asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will undertake a survey of all the houses in Belfast which it has not been possible to sell being in troubled areas, where the building societies will not lend moneys because of the location of the premises, or where squatters have illegally moved into possession; if in conjunction with the Housing Executive he will prepare a scheme whereby such dwellings may be purchased or the building society loan guaranteed; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of my hon. Friend's concern in this matter which he has raised on previous occasions. A working group of officials of Government Departments concerned and a representative of the Housing Executive has now been set up to explore the problem in depth.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of extra teachers that have been recruited into primary schools over the past five years.

Seven hundred and twenty-one full-time teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he now has for a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make available in the House of Commons Library the pathologists' reports of post mortems conducted on victims of the Irish Republican Army where the evidence shows that they were tortured before being murdered.

No. The public interest is fully served by the present statutory arrangements under which the coroner to whom the post mortem reports are made may make them available to properly interested persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase the scope of his rates relief scheme beyond Belfast, Londonderry and Newry, so as to relieve other businesses affected by Irish Republican Army terrorist activity.

No. The objective of the rates relief scheme is to mitigate the effects of terrorist activities on main regional shopping centres which provide a comprehensive service to the whole community and which have suffered serious loss of business.There are other schemes of assistance operating generally throughout Northern Ireland for the purpose described by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of Government-sponsored training schemes now operating, and the numbers receiving such training.

At any one time, about 4,000 people are receiving training under major Government-sponsored schemes. About 2,300 of them are in the nine Government training centres; and about 1,500 are people who would otherwise be redundant and who are being trained on employers' premises.In addition assistance is given to new or expanding firms towards the cost of training some 5,000 workers each year; and about 800 persons a year attend Training within Industry courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Government aid given during the current year in an effort to encourage job opportunities in manufacturing products; and if he will make a statement.

The answer to a Question from the hon. Member for East Stirlingshire (Mr. Douglas) on 6th July listed the legislation by which industry is encouraged to provide employment or to develop job opportunities by modernising, etc.—[Vol. 840, c. 734–6.]In the first six months of 1972 approximately £35 million was spent under this legislation, mostly in the manufacturing sector. Details are given in the following table:

GOVERNMENT AID EXPENDED DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1972
	£
Industries Development Acts (N.I.) 1966 and 1971	18,574,127
Industries Development Acts (N.I.) 1966 and 1971 (Local Enterprise Development Unit)	167,283
Industrial Investment (General Assistance) Acts (N.I.) 1966–71	3,950,278
Industrial Advice and Enterprise Acts (N.I.) 1964–70	98,314
Aid to Industry Acts (N.I.) 1961 and 1964	1,098,106
Development of Tourist Traffic Acts (N.I.) 1948 to 1968	874,656
Selective Employment Payments (Amendment Act) (N.I.) 1967	5,311,000
Employment and Training Act (N.I.) 1950	2,000,000
	(estimate)
Local Government (Rating and Finance) Act (N.I.) 1929	2,946,000
	(estimate)
Total	£35,019,764

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to announce the findings of the review now taking place regarding the working of the Special Powers Act.

The outcome of the review will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement regarding the discrimination in the private employment sector; and what plans he has in mind to diminish this.

My right hon. Friend has asked me to chair a working party consisting of representatives of employers and unions, with the following terms of reference:

"To consider what steps, whether in regard to law or practice, should be taken to counter religious discrimination where it may exist in the private sector of employment in Northern Ireland."

Invitations will be sent very shortly to the CBI, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to nominate people to serve. It is intended that the examination of this matter should be comprehensive and completely open, and the experience and judgment of the bodies I have mentioned will be invaluable.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of meetings he has had with representatives of Northern Ireland political parties since assuming office.

No. Many of my meetings, with politicians and others, have been strictly confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what projects involving participation by local communities are now under consideration by his Department.

Such projects are a normal part of the work of most Northern Ireland Departments. Local community participation is a special feature of the programme administered by the Ministry of Community Relations under the Social Need (Grants) Act (Northern Ireland), 1970.Some of the measures which I announced on 27th July should also help to stimulate local activity: in particular the creation of a direct labour organisation to carry out a wide range of local schemes; accelerated public expenditure on community centres and indoor sports centres; and the expansion of the industrial training programme to provide pockets of suitably trained workers in areas of high unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of applications for grants and refusals of legal aid in courts of summary jurisdiction in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The information for the financial years 1968–69 to 1971–72 is given in the following table.Over the four years the percentage of refusals varied in criminal proceedings from 2·5 per cent. to 3·9 per cent. and in civil proceedings from 2·1 per cent. to 4 per cent.

NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR LEGAL AID AND NUMBER OF REFUSALS OF LEGAL AID IN RESPECT OF PROCEEDINGS IN COURTS OF SUMMARY JURISDICTION IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Period	Civil Number of Applications	Proceedings Number of Refusals
1st April, 1968 to 31st March, 1969	1,795	37
1st April, 1969 to 31st March, 1970	1,820	64
1st April, 1970 to 31st March, 1971	2,264	81
1st April, 1971 to 31st March, 1972	2,572	109
Period	Criminal Number of Applications	Proceedings Number of Refusals
1st April, 1968 to 31st March, 1969	1,345	52
1st April, 1969 to 31st March, 1970	2,519	100
1st April, 1970 to 31st March, 1971	4,412	110
1st April, 1971 to 31st March, 1972	5,395	187

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the Government's latest exchanges with representatives of the Irish Republican Army.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 27th July to a Question from my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Down, South (Captain Orr).—[Vol. 841, c. 365–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he now intends to take to meet the unemployment problem in Northern Ireland and to promote industrial development in the Province.

New measures to assist the Northern Ireland economy were outlined in the answer given to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Cormack) on 27th July.—[Vol. 841, c. 367–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the bombing and shooting incidents which took place in the county of Armagh between 12th, July and 24th July, 1972.

The information is as follows:

	Bombings	Shooting incidents
Armagh	9	4
Ballymayer, Newtown-hamilton	1	—
Bessbrook	—	1
Camlough	1	—
Crossmaglen	2	1
Forkhill	3	—
Killylea	1	—
Lurgan	9	8
Portadown	5	7
Silverbridge	1	—
Tanderagee	—	1
Total	32	22

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the latest unemployment figures and how these compare with the figures for the previous five years.

45,335 persons were unemployed in Northern Ireland at 10th July, 1972, 8·7 per cent. of the total number of insured employees. Comparable figures for July in the previous five years were as follows:

1971	43,334	(8·4 per cent.)
1970	37,619	(7·2 per cent.)
1969	38,693	(7·5 per cent.)
1968	36,247	(7·1 per cent.)
1967	38,308	(7·5 per cent.)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has considered the future organisation of the probation and after-care service in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Once the new administrative arrangements for health and personal social services in Northern Ireland, approved by the House on 31st July, have been introduced, a review will be undertaken to determine whether changes should be made in the administration of other services, including probation and after-care.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has now received from the National Union of Students and from the Union of Students in Ireland concerning the closure of Magee University; what replies he has sent; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received written representations from both unions and I have met deputations from them. I explained that the university authorities had taken the decision because of declining enrolment and staff difficulties and that the Government had no power to intervene in matters affecting academic freedom. The Government were considering sympathetically proposals for expenditure for the new Institute of Continuing Education to ensure the future of Magee as a constituent college of the new University of Ulster.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is aware that nurses at the Royal Victoria Hospital have been insulted and molested on the way between their residence on the Falls Road and the hospital; and what instructions have been given to the security forces for their protection.

The Belfast Hospital Management Committee, which is responsible for the Royal Victoria Hospital, has had no complaint from any nurse about having been insulted or molested while proceeding to or from the hospital. Nor have the police received any complaints of this nature. If they do the appropriate steps will be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will now announce the details of the proposed plebiscite, stating when it is intended to introduce the legislation.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave this afternoon in answer to questions from my hon. Friends the Members for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) and Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans she has to encourage primary and secondary schools to participate in National Tree Planting Year in 1973.

My right hon. Friend is very conscious of the importance of encouraging interest in trees among young people, and the Department of the Environment and the Forestry Commission are arranging in consultation with this Department for advice and publicity material to be made available to local education authorities in connection with Tree Planting Year. It will he for local education authorities and schools to decide on their individual responses to this worthwhile campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will take steps to introduce a scheme for the compulsory inspection and registration of language schools in this country purporting to teach English to young overseas students.

I cannot add to the answer I gave to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth. Devonport (Dame Joan Vickers) on 11th February.—[Vol. 830, 454.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what amounts have been allocated for secondary school building major programmes in Northamptonshire for the years 1969 to 1975, inclusive;(2) what amounts have been allocated for secondary school building minor works in Northamptonshire for the years 1969 to 1975, inclusive.

Following is the information:

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMMES
£'000
Programme Year	Major programmes secondary	RSLA	Minor programmes*
Current prices
1969–70	902	—	200
1970–71	625	291	275
1971–72	652	393	311
1972 prices
1972–73	687	521	524
1973–74	544	—	379
1974–75	487	—	540
* Minor works programmes are block allocations to be used for primary or secondary schools as the authority thinks fit.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate she has made of the annual loss in receipts of one free day weekly, at the eight national museums and galleries which favour a free day, without compensatory increases in entrance charges on other days.

The loss would depend on the day that was free and on the degree of the disturbance which free days caused in attendance patterns. Any estimate is therefore very tentative but if the freeday were at a weekend the loss might be £100,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many voluntary-award schools have had to leave the Inner London Education Authority during the past two years; and if she will make a statement.

None.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when it was first drawn to his attention that the Irish Republican Army were using high velocity tungsten tipped bullets and that these bullets could penetrate armoured personnel carriers.

In December, 1971. Immediate steps were taken to determine what measures could be taken to improve the protection afforded by armoured personnel carriers.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many British soldiers have been killed and wounded, respectively, by high velocity tungsten tipped bullets when in armoured personnel carriers in Northern Ireland.

Four killed and 10 wounded.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many guns have been reported as lost by or stolen from members of the Ulster Defence Regiment in the last six months; and how many have been recovered following investigations

Since 1st February, 1972, 49 weapons of different kinds have been reported lost by or stolen from the Ulster Defence Regiment. Five of these weapons have been recovered to date.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what action he is taking to protect British soldiers in Northern Ireland from high velocity tungsten tipped bullets when travelling in Army vehicles.

Actions which have been taken to provide additional protection for our troops include the deployment of further Saracen APCs to Northern Ireland as well as the making of arrangements to increase the armour protection of the 1-ton APCs.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the formation of a permanent battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

I have nothing to add to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend on this point on 26th May. In the last two weeks, recruiting to the Ulster Defence Regiment has improved, and application to join the regiment have averaged 78 per week over the last five weeks.—[Vol. 837, c. 499–500.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the items of clothing and equipment which should be issued to each soldier in the Ulster Defence Regiment; how many soldiers are not fully equipped; and what items are in short supply.

The entitled scale of clothing and equipment for the Ulster Defence Regiment is almost identical with that provided for the TAVR Group "A". This includes combat dress, boots, steel helmets and webbing equipment. There is no general shortage of any of these items, but individuals may experience some delay before being issued with the correct size. All units have their full scale of unit and personal weapons.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the total annual cost and net cost after allowing for reduction in supplementary benefit, of paying pensions to the widows of Service men below the rank of warrant officer Class I who died or were discharged to pension before 1st September, 1950.

We estimate that the cost of paying occupational pensions to the widows of Servicemen below the rank of warrant officer Class I who died or were discharged to pension before 1st September, 1950, would be of the order of £4 million a year. It is not possible to estimate the extent to which payment of supplementary benefits might be reduced if such pensions were paid.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will state the average earnings of civilian industrial drivers in defence maintenance units; and whether he will make a statement.

Average gross earnings of civilian industrial drivers employed in a random sample of units of RAF Maintenance Command are currently of the order of £31 per week. Individual drivers' earnings vary from depot to depot according to the types of vehicle driven and the function of the unit.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the future of Royal Air Force, Lindholme; and what will be the location of the Northern Radar, Air Traffic Control Radar Unit, at present stationed there.

The Hastings flight of the Strike Command Bombing School, at present based at Royal Air Force, Lindholme, is to transfer to Royal Air Force, Scampton, on 1st September. From that date, flying will cease at Royal Air Force, Lindholme. The remainder of the Strike Command Bombing School will remain in situ for the time being.There are no plans to move either Northern Radar, Air Traffic Control Radar Unit or Headquarters Military Air Traffic Operations (Northern Region) from Royal Air Force, Lindholme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants are now detained in Pentonville prison awaiting deportation; and what was the corresponding figure 12 months ago.

Thirty-three people awaiting deportation are currently detained in Pentonville prison. It is not possible to give a precise figure for the same day last year, but I understand that the numbers were much the same.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Metropolitan Police Fraud Squad sent its report on matters connected with the Real Estate Fund of America and its British directors at the time this company was operating from premises in this country to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Real Estate Fund of America has not operated in this country. Police reports have been sent to the Department of Trade and Industry on matters affecting two associated companies at various dates from 1st October, 1970, onwards. Consultations have taken place from time to time between that Department and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT or place in the Library a copy of the letter sent to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, on the matter concerning the Real Estate Fund Company of America.

Yes.Following is the text of the letter:In answer to a Question on 27th July, I said that I would write to you when I had received a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about police inquiries connected with the Real Estate Fund of America.I understand that the inquiries were initiated by the police and that their first report was made to the Department of Trade and Industry in October, 1970. Subsequent reports have been made on various matters connected with the Fund. These are now being studied by the Department and the Director; and, as the Attorney General has told you, the papers have been submitted to Counsel for advice.In your Question, and also in separate letters which you sent both to me and to the Prime Minister on 24th July, you asked for the names of those who had been interviewed and the dates on which the interviews took place. I do not consider it to be in the public interest that I should disclose detail of this kind from police reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of penalty tickets issued by the Central Ticket Office of the Metropolitan Police, the number of cars impounded, and the number of penalties for which payment has been received for each of the last 12 months to a convenient date.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce regulations to require taxis in the Metropolis to be painted in safety colours.

Conditions of fitness for London taxis are laid down from time to time by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. I understand that the Commissioner has no present intention of introducing any requirement as to the colour of the cab.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the legislation on the Parliamentary Commissioner so that his jurisdiction should cover all the activities of local coroners; and if he will make a statement.

No. I do not think this would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making in his study of proposals to revise the legal aid scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The scheme for legal aid in criminal proceedings is under continuous review, but my right hon. Friend has no proposals before him at present for any major change. Legal aid in civil proceedings is the concern of my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Commonwealth immigrants, other than dependants of earlier Commonwealth immigrants not including any holders of United Kingdom passports, are admitted for settlement.

The main categories are work permit holders and women coming to marry residents. Smaller groups are doctors, dentists, ministers of religion and people of independent means.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now considered seeking, in the light of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in R. v. Royle, the substitution of a simpler provision for Section 16 of the Theft Act, 1968.

I have asked the Criminal Law Revision Committee to consider whether any changes are desirable in Section 16 of the Theft Act, 1968 (Obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception), having regard to the working of the section.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the chief constable as to whether, before appointing and promoting Mr. Ronald Larby to the rank of the detective inspector of police, investigations were made into his general character and his activities in Canada; and whether, when the investigation into charges under the police discipline code was held, these matters were investigated and taken into account before he was found guilty of discreditable conduct and disobedience of orders.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ascertain why the chief constable of the Essex and Southend-on-Sea Joint Constabulary did not consider it necessary for an investigation to be initiated by another police force into the case of Detective Inspector Ronald Larby.

The chief constable tells me that there were in his view no circumstances which made it desirable for the investigation to be carried out by an officer from another force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that, while serving as a police officer, Detective Inspector Ronald Larby was found guilty of cohabiting with a serving prisoner's wife and of breaking and entering, that he had a previous unsatisfactory character, that he was charged and found guilty of offences of discreditable conduct and disobedience to orders, whether he will institute a further full inquiry by police outside Larby's force.

No. I would add that not all the assumptions implicit in the Question are correct.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the letter sent to Mrs. K. Bruce of Brentwood, under date 17th June, 1972, signed by Deputy Chief Constable A. Goods, regarding the charge of Detective Inspector Ronald Larby cohabiting with a serving prisoner's wife; and whether he will place a copy of this in the Library of the House of Commons.

I see no reason in this instance why my right hon. Friend should make public the terms of other people's correspondence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the contract and ordering procedures of all Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.

The contract and ordering procedures of Government Departments are kept under review and there are adequate arrangements for changing them where necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds exemption from the application of value added tax has been applied in the case of the work of writers and musicians; and on what grounds exemption has been refused to artists.

VAT is a comprehensive tax on all forms of consumer spending. I did not consider that it would be right to discriminate in favour of artists by providing relief for their work.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received from the National Art-Collections Fund the text of a resolution passed at the annual general meeting of that body on 14th June, in support of amending the Museums and Galleries Admission Charges Bill so that the proceeds from charges be placed at the disposal of the respective institutions; and whether he will publish the terms of his reply.

Yes. The terms of the resolution did not call for more than an acknowledgment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the official price of gold at 38 dollars per ounce compares with the market price in principal European centres; and whether it is the Government's intention to recommend an upward revision of the official price.

On 2nd August the price per ounce at the morning fixing in London was 70 dollars and in Zurich at noon 69·50 dollars.The answer to the second part of the Question is No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total value of trunk and principal road schemes, respectively, firmly programmed.

The total value of trunk road schemes costing more than £250,000 which are firmly programmed is £72 million. The comparable figure for principal roads is £86·5 million. These figures do not include schemes which are in active preparation but which have not yet been given a firm starting date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those trunk and principal road schemes costing over £250,000, giving the estimated cost of each, which were added to the forward road programme during the six months ended 31st March last.

The following schemes were added to the firm programme of major trunk road schemes in Scotland during the six months ended 31st March, 1972:

	Total Estimated Cost (£ million)
M8 Baillieston Interchange-Monkland Motorway, Lanarkshire	2·5
A9 Dunkeld Bypass, Perthshire	2·0
A9 Inverness-Invergordon (first contract—Kessock Bridge and approaches) Inverness-shire and Ross and Cromarty	6·5
A76 Auldgirth Diversion, Dumfries-shire	0·4
A92 Stonehaven-Aberdeen Stage II, Kincardine	1·6
A96 Auchmill Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeenshire	0·4
A98 Banff Bridge, Banff	0·5

No scheme was added to the firm programme of principal road schemes during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the annual loss in receipts from admission charges which would result from one free day weekly at the following Scottish museums, respectively, the National Gallery of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland.

In the absence of experience of the proposed scheme of charges it is possible to give a broad estimate of income only. The fall in income which would result from a free day would depend to some extent on which day of the week was selected and the effect on the established pattern of attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the proportion of improvement grants paid to private landlords and owner occupiers in the cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow over the past 12 months.

The information available to me, which relates to grant applications approved, is as follows:

APPLICATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT GRANT AND STANDARD GRANT APPROVED
Period	Owner-Occupiers	Others
	per cent.	per cent.
Aberdeen—
April, 1971–March, 1972	66	34
Dundee—
April, 1971–March, 1972	32	68
Edinburgh—
July, 1970–June, 1971	84	16
Glasgow—
April, 1971–March, 1972	89	11

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the practice of his Administration governing the attendance of Ministers in the House on matters relevant to their Departmental responsibilities.

There has been no change of practice in this matter. Ministers seek to attend the House on matters relevant to their departmental responsibilities, whenever it is the wish of the House that they should do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now announce the decision of the public inquiry on the Chester Southerly Bypass, Welsh Section; and if he will make, a statement.

I am considering the inspector's report and will announce my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in the private and public sectors have been started and completed in the first six months of 1972; how this compares with the corresponding figures for 1971; and what is his estimate of the number of houses to be completed in 1972.

The figures are as follows:

JANUARY-JUNE, 1972
Public Sector		Private Sector
Starts	Completions	Starts	Completions
2,182	2,226	6,249	5,089
JANUARY-JUNE, 1971
Public Sector		Private Sector
Starts	Completions	Starts	Completions
2,996	3,268	4,652	4,105

It is not my practice to give estimates of future completions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the morbidity figures for the area covered by the Merthyr and Aberdare Hospital Management Committee; and how these figures compare with the national average for England and Wales.

I am informed that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many extra civil servants will be required by his Department on health matters as a result of reorganisation of the health service in Wales

It is too early to make detailed estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish the membership of the steering committee set up by his Department for the reorganisation of health services in Wales; and how many members of this steering committee are members of the Welsh Hospital Board and are chairmen of the board's various committees.

The present membership is given below. It includes the chairman of one of the Welsh Hospital Board's committees. All members serve in a personal capacity rather than as representatives of particular organisations.STEERING COMMITTEE

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when the White Paper on National Health Service reorganisation in Wales will be published.

I am publishing it today. Copies are available in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants there are in the Welsh Office responsible for health.

196 were in post on 1st July, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what the existing research facilities are in his Department on health matters; and what increase will be made to accommodate the increased responsibility his Department proposes to undertake for health.

My Department shares in the programme of research activities administered by the Department of Health and Social Security. Appropriate provision for research will be made when the National Health Service in Wales is reorganised. This and other matters relating to the reorganisation are currently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the consultants in Wales devote their time exclusively to National Health Service patients.

Excluding consultants who have honorary contracts. 52 per cent. of hospital consultants in Wales have whole time contracts and devote their time exclusively to NHS patients. In addition 35 per cent. have maximum part-time contracts; they are expected to devote substantially the whole of their time to the National Health Service and to give it priority on all occasions.

ADDED TO FIRM PROGRAMME										£m.
Newport C.B.C.		Newport Docks Access Road			…	…	…	…	…	0·9
ADDED TO PREPARATION LIST
Brecon	A4067	Abercrave to Crag y Nos			…	…	…	…		0·3
Carmarthen	A484	Llanelli-Loughori Road Bridge to Swansea Castle Roundabout	…	…	…	…	…	…		2·4
Caernarvon	A497	Pwllheli Inner Relief Road			…	…	…	…		0·4
	A499	Mount Pleasant Lodge-Pontylyfni				…	…	…		0·3
	Joint Scheme
Denbigh/Flintshire	A525	Bangor on Dee By-Pass			…	…	…	…		0·5
Flintshire	A548	Nant Hall to Marine Drive, Prestatyn					…	…		0·3
	A548	Ffynnongroew By-Pass			…	…	…	…		0·4
Glamorgan	A472	West of Nelson to Ystrad Mynach				…	…	…		1·1
	A4050	Dualling of Culverhouse Cross-Colcot, Barry						…		0·9
		Pontential Principal. Tonyrefail By-Pass (Phase I)						…		2·5
Aberdare U.D.C.	Potential Principal.	Inner Relief Road (Phase I)					…	…		0·7
Caerphilly U.D.C.	Potential Principal.	Northern By-Pass			…	…	…	…		1·0
Neath B.C.	A474	Northern Link Road		…	…	…	…	…		0·5
Rhondda B.C.	A4058	Improvement from Pontypridd U.D.C. boundary to Britannia Bridge		…	…	…	…	…		0·5
Merioneth	A496	Llanelltyd-Barmouth Aber-Amffra improvement						…		0·3
Monmouthshire	A472	Pontypool to Hafodyrynys			…	…	…	…		0·4
	Pontypool	Link to Pontypool Road			…	…	…	…		0·4
		Western By-Pass
	Cwmbran	Link to Pontypool Road			…	…	…	…		1·0
		Western By-Pass
Cwmbran Development Corporation	Cwmbran	Drive (Stage I)	…	…	…	…	…	…		2·0
Cardiff C.B.C.	A4161	Atlas Road/Leckwith Road/Wellington Street Junction Improvement		…	…	…	…	…		0·7
Merthyr Tydfil C.B.C.	A4102	Extension of Dual Carriageway from Victoria Cinema to Market Street, Dowlais			…	…	…	…		0·3

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the total value of trunk and principal road schemes, respectively, firmly programmed.

The information is as follows:

	£ million
Motorways and trunk roads	38·6
Principal roads	16·4

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those trunk and principal road schemes costing over £250,000, giving the estimated cost of each, which were added to the forward road programme during the six months ended 31st March last.

No major scheme was added to the trunk road programme in this period but schemes valued at £17·8 million were added to the principal road programme in December, 1971. Details of these schemes are listed below:will name those local authorities which have so far informed him of their decision not to implement the Housing Finance Act; those which have asked for a rent increase of less than £1 to be imposed in October; and those which he has agreed as having to impose less than £1, stating the amount he has accepted as the average rent increase in each case.

The following local authorities have informed the Secretary of State of their intention not to implement all or parts of the Housing Finance Act:

• Camden London Borough Council.
• Greenwich London Borough Council.
• Tower Hamlets London Borough Council.
• Waltham Forest London Borough Council.
• Birkenhead County Borough Council.
• St. Helens County Borough Council.
• Walsall County Borough Council.
• Mansfield Borough Council.
• Nuneaton Borough Council.
• Slough Borough Council.
• Carnforth Urban District Council.
• Clay Cross Urban District Council.
• Failsworth Urban District Council.
• Halstead Urban District Council.
• Rugeley Urban District Council.
• Skelmersdale and Holland Urban District Council.
• Stevenage Urban District Council.

The local authorities listed below have asked for an average rent increase of less than £1 from 1st October. Directions under Section 62(4) cannot be issued until the Act comes into force. But where it has been indicated that I would be willing to direct that the authority's increase should be less than £1, the amount is shown in brackets.

	Barking London Borough Council.
	Bexley London Borough Council.
(55p)	Brent London Borough Council.
(95p)	Bromley London Borough Council.
(90p)	Camden London Borough Council.
	Greenwich London Borough Council.
(75p)	Hammersmith London Borough Council.
	Haringey London Borough Council.
	Havering London Borough Council.
	Hounslow London Borough Council.
(80p)	Islington London Borough Council.
	Lambeth London Borough Council.
	Lewisham London Borough Council.
	Merton London Borough Council.
	Newham London Borough Council.
	Tower Hamlets London Borough Council.
	Waltham Forest London Borough Council.
	Wandsworth London Borough Council.
	Bath County Borough Council.
(65p)	Birmingham County Borough Council.
	Bristol County Borough Council.
(85p)	Dudley County Borough Council.
	Gateshead County Borough Council.
(98p)	Huddersfield County Borough Council.
	Kingston upon Hull County Borough Council.
	Manchester County Borough Council.
(35p)	Newcastle upon Tyne County Borough Council.
	Norwich County Borough Council.
	Oldham County Borough Council.
	Tynemouth County Borough Council.
	York County Borough Council.
	Batley Borough Council.
	Bedford Borough Council.
	Ellesmere Port Borough Council.
	Keighley Borough Council.
	Kidderminster Borough Council.
	Lowestoft Borough Council.
	Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
	Saltash Borough Council.
	Stretford Borough Council.

(90p)	Tenterden Borough Council.
	Todmorden Borough Council.
	Whitley Bay Borough Council.
	Worksop Borough Council.
	Bentley with Arksey Urban District Council.
	Blaydon Urban District Council.
	Bredbury and Romilly Urban District Council.
	Bromsgrove Urban District Council.
	Canvey Island Urban District Council.
(75p)	Cirencester Urban District Council.
(40p)	Fulwood Urban District Council.
	Hetton Urban District Council.
(80p)	Maryport Urban District Council.
(95p)	Normanton Urban District Council.
	Northwich Urban District Council.
(60p)	Seaham Urban District Council.
(80p)	Seaton Valley Urban District Council.
(97p)	Staines Urban District Council.
	Stanley Urban District Council.
	Walton and Weybridge Urban District Council.
(80p)	Washington Urban District Council.
	Winsford Urban District Council.
	Whickham Urban District Council.
	Witham Urban District Council.
	Castle Ward Rural District Council.
	Easington Rural District Council.
(95p)	Kerrier Rural District Council.
	Ledbury Rural District Council.
	Richmond Rural District Council.
(40p)	St. Thomas Rural District Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now announce a decision on the claim for compensation submitted on 4th June, 1972, by the hon. Member for Goole on behalf of Mr. A. R. Maxwell, who suffered unavoidable financial loss owing to the raising of the minimum age for drivers of motor cycles.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by the Hampshire and Sussex River Authorities and the Thames Conservancy, respectively, in combating river pollution in the past five years.

Respectively, £75,074, £194,170, and £544,544 In addition, far greater sums have been spent by local authorities and others on sewerage works where improved effluent has helped greatly to reduce pollution of the Thames and other rivers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that studies have been carried out relating to the pollutional effects of disposing of used car oil in drains; and whether consideration has been given to the introduction of collection points for used car oil.

I am aware of this problem. Arrangements are in hand for the establishment of an informal working group to consider the disposal of awkward wastes arising in or around the home, and this will include used car oil.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give detailed reasons for the estimated cost for the car park in New Palace Yard rising from £1·3 million to £2·2 million in one year; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the details of the three lowest tenders for the work, the date when tenders were invited and the closing date.

The main reasons for the increase are some £300,000 for cost inflation and additional requirements included in the light of knowledge gained from extensive site investigation. The latter include:

	£
1. underestimate of cost of addition floor	50,000
2. increase in thickness of diaphragm wall	85,000
3. subways to House of Parliament	90,000
4. mechanical and electrical engineering developments	140,000
5. additional steel liners for bore holes	56,000
6. site exploration	46,000
7. temporary car park	30,000
8. cost of continuous working to ensure expeditious completion	35,000

Tenders were invited on 14th March, 1972, and closed on 28th April. The three lowest were approximately £2·2 million, £2·3 million and £2·4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases proceedings in respect of infringement of building preservation orders have been taken within the last three years, or other convenient period for which figures are available; and what was the average penalty imposed.

Building preservation orders ceased to be effective on 1st January, 1969, when the present system of listed building control came into operation. Prosecutions for offences under the Town and Country Planning Act for carrying out unauthorised works to listed buildings are normally undertaken by local planning authorities. The information is not, therefore, available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases the power given to traffic commissioners under the Transport Act, 1968, to prevent wasteful competition by fixing minimum fares has been cited as the reason for the withdrawal of applications to provide services not at present provided.

Applicants are not required to give reasons for withdrawal and do not normally do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences or permits have been issued under the Transport Act, 1968, in the Eastern area, allowing private operators to run public bus or coach services.

The Transport Act, 1968, provides powers to the traffic commissioners to issue permits as alternatives to the road service licences. The traffic commissioners for the eastern traffic area have issued such permits to two private operators.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each of the last five years for which figures are available, how many children have been killed or injured whilst being conveyed in a school bus or whilst approaching or leaving a school bus.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider issuing a general direction making obligatory a radio link between train drivers and guards, in view of his responsibilities for safety.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects work to start and finish on the Malton bypass.

Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, the construction of the Malton bypass should start early in 1974 and take two years to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects work to start and finish on the Market Weighton bypass.

This scheme is at too early a stage of preparation for starting and finishing dates to be estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects work to start and finish on the York bypass.

Subject to completion of the statutory procedures work should start by the autumn of 1973 and be completed two years later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects work to start and finish on the Driffield bypass.

Driffield bypass is a principal road and is the responsibility of the East Riding of Yorkshire County Council, which is the highway authority. It is the intention of the county council to start construction in early 1975, with a view to completing the works some 24 months later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects work to start and finish on the Tadcaster bypass.

Subject to completion of the statutory procedures, work should start early in 1974 and be completed two years later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects work to start and finish on the East Riding portion of the M62.

Subject to completion of the statutory procedures, work should start early in 1974, for completion 18 months later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the details he has received from the London Transport Executive concerning its estimate of the cost of maintaining services on the Epping—Ongar section of the Central Line.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the examination of questions relating to aggregate and to planning control over surface mineral workings.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided, after consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, to set up jointly an inquiry into planning control over mineral working with the following terms of reference:

"To examine the operation of the statutory provisions (except the provisions of the Opencast Coal Act 1958) under which planning control is exercisable over mineral exploration, over surface mineral workings and installations, over the deposit on the surface of spoil or waste from mineral workings, and over the after-treatment of surface land worked for minerals; to consider whether the provisions require to be amended or supplemented; and to make recommendations."

I am glad to be able to tell the House that Sir Roger Stevens, GCMG, has accepted an invitation to act as chairman. I hope to be able to announce shortly the names of the three other members of the inquiry.I am also glad to be able to announce that Mr. Ralph Verney, JP, has accepted an invitation to become chairman of the Advisory Group on Aggregates, to which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction referred in reply to a Question in the House in May. The terms of reference under which the advisory committee will work are:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been announced in the Manchester travel-to-work area since June, 1970, and since 22nd March, 1972, respectively.

Redundancies involving 23,000 workpeople were notified to my Department in the Manchester travel-to-work area during the period 9th June, 1970, to 2nd August, 1972, inclu- sive, and 1,900 during the period since 22nd March, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list of his official engagements in the week ended Saturday, 29th July.

No; my public engagements were reported in the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will announce the outcome of his review of services for the disabled; and if he will now consult the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled and other interested parties.

Yes. My Department has recently concluded a wide-ranging review of the arrangements for helping disabled people with their employment problems. I have now considered this review and am ready to consult the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled and others concerned with these problems about how to improve our present policies and services for disabled people.For this purpose, I shall publish over the next few months a number of discussion papers covering the various aspects of my Department's responsibilities in this field. The first paper, dealing with our specialised resettlement service for disabled people, was presented to the National Advisory Council at its meeting on 20th July. It proposes that a number of experiments should be put in hand as soon as possible in order to test ways of improving the service. One of the objects of these experiments will be to find out whether it is worth developing a resettlement service for certain people who are not covered by the present service but who have special employment problems and, if so, whether this should be a separate service or whether the scope of the present disablement resettlement service should be broadened so as to include such people.The council will be considering these ideas and letting me have its views as soon as possible. Copies of the paper prepared for it are available for the information of those interested in these matters. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House; they can also be obtained from my Department.Further discussion papers are now being prepared, dealing with industrial rehabilitation and training for disabled people; with the quota system for the employment of disabled people; and with sheltered employment. These documents will be presented to the council; they will also form the basis for consultation on these matters with the many other bodies interested in this field.The purpose of this review, which deals with matters of the utmost importance, is to seek positive ways of improving our present services for disabled people. The views and advice of the council and of all those concerned with helping the disabled are essential.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new jobs, in total and for men and women, respectively, have been created in the Manchester travel-to-work area since June, 1970, and since 22nd March, 1972, respectively.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 26th June, 1972. The up-dated figures—again excluding jobs arising in the service sector and in existing industrial buildings—for the period 1st July, 1970 to 31st July, 1972 are 3,180 jobs, 1,990 for men, 1,190 for women; and for the period 22nd March to 31st July, 1972, 1,090 jobs, 660 for men, 430 for women.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry following the recommendations of the Monopolies Commission on the connection charges for electricity and gas, Command Paper No. 5036, what general directions he has issued as to when the electricity boards will initiate new methods of assessment of connection charges; and what was the annual revenue produced under the former system criticised by the Commission.

No general direction has been issued. The electricity boards have been asked to implement the majority report. There was £2,393,000 recovered by way of receipts from connection charges by the electricity industry in England and Wales in the 12 months ending 31st March, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measure of tariff preference on imported goods exists in favour of South Africa.

South Africa has the same tariff preferences as other countries in the Commonwealth preference area. These are set out in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise tariff and overseas trade classification.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies he proposes to commission for improving the movement of passengers and baggage through Heathrow airport in the short and medium terms; and if he will make a statement.