam, Ironbridge B, Fawley, Pembroke and Kingsnorth power stations were operative in 1971.

The hours for which power stations operate is a matter for the CEGB and I will ask the Chairman of the CEGB to write to the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of assistance approved in the Welsh development and intermediate areas in 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72.

The following table gives the value of offers under the Local Employment Act. Other forms of preferential assistance available in Wales during the period included taxation allowances towards capital expenditure on new industrial buildings and new plant and machinery, and assistance towards training costs.

1969–70		1970–71		1971–72
D.A.	I.A.	D.A.	I.A.	D.A.	I.A.
(£000)	(£000)	(£000)	(£000)	(£000)	(£000)
15,613	Nil	11,717	527	12,564*	288*
15,613		12,244		12,852*
* Provisional figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new firms announced their intention of locating in Wales in the first quarter of 1972, and how this compares with the figures for the corresponding quarters of 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971.

Eight firms new to Wales announced their intention of locating there in the first quarter of 1972. This compares with 11 in 1968, 15 in 1969, six in 1970 and 10 in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will provide facilities at the National Physical Laboratory or some other suitable research establishment for a ship manceuvring simulator to provide training for the merchant marine in the handling of specialised vessels such as very large container ships and bulk carriers.

The Department is discussing with industry and others concerned the need for a ship training simulator. If it becomes clear that such a facility is needed, its site is one of the questions to be considered.

ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS, COMPONENTS AND PARTS
									£ million (f.o.b.)
						1967	1968	1969	1970	1971
Western Europe		…	…	…	…	23·4	27·7	33·6	41·6	49·9
Eastern Europe (including U.S.S.R.)					…	3·7	6·3	6·1	8·5	8·2
Commonwealth	…	…	…	…	…	3·9	5·7	6·9	9·9	11·6
United States	…	…	…	…	…	1·6	2·5	3·6	7·0	9·1

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of meetings held between representatives of Watney Mann Limited and his Department concerning the proposed

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response he has had in recent months from industrialists in his efforts to find a suitable tenant for the vacant Government advance factory at Barley Mow, Birtley, County Durham.

We have continued to suggest the factory to all suitable inquirers. Since my reply to the hon. Member on 22nd November the factory has been suggested to a further seven firms and has been visited by one of them. Moreover, since the publication of the White Paper increased interest is being shown in Government advance factories generally.—[Vol. 829, c. 262.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional financial help is available to hotels, boarding house keepers and owners of guest houses in Southport, now that it has become an intermediate area.

Southport in common with assisted areas in the rest of the country continues to benefit from the Government assistance to tourism under the provisions of the Development of Tourism Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will state the value of computers exported to West Europe, Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth and the United States of America, respectively, for each of the last five years.

Following are the details:merger with Grand Metropolitan Hotels, the dates of such meetings, the names of all those present on each occasion, the means by which such meetings were arranged and the length of time between application for a meeting and the date of meeting;

It would be inappropriate to publish such details of the dealings between the Department and individual interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assurances have been given to Watney Mann Limited by his Department concerning the reference of the proposed merger with Grand Metropolitan Hotels to the Monopolies Commission; what discussions took place with the chairman of Watney Mann; and if it is his practice for such private conversations to take place before he exercises his judgment on the desirability of making a reference to the Monopolies Commission.

Watney Mann Limited was informed yesterday that it was not intended to refer the proposed merger with Grand Metropolitan Hotels to the Monopolies Commission. Following normal practice confidential discussions were held with the parties to the bid and their advisers before this decision was reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, when refusing a request by the hon. Member for Shoreditch and Finsbury on Tuesday, 29th February, 1972, for the reference of the proposed merger between I.D.V. Limited and Watney Mann to the Monopolies Commission, he was aware of the 1972 earnings forecast by Watney Mann of an increase in profits from £22·9 million to £28·5 million; and if he is satisfied that he was in possession of all the facts when making that decision.

We were not then aware of this latest profits forecast which was published on 27th April. Knowledge of it would not have affected their earlier decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the numbers of firms in the United Kingdom engaged in footwear manufacture in each of the five years to 31st December, 1971.

Information is available only in terms of the number of statistical reporting units classified to the footwear industry. Manufacturing establishments so classified, and employing 25 or more persons, totalled 559 in 1968. There has been a change in the basis of reporting since then but it is estimated that the comparable figure for 1971 was 541.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the cost of keeping a rescue helicopter permanently in readiness at Dyce Airport.

No such estimate has been made. Under the Supply Estimates HC 159–4 Vote 2 for 1972–73 £60,000 is provided for the arrangements under which the helicopters which service drilling rigs from Dyce Airport are made available for long-range air-sea rescue in the North Sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give additional help to the machine tool industry in view of the continuing needs of the industry evidenced by the proposed closure of Churchill-Redmans Limited, Halifax, and the consequent redundancy of 350 people.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 22nd March the Government are to assist firms in the industry by seeking to place orders through the public sector to a value of £9 million to £10 million during the next six months or so. This should provide some early relief while the general measures announced in the Budget are working through to the capital goods sector. The problems of the machine tool industry feature in the work of the newly formed Industrial Development Executive.—[Vol. 833, c. 1534–55.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many square feet of industrial building were approved for each of the economic planning regions of the United Kingdom in the first quarter of 1972, and how this compares with the figures for 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971;(2) how many industrial development certificates were granted in each of the economic planning regions of the United

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES APPROVED FOR SCHEMES OF 10,000 SQUARE FEET AND OVER
				1st Quarter		1st Quarter		1st Quarter		1st Quarter		1st Quarter
				1968		1969		1970		1971		1972
Region*				No.	Area	No.	Area	No.	Area	No.	Area	No.	Area
					'000		'000		'000		'000		'000
					sq. ft		sq. ft		sq. ft		sq. ft		sq. ft
North	…	…	…	48	2,456	46	2,446	37	1,707	33	1,712	32	1,095
Yorkshire and Humberside				59	1,607	99	3,073	52	1,681	61	1,866	65	2,977
East Midlands			…	58	1,481	73	1,894	55	1,398	43	1,015	61	1,743
East Anglia		…	…	32	1,448	57	1,840	27	645	27	670	42	984
South East		…	…	128	3,334	230	7,354	199	5,106	163	4,700	139	3,911
South West		…	…	39	1,264	53	1,985	36	1,115	22	907	32	1,128
Wales	…	…	…	40	1,576	48	2,214	42	1,853	25	672	24	1,501
West Midlands			…	63	1,423	84	2,200	93	2,466	67	2,202	70	1,769
North West		…	…	89	3,395	116	4,188	89	5,116	56	2,105	69	1,825
Scotland		…	…	51	3,683	59	2,385	37	1,644	38	2,345	42	3,110
Total, Great Britain			…	607	21,667	865	29,579	667	22,731	535	18,194	576	20,043
* IDCs are not required for Northern Ireland.