asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will recommend to chief constables a common police practice in taking oral statements, whereby those statements purporting to be made orally by suspects and accused persons will in future be signed by such persons page by page as an acceptable record, so that trials may be shortened.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to his Question on 22nd February.—[Vol. 851, c. 139.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to increase the number of policemen on the beat.

It is for chief officers of police to decide how best to use the policemen they have but the Government continue to do all in their power to increase the total resources available whether of police officers, civilians or equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now seek powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of guns by mail order.

I have received no evidence of abuse of the law through mail order sales of firearms but this is a matter which can be considered in the context of the provisional proposals which my right hon. Friend intends to publish in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the hazard in toilet preparations from tribro-mosalicylamilide and trichorocarbanils when used as alternative to hexachlorophane; and if he will seek the advice of the Poisons Committee on the desirability of banning the use of all these substances in soaps, deodorants and vaginal sprays.

The properties of both substances are well known and I have no reason to doubt that manufacturers take due precautions. Both substances are among those being considered by the EEC working group concerned with the draft directive on cosmetics and toilet preparations; and I see no need to refer them also to the Poisons Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ban the use of plastic foam in consumer goods such as toys and upholstery.

I am not convinced that a ban would be justified, but research into possible ways of reducing the risk presented by this material is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on his review of the law on picketing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consult chief constables before completing his review of the law and practice relating to picketing.

I have already consulted chief officers of police. I hope to be in a position to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make an order bringing into force Section 25 of the Criminal Justice Act 1972 relating to qualification for jury service.

In March 1974. For practical reasons the new jury qualifications can be introduced only after the new electoral register comes into force on 16th February 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the delay in publishing the decisions as to ward boundaries in Nos. 1 and 2 Northamptonshire districts makes it difficult for the returning officers to guarantee that poll cards will be distributed to all electors for the districts' elections to be held in June;and what action he proposes to take.

There has been no delay. The decisions have now been announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that scrutiny and controls on the entry of visitors from both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic are sufficient in present circumstances.

Steps have already been taken to increase police surveillance at the Irish ports, both of passengers and vehicles. The precautions taken are kept under constant review and I shall not hesitate to propose any additional measures which prove to be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why all main grade probation officers in Middlesex and other outer London areas are not paid the same excess rate as their counterparts in inner London.

The Joint Negotiating Committee for the Probation Service was unable last year to reach agreement on the payment of an excess rate to probation officers in the greater London area and the present arrangements, which my right hon. Friend prescribed in November, are based on an offer made by the employers' side of that committee before the announcement of the Government's counter-inflation policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kenyan Asians have been admitted to the United Kingdom since 1st January 1973.

The information available about arrivals from East Africa does not distinguish between United Kingdom passport holders arriving from particular countries other than Uganda, nor between Asian and other citizens of Kenya.In January and February the total number of United Kingdom passport holders admitted for settlement from Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia was 652.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can yet state when the review on the working of the Street Offences Act will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

The review is of a wide range of vagrancy and street offences. I cannot yet forecast when it will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons have been sentenced under Section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 after being convicted of robbery or assault with intent to rob since 1948; and what was the average length of their sentences and the average period which they actually served.

In the time available it has been possible to obtain figures only for the years 1969–72 inclusive. In that period, eight young people were ordered to be detained under Section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 after being convicted of robbery or assault with intent to rob. The average sentence was three years seven months. Only two of the offenders have yet been released. They served periods of 16 months and 18 months, their sentences having been, respectively, three years and two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many drugs are being administered experimentally to inmates of Her Majesty's prisons; and for how long the practice has been operative;(2) in how many cases of offenders being used in drug testing the drug used is associated with the sentence, and in how many it is voluntary;(3) how many people detained in Her Majesty's prisons are currently co-operating in drug testing for experimental purposes; and if he will make a statement;(4) if he will list the drugs currently being used in experiments on inmates of Her Majesty's prisons; and the purposes for which they are used.

It is not the practice to subject prisoners in this country to tests or experiments with drugs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to find alternative premises for the holding of immigrants who have not been charged with any offence but who are now detained in Pentonville Prison pending decisions on their admission to the United Kingdom.

I am reviewing the position. The number of people detained for purposes of immigration control fluctuates substantially, and it would not be right to provide more special accommodation unless it was clear that there was likely to be a continuing need for it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders he has made under the Immigration Act 1971 and on what grounds.

My right hon. Friend signed 87 deportation orders under the Immigration Act 1971 between 1st January and 19th March. In 86 cases the person concerned had been convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment and recommended for deportation by the court, and the remaining case was one of breach of conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prior consultations took place with affected parties prior to the issue by the Home Office of the code of practice entitled "Fire Precautions in Town Centre Redevelopment".

This code, which is primarily for the guidance of the fire service, was prepared by a working party of the Joint Fire Prevention Committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Councils for England and Wales and for Scotland, on which the fire service, local authorities and Government Departments are represented. No other bodies were consulted before the code was issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the interdepartmental working party which has been examining the possibility of aiding owner-occupiers; and if he will indicate the date on which the report was received by him.

The working party, whose report was received in early February, recommends the introduction of a scheme for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to carry out a phased programme for the purchase of houses from owner-occupiers, in cases which meet the following criteria:

1. the house has been vacated by the owner-occupier for at least six months;

2. the house vacated cannot be sold because of the troubles in the area:

3. the circumstances in which the house was vacated were such that the owner-occupier could have qualified for inclusion on the emergency housing list operated by the Housing Executive.

The Government have accepted these recommendations. The Housing Executive has been asked to implement the scheme; it will be assisted in this by an advisory committee. Full details of the scheme will be announced by the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, of the spoiled votes in the border poll election, how many were spoiled because the presiding officer issued them without their being marked.

140 ballot papers were rejected at the central count because they bore no official mark.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what he estimates to be the financial effect of the Capital Allowance (Corresponding Northern Ireland Grants) Order 1972 for the revenue and for Northern Ireland industry in a full year.

Under the Capital Allowances (Corresponding Northern Ireland Grants) Order 1973, the value of the grant plus tax benefits—discounted at 10 per cent.—per £100 of qualifying expenditure on plant and machinery for a firm making sufficient profits to benefit in full is estimated to be £63 compared with £53 if the order did not apply. The comparable figures for expenditure on a new building are £53 and £46. Estimates of the financial effect for the revenue and for Northern Ireland industry as a whole are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will recommend the establishment of a Royal Commission to examine and report upon the political, economic and social implications of Great Britain's continuing economic decline relative to that of other industrialized countries.

No, because we have stopped the decline.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the saving to the economy resulting from the fall in unemployment over the past month; and to what extent this has been offset by the rise in prices during the same period.

It is impossible to make an accurate estimate of the additional output that results from a fall in unemployment such as occurred between February and March. However, if it is assumed that the productivity of those who are additionally employed is equal to the average of those already in employment, a reasonable estimate might be about £45 million at constant 1963 prices in a full year. As this estimate is already in resource terms, a further adjustment for inflation is not required. Nevertheless it should be stressed that inflation is the biggest single threat to a sustained expansion of the economy and our future prosperity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the privately-owned wealth of the United Kingdom is owned by the wealthiest 1 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent. and 50 per cent., respectively, of the population aged 15 years or over; and what are the numbers of individuals and amounts of wealth involved, for each of the years from 1968 to the latest available date.

Less than 50 per cent. of the population aged 15 years or over owned all the wealth recorded in the official statistics for each of the years 1968, 1969 and 1970. The figures for Great Britain for the remainder of the answer are as follows:

			Wealthiest
			1 per cent	5 per cent	10 per cent
Percentage of privately owned wealth:
1968	…	…	34	60	75
1969	…	…	31	56	71
1970	…	…	31	56	72
Number of wealth owners('000):
1968	…	…	410	2,050	4,105
1969	…	…	412	2,060	4,115
1970	…	…	413	2,060	4,125
Amounts of wealth (£ thousand million):
1968	…	…	31	53	65
1969	…	…	28	51	65
1970	…	…	29	54	70

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of total private wealth in the United Kingdom is owned by the wealthiest 1 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent. and 50 per cent., respectively, of adults in each of the age-groups 15 to 24, 25 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54, 55 to 64, 65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85 years and over.

No estimate is available for age groups 15 to 24. Less than 50 per cent. of the adults in each age group own all the wealth recorded in the official estimates for that age group. For the percentages of the total wealth of each age group held by the wealthiest 1 per cent., 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. of that age group, the figures for Great Britain in 1970 are as follows:

WEALTHIEST PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION IN AGE GROWTH
		1 per cent	5 per cent	10 per cent
Age Groups:		Percentage of wealth
25–34	…	21	44	63
35–44	…	23	47	63
45–54	…	25	53	69
55–64	…	30	56	73
65–74	…	31	57	72
75–84	…	32	59	73
85 and over	…	27	56	71

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of company shares, by value, are held by the wealthiest 1 per cent. and 10 per cent. of adults.

For 1968 approximately 50 per cent., by value, of company shares owned by individuals were held by the wealthiest 1 per cent. It is not possible at present to make an estimate for the wealthiest 10 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the net private wealth of adults possessing net wealth of £50,000 and above is in the form of cash and bank deposits, building society deposits, insurance policies, Government securities, company securities, and land and buildings, respectively.

For 1968, the latest year for which this information is available, the figures—for Great Britain only— were:

Types of Asset	Percentage
Cash and bank deposits	…	7
Building society deposits	…	3
Insurance policies	…	2
British Government Securities	…	5
Company securities	…	54
Land and Buildings	…	15
Other assets	…	14
Total	…	100

NOTE. These figures are compiled on the same basis as those for personal Wealth published in " Inland Revenue Statistics ".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the likely effect on aggregate demand of the introduction of an annual tax on net wealth of 1 per cent. and 5 per cent., respectively, on holdings of £50,000 and above.

I cannot give an estimate in quantitative terms, but if such a tax were charged in addition to existing taxes it is to be expected that it would be paid to a large extent out of private savings. In that case the effect on aggregate demand would be less in relation to the revenue yield than that of most existing taxes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the procedure for publishing sales of works of art and antiques over a value of £4,000 sold in the United Kingdom after the introduction of value added tax.

No special action is proposed. Sales by auction of major works of art and antiques are normally given wide publicity in the national Press.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the rates of VAT in each of the nine member countries of the EEC and in Norway, Sweden and Austria.

My understanding of the position is as follows:

Country	…	Rates of VAT (percentages)
Belgium	…	25; 18; 14; 6
Denmark	…	15
France	…	33⅓20; 17·6; 7
West Germany	…	11; 5·5
Ireland	…	30·26; 16·37; 11·11;5·26
Italy	…	18; 12; 6*
Luxembourg	…	10; 5; 2
Netherlands	…	16; 4
United Kingdom	…	10
Norway	…	20
Sweden	…	17·65
Austria	…	16; 8
* In addition Italy has temporary rates of 9. 3 and 1 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that repairs to listed buildings are zero rated for the purposes of VAT.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the tax threshold for a married man with two children under 11 years of age, in each of the years since 1963–64.

The thresholds for earned income—including family allowances— were as follows:

				£ a year
1963–64	…	…	…	736
1964–65	…	…	…	736
1965–66	…	…	…	733
1966–67	…	…	…	733
1967–68	…	…	…	733
1968–69	…	…	…	687
1969–70	…	…	…	724
1970–71	…	…	…	840
1971–72	…	…	…	943
1972–73	…	…	…	1,116

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage rise in the tax threshold for a married man

		Earned Income	Investment Income	Notes
Belgium	…	55·0	55·0	Plus 6 per cent. surcharge for local authorities
Denmark	…	40·95	40·95	Plus local income taxes 15–25 per cent.
France	…	43·2 (employment)	60·0
		60·0 (other)
Germany	…	59·9	59·9	Including proposed 10 per cent. surcharge
Republic of Ireland	…	80·0	80· 0
Italy	…	Approximately	Approximately	Includes various surcharges
		90·0	90· 0
Luxembourg	…	57·0	57·0
Netherlands	…	71·0	71·0
United Kingdom	…	75·4	88·75

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the likely yield of a progressive tax on gifts in the United Kingdom comparable to the American Federal gifts tax; and what would be the likely effect on the yield from estate duty consequent upon the introduction of such a tax.

No reliable estimate can be made because there is not enough information about the current level and distribution of gifts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product was represented by total

Between 1964–65 and 1970– 71 the threshold rose by 14·1 per cent. and between 1970–71 and 1972–73 by 32·9 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the top marginal rate of tax on earned and investment income, respectively, for the latest available dates, in each of the member countries of the EEC.

It is difficult to make comparisons with other countries of what we would describe as the top marginal rate but subject to many qualifications the information is as follows:taxation in 1972; and how this compares with 1964 and 1970.

Total taxation—excluding local authority rates and national insurance contributions—represented 29·9 per cent. of GDP in 1972. The comparable figures for 1964 and 1970 were 24·7 and 34·3.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average annual effect on the incomes of families with no children, one child, two, three, and four children, respectively, earning £15, £20, £25, £30, £35 and £40 per week of all the income tax changes, increased social service charges, and larger graduated National Insurance contributions since June 1970, and of the Family Income Supplement.

The table shows the annual percentage change in net income, between

£ per week Earnings level				Annual percentage increase in net income
			Married couple	With one child	With two children	With three children	With jour children
15	…	…	10·4	14·9	15·7	16·4	16·1
20	…	…	4·8	7·6	10·9	12·5	12·7
25	…	…	1·8	3·1	3·5	4·3	8·4
30	…	…	0·8	1·1	1·9	2·4	3·0
35	…	…	0·4	0·8	1·1	1·4	1·7
40	…	…	0·2	0·4	0·7	0·8	0·9
Notes
(a)The calculations assume
1. that the children's ages are 4, 6, 8 and 10 years;
2. an average amount for rent and rates (£2·75 in June 1970 and £3·50 in April 1973);
3.working expenses of 60p a week.
(b)Allowance is made for income tax, national insurance contributions, family allowances, family income supplement, school meal charges, rent and rates (taking account of the national rent allowance and rate rebate scheme introduced in 1972) and a representative total of prescription, dental and optical charges.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual average rate of increase in real personal disposable income per head since June 1970; and how this compares with the average rate of increase between October 1964 and June 1970.

Between the second quarter of 1970 and the fourth quarter of 1972, the latest period for which information is available, real personal disposable income per head increased at an average annual rate of 5 per cent. Between the fourth quarter of 1964 and the second quarter of 1970 the average annual rate of increase was 1½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in real personal disposable income per head in each of the years since 1964.

The information is given in the following table:

REAL PERSONAL DISPOSABLE INCOME PER HEAD
					Percentage increase on preceding year
1965	…	…	…	…	1·7
1966	…	…	…	…	1·6
1967	…	…	…	…	1·1
1968	…	…	…	…	1·5
1969	…	…	…	…	0·2
1970	…	…	…	…	3·4
1971	…	…	…	…	2·9
1972	…	…	…	…	6·8

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much total taxation has been reduced since June 1970; and how much of this is attributable to cuts in income tax, corporation tax, purchase tax, SET, capital gains tax, estate duty, and improved capital allowances.

The effect of the Government's tax cuts since June 1970 is that tax revenue in 1972–73 will amount to about £3,000 million less than it would have otherwise. This figure is made up as follows:

	£ million
Income tax and surtax	1,785
Corporation tax	210
Purchase tax	410
SET	225
Capital gains tax, estate duty and stamp duty, etc.	130
Capital allowances	280
Total	3,040

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the post-tax percentage rates of profit, net of stock appreciation, on net assets in quoted United Kingdom companies in manufacturing, construction, communications and distribution for each quarter of 1972 and for each year since 1960.

Precise figures are not available. The table below shows for each year since 1960 estimates for quoted companies on some alternative bases.Columns 1–4 show for manufacturing, distribution and other industries—which include construction and communications —and for manufacturing industry alone net income both pre- and post-tax as a percentage of net assets. Net income comprises gross trading profits and other income less depreciation. Post-tax rates are before the exclusion of tax withheld on dividends; the adjustments for this are approximate in the years before the introduction of corporation tax. The estimates are based directly on the analysis of quoted companies' accounts pub-

		Manufacturing and distribution etc.			Manufacturing
		Net income as percentage of net assets
		Pre-tax	Post-tax	Pre-tax	Post-tax	Pre-tax rate of profit on capital employed at replacement cost
		(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)*
1960	…	16·0	11·3	15·7	11·1	14·1	13·6
1961	…	13·9	9·9	13·4	9·6	11·9	11·4
1962	…	12·7	9·2	12·1	8·8	10·3	10·0
1963	…	13·5	9·8	12·9	9·4	11·1	10·3
1964	…	14·7	10·4	14·2	10·1	12·2	11·5
1965	…	13·9	9·4	13·4	9·1	11·3	10·4
1966	…	12·3	8·0	11·8	7·6	9·6	8·8
1967	…	12·4	7·7	11·9	7·3	9·9	9·5
1968	…	14·2	8·5	13·7	8·3	10·9	9·1
1969	…	14·1	8·4	13·3	7·9	9·9	80
1970	…	13·1	8·3	12·1	7·6	8·5	6·3
1971 (provisional)	…	13·8	9·0	12·8	8·3	N.A.	N.A.
*Net of stock appreciation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the gross trading profits of private companies, net of stock appreciation or capital consumption, as a percentage of net company capital stock for each quarter of 1972 and for each year since 1960.

For all companies in the private sector, trading profits net of stock appreciation and capital consumption as a percentage of net capital stock—at current replacement cost—for each year since 1960 are estimated as follows:

1960	…	…	16·5
1961	…	…	14·1
1962	…	…	12·6
1963	…	…	13·7
1964	…	…	14·0
1965	…	…	13·1
1966	…	…	10·8
1967	…	…	11·4
1968	…	…	10·3
1969	…	…	8·2
1970	…	…	7·2
1971	…	…	7·3
1972(provisional)	…	…	6·3

Quarterly figures are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the size of the staff at the Manchester South valuation office; and how many of the staff are qualified to carry out inspections of premises for valuation for rating purposes.

Forty-three, of whom 21 are either professionally qualified or have received departmental training in surveying assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the present facilities available for young persons under the age of 16 years on remand; and if not what action he proposes to take.

No, Sir. Local authorities' regional plans for community homes provide for further development. In approving these plans, my right hon. Friend has told local authorities that he will do all he can, within the limits of competing priorities, to facilitate their implementation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of the Parents' War Pension when it was first introduced, both in cash terms and in relation to national average earnings at that time; when it was last increased; what is its present level; what is its value in relation to national average earnings; and if he will consider increasing it.

These pensions were first introduced during the 1914 war. When responsibility for pension administration was transferred from the Service Departments to the Ministry of Pensions in 1917 a parent's war pension was paid at a maximum weekly rate of 15s. 0d. Special discretionary rates applied for officers' parents. The maximum rates for deaths of all ranks have remained unchanged since 1946. They are:

OTHER RANKS AND CIVILIANS (WEEKLY RATES)
			Normal maximum rate	Exceptional maximum rate
			£	£
parent	…	…	1·00	1·38
Two parents	…	…	1·38	20·0

OFFICERS UP TO RANK OF LT.-COLONEL (ANNUAL RATES)
			Normal maximum rate	Exceptional maximum rate
One parent	…	…	75·00	95·00
Two parents	…	…	100·00	120·00

I regret that figures relating to national average earnings in 1917 are not available in my Department. When parents' war pension rates were frozen in 1946 national average earnings amounted to £5·70 a week; in October 1972 they were £35·82.A comparison of parents' war pension rates with national average earnings can have no value because the original intention of the scheme was to replace to some extent the support for which a son was legally liable under the Poor Law Act. They are therefore based on need arising from age or other adverse conditions. Since the scheme originated the poor law has been abolished and social security provisions have been greatly expanded. Parents' war pensions have been retained as a measure of preference to supplement ordinary social security benefit but because of the major developments in the latter since 1946 and the introduction of the supplementary benefits scheme a further increase in this preference would not be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect a family allowance of £2 for all children including the first would have on the numbers of children living in families where the family income from work is less than the current supplementary benefit level.

This would depend on the assumptions made about income tax and other matters. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the estimated numbers of deaths of former coal miners from pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases in Great Britain for each of the years since 1969.

The statistics relate to cases for which death benefit for pneumoconiosis was awarded under the Industrial Injuries Act and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme, and to cases certified for workmen's compensation purposes. The figures for former coal miners for 1969, 1970 and 1971 are 670, 733 and 581 respectively. The figure for 1972 is not yet available and that for 1971 is provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the numbers of miners and ex-miners diagnosed as having pneumoconiosis under the Industrial Injuries Act for each of the years since 1969; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available figures are as follows:

1969	…	…	…	…	655
1970	…	…	…	…	797
1971	…	…	…	…	635

The numbers of newly diagnosed cases of pneumoconiosis arising from mining have been decreasing during the past decade. The figure for 1970 was an exception to the general trend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what percentage retirement pensions have been increased in the last two years; and what was the percentage increase in the retail price index during the same period.

In the period February 1971 to February 1973 retirement pensions were increased by 35 per cent. The increase in the retail price index was 16·6 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total amount paid out by the Supplementary Benefits Commission to those involved in industrial disputes, and their dependants, together with the cost of special facilities established to handle such payments, from the beginning of the freeze to the latest date for which figures are available.

Approximately £3,000 and £184,000 respectively by 20th March. The administrative cost of special facilities is not available, but hardly any have been necessary since the beginning of the standstill.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many casualties arising from accidents to motor cyclists took place in the North-West Metropolitan Hospital Region in the year ended 31st December 1972, and how many of these involved injuries to the head.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is the required practice of local hospital management committees to calculate the financial resources of psychiatric in-patients on the same basis as that used by the Supplementary Benefits Commission, in that capital up to £325 is disregarded and thereafter 5p is deducted from any income award made for each £25 capital possessed above £325 up to £800.

No. It is not practicable to ask staffs of hospital management committees to operate the system of disregards used by the Supplementary Benefits Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of residential places in schools for autistic children; what is the demand for such places; and what steps are being taken to remedy any deficiency.

I have been asked to reply.There are about 100 boarding places in schools in England providing exclusively for autistic children. Many other children attend suitable day special schools or units, or boarding or day special schools catering also for other handicaps.I know of no evidence of a general shortage of boarding places for autistic children though a few, particularly older ones and those suffering from other disabilities as well, are difficult to place satisfactorily. A new local education authority school for autistic children, accommodating eventually 28 boarders in addition to some day pupils, is expected to open in Wimbledon next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will call a further meeting between the Government, CBI and TUC with a view to asking them to agree to the introduction of a basic minimum wage. and of the direct sharing by employees in company profits.

The stage 2 White Paper says that the Government

"intends during the summer to consult both sides of industry on the policy for Stage 3 ".

Either side will be free to raise the questions mentioned by the hon. Member during these talks, if they so wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many apprenticeships were made available to school leavers in the Hamilton area in each of the last five years

The numbers of young people under 18 years of age from the Hamilton area who entered apprenticeships as their first permanent employment in the years 1968–1972 were as follows:

1968	…	…	…	…	198
1969	…	…	…	…	208
1970	…	…	…	…	215
1971	…	…	…	…	233
1972	…	…	…	…	335

Statistics are not available to show the total number of apprenticeships made available in those years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reply she has sent to the group, Pressure for Economic and Social Toryism, concerning the need for an inquiry into the education of mentally and physically handicapped children at special schools in Great Britain.

The group has asked the Department to receive the author of its report "The Outsider" to discuss its recommendations and this is now being arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she intends to request the trustees of the national museums and galleries to apply to the Price Commission for permission to charge for admission during phase 2 of the counter-inflation policy.

My noble Friend the Paymaster-General does not intend to request the trustees to do this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she now expects to announce a decision on the scheme submitted to her by the West Riding Education Authority for reorganisation of schools in the Goole district.

The statutory period allowed for the submission of objections to these revised proposals has now expired. My right hon. Friend will announce her decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what additional expenditure will be allocated to the building programme of the Northumberland Education Authority for the purpose of providing nursery education.

My right hon. Friend has asked local education authorities to submit proposals by 18th May and hopes to announce allocations during the summer.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make an official visit to Chesterfield.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Chesterfield.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Chesterfield.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Chesterfield.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek to make an official visit to Chile.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the coordination between the Department of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Defence in respect of internal security.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the Prime Minister of India.

I am always glad to meet Mrs. Gandhi but I have no plans to do so in the immediate future.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet representatives of inner London borough councils.

I have no such plans at present. The London Boroughs Association was represented at the meeting which I held with the local authorities associations on 13th February.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to the London borough of Islington.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent official discussions with the Foreign Minister and Finance Minister of Kenya.

I was very glad to have the opportunity of entertaining the Kenyan Ministers during their recent visit. The official discussions were conducted principally by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who had a useful exchange of views with the Ministers on a wide range of international and bilateral issues.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech made by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in London on 14th March on the prospects for the economy represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with coordination between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Scottish Office regarding the planning of regional policies after the withdrawal of the regional employment premium in 1974.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek to pay an official visit to South Africa.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 27th March to a Question from the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor).—[Vol. 853, c. 1095–6.]

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the coordination between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of the Environment in securing a proper relationship between the reorganisation of local government and the reorganisation of the National Health Service.

Yes. Apart from certain special cases we intend the new health authorities to cover the same areas as the local authorities responsible for the personal social services and education so as to achieve the most effective collaboration between them.

asked the Prime Minister if he will invite the New Zealand Prime Minister to visit the United Kingdom.

Mr. Kirk already knows that he will be most welcome here at any time. There are no plans for a visit at present.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech of 25th March on economic management to Swinton Conservative College.

I did so on 26th March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will reallocate to the Treasury the functions of the Secretary of State for Education and Science concerned with the preparation of educational statistics.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated stock of the butter mountain in the Common Market; and what is the estimated cost to the European Communities budget.

The latest available information shows intervention stocks of 267,000 metric tons. Privately-owned stocks, including those held in the three new member States, amount to 135,000 tons. Net FEOGA expenditure on intervention buying, storage and disposal of butter in the original Community in 1972 is put at 132·5 million units of account.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will request the EEC authorities to make available surplus butter stocks for general sale, in addition to concessionary sales to pensioners, so that the British consumer can have the benefit of cheaper butter.

Proposals on butter prices designed to stimulate consumption are currently being considered in the Council of Ministers (Agriculture).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, before ending the protection of the guarantee arrangements for pigs, he will ensure that intervention arrangements exist.

The EEC's arrangements for pig meat include provision for market intervention, which can be operated in the United Kingdom if the need arises.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what are the required qualifications in the choice of the chief economic adviser to the Treasury;(2)when he expects to make anannouncement about the choice of a new economic adviser to the Department of Trade and Industry;(3)when he expects to make anannouncement about the choice of a new economic adviser to the Treasury; and whether he will make an announcement after that decision but before a decision on the appointment of a successor.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced this morning the appointment of Sir Kenneth Berrill, KCB, Chairman of the University Grants Committee, as Head of the Government Economic Service and Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury. The appointment will take effect in the autumn when Sir Donald MacDougall retires from the public service. The requirements are that the person appointed should have the ability and experience to make him fully capable of carrying out the duties of the post.An announcement will be made in due course about the appointment of a chief economic adviser at the Department of Trade and Industry.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will carry out a full investigation into the circumstances that led to an accident occurring on Tuesday 27th March at Caradon Hill, Liskeard, involving a Royal Air Force Hunter jet fighter; if these inquiries will include a review of the whole question of the suitability and selection of areas for low flying training purposes; and if he will make an interim statement.

The Hunter from RAF Chivenor which crashed near Caradon Hill on 27th March 1973 was engaged on a low-level training flight. The pilot baled out after apparently striking a supporting stay on the television transmitter aerial on the summit. A full investigation will be carried out and will include all relevant flight safety aspects. I can see no grounds for instituting a more general inquiry into the pattern of RAF low-flying training which is already kept under continuous review.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he has completed arrangements for the transference of the gunnery range at Shoeburyness to other sites; which other sites he has selected; and what will be the cost of the transference.

The selection of replacement sites for the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Shoeburyness has not been completed. The cost of the transfer will depend on the sites finally selected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the percentage increase in local authority Government grants for 1972–73 for Retford, Retford RDC, Worksop and Worksop RDC local authorities.

The latest estimates of rate support grants made by my Department to these local authorities show the following percentage increases for 1972–73 compared with 1971–72:

East Retford Borough Council	10·3
East Retford Rural District Council	13·2
Worksop Borough Council	25·8
Worksop Rural District Council	80·1

Comparable figures for housing subsidies and other grants for specific services are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in what way the amendment of the Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order in 1972 has affected the need to seek planning permission for the establishment of fried fish shops and other shops for the sale of hot food.

The effect of the order is that a change of use from one kind of shop within Class I to another does not require planning permission. But, in the order which was in force until last October, fish and chip shops were excluded from Class I: this meant that normally fish and chip shops required permission. The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1972—SI 1972 No. 1385—extended the exclusion to all shops for the sale of hot food. Thus, a change from an ordinary shop to a hot food shop will normally require permission.The order does not convey any right to change a use from one type of hot food shop to another—there is no question of a separate "use class" for hot food shops. Whether such a change of use requires planning permission depends on whether there is a "material change of use": this is a matter of fact and degree to be decided by the local planning authority in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what extra work is being undertaken by senior officers of statutory water undertakings in respect of proposed changes in water reorganisation; if such work is outside their duties; and if he will name any undertakings making additional payments to officers together with the amounts concerned.

Senior officers are members of the local working parties under the steering committees of elected members of statutory water undertakings which have been set up to recommend the steps which should be taken to ensure the smooth transfer of the water supply function from the existing water undertakings to the proposed new water authorities. It is for the existing undertakings themselves to decide whether such work is outside their officers' normal duties. The joint negotiating committees on pay and conditions of service for the water supply industry concluded an agreement last summer that where there is a substantial increase in the work of their staff due to reorganisation, such officers should be entitled to receive a lump sum or a temporary allowance, expressed as a percentage of their pay, in respect of such extra work. I have no information as to which undertakings are making such additional payments or about the amounts concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why no decision has been taken by him on the appeal of Mr. J. F. Jones, of Mushroom Farm, Midingford Road, Swanwick, against the refusal of planning permission by the local authority, in view of the fact that the appeal went to him in August 1972.

A local inquiry into Mr. Jones' appeals against the decision of Hampshire County Council to refuse planning permission for the erection of an agricultural worker's dwelling at Mushroom Farm and against an enforcement notice served by the council concerning the alleged unauthorised use of the land as a caravan site is to be held on 17th July 1973. The decisions on these appeals will be issued as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many projects in the Northern Region have received grant aid; and what is the total amount of grant paid under the Special Environmental Assistance Scheme.

By the end of February 1973, 2,738 projects estimated to cost nearly £6½ million had been approved in the Northern Region and grant claims amounting to £86,529 had been settled. By the same date a total of 12,443 projects estimated to cost over £29 million had been approved in the assisted areas of England and grant claims amounting to £650,350 had been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of acres of derelict land reclaimed in the Northern Region and England and Wales, respectively, in each of the years from 1965 to the latest available date; and if he will estimate, at present rates of clearance, the number of years before dereliction presently thought to justify reclamation is eliminated.

The amounts of derelict land reclaimed in the Northern Region and in England as a whole were as follows:

				Amount of Derelict Land Restored
Calendar Year				Northern Region	England
1965	…	…	…	256	2,061
1966	…	…	…	326	1,641
1967	…	…	…	331	1,639
1968	…	…	…	704	2,113
1969	…	…	…	627	2,504
1970	…	…	…	762	3,645
1971	…	…	…	1,505	4,792

Complete figures of restoration for 1972 are not yet available but if the encouraging progress is sustained the amount of derelict land at present considered to justify treatment in the Northern Region should have been dealt with by the end of the decade. In the other parts of the priority areas in England the bulk of the existing problem should have been cleared by that time. Figures for Wales are matters for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of proposed improvements to sewerage schemes in eastern Bristol submitted by either the Bristol City Council or the Gloucestershire County Council; if he is satisfied that schemes presently under consideration will help to make available enough land to cope with the demand for houses; and if he will make a statement.

Large sewerage and sewage disposal schemes which have been approved for the purposes of loan sanction, or which are presently under consideration include the following:

(a)for Bristol City Council, to extend its Avonmouth works to double its capacity; and

(b)to bring the surface water drainage of the Wainbrook valley area up to adequate standards;

(c)for Sodbury Rural District Council, to duplicate the foul sewer from Filton to

			Average mortgage advance (£)	Average mortgage advance divided by average recorded income of borrowers*	Estimated mortgage repayment as a percentage of average recorded income of borrowers*
1966	…	…	2,754	1·87	17
1967	…	…	2,943	1·88	17
1968	…	…	3,154	1·95	18
1969	…	…	3,295	1·87	19
1970	…	…	3,590	1·86	19
1971	…	…	4,104	1·88	19
1972	…	…	5,194	2·10	20
* Income taken into account by building societies when granting advances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now state when he proposes to implement the proposals contained in the McNairn Report on the Rating of Plant and Machinery; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his similar Question on Friday 15th December 1972. Implementation requires legislation which will be introduced in due course.—[Vol. 848, c. 237.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now completed his consideration of schemes for the Faringdon bypass and a Didcot link; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend has today authorised the inclusion

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the size of the average mortgage in each of the years from 1950 to 1972 inclusive; what this represented in terms of the average yearly wage; and what were the monthly repayments as a percentage of the average wage for each year.

Figures for 1966–1972 are given below; those for 1950–1965 are not available.of this scheme in the principal road preparation list.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his consideration of the report on a scheme for a bypass of Louth.

My right hon. and learned Friend has today authorised the inclusion of this scheme in the principal road preparation list.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be publishing the booklet on examinations in public for structure plans; and if he will make a statement.

The examination in public of the new type of development plan, the structure plan, is a breakaway from the traditional inquiry into objections. It is thus an important change affecting people and planning. A booklet containing a code of practice for such an examination is being published today, free of charge. Copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses.The code of practice sets out the arrangements leading up to the new examination in public and the way the examination will be conducted. The booklet explains why this kind of examination has been introduced for the structure plan. It also emphasises the importance which we attach to reducing substantially the time it has taken in the past to issue decisions on plans under the old development plan system.I have asked local authorities and the national organisations consulted in the course of preparing it to help to secure a wide circulation.The first structure plan has been submitted by Solihull county borough. I expect Coventry county borough and the counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire to submit the structure plans for their areas very shortly. Accordingly, the first examination in public should be held towards the end of this year.