asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now approve the outstanding water schemes submitted by the Inverness-shire Water Board for schemes in the Outer Isles.

My right hon. Friend has approved all the schemes for which water orders have been obtained and the necessary information has been provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now initiate a full public inquiry into the Ninewells Teaching Hospital project since its inception, in view of recent developments.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland as Mr. W. G. Pottinger, a civil servant, did not seek permission before accepting gifts and moneys from persons or organisations with whom he was brought into contact by reason of his official duties, thus breaking the Civil Service rules of conduct, what action he intends to take on this matter, notwithstanding Mr. Pottinger's suspension from duty and legal inquiries which may be proceeding.

I have nothing to add to the letter which I sent to the hon. Gentleman yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the acreage of glasshouses in Scotland; and how much is devoted to flower crops and to edible crops.

275 acres of glasshouses were returned at the June, 1971, agricultural census. Because of multiple cropping the actual acreage cropped is estimated at about 400. 27 per cent. of the cropped area was devoted to flower crops, 69 per cent. to edible crops and the remainder to the propagation of bedding plants, nursery stock, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will appoint a committee to investigate the provision of amenities in major housing schemes.

This was carefully investigated by the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee, whose Report on "Council House Communities" was commended to local authorities two years ago. My right hon. Friend is doing everything possible to encourage local authorities to provide a better standard of amenity in council house schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the measures to improve the infrastructure which he has proposed to enable Scotland to maximise the benefits of the development of North Sea oil.

Following is the information:

Roads

The Government have undertaken, as quickly as technical resources permit, to improve the A9 to Invergordon, including the virtual reconstruction of most of the road between Perth and Inverness with a new road across the Black Isle. Over £40 million will be spent on this project. On the route to Aberdeen and the North-East—the area at present most affected by the oil developments—an acceleration of expenditure of £4 million has been announced. A new motorway—the M80—is planned between Glasgow and Denny to replace the south-western part of the Glasgow-Stirling trunk road, thus providing a link to motorway standard for the whole length between Glasgow and Stirling and improving access to the North. The cost will be over £15 million, apart from the section inside Glasgow itself which will cost an additional £7 million.

Housing

A programme of 700 houses—representing an investment of over £4 million—is to be undertaken by the Scottish Special Housing Association specifically for the needs of the oil industry in the North-East and the Moray Firth. More houses will be made available as future needs become clear.

Ports

Work costing some £1·3 million has been authorised for the improvement of Aberdeen Harbour for oil industry purposes and a Government loan of up to 100 per cent. has been promised. A Bill is at present going through Parliament to allow for the commercial development of Peterhead Harbour of Refuge, with the needs of the oil industry particularly in mind. The initial cost to the Government would be between £2 million and £3 million if the development is undertaken by the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what increase there has been in the traffic over the Tay Road Bridge in each of the last three years.

In round figures, 2,900,000 vehicles crossed the Tay Road Bridge in 1969; 3,200,000 in 1970; and 3,500,000 in 1971. The actual annual increases were 7·89 per cent., 10·89 per cent. and 8·18 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will report on the progress of the West Central Scotland Plan Steering Committee to date; and when he expects to receive the completed plan.

The preparation of the plan is primarily a matter for the Steering Committee which consists of representatives nominated by the local planning authorities and myself. The Committee envisage that the plan will be available about the middle of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were on the waiting list for hospital services, what categories of illness were involved, what was the maximum waiting period, and how many hospital beds were vacant, at the most recent convenient date.

The total number of persons on all hospital waiting lists at 31st March, 1972, was 52,083, when there were about 9,000 unoccupied beds. Waiting lists are maintained as necessary for any specialty. The maxi- mum waiting period for admission to hospital is not readily available centrally, but about 5 per cent. of those on waiting lists have been waiting more than two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the infilling of the Monk-land Canal, east of Sykeside, Coatbridge; what is the cost of the project and the approved Government grant; and if he can give approximate starting and finishing dates.

I have just received from Coatbridge Town Council, acting also on behalf of Airdrie Town Council, a formal application for grant under Section 8 of the Local Employment Act, 1972. towards expenditure on the piping and infilling of the third phase of work on the Monkland Canal, at an estimated cost of £336,600. Subject to anything which may arise on detailed examination of the scheme, I hope to issue formal approval very soon. Until a tender has been accepted it is not possible to give a starting date, but the contract period is expected to be about 18 months. The rate of grant will be 90 per cent. of the approved net cost of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the application of Coatbridge Town Council for the rehabilitation of Ward's Ground and the culverting of the Luggie Burn; and if he will make a statement.

The Town Council's proposals for rehabilitation of land at Ward's, Langloan, were formally approved on 9th March. The culverting of the Luggie Burn could not be approved as part of this scheme because it is not a necessary part of the rehabilitation of the derelict site.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many primary schools are now giving their pupils teaching in foreign languages; how many children are involved; what are the languages; and what are the schools and in what education authorities.

This information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to North Lanarkshire.

I have no immediate plans to do so, but I hope it will be possible to before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotand on how many occasions in 1972 his Department's Standing Conference on North Sea Oil has met.

The inaugural meeting of the Conference was held on 14th February. A further meeting has been arranged for 3rd October.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement about the future of grant-aided schools in Scotland.

The Government will continue to support the grant-aided schools and I am considering recommendations from the schools on the future basis of grant.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will institute criminal proceedings against the former principal of Corsbie Hall School in Fife for failure to stamp the National Insurance cards of his teacher employees.

No case against the former principal has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal. If such is reported the question of proceedings will be considered on the merits of the case.

asked the Lord Advocate when the report of the Thomson Committee on the appeal procedure under the Criminal Appeal (Scotland) Act 1926, which he and the Secretary of State for Scotland called for in July, 1971, will be published; and what action he intends to take on it.

The report has been published and copies are available in the Vote Office. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are grateful to Lord Thomson and the other members of the Committee for having advanced consideration of this part of their remit. We are now studying their recommendations.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will arrange for companions of the opposite sex of single Members to be admitted to the Members' Families Room as of right.

I think the Members' Families Room should continue to be used for the purpose recommended by the Services Committee. This was to provide a room in which close relatives could wait for Members when they came to the House to meet them.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will arrange for companions of the opposite sex of single members to be admitted to the Harcourt Room as of right.

No. The Harcourt Room at present can be used by strangers accompanied by a Member and by Members' wives and Lady Members' husbands without necessarily being accompanied by a Member. Any relaxation in this rule would create problems of identification and as the room is at present extensively used, an increase in numbers would not be desirable.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for the term Strangers to be replaced by the word Visitors in all parts of the House of Commons.

No. The word "Visitors" would not cover all those who are regarded "Strangers". For instance, Members' secretaries and the Press are not Visitors, nor are the staff of the House.

asked the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received from hon. Members, and what conclusions he has reached, on a public register of Members' outside financial interests.

I have received representations only from a small number of hon. Members on this matter. As I have already indicated to the House, I should be willing to receive further representations, and to consider a debate, if the House so wished.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will give details of the Members elected. selected or appointed to go to Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic since January, 1972, listing for what purposes, on what expenses, and on what vote this will be covered; and whether he can give an assurance that the expenses will not be taken from the fund to be established for travel by Members as proposed in the Boyle Report.

I am not aware of any official delegations to Northern Ireland and Eire and it would not he appropriate for me to comment on any private arrangements that have been made for visits there.The question of financing any such visits would be a matter for the Committee administering the Funds, if the House were to approve both the establishment of the two funds and such a Committee.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will seek to arrange for an illustrated lecture to be given to Members of Parliament by Mr. Robin Spence and Mr. Robin Webster on their winning design for the new Parliamentary Building before a decision thereon is taken by Parliament.

Yes. The architects have agreed to participate and arrangements will be made accordingly.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will arrange that the Library Sub-Committee consider the placing of copies of "Against Europe" in the Library.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the documents and daily bulletins published by Agence Europe. Copies of the English version are kept in the Library.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will give details of how the five Members who took part in the tour of the North Atlantic Assembly military bases in the United States of America were elected or selected; which Members were included; and when he expects to be able to give the full costs in addition to the £1,717·40 spent on fares.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to his Questions on 13th July. With regard to the final part of the hon. Member's Question I am afraid I am unable to anticipate the date when the final claims will be received from the Members who attended.—[Vol. 840, c. 431–35.]

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce legislation to forbid the holding of stocks and shares exceeding £500 in value in any public company by all publicly-elected persons, whether Members of Parliament or of local authorities, and by all civil servants and local government officials.

No. I do not think the introduction of such legislation is either desirable or necessary.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what general directions he has given to the Post Office in connection with inviting tenders for telephone equipment and installations.

None. The placing of contracts is a management matter for the Post Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he now intends to take to raise the £400 rateable value ceiling for tenants' rent protection in the Greater London Area.

None at present. As I said in debate on 25th July, the Government consider that this question should be considered perhaps in the context of any legislation arising from the recommendations of the Francis Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the amount of oil which will be extracted from the North Sea in 1980.

Accurate estimates are impossible because we are still at an early stage of exploration, but there are good hopes of around 75 million tons per annum by about 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it was with his authority that Mr. Denis Kirby made a public statement that Scottish unemployment would continue to fall even in the coming winter months.

It would have been a personal view. It is not my practice to make forecasts about the level of unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Mathys Committee on British trade mark law and practice is expected to report; and whether a summary of the report will be made available to the public.

The Committee, which met on 24th July for the first time, hopes to report in 1973. Reports of this kind are normally published in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Mathys Committee will consider the effect on the value of British trade marks resulting from British involvement in the Common Market and Community law.

The Committee has invited evidence on all aspects, domestic and international, of trade mark law and will consider evidence on this subject if offered.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total number of specifications received at the Patent Office for the last year for which figures are available; and how this figure compares with other major European centres.

During 1970 and 1971 the Patent Office received, respectively 62,101 and 61,078 patent specifications, of which 24,882 in 1970 and 24,383 in 1971 were provisional specifications. During 1970, the last year for which other countries' figures are available, 66,132 applications were filed in the German Federal Republic, 47,283 in France, 31,828 in Italy and 19,109 in the Netherlands.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to find an occupant for the advance factory at Coatbridge; and what is the approximate date of tenancy and the number of jobs, male and female, he expects to provide.

We have sought to interest a number of firms and some have visited the factory. We are continuing our efforts, but I am unable to indicate the number of jobs that may be provided since this will depend on the nature of whatever undertaking is found to take the tenancy.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new jobs have been created in Cardiganshire in the last two years; and how many of these were in manufacturing industry.

I regret that figures for jobs created in Cardiganshire are not available as it is not possible to estimate the number of jobs that may arise in existing industrial buildings and in the service sector. However, in the period 1st July, 1970, to 30th June, 1972, four industrial development certificates were approved there for developments in manufacturing industry from which the applicants estimated that 31 jobs would arise when the projects were complete and fully manned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements he is making to secure contact and consultation by his Department with outside interests in the field of company law in relation in particular to proposals for new legislation and to developments within the European Economic Community.

Good contacts have already been established between my Department and the various professional and other bodies concerned with these matters including the CBI Committee on Company Affairs recently set up under the chairmanship of Viscount Watkinson. I hope that these channels of communication will continue to be freely and effectively used.I have now decided that it is desirable to supplement these arrangements by establishing two groups at working level, both under the chairmanship of the Under Secretary in charge of Insurance and Companies Division.The first, which will take the place of the Companies Act Consultative Committee, will be the Companies Consultative Group whose task will be to advise the Secretary of State on proposals for the reform of company legislation and any related administrative questions. The members of the Group will be:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is yet able to make a further statement on the Fourth Report, Section 1970–71, of the Select Committee on Science and Technology.

The Government have now considered this comprehensive report, whose recommendations related to (i) direct support of the computer and related industry and (ii) Government purchase and use of computers.I announced on 3rd July, 1972, a substantial increase in R and D support for International Computers Ltd. A number of additional measures of support for the computer and related industries have been adopted:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the full-year cost of, respectively, raising earned income relief from one-ninth to 15 per cent. between £4,005 and £9,945 per year and introducing 15 per cent. relief over £9,945 per year.

About £18 million and £20 million respectively for the full year 1971–72, including surtax for 1971–72 which is payable on 1st January, 1973.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now take steps to exempt youth hostels from value added tax.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said in the debate on this subject in Standing Committee E on 7th June.—[Cols. 417–28.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of war pensions for disablement or death due to service currently being paid.

On 30th June, 1972, there were 363,660 disablement pensions and 126,604 pensions for widows and other dependants in payment by my Department, making 490,264 all told.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of how many cubic metres of timber have been kept in the timber ponds at Fountain Lake, Portsmouth, in each of the past five years, and of the stipulations made to Portsmouth City Council concerning the replacement of these ponds should the existing area of water in which they are situated be incorporated in an extension of the civilian docks.

The following maximum amounts of timber have been held in the water storage at Fountain Lake, Portsmouth in each of the past five years:

Year	Quantity in Cubic Metres
1967	1,830
1968	680
1969	1,540
1970	1,880
1971	1,500

The City of Portsmouth Corporation was advised on 14th April, 1972, that if it wanted the Ministry of Defence to relocate the timber pond and submarine cables it must meet the cost of reprovision and all other costs and charges, if any, incurred by the Ministry of Defence in the relocation including the cost of acquiring tenure of the foreshore of the new site.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the latest state of consultations with Portsmouth City Council concerning the release of defence land in Portsmouth to improve the facilities of the civilian docks in the Flathouse area.

This proposal involving an exchange of land has now been considered by the Ministry of Defence and it is hoped to resume negotiations with the Portsmouth City Council later this month.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the lowest rates of civilian pay in Portsmouth Dockyard, Fleet Establishments in the Portsmouth area, Royal Marine establishments in the Portsmouth area, and Army establishments in the Portsmouth area, respectively.

In the Portsmouth area the lowest rates of pay in issue are: for the Royal Dockyard, £7 per week to a 15-year-old apprentice; for Fleet Establishments, £8·89 to a 16-year-old clerical assistant; for Royal Marine Establishments, £16·32 to a 20-year-old typist; and for Army Establishments, a basic rate of £8·65 to a juvenile labourer aged 16.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the degree to which the industrial dispute in Royal Naval dockyards is distorting ship maintenance and repair programmes, and to which it is interfering with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitments.

The repair and refit of a number of ships in the Royal Dockyards has been delayed, but this has not prevented the Royal Navy from meeting its NATO commitments.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what wages are paid to women cleaners at the Ministry of Defence offices at the Empress State Building, Earls Court; and what arrangements are made for holiday and sick pay.

The women cleaners at the Ministry of Defence offices at the Empress State Building, Earls Court are employed by a contractor who is responsible for agreeing rates of pay, and arrangements in respect of holiday and sick pay. The Department's contract with the Company concerned defines the price for work done but not employees' rates of pay. In accordance with normal practice the contract includes in the conditions a requirement that the contractor observe the Fair Wages Resolution passed by this House on 14th October. 1946.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable listing the numbers of children drowned in the stretch of canal between Liverpool—Bootle—Aintree in each year since 1900.

The Chief Constable of Liverpool and Bootle tells me that information before 1955 is not readily available, but that 30 children have been drowned in this eight miles of canal since then.Following is a year-by-year breakdown of this figure:

1955	2
1956	1
1957	3
1958	1
1959	6
1960	1
1961	1
1962	2
1963	1
1964	2
1965	6
1966	0
1967	2
1968	1
1969	0
1970	0
1971	0
1972 (to date)	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many owners of dogs were prosecuted, in the latest available year, where the dog was the cause of a road accident.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list of his official engagements in the week ended Saturday, 29th July.

I carried out my normal duties as Attorney-General during that week. These included consultations in Belfast on Tuesday, 25th July. On Saturday, 29th July I presided at the annual general meeting of the Bar.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list of the official engagements of the Lord Chan- cellor in the week ended Saturday. 29th July.

Apart from his daily engagements in the House of Lords, my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor addressed the Summer Conference of the Magistrates' Association at Bangor on Saturday, 29th July.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list of the engagements of the Official Solicitor in the week ended Saturday, 29th July.

During the week in question the Official Solicitor applied to the National Industrial Relations Court for the release of five contempt prisoners in the case of Midland Cold Storage Limited v. Turner and Others. In addition he was engaged in legal matters of a confidential nature concerning mental patients and children, of which it would not be appropriate for me to give details.The Official Solicitor had no engagements with any member of the Government or person acting on behalf of the Government.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to resume the adjourned conference with representatives of the Trades Union Congress on matters pertaining to industrial relations and the national economy.

The meeting with representative of the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry which was originally arranged for 25th July took place on 1st August.

asked the Attorney-General if he will now consider introducing legislation to define the duties of the Official Solicitor.

Since the Official Solicitor acts when asked to do so by the Court pursuant to rules of the Supreme Court, or, as regards persons committed to prison for contempt, pursuant to the Lord Chancellor's general direction dated 29th May, 1963—a copy of which is reproduced below—it is neither possible nor desirable to define his duties by Statute.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now provide a corrected list of all the items in the 1972–73 Estimates as so far presented to the House which count against the aid programme total allocation.

Yes.The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of those countries represented at the Court of St. James and which have a woman as Head of Government; if he will list the names of women who represent the United Kingdom as Ambassadors or High Commissioners; and if he will take action to encourage and allow more women in his Department to hold responsibilities commensurate with those held by women abroad.

India, Israel and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) have women Heads of Government. At present the United Kingdom has no women Ambassadors or High Commissioners.I intend to maintain the policy of the Diplomatic Service which aims to encourage and allow men and women officers alike to hold responsibilities commensurate with their abilities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quality standards the Government will require for grain to be offered to intervention centres for sale, and for wheat to be presented for denaturing under the common agricultural policy for cereals.

In reaching decisions on those quality standards which are at the discretion of national governments, we have borne in mind, as stated by my hon. Friend the Minister of State on 9th May, 1972, that the standards should be at a level that will facilitate the storage and resale of grain.I have therefore decided that in respect of wheat and barley offered for sale into intervention the relevant standards will be as follows:For wheat:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the total labour force employed in the ship repair industry in the United Kingdom to the most recent convenient date; and how these figures compare over the past five years;(2) what was the total labour force employed in the shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom to the most recent convenient date; and how these figures compare over the past five years.

The following table shows the estimated number of employees in the whole of the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry. Estimates are not available for shipbuilding and ship repairing separately.

Estimated total number of employees in the United Kingdom in the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry (minimum list heading 370·1 of the Standard industrial Classification)
	Thousands
June, 1966	167·1
June, 1967	168·1
June, 1968	164·4
June, 1969	166·6
June, 1970	170·8
June, 1971	174·5

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average annual cost of training students at maintained schools of archi- tecture; and the comparable cost at the Architectural Association.

In 1969–70, the latest year for which figures are available, about £860 in universities, including £350 for general university overheads but excluding student maintenance. Corresponding information is not available for maintained further education establishments, but average costs overall are lower than in universities. The tuition fee at the Architectural Association's School of Architecture is £580 (£460 in 1969–70).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will grant the application of Brent council to provide new primary schools in Brondesbury and Kensal Rise to replace the present Chamberlayne School.

My right hon. Friend has approved the Brent Authority's proposal to remodel Chamberlayne School for junior girls to replace the junior girls' department of Kensal Rise primary school. The authority's project, at an estimated cost of £112,000, is in the 1973–74 school building programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will state the number of internees and detainees released since 24th March, who have since been identified as engaging in terrorist activities.

Of 458 internees and 149 detainees released since 24th March, four internees and one detainee have been charged with various alleged security offences.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about assistance for egg producers in Northern Ireland.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Cormack) on 27th July, 1972. The measures for agriculture include help to the egg industry aimed at maintaining employment while stabilising and limiting production to meet the needs of the market. The Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland will shortly be discussing details of the arrangements with representatives of the industry.—[Vol. 841, c. 367–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were on rent strike in September, 1971, April, 1972, and July, 1972, respectively; and how these persons were distributed in each of the main towns on each date.

Approximate total numbers on rent strike were:

September, 1971	26,000
April, 1972	20,000
July, 1972	19,000

The numbers on rent strike in the main towns were as follows:

	September, 1971	April, 1972
Belfast	8,340	7,365
Londonderry	5,009	4,620
Newry	1,809	1,618
Lurgan	1,109	950
Strabane	894	789
Armagh	564	449
Omagh	575	329
Dungannon	400	320

The figures for July, 1972 are not vet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of known terrorists caught or killed by the security forces in Northern Ireland since July, 1971, have had criminal records; and if he will name them, giving details of their records.

The information requested is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost and effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what status he proposes to accord in future negotiations to the so-called Free Derry Community Council.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish a list of the short-fall in the number of nurses, doctors, and other medical staff in each hospital in Wales.

No. Information is not readily available centrally and would be of doubtful value. There are no generally accepted yardsticks for determining establishments at hospitals and the position concerning published vacancies at individual hospitals is liable to change from day to day.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the general practitioner consultation rate within the Merthyr constituency; and how this compares with other county boroughs in England and Wales.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of those authorities in Wales who operate a family planning pervice and the extent of the services provided.

Every local health authority in Wales provides a family planning service. Details of individual services are not collected centrally but can be obtained from the local medical officer of health.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many physically disabled people in Wales have been registered under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

19,758 at 31st March, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many forms have been officially translated under the provisions of the Welsh Language Act, 1967; what percentage of forms which are available in both Welsh and English are used in the two languages, respectively; and what proposals he has for increasing the use of Welsh forms.

There are at present Welsh or bilingual versions of 322 official forms, of which 156 have been prescribed under the provisions of the Act. The extent to which the forms are used is a question for the various Government Departments responsible for their issue and comprehensive information is not readily available. I am always ready to consider ways of adding to the steps already taken to encourage the use of the forms.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how soon he now expects the Bowen Committee on bilingual road signs in Wales to report.

The chairman of the committee has delivered its report to me. I am arranging to have it printed for publication, in Welsh and in English, as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present average number of patients per general practitioner in practice in Wales; and how this compares with the other regional hospital boards in the United Kingdom.

The most recent figures based in England on economic planning regions, are:

Area	Patients per General Practitioner	Date
Wales	2,203	1st October, 1971
England—
North	2,504	1st October, 1971
Yorkshire and Humberside	2,536	1st October, 1971
East Midlands	2,591	1st October, 1971
East Anglia	2,313	1st October, 1971
South East	2,408	1st October, 1971
South West	2,444	1st October, 1971
West Midlands	2,571	1st October, 1971
North West	2,559	1st October, 1971
Scotland	2,081	1st July, 1971
Northern Ireland	2,071	31st March, 1971

Figures for regional hospital board areas are not generally available.