asked the Minister of State for Defence what proposals he has for the future use of the Royal Naval Depôt at Corsham; how many civilian redundancies will be caused by its rundown; and what prospects for re-employment by his Department in the area his present employees have.

The transfer of stores facilities from Copenacre to Hartlebury will not begin until 1974–75. Part of the present complex will remain and consideration is being given to the transfer to the Copenacre/Bath area of the inventory task from Eaglescliffe. It is too early to say whether another use can be found for the remainder of the depôt.If the inventory task is in fact transferred, the number of non-industrial posts is expected to remain at about the present level. About 850 fewer industrials will be required in the long term.We expect to be able to place at Hartlebury any industrials who wish to transfer. We shall do our best, in cooperation with the Department of Employment, to find other jobs in the Copenacre area and elsewhere for the remainder.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement about operations in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the operations of the British Army in Northern Ireland.

The Army continues to operate in support of the civil authorities in restoring law and order; in particular to prevent intercommunal clashes and to counter terrorism.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement about present operations by the security forces in Northern Ireland.

The operations of the security forces continue to combat violence and terrorism, to restore law and order and to prevent inter-communal strife.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the accident rate per 100,000 flying hours for aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm between 1962 and 1971.

It is not the practice to publish information of this kind.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the financial saving to his Department on the basis of going ahead with the proposl to close the Royal Naval Depot, Copenavcre, Wiltshire.

Only the storage task at present carried out at Copenacre is to be transferred to Hartlebury. The savings on the defence budget are estimated to be at least £4 million in capital cost and £250,000 in annual running costs.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what consultations have taken place between his Department and the unions regarding the proposed transfer of Royal Naval Stores, Copenacre, to Hartlebury.

The proposed transfer was made known on 14th January, 1972 to staff and their representatives at both Copenacre and Hartlebury and to departmental Whitley representatives of the staff associations and trade unions concerned. It has since featured in joint discussions at departmental and local level. There will continue to be the fullest possible consultation on all aspects of the transfer.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he expects to be in a position to make a final decision in respect of the proposal to move computer facilities and part of the inventory management element from Eaglescliffe to the Copenacre/Bath area; and how many employees will be affected by this move.

This is a complicated matter that involves examination of a number of possible alternatives that have heavy financial and practical implications for Government computer policy. No decision is likely to be reached for some time. The exact number of employees affected by this proposal will be dependent upon the systems chosen, but it is expected that about 110 non-industrial posts would be added to those in the Copenacre/Bath area.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will now reconsider his decision to close the Royal Naval Depôt at Copenacre, in view of the fact that he has now decided not to close the Eaglescliffe Depôt after receiving representations from that area.

As announced on 10th May, the decision to retain store facilities at Eaglescliffe was taken in the light of the recent intensification of the Government's regional measures. While we are considering the strong representations made by my hon. Friend, and by others, the additional capital costs of reproviding facilities at Copenacre seem to rule out acceptance of their proposals.—[Vol. 836, c. 382.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he expects that the transfer of control of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Ministry of Defence will take place.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. Booth) earlier today.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he expects to announce the number of non-industrial staff at the Royal Navy Spare Parts Distribution Centre, Eaglescliffe, who will be asked to transfer to the Copenacre/Bath area.

As I informed the hon. Member on 10th May a final decision to transfer the inventory task from Eaglescliffe to the Copenacre /Bath area has not yet been taken. Important and complicated issues are involved and I do not expect to be able to make a further announcement for some time.—[Vol. 836, c. 382.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish the report of his investigating team into the activity of the Royal Navy Spare Parts Distribution Centre, Eaglescliffe.

No specific investigation into the activity of the Royal Naval Spare Parts Distribution Centre, Eaglescliffe, was included in the recent costing exercise undertaken following representations by the Teesside Regional Organisation for Industrial Development.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the Ulster Defence Regiment have now received their full establishment of Shorland armoured cars and other equipment.

By the end of this month the Ulster Defence Regiment will have 24 Shorland armoured patrol cars in service against an establishment of 47. The remainder should be in service by the end of October. The Regiment holds adequate supplies of other equipment.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what progress is being made in improving the accommodation and amenities for British troops serving in Northern Ireland.

Since my statement to the House in the Army Estimates debate on 16th March, four more temporary camps with accommodation for 1,000 troops have been started, and existing accommodation has been considerably expanded. Two new swimming pools for troops are being built, in the Belfast and Londonderry areas, and should, we hope, be ready by late summer. Additionally, a new combined Education and Community Centre, with up-to-date cinema facilities, is being built.—[Vol. 833, c. 794–5.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what progress is being made in improving barracks for the British Army of the Rhine.

We have been continually improving barrack accommodation in BAOR over the last ten years. Improvements costing £2·7 million are currently in hand at 20 barracks in BAOR, and will be completed by the end of 1973. A substantial long-term programme of barrack improvement has been proposed by Headquarters BAOR, and its early implementation has been recommended by the Select Committee on Expenditure. My Department is currently studying this recommendation.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what progress is being made in equipping the British Army of the Rhine with forward supply dumps.

We have already begun to move forward a substantial proportion of our supplies from depots west of the Rhine to depots further east, which are better situated to meet the future needs of BAOR. This process is continuing.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the sale of Harriers to the United States of America.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Wilkinson) earlier today.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will discuss, with his counterpart in the United States Government, the facilities available in the United States of America for supersonic military aircraft of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries.

No. That would be a matter for countries to take up individually if they so wished.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, in view of the reinforcement from Atlantic waters of the United States carrier task force in the China Sea, he remains satisfied that the provision of maritime air power for the Royal Navy from the navies and air forces of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies is adequate; and if he will make a statement.

Our national capability for air support for the fleet is substantial. So far as NATO is concerned, planning for maritime operations takes account, and will continue to take account, of the resources available to the alliance as a whole.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he was consulted by the Management of Vickers Limited, Shipbuilding and Engineering Groups, Barrow-in-Furness, regarding the reduction of £2·50 per week in the pay of the members of the Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structual Workers employed on his Department's contracts, which preceded the lock-out of members of that Society at Barrow-in-Furness Shipyard and Engineering Works.

The withdrawal of the co-operation bonus of £2·50 a week is a matter for the management of Vickers and the union. We were informed but not consulted. No lock-out has yet taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a further statement on the situation at Brixton Prison following the recent disturbances, and on the action he has taken.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) on 16th May in which I indicated a number of improvements that were being made in the conditions for unconvicted prisoners at all remand prisons and centres including Brixton. Since then there has been one short demonstration at Brixton, yesterday afternoon, which like the previous ones related to the general dissatisfaction of unconvicted prisoners with conditions at the prison.—[Vol. 837, c. 76.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will invite a group of Members of Parliament to visit Her Majesty's Prison, Brixton, to meet staff and prisoners in order to assist in alleviating difficulties.

I do not think that this would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Brixton Prison during this year have been awaiting trial and how many serving sentences.

On average, 718 untried prisoners, 60 convicted prisoners awaiting sentence and 144 sentenced prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars were towed away in the Leicester Square area in the calendar year 1971; and what was the total cost of this operation.

The only information available is that during the last six months of 1971, 273 vehicles were removed from Leicester Square by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Anglo-Indians are treated more or less favourably than Kenya Asians in the matter of entry to the United Kingdom; whether they are treated for administrative purposes as stateless persons; and if he will make a statement on their position.

Most Anglo-Indians are Commonwealth citizens and are treated as such for the purposes of the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts. They are not eligible for the special vouchers issued to United Kingdom passport holders for settlement in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he is having with the local authority associations about the date for the elections for the new county councils; and when he expects to complete these consultations.

The local authority associations were consulted earlier this year. My right hon. Friend hopes shortly to be able to announce his conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to indicate when it is expected that the Royal Commission on the Constitution will submit its report.

The Commission aims to complete its work by the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether citizens of the Republic of Eire are treated more or less favourably than citizens of Australia, New Zealand and Canada, in matters of entry to the United Kingdom;(2) whether citizens of the Republic of Eire are treated more or less favourably than British passport holders of Kenya origin in matters of entry to the United Kingdom.

Immigration control is not applied in practice to citizens of the Republic of Ireland who arrive in the United Kingdom from within the common travel area consisting of the United Kingdom, the Republic, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to modernise or replace Her Majesty's Prison, Strangeways.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to replace the prison. A considerable amount of work is being done to modernise it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instruction he has given the Horserace Totalisator Board and the Horserace Levy Board about appointing Members of Parliament as industrial advisers or consultants on fees or salaries.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give a detailed list of the employees within his Department who on 12th May had a basic wage of £17·20 or less.

Seventeen full-time and 42 part-time non-industrial office cleaners and about 900 industrial staff. In addition, there are staff in grades on pay scales with minima of £17·20 a week or less and maxima of more than £17·20. Details of officers in these grades whose current basic pay is £17·20 a week or less are not immediately available and the information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost to public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, giving details of a police car going to the home of two railway signalmen in Ilford to take them to work; whether the railway men requested this transport; who paid for it; and for what reasons and by what authority it was provided.

I shall write to the hon. Member when I receive his letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is yet able to consider seeking to arrange an extension of the Tutankhamun Exhibition so as to allow more time for parties of school children to visit it, especially from the north of England.

The desirability of seeking an extension of the agreed six months run is being kept under review by the organisers of the exhibition.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the light of the further information supplied by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, she will reconsider, as a matter of urgency, her decision not to grant approval for inclusion in the 1972–73 list of major building programmes, the provision of new two form entry premises for Royton St. Pauls Church of England Primary School; and if she will make a statement.

No. All the resources have now been allocated and the 36 primary improvement projects included in Lancashire's programme for 1974–75 at a cost of over £3·3 million are even more urgent. If the proposal for St. Paul's is resubmitted, my right hon. Friend will consider it when she draws up the programme for 1975–76 early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is her estimate of the overall increase in the population of the maintained schools and colleges of England over the next five years; what her estimates are of the probable increases in the administrative county of Hampshire, the county borough of Southampton and in the county borough of Portsmouth, respectively; and how far the four figures compare as percentage inreases;(2) what has been the overall increase in the population of the maintained schools and colleges of England for the last five years; what have been the increases in the administrative county of

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many additional primary school places have been provided in East Suffolk since 1st July, 1970.

1,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she expects that all the pre-1903 primary schools in East Suffolk will have been replaced or substantially improved.

Good progress is being made, but it is too early to say when the work will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what basis she has allocated raising-of-school-leaving-age building allowances to the London Borough of Ealing.

The last Government's allocation of £497,300 (after allowing for subsequent increases in cost limits) to provide accommodation for the raising of the school leaving age was determined by the estimated number of pupils for whom additional places would be required as a result of RSLA. This estimate was based on the projected school population figures in the relevant age group, the current trends in voluntary staying-on at school, and the existing school accommodation in the Borough.

The figures for maintained primary and secondary schools are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will consider adding to basic need school building allocations funds sufficient to replace temporary classrooms at schools where increased numbers of school places will be required permanently.

Not generally at present. Such additions would have to be charged against the resources available for improvements, and my right hon. Friend thinks it better to concentrate these on the improvement or replacement of sub-standard 19th century primary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what application she has received for an increase in the accommodation of Acton Wells School; and what additional accommodation is involved under her regulations.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "None". On the second part, my right hon. Friend will consider the accommodation required to enable the school to fulfil its new rôle under the statutory proposals to change its character recently submitted to her.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the report of the working party on public lending right will be published.

The report is published today and copies are being placed in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action she proposes to take in the light of the report by the National Foundation for Educational Research, a copy of which is in her possession, on the most recent surveys of reading standards.

I have already announced my intention to set up a committee of inquiry. Its terms of reference will be:

"To consider in relation to schools:

(a) all aspects of teaching the use of English including reading, writing and speech;

(b) how present practice might be improved, and the role that initial and in-service teacher training might play;

(c) to what extent arrangements for monitoring the general level of attainment in these skills can be introduced or improved;

and to make recommendations."

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will review the arrangements by which members of his Administration decide to make personal statements to the House, or to correct in other ways information which is subsequently discovered to be wrong.

No. The appropriate way for a Minister, or any other hon. Member, to make a correction in information which he has given to the House depends on the circumstances of the particular case and should, I believe, remain a matter of personal judgment.

asked the Lord President of the Council in view of the deterioration of the quality of the food in the Members' cafeteria, if he will take steps to improve it.

I have been asked to reply.I cannot accept the hon. Member's view. The quality of materials has been improved, and there is now a wider choice of hot dishes. Steps are also being taken to redesign and re-equip the kitchens.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will make it a practice of his administration to ensure that business commenced in the House of Commons shall not be postponed or adjourned by Ministers to enable them to attend European conferences, and that the normal business of the House of Commons shall have preference over conferences under the auspices of the Council of Europe or the European Economic Community so far as Ministerial duties are concerned.

1 assure the hon. Member that Ministers will continue to carry out their full responsibilities with regard to the business of this House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue product from value added tax on telephone services provided by Hull Corporation.

No such estimate has been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual yield of value added tax from services and from goods.

No such separate estimates have been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he estimates that the revenue product on wines and spirits would be increased if value added tax was imposed at a rate of 17 per cent., 11 per cent., 14 per cent. and 10 per cent., respectively, on both wines and spirits, and at rates of 6 per cent. on wines and 25 per cent. on spirits, the rates now in force in France, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium, if the revenue duties on wines and spirits were altered when the value added tax was imposed on the basis as envisaged in paragraph (27)B of the White Paper on the value added tax.

This would depend on the extent of any alteration in the revenue duties themselves, which, as paragraph 27(b) of the White Paper made clear, would in turn depend on the total revenue required from those duties in 1973–74.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the yield of value added tax payable in respect of motor cyclists safety helmets.

No reliable estimate can be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the yield of value added tax payable in respect of safety belts for use in motor cars.

The information on which an estimate might be made is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the estimated yield from value added tax at 10 per cent. in respect of building maintenance and repair work in the financial year 1973–74.

No estimate for the circumstances of 1973–74 can yet be made. The estimated full-year yield based on expenditure in the current year is £50–60 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish or make available to Members curves of income and percentage of tax paid for a married man with two children over 11 years of age, but not over 16 years of age, assuming income all earned and income all from investment, such curves to show marginal rates.

I will place copies in the Library as soon as they are available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the total revenue was excise duty on spirits and beer in each of the past 15 years.

In the last 15 years the combined receipts of excise duty on spirits and beer produced in the United Kingdom, and these receipts as a proportion of the total net Customs and Excise revenue, have been as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the total revenue was represented by direct taxation and what proportion by indirect taxation in 1951, 1964, 1970 and 1971.

The information is given in the table below:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue derived from the selective employment tax in each year since 1966; and what proportion of total revenue this represented.

The information is given in the table below:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the expected yield from purchase tax and selective employment tax for the fiscal year 1972–73; and what percentage of such yield is expected to be raised in Wales.

The yield of purchase tax is expected to be £1,315 million and the net yield of selective employment tax £224 million. No estimate can be given of the amount of purchase tax to be raised in Wales. The net yield of SET in Wales is expected to be just under 4 per cent. of the total.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount expected to be paid to manufacturers in the Welsh Development Area in the financial year 1972–73 by way of regional employment premium; and how much was paid in the financial year 1969–70 and 1970–71.

The estimated payments in respect of REP in the Welsh Development Area in the financial years 1969–70 and 1970–71 were £13·3 million and £14·3 million respectively. The amount payable in the current financial year, 1972–73, is not expected to be significantly different from that for 1970–71.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has of the current number of claims for unemployed benefit by a spouse where the other partner is the self-employed owner of a business and employs his or her spouse for part of the year only in an area characterised by seasonal employment opportunities.

The information on which to base an estimate of claims or awards is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what research is being undertaken by his Department into the causes of babies dying in their cots;(2) how many babies died in their cots in 1970 and 1971.

Figures of sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy are not centrally available as the practice of doctors varies in completing death certificates. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is looking into the problem of identifying such deaths. The subject is being studied by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths with whom my Department is in touch.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has of the number of entitled aged persons who do not apply for financial help for heating; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the special discretionary additions for heating which are made by the Supplementary Benefits Commission. The information requested by the hon. Member is not available, but every effort is made by the staff engaged on supplementary benefit work to ensure that those claimants who are eligible for special additions receive them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why answers to Questions tabled by the hon. Member for West Gloucestershire for answer on 16th May, 1972, were circulated to the Press on 16th May but were not sent to the Member concerned on that date.

The hon. Member's reply was delivered to the House for him on 16th May. At the same time copies were made available to the Press. I regret that, due to circumstances beyond my control, the hon. Member received his reply later than the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has studied the recent survey by Age Concern, a copy of which is in his possession, regarding the experiences of elderly people under the National Health Service; what representations he has received from Age Concern on this subject; if he will take steps to improve any deficiencies revealed by the report; and if he will make a statement.

I have seen this report but have received no representations from Age Concern. The contents do no more than confirm past information about services for the elderly, which all those responsible are seeking to improve and develop as quickly as resources permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for the attendance allowance have been made to date in the Departmental region which includes Southampton; and how many of these have been granted.

Up to 7th April, the latest date for which figures are available, 10,900 claims to attendance allowance for severely disabled people in the Department's London West region—which includes Southampton—had been dealt with. Of these 6,800 had been successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that good food is served in all hospitals.

We are very concerned that all hospitals should provide a high standard of catering for patients and staff. We have recently suggested to chairmen of regional hospital boards a number of ways in which catering might be improved in their hospitals. These include the closer involvement of a member of each hospital's management committee, the use of more modern methods and equipment and further and more selective training.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what is the average cost of catering in hospitals.

The average weekly cost of catering, excluding staff dining room service, for patients and staff in hospitals in England in 1970–71 was £3·25 per person fed.The service of meals in staff dining rooms cost a further average £2·34 per person fed per week. The cost of service to patients is not identifiable. Average costs in 1971–72 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to institute an independent watchdog service to ensure that value for money is obtained in hospital catering; and if he will make a statement.

There are a number of means already available to ensure that value for money is obtained in hospital catering, and no other service is thought necessary. My Department's auditors regularly review catering costs, and there is a number of advisers in catering and dietetics at both the Department and with Regional Hospital Boards who visit hospitals; and a food purchasing advisory panel advises on central and other contracts as to price, specifications and quality.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is prepared to meet a delegation from Miss Ann Shearer, the Spastics Society, the National Association for Mental Health and other organisations, to discuss the significance of the film, "Like Other People", and the report, "Sex, Marriage and Handicap", with a view to framing a policy to acknowledge the observations made by the film and report; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has studied the report "Sex, Marriage and Handicap", written and researched by Miss Ann Shearer for the Spastics Society, a copy of which is in his possession; if he will take into account the findings of this report in allocating accommodation in hospitals for the mentally handicapped; if he will advise local authorities of the significance of this report; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he has now seen the film, "Like Other People", produced by the Mental Health Film Council, the Spastics Society, the British Epilepsy Association, the National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Mind/National Association for Mental Health; if be will arrange for officials of his Department responsible for this field of work to see this film; if he will arrange for a showing for appropriate local authority officers; and if he will make a statement.

I am studying the report and shall shortly be seeing the film. I shall then decide whether further action is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider the application or development of an unobtrusive sign for help for disabled drivers which becomes flamboyantly operative when help is required by such drivers; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am of course aware of the problems that can face disabled drivers when their vehicles break down but as I told the hon. Member when I wrote to him on 20th April there is no evidence that such a sign would generally be welcomed by disabled drivers. Invalid three-wheelers supplied by the Department are easily recognisable and experience has shown that the drivers usually have no difficult in summoning help when it is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will ask Lady Sharp to consider the policy for the provision of help for disabled people whose mobility can only be secured as a result of expensive adaptations;(2) if he will ask Lady Sharp to review the policy regarding the disabled passenger who needs driving to work;(3) if he will ask Lady Sharp to consider the policy regarding allowances for a vehicle for those who are amongst the most severely disabled.

As my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Petersfield (Miss Quennell) on 26th April, the Baroness Sharp will be pleased to consider views on all matters relevant to her terms of reference.—[Vol. 835, c. 319–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if obligations to harmonise social security provisions in accordance with Article 118 of the Treaty of Rome include associated obligations under Article 6 to comply with any common policy for raising the respective financial resources.

There is nothing in the Treaty of Rome or the Community rules which requires the United Kingdom to change the level or type of its social security benefits or the system of financing them. Article 118 of the Treaty lays upon the Commission the task of promoting close co-operation between Member States in, among other social matters, those relating to social security and Article 117 expresses the belief that the functioning of the Common Market will favour the harmonisation of social systems. As I stated in the House on 22nd October, 1971, we shall expect to join in that upward harmonisation, but there will be no obligation upon us to change.—[Vol. 823, c. 1115.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has so far received from local authorities on their implementation of Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970; and when he expects to be able to make a statement on the implementation of this Section of the Act.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) and Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd) on 16th May.—[Vol. 837, c. 67–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration his Department has given to the report of Stage 1 of the survey of chronically sick and disabled people resident in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1972, prepared by the city's social services department with the assistance of the Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham; if he will be drawing this report to the attention of other local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

We are studying this report and will consider the hon. Member's suggestion in the light of the progress reports we are receiving from all authorities on the implementation of Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

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.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for each of the last 10 years for, respectively, the number of disabled people who

At 8th May, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Newport and Newport Docks Employment Exchanges was 2,493. At 3rd May, 154 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 how many redundancies have been announced in the Manchester travel-to-work area since June, 1970.

Redundancies involving 21,880 workpeople have been notified to my Department in the Manchester travel-to-work area during the period 9th June, 1970, to 16th May, 1972. inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what, respectively, for the months of June, 1970, and May, 1972, in the Manchester travel-to-work area, in absolute figures and, where relevant, percentages, were the total number of unemployed, the number of wholly unemployed, the total number of male adult unemployed, the total number of job vacancies and the number of vacancies for male adults.

Following is the available information:have registered under the Disabled Persons (Unemployment) Act, 1944; the number of registered disabled people who are unemployed; the percentage of registered disabled people who have been unemployed, and the national average unemployment figure for all workers.

The disabled persons register is counted in April of each

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for each of the last 10 years for the number of firms with over 20 workers; the percentage of such firms which do not fulfilling their 3 per cent. quota of disabled workers; the number of such firms not fulfilling their 3 per cent. quota, and the number of additional jobs that would have been available for registered disabled persons if these firms had fulfilled their quota.

Information about quota compliance is given in the following table. The figures for the years 1962 and 1963 are not strictly comparable (see note).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, the number of firms with over 20 workers not fulfilling their 3 per cent. quota which were issued with permits enabling them to employ non-disabled people when vacancies arose, and the number of such firms not employing 3 per cent. disabled, which were not issued with permits enabling them to employ non-disabled people when vacancies arose.

This information is given in the following table. Figures are not available for the years 1961, 1962 and 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for the last 10 years for the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, the total cost of the Government subsidy for sheltered workshops, the average cost per severely disabled worker of the Government subsidy for sheltered workshops, the average earnings of male disabled workers in

As to the number of local authorities providing sheltered workshops, and the number of jobs available, there are difficulties of definition about which I shall be writing to the hon. Member.For the rest, the information is as follows:sheltered workshops, and the percentage relationship of the average earnings of male disabled workers in sheltered indutry to the average male industrial earnings.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the names of all those who have been members of the National Advisory Council for the Employment of the Disabled during the last 10 years, giving for each member his credentials, his date of appointment, the number of meetings attended since appointment, and the proportion of meetings since the date of appointment that have been attended.

The Council is reconstituted every three years and I think no useful purpose would be served by referring to the composition of the Council over the last 10 years. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 28th March to the hon. Member for Kensington, South (Sir B. Rhys Williams) regarding present membership and the length of service of individual members. In accordance with the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, the Council includes equal numbers of persons appointed after consultation with employers' and workers' organisations respectively and others, including members of the medical profession, who have a wide interest in disablement resettlement problems. The Council meets quarterly and meetings are well attended. To comment publicly on individual attendance records would be invidious and I do not propose to do so.—[Vol. 834, c. 73–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the staff of the Commission on Industrial Relations who do not have terms of employment comparable to civil servants are regarded as being on fixed-term contracts for the purposes of the Industrial Relations Act.

Staff of the Commission who are not civil servants are recruited for periods of two years with an option on the part of either party to terminate the agreement at any time subject to a period of three months' notice.I am advised that these employees are in fact and in law regarded as being on fixed-term contracts for the purposes of the Industrial Relations Act, 1971 by virtue of the express terms of their respective contracts of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents at work there were in the Stockport area in the last year for which figures are available.

During 1971, 2,165 accidents, including two fatalities, were notified to the Factory Inspectorate by occupiers or employers in the area of the Stockport district office of the Inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what expansion of retraining facilities he plans for Ayrshire in the period 1972–75; and what special provision for retraining he intends making for Ayrshire miners made redundant under amalgamation schemes now being put forward by the National Coal Board.

The use of training facilities in colleges of further education and employers' establishments in Ayrshire will be substantially increased and there will be some expansion at the Government Training Centre at Irvine. Over 100 additional training places will also be made available at the Glasgow (Hillington) and Port Glasgow Government Training Centres, which are within daily travelling distance of North Ayrshire. Redundant mineworkers are eligible for courses under the Government's Vocational Training Scheme, but no special provision is planned for them.

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 May show that there were 1,053 unemployed young people and 234 unfilled vacancies in the County of Monmouthshre. The vacancy statistics relate only

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average weekly wage of agricultural workers, and how this compares with the national average weekly wage, from 1951 to the latest available year; and if he will express each of these figures as a percentage of the respective national average wage.

Following is the information available from the Department's regular inquiry into the earnings and hours of manual workers, and for agriculture.to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total demand.

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 8th May, the provisional number of males registered as unemployed in the county of Monmouthshire was 7,378. At 3rd May, 366 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.