asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give assurances that he will, in the forthcoming renegotiation of the Sugar Agreement, seek to continue the subsidy to sugar as long as this is necessary to prevent prices rising above present levels.

As a result of the decisions which I reported to the House on 29th January, the existing sugar subsidy is being phased out by 1st July this year. No renegotiation is due to take place.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in retail food prices has occurred during the 26 months ended 28th February 1973.

Between mid-January 1971 and mid-January 1973, the latest date for which information is available, the food index rose by 22·7 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reduction in food prices he will propose to the Council of Ministers of the EEC at its next meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will propose substantial reductions in food prices to the Council of Ministers of the EEC at its next meeting.

I have made clear that the United Kingdom is opposed to general increases in prices in the common agricultural policy. No proposals, however, have yet been put forward for consideration by the Council of Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of lamb in the United Kingdom since the date of the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the European Economic Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage increase in the retail price of beef in the United Kingdom since the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the European Economic Community.

The following table shows the percentage increases in the average prices of beef and lamb collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices between 18th January 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available.

Item	Percentage increase in average price
Beef: Home-killed
Chuck	43·5
Sirloin (without bone)	38·4
Silverside (without bone)*	35·9
Back ribs (with bone)*	42·5
Fore ribs (with bone)	41·3
Brisket (with bone)	56·8
Rump steak*	31·6
Beef: Imported, chilled
Chuck	34·7
Silverside (without bone)*	27·8
Rump steak*	22·6
Lamb: Home-killed
Loin (with bone)	37·0
Breast*	39·8
Best end of neck	39·2
Shoulder (with bone)	39·6
Leg (with bone)	34·1
Lamb: Imported
Loin (with bone)	47·0
Breast*	49·3
Best end of neck	48·0
Shoulder (with bone)	39·8
Leg (with bone)	33·4
*Or Scottish equivalent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the average price of fresh foods as a whole has increased since 1st November.

There is no retail price index for fresh foods as such. However, the following details give the percentage increase in the main sub-groups of the food index between 14th November 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of cheese in the United Kingdom since the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the EEC.

On the basis of information collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices, between 18th January 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available, the average retail price of cheddar cheese increased by 9·6 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of butter in the United Kingdom since the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the EEC.

On the basis of information collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices, between 18th January 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available the average retail price of New Zealand butter fell by 24 per cent. and of Danish butter by 21 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food how many letters relating to food prices he has received since 1st January 1973.

About 8,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the price of food since June 1970, since February 1972, and since the freeze began.

The increases in the food index up to 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available, are 27·4 per cent. since mid-June 1970, 9·3 per cent. since mid-February 1972 and 3·5 per cent. since mid-November 1972.

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much per pound he expects the retail price of butter to increase in the United Kingdom in April as a consequence of the rise of £86 per ton which is the first step towards harmonising the present cost of approximately £357 per ton in the United Kingdom with the price of £837 per ton in the EEC.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made on 2nd March about the probable postponement of any change in the intervention price until 1st May.—[Vol. 851, c. 450.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of representative types of fish since the Treaty of Accession with the EEC.

Representative consumer prices for February are not yet available, but in any case there is no provision in the common agricultural policy of the EEC which became applicable from that month which would have affected the price of fish.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions since the beginning of the freeze approval has been given for increases in price of processed meat products; and what was the extent of these increases on each occasion.

Since 6th November I have given consent to price increases for processed meat products on three occasions, as follows:

	p per lb.
29th November 1972:
Sausages and meat pies	1
21st December 1972:
Tongue and ham	6
Brisket of beef	5
Canned beef and mutton	3
Beef burgers and other beef or pork products.	2
Sausages and meat pies	1
22nd February 1973-revised on 14th March 1973:
Beef or pork sausages and meat pies or similar minced products.	2–3 according to meat content
Canned or quick-frozen beef or lamb products.	2–6 according to meat content
Canned or quick-frozen pork products.	3–4
Chicken products	1
Beef burgers	3–6 according to meat content
Solid meat packs	4–12 according to product

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications were received for grant and loan facilities for the building of fishing vessels in England and Wales in the past 12 months to the nearest convenient date; and how many of such vessels were ordered from foreign building yards.

I am informed that in 1972 the White Fish Authority received 139 applications in England and Wales for financial assistance towards the building of fishing vessels. Of the 106 applications which were approved for grant during the year, 11 were in connection with vessels to be constructed overseas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will study the likely long-term effects on the structure and composition of the farming community of the continuing increase in the price of agricultural land.

The long-term structure and composition of the farming community will be influenced by a wide range of factors, including land prices. There are several studies, completed and in progress, that cover the different aspects of the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the price review.

Discussions on this matter are almost completed and I hope to make a statement next week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy towards restricting the use of antibiotic additives in poultry foods; and if such additives have been used in poultry foodstuffs in countries from which eggs are currently imported.

Our general policy is to restrict the use of antibiotics in poultry food, except under a veterinary prescription, to those which have little therapeutic value and none of these is permitted for inclusion in the feed of laying birds. Most of our imports currently come from other EEC countries. In the Community most of the antibiotics that we control may not be fed to laying birds unless prescribed by a veterinarian.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take in order to implement the undertaking given at the Lancaster House Conference that the United Kingdom would seek to ensure continued imports of cane sugar from the Commonwealth after becoming a member of the EEC.

We shall implement the Lancaster House declaration by the part we shall play as a member of the Community in the determination of the Community's future sugar policy and the arrangements to be made, in accordance with the Community's undertaking in Protocol 22 of the Treaty of Accession, for the import of sugar into the Community from the Commonwealth countries concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the position at present of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement and its effects on the arrangements for sugar agreed with the European Economic Community.

We are fully committed to honouring our obligations under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement until the end of 1974. The arrangements agreed with the Community were taken in the light of the need to ensure that the quantities purchased under the agreement can be refined and marketed in the United Kingdom. I am in touch with the refiners of Commonwealth sugar about the precise effect on their operations of these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will withdraw all import duties on mutton and lamb.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what import duties or levies the Government is now imposing on mutton and lamb.

The present United Kingdom duty on mutton and lamb, other than whole bone-in mutton carcases, is £0·9335 per cwt. For whole carcases it is £0·4667 per cwt. My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to withdraw these duties.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest position with regard to the Anglo/German/Icelandic fisheries dispute and its effect on the fishing industry.

My hon. Friend will be aware from the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary's statement in the House on 7th March that he has sent a message to the Icelandic Foreign Minister urging him to set a date for the resumption of negotiations. No date has yet been set but we are hopeful that a relatively early resumption will be possible.It has been made abundantly clear that continuing harassment is an impediment to negotiations. Several warps were cut yesterday when vessels were fishing outside the designated fishing areas pro- tected by the tugs. Previous to this the tugs have been successful in limiting the effectiveness of the gunboats.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Horticultural Improvement Scheme.

I expect the Horticulture Improvement Scheme to continue until the legislation under which it is made expires on 14th April 1974.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy with regard to the decasualisation of labour within the fishing trawling industry.

My right hon. Friends would regard this as essentially a matter between the two sides of the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that coarse fish anglers are adequately represented on all river authorities in England and Wales and on all fish research councils.

My right hon. Friend appoints fisheries members after full consultation with local organisations and other interests concerned. Appointments are not made specifically to reflect sectional interests but I am satisfied that coarse fishing is adequately represented.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions on sea fisheries conservation measures with other EEC members and the Commission.

Individual member States retain exclusive responsibility for the regulation of fisheries within their national fishery limits, subject to the condition that in areas to which the vessels of other members have access the regulations must be nondiscriminatory. There have, however, been discussions of proposals before the international conservation commissions which are of common concern to member States.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to provide subsidies for organic farmers, fruit growers and horticulturalists.

Organic farmers and growers are eligible for financial assistance on the same basis as other farmers and growers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation providing for the marking of prices per pound on fresh meat and fish.

No. My right hon. Friend does not believe that compulsion is the right approach. Good progress in being made by voluntary means to improve the price information available when housewives shop for fresh food. For example, as the hon. Member will know, the Meat and Livestock Commission and meat retailers are co-operating in displaying prices per pound for the most popular cuts of carcase meat. We warmly welcome this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not included an experienced public health inspector in the Steering Group on Food Freshness set up by him, in view of the responsibility of health inspectors for food inspection in England and Wales and in view of the campaign waged by their association for the better protection of the public against stale food.

Members of the steering group were selected on a personal basis not as representatives of particular interests. They include an inspector from Scotland who is experienced in inspection of food for a local authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the annual consumption of butter and cheese in the EEC countries; and what are the present stocks of these two commodities within the EEC.

The information available from national and Community sources on consumption of butter and cheese is given in the table blow. The latest available butter stock figures for the Community show intervention stocks of 268,000 metric tons and privately held ones of 142,000 tons. Information on stocks of cheese for the Community as a whole is not available.

CONSUMPTION OF BUTTER AND CHEESE IN 1971
	'000 metric tons
	Butter	Cheese
Belgium and Luxembourg	78	84
Denmark	44	49
France	430	722
Germany	449	618
Ireland	36	5
Italy	109	576
Netherlands	25	130
United Kingdom	454	313

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of land were newly planted by the Forestry Commission in 1970, 1971 and 1972; how many were restocked with trees in each year; and what are the corresponding estimates for 1973.

The following is the information for Great Britain:

Year to 31st March	New planting (acres)	Restocking (acres)
1970	45,727	9,852
1971	57,735	12,753
1972	54,395	11,198
1973 (estimated)	51,100	10,500

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

		Number of Members		Date of Publication of Report
Name of Committee	Chairman	Men	Women
Committee of Inquiry on Rabies.	Mr. Ronald Waterhouse, Q.C.	8	—	29th June 1971
Committee of Inquiry into Contract Fanning.	Sir James Barker, M.B.E.	6	1	9th October 1972
Committee of Inquiry into the Veterinary Profession.	Professor M. M. Swann, LL.D., F.R.S.	9	—	Expected to report early in 1974.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the compensatory payments per dozen eggs and per pound of oven-ready chicken which currently subsidise the importation of Common Market Poultry products; what percentage charge these represent over the figures agreed at the EEC ministerial meeting in January; and what is the current level and trend of imports of poultry products from the EEC.

The actual rates of compensatory amounts to be applied in March are shown below. These are calculated on the basis of world cereal prices in the first 25 days of the previous month. The figure in brackets indicate the percentage change of the monthly rates from the full compensatory amounts. The reductions are made to take account of the reductions in cereal compensatory amounts which in turn reflect recent changes in cereals prices in the world market. The effect is to ensure that the compensatory amounts for eggs and poultry reflect the actual differences in cereal feed costs between the United Kingdom and other member States.

• Eggs 2·01p/dozen (—30 per cent.).
• Chicken 70 per cent. 1·29p/dozen (—20 per cent.).

Imports of eggs in February are provisionally estimated to have amounted to not more than 2 per cent. of total supplies. Imports of other egg and poultry products have been negligible.

There are two committees which I or my predecessor have set up to investigate matters and which have reported since January 1971 and one such committee which is still serving. They are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies he has made of ways in which capital intensive industries, especially shipping and aircraft, could be encouraged to invest in new equipment by deferring tax allowance benefits until tax liability is available against which the allowances can be offset.

The law already provides for the carry forward of capital allowances until there are taxable profits against which they can be offset.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage of the total yield of taxation, in each of the 13 years 1960 to 1972, inclusive, represented by each of the following taxes, namely: income tax, surtax, purchase tax, petrol tax, tobacco duty, customs duty on excise alcohol, corporation tax, formerly income tax and profits tax on corporation profits, selective employment tax, import duties, gambling taxes, estate duty, and all other taxes, indicating which figures are provisional.

The information is as follows:

SPECIFIED TAXES AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS FROM TAXATION*

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

Profits tax, excess profits tax etc.

…

4·7

5·2

5·7

5·8

5·7

5·8

1·5

0·4

0·1

—

—

—

—

Income tax

…

40·9

41·7

42·6

42·1

41·0

41·9

45·9

36·9

36·4

36·3

37·6

40·5

40·6

Surtax

…

3·2

3·2

3·4

2·6

2·5

2·3

2·3

2·8

1·9

1·8

1·8

1·9

2·1

Purchase tax†

…

9·1

8·5

8·5

8·4

8·8

8·0

7·6

7·5

8·5

8·4

8·8

9·1

8·7

Petrol duties (hydro-carbon oils)†

…

7·2

7·8

8·2

8·5

8·9

9·6

9·5

9·5

9·4

9·7

9·3

9·4

9·6

Tobacco duty

…

14·7

14·0

13·1

13·3

13·1

12·4

11·5

10·4

9·5

8·9

7·8

7·2

7·4

Duties on alcohol (beer, wines, spirits)

…

7·2

7·2

7·0

7·2

7·8

7·7

7·5

7·3

6·8

6·5

6·3

6·5

6·7

Corporation tax‡

…

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

11·1

10·9

10·0

11·2

9·8

8·9

SET

…

—

—

—

—

—

—

3·3

4·4

5·4

6·1

5·8

3·6

2·6

Import duties (protective duties and temporary charge on imports)

…

2·8

2·5

2·2

2·3

2·9

4·3

3·5

1·9

1·9

1·7

1·7

1·8

2·2

Betting and gaming duties

…

0·7

0·7

0·5

0·4

0·5

0·4

0·5

0·7

0·8

0·9

0·8

1·0

1·0

Estate (death duty)

…

4·2

4·2

4·0

4·6

4·3

3·6

3·4

3·2

3·3

2·8

2·6

2·6

3·0

All other taxes

…

5·3

5·0

4·8

4·8

4·5

4·0

3·5

3·9

5·1

7·0

6·3

6·6

7·2

Total

…

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

100·0

*Taxes on income, expenditure and capital as defined in the national income accounts.

† Purchase tax and duty on hydrocarbon oils are before deduction of export rebates, which are deducted from "all other taxes".

‡ After deduction of overspill relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of 2½p pieces now in circulation.

The number of 2½p pieces —that is sixpences—estimated to be in the hands of the banks and the public is approximately 400 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether it is his intention that, where a work of art or antique owned jointly by two or more value added tax registered dealers is sold by one of them for export, the sale of the exporting dealer by the other dealers of their respective share or shares shall be zero-rated; (2) whether it is his intention that an otherwise eligible work of art or antique, owned in shares by a value added tax registered dealer and a non-taxable person, shall be eligible for inclusion in the special scheme for works of art and antiques contained in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Notice No. 712 to the extent that it is owned by the registered dealer; (3) whether it is his intention that, where an antique eligible for inclusion within the special value added tax scheme contained in Customs Notice 712 is owned jointly by two or more registered dealers, the failure of one or more of such dealers to include the item within the special scheme shall preclude the other dealer or dealers from operating the special scheme as regards their shares; (4) whether it is his intention that, where a work of art or antique is owned jointly by a registered British dealer and a foreign dealer and it is sold by the foreign dealer to a British resident, the sale by the British dealer to the foreign dealer of his share in the item shall be zero-rated for value added tax purposes provided the item is exported and reimported.

Accounting for VAT purposes in cases of joint ownership is at present under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he will take to ensure that fine art and antique dealers and auctioneers with overseas subsidiaries do not enjoy an advantage over dealers and auctioneers without such subsidiaries, bearing in mind that value added tax is not payable on imports of works of art and antiques within specified categories.

This will be kept under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in order to increase its availability in the Colne Valley area, he will publish the Central Office of Information Local Retail Index List in connection with value added tax in the Huddersfield Daily Examiner and the Oldham Evening Chronicle.

Leaflets containing this information will be available free at post offices on 26th March. Selection of newspapers to carry Government advertising is made on a commercial basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively, and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of disposable income is saved in United Kingdom households and what is his estimate for comparable savings in each of the other countries of the EEC.

The figures are given in the table below. Since the ratio of savings to personal disposable income can fluctuate from year to year, the percentages represent the ratio over the latest five years for which information is available.The percentages are affected by the different economic structures in the countries concerned in particular there are substantial differences between countries in the proportion which is self-employed, which will be reflected in the savings of households.

SAVINGS OF HOUSEHOLDS*AS A PERCENTAGE OF PERSONAL DISPOSABLE INCOME
		Percentage
	Period covered	(a)	(b)
United Kingdom	1967–71	7·8	5·0
Belgium	1967–71	15·6	n.a.
Denmark	1965–69	†	†
France	1967–71	n.a.	11·8
Germany	1967–71	n.a.	15·1
Irish Republic	1965–69	n.a.	10·2
Italy	1967–71	16·3	n.a.
Luxembourg	1966–70	14·3	n.a.
Netherlands	1967–71	n.a.	13·9
(a) Before deducting capital consumption, after deducting stock appreciation.
(b) After deducting capital consumption and stock appreciation.
Sources:
United Kingdom: National Income Blue Book 1972 (adjusted to international definitions).
Denmark and Irish Republic: National Accounts of OECD countries 1960–1970.
Other countries: National Accounts 1961–1971 (SOEC).
n.a. = not available.
*Including private non-profit making institutions.
† Separate figures for savings of households are not available; 9·0 per cent. including savings of corporations, after deducting capital consumption and stock appreciation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of the publicity measures he has announced for informing the public about the effects on prices of the change from purchase tax and SET to value added tax.

About £728,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the arrangement for the supply to interested persons of notes of proceedings in magistrates' courts.

There is no general arrangement, the matter being within the discretion of justices' clerks. If the hon. Member has some particular difficulty in mind, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will increase security checks on all internal flights within the United Kingdom and Ireland to the same level as those operating in respect of overseas flights.

Security checks at all the main airports are carried out at a level which is thought appropriate in relation to security risks. I am urgently reviewing the arrangements in the light of recent events.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of attacks against property motivated by political or religious differences have occurred in England, Scotland and Wales during 1971, 1972 and 1973 to date.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bodies, whose views the Government wish to take into account in their consideration of the proposals of the Departmental Committee on the Adoption of Children, have not yet submitted their views; and what period of time are they being allowed to submit their views.

Views are awaited from the Association of British Adoption Agencies and the British Association of Social Workers. I understand that they expect to be able to comment on the committee's recommendations following study conferences which are being held this month. No time limit has been given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as requested by the hon. Member for Chelsea on 1st June 1972, he will now refer to the Court of Appeal the case of Basil Sands.

I have carefully considered the representations made by Sands and by my hon. Friend and others on his behalf, but, on the information at present before me, I can find no grounds on which my right hon. Friend would be justified in exercising his power to refer the case to the Court of Appeal under Section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his negotiations with the National Council of Social Service on the grant aid needed to maintain its activities at the anticipated level.

The National Council of Social Service asked that the rate of Government grant-aid, which at present covers half the council's headquarters expenditure, should be increased in 1973–74. When my noble Friend the Minister of State met representatives of the council, he explained that while the Government would be increasing the amount of the grant-in-aid in 1973–74 they were unwilling as a matter of principle to increase the rate of grant to more than 50 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the existing level of Government financial assistance to each of the following: the National Council of Social Service, the Council of Social Service for Wales and Monmouthshire and the Scottish Council of Social Service; and what grant has been made to each of these bodies and to other organisations as part of the new financial assistance promised to voluntary organisations.

Total Exchequer grants authorised for 1972–73 were:

	£
National Council of Social Service	358,130
Council of Social Service for Wales and Monmouthshire	23,156
Scottish Council of Social Service	48,227

From the new financial assistance promised, the following extra grants have so far been authorised for these particular organisations:National Council of Social Service

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date

		Number of Members, (excluding the Chairman)
Description of Committee etc.	Chairman	Men	Women	Date of report or Date report is expected
Committee on Death Certification and Coroners.	His Honour Judge Brodrick.	7	1	November 1971
Inquiry into Crowd Safety at Sports Grounds.	Lord Wheatley	1	—	May 1972
Committee on Privacy	Sir Kenneth Younger	13	2	July 1972
Departmental Committee on Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911.	Lord Franks	12	—	August 1972
Departmental Committee on the Adoption of Children.	His Honour Judge Stockdale	7	9	October 1972
Committee of Inquiry into the Liquor Licensing Laws of England and Wales.	Lord Erroll	14	1	October 1972
Report on the review of procedures for the discharge and supervision of psychiatric patients subject to special restriction.	Sir Carl Aarvold	2	—	November 1972
Commission on the Constitution	Lord Kilbrandon	11	1	Early summer 1973
Advisory Council on the Penal System—Review of the treatment of young offenders aged 17 and over in England and Wales.	Sir Kenneth Younger	15	3	Summer 1973
Committee on Mentally Abnormal Offenders*.	Lord Butler	13	2	Not yet known
*Appointed jointly with the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if the £3·25p (16 per cent.) increase in remuneration per session for Government-appointed consultants on medical appeal tribunals, instituted on 29th January 1973, was approved in accordance with Section 2 of the Counter-Inflation (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972.

The increase to which the hon. Member refers relates to a settlement reached before the standstill. It has been implemented in accordance with paragraph 13 of the White Paper Cmnd. 5125. The application of Section 2 of the Counter-Inflation (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 does not therefore arise.

The information asked for is not readily available for all the committees and commissions which are investigating matters for which my right hon. Friend has responsibility. Details in respect of the major ones are given below. If the hon. Member will let me know of any others in which he has a particular interest I will obtain the information specially.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service according to what basic principles the new Option A and Option B tables are compiled by the Government Actuary; and in what respect these basic principles have altered since the Option A and Option B tables were drawn up in the 1935 rules.

The new allocation tables, like the tables they are to supersede, have been calculated by the Government Actuary on the basis originally laid down in Section 2 of the Superannuation Act 1935, namely, that the value as at the date the allocation is made of the prospective pension to the beneficiary shall be actuarially equivalent to the value of the part of his pension that the officer has allocated. In making these calculations the Government Actuary allows inter alia, for the chance that the beneficiary may die before the officer and that, in that event, the reduction in the officer's pension will continue.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what, for the year ended 31st December 1972, were (a) the total amount allocated under Option A and Option B, respectively, under Section 2 of the Superannuation Act 1935; (b) the total amount paid to widows under Option A and Option B, respectively, including pensions paid to wives under Option B; and (c) the number of wives who predeceased their husbands whose allocations will continue until death.

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

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will revise his accounting system in order to make clear for each year ending 31st December (a) total amounts deducted from pensions under Option A and Option B, respectively, under Section 2 of the Superannuation Act 1935 and the relative allocation of part pension rules; and (b) total amounts paid to widows under Option A and to wives and widows under Option B.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will revise his accounting system in order to make clear for each year ending 31st December the number of pensioners making allocations whose wives predeceased them and who will continue to surrender their allocations until death.

No. A Civil Service pensioner is not required to report the death of his wife; it would be unreasonable to seek to impose such a condition and impossible to enforce it.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will consider, in the case of allocations in force, stopping the husband's allocation in the event of his wife's prior death; and what the estimated cost of this would be.

It is made abundantly clear to the allocating officer that an allocation once effective may not be cancelled even in the event of divorce or his wife predeceasing him. The fact that allocation is irrevocable results in a higher level of payment where the need is greatest—that is, to the surviving beneficiary—and I do not consider that there should be any change in the present system. A realistic estimate of cost is not available, but any figure would be theoretical since if the personal pension surrendered by the husband was restored in the event of his wife's prior death, in line with the basis originally laid down in the Superannuation Act 1935 this would have to be reflected in the allocation tables.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what were the numbers of civil servants in June 1970 and at the latest convenient date.

The information is as follows: at 1st June 1970, 700,750; at 1st January 1973, 692,656.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to ensure that recent actions by strikers' pickets preventing emergency patients from entering hospitals are not repeated.

I am not aware of such incidents. If my hon. Friend will send me details, I will have the matter investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to ensure that strikers' pickets at hospitals do not prevent or obstruct nursing and other staff from entering the hospitals.

I have advised hospital authorities to report to the police any instance of unlawful action by pickets.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have committed suicide when doctors have withdrawn the supply of amphetamines in cases similar to that contained in the information of two such deaths sent to him by the hon. Member for Willesden, West; and if he will now take steps to confine the prescription of amphetamines on EC10 to hospitals.

I regret that this information is not available.No, I am not satisfied that this would be in the best interests of the patients concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the fact that the campaign in Kent has revealed the quantities and value of returned unwanted medicines and chemicals to he 1,360,000 tablets at a value of £70,565, whether he will estimate the total of such unwanted drugs and launch a national campaign on the lines of that conducted in Kent.

No reliable estimate is possible. Consultations are in progress with the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and the Society of Medical Officers of Health about the possibility of pilot campaigns in two regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how must has been paid out in social security benefit to the families of those engaged in the current industrial disputes in the gas and railway industry and the hospital service.

By 6th March payments of £1,908, nil and nil respectively had been reported.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the receipt of any tax rebate by a person on strike is taken into account in determining the level of supplementary benefit; and if not, what are the reasons for this practice.

Yes. The Social Security Act 1971 provided for PAYE refunds to be treated as income and taken into account for supplementary benefit purposes, subject to the normal disregard of £1 of miscellaneous income.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of the increased estimate of £30 million for the cost of medicines in the National Health Service will go to the drug industry; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the increase in the profits shown over the last three years by the supplier of one drug, namely ampicillin.

The manufacturers receive about 85 per cent. of the difference which on the latest information is now estimated to be rather less than £30 million. As to the second part of the question, details of a company's profitability are confidential but substantial price reductions in ampicillin have been made by the supplier.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider the revision of National Health Services Charges Regulations 1971, in respect of lens charges as listed in Schedule 3 to the regulations.

Charges are kept constantly under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions have taken place, and with whom and when, on the question of exempting Noel Hall area and regional pharmacists from the pay freeze; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the hon. Member is concerned not with remuneration but with the filling of certain senior posts pending the date proposed for the reorganisation of the National Health Service. The National Staff Advisory Committee (England), advised generally against filling vacancies arising before 1st April 1974 in certain categories of senior posts but recognised that the Department might need to allow appointments in some cases. Hospital boards are being advised by my Department that posts for Noel Hall area pharmacists should be advertised without delay. Separate consideration is being given by the Department to the only vacant post for a regional pharmacist.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners, in the last year for which information is available, were given free or assisted holidays by each local authority in England and Wales, whether under Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Services Act 1968 or other powers; what percentage of pensioners in their respective areas this represents; what was the average holiday charge; what was the cost to the council; and what was the approximate rate cost in the pound for each local authority.

This information is not collected centrally, but local authorities will later this year be submitting returns for the first time on the number of persons helped with holidays in 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to make hospital workers aware of the financial offer still open to them and of the opportunities available to state their case under the Government's counter-inflation policy; and if he will make a statement.

I have described both the offer of a weekly pay increase from 14th March of £2 for men and £1·80 for women, who would receive a further 80p in October, and the opportunity to present a case to the Pay Board in my message to each member of National Health Service ancillary staff, in my discussions with the trade unions and in interviews with the Press and on radio and television. I very much hope that on further reflection these offers will be accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed persons are estimated at present to be in receipt of neither unemployment benefit nor supplementary allowance; and of these what is the breakdown by sex and marital status, and, in the case of those who are married, by number of children.

The number of registered unemployed persons in receipt of neither unemployment benefit nor supplementary allowance at 6th November last, the latest date for which figures are available, is analysed below. Information is not available about married men and children.

Registered unemployed persons aged 18 and over in receipt of neither unemployment benefit nor supplementary allowance, on 6th November 1972:
Males	109,689
Married women	18,262
Other women	14,698

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of sick or disabled persons at the time of the latest estimate; how many were in receipt of earnings-related sickness benefit; how many received flat-rate sickness benefit only; how many received invalidity benefit only; how many received a supplementary allowance with, respectively, sickness and invalidity benefit; how many received a supplementary allowance only; and how many received neither sickness/invalidity nor supplementary benefit.

The best estimate of overall numbers is provided by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain" which was published in 1971. The survey was confined to adults who were living at home. It suggested that there were a total of about 1,128,000 persons, including some 730,000—roughly two-thirds—over the age of 65, in the survey's categories 1 to 6, defined as

"very severely, severely, or appreciably handicapped".

This definition does not, of course, coincide with "incapacity for work" which is one of the conditions that must be satisfied before a person under pension age may receive sickness or invalidity benefit.At 5th June 1971, the latest date for which information is available, 662,000 persons were receiving flat-rate sickness benefit only, and a further 233,000 flat-rate sickness benefit plus an earnings-related supplement.In addition there were at 5th June 1971 over 56,000 persons in receipt of industrial injury benefit, of whom nearly 28,000 were getting flat-rate injury benefit only and the remainder flat-rate injury benefit plus an earnings-related supplement.Invalidity benefit did not begin until September 1971. It is provisionally estimated that there are about 400,000 invalidity pensioners.In November 1971, the latest date for which details are available, supplementary benefit was being paid to about 21,000 persons who were also receiving sickness benefit, 17,000 who were also receiving injury benefit and 118,000 who were also receiving invalidity benefit. Supplementary benefit was also being paid to about 159,000 persons who were incapable of work but not receiving any of these three benefits.The number of persons who are incapable of work but receiving neither sickness/invalidity nor supplementary benefit cannot be reliably estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of a man's pension a woman's pension would bear if they re-

I. COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS WHICH HAVE REPORTED SINCE JANUARY 1971
		Number of Members
Name of committee or commission	Name of Chairman	Men	Women	Date of Report
Advisory Group on the use of Foetuses and Foetal Material for Research.	Sir John Peel	6	4	October 1971
Working Party on Medical Administrators	Dr. R. B. Hunter	14	—	April 1972
Hepatitis Advisory Group	Lord Rosenheim	12	2	May 1972
Joint Working Party on Local Authority Services for Homeless Families in London.	Mr. J. E. Pater	8	1	June 1972
Joint Working Party on Local Authority Services for Homeless Families in Areas of South-West England and South Wales.	Mr. R. T. P. Pronger	14	3	June 1972
Committee of Inquiry on Contaminated Infusion Fluids.	Mr. C. Clothier, Q.C.	2	—	June 1972
N.H.S. Reorganisation—Management Steering Committee.	Sir Philip Rogers	16	5	August 1972
Committee on Nursing	Professor Asa Briggs	10	7	October 1972
N.H.S. Reorganisation—London Working Group.	Lord Aberdare	16	3	November 1972
Committee of Inquiry into Whittingham Hospital.	Sir Robert Payne	4	1	March 1972
Committee of Inquiry into Coldharbour Hospital.	Mr. Desmond Vawden, Q.C.	3	—	August 1972
Committee of Inquiry into South Ockendon Hospital.	Mr. J. Hampden Inskip, Q.C.	3	1	August 1972
Committee of Inquiry into Napsbury Hospital.	Dr. R. R. Bomford	2	—	November 1972

The proportion would depend on the precise form of the benefits provided. Broadly, if the contributions were applied wholly to providing personal pensions the pension for a woman might be about three-quarters of that for a man.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

Following is the information; standing committees are excluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in working out proposals to give health authorities a more direct financial interest in land holdings and land transactions, as foreshadowed in Cmnd. 5055.

Agreement has now been reached that the proceeds of additional sales of hospital land in England, in excess of the amount currently estimated for public expenditure purposes, will be made available to the hospital capital programme. Capital allocations to regional hospital boards will contain a supplement to the standard allocation that will match over a period the amount obtained by sales of hospital land within their areas.This arrangement will begin to operate in the financial year 1973–74, but later will apply, subject to the approval by Parliament of current legislation, to the new regional health authorities and to all National Health Service land. At the same time land purchases will be treated as part of the capital programme thus giving a direct choice between purchase of land and buildings and new construction and other capital items. Much of the work of land transactions will be delegated to the new authorities.I look to these new arrangements to promote more active property management by the new authorities without making additional demands on public expenditure, since greater regard will be paid to land acquisition costs in considering alternative development proposals, and more attention will be paid to the release of land especially where it is valuable enough to make a substantial contribution on sale to the rationalisation and development of the health service.My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales will be introducing similar arrangements with such differences as are needed to suit the new administrative systems that will operate in Scotland and Wales from 1st April 1974.

asked the Prime Minister what recent talks he has had with the TUC and the CBI about the Price and Pay Code.

asked the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the TUC regarding economic matters.

I have not met the TUC to discuss the Price and Pay Code: I am meeting the CBI later today. I had a discussion with the TUC on 14th February, on which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary answered a Question on my behalf from the hon. Member for Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton) on 1st March.—[Vol. 851, c. 415–16]

asked the Prime Minister what representations he has made to the Commonwealth Secretariat about the matters to be discussed at the forthcoming Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General has begun the process of consultations about the agenda which will continue until the Heads of Government meet. These exchanges are always confidential.

asked the Prime Minister what was the basis of his calculation that revaluation would cause a decrease in rates in a number of places, including Barrow-in-Furness.

In order to isolate the impact of revaluation from the other factors affecting rate payments, the calculation indicated the effects of the new rateable values, as previously estimated, on the 1972–73 figures, before taking account of changes in expenditure or grant in 1973–74. However, it has since been agreed in discussion with the borough of Barrow-in-Furness that Barrow-in-Furness was included as a result of an error in making the calculations and I express my regret to the House for this.

		Number of Members
Committee or Commission	Chairman	Men	Women	Date report expected
Public Sector Salaries Review Bodies:—
Armed Forces Review Body	Mr. Harold Atcherley	6	1	Report from time to time, but no early reports expected.
Doctors and Dentists Re-view Body.	Lord Halsbury	6	—
Top Salaries Review Body	Lord Boley of Hands worth.	6	1

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

I am responsible for the Population Panel which was appointed following the Report of the Select Committee on Science and Technology on Population of the United Kingdom—Session 1970–71. The White Paper, Cmnd. 4748 of July 1971, set out the observations of the Government on the Select Committee's Report.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech to the Institute of Public Relations on 1st March on inflation.

I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Conway (Mr. Roberts) and others.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

The following is the information:The Chairman of the Panel is Mr. C. R. Ross, a member of the Central Policy Review Staff, and other members are:

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

		Members {including Chairman)
Name of Commission or Committee	Name of Chairman	Men	Women	Anticipated Date of Report
Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury.	Lord Pearson	14	2	Not yet known.
Law Commission	Mr. Justice Cooke	5	—	Reports on special subjects, and annually.
Council on Tribunals	Baroness Burton of Coventry.	12	4	Reports on special subjects and annually.
Committee on the Law of Contempt of Court.	Lord Justice Phillimore	7	—	Summer 1973.
Committee on the Law of Defamation.	Mr. Justice Faulks	9	1	By the end of the year.
Law Reform Committee	Lord Justice Orr	11	—	Reports from time to time on special subjects.
Committee on Legal Education	Mr. Justice Ormrod	13	—	Reported 25th January 1971.
Committee on European Judgments Convention.	Lord Kilbrandon	10	—	Not yet known.
Committee of Inquiry into the Public Trustee Office.	H. R. Hutton, Esq.	3	—	25th November 1971.
Legal Aid Advisory Committee	Lord Hamilton of Dalzell.	7	2	Reports annually.

asked the Minister of State for Defence, in view of the number of Northern Ireland residents serving in the British Army who were not able to vote in the border poll, if he will consider issuing fresh instructions to commanding officers about bringing the right to vote to the attention of the men serving under their command.

No. Under current procedure this is already done prior to each annual electoral registration.

There are no such committees.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

There are no such committees or commissions for which my right hon. and learned Friend is responsible. The information in relation to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is as follows:

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the name of the committees or commissions set up to investigate various matters for which he has responsibility and which have reported since January 1971 or which are still serving; if he will give the name of the chairman and the number of men and women members of each body, respectively; and if he will give the date of the issue or anticipated issue of the report.

No major committees or commissions have reported since January 1971. The following major committees are Committee still serving:

Committee	Chairman	Number of members	Expected date of Report
Defence Lands Committee	The Rt. Hon. Lord Nugent of Guildford.	Fourteen men	April 1973
Committee of Inquiry into the Medical, Dental and Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.	Sir Clifford Jarrett, K.B.E., C.B.	One woman Nine men	April 1973
Committee of Inquiry into the financial control of Catering in the three Services.	Lord Donaldson of Kings-bridge, O.B.E.	Two men	June 1973