asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, having regard to the weakened balance of payments during 1972, to date, compared with the out-turn of 1970–71, what steps he is now proposing to take to improve the balance of payments during 1972–73.

I explained in my Budget Statement that, as a consequence of the faster economic growth which we are achieving, I was expecting imports to rise with the rise in domestic activity. As expected, the current account as a whole remains in surplus. As the House knows, it is not the custom to publish forecasts of the balance of payments except in very general terms at Budget time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the income of the Treasury from estates where persons have died intestate, with no next of kin.

The average amount over the last three years has been just under £1 million per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps he now proposes to take to reduce the level of unemployment.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 23rd May.—[Vol. 837, c. 309.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he expects real personal disposable income to grow over the coming year.

Forecasts of real personal disposable income are not published, but it should rise substantially over the coming year in view of the expected rapid growth of domestic product and the cuts in taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the total revenue that will be raised by purchase tax and selective employment tax in 1972–73 and how much greater this would be if the rates of these taxes were equivalent to those prevailing in 1970–71.

Purchase tax and SET together are expected to raise £1,540 million in 1972–73. The same levels of consumption and employment would produce £2,330 million if 1970–71 rates were applied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received asking him to retain the selective employment tax; and what replies he has sent.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now say when he will complete his discussions with the retail trade concerning the form of invoice which is necessary in respect of the value added tax on the supply of taxable goods under the value of £10; and whether he will consider raising this figure.

The proposal has been generally welcomed, and I think the figure of £10 is about right, but this question is still under consideration and Customs and Excise is ready to consider any further trade views.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effects of value added tax on transport costs.

Most forms of public passenger transport are zero-rated, Value added tax on payments by taxable businesses for inland goods transport will be deductible from the tax chargeable on the business.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the number of staff who will be required to run the value added tax computer installation at Southend.

It is not yet possible to give an exact figure but the present estimate for those engaged in management, preparation of input data, systems, programming and off-line work is about 275–300.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has now received seeking to exempt all registered driving schools from value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been made by Members of the Trade. An Amendment to the Finance Bill seeking to exempt from value added tax tuition by registered driving schools was debated in Standing Committee on 7th June and negatived.—[c. 549–52.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has now received from non-edible horticultural interests, including the British Flower Industry Association, for zero-rating of flowers and shrubs and the prevention of discrimination against flowers within value added tax, having regard to zero-rating of edible horticultural products; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from the British flower industry on the effects of the proposed value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

Some 70 representations have been received asking for non-edible horticultural produce to be zero-rated, including representations from the National Farmers Union, the Horticultural Trades Association and the British Flower Industry Association. The Government's policy on the taxation of non-edible horticultural produce was fully explained in my speech in the debate in the Committee stage on the Finance Bill on 16th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many repre- sentations he has now received regarding zero-rating in the implementation of value added tax.

It would not be possible without disproportionate expenditure to distinguish representations regarding zero-rating from other representations about value added tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has classified beer as a non-food for value added tax purposes when under the various health and hygiene laws and regulations it is classified as food and is included in the cost of living index as a food; and whether he will make a statement.

Beer has not been classified as a non-food for VAT purposes; it has been included among those foods excepted from zero-rating in Schedule 4 Group 1 of the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the representatives of the Royal Institute of British Architects on the question of the value added tax so far as it affects architects.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hands worth (Mr. Sydney Chapman) today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the fiscal measures he has taken affecting charities.

The main measures are the estate duty and capital gains tax concessions for bequests and gifts announced in the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the inconvenience caused to the trading community, he will direct the Bank of England to reverse its decision not to accept Irish and Jersey 50p coins for deposit.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that conglomerate companies are paying no tax on substantially increased profits by arranging the sale of properties between companies within groups at prices and on terms arranged and managed to create an artificial tax loss which is then set off against current profits; and if he will seek powers to stop this practice and to disallow it retrospectively.

I do not know exactly what sort of arrangements the hon. Member has in mind. I have tabled a new clause to the Finance Bill to deal with one particular form of avoidance involving industrial buildings and structures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the change in the maximum taxation figure for the United Kingdom that will take place when his Budget proposals take effect, calculated on the same basis as on 1st January, 1972, when the United Kingdom rate was 88·75 per cent.; and if he will state the comparable figures for France and Germany.

My right hon. Friend's Budget did not affect the maximum marginal income tax rate for 1972–73, which remains at 88·75 per cent. It fixed the maximum rate for 1973–74 at 90 per cent. The maximum rates in France and Germany are 64·3 per cent. and 54·6 per cent. respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received asking him to introduce tax concessions for retirement pensioners and the poorest section of the community; and what replies he has sent.

Various representations have been made and my right hon. Friend's replies have depended on their nature. The improvements in the income tax allowances and reliefs in this year's Budget will have been of special help to taxpayers with smaller incomes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the point at which a married man with three young children became liable to income tax in 1970–71 and 1972–73, respectively.

Earnings of £934 and £1,262 a year including family allowances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the income of a married man with two children under 11 years of age, earning £30 a week, was paid in income tax in 1970–71, and how this compares with the proportion paid in income tax in 1972–73.

15·3 per cent., and 9·2 per cent., respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to the Revenue of allowing tax relief to tenants for their payment of rent.

No estimate is possible but the cost would be considerable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate he has formed of the balance of trade and net capital movements for the current year; and what is the expected impact on the exchange rate of sterling.

The current account was in surplus in the first five months of this year, and I expect a surplus for the year as a whole. Visible trade should improve in the coming months reflecting the generally expected recovery in world trade. We do not publish forecasts about the capital account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends taking to prevent the directors of the Leopold Joseph Investment Trust Limited from evading the investment currency premium by the method announced by them in their prospectus published in a national newspaper on 16th June, 1972, a copy of which is in his possession.

None. Under rules which have operated for some years, the Bank of England can approve purchase of foreign currency securities with the proceeds of a foreign currency loan as an alternative to the use of investment currency.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the format of the income tax return form.

These forms are constantly reviewed, but we have no present plan for major changes in them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with public support for National Savings; and if he will make a statement.

We greatly welcome the continuing improvement in public support for National Savings. In the 12 months to the end of May, 1972, the total amount invested increased from £8,860 million to £9,694 million—an increase of £834 million or about 9½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now able to estimate how much would be saved by the Exchequer by disallowing mort gage interest relief for that part of a mortgage over £10,000.

No. But the yield would be small, unless the disallowance extended to mortgages of business premises and income-producing properties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to public funds of subsidies to the nationalised industries to compensate them for price increases deferred or restricted in conformity with the Confederation of British Industry price restraint scheme; and what is his latest estimate of the total cost of such subsidies during the current calendar and financial years, respectively.

I have nothing to add to the answers given to my hon. Friend on 16th May and to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn) on 7th March.—[Vol. 837, c. 51; Vol. 832, c. 279.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of the official reserves.

At end-May the reserves, converted at par, stood at £2,744 million. The figure for end-June will be published on 4th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the national income for each of the past 10 years, together with the proportions of the national income taken by taxation, rates, and all other forms of local and national charges, together with an estimate of the figures for the current year.

The information for the last 10 years is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to raise the issue of British industry's capability of exploiting North Sea oil on the next occasion which he takes the chair of the National Economic Development Council.

No. The next meeting of the council will be devoted to a general discussion of industrial investment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps designed to restore confidence in the gilt-edged market.

The most effective contribution which can be made to strengthening the gilt-edged market is to pursue the objectives which my right hon. Friend outlined in his Budget speech, that of achieving a faster rate of economic expansion and a slowing down of inflation. This the Government intends to do.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the percentage share of employers' profits before taxes and employers' national insurance contributions, and after taxes and contribution, respectively, in total income from production in 1971;(2) what were the percentage share of employers and employees, respectively, in national direct income from domestic production of goods and services before taxes and national insurance contributions, and after taxes and national insurance contributions, respectively, in 1971.

Figures for 1971 are not yet available in sufficient detail to enable these calculations to be made. In 1970 it is estimated that the trading profits of companies, public corporations and unincorporated businesses, before payment of taxes on income and national insurance contributions accounted for about 33 per cent. of the income generated in these sectors, the remaining 67 per cent. representing the income of the employees. The trading profits are taken before providing for depreciation and stock appreciation and the figures exclude both the income of employees in the central and local government sectors and the profits of public enterprises other than public corporations. Corresponding figures after payment of taxes and contributions cannot be given since tax payments cannot be split between these and other forms of taxable income. My hon. Friend may, however be interested to look at Table 9 of the National Income Blue Book which gives a great deal of data on income before and after payments of taxes and contributions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many citizens of the Republic of Eire resident in the United Kingdom were prosecuted in each of the last three financial years for income tax offences; what were the total sums of money involved; what were the most common offences; and what action has been taken to tighten up procedures to prevent further such offences.

The Inland Revenue is constantly reviewing its procedures to combat possible tax offences. The information requested about offences by citizens of the Republic of Eire resident in the United Kingdom is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax officers, higher grade, recruited in Scotland but employed in England, have applied for transfer to areas in Scotland during the past 12 months; and, of these, how many have had transfer requests granted.

Twenty-seven applications of which four were granted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many vacancies for tax officer, higher grade, now exist in Scotland.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now introduce a statutory wages, prices, dividends, profits, rents and incomes policy.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish and make available to Members of Parliament the report submitted to him by the Commission of the European Economic Community giving details of the trends in prices and costs in Great Britain and the effects this will have on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community;

The report to which I assume the hon. Gentleman is referring is one by the European Commission to the Council of Ministers of the existing Community, containing recommended guidelines on short-term economic policy addressed to the present members of the Community. It does not address recommendations to the Governments of the acceding States nor does it contain an assessment of the effects which current trends in prices and costs in this country will have on our entry into the Community.The Government's policy is to bring down the rate of inflation in the United Kingdom to an acceptable level.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list of the Secondary Legislation of the Rules, Regulations and Decisions of the European Economic Community which will affect his Department and its ministerial responsibilities; in what way each such piece of legislation will affect his departmental activities; and to what extent he has met, or intends to meet, employers, trade unions, industrial representatives and trade associations to discuss the effects of such legislation on British industry in general and matters falling within his ministerial responsibilities.

I would refer the hon. Member to Parts 1, 5, 6 and 11 of the European Communities Secondary Legislation as published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Interested organisations and persons have been and will continue to be consulted as necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the estimate of the costs of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market at the latest convenient stated date; how this compares with the original estimate; and to what extent the figures in both instances include provision for the strengthening of the roads and bridges in Great Britain.

I see no reason at present to depart from the estimates of the United Kingdom's contributions to the Community Budget, given in the July, 1971 White Paper "The United Kingdom and the European Communities". As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has already explained, the combined effect of changes in EEC prices and in world prices since last July is to reduce somewhat the estimates given in the White Paper for the effect of entry into the Community on the United Kingdom's food import bill. The estimates in the White Paper do not include provision for strengthening roads and bridges in Great Britain.—[Vol. 834, c. 167–8.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the number of the staff in his Department who will be affected by the Boyle proposals to increase salaries by 20 per cent, to 25 per cent.; what salaries they now receive; and to what extent these will be raised on the implementation of the Boyle Report.

There are 32 staff at Under-secretary level and above in the Treasury whose pay is affected by the recommendations of the Review Body. I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the Top Salaries Review Body (Cmnd. 5001) which was published on 23rd June and to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's written reply on 23rd June to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. William Clark).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give for the latest most convenient stated date the number of male and female registered blind workers employed in his Department; and whether he will take whatever action may be open to him to increase this number as and when convenient and suitable vacancies become available.

One male and one female registered blind workers are currently employed in the Treasury.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of male, female and young persons unemployed; and what are the respective percentage figures in the Consett-Stanley-Lanchestertravel-to-work area, County Durham.

At 12th June, 1,548 men, 265 women and 173 boys and girls were registered as unemployed in the Consett, Stanley and Lanchester travel-to-work area. The percentage rates of unemployment were 7·5 for males and 3·3 for females but cannot be calculated separately for young persons. The figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified as pending for the remainder of 1972 in the Newport, Monmouthshire employment exchange area; which firms have taken these decisions; and what is the numbers involved in each individual firm.

Redundancies involving some 700 workers have been notified to my Department as pending for the remainder of 1972 in the Newport employment exchange area. Information supplied by individual employers is often provided in confidence, and I should not feel justified in publishing it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those firms in the Newport, Monmouthshire employment exchange area that have notified him that they have made workpeople redundant in 1972 up to the latest available date; and what are the numbers involved for each individual firm.

Information supplied by individual employers is often provided in confidence and I should not feel justified in publishing it. However redundancies involving some 350 workpeople were notified to my Department by five employers as due to take place between 1st January, 1972 and 22nd June, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many blind or partially-sighted persons are employed in sheltered workshops in Scotland; what were the comparable figures five and 10 years ago; and what proposals he has for increasing employment opportunities for the blind in Scotland.

At 31st March, 1972, 483 blind and partially sighted persons were employed in sheltered workshops in Scotland. Comparable figures for 1967 and 1962 were 622 and 736 respectively.Steps being taken to increase employment opportunities for blind people in Scotland are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many blind people are working in workshops for the blind and in open industry, respectively, in Wales; and what were the figures for 1964, 1968 and 1971.

On 31st March, 1972—the most recent date for which figures are available—151 blind people were employed in workshops for the blind and 292 were working in open industry in Wales.The corresponding fiures for previous years were:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many blind people are employed within Government Departments; and what are the figures for each Department, separately.

Detailed information about the number of blind people employed in Government Departments, separately and in total, is not readily available. It is, however, known that the total exceeds 350.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the effect on inflation of increases in earned income of the one-third of all employed persons who negotiate their pay by individual, as distinct from collective, bargaining.

No estimate can be given for this very diverse group.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the total non-industrial civil servants employed by his Department in Wales have a working knowledge of the Welsh language; and what percentage this is of the total.

316, which is 18·5 per cent. of the total.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered dock workers were employed in London, Liverpool, Hull, Southampton, Manchester and Bristol, including Avonmouth, respectively, on 31st May, 1968; and what were the equivalent figures for 31st May, 1972.

The numbers of registered dock workers on 31st May, 1968, and 31st May, 1972, including men on the supplementary and temporarily unattached registers, were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of days lost through industrial disputes since 19th June, 1970.

33,930,000 working days were lost through industrial stoppages in the period 1st July, 1970, to 31st May, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men in the employment exchange areas of Treorchy, Tonypandy and Ferndale have been unemployed for more than six months and more than one year, respectively; and if he will publish an analysis of these numbers according to age.

Following is the information for January, 1972, the latest date for which a detailed age analysis is available:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table giving an analysis of unemployment by age, indicating those who have been unemployed for over six months and up to one year, and those who have been unemployed for more than one year.

This information is collected in January and July each year and figures for January, 1972 were published at page 182 of the February issue of the Department of Employment Gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been announced in Wales since June, 1970;and if he will give a breakdown of these figures between the different travel-to-work areas.

During the period 1st June, 1970, to 21st June, 1972, inclusive redundancies have been notified to my Department involving the following numbers of workpeople in the different travel-to-work areas in Wales:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many of the 182,000 men in May, 1972, who had exhausted their unemployment benefit were receiving supplementary allowances;(2) how many men were on the books of his Department at the most recent date who had exhausted their right to unemployment benefit; and how many were receiving supplementary allowances.

On 1st May, 1972, the number was 139,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the latest figures for the average weekly wage in England and Scotland, respectively.

In October, 1971, the average weekly earnings of full-time manual men aged 21 and over in industries covered by the Department's regular enquiry were £31·12 in England and £29·88 in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industries employing more than 50 people have closed in the London Borough of Wandsworth during the last five years according to reports made to his Department; and what was the number of jobs lost as a result of these closures.

I regret the information is not available in the form requested. However, 28 closures of establishments, each of which resulted in more than 50 people being made redundant, have been notified to my Department in the last five years in the Tooting and Battersea Employment Exchange areas and in that part of Fulham Employment Exchange area south of the Thames. As a result of these closures 4,200 people were made redundant.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and women, respectively, had been unemployed for a period of three or more consecutive months on 8th March, 1972, in the County of Pembroke.

Information is not available for 8th March but at 10th April, out of a total of 991 males and 408 females registered as wholly unemployed in Pembrokeshire, 602 males and 249 females had been registered for more than 13 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the total job loss in Scotland from 1st July, 1970, to 31st May, 1972.

Precise information about job gains and job losses is not available, but an indication of net changes can be obtained by comparing levels of employment at different dates. Based on quarterly estimates, the number of employees in employment in Scotland decreased by 33,000 between June, 1970, and September, 1971, the last date for which provisional estimates are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the percentage increase in the number of men registered as wholly unemployed in Scotland between June, 1970, and June. 1972;(2) what is the percentage increase in the number of females registered as wholly unemployed in Scotland between June, 1970, and June, 1972.

Between June, 1970, and June, 1972, the provisional increases in the numbers registered as wholly unemployed in Scotland were 51 per cent. for males and 72 percent. for females.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest estimate of the number of jobs which have been lost in Scotland since June, 1970.

Precise information is not available about job gains and job losses, but an indication of the net change can be obtained by comparing levels of employment at different dates. Between June, 1970, and September 1971, the latest date for which provisional estimates are available, the number of employees in employment in Scotland decreased by 33,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the latest estimate of the reduction in the number of female employees in Scotland since June, 1970;(2) what is the latest etimate of the reduction in the number of male employees in Scotland since June, 1970.

Between June, 1970, and September, 1971, the latest date for which provisional estimates are available, the number of male employees in employment in Scotland decreased by 50,000 and the number of female employees increased by 17,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what amount of money he has budgeted for in Government estimates this year to pay for ballots in industrial disputes.

The amount in the current financial year's estimates for ballots to be conducted by the Commission on Industrial Relations is £317,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the action taken by Her Majesty's Government in relation to the industrial disputes in the dock industry generally, and the Chobham Farm, Stratford, E.15, dispute in particular.

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to his statement to the House on 19th June, 1972.—[Vol. 839, c. 30–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of the official engagements that he undertook during the week commencing Monday, 11th June, 1972; and to what extent these official engagements were concerned with the dockers' container dispute at Chobham Farm and the National Industrial Relations Court's order affecting Bernie Steer, Victor Turner and Alan Williams.

My official engagements in the week commencing Monday, 11th June, 1972, were in no way concerned with the dockers' container dispute at Chobham Farm nor with the National Industrial Relations Court's order affecting Mr. Steer, Mr. Turner and Mr. Williams.

asked the Secretary of State for employment when he expects the Remploy factory, now under construction in the Cynon Valley, to be completed and in production; and how many disabled persons will be employed.

The Aberdare factory is planned to be completed and in limited production in January, 1973. Build-up to the full complement of 70 places provided for severely disabled people will be gradual; the aim is to employ 60 of them by 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the amounts paid in regional employment premium in Scotland in the years 1970–71 and 1971–72 and the amounts estimated to be paid from the same source in the years 1972–73 and 1973–74.

The estimated payments made in respect of regional employment premium in the Scottish Development Area in the financial years 1970–71 and 1971–72 were £40·6 million and £34·2 million respectively. The amount payable in the financial years 1972–73 and 1973–74 is estimated to be £36·2 million and £36·9 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now authorise a public inquiry to determine the site of the new Croydon General Hospital.

The site preferred by the South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board for a new district general hospital to serve the Croydon area is at Shirley. This site is currently the subject of an appeal by its owners, Lambeth Borough Council, against the local planning authority's refusal of planning permission to develop it for housing. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is arranging for a public inquiry into that appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many agency nurses are employed in the National Health Service within the greater London area.

Information about the number in the greater London area is not readily available but there were 2,693 in hospitals of metropolitan regional hospital boards and London boards of governors at 30th September, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, on the assumption that directly employed nurses are on sick or annual leave for seven weeks in the year, what is the additional cost of using agency nurses in the National Health Service.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) on 25th January.—[Vol. 829, c. 366–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will expedite the plans for building a new district hospital in Walsall in view of the need for better hospital facilities in Walsall.

Local consultations have already begun on the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board's plan for the later phases of the new district general hospital at Walsall. Over £2 million is currently being spent on the initial stages of the development.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what quota, since the commencement of the Abortion Act, of hearts from aborted fetuses have been used for experimental purposes at the National Heart Hospital; how wide the practice is; what permission is required; and what safeguards exist against export to European countries.

There is no question of any quota but I have been informed of two cases where hearts from aborted fetuses were so used. As regards the general situation, the hon. Member will see from the recently published report of the advisory group which considered the use of fetuses and fetal material for research, many projects utilise fetal material. The report states that where a fetus dies after birth the provisions of the Human Tissue Act, 1961, apply. There is in other circumstances no statutory requirement to obtain the parents' consent for research using an aborted fetus but equally there is no statutory power to ignore their wishes. The report goes on to recommend that parents should have the opportunity to declare any special wishes. I have no evidence that fetal hearts are sent abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what, in the absence of a valid birth certificate, is regarded by his Department as adequate evidence of birth in the event of a parent or other responsible person having failed to register the birth at the appropriate time.

In the absence of a valid birth certificate, secondary evidence from as early a date as possible and from as many sources as possible is taken into account in deciding whether a claimant's statement about his date of birth can be accepted.Typical sources of secondary evidence are certificates of baptism, confirmation and marriage, entries in a family Bible or birthday book, school records, life insurance policies and certificates of service in Her Majesty's Forces, but the sources available vary from case to case.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of cases in the last five years for Wales of claims for industrial injuries benefit which were originally in favour of the claimants but which were subsequently turned down on appeal by the Department to the commissioner.

Appeals from local tribunal decisions are not made by the Department but by the insurance officer, who is an independent statutory authority.The following are the latest available figures:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of cases in the last five years for Wales of claims for industrial injuries benefit in which claimants failed in their application at tribunal level, but which on appeal by the claimants to the commissioner were successful.

Following are the latest available figures:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list of the Secondary Legislation of the Rules Regulations and Decisions of the European Economic Community which will affect his Department and its ministerial responsibilities; in what way each such piece of legislation will effect his Departmental activities; and to what extent he has met or intends to meet persons concerned to discuss the effects of such legislation on matters falling within his ministerial responsibilities.

I would refer the hon. Member to Part9 (pages 87 to 94), Part 10 (pages 25 to 188) and Part 19 (pages 131 to 154) of the European Communities Secondary Legislation as published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Interested organisations and persons have been and will continue to be consulted as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give the number of staff in his Department who will be affected by the Boyle proposals to increase salaries by 20per cent. to 25 per cent.; what salaries they now receive; and to what extent these will be raised on the implementation of the Boyle Report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the Top Salaries Review Body (Cmnd. 5001) which was published on 23rd June, and to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. William Clark) on 23rd June. There are 58 staff at Under-secretary level and above in my Department whose pay is affected by the recommendations of the Review Body.—[Vol. 839, c. 183.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take the necessary action to ensure that statistics are maintained in future to show the number of persons receiving unemployment benefit, sickness benefit or retirement pensions in the London Borough of Newham on a similar basis to those as available for persons receiving supplementary benefit.

No. I consider that the expense involved in maintaining such statistics would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he can now say what the boundaries of the area and regional health authorities will be in the reorganised health service; and whether he will make a statement.

I envisage no departure from the principle stated in the consultative document on National Health Service reorganisation that outside London the boundaries of the area health authorities should be the same as those of the new non-metropolitan counties and metropolitan districts. Consideration of the boundaries within London is not yet completed. The regional health authorities will be responsible for the groups of health areas outside London shown below.I shall issue guidance on the management arrangements that should apply where health catchment areas overlap the new boundaries when I have received the advice of the current National Health Service management study later in the year. Administrative boundaries will not be allowed to restrict the present freedom of patients to go to the general practitioner of their choice and the most appropriate hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to ensure that when Members of Parliament write to him on behalf of their constituents they are not kept waiting for three or four weeks for replies which could be sent within a few days as with the case, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give for the latest most convenient stated date the number of male and female registered blind workers employed in his Department; and whether he will take whatever action may be open to him to increase this number as and when convenient and suitable vacancies become available.

At 1st June, 1972, there were 25 male and 21 female registered blind workers employed by my Department. The Civil Service Department, in consultation with establishment officers of all major Departments, is actively considering what further action can be taken to increase the numbers of registered disabled people, including blind persons, employed in the Civil Service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to control the growing nuisance being caused in inner London by the grey squirrel; and if he will make a statement.

It is for occupiers or local authorities to control such nuisances. Technical advice is available from my Department and, as my hon. Friend may be aware, we are seeking powers in the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill to enable authorised poisons to be used against grey squirrels in approved circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how widespread is the current outbreak of yellow rust in corn crops; if he is satisfied that the application of mixed fungicides is likely to be effective without producing unacceptable ecological risks; and if he will make a statement.

Yellow rust in wheat crops, is now widespread in all southern counties from Somerset to East Anglia and severe attacks are also occurring in South Warwickshire, the Eastern Midlands and Northumberland. In other areas slight isolated attacks have been reported.All fungicide formulations that are being widely used have been cleared for safe use under the Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme. Thus they are not likely to have any significant ecological effect. Because of the sporadic nature of the disease, and hence the difficulty of conducting long-term field trials, there is only limited information on the effectiveness of the fungicides available. There is, however, some commercial evidence that mixtures are more effective than separate materials.It is well known that this disease is particularly sensitive to weather conditions. The cool, intermittently wet weather of the last few months has been particularly favourable for its development. A spell of hot dry weather in the next few weeks would be the best check to its spread, but even if this happens yields are likely to be affected.The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service will, over the next month, be conducting a country wide survey to enable a quantitive assessment to be made of, the total position.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average family spending on food in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 and at the latest available date.

The National Food Survey shows that expenditure on food per person per week by an average family of two adults and two children was as follows:

• 1968—£1: 89·5p.
• 1969—£2: 00.
• 1970—£2: 11.
• 1971—£2: 30.
• 1st quarter 1972 (provisional)—£2: 33.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now reconsider how animals should be treated in intensive and rationalised livestock husbandry so as to preserve them from all forms of suffering and damage.

The welfare of farm animals under all husbandry systems is kept under continuing review by the Departments and by our Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee. The codes of recommendations for the welfare of livestock, approved by Parliament last summer, are designed to safeguard the welfare of animals under both intensive and extensive systems of husbandry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set up a committee to investigate and report on the effect on food of factory farming, battery systems and injections of antibiotics.

The Interdepartmental Committee on Food Composition is already reviewing the effects on nutritional quality of intensive farming practices in the United Kingdom and has so far published two reports.The use of antibiotics in food production is subject to statutory control on which the Government are advised by the Veterinary Products Committee appointed under the Medicines Act, 1968.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of the total non-industrial civil servants employed by his Department in Wales have a working knowledge of the Welsh language; and what percentage this is of the total.

Some 600 of the non-industrial civil servants employed by my Department in Wales have a working knowledge of the Welsh language. This number represents 45 per cent. of the total staff so employed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give further details of the progress of voluntary brucellosis eradication; and, in the light of this, whether he will now announce plans for the introduction of compulsory eradication into further areas in England and Wales.

Since the announcement of increased milk and beef incentives in March, 1971, nearly 33,000 more herd owners have joined the voluntary incentives Scheme. This means there are now over 64,000 herds taking part in voluntary accreditation, representing over 50 per cent. of all the testable cattle in Great Britain. This is very encouraging progress and represents a remarkable response on the part of the farming industry to our policy of giving the maximum encouragement to voluntary action.Nevertheless, I recognise that it is essential that this progress is followed up by the gradual extension of compulsory eradication on an area basis. The first areas were scheduled in March, 1971, and since then my right hon. Friend has announced that eradication will start in Norfolk and Suffolk in April, 1973. In addition, it has now been decided that the programme over the next two years will be as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent Great Britain will be affected by Part 32 Milk and Milk Products Regulation 445/72/EEC of 29th February, 1972.

This regulation removed the original time limit of 31st March, 1972, on the operation of Regulation 2864/71 which makes provision for levies on imports of liquid milk from third countries. The effect of the regulation as amended is likely to be small, as there is likely to be little need for the Community to import liquid milk from third countries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list of the Secondary Legislation of the Rules, Regulations and Decisions of the European Economic Community which will affect his Department and its ministerial responsibilities; in what way each such piece of legislation will affect his Departmental activities; and to what extent he has met, or intends to meet, employers, trade unions and representations of organisations concerned to discuss the effects of such legislation on matters falling within his ministerial responsibilities.

I would refer the hon. Member to Parts 14–41 of the European Communities Secondary Legislation as published by H.M. Stationery Office. Full consultation is taking place with the interests concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reply he has sent to the communications he has received from the Chairman of the London Dairy Trade Federation, on the increased prices for milk, butter and other dairy products.

None. The hon. Member is presumably referring to press reports of a speech by the Chairman of the Dairy Trade Federation on 19th June. In it he said that the federation was preparing an application for an annual review of the target rates of profit for the milk distributive trade.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give the number of the staff in his Department who will be affected by the Boyle proposals to increase salaries by 20 per cent, to 25 per cent.; what salaries they now receive; and to what extent these will be raised on the implementation of the Boyle Report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the Top Salaries Review Body (Cmnd. 5001) which was published on 23rd June and to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's written reply of 23rd June to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. William Clark). There are 33 staff at Under-secretary level and above in my Department whose pay is affected by the recommendations of the Review Body.—[Vol. 839, c. 183.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give for the latest most convenient stated date the number of male and female registered blind workers employed in his Department; and whether he will take whatever action may be open to him to increase this number as and when convenient and suitable vacancies become available.

On 1st October, 1971, registered blind persons employed in my Department numbered 20 males and five females. The Civil Service Department, in consultation with establishment officers of all major Departments, is actively considering what further action can be taken to increase the numbers of registered disabled people, including blind persons, employed in the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now reconsider the question of a fixed Easter on a date between 5th April and 9th April.

No. The Easter Act, 1928, provides for Easter Day to be the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April, but the question whether that Act should be brought into force continues to depend upon agreement being reached between the major Christian Churches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies for women imigration officers were advertised within the Civil Service in April, 1971, and April, 1972; how many applications were received; and how many applicants were appointed.

The number of vacancies was not specified. In 1971 there were 98 applications and 11 appointments. In 1972 there were 28 applications which are at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were conducted in each police authority area in Wales during the past 12 months on alleged offences arising from Welsh language demonstrations; how many were in magistrates' courts; and in how many barristers were employed to prosecute.

The Chief Constables concerned tell me that the number of people prosecuted in 1971 for offences arising from Welsh language demonstrations was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases of indictable offences in Wales defendants who had been found guilty at magistrates' courts were granted absolute discharges last year.

In 1971, 331 defendants were discharged absolutely after being found guilty of an indictable offence by magistrates' courts in Wales and Monmouthshire.