asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his Department's actions concerning the docks dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest situation in industrial relations in the docks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he has had with the Transport and General Workers Union regarding labour problems in the ports; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my statement to the House on 19th June, 1972, when I reported that the issues in the docks dispute are being considered by the authoritative joint committee under the chairmanship of Lord Aldington and Mr. Jack Jones.—Vol. 839, c. 30–31.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest level of unemployment in Birmingham.

At 12th June, the number of people registered as unemployed in the Birmingham travel-to-work area was 27,511, including 1,521 who were temporarily stopped, and the rate of unemployment was 4·1 per cent.

CONCILIATION IN COMPLAINTS OF UNFAIR DISMISSAL AND INFRINGEMENT OF RIGHTS IN REGARD TO TRADE UNION MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITY UNDER THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT 1971—PERIOD 28th FEBRUARY, 1972 to 26th MAY, 1972
				Unfair dismissal (Section 22)	Infringement of Trade Union membership etc. (Section 5)
A. Applications referred by the industrial tribunals	…	…	…	1,573	136
Cases in which conciliation not attempted or withdrawn or lapsing on tribunals hearing	…	…	…	491	91
Settlements	…	…	…	201	4
Withdrawals	…	…	…	331	10
Still being dealt with	…	…	…	550	31
B. Complaints received before application made to the industrial tribunals (Section 146(4)	…	…	…	184	12
Cases in which conciliation not attempted or withdrawn		…	…	59	1
Settlements	…	…	…	15	1
Withdrawals	…	…	…	60	6
Still being dealt with	…	…	…	50	4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce a hearing test for all those about to start work in industrial surroundings where there are continuous or semi-continuous noise levels of more than 90 decibels.

No. Noise levels of more than 90 decibels, using the "A" weighted scale, have been found to exist in most industries. As I explained in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 6th June, I consider it more useful to direct the efforts of my Department to the limitation of exposure—[Vol. 838, c. 49–50.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints of alleged unfair dismissal have been made to industrial tribunals since 28th February; and, in cases which have now been determined, how many complaints have been upheld.

In the period 28th February to 26th May, 1,757 applications were made direct to industrial tribunals concerning complaints by alleged unfair dismissal, and were referred to my Department's conciliation officers to attempt a settlement. Information on the outcome of cases heard is not yet available, but I will, with permission, publish in the Official REPORT a table showing how these complaints were dealt with.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies for women and girls in the clothing and footwear industry in the Yorkshire and Humberside region at the most recent date.

At 7th June the provisional numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the clothing and footwear industries in the Yorkshire and Humberside region were 513 for women and 309 for girls. The figures relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies for women and girls in the clothing and footwear industry in the North-West region at the most recent date.

At 7th June the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the clothing and footwear industries in the North-West region were 707 for women and 149 for girls. The figures relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the catering industry in the North-West at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industries in the North-West region was 1,151. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the catering industry in the South-East at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in the South-East region was 9,118. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the catering industry in Scotland at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in Scotland was 1,608. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the catering industry in Yorkshire and Humberside at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in the Yorkshire and Humberside region was 1,280. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the catering industry in Wales at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the hotel and catering industry in Wales was 1,369. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the construction industry in the North-West at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the construction industry in the North-West region was 1,251. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the construction industry in the Northern Region at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the construction industry in the Northern region was 1,147. The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the construction industry in the Yorkshire and Humberside region at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the construction industry in Yorkshire and Humberside region was 1,507.The figure relates only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and does not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the construction industry in Scotland at the most recent date.

At 7th June the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the construction industry in Scotland was 992.The 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 if he will reconsider the policy by which blind persons are unable to take employment in sheltered workshops if they are classified as suitable for open industry.

My right hon. Friend has no powers under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, under which he can pay grant towards the cost of providing employment in such workshops for blind or other severely disabled people who have the skills and abilities to be employed without special conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up a working party to bring up to date the findings of the Stewart Working Party on the employment of blind persons which sat from June, 1960, to 1962.

No. The question of the employment of blind people is included in the review of policies and services for disabled people on which, as I told the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 6th June, my right hon. Friend will be consulting the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled and other interested bodies as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many blind persons are registered as unemployed in the City of Manchester to the nearest convenient date; and how many of these fall in the categories designated as Class 1 and Class 2.

On 28th June, 1972, there were 22 blind people registered as unemployed in the City of Manchester. Of these, 15 were considered to be in need of employment under special conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of blind persons employed and the number of special workshops employing them in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the number of special workshops employing blind people and the number of blind people employed in them at 31st March in each of the past five years.

Year			Number of Workshops	Number of Blind Employees
1968	…	…	64	2,977
1969	…	…	62	2,813
1970	…	…	61	2,705
1971	…	…	60	2,539
1972	…	…	60	2,405

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many blind persons are employed as blind person resettlement officers by his Department; how many sighted persons are in this section; how many blind persons training officers there are; and if he will make a statement.

On 20th June, 1972, 11 blind men were employed as blind persons resettlement officers in my Department; 19 sighted men were also employed on these duties. One senior blind persons training officer and nine blind persons training officers were in post on that date.In order to strengthen the departmental resettlement service for blind people, the number of blind persons training officers was increased from six to nine during June, and a senior technical officer was appointed to my headquarters staff. These additional officers are currently receiving specialised training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what finance has been made available to the Industrial Advisers of the Blind Limited in each year since its inception; what was the total number of its employees in 1971 and the total number of blind persons employed in the special workshops to which advice is tendered.

Grants paid to Industrial Advisers to the Blind by my Department during each of the years since its inception have been:

				£
1963–64	…	…	…	10,000
1964–65	…	…	…	36,500
1965–66	…	…	…	54,000
1966–67	…	…	…	64,600
1967–68	…	…	…	67,000
1968–69	…	…	…	69,000
1969–70	…	…	…	75,000
1970–71	…	…	…	83,000
1971–72	…	…	…	86,000

The total number of the company's employees in 1971 was 37 and the total number of blind people employed in the special workshops to which advice is available is 2,405.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many blind persons unemployed on the last date for which figures are available are registered in Section One, and how many in Section Two; and what is the percentage of unemployed blind workers among those of working age.

At 19th April, 1972, 1,020 blind people were registered unemployed; 478 in need of employment in ordinary conditions, and 542 requiring employment under special conditions.11·22 per cent. of blind people of working age registered with my Department under the Disabled Persons Employment) Act, 1944 were unemployed in April, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the reason for the practice of dividing blind persons into two distinct categories when seeking employment through his local offices; and if he will issue instructions to make it easier for a person placed in one category to be placed in employment designated as applicable to the other category.

To comply with the requirements of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, it is necessary to identify disabled, including blind, people who by reason of the nature and severity of their disablement are unlikely to obtain employment under ordinary conditions, and in respect of whom grant may be paid for employment under special conditions. The position of all unemployed blind people is constantly reviewed, and my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the requirements of the Act are administered humanely and with maximum flexibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why estimates of the number of people in employment in Pembrokeshire in June, 1971, are not yet available; and when he expects them to be available.

Employment estimates for Pembrokeshire can be derived only from aggregations of estimates for local areas. The production of these estimates for some 900 separate areas is a lengthy and complicated task. Total figures should be available in about two months' time and industrial analyses towards the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the wage settlements in the public sector since 1st January, 1972, which have been of 10 per cent. or less.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to

PUBLIC SECTOR SETTLEMENTS AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF 10 PER CENT, OR LESS NOTIFIED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SINCE 1ST JANUARY, 1972
Agreement	Approximate number of workers involved	Estimated percentage increase in earnings arising from settlement	Operative Date
National Health Service:		per cent.
Hospital Doctors and Dentists	25,000	8·0	1st April, 1971
General Medical Practitioners	23,000	8·0	1st April, 1971
General Dental Practitioners	11,000	8·0	1st April, 1971
Building Supervisors	400	9·6	1st July, 1971
			1st August, 1971 and3rd March, 1972 England and Wales 21st June, 1971 Scotland
Her Majesty's Stationery Office:
Presses and Binderies	2,500	8·1
National Health Service:
Medical Physics Technicians	800	8·7*	1st August, 1971
Dark Room Technicians	1,250	8·0*	1st September, 1971
Electricity Supply NJIC General Workers	120,000	7·8	20th September 1971
Local Authority Engineering Workers	7,000	7·2	8th November 1971
Water Supply, Manual Workers (England and Wales)	26,000	7·5	5th December, 1971
Chairmen and Members of Nationalised industries	1,441	6·8	1st January 1972
Higher judiciary,
Senior Civil Servants,
Senior officers of armed forces.
British Steel Corporation Clerical Workers	52,000	7·0	1st January, 1972
Non-Industrial Civil Service	400,000	7·5	1st January, 1972
(Grades or salary scales up to £5,200 not subject to pay research in 1972)
Gas Supply NJIC General Workers	60,000	7·7	18th January, 1972
London Country Bus	3,600	7·0	8th April, 1972
Services—Platform Staff
Gas Supply Industry Senior Staff	6,000	8·9	1st July, 1972
* Representative rate of pay shown.
† Implementation of a previous agreement in 1972 is estimated to add a further 1 per cent.
NJIC—National Joint Industrial Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unfilled vacancies in the distributive trades in the North-West, Northern Region, Yorkshire and Humberside and Scotland at the most recent date.

At 7th June the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the distributive trades in the North-West, Northern and Yorkshire and Humberside regions, and in Scotland, were 2,652, 1,301, 1994 and 1,423, respectively. The figures relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not the hon. Member for Doncaster (Mr. Harold Walker) on 22nd June, 1972. The following list gives, in so far as it is available, the information not included in that reply.—[Vol. 839, c. 160–2.]purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial disputes affecting engineering companies in the greater Manchester area occurred during the period January-June, 1972; how many still remain unresolved; and in how many of these disputes conciliation officers of his Department intervened.

Official statistics of industrial disputes include only those involving a stoppage of work and are not available below regional level.I understand however, that some 60 stoppages of work in engineering companies were reported in the Greater Manchester area during the period 1st January to 30th June this year and that three of these continue. Assistance was given by my Department's conciliation officers in four disputes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to find employment for the workers being made redundant at the Lead gate Engineering Plant, the Ransome Hoffmann Pollard Plant, the Medonsley Colliery and the Morrison Busty Colliery at Consett and Stanley, County Durham.

My Department is doing and will do everything possible to help those who become redundant obtain alternative employment. This will include as appropriate the use of "job teams" to interview work people in advance of their discharge, special canvasses of employers for vacancies, the use of the "job bank" and advice on facilities for training and re-training, and on assistance in moving to a job in a new area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange to publish youth unemployment figures for travel-to-work areas separate from the adult unemployment figures.

Youth unemployment figures, relating to persons aged 15–17 inclusive, are already published separately for 177 of the larger travel-to-work areas in the monthly statistics section of the Department of Employment Gazette. The latest figures are on pages 558–9 of the June, 1972, issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will specify the grounds on which he formed the view, which he represented to the National Industrial Relations Court, in the case of the Secretary of State for Employment versus Associated Steam Locomotive Engineers and Firemen and others, that there were reasons for doubting whether the workers who were taking part were doing so in accordance with their wishes.

I did so, following my statement on the rail dispute on 13th June in reply to the right hon. Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is now able to give the date when he will be able to state the total inclusive costs to the Exchequer of all items of expenditure involved in resolving the industrial dispute affecting the railways, including legal costs of the National Industrial Relations Court, printing and the ballot.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 6th June.—[Vol. 838, c. 49.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were out of work in the West Midlands on the last date for which figures are available.

At 12th June, the number of people who were registered as unemployed in the West Midlands region was 84,747, including 8,155 who were temporarily stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in his Department with the review of the law on picketing.

I cannot yet announce the results of the review, but I hope to do so soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now make a statement about his discussions with the Motor Industry Training Board on the levy system.

My right hon. Friend received detailed representations in writing from the Road Transport Industry Training Board and discussed them with the Board Chairman and Director-General. He is now considering all the representations made to him about the Government's proposals in the course of reaching decisions about the future organisation of industrial training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons, males and females, respectively, were registered as unemployed at each of the Mexborough and Wombwell employment exchanges on the latest available date.

At 12th June, 1,345 males and 434 females were registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Mexborough Employment Exchange. The corresponding figures for the Wombwell Area were 534 and 121.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many convictions there have been to date this year of employers for failure to take reasonable action to prevent industrial injuries or the contraction of industrial diseases.

Up until 23rd June there were 1,167 such convictions under the Factories Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of redundancies recorded in the paper industry in Scotland in the past five years.

The numbers of redundancies recorded as due to occur in the paper industry in Scotland in each of the last five years are as follows:

Year		Numbers of workpeople involved
13th June, 1971–12th June, 1972	…	775
13th June, 1970–12th June, 1971	…	1,423
13th June, 1969–12th June, 1970	…	396
13th June, 1968–12th June, 1969	…	230
13th June, 1967–12th June, 1968	…	728
Total	…	3,552

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average length of time for which disabled persons who register as unemployed now remain on the register and how this compares with the average period of registration on the normal register.

I regret that this information is not available but on 10th January, 1972, 39·5 per cent. of unemployed registered disabled people had been on the register for less than 26 weeks, 19·5 per cent. for periods between 26 and 52 weeks, and 41 per cent. for more than 52 weeks. Comparable figures for the normal register were 69·8 per cent., 14·9 per cent. and 15·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report figures indicating the number of registered disabled persons registered as unemployed at the end of May, 1972, and the comparable May figures for each of the last five years.

These figures collected by my Department usually relate to the second week in May. For the six years in question they were as follows:

			Registered disabled persons registered as unemployed (Great Britain)
8th May, 1972	…	…	88,939
10th May, 1971	…	…	80,915
11th May, 1970	…	…	71,847
12th May, 1969	…	…	67,611
13th May, 1968	…	…	64,907
8th May, 1967	…	…	57,808

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many new school leavers will be on the labour market at the end of this summer term.

It is estimated that in Great Britain as a whole 445,000 young people will leave school for employment at the end of the summer term.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many wage claims have been notified to his Department recently in major industry, which, on payment, would represent increases of over 10 per cent. on an annual basis in earnings per man hours; and if he will list the relevant claims and their amounts.

I regret that my information about wage claims is not in a form which would enable me to meet my hon. Friend's request.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed as public service vehicle licence drivers, during each of the last five years; and whether he has received representations about the need for his Department to provide alternative employment.

It is estimated that the numbers of persons employed as public service vehicle drivers in the five years 1966 to 1970 were as follows:

1966	…	…	…	99,128
1967	…	…	…	99,166
1968	…	…	…	96,939
1969	…	…	…	94,835
1970	…	…	…	98,168

Figures for 1971 are not yet available.I have received no representations on the need to provide alternative employment for this category of worker.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many public service vehicle drivers were made redundant during the last five years, respectively, and up to the latest convenient date for which his Department has details; and whether he has considered a departmental training scheme for the heavy goods drivers' licence to be made available to passenger service vehicle licence holders before and after redundancy takes place, the cost of which shall be borne by the Department.

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available.My Department is co-operating with the Road Transport Industry Training Board in a scheme to train unemployed people including former public service vehicle drivers for the new heavy goods vehicle driver's licence. The training is free and the trainees receive allowances under the Government Vocational Training Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the report of the Commission on Industrial Relations on disclosure of information by management.

I understand that the Commission hopes to present the report to my right hon. Friend in September.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from or on behalf of small businesses with regard to the disclosure of information by management to trade unions under Section 56 of the Industrial Relations Act; and what reply he has given.

The smaller Businesses Association expressed concern about the effects of this provision on small firms, particularly as regards the disclosure of financial information, during the passage of the Industrial Relations Act. Since then a small number of representations has been received making similar points on behalf of unlimited companies.Section 158 of the Act protects from disclosure certain types of information, including confidential information and any information the disclosure of which would seriously prejudice the interests of the employer's undertaking for reasons other than the effect on collective bargaining.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give the latest available figures of the numbers of men unemployed for over 12 months in South Shields, and a subdivision showing their age composition for the same date.

At 10th April, the latest date for which information is available in the area covered by the South Shields Employment Exchange, the number of wholly unemployed males who had been registered for more than 52 weeks was 799. Of these,14 were under 18 years of age and 785 were aged 18 years and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date he was informed of the proposal by Newton Chambers and Company to close Ransomes and Rapier at Ipswich; and what steps he is taking to find alternative employment.

My Department was informed on 22nd June, 1972. We shall of course do everything possible to help those who may be made redundant including the use of "job teams" to interview workpeople in advance of their discharge, special canvasses of employers for vacancies, and advice on opportunities for training and retraining.

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

At 12th June, 571 people were registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Hornchurch Employment Exchange.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of apprenticeships lost by closures of factories in the inner London area during the last 12 months which have been reported to his Department.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. However, according to my Department's records, during the period 1st January, 1972, to 28th June, 1972, three closures of establishments employing apprentices were reported in the inner London area, in which 31 apprentices were affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many grants have been paid under the Vocational Training Scheme to professional and executive workers over 40 years of age who were unemployed since the scheme was extended to them in March, 1971.

Grants were paid to 87 professional and executive workers over 40 years of age up to February, 1972. Since then the age limit for acceptance has been lowered to 25 and a further 115 grants have been authorised.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will appoint liaison officers at each main employment exchange with special responsibilities to liaise with the probation service and to help find suitable work for ex-offenders and other socially disadvantaged applicants.

There is a close liaison between the staff of employment exchanges and the probation service in the resettlement of ex-offenders. My right hon. Friend is considering whether the appointment of liaison officers would be likely to make co-operation more effective. A small number of experiments in providing a special service to socially disadvantaged people is planned as part of the current measures to improve the employment services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to assess the significance of the development of employment agencies in certain trades and occupations in rising costs; and if he will initiate a study of trends in this field.

My right hon. Friend does not think that a study along these lines would be helpful at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial accidents resulting in personal injury or fatality were reported to his Department for the administrative county of East Suffolk during the last 12 months period for which figures are available.

During 1971, 1,621 accidents, including six fatalities, were notified to the Factory Inspectorate by occupiers or employers in the administrative county of East Suffolk.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, what was the number of persons employed by industrial categories in East Suffolk in the first quarter of each year 1967 to 1972.

Employment estimates for local areas are made for each mid-year and the latest are for June,

INDUSTRIAL ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE IPSWICH, WOODBRIDGE, FELIXSTOWE, STOW MARKET, LOWESTOFT, SOUTHWOLD, BECCLES, HAILSWORTH, LEISTON AND BUNGAY EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES
			June, 1967	June, 1968	June, 1969*	June, 1969†	June, 1970
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	…	…	9·8	9·5	8·8	8·9	7·9
Mining and Quarrying	…	…	0·1	0·2	0·3	0·5	0·5
Food, Drink and Tobacco	…	…	10·5	10·1	11·2	11·2	12·0
Chemicals and Allied Industries	…	…	5·5	5·8	5·8	5·7	5·5
Metal Manufacture	…	…	2·9	3·0	30·1	3·0	3·0
Engineering and Electrical Goods	…	…	13·7	14·4	14·8	14·8	14·6
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering	…	…	1·7	1·9	1·9	1·9	2·0
Vehicles	…	…	1·8	1·4	1·5	1·3	1·4
Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	…	…	0·5	0·5	0·5	0·4	0·6
Textiles	…	…	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2	0·2
Leather, Leather Goods and Fur	…	…	0·5	0·5	0·5	0·5	0·5
Clothing and Footwear	…	…	2·1	2·2	2·3	2·3	2·4
Bricks, Pottery, Glass Cement, etc.	…	…	0·7	0·7	0·6	0·6	0·6
Timber, Furniture, etc.	…	…	2·4	2·2	2·4	2·4	2·2
Paper, Printing and Publishing	…	…	3·8	3·8	3·7	3·7	3·8
Other Manufacturing Industries	…	…	0·6	0·8	0·9	1·1	1·1
Construction	…	…	11·4	11·1	10·6	10·5	9·1
Gas, Electricity and Water	…	…	4·2	4·8	4·8	4·8	3·3
Transport and Communication	…	…	6·7	6·8	7·0	7·0	6·8
Distributive Trades	…	…	16·3	15·1	16·7	16·7	15·7
Insurance, Banking and Finance	…	…	2·6	2·6	2·8	3·2	3·2
Professional and Scientific Services	…	…	13·1	1·40	14·6	14·9	15·6
Miscellaneous Services	…	…	14·1	13·8	13·9	13·4	12·7
Public Administration	…	…	6·1	6·4	7·1	6·9	5·3
Not classified by industry	…	…	0·8	0·3	0·5	0·4	2·0
All industries and services	…	…	132·1	132·1	136·1	136·1	132·0
Notes: The estimates have been analysed on the basis of the 1958 edition of the Standard Industrial Classification up to 1969* and according to the 1968 edition from 1969. For ease of comparison, the table has been set out using the 1958 SIC groups of industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the total job loss in the Blyth constituency and the Northern Region in the period from January, 1971 to May, 1972.

Precise information about job gains and job losses is not available, but an indication of net changes can be obtained by comparing employment estimates for different dates. The latest date for which information for local areas is available is June, 1970. For the Northern Region the latest quarterly estimate, which is provisional, is for September, 1971. Between December, 1970, and September, 1971, the estimated number of employees in employment in the Northern Region decreased by 43,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the amounts paid in regional employment 1970. Following is the available information:premium in the Blyth constituency and the Northern Region during the past two years, and the amounts to be paid in regional employment premium during the next two years.

The estimated payments made in respect of regional employment premium in Northern region in the financial years 1970–71 and 1971–72 were £306 million and £27·1 million respectively.The amount payable in the financial years 1972–73 and 1973–74 is estimated at £29·3 million and £29·9 million respectively.Figures in respect of the Blyth constituency are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints of infringement of an employee's right to join a trade union have been made to the industrial tribunals since the relevant Sections of the Industrial Relations Act came into force.

Between 28th February and 26th May industrial tribunals received 136 complaints about infringement of trade union membership rights under Section 5 of the Act. In addition, 12 complaints were made direct to conciliation officers of my Department. These figures cover complaints relating to both the right to belong and the right not to belong to a trade union; separate figures for the former are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what measures have been taken to ensure that all those outside Government agencies who are concerned with the collection and use of the unemployment figures, especially the trade unions, employers' federations, research units and universities, are given an opportunity to comment on the present methods of collection and analysis;(2) if his review of the present method of collecting unemployment figures will consider the possibility of recurrent, if not regular, sample surveys of the population as well as data collected at local employment exchanges.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Department to carry out a review of the unemployment statistics in consultation with other Departments concerned; but it is not the intention to call for formal evidence from other bodies. The review will consider sample surveys of the population as a source of unemployment statistics, as well as data collected in employment exchanges.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of the present salaries received by the 48 members of his staff affected by the Boyle Committee proposals; and to what extent these salaries will rise on implementation of the Report.

There is one permanent secretary in my Department who will have his salary increased from £14,000 to £15,750; five deputy secretaries who will have their salaries increased from £9,000 to £10,500; 15 under secretaries who will have their salaries increased from £6,750 to £8,250; and one other officer on an intermediate salary rate which will be increased by a comparable amount. There are also the President of the Industrial Arbitration Board and the presidents and chairmen of industrial tribunals whose salaries range from £10,950 to £6,850 and will also be increased by comparable amounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of people who have been made redundant in the building industry over the past 12 months.

Redundancies involving 8,260 workpeople were recorded by my Department as due to occur in the building industry during the period 1st June, 1971, to 31st May, 1972; which is 43 per cent. of the figure for the corresponding period in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now take whatever action may be necessary to ensure an increase in the wages and salaries of all staff and employees coming within his Ministerial control, retrospective to 1st January, 1972.

I have been asked to reply.Agreed procedures already exist for the regular review of Civil Service wages and salaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish his White Paper on Services for the Elderly Mentally Infirm.

I hope to issue later this year a circular giving advice on the development, in consultation with the local authorities, of hospital services for mental illness related to old age. I have no plans to publish a White Paper on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will appoint a committee to look into social help for the disabled and to make recommendations relating to any anomalies they find to exist in the system at the present time.

This matter will fall within the terms of reference of the Personal Social Services Council which is in the process of being set up.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average weekly cost of maintaining an elderly dying patient in hospital; and how this compares with the cost of a weekly National Insurance stamp.

The cost of maintaining elderly dying patients in hospital is not separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the position of workers who temporarily cease employment to look after a dying patient, in a situation similar to that which applied to a constituent of the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, the details of which have been sent to him, whereby there would either be a loss of benefit of arrears of National Insurance contributions would have to be made; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot add to my reply to a similar Question from the hon. Member on 16th May. I am looking into the individual case referred to by the hon. Member and will write to him as soon as possible.—[Vol. 837, c. 66–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now consider giving, as of right, free prescriptions to women over 60 not working and whose husbands are in receipt of the retirement pension but not of a supplement; and if he will make a statement.

No. Anyone under 65 who cannot afford to pay prescription charges is entitled to exemption or refund.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many deaths were notified following abortions carried out in Great Britain on women whose normal place of residence was given as Northern Ireland during the periods 27th April to 31st December, 1968, and calendar years 1969, 1970 and 1971, respectively;(2) in the cases of the 479 abortions notified as being carried out in Great Britain during 1971 on women whose normal place of residence was given as Northern Ireland, what was their marital condition, age and grounds upon which the operations were performed.

For a provisional total of 649 such cases in Great Britain (479 in England) during 1971 the information is as follows:

Marital Status
Single	…	473
Married	…	123
Widowed divorced or separated	…	51
Not stated	…	2
Ages
0–15	…	7
16–19	…	139
20–24	…	234
25–29	…	107
30–34	…	76
35–39	…	44
40–44	…	25
Not stated	…	17
Grounds*
* As listed in Schedule 2 to Abortion Regulations 1968:
1—risk to life of woman;
2 and 3—risk of injury to health of woman and existing child(ren) respectively;
4—risk of abnormality in child.

1	2	3	4	2+4	3+other
6	562	2	1	2	76

No deaths were reported among these cases, nor among those in 1968, 1969 or 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what hospital services are available or planned for the younger disabled who require long-term care in the Oxford hospital region.

Two special units are available at present: one of 11 beds at Booker Hospital, High Wycombe, and one of 30 beds of Townlands Hospital, Henley-on-Thames. In addition, the Regional Hospital Board has contractual arrangements for one bed at each of the following homes:

• Ampthill Cheshire Home;
• Chiltern Cheshire Home, Gerrards Cross;
• Greenhill House Cheshire Home, Twyford;
• Southwood House, Wellingborough.

Four new special units are planned for completion by 1974: one of 40 beds at Prospect Park Hospital, Reading; one of 20 beds at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury; one of 50 beds at Churchill Hospital, Oxford; and one of 20 beds at Manfield Hospital, Northampton. The unit at Reading will replace the present unit at Townlands Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to make cash grants available to parents of disabled children who have special requirements for family cars and holidays.

My right hon. Friend announced on 26th April an inquiry to be conducted by Lady Sharp into means of mitigating the effects of reduced mobility resulting from severe physical disablement. The terms of reference are wide enough to permit comment on this aspect of the problem. Changes in the arrangements for transport assistance will not be made until the results of this inquiry are known.—[Vol. 835, c. 319–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when representations are made to the Medicines Commission as an appeal by the applicant for a licence to produce Pharmaceuticals against a Minister's decision, what safeguards exist to ensure that a member is not giving consideration to a product of a company which is in competition with his own;(2) if a member of the Medicines Commission has access to information and data which are considered by either the Committee on Safety of Medicines or the Veterinary Products Committee.

The members of the Medicines Commission do not have access to information being considered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines or the Veterinary Products Committee in connection with a licence application. But if the Committee concerned recommends that a licence should be refused, or should be granted otherwise than in accordance with the application, the applicant may ask to be heard by, or to have the opportunity of making written representations to, the Commission with regard to that recommendation.The Medicines Commission cannot consider the representations adequately unless it is in possession of the Committee's findings and recommendations and the reasons for them and the applicant's reasons for disagreeing, and unless the original application and supporting documentation are available for consultation at the meeting.A similar situation would occur in relation to representations concerning clinical trial or animal test certificates or in relation to proposals by the licensing authority to suspend, revoke or vary licences or certificates. Before the Commission proceeds to consider the recommendations it will be ascertained whether any member of the Commission has an interest in the company concerned, or whether his company is interested in a field in which the product that is the subject of the representations would be in competition, so that the Commission can ensure that its proceedings are not prejudiced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many suppliers of drugs for the National Health Service participated in the voluntary price regulation scheme in the years ended 1970 and 1971; how many price reductions have been made; and how many negotiations took place.

I cannot conveniently reply in terms of calendar years but 101 companies provided returns for their accounting years ended in 1970. Negotiations with 20 of these companies led to price reductions by four companies. Two negotiations are still open.It is too early to give final figures for the companies' accounting years ended during 1971. Returns have been received or are expected from 96 companies and negotiations have been started with three of these.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of patients in the Central Middlesex Hospital who have been treated with clofibrate in cases of angina pectoris.

I regret that the information could not be obtained without undue expenditure of time and effort but I understand that clofibrate is in general use in the specialist treatment of coronary heart disease.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take television time to encourage the "Do not hoard medicines" campaign.

I am consulting the Health Education Council, the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and the Society of Medical Officers of Health about what steps might be taken to extend such campaigns.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for an independent body to consider and review appeals where people have been refused a Ministry vehicle; and if he will make a statement.

No. Until future arrangements for assistance to severely disabled people have been settled following the inquiry recently started by Lady Sharp, it would be premature to consider the procedural details.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reduce the qualifying period for pensions for hospital employees from 10 to five years.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Mr. Buck) on 25th April, 1972. [Vol. 835, c. 239–41.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the number of negotiations he has conducted under the terms of the voluntary price regulation scheme since its inception, together with the length of time taken by each before agreement was concluded.

It is not possible to produce figures for the three schemes which ran from 1957 to 1969 without a disproportionate amount of work. The Department has initiated negotiations to explore whether price reductions were called for on 48 occasions under the current scheme which came into operation in November 1969. Of these:

• Five cases are at present under negotiation;
• 11 were completed within four months of the receipt of the returns;
• 16 were completed in more than four but less than eight months;
• 12 were completed in more than eight but less than twelve months; and
• four were completed in more than twelve months.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he acknowledged the receipt of a letter from Mrs. H. Traverse, a constituent of the hon. Member for St. Helens; and whether an assurance was given by him that a war pension would be paid to her brother's widow.

We received two letters from Mrs. H. Traverse written in similar terms. The reply to her first letter crossed in the post with her second letter, and a separate and further acknowledgement was not considered necessary.No promise of a war pension for her brother's widow could be given as her claim has been rejected on appeal by an independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal whose decisions are binding on both the appeallant and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the position of a man in respect of his entitlement to sickness benefit for a common law wife, following the information supplied to him by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton; and if he will make a statement.

The general position is that an increase of sickness benefit may be payable for a woman, not legally married to the beneficiary, where she cares for dependent children of the beneficiary. I am looking into the case to which the hon. Member refers and will write to him when my enquiries are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will now take action to increase war pensions;(2) whether he will now take action to increase unemployment and sickness benefits under the welfare schemes.

Details of the Government's proposals for increasing these benefits were published in the White Paper "The 1972 Review of Social Security Benefits and Associated Charges" (Cmnd. 4958). Legislation is at present before the House and the other necessary instruments will shortly be laid.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in future public announcements of proposed increases in the gross income of retirement pensioners, and those on welfare payments, he will indicate the minimum net increase in money incomes after tax and the minimum net increase in real income after tax and an adjustment for the rise in the cost of living, since the date when the previous level of income was fixed, in all cases for a married man with and without two children.

No. Such figures would not be meaningful since most retirement pensioners do not pay income tax and the operative date for the increases is necessarily some time later than the date of announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his letter about delays in dealing with correspon- dence, written to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, on 27th June, will be sent; and whether he will ensure that the sort of delay that has occurred in this case does not happen again.

I replied to the hon. Member on 29th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give the salaries now paid to the 58 staff of his Department affected by the Boyle Report; and to what level these salaries will be increased by the implementation of the Boyle Report.

There is one Permanent Secretary whose salary will be increased from £14,000 to £15,750; one Second Permanent Secretary and one Chief Medical Officer with increases from £13,000 to £14,750; eight Deputy Secretary grades with increases from £9,000 to £10,500; and 45 Under Secretary grades with increases from £6,750 to £8,250. In addition there are two staff on intermediate salary rates which will be increased by comparable amounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now take whatever action may be necessary to ensure an increase in the wages and salaries of all staff and employees coming within his ministerial control, retrospective to 1st January, 1972.

I have been asked to reply.Agreed procedures already exist for the regular review of Civil Service and National Health Service wages and salaries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of civil servants to be employed at the proposed Intervention Board for Agriculture to be situated at Reading.

The present estimate is about 300. There will be staff savings later by this Department in the administration of deficiency payments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to encourage the development of new commercial varieties of fruit and vegetables suitable for export within the European Economic Community.

There is a continuous programme of breeding, testing and development of new varieties of fruits and vegetables at agricultural research council institutes, at the Ministry's experimental horticulture stations, and elsewhere. Marketing considerations are of course taken into account, and in some fields, for example in efforts to develop a late fruiting strawberry, the possibility of an export trade to Europe is very much in mind.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to co-ordinate the work of various agricultural organisations concerned with the export of livestock and agricultural produce, with particular regard to the need to identify new markets when Great Britain joins the European Economic Community.

My right hon. Friend fully recognises that the enlargement of the European Economic Community will present our producers with new export possibilities and opportunities, and the desirability of those in this field working in close co-operation. It is, however, essentially for them to organise themselves and arrange their efforts in the way they think best to take the maximum advantage of the opportunities offered. My right hon. Friend and his colleagues keep in touch with those most closely concerned and naturally do what they can to encourage co-operation and collaboration between them in their export activities.As regards the identification of new markets when we join the European Economic Community, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bodmin (Mr. Hicks) on 20th June.—[Vol. 839, c. 222–23.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many proof sterling coinage sets have been sold by the Royal Mint to the latest convenient date.

Up to 30th June orders had been received for about 190,000 sets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now announce further details of the commemorative crown piece to be issued this year in celebration of Her Majesty's silver wedding.

I regret that I am not able to announce further details at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis excise duty on tobacco is levied; and how this compares with the basis used in the other member countries of the enlarged European Economic Community.

In the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic, excise duties on tobacco are levied by weight on the unmanufactured leaf. In EEC and in Denmark and Norway, national revenue is obtained from tobacco consumption in a variety of ways; my understanding is that all these are based on the finished product.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the European Economic Community possess the power to lay down guidelines for national budgets before they have been approved, if he will make a statement on his study of this matter and on the steps he is taking designed to protect British interests.

I have nothing to add at present to my answer of 2nd May to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Deakins).—[Vol. 836, c. 112.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will give an estimate of the costs to the Exchequer of reimbursing to any Member of Parliament, businessman, student, journalist, company director or taxpayer engaged in work connected with the furtherance of British exports, within a maximum of £60, two-thirds of the cost of the course of study which he or she has completed in a European Economic Community language since 1st April, 1972;(2) whether he will give an estimate of the costs to the Exchequer of allowing to any Member of Parliament, businessman, student, journalist, company director or taxpayer engaged in work connected with the furtherance of British exports, within a maximum of £60, two-thirds of the cost of a course of study which he or she may have completed in a European Economic Community language since April, 1972, to be a claimable allowance against income tax.

The information on which to base such estimates is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which countries of the Commonwealth he approached prior to making an announcement of floating the £ sterling; what was their response; and if he will give similar details concerning the countries of the European Economic Community and the Ten;(2) which countries of the Commonwealth he approached prior to making an announcement on exchange controls affecting sterling; what was their response; and if he will give similar details concerning the countries of the European Economic Community and the Ten.

All these countries were informed of United Kingdom action as early as possible on 23rd June. In general the necessity for our measures has been appreciated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the French Government and the countries of the European Economic Community on Great Britain floating the £ sterling; what was their response; and whether he will request France and the European Economic Community countries to float their respective currencies.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's speech in the House on 29th June.—[Vol. 839. c. 1700–14.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Government now intend changing their economic and industrial policies in the light of the run on the £ sterling and the floating of the £ sterling.

Our economic and industrial policies are designed to achieve rapid growth of output and employment and to curb inflation. With a degree of slack remaining in the economy restrictive measures are unnecessary and inappropriate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he estimates the run on the £ sterling during the month of June, and the steps taken by Her Majesty's Government to maintain the parity of sterling and their floating of the £ sterling, will affect the costs of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market.