asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the positions and the salaries of persons he and his predecessor have nominated to positions on public boards and committees during each of the last five years.

The information is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost to public funds.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the positions and the salaries of persons he and his predecessor have nominated to positions on public boards and committees during each of the last five years.

The information is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost to public funds.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Secretary of State's visit to the Far East, and his discussions on British military commitment.

My right hon. and noble Friend visited nine capitals in some four weeks. He saw British forces in Gan, Hong Kong and Singapore. He held useful discussions with the Governments of the countries he visited on a wide range of subjects. He reaffirmed Britain's determination to maintain her current commitments in the Far East at their present level so long as the countries concerned want us to remain.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will expand the service of a rehabilitation officer for the disabled in large hospitals similar to the scheme in operation in Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital, in view of the success of this scheme.

Arrangements are already being made for the experimental allocation of disablement resettlement officers to work full time in some of the larger hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the positions and the salaries of persons he and his predecessor have nominated to positions on public boards and committees during each of the last five years.

The information is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost to public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the amount of money spent on primary school projects in the major building programme for each financial year from 1963–64 to the latest convenient date, and the amount proposed to be spent in 1973–74 and 1974–75 in West Sussex.

According to information supplied by the local education authority in respect of completed work details are as follows:—

Financial year			Expenditure on major Primary School projects in West Sussex (£000 at 1972–73 prices)
1963–64	…	…	438
1964–65	…	…	106
1965–66	…	…	222
1966–67	…	…	579
1967–68	…	…	76
1968–69	…	…	595
1969–70	…	…	409
1970–71	…	…	913
1971–72	…	…	936
1972–73*	…	…	1,215
1973–74*	…	…	704
1974–75†	…	…	1,038
* Forecast from announced Starts Programme
†Forecast from announced Design List.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present level of pollution in the Bridgewater Canal; what advice is given by his Department regarding the control of such pollution; and if he will make a statement.

The canal is graded as of doubtful quality and needing improvement (Class 2), except for a small section of poorer quality (Class 3) in the Salford area. It is my Department's general policy to achieve a major further reduction in water pollution, and this is happening. But responsibility for the control of water pollution within this area, and for determining priorities within it, rests with the Mersey and Weaver River Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his Department has made of the economic viability of medium-span box girder bridges.

The relative economics of all forms of bridge construction are assessed on a continuing basis. At particular sites medium span box-girder bridges were shown to be economically viable at the time of their selection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the grants that can be paid by his Department to organisations seeking to provide accommodation for homeless people.

The housing grants and subsidies which I drew to the hon. Member's attention on 12th December in reply to his Question about the provision of accommodation for young homeless people are equally available in cases where homeless people in general are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been made of the usefulness of Ordnance Survey; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. S. James A. Hill) on 19th February 1973. This followed a management review of the functions and activities of Ordnance Survey. Further studies of requirements for Ordnance Survey maps and services are now being started.—[Vol. 851, c. 31–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue the report of the Government committee on the Ordnance Survey; and if he will give the composition of the committee.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. S. James A. Hill) on the future of the Ordnance Survey on 19th February 1973. A committee carried out a management review of the Ordnance Survey but my right hon. and learned Friend does not propose to publish its report. The committee was composed of officials and in accordance with the usual practice I will not state names.—[Vol. 851, c. 31–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider seeking to extend the provisions of the fair rent Act to the tenants of residential caravans, chalets and mobile homes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the position regarding site-rent increases for residential caravans, chalets and mobile homes during the price standstill; and if he will issue guidance to the proprietors of holiday sites regarding the range within which rents can be increased to offset VAT, rate increases and other unavoidable overheads, particularly within the context of 1973 brochures prepared, circulated and acted upon prior to 6th November 1972.

Site rents for residential caravan sites are not within the scope of the Counter-Inflation (Rents) Order 1972. The second part of my hon. Friend's Question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will recommend that in new housing development, and in houses where improvement grants are given, gas and electricity meters and fuse boxes are placed in an accessible position;(2) if he will recommend that in new housing development, and in houses where improvement grants are given, gas and electricity meters are placed in such a position that external reading facilities are available.

Housebuilders are well aware of the advantages of external meter reading and the accessibility of services equipment. The Electricity Council has recently reported an increasing popularity of outdoor electricity meter cupboards and that a significant number of new houses are now being equipped with them.External meter facilities are not always appropriate. There would, for instance, be problems of vandalism where prepayment meters are used. I have commissioned design research to see whether this problem can be solved.In the case of older housing, external meter facilities can be provided as part of grant-aided improvement work. It will, however, be for the local authority and householder concerned to assess whether the advantages of external meter facilities outweigh the cost of providing them in older housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now introduce legislation to enable local authorities to rehabilitate, with the aid of grants for repair, those dwellings in need of standard amenities in areas of general improvement.

Our review of policy affecting older housing will take into account the need for any further legislation to stimulate house improvement and repair in general improvement areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking in relation to the number of units of rented accommodation available in inner London; and if he will make a statement.

All practicable steps to encourage the supply of local authority, housing association, and private rented accommodation will continue to be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why houses with electric night storage central heating are rated lower than identical houses with other systems of central heating.

Rateable values are based solely on rental values. These are not affected by appliances like night storage heaters which the tenant can take away with him. Other systems of central heating form part of the structure of the property and thus increase the rental value.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will now announce his proposals regarding the payment of councillors on the new local authorities;(2) if he will now announce his propposals regarding expense allowances for councillors on the new local authorities.

As from 1st April 1974 these councillors will receive, in respect of their approved duties, the attendance allowance for which provision is made in the Local Government Act 1972. The maximum rate of this allowance will be announced by my right hon. and learned Friend as soon as possible. In addition, members of local authorities will be able to claim travelling and subsistence expenses on the same basis as at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many redundant coastal defence establishments have been sold following the Nature Conservancy conference; if he will take steps to offer Tonfannau Camp, Merioneth, to the local authority; and whether he will make a statement.

Following the third Conference of the Countryside in 1970 and the consequent setting up of the Nugent Committee to look into land holdings of the Ministry of Defence, some 16 miles of coastline land involving the whole or parts of 18 defence establishments have been or are being disposed of as an immediate measure. The report of the committee may be expected in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what aggregate of rate support grant, needs element and resources element, he is proposing to pay to the West Riding County Council for the year 1973–74.

The first estimates of rate support grant for the West Riding County Council for 1973–74 are as follows:

		£
Needs element	…	86,053,601
Resources element	…	21,291,549
		107,345,150

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources element of rate support grant, given as a percentage of relevant expenditure, he is proposing to pay for the year 1973–74 to the municipal borough of Goole, the urban district of Knottingley and the rural districts of Goole, Osgoldcross and Thorne, respectively.

The percentage rates of resources grants calculated by reference to provisional data are as follows:

Goole borough	…	47·1
Knottingley urban district	…	Nil
Goole rural district	…	41·1
Osgoldcross rural district	…	Nil
Thorne rural district	…	53·9

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will tabulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the flow that can be expected in "passenger car units" in one direction on a three lane urban motorway at a design speed of 50 miles per hour with the equivalent flows in vehicles per hour with 10, 20 and 30 per cent., respectively, of the traffic flow consisting of heavy goods vehicles.

I would expect flows of over 6,000 passenger car units per hour on one carriageway of a dual three-lane urban motorway at speeds slightly in excess of 50 mph and with 10 per cent. of heavy goods vehicles.Similar flows are expected with the higher percentages of heavy goods vehicles quoted, but at marginally reduced speeds. In practice the higher proportions of heavy goods vehicles are unlikely to coincide with such high flows.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a summary of the official record of the actual incidence of traffic delays and resulting congestion in central London, mentioned in paragraph 43 of his statement on the Greater London Development Plan.

Traffic congestion in central London is continually studied both by the Greater London Council as traffic authority and by the Metropolitan Police. I understand that the GLC publishes periodical reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have now provided sites under the Caravan Sites Act 1968; how many sites each has provided and how many pitches on each site; how many sites and pitches each local authority proposes to provide within the next five years or so; and which local authorities have, respectively, applied for and been granted exemption.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 15th November 1972 which gave full details of the gipsy caravan sites which had been provided, of those which were then proposed, of the local authorities which had been granted exemption and of the local authorities which had applied for but had not then been granted exemption.—[Vol. 846, c. 120–30.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the regular technical assistance programme to South Vietnam from the British Government, including training of personnel in the United Kingdom, includes the training of South Vietnamese police officers and public safety experts; and how many have been trained in this country since 1964.

Our technical assistance to South Vietnam does include the training of police officers and public safety experts, but only one such officer has been sent here since 1964. This was Colonel Nguyon Van Ve who attended an overseas prison officers' training course at the Wakefield Prison Service Staff College between April and July 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has been approached by any Government for an increase in United Kingdom bilateral assistance for family planning and population control; and with what Governments he has so far initiated discussions on the importance of such activities in line with the recommendations of the Select Committee on Overseas Aid Report 1970–71.

Since the beginning of 1971, aid of this kind has been given to 12 countries. Requests have been received from another five. The response of these countries to our declared readiness to help in population activities, and the discussions of practical action which followed, show the value of the recommendations of the Select Committee. The countries concerned are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries receive United Kingdom bilateral aid that do not officially accept birth control; and what proportion of total United Kingdom bilateral assistance went to these countries in 1972.

According to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, there are 14 countries to which we give bilateral aid, and which do not support family planning. About 6 per cent. of our total bilateral aid went to these countries in 1971–72.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the proportion and amount of total United Kingdom multilateral aid given through multilateral agencies toward family planning and population control in each of the last three years.

Britain's multilateral aid and the proportion given for population activities over the last three financial years is as follows:

Total Multilateral Aid
Financial year 1969–70	Financial year 1970–71	Financial year 1971–72
£m.	£m.	£m.
22·3	18·8	37·7*

Multilateral Aid for Population Activities
£,000	£,000	£,000
100§	460·4†	890·4‡

Proportion for Multilateral Aid of Population Activities
Per cent.	Per cent	Per cent.
0·44	2·4	2·1
*Includes a contribution to the Bangladesh Disaster Fund.
† International Planned Parenthood Federation.

	£.000
‡ International Planned Parenthood Federation	200
United Nations Fund for Population Activities	250
Organisation for European Co-operation and Development	10·4
((International Planned Parenthood Federation	425
United Nations Fund for Population Activities	450
Organisation for European Co-operation and Development	10·4
International Union for the Scientific Study of Population	5

NOTE:The total multilateral contributions from this country for population activities for the present financial year will be£1·36 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted for (a) sexual offences and (b) offences involving maltreatment of children were treated for injuries by prison medical services during the latest 12-month period for which figures are available; and how many of these injuries were known or believed to be caused by assaults.

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sex offenders are received into prison annually; what proportion of such prisoners receive treatment; and in respect of those who do, for what proportion of their average week they undergo such treatment.

In 1971, the latest complete year for which figures are available, 1,112 people sentenced for sexual offences were received into prison. The information requested in the second and third parts of the Question is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of the Metropolitan Police Force are permitted regularly to carry firearms; for what purposes; and how this number compares with the numbers for the past three years.

It would not be in the interests of security to publish information of this kind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the prices of new cars is represented by SET.

The element of cost represented by SET in the sale of new cars will depend on the dealer's individual circumstances, and in particular on his labour costs/turnover ratio.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total tax relief on mortgages in Scotland in the latest convenient financial year.

For 1971–72, about£11 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to request the trustees of the Ulster Museum to impose admission charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will recommend to the Trustees of the Ulster Museum that they should not impose any charge for admission to the musuem while the present troubles last in Northern Ireland.

The Trustees of the Ulster Museum are not yet empowered to make such charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list the matters which have been referred to the Northern Ireland Advisory Commission since its inception.

Proposals for 14 draft Orders in Council, listed below, have so far been referred to the Northern Ireland Commission:

• Draft Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Health and Personal Social Services (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Planning (NI) 1972;
• Draft Rates (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Fire Services (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Water and Sewerage Services (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Development of Tourist Traffic (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Building Regulations (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Drainage (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Recreation and Youth Service (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Local Government (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Museums (NI) Order 1972;
• Draft Financial Provisions (NI) Order 1972.

The commission's advice has also been sought on many aspects of policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is aware that members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary are disadvantaged as to the terms of life assurance policies by reason of the danger of their service; and whether he will consider with those concerned some appropriate relief.

I have nothing to add to the replies given in answer to Questions by my hon. Friend on this subject on 27th November and 23rd January last but my right hon. Friend's offer to investigate any individual difficulties remains open.—[Vol. 847, c. 52 and Vol. 849, c. 146.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, following Glasgow Corporation's favourable decision in respect of the site for the proposed new sheriff court house, he has now received the plans and specifications from the Glasgow Court House Commissioners; and if he will make a statement.

No. I assume the hon. Member is referring to the recent application to Glasgow Corporation Planning Committee for its consent to the demolition of the John Knox Church which stands on the proposed site for the new Glasgow sheriff court house. I have not yet received the planning authority's recommendation in respect of this application.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the names of the members of the area health boards.

I expect to be able to announce the names of a substantial nucleus of members of each board in April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what the effect of the proposed increase in the needs allowance will be on Exchequer support and rate-borne support, respectively, for housing in Scotland in 1975–76.

I estimate that the effect in 1975–76 will be to increase Government subsidies for rent rebates and rent allowances by about£3 million and the rate fund contributions associated with these subsidies by about£1 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total rate-fund contribution to housing revenue accounts, and the total Exchequer subsidies for new building by local authorities, new town corporations, and the Scottish Housing Association for the most recent convenient financial year.

The latest year for which all this information is available is 1969–70. For that year the figures are as follows:

	£ million
Rate fund contributions to housing revenue accounts	42·4
Exchequer subsidies for new house-building
to local authorities	24·7
to the SSHA	4·4
to New Towns	3·3
Total Subsidies	32·4

				£	£	£	£	£
Rent per week	…	…	…	1	2	3	4	5

Income per week					Rent payable (net of Rebate or Allowance)
Married couple, no children
£15	…	…	…	…	0·19	0·19	0·39	0·79	1·19
£20	…	…	…	…	1·00	1·30	1·50	1·90	2·30
£25	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	2·35	2·75	3·15
£30	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	3·00	3·60	4·00
£35	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	3·00	4·00	4·85
£40	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	3·00	4·00	5·00
Married couple, 2 children
£20	…	…	…	…	0·06	0·06	0·26	0·66	1·06
£25	…	…	…	…	1·00	1·21	1·41	1·81	2·21
£30	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	2·26	2·66	3·06
£35	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	3·00	3·51	3·91
£40	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	3·00	4·00	4·76
Married couple, 4 children
£20	…	…	…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
£25	…	…	…	…	Nil	Nil	0·14	0·54	0·94
£30	…	…	…	…	1·00	1·13	1·33	1·73	2·13
£35	…	…	…	…	1·00	1·98	2·18	2·58	2·98
£40	…	…	…	…	1·00	2·00	3·00	3·43	3·83
NOTE:
The above examples are based on certain assumptions: e.g., that there is no non-dependant in the tenant's household in respect of whom a deduction from rebate or allowance would be made, and that the income does not include income (e.g. from a war pension) the disregard of which would increase the amount of any rebate or allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of consultant staffs in central Manchester are on part-time contracts, working part-time on National Health Service work, and part-time on private patient work; and what is the expected effect of increased private bed provisions in Manchester on part-time contracts of consultant staff.

63 per cent. of the paid consultant staff have part-time contracts which permit them to engage in private practice. My right hon. Friend is considering an application for 11 more pay beds, but I have no reason to suppose

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish tables showing the new rent rebates and allowances as increased by the recently announced rise in the needs allowance.

The following table shows examples of the effect of rent rebates and rent allowances calculated by reference to the new needs allowances which the Government intend to bring into operation at the end of the standstill:that this change, if approved, would affect the proportion of part-time contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the extent to which alcoholics are being treated outside prison; whether he will bring into force Section 91 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967; and if he will make a statement regarding the treatment of habitual drunken offenders following the working party report.

Outside prison there are now 17 specialist units, providing 369 beds, for the treatment of alcohol dependence and a further six units are planned to provide 104 beds; in addition most psychiatric hospitals or units can treat alcoholics. Two experimental detoxification centres are planned at hospitals in Manchester and Birmingham. Consultations are in progress on proposals to encourage the development of complementary community services. I am satisfied with the development proposed, which will help alcoholics whether or not they are offenders in accordance with the decision taken last year following the report on habitual drunken offenders that services for this group ought normally to be provided as part of a comprehensive service for alcoholics in general. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has no plans at this stage to bring into force Section 91 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the criteria which qualified citizens of the Irish Republic for United Kingdom unemployment benefit, supplementary benefit and maternity benefit before 1st January 1973; and what will be the criteria under current EEC regulations.

So far as unemployment and maternity benefit are concerned, the basic principle in the reciprocal agreement with the Irish Republic is that insurance in one country can count towards the qualifying conditions in the other, and this principle is continued by the European Economic Community social security regulations, which apply to the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic from 1st April. Certain special conditions in the reciprocal agreement limiting rates of benefit and periods of payment will cease to apply under the European Economic Community regulations, which also provide an additional limited right to unemployment benefit where an insured person after a period of unemployment in one member State goes to seek work in another member State.The conditions governing the payment of supplementary benefit are not affected by the reciprocal agreement or the EEC regulations. The entitlement of citizens of the Irish Republic will therefore continue to be subject to the same conditions as those applying to United Kingdom citizens, except in Northern Ireland where a special residence condition applies.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much is currently paid, in aggregate and per claimant on average, for the purpose of house insurance, maintenance and repair to supplementary benefit recipients who are owner-occupiers; and how far these amounts vary according to the rateable value of the house.

I regret that it is not possible to provide the information requested in the first part of the Question, because there is no separate record of the amount included in the assessment of an owner-occupier's requirements for supplementary benefit purposes by way of an allowance for expenditure on repairs or insurance. In England and Wales the amounts are currently£10 per year if the rateable value is£55 or less,£10 plus one-fifth of the excess up to£80 from£56-£80 and£15 plus one-eighth of the excess on rateable value of more than£80. In Scotland the allowance is£10 if the rateable value is£40 or less and one-quarter of the rateable value where it exceeds£40. These rates are currently under review. Some exceptional needs payments are also made for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the grants that can be paid by his Department to organisations seeking to provide accommodation for homeless families.

Financial assistance may he given by my right hon. Friend under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to voluntary organisations with national scope. In addition, local social services authorities, which are responsible for accommodation for homeless families, may give financial assistance under Section 65 of the Act to voluntary bodies which provide such accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the number of employers with occupational pension schemes who allow employees an option as to whether they will join; how many employees are covered by such options; how many of the 700,000 refusals to join listed on page 9, Table 3, of the Fourth Survey (1971) of Occupational Pension Schemes by the Government Actuary were exercising such an option; what was their age distribution; and how many such refusals were in relation to a scheme newly set up in respect of a refuser's employment or in relation to job changes or promotion where a scheme already existed.

Some of the information requested is not available and the remainder would take a disproportionately long time to extract. But the position is thought to be broadly as follows. Virtually all the 700,000 refusals shown in Table 3 would result from employees exercising an option not to join a scheme. An option whether to join a pension scheme is usually given to existing employees when a new scheme is introduced; this apart, the rules sometimes provide for a continuing option.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further information he has as to the causes of exclusion from their firms' pension schemes of the estimated 100,000 excluded for "other reasons" according to the Fourth Survey (1971) by the Government Actuary of Occupational Pension Schemes, Table 3, page 9; how many were excluded for reasons of ill-health or disability; and whether he will state all "other reasons" that accounted for at least 5,000 exclusions.

The sample was not large enough to break down the information into categories as small as 5,000 but the great majority of those excluded for "other reasons" were because the scheme had been closed to new entrants. In a few cases exclusion was for health reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to revise the career structure of hospital nurses to ensure that promotion above grade six does not oblige a nurse to transfer from nursing to administrative duties.

No. The present structure enables a nurse with management ability to progress in her career and continue to use her clinical expertise in a wider context. In particular, it provides for ward sisters and charge nurses a promotion outlet to a variety of posts, many of which have a major clinical content.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will instruct regional hospital boards to ensure that all nurses recruited into the hospital service have a sufficient knowledge of English to perform their duties efficiently.

Guidance on this subject was sent to hospital authorities in August 1972, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the relevant circular.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library the report of the Brunel University Unit giving the assessment of the individual performances of hospitals subjected to an organisational study.

The terms of reference of the Brunel Unit's project do not include production of reports on performance of individual hospitals studied.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT his letter of 16th February to the hon. Member for Faversham on the effect of Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 on the provision of television and television licences for elderly people.

Yes. The text of the letter is as follows.

"You wrote to me again on 16th January about the provision of television sets and licences for elderly and handicapped people.

I am enclosing a copy of our Circular 19/71, to which you referred. Paragraph 4 of this circular conveys the Secretary of State's approval of arrangements for the provision of recreation in the home under Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. It is my Department's view that this covers the provision of television (by payment of rental or otherwise) and licences for elderly people, although the extent to which provision is made must be a matter for individual authorities.

The provision for assisting handicapped people (including the elderly handicapped) is contained in Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. Responsibility for determining what help (if any) should be given in any particular case must again rest with the individual authority, according to its resources and the priorities for provision which it alone can determine."

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what funds have been made available to local authorities to implement those provisions under Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Act relating to the provision of recreation in the home, and particularly the provision of television for elderly people.

The Government do not make funds available to local authorities for specific services of this kind, but accepted forecasts of expenditure on them qualify for rate support grant, which will be 60 per cent. of relevant expenditure in 1973–74 compared with 58 per cent. in 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the advance factories announced on 13th January 1973 will be built in the North-West Region; what is the percentage allocation to the region in terms of total square footage; and how many people work in the North-West Region as a percentage of the total labour force in all assisted areas.

The four factories to be built in the North-West Region represent 7·7 per cent. of the total programme in terms of numbers of factories and 5·8 per cent. in terms of area. People working in the whole of the North-West Region constitute about 29 per cent. of the insured employees in all assisted areas but one of the criteria for allocations under the new programme was unemployment rather than insured employment. Unemployment in the North-West Region is substantially less than that prevailing in areas that received a greater allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been granted for the exploration of oil and gas in the Irish Sea; by whom the licences are held; and what consideration he is giving to the relevance of this exploration to regional policies in the North-West Region.

Eight exclusive production licences—which permit exploration as well—covering areas in the Irish Sea off the coast of the North-West Region have been granted to:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now make provisions for additional advance factories to be built in those parts of the Yorkshire and Humberside region where the unemployment rate is double the national average.

The latest unemployment rate in the whole of the Yorkshire and Humberside region is 3·2 per cent. compared with the national rate of 2·9 per cent.The eight factories recently announced constitute the largest number of factories ever authorised for Yorkshire. There are, in addition, three factories from earlier approvals still available for allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the positions and the salaries of persions he or his predecessors have nominated to positions on public boards and committees during each of the last five years.

This information is not readily available and it would be disproportionately costly to produce it. Details in respect of the nationalised industry boards are set out in an annual White Paper (currently Cmnd. 5207).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what compensation was paid by the British Gas Corporation following the 74 explosions in 1972 causing eight fatalities, serious injuries or serious damage.

This is a matter for the British Gas Corporation, and I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether export benefit arguments are given full consideration in deciding the level of Government support to research and development projects in British industry.

In appraising such projects the Government take due account of the likely effects on exports and on import saving along with other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether in view of the Water Resources Board report on application of desalination in the United Kingdom, Government Departments are continuing to support research and development on the production of fresh water from sea water;(2) what is the level of Government research and development support being provided at present to the United Kingdom desalination plant industry; and how it compares with that of overseas Governments.

Expenditure in 1972–73 on R & D of all kinds on the desalination of sea water, that is, excluding work, for example, on reverse osmosis for water renovating, is estimated to be as follows:

				£ million
United Kingdom	…	…	…	0·3
United States	…	…	…	7
Germany	…	…	…	2·2
Japan	…	…	…	1

On desalination programmes already approved the UKAEA will be spending about£100,000 in 1973–74. In addition the authority is maintaining a small central R & D capability which meets the recommendation in paragraph 103 of the Water Resources Board report.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in setting up a European collaborative programme on desalination research and development.

The UKAEA and United Kingdom industry have agreed to participate in a project under the COST (Co-operation European de la domaine de la recherche scientifique et technique) Group for improvement of materials for desalination plants. This project, in which other European countries are participating, will continue for three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanism exists for providing Government support to industry in launching a new technology commercially in the face of overseas Government funded demonstration plants.

Government support is in principle available to assist the commercial introduction of new technologies, including, where appropriate, prototype plant and equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the firms or associations whose applications for price rises have been approved by him since November 1972, the amounts of each such rise, and the goods or articles in respect of which such approvals were given.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) yesterday.—[Vol. 851, c. 164–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the people of Wales who are Welsh speaking live in the counties of Monmouth and Glamorgan; and what per centage of the population of these counties they represent.

The latest avail able information comes from the 1961 Census. 2·2 per cent. of Welsh speakers in Wales then lived in Monmouthshire and 30·7 per cent. lived in Glamorgan. They represented 3·4 per cent. and 17·2 per cent. respectively of the population of these counties. More up-to-date figures based on the 1971 Census should be available later this year.