asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to introduce legislation to amend the Acts which now preclude emergency payments by local authorities to elderly and handicapped people.

It has been represented to my right hon. Friend that a limited power to make emergency payments to such people would be justified and he proposes to consider with his colleagues the possibility of legislation at a suitable opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is now taking to co-ordinate research throughout the country into the level of need for pre-school playgroups.

My Department, with the others concerned, has under review the needs of pre-school children including the provision of playgroups.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to modify the benefits paid to families of men on strike.

The Government are reviewing the existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount of social security payments to all strikers which are recoverable that have been made since the 1971 Social Security Act became operative; how much has so far been recovered; and at what cost.

At 31st October approximately £232,000, of which £207,000 had then been recovered. I regret that the cost of recovery is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost of supplementary benefits paid to those involved in the Jaguar strike, and their dependants, including payments made after return to work and not recovered, and administrative arrangements necessitated thereby.

The figures are as follows:

Payments of Supplementary Benefit to Claimants involved in the Jaguar Cars dispute
	£
For strikers' dependants	25,029
For strikers	78
Following resumption of work	1,456

All payments made following resumption of work are recoverable. The administrative cost is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of the post-dispute social security payments made to building workers during their recent strike amounting to £132,736 has so far been recovered; and at what cost.

It is not possible to identify the amounts recovered in relation to particular strikes. The intention is that all post-dispute payments for any strike will be recovered during the 10 weeks following the first fortnight after resumption of work. I regret that the administrative cost to employers and my Department is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total cost of supplementary benefits paid to those involved in the building industry dispute, and their dependants, including payments made after return to work and not recovered, and administrative arrangements necessitated thereby;(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the total cost of supplementary benefits paid to those involved in industrial disputes in Scotland, and their dependants, including payments made after resumption of work, in each of the last 10 years and in the current year to date, expressed at an annual rate;(3) what was the total cost of supplementary benefits paid to those involved in the recent Scottish textile industry dispute at Arbroath and Hawick, and their dependants, including payments made after return to work and not recovered, and administrative arrangements necessitated thereby.

Following is the information:

PAYMENTS OF SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT TO CLAIMANTS INVOLVED IN TRADE DISPUTES
PAYMENTS MADE IN RECENT DISPUTES
	Building trades	Scottish textiles
	£	£
For strikers' dependants.	1,002,064	1,824
For strikers	8,534	Nil
Following resumption of work.	133,592	Not yet known

All payments made following resumption of work are recoverable. The administrative cost is not available.Information about disputes in Scotland alone is not available before 1969. Following is the available information:

	During disputes	Following resumption of work
	£	£
1969	27,616	52,436
1970	98,894	114,738
1971	349,900	58,983
1972 (Jan.-Oct.)	1,136,286	275,275

There are no valid assumptions on which to base an annual rate of 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give retirement pensioners a special Christmas bonus in view of their hardship.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has announced, a special payment of £10 is to be made in the week commencing 4th December, 1972, to retirement pensioners and others over retirement age receiving social security benefits.—[Vol. 845. c. 626.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will increase the national insurance pension before Christmas.

No, Sir. Retirement pension and other benefits were increased only last month and special payments of £10 are to be made at the beginning of December to retirement pensioners and others over retirement age who are receiving social security benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to ensure that future rises in the old-age retirement pensions are made payable sooner after the increase is announced than the present six-months delay.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Torney) on 11th July, 1972. Proposed increases in retirement pensions do, of course, take into consideration the likely movement in prices between the announcement and the date of first payment.—[Vol. 840, c. 272–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the legislation necessary to implement "Strategy for Pensions", he will provide a pension for the permanently disabled.

We have made a number of improvements in the provision for the disabled under the State basic scheme, including the introduction of an invalidity pension specifically for the long-term sick or disabled, and of attendance allowance for the severely disabled, the scope of which is currently being extended.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend the Family Income Supplement Act so that families which are solely dependent on State grants during periods of training are eligible to claim the supplement.

No, Sir. The purpose of the family income supplements scheme is to assist people with low incomes who are bringing up families on their earnings from full-time work. The scheme is not designed to provide additional benefit for persons already receiving grants from public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the proposed new proposals for assisting retirement pensioners, he will consider a special heating allowance.

As my hon. Friend knows, the supplementary benefits scheme already makes provision for the special heating expenses of pensioners and other beneficiaries. This provision was improved last month. All retirement and supplementary pensioners will benefit this winter from the payments of £10—£20 for a married couple—announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 6th November.—[Vol. 845, c. 626.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now take urgent action over heating for pensioners in the coming winter in line with the recommendations made in the Task Force circular, dated 30th October, of which he has been sent a copy.

While I respect the good will and efforts of Task Force and other voluntary bodies, I do not consider the recommendations on supplementary benefit matters to be acceptable. The supplementary benefit provisions in general and for heating were improved last month and all supplementary pensioners will benefit this winter from the payments of £10—£20 for a married couple—announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 6th November. As regards the recommendations on environmental matters, I am consulting my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.—[Vol. 845, c. 626.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men unemployed for one year or more in the United Kingdom have been refused supplementary benefits.

It is estimated that in August, 1972, between 35,000 and 40,000 men in Great Britain who had been registered as unemployed for more than a year were not receiving supplementary benefit. A substantial proportion of these were occupational pensioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will adjust the level of disregarded income in connection with the Supplementary Benefits Scheme.

We intend to review the disregard levels at an appropriate time, but I cannot yet say when that will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of persons in receipt of constant attendance allowances under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, at the latest available date and the number of them who have failed to qualify because they did not satisfy the medical requirements.

On 6th October, 1972, the latest date for which figures are available, about 82,000 people were drawing an attendance allowance under the provisions of the National Insurance Acts. From June, 1971, when claims were first invited, to October, 1972, some 63,000 people claimed the allowance but failed to satisfy the medical requirements for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give details of the amounts of supplementary benefits, unemployment benefits and welfare grants paid to an individual, details of which have been supplied to him, for the periods January to March, 1968, August to September, 1969, October to November, 1969, and November, 1971, to October, 1972; and whether, at all relevant periods, his national insurance cards were fully paid.

I have written to the hon. Member explaining that I cannot disclose this confidential information. This is because all information obtained by my Department in its dealings with claimants for social security benefits or contributors to national insurance is strictly confidential and cannot be disclosed without the consent of the individual concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received the communication from Mr. K. P. Colanville, of 27th October, 1972; and whether he will arrange to give this man a grant of £41 and increase his pension to £24·40 per week.

I am unable to trace any communication from Mr. K. P. Colanville.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be available giving the number of retirement pensioners in receipt of sick and unemployment benefit, with or without supplementary benefits, who were, on 23rd October, in receipt of payments of £28·40 per week; and whether, in these cases, rent allowances were additionally paid.

Retirement pensioners are not entitled to sickness or unemployment benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, together with a letter from a widow with three children living on £14·75 per week claiming for £28·40; and what action he proposes to take to grant this sum to this woman.

Yes. I have arranged for inquiries into the family's circumstances to be made. As I explained to the hon. Member in a reply on 7th November to a similar request, payments of supplementary benefit depend on the widely varying requirements and resources of individual claimants.—[Vol. 845, c. 113–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action, before the end of the calendar year, to ensure that all retired couples, married persons on sickness and unemployment benefits are able to claim a minimum of £28·40 per week and rent allowance, and that such payments will be guaranteed until March, 1973, by issuing order books in advance for this purpose.

No. The entitlement of retired couples and those receiving sickness or unemployment benefit depends on their individual circumstances on the basis of scales approved by Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total amount paid to date on each of the new benefits, such as family income supplement and constant attendance allowance, since their introduction.

The estimated amounts paid from the date on which the benefit commenced to the end of October, 1972, are as follows:

Benefit	Total paid £ million
Old persons pension	43
Age addition for all pensioners over age 80	18
Pensions for younger widows	23
Invalidity benefit*	26
Family income supplement	10
Attendance allowance	19
Total	139
* Extra cost over sickness benefit, which it replaced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the industrial dispute at Rampton Hospital.

As the hon. Member knows, the discussions on the working party set up three weeks ago did not result in an agreement. I issued the following statement yesterday about these discussions and the offers made to the staff on my behalf, and my decisions following the breakdown of the working party:—

"A working party consisting of representatives of the nursing staff of Rampton Hospital, Retford, Notts., the local management and officers of my Department was set up three weeks ago, under the chairmanship of the Chief Nursing Officer of my Department, to discuss problems which had arisen over the shift system introduced at the hospital on 1st October. Under the old system, nurses worked from 7.30 am to 9.30 pm, with breaks for meals, and had every alternate day off—a total of 42 hours a week. Under the new system, the nurses worked shorter hours each day and had fewer days off, but worked a total of 40 hours a week. After working this new system for about two weeks the nurses declared their intention of reverting to the old long-day system on 19th November unless a settlement were reached before then.

"The working party has met three times and has discussed both the shift system and other staff grievances. Despite proposals made by my officials which went a long way to meet the demands of the staff, I regret to say that the talks have broken down.

"My proposals included a revised shift system which would have given the nurses one whole day off every third day; reasonable working hours on their duty days—approximately 9 hours with breaks for meals; more continuity of ward teams than under the system introduced on 1st October; a substantial increase in the number of posts at Charge Nurse and Ward Sister level, thus improving promotion prospects for junior staff; some assistance towards additional travelling expenses; and a survey of other problems and management staff relationships by an independent person of wide experience, working in close touch with the staff and their representatives as well as with local management.

"These were generous proposals by any standards, and would have brought great benefits both to staff and patients. I regret that the majority of the nurses have rejected them and apparently prefer a system under which they work for 14 hours or more each working day with alternate days off and have reiterated their intention to refuse to work on any other system from 19th November.

"As a final gesture of good will I added at the last meeting of the working party today an offer of a temporary return to the old shift system for a limited period on condition that the staff accepted that at the end of that period a shift system on the lines we had proposed would be introduced. This offer was not acceptable to the staff representatives.

"In the interests of the patients in Rampton and of the public my overriding duty is to ensure that the work of the hospital continues with as little disruption as possible. I have therefore with great reluctance instructed the management of the hospital to arrange for a slightly modified long-day system to be rein-

APPOINTMENTS (INCLUDING RE-APPOINTMENTS) TO REGIONAL HOSPITAL BOARDS (ENGLAND) SINCE JUNE 1970—ANALYSED BY OCCUPATION, AGE AND SEX
	Under 51		51–55		56–60		61–65		Over 65		Total
Occupation	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Doctors	15	3	20	2	13	2	7	—	2	—	57	7
Dentists
Nurses
Academic (other than medical)	2	—	1	—	3	—	4	—	2	—	12	—
Company directors and managers	11	—	8	—	11	—	9	—	5	—	44	—
Trade Union Officials	5	—	3	—	3	—	3	—	1	—	15	—
Miscellaneous	11	3	8	1	9	—	13	1	6	—	47	5
Retired people, housewives or occupation not known	—	6	—	7	4	7	12	7	15	9	31	36
Total	44	12	40	10	43	9	48	8	31	9	206	48

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients are now at Broadmoor because of sexual offences; and what therapeutic treatment they receive.

I am informed that 116 patients now in Broadmoor have committed offences involving assaults of a troduced from Sunday for a limited period. The other offers made in the discussions are now withdrawn."I regard this reversion to the long day—even for a limited period—as a retrograde step, and I have agreed to it only in order to avoid a situation of confusion arising at the end of this week from which the patients would be the main sufferers. The long day hampers development of enlightened therapeutic policies and is not in the interests of the patients. I am much concerned that nurses, including student nurses, on the staff of a hospital of this sort of which I am the manager, should be on duty with only short meal breaks every alternate day from before 8 in the morning to nearly 10 at night. The reversion I have authorised is for a limited period only. I hope that on reflection the nurses at Rampton will come to realise the advantages of the offer which they have at this moment rejected."

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish details of age, sex and employment/occupation of members of regional hospital boards he has appointed since taking office.

Yes. The information is as follows:heterosexual or homosexual nature. Treatment depends on the needs of the individual patient, and may include the use of drugs directed at the underlying mental illness, individual or group psychotherapy and in a few cases hormones administered orally or by implant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make arrangements to enable invalid carriages to be provided on loan to temporarily disabled persons.

My right hon. Friend will ask Lady Sharp to include this possibility among those relevant to the inquiry she is conducting.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is now the proportion of men and women, respectively, of the population of England and Wales who are alcoholics; and what was the estimated number of deaths from the disease annually for the last five years to the nearest available date.

Surveys indicate that there may be between 200,000 and 400,000 men and women in England and Wales who fall within the World Health Organisation definition of alcoholics, in the proportion of about five men to one woman. Many deaths to which alcoholism has contributed are recorded as due to other causes, but the recorded number of deaths in England and Wales attributed to alcoholism as such for the last five years up to 1971 are as follows:

Year	Number of deaths
1967	69
1968	80
1969	70
1970	57
1971 (provisional)	87

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of people on the waiting list for admission to hospitals in the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board area on the last date for which figures are available.

59,273 at 30th June, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider the position of working women who wish to pay normal employees' national insurance contributions but who are only allowed to contribute as non-employed or self-employed persons even though they are not in these categories.

No, Sir. Since November, 1969, liability for payment of employed persons' contributions has been subject to a minimum earnings limit, and we see no justification for changing this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether Bolton will in future have one main hospital or two.

The Manchester Regional Hospital Board is reviewing the plan for this area, and no decision has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of appeals to national insurance local tribunals in the last period of 12 months for which figures are available; and how many of them were successful.

In the twelve months ending 30th June, 1972, 33,577 appeals were heard by the national insurance local tribunals. Of these, 7,007 or about 21 per cent. were decided in the claimant's favour.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to ascertain the number of children believed to be battered on being taken to hospital.

My Department has suggested the setting up of local committees to keep individual cases of battering or potential battering under review. Good progress has been made with this but I am afraid it would not be practicable to call for any national statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans are being made for reducing the time it now takes to obtain an out-patient appointment at the General Hospital, Birmingham.

Early appointments can be obtained in most specialties. Waiting times are continually reviewed and general practitioners are informed of the waiting times on all consultants' lists to assist them in referral of their patients. Urgent cases are seen without delay.A new out-patient department is included in the planned development of the Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre, due to start in 1973–74, and this will help to improve out-patient facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the nature of the study being made by the Teaching Hospitals Association of the reorganisation of the National Health Service in greater London; and whether it has his approval;(2) what representations have been made to him by the Teaching Hospitals Association to extend the administrative responsibility of the teaching hospitals in the reorganisation of the National Health Service in greater London.

I have received a copy of a report prepared by Scientific Control Systems Limited at the request of the Teaching Hospitals Association which makes recommendations about health authority boundaries in London after reorganisation. I am considering the views expressed in it together with those of the London Boroughs Association and other interested bodies, and I hope to announce decisions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about his proposed timetable for reform of the administration of the National Health Service.

A Bill will be introduced shortly to reorganise the administration of the National Health Service with effect from 1st April, 1974, and to establish a health service commissioner to deal with complaints.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he is giving to reclassifying those diseases connected with modern industry which are not yet classified as industrial diseases.

The schedule of prescribed industrial diseases is kept under continuing review and additions are considered where there is evidence that the requirements of section 56(2) of the Industrial Injuries Act may be met. Two diseases, poisoning by acrylamide monomer and brucellosis, have been prescribed this year and three others, occupational deafness, the vibration syndrome and lung cancer in chromate workers, are under investigation by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that complete confidentiality is being observed by the National Health Service in relation to the records of National Health Service patients; and if he will make a statement.

All National Health Service authorities and practitioners are aware of the need to preserve the confidentiality of medical records. If my hon. Friend has any particular difficulty in mind, I should be glad to discuss it with her.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received the information from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, regarding his British-born ex-Serviceman constituent who is now a refugee, without housing accommodation and with a sick wife; and whether he will take action to ensure that this man and his wife are granted welfare payments and housing facilities on the same basis as those now being granted to the Ugandan Asians.

Yes. I have arranged for inquiries into his circumstances to be made. As to the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar request on 7th November, 1972.—[Vol. 845, c. 113–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce grants along the lines of the constant attendance allowance to help those suffering in their own homes from terminal illnesses, where supported by a medical certificate.

A cash benefit along the lines of attendance allowance is not intended for those suffering from short terminal illnesses. The present attendance allowance provides cash help where there is need for long term care both by day and at night, and the lower rate allowance which we are introducing will also provide help where there is a long term need for care by day or at night.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what machinery he will set up for dealing with complaints of inquiries relating to patients referred for treatment from National Health Service hospitals to the Royal Herbert Hospital or vice versa.

I am proposing to discuss this matter with my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to have further talks with the tobacco industry about health warnings on cigarette packets and cigarette advertising.

It has been agreed that the working of the voluntary agreement should be kept under review. The results of the last review were outlined in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Dr. Stuttaford) on 8th August, 1972.—[Vol. 842, c. 336–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will send a circular to local authorities on the question of banning smoking in all theatres, cinemas and places of entertainment.

No. I do not think this would be appropriate. Experience is showing that, in general, organisations want to keep in line with the wishes of their clients. The most recent demonstration of this has been by the Rank Organisation who now provide accommodation set aside for non-smokers in all of their cinemas, following a period of experimentation which revealed that this was what their patrons wanted. The public, therefore, can play an important part in this by making their views known to the appropriate authorities.Smoking is already prohibited in the auditorium in virtually all theatres.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the incidence of emphysema among coal-miners compared with other occupations.

There are no records available which would enable such a comparison to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set up an independent review of the salaries and service conditions for members of the remedial professions in the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he now expects the current negotiations on a revised career structure for the remedial professions in the National Health Service to reach a conclusion: and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he now expects the current negotiations on the career prospects in the National Health Service for members of the remedial professions, including physiotherapists, to be completed; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of physiotherapists with the proposed new arrangements for grading and salary scales; and whether he will consider the proposals of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists as a basis for action.

The position remains as I explained to the hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. Harper) on 6th November, that these are matters for the Whitley Council in the first place. The structures of eight different professions are under review and I understand that the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists is represented together with the other relevant professional bodies on the staff side of a sub-committee which is discussing the structure for the three remedial professions.—[Vol. 845, c. 94.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the recognised establishments of physiotherapists in each grade at each of the

	Number of Physiotherapists employed by
Grade	Nottingham University Hospital Management Committee	Cedars Rehabilitation Unit	Nottingham and District Hospital Management Committee
Superintendent, Grade V	1	—	1
Superintendent, Grade I	2	1	2
Assistant Superintendent	2	—	1
Senior Physiotherapists	7	1	9
Basic Grade Physiotherapists	13½	1	13

The Nottingham University Hospital Management Committee would like to employ a further two senior grade and 5½ basic grade physiotherapists, and the Nottingham and District Hospital Management Committee would like to employ two more seniors and 15½ basic grade physiotherapists. The deployment of staff between individual hospitals in a group is a matter for the hospital authority concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to complete the career structure negotiations for the remedial professions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce the conclusions reached at the career structure negotiations for the remedial professions.

As I have indicated earlier today in reply to questions, negotiations are a matter for the Whitley Council in the first place.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware of the practice of communal graves operated by institutions under the authority of the Manchester Corporation Welfare Services Department, which arises from the fact that death grants are not payable in respect of patients who have no insurance records; and whether he will institute death grants in such cases.

In terms of whole time equivalents, the following are the numbers of physiotherapists currently employed in the hospitals in the Nottingham district:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many institutions for the mentally handicapped and disturbed communal graves are used; and if he will make a statement.

Hospitals have power to meet the cost of burials and in many cases they arrange with funeral contractors for burials to take place in what are known as common or public graves. A common grave like some private graves may accommodate more than one coffin. There are statutory requirements about the overall depth and the depth of earth between coffins. Most municipal cemeteries have part of their consecrated ground set aside for such graves, and burials take place in them in a separate and individual burial service which is carried out with no less dignity and respect for the deceased than those arranged privately. Common grave burials may be arranged by relatives who are unable to afford private graves.Death grants can be paid for mentally handicapped people with no insurance record in certain circumstances. I am writing to the hon. Members to explain the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will initiate legislation or other action designed to provide in England and Wales an authority to review the treatment of children in the care of local authorities.

Local authorities are under a statutory duty to further the best interests of children in their care and to review cases at regular intervals. I do not think further provision is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now received the results of his investigation into the nature and scale of services for the permanently disabled available in certain countries of the European Economic Community; how these arrangements compare with services provided in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I have received the report by my departmental study team and I am placing a copy in the Library. The report illustrates the wide variety of provision for the disabled in the various countries visited, and shows the difficulties of making useful comparisons between the arrangements in different countries, because of the major variations in social, economic and industrial circumstances. But the information collected will certainly be helpful in considering future developments in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of food poisoning have been reported so far this year; and how this total compares with the same period for each of the last two years.

The provisional figures for the number of notified cases of food poisoning in England during 1972 up to 29th September is 4,116. Figures for the corresponding periods in the previous two years are: 1971, 4,284; 1970, 4,949.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to combat the forged prescription racket now prevalent in the Midlands.

We have no evidence of a marked increase in the small proportion of prescriptions found to contain forgeries, but several safeguards have been recommended to doctors and pharmacists by my Department and their professional bodies; and additional safe- guards in the revised terms of service for doctors agreed with the medical profession will very shortly be laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to recruit additional staff for local offices, in view of the representations made to him by existing staff concerning the increase in their work load.

Following a comprehensive agreement with the staff associations, 4,000 extra permanent posts have been added to the complements of local offices of the Department. Of these, 1,500 additional posts are for growth in activity and the remaining 2,500 are to reduce the dependence which the Department has in the past placed on the employment of casual staff and the use of overtime.An extensive recruiting campaign has been mounted and selection boards have started to interview applicants.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his meeting with representatives of Civil Service unions on Monday, 18th September, on the subject of pressure on staff paying out benefit.

No such meeting took place. But following discussions between my senior officials and staff association representatives on 18th September and subsequently, a comprehensive agreement was reached under which 4,000 extra permanent posts have been added to the complements of local social security offices. The agreement also provides a review of the Department's staffing procedures; improvements in training arrangements and in the physical conditions of local offices; and a study aimed at simplifying and improving work methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give a list of those persons employed in his Department or for whom he has ministerial responsibility who were, on 23rd October, receiving salaries or wages of £28·40 per week; what were their grades or classifications; and whether, in these cases, rent allowances were paid in addition to these incomes.

It would not be possible to provide this information without undue cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present value of £1 disregard compared with when it was first introduced.

71p.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will consider issuing a handbook explaining the rights of and concessions due to elderly people on pensions similar to that published already for the handicapped.

I do not think it would be justifiable to issue a separate handbook for the elderly so soon after the distribution of the booklet "Help for Handicapped People", copies of which will

	Basic Weekly Rates
	Lowest	Under £20 (Lowest included)	Between £20 and £25	Between £25 and £30	£50 and over
Men	2,600	38,120	22,410	720	Nil
Women	29,300	66,750	2,380	20	Nil
Totals	31,900	104,870	24,790	740	Nil
Notes:
(1) Lowest rates are £17·48 (Men), £15·28 (Women).
(2) All figures are for full-time staff.
(3) Estimated total of full-time staff in England and Wales is 130,400.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will propose banning the advertising of alcoholic drinks on television, in view of the problem of alcoholism.

Since the problem is not so much to prevent publicity for alcoholic drinks as to publicise the dangers of their misuse, I am not convinced that a step of this kind would be helpful.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that local medical officers of health have the same powers in regard to commercial undertakings as they have in dealing with the citizen in his home.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the lowest basic rate of weekly pay for hospital ancillary workers; how many such workers are on that rate of pay; and how many are on basic rates of pay under £20, between £20 and £25, £25 and £30, £30 and £35 and above £35 per week, respectively; and what is the total labour force in these categories.

Following is the information requested:

No, but if the hon. Member will let me know what extension of powers he has in mind I will consider any representations he wishes to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements are made to ensure that emergency dental services are available outside normal surgery hours.

This is a matter for local arrangement. In view, however, of reports of difficulty in obtaining emergency treatment, I have asked the Working Party on Dental Services to consider whether circumstances have changed so materially since 1962 as to warrant some modification of the Estimates Committee's conclusion that the setting up of special emergency arrangements in each area would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many hostels for paraplegics exist within the National Health Service; where they are located; and how many people they can accommodate;(2) how many special centres for the treatment of spinal cord injuries exist within the National Health Service; where they are located; and what is the number of places in each centre;(3) how many patients are currently waiting for places in special centres for the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

In England and Wales there are hospital centres at Hexham (16 beds), Wakefield (30 beds), Sheffield (64 beds), Stoke Mandeville (168 beds), Oswestry (61 beds), Southport (34 beds) and Cardiff (48 beds). The numbers of beds available at Sheffield and Oswestry are temporarily reduced to 43 and 42 beds respectively owing to building alterations and redecoration. There is one hostel for 30 people attached to the Stoke Mandeville centre. On 10th November, 1972, there were 77 patients awaiting first admission to these centres; the number awaiting re-admission for further treatment is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the annual figures for the last available 10-year period for spinal cord injuries treated under the National Health Service; and into which age ranges the majority of patients fall.

The estimated numbers of hospital inpatient spells due to spinal cord injuries are:—

1961	1,290
1962	1,003
1963	1,098
1964	1,117
1965	1,410
1966	1,292
1967	1,750
1968	2,255
1969	1,738
1970	1,803

These figures include discharges and deaths after first admission or readmission. The numbers of patients are not available. The age distribution was fairly even at all ages over 15 years, with relatively few children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients suffering from spinal cord injuries have currently been in National Health Service hospitals or hostels for more than one year.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the amount spent by each local authority under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1963, for each year since the Act came into force.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Meacher) on 22nd April, 1971.—[Vol. 815, c. 437–44.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the operation of the Act regarding part-time employment of schoolchildren whereby 15-year-old schoolboys may not do part-time work in a shop, whereas newspaper deliveries by schoolchildren are allowed, with a view to proposing amendment of the Act.

The statutory minimum age for part-time employment in a shop is 13, as it is for newspaper delivery and other forms of non-industrial employment; but the employment of schoolchildren in particular occupations may be prohibited locally by byelaw. On the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Redmond) on 18th April.—[Vol. 835, c. 63–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to reduce the number of deaths from hypothermia among retirement pensioners during the winter of 1972–73; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) and the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Dormand) on 17th and 25th October, respectively.—[Vol. 843 c. 10–11, 326.]]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers relating to the harmonisation of drugs proposals.

The Committee of Ministers of States that are parties to the Partial Agreement of 1959 of the Council of Europe in the social and public health field have addressed to the respective Governments resolutions about the quality control of drugs, the criteria for restricting medicines to prescription only, the advertising of medicines to the public and the manufacture and marketing of certain diagnostic preparations. I am sending copies to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give the actual, average or estimated, weekly or monthly grants being paid to the Ugandan Asians for any stated period of time; and how these payments compare with the average being paid to those in receipt of normal retirement pensions, the sick and unemployed and those on supplementary benefits.

Information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the prima-facie evidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, showing that some of the Ugandan Asians now resident in camps in Great Britain are taking advantage of Great Britain's hospitality within the field for which he has Ministerial responsibility in the matter of benefits, what action he proposes to take to change this situation.

I have seen no evidence from the hon. Member to substantiate his allegation. As he already knows, Ugandan Asian immigrants are treated under the supplementary benefit scheme in exactly the same way as other claimants.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as much detailed information as may be available giving the number of employees and staffs and their classifications employed in the National Health Service who were, on 23rd October, in receipt of wages and salaries of £28·40 per week or less; and whether, in these cases, rent allowances were additionally paid.

Information about the pay of individual National Health Service employees is not held centrally, and it would not be possible to obtain it without undue cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the time which has elapsed since Frederick Sewell's conviction for murder. he will request the Supplementary Benefits Commission to expedite its report into Sewell's means, so as to enable the contribution he should make towards his legal costs to be determined.

The Supplementary Benefits Commission tells me that the report has been delayed because of the complex nature of the necessary inquiries. It is doing all it can to expedite it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet able to state who will be appointed to the post of National Health Service Commissioner.

The powers necessary for the appointment of the Health Service Commissioner for Scotland are contained in the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1972. Equivalent legislation for England and Wales will form part of the National Health Service (Reorganisation) Bill which will be presented to Parliament shortly. Subject to Parliament's approving that legislation, I, together with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales have recommended to Her Majesty the Queen that Sir Alan Marre, the present Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, should be appointed to the posts of Health Service Commissioner in each of the three countries.This accords with views conveyed to me by the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.Her Majesty the Queen has graciously indicated her willingness to approve the apppointments if the necessary legislation is passed, and that Sir Alan Marre is willing to add these posts to his present responsibilities. He will, however, not be able to receive or consider complaints as Health Service Commissioner until the passage of the necessary legislation for England and Wales enables the posts to be formally established.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the numbers of kidneys available for transplantation; and if he will make a statement.

Despite a welcome increase this year in the rate of kidney transplantation there is a continuing need for kidneys to enable more people suffering from chronic renal failure to lead a fuller and less restricted life than is possible with renal dialysis—though this essential service will go on developing.As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 22nd February, we concluded after careful study that the provision of an adequate supply of kidneys for transplantation is fundamentally a question of motivation and education.It is therefore proposed to enlist the co-operation and good will of the public and doctors to improve the supply of kidneys on a voluntary basis after the donor's death. A card on which the bearer

			1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
January	…	…	—	110·3	113·0	117·6	121·1	126·1	134·7	147·0	163·9
February	…	…	—	109·9	112·8	117·5	121·8	128·2	136·3	147·6	165·1
March	…	…	—	110·4	113·1	117·5	122·1	129·4	137·6	149·4	166·0
April	…	…	—	111·6	115·2	119·6	123·5	132·1	140·1	153·7	164·6
May	…	…	—	111·9	118·0	120·1	123·6	131·6	141·0	156·3	166·3
June	…	…	—	112·5	118·4	121·8	124·1	133·3	141·6	158·5	169·2
July	…	…	—	112·0	116·2	118·4	123·8	132·0	142·1	158·5	169·2
August	…	…	—	112·1	116·1	117·3	123·2	130·5	139·5	158·0	172·3
September	…	…	—	111·7	115·1	116·7	122·6	131·3	140·6	157·6	172·4
October	…	…	108·0	111·4	115·4	117·0	123·4	131·8	141·4	158·0	—
November	…	…	109·4	112·2	116·6	118·2	123·9	132·0	142·4	160·1	—
December	…	…	109·9	113·3	117·0	120·1	125·4	133·4	144·1	162·8	—
(January,1962=100.)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the effect on the British fishing industry of the Icelandic harassment of trawlers on the high seas off Iceland.

The harassment of trawlers off Iceland has, of course, created difficulty for our trawlers and crews, but there is no evidence that it is having a significant effect on the British fishing industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the movements in retail food price levels, month by month, from October, 1964, to the latest date for which figures are available.

The following table shows the movement of the Index of Retail Food Prices from mid-October, 1964, to mid-September, 1972, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish addresses and telephone numbers to which complaints of food price increases should be made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take action to publicise the telephone number of 01–839 7711 which should be called when complaints of rising food prices are to be made, by requesting the Post Office to exhibit same in all post offices, and local authorities to display same in their public buildings, and the various retail trade associations to advise all their members to exhibit same on their premises.

The Government are using advertisements in both the national and local Press to inform the public of the addresses and telephone numbers of Government offices—including the Ministry's 39 local offices—which are dealing with inquiries and complaints about prices.So far as the Ministry's headquarters is concerned, in addition to the number referred to by the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis), there is a specially installed number—01–839 8050—for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make an estimate of the amount by which farmers will benefit in income terms in the first few months after entry to the Common Market.

It is not possible to make a realistic estimate at this stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in the light of the forecast given in Professor Bessell's report on the rundown of agricultural workers, a copy of which is in his possession, whether he will take steps to restore confidence to the industry; and if he will make a statement.

Dr. Bessell's discussion paper does not say that agricultural workers lack confidence in the future of the industry. Furthermore, the progress of the industry described by my predecessor in the debate of 3rd November gives the clearest possible indication of the health of the industry and of those engaged in it.—[Vol. 845, c. 491–500.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government on the control of beer prices.

The standstill on prices announced on 6th November, 1972, applies to beer as it does to other goods and services.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give a list of those persons employed in his Department or for whom he has ministerial responsibility who were, on 23rd October, receiving salaries or wages of £28·40 per week; what were their grades or classifications; and whether, in these cases, rent allowances were paid in addition to these incomes.

It would not be possible to provide this information concerning persons receiving £28.40 per week without undue cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that Members of Parliament are having to wait three and four weeks for replies from his Department when they raise problems of a minor character; and what action he proposes to take.

The average time taken by my Department to reply to letters from Members is three weeks. Our practice is to acknowledge all letters immediately they are received, and, if a substantive reply is likely to be delayed longer than three weeks, an interim one is always sent.If the hon. Member would care to let me have details of any particular case which he has in mind, I will certainly look into it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek powers to amend schedule 23 to the Finance Act, 1972, regarding liability to corporation tax.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he anticipates receiving the Report of the Page Committee on National Savings before the end of the year.

I understand that the committee hopes to complete its deliberations by about the end of the year. The report itself, however, will take some little time longer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent meals for the elderly provided by charitable organisations for Meals on Wheels and dinner clubs will be exempt from value added tax.

Meals supplied to the elderly by charitable organisations whether through the meals on wheels service or in luncheon or dinner clubs are not generally supplied in the course of business and will therefore be outside the scope of value added tax. If meals are served in luncheon or dinner clubs in the course of business they will be liable to tax in the same way as in commercial restaurants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the effects of value added tax on conditions of residents of hostels, as outlined in correspondence he has received from the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North and from Rowton Hotels Limited; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. The supply of accommodation in hotels, inns, boarding houses and similar commercial establishments will be chargeable at the standard rate of value added tax. There is provision for a reduction of the value for tax where the stay exceeds four weeks, as a result of which long-term residents should not be at a disadvantage, as far as accommodation is concerned compared with residents in other dwelling accommodation.Meals served in the course of business will be within the scope of the tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the letters he has written since June, 1970, to the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles concerning the tax affairs of his individual constituents have specifically contained an apology on behalf of the Inland Revenue; and what proportion of all these letters this figure represents.

Since June, 1970, Treasury Ministers have written to the hon. Member about the tax affairs of 70 of his constituents; 43 letters contained an apology on behalf of the Inland Revenue.The Inland Revenue is always ready to apologise for its mistakes; and it must be remembered that overall the number of complaints is very small in relation to the number of individual tax-payers with whom the Inland Revenue deal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will carry out an investigation into collusion between building companies and their employees to avoid their proper tax liability; and if he will make a statement.

Building companies, in common with all other employers, are subject to periodical inspection of their operation of PAYE on their employees, and I have no reason for believing these arrangements to be inadequate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now ensure that limited liability companies have to obtain a certificate from income tax inspectors in the same way as sole traders, before they can receive payment without deduction of tax in respect of sub-contract work; and if he will make a statement.

The Inland Revenue is investigating the extent of the abuse of the present exemption of companies and I must await their report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the illegal use of certificates issued by inspectors of taxes to building sub-contractors; and if he will make a statement.

Such an investigation is in progress.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the procedure adopted by the Inland Revenue to collect tax repaid in error to a taxpayer with reference to the case brought to his attention by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, where a claimant for tax rebate received a cheque and then was asked to call at the police station in connection with the matter.

My right hon. Friend has received a letter from the hon. Member and I shall reply as soon as the necessary inquiries have been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement regarding the results of the Summit Conference as they affect economic and monetary union in Europe.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 23rd October, 1972.—[Vol. 843, c. 791–814.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the evidence submitted to him that a person claiming tax allowance for five children being supported in London is also claiming and receiving tax allowance for six illegitimate children in his country of origin, solely on the production of postal order vouchers, he will take action to ensure that such persons are actually maintaining their children before being allowed tax deduction.

I have been in correspondence with the hon. Member about the general procedure for checking such claims which is a rigorous one. Postal order vouchers alone are not acceptable proof that remittances have been made and if the hon. Member will let me know the name of the tax office and the inspector with whom he corresponded, I will examine his allegations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give a list of those persons employed in his Department or for whom he has ministerial responsibility who were, on 23rd October, receiving salaries or wages of £28·40 per week; what were their grades or classifications; and whether, in these cases, rent allowances were paid in addition to these incomes.

It would not be possible to provide this information covering persons receiving £28·40 per week without incurring undue cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received to include in his proposed legislation to impose a freeze on prices and incomes provision that will cover the advertised price of new and second-hand houses and flats, whether subject to contract or not, and where the contracts have been despatched by the vendor's solicitor but not exchanged.

My right hon. Friend has received no representations. The Government are taking steps to ensure that the present rapid increase in private housing starts is sustained. An increase in the supply of houses is the best way of solwing down rising prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the comparative taxes on fuel oil in the several countries of the European Community including the United Kingdom, expressed in English currency.

The taxes vary according to the type of fuel oil and the purpose for which it is used. The following table sets out what I understand to be the excise duties on heavy fuel oil in the countries of the enlarged EEC, expressed in pence per gallon:

Country	Excise duty in pence per gallon
Belgium	0·42
Denmark	Nil
France	Exempt for industrial use; for other uses, various rates
Germany	1·16*
Ireland	Nil
Italy	0·34
Luxembourg	0·42
Netherlands	0·80
United Kingdom	1·00
* To be reduced by one quarter on 1st January 1973. Rates of Exchange are those prevailing on 8th November.