asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will grant an amnesty to all those who surrender unlicensed firearms during June and July; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer on 29th March to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Madel) and the hon. Member for Wandsworth, Central (Mr. Thomas Cox). The consultations with chief officers of police on the timing of an amnesty were completed this morning. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I will consider their views and hope to announce our proposals shortly.—[Vol. 853, c. 1510.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consult the Secretary of State for Social Services with a view to removing vaginal sprays from the category of toilet preparations and reclassify them as proprietary medicines under the Medicines Act.

As I have no evidence that any such products on sale in this country are dangerous, I propose to await the publication of the expected EEC directive on cosmetics and toilet preparations. This will contain requirements relating to both composition and labelling.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent information he has received from the Royal Commission on the Constitution on the date when it intends to present its report; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the commission hopes to present its report towards the end of June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the number and pattern of violent crimes have been registered in Great Britain over the last five years compared with other European countries and the United States of America.

National differences in the definition of criminal offences, and in the availability and method of compilation of criminal statistics, are such that comparisons using such statistics cannot be made with any degree of reliability.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy regarding further Asian immigration from East Africa.

I cannot usefully add to my statement about immigration policy on 25th January and to my speech in the debate on 21st February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he is making in the scheme for giving financial assistance to those Commonwealth immigrants who wish to return to their original homelands.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 29th March to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Mr. Sydney Chapman).—[Vol. 853, c. 1520–21; Vol. 854, c. 17–18.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received during the past 12 months on the subject of Government policy towards the crimes known as "muggings".

The term "mugging"', which has no precise meaning, has been in common use for the past seven or eight months. During that time a matter of 60 letters have referred solely or primarily to crimes within the broad sense of the term.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from members of the licensed victuallers' trade on the problem of violence in public houses.

In the last two months, seven right hon. and hon. Members have drawn attention to a memorandum circulated by the Harrow, Willesden and District Licensed Victuallers' Organisations on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Asian immigrants from Uganda are still in resettlement camps.

Two thousand, nine hundred and eight as at yesterday morning.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total of fatal and non-fatal injuries sustained in the home in each of the last five years; and what was the annual expenditure from public funds on accident prevention and on research into accident prevention, respectively, in the home in each of these years.

The number of non-fatal injuries in the home is not known. The other information requested is as follows:

(a) FATAL ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME IN ENGLAND AND WALES
1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
5,904	5,853	5,590	5,518	Not yet available

(b) EXPENDITURE ON FIRE AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION IN THE HOME: HOME OFFICE
1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–71
£	£	£	£	£
19,700	125,500	87,300	150,100	365,000

(c) EXPENDITURE ON RESEARCH INTO FIRES AND ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME: DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, HOME OFFICE AND HEALTH EDUCATION COUNCIL
1968–69	1969–70	1970–71	1971–72	1972–71
£	£	£	£	£
55,300	74,300	70,900	84,300	125,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will institute an inquiry into the working of the law relating to prostitution and related activities; and whether he will make a statement.

A review of the law on vagrancy and street offences is being carried out by the Departments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the effect of EEC draft directive 1961–72 (ES 135) on existing United Kingdom legislation and on standards laid down by United Kingdom professional bodies.

None. This proposed directive is intended to bring up to date an existing directive dealing with the entry and residence of self-employed persons, for which provision has already been made in the Immigration Rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have been murdered in the course of duty in each of the past 27 years.

In England and Wales, one in 1948 and one in 1965; none in any other year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people on parole committed offences in 1970, 1971 and 1972 and to date in 1973; and what percentage of those on parole these figures represented.

The figures for England and Wales for 1970, 1971 and 1972 were respectively 168 (8 per cent.). 285 (9 per cent.) and 305 (10 per cent.) excluding life sentence cases. Figures for 1973 to date are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet Signor Scarascia Mugnozza of the Commission of the European Communities.

Signor Scarascia Mugnozza has already paid a visit to London in March and met British Ministers who deal with the subjects for which he is responsible. He will be here again on 15th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with Governments in the area about the future beyond 1974 of the BBC overseas service transmission facilities now located in Malaysia.

I have given full and active support to the BBC in its search for suitable facilities to maintain the audibility of its external broadcasts in the Far East relay region.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why he has not yet replied to the letter sent to him on 5th February 1973 by the hon. Member for Woolwich, East relating to the treatment of a Servicewoman in the WRAC.

Following my hon. Friend's interim replies of 21st February and 27th March he wrote in substantive terms to the hon. Member yesterday about this fairly complex matter. The delay, which I regret, was due to the extensive inquiries which had to be made on a number of different aspects of the case.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, following the declared support by Libya for insurrectionists in Northern Ireland, he will review Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the continued training of Libyan personnel by the British Services in Great Britain.

I have nothing to add to my answer of 9th April that this is one of the matters which the Government are keeping under scrutiny.—[Vol. 854 c. 216.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many men and ships were involved in the recent visit by Royal Navy vessels to Portugal; for how long the visit took place; at whose suggestion it was arranged; what was its total cost; and whether he will make a statement on the visit.

Three HM Ships, and their companies of approximately 850 men, arived in Lisbon on 30th April and will stay until 4th May. Rear-Admiral Clayton and a Royal Marine band are embarked. The visit was arranged with the Portuguese to mark the 600th anniversary of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance. It is not possible to quantify the costs of visits of this nature compared with the costs of the duties the ships might otherwise have been undertaking.

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

I have at present no plans to do so, Sir.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with co-ordina- tion between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Employment on the calculation of the effect on regional development areas of the phasing-out of the regional employment premium in 1974.

Yes. It is in any case academic to calculate the effect of withdrawing REP in isolation from other economic factors such as the growth of the economy.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the TUC and the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the TUC.

I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-East (Mr. Adley) on 1st May.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent talks with the Prime Minister of Iran.

The Iranian Prime Minister visited Britain at my invitation from 9th to 11th April. Iran is a close friend and ally and I was glad to have an opportunity to exchange views with Mr. Hoveyda. Our talks covered the situation in the Gulf and in the South Asian subcontinent as well as matters of bilateral interest including trade relations.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official discussions with Mr. Hugh Watt, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Durham (Mr. Mark Hughes) on 1st May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Security in obtaining information relating to the financial circumstances of the elderly.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is examining the data available from the Family Expenditure Survey to see whether it could be used to estimate how many old people have resources below supplementary benefit level.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech made on 10th April at Guildhall on industrial and economic matters.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech on 10th April to the Periodical Publishers Association in Guildhall about his industrial and economic policies.

I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading (Dr. Vaughan).

asked the Prime Minister if he now proposes to discuss amendments to the Industrial Relations Act with the TUC and the CBI.

Yes, when the TUC and the CBI are ready to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to seek to pay an official vitsit to Italy.

I have at present no plans to do so. I paid an official visit to Italy from 2nd to 5th October last year.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list in the Official Report his official engagements during the Easter Recess.

In addition to meetings with ministerial colleagues and officials and attending the ANZAC Day service at Westminster Abbey, I held talks with the Prime Minister of Australia and was host at a dinner in his honour on 24th April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which abattoirs on the continent of Europe using methods of slaughter prohibited in the United Kingdom are contained in his Department's list of abattoirs approved for the slaughter of British livestock.

My Department does not approve continental abattoirs for the slaughter of livestock from the United Kingdom. Animals exported for immediate slaughter may be sent to any abattoir within 100 km. of the port of disembarkation, but on arrival there must be stunned by prescribed methods before slaughter.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Employment how many full-time and how many part-time chairmen of industrial tribunals have now been appointed; how many of these are practising members of the English Bar or Scottish advocates; and how many are praotising solicitors.

Twenty-nine full-time chairmen and 76 part-time chairmen have been appointed. Full-time chairmen are precluded from practising as members of the English bar, as Scottish advocates or as solicitors. Of the part-time chairmen, 16 are practising members of the English Bar, 16 are practising Scottish advocates and 32 are practising solicitors.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has ben the total of fatal and non-fatal industrial injuries in each of the last five years; and what was the annual expenditure from public funds on accident prevention and on research into accident prevention, respectively, in industry in each of these years.

The totals of industrial injuries reported to the Factory Inspectorate in the last five years were as follows:

TOTAL REPORTED ACCIDENTS
Year			Fatal	Non-Fatal
1968	…	…	625	311,805
1969	…	…	649	321,741
1970	…	…	556	304,039
1971	…	…	525	268,307
1972	…	…	468	257,669

A large part of the work of the Factory Inspectorate is directed towards the prevention of accidents and injury to health. This work cannot be separated from its other duties and is not costed separately. The approximate total cost of maintaining the Factory Inspectorate in the last five financial years was as follows:

Year					£m.
1968–69	…	…	…	…	3·4
1969–70	…	…	…	…	4·5
1970–71	…	…	…	…	5·1
1971–72	…	…	…	…	5·7
1972–73	…	…	…	…	6·0

The expenditure from public funds on research into accident prevention commissioned from outside bodies was in each of the last five years approximately as follows:

Year					£
1968–69	…	…	…	…	7,600
1969–70	…	…	…	…	7,800
1970–71	…	…	…	…	—
1971–72	…	…	…	…	15,400
1972–73	…	…	…	…	6,000

The 1971–72 figure arose mainly from a research project into safety training.Details of the cost of staff time devoted to internal research and development work are not available for each of the last five years. In 1971–72 this cost was estimated to be about £60,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now consider the construction of a bypass for Woodstock.

At present there are no plans for a bypass of Woodstock because it is expected that the extension of the M40 motorway from Oxford to Birmingham will provide relief to Woodstock from through traffic on A34.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has sent to the letter from the Association of London Housing Estates, sent on 10th April, asking him to postpone for at least three months council rent increases due on 29th April, in the light of the No central record is kept. The hon. Member should be able to get the information he is seeking from the local authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total of fatal and non-fatal injuries sustained, respectively, on the roads and in other forms of transport in each of the last five years; and what was the annual expenditure from public funds on accident prevention and on research into accident prevention, respectively, in each of these years.

Following are the figures:grants given to building societies to pay interest rates.

The association has been told that the Government have already given substantial help to council tenants during stage 2 by increasing the needs allowances in the rent rebate scheme at a cost of some £30 million this year, and that a deferment of council rent increases would only prolong anomalies in rent structures, which the Housing Finance Act is designed to end.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the problems connected with the Kirkless Viaduct on the M62, if he will now give a definite date when he expects this section of the motorway will be opened; and if he will make a statement.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the statement issued last week about progress on the viaduct. It is expected to be completed before 10th July, the contract completion date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet completed his review of the future of the 2½ in.-to-the-mile Ordnance Survey maps.

No. The review calls for the appraisal of the uses made of the maps in the public sector and I do not expect to be able to make an announcement before November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents occurred on all Staffordshire roads in 1971 and 1972 and to date in 1973; and how many fatalities there were in road accidents in Staffordshire in 1971, 1972 and to date in 1973.

Statistics of road accidents and casualties in local areas are a matter for the local authorities concerned. I suggest that my hon. Friend gets in touch with the local highway authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when a draft of the latest departmental manual on pedestrian safety was sent to local authorities for comment; when was the closing date for their observations; and when the manual was published, or publication can be expected.

The form of the manual, which is simply a collection of existing advice, is expected to be published this August.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, giving the mileage in respect of each, those trunk motorways or lengths of motorway in preparation, firmly programmed, under construction, and those motorways or lengths of motorway in use, respectively, as at 30th April;

I have nothing to add to the answers which I gave to my hon Friend on 30th April when he asked the same Questions.—[Vol. 855, c. 232–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the increase in the price of petrol and other fuels, he will discuss with passenger transport organisations the possibility of Government financial assistance to prevent fare increases.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many value added tax registered traders had made application by the deadline of 30th April for purchase tax rebate on stocks held at 31st March 1973.

Separate figures for pur-case tax are not available. About 273,000 claims in respect of both purchase tax and revenue duty have been received at Southend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many value added tax registered traders he had estimated should have registered for purchase tax rebates on stocks, by the deadline date of 30th April 1973.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Sheldon) on 1st May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate for the total amount claimed by VAT registered traders in respect of the purchase tax rebate on stocks held at 31st March 1973.

No such estimate has been made since 31st March and actual figures are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of yield from VAT in the first year, as between goods and services.

No separate first-year estimates have been made of the value added tax yield from goods and from services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his analysis, giving estimated figures, of the reasons for the shortfall of 400,000 between those actually registered for VAT and his original estimate.

The shortfall below the original estimate is now approximately 360,000. The number of voluntary registrations is at present some 160,000 less than was originally expected, though some of these may apply later. The total number of registrations has been reduced by approximately 30,000 because single registrations have been given to groups of companies whose constituent members would otherwise have been registered separately. The original estimate had to be lowered on the limited data available and it now appears to have been higher than the true figure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the position of VAT on con- tainers for which a deposit is charged, that is repayable on return of the container.

Where the trade practice is that containers separately charged for are normally returned and credited in full, the supplier need not account for tax when a container is sent out, but must do so if it is not returned. Further information is given in paragraph 42 of Customs and Excise notice No. 700, the VAT General Guide.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the staff of Customs and Excise are engaged on VAT.

About 6,300.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the staff of the Customs and Excise working on VAT will in due course be engaged on checking accounts submitted to the Inland Revenue.

None will be wholly or mainly so employed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended to be the general, rather than the occasional, practice that quarterly VAT returns will be checked against accounts submitted to the Inland Revenue.

This will not be done as a matter of routine.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise staff will be engaged in making personal calls on firms to check VAT returns.

Personal calls to check VAT returns will be included in the duties of between 3,500 and 4,000 Customs and Excise staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many firms it is estimated will be subject to a visit by a Customs and Excise officer each year for matters relating to VAT;(2) what it is now estimated will be the average time between visits to a firm by a Customs and Excise officer to check records and for generally investigating accuracy of VAT returns, or for any other purpose connected with VAT.

The frequency with which individual firms will be visited will vary considerably and it is not possible to estimate accurately how many will be visited in a year or what the average time between visits will be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an analysis of the number of firms registered for VAT as between manufacturing, wholesale, retail, services, and sundry other categories.

The following figures relate to registrations by 9th April, the latest date for which statistical information is available.

		£5,000 to £10,000	£10,000 to £25,000	£25,000 to £50,000	£50,000 to £100,000	£100,000 to £600,000	£600,000 to £1 million	Over £1 million
Manufacturing	…	17,886	23,915	15,455	13,413	21,168	2,879	6,329
Wholesale	…	6,046	9,482	6,620	6,506	11,970	1,406	2,296
Retail	…	68,016	122,946	58,905	22,025	10,361	487	877
Services	…	83,152	92,705	40,209	22,653	20,031	1,368	2,956
Other	…	133,620	105,841	41,185	24,208	23,457	1,948	3,497

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the number of firms that actually registered for VAT compares with figures available to him from other sources.

No directly comparable figures are available from other sources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on loans from abroad obtained by nationalised industries.

Exchange cover facilities for foreign currency borrowing by certain nationalised industries are now available in accordance with the statement made in my right hon. Friend's Budget speech. These facilities are additional to the continued access of nationalised industries to borrowing abroad on normal exchange control terms.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review the rule under which employees of the

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an analysis of numbers of firms registered for VAT on the basis of the turnover given by firms, as follows: £5,000-£7,500, £7,500-£ 10,000, £10,000-£20,000, £20,000-£50,000, £50,000-£ 100,000, £100,000-£500,000, £500,000-£1 million and over £1 million, together with an analysis between manufacturing, wholesale, retail, services and sundry other categories.

Statistics are not available for all the turnover bands specified. The following table sets out registrations by 9th April, the latest date for which statistics are available.electricity supply industry receiving a customary presentation on completion of 35 years' service are only exempted from income tax in respect of the presentation if it consists of items stocked in the electricity board showrooms or watches, clocks and cutlery; and if he will make a statement.

I am looking into this matter and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I can.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in tax revenue for each 1 per cent. increase in inflation;(2) what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in tax revenue for each 1 per cent. increase in gross domestic product.

My right hon. Friend has made no such estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the annual percentage increase in real net income from October 1964 to June 1970, and from June 1970 to the latest available date, of a family with two young children with earnings in 1970 of £15, £20, £50, £100 and £200 per week, and at the national average.

NET INCOME OF A FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN (AGED 6 AND 10 YEARS)
October 1964		£ per week June 1970		February 1973		Anual percentage in real terms
Earnings	Net Income	Earnings	Net Income	Earnings	Net Income	1964–70	1970–73
10·09	9·86	15	14·72	20·38	20·18	+2·5	+4·1
13·46	12·55	20	17·11	27·17	23·11	+ 0·9	+ 3·5
18·11	16·18	26·91	21·62	36·56	29·24	+ 0·6	+ 3·5
33·65	27·24	50	37·18	67·93	50·61	+ 0·9	+ 3·8
67·30	50·75	100	70·04	135·86	94·06	+1·1	+3·3
134·60	91·68	200	114·59	271·72	150·41	–0·7	+ 2·4
Notes:
1. The third line in the table shows average earnings of male manual workers in industry: the figures for June 1970 and February 1973 are estimates made by adjusting the actual figures for October 1970 and October 1972 by means of the monthly inquiry index of average earnings. The same percentage increase as has taken place in average earnings has been applied at all income levels.
2. Net Income is obtained by adjusting for FAM, FIS, income tax and national insurance contributions as appropriate, and deducting the cost of school meals, milk, and a representative amount for charges for prescriptions, dental treatment and spectacles where these items are not provided free.
3. To obtain the increase in real terms the net income figures are deflated by the retail price index.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average annual variation in the exchange rate of the United States dollar and the pound sterling between 1913 and 1973.

pursuant to his reply OFFICIAL REPORT, 1st May], gave the following information:The official, or parity, rates between the United States dollar and the pound sterling over the period have been as follows:

Prior to 5th September 1939	£1 = $4·86⅔
5th September 1939 to 17th September 1949.	£1 = $4·03
18th September 1949 to 18th November 1967.	£1 = $2·80
19th November 1967 to 18th December 1971.	£1 =$2·40
19th December 1971 to 12th February 1973.	£1 = $2·60571
13th February 1973 to date	£1 = $2·89524

The market rate throughout much of this period has differed from the official, or parity rate. Recently the differences have been substantial. The middle closing market rate on 10th April 1973 was £1 = $2·4895.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Social Services whether he will now make a statement setting out for the convenience of Members the effect of the existing decisions of the National Insurance Commissioner in interpreting the statutory conditions for the award of constant attendance allowance; and whether he will bring this to the notice of all delegated medical practitioners exercising functions on behalf of the Attendance Allowance Board.

Decisions of the National Insurance Commissioners on attendance allowance appeals are notified to the Attendance Allowance Board, which is responsible for issuing directions to its delegated medical practitioners, including the interpretation of the statutory conditions. Decisions of the National Insurance Commissioners which in the judgment of the Chief Commissioner include rulings of major importance are published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what financial help the Government are to give towards developing the work of the Hester Adrian Research Centre in Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are providing financial help towards developing the work of the Hester Adrian Research Centre in a number of ways.My Department is meeting the shortfall in the centre's accounts for the years 1971 and 1972. This will come to near £40,000.With the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, I told the University Vice-Chancellor in 1971 that each of our Departments would expect to identify and support research projects. Two projects which together will attract Government support of about £100,000 are under way, a third has been approved in principle and a fourth is under consideration.My right hon. Friend also agreed to share annually with my Department the cost of matching pound for pound contributions from other sources up to £25,000 over five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further communication he has had with the Association of Public Health Inspectors on removing Crown exemption from hospitals for observance of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations.

My Department met representatives of the association on 23rd January. It is certainly our intention that hospitals should comply with the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations. Hospital authorities have been reminded that public health inspectors should have access to areas in hospitals in which food is handled, prepared and served. It has been agreed with the Association of Public Health Inspectors that the Department should be advised of difficulties which may arise in securing standards which would legally be enforced at commercial premises. In view of this, my right hon. Friend does not intend to take action to disturb Crown immunity

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the mileage of all-purpose dual carriageways in use on trunk roads as at 30th April.

163 miles of the all-purpose dual carriageway trunk road programme first outlined in the 1963 White Paper "Central Scotland—A Programme for Development and Growth" (Cmnd. 2188) were in use at 30th April 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to use his powers to start development at Hunter-ston in 1973.

I expect to have occasion to exercise my planning powers in relation to development at Hunterston during 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the total additional rent income in 1973–74 of the Scottish Special Housing Association from the rent increases to be imposed by that body.

I cannot yet make such an estimate, but the increases will be restricted in accordance with the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the child population within the area to be served by the new Withybush general hospital: and what is the tourist bed ratio.

Taking Pembrokeshire as the area served, approximately 17,000. There is no specific bed provision for tourists since they create no significant increase in the demand for beds during the summer months.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Welsh Hospital Board has yet prepared plans to provide additional medical beds for children at the new Withybush Hospital, as recommended by Professor Gray in his report to the board.

The plans for the new Withybush hospital provide for 10 beds for children. Professor Gray's report looked to the long-term developments in the Dyfed area and as yet there are no plans for additional beds based on that report.