asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the increase in food prices since June 1970 to the nearest available date and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the cost of food has risen since 18th June 1970.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 10th May to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) and the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price).—[Vol. 856, c. 149.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on bread prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the price of a standard loaf of bread has risen since June 1970.

According to the General Index of Retail Prices compiled by the Department of Employment, the average price of a white 28-oz. unwrapped loaf was 8·8p in June 1970 and 10·4p in March 1973. The average price of the equivalent wrapped and sliced loaf was 9p in June 1970 and 10·4p in March 1973. Any increase in bread prices during stage 2 of the counter-inflation programme would need to be in accordance with the Price and Pay Code.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what food commodities will be reduced in retail price in the United Kingdom as a result of the agreements with the EEC announced by him on 1st May.

On butter, the arrangements should lead to price reductions initially and the net effect should be to prevent any increase in the average retail price this year. Consumers will also benefit from the decision to reduce by 10 per cent. for each commodity—except beef—the increase in price which would otherwise have resulted from our undertakings to the Community. There was also agreement reached to continue the suspension of the import duties on beef for a further period. Taken as a whole, the agreement on Community farm prices is expected to have a minimal effect on retail food prices in 1973–74.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to reduce the retail price of beef to the United Kingdom consumer.

Measures have already been taken to encourage greater home production and imports which will help to keep down the retail price of beef.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what percentage food prices have risen since the introduction of the Counter-Inflation Act.

I regret that this information is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet quantified more precisely his estimate of an increase in the cost of food index of less than 0·25 per cent. as a result of the agreed common agricultural policy prices for 1973–74, and his latest estimate of an increase of 1·5 per cent., as compared with the original estimate of 2·5 per cent. in the first year of adaptation under the terms of the Treaty of Accession.

The estimate of an average increase in retail food prices of about 2½ per cent. per annum over a period of about six years was made in July 1971, but was revised to about 2 per cent. in April 1972 following changes in the relative levels of world and EEC prices. The latest estimate is that the average annual increase will still be about 2 per cent., but that the increase in the first year will be only 1½ per cent. The effect of the agreement on EEC prices for 1973–74, which is now estimated at something less than 0·2 per cent., has been fully taken into account in these assessments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in retail food prices has occurred between 1st July 1970 and 30th April 1973; and to what extent food prices have been stabilised following the prices standstill policies of Her Majesty's Government, compared with the 33-months period since July 1970.

As to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 10th May to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) and the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price). —[Vol. 856, c. 149.]As to the second part, the prices standstill had its main impact on the sub-group of the food index which covers food mainly manufactured in the United Kingdom, for which the increase between 14th November 1972 and 20th March 1973 was equivalent to an annual rate of 4·2 per cent. Fresh and imported food prices were, of course, not included in the standstill arrangements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the nature of the

The information relates to most usual prices for home produce and is as follows: —public duties for which payment is made to the Garter King of Arms from public funds; and to which Government Department he is responsible.

Garter King of Arms receives a personal honorarium of £3,000 a year in recognition of the advice given to the Prime Minister, the Departments of State and the House of Lords on questions of heraldry, title and precedence, and for duties in connection with certain State ceremonies. He is not responsible to any Government Department. The honorarium, which also covers secretarial, research and artistic services, is paid under subhead D(3) of the Miscellaneous Expenses Vote (Class XI, 6). As Garter King of Arms he receives a salary of £49 a year from the Civil List and is responsible to the Earl Marshal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer now that he has received the report of the Committee on Children's Footwear, examining the relationship between footwear prices and foot abnormalities in children, what steps he is taking to encourage the footwear industry to co-operate in implementing the main findings of the report.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement. The Government are considering the practicalities of the findings of the report of the Committee on Children's Footwear and until this review is complete it would be premature to consider further implementation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps desgined to stimulate the lagging investment in Great Britain's domestic economy in view of the fact that the March Bank of England bulletin shows that British private investment overseas in 1972 almost doubled that of 1971, and was nearly as large as the whole of the investment in United Kingdom manufacturing.

The Government provide generous incentives for industrial investment in this country, and the recent CBI Industrial Trends Survey is encouraging evidence of the response to these. At current price, fixed capital expenditure in manufacturing industries in the United Kingdom in 1972 was considerably greater than United Kingdom private investment overseas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all the remuneration paid in the form of free residences to Ministers, as stated in the main Estimates for 1973–74, is treated as taxable as income of the Ministers in question.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many payments in compensation for loss of office were notified to the Inland Revenue last year in excess of £10,000 how many persons were involved; and what were the gross and net total sums concerned.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is planning any increase in staff of the Customs and Excise, above the present 6,300, to deal with VAT, in view of the recent expansion in the workload.

More staff will be allocated to VAT as necessary and as purchase tax work continues to run down.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many traders have registered for VAT since 31st March 1973.

Approximately 35,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an analysis of the other categories of firms registered for VAT as given by him on 3rd May.

The information required is as follows:

Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining and quarrying	170,504
Construction	132,434
Transport, communication, gas, electricity and water	39,486
Dealers	21,533
Public administration and defence	2,589

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an analysis of services categories of firms registered for VAT as given by him on 3rd May.

The analysis is as follows:

Insurance, banking, finance and business services	27,012
Professional and scientific services	38,209
Miscellaneous services (i.e. those in Group 28 of the VAT Trade Classification List)	203,081

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many registered VAT traders there are with annual sales of under £7,500.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has yet made an estimate of the total amount claimed by VAT registered traders in respect of the purchase tax rebate on stocks held at 31st March 1973.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 3rd May.—[Vol. 855, c. 345.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many claims for purchase tax rebate on stocks were received after the 31st March 1973 deadline;(2) what is the amount of purchase tax rebate claimed by those whose applications were received after the deadline of 31st March 1973;(3) if the final number of traders, accepted as having registered for purchase tax rebate by 31st March 1973, was any higher than the figure of 273,000 given on 3rd May 1973.

The date specified was 30th April 1973. About 22,000 claims for purchase tax and revenue duty rebate have been received since then. These have not yet been fully analysed. The revised figure for claims made by the specified date is about 285,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to pay the purchase tax rebate on claims received after 31st March; and under what section of which Act he will be making such payment.

Following Budget Resolution No. 11, rebate will be treated as additional input tax in a trader's first VAT return, which, for retailers in general is due to be made during July. As for claims received after 30th April, I have nothing to add to the last part of the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 9th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, if the Social Security Bill becomes law, persons who are paid back into the reserve pensions scheme after membership of an occupational pension scheme will be required to repay to the Inland Revenue any tax deductions from which they benefited as a contributor to that occupational pension scheme.

I will let the right hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the six months ended 30th April 1973 the homes of police officers were searched without warrant under the authority of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

No police officer's home has been searched by Metropolitan Police officers during the period in question except on the authority of a search warrant granted by a court or with the consent of the officer concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has in his possession which explains the rise in violent crime by 11.5 per cent. in 1972.

"Violent crime" includes a wide variety of offences, and I cannot usefully, in the compass of a reply to a parliamentary Question, attempt to explain the increase in offences in the category as a whole. Such crimes are the subject of research supported by the Home Office, and research findings will where possible be used to reinforce the wide range of measures already being taken to deal with them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the citizenship of Mr. Herbert Chitepo, admitted member of the organisation which kidnapped Mr. Gerald Hawks-worth, a British subject; under what conditions he entered and has remained in the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Chitepo is a citizen of Southern Rhodesia. He was given leave to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor on 19th April and left on 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Her Majesty's Government admit to the United Kingdom members of overseas political organisations responsible for the murder and kidnapping of British subjects.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what my right hon. Friend said on 7th December 1972, in his answer to Questions by the hon. Members for Beckenham (Mr. Goodhart) and Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder) about our practice of not proscribing organisations but of dealing with cases according to their individual circumstances. Under the Immigration Act 1971 there is power to

Area						Number of taxis	Population per taxi	Number of private hire cars	Population per private hire car
London	…	…	…	…	…	10,137	800	20,000*	450
Birmingham	…	…	…	…	…	198	5,476	—†	—
Liverpool	…	…	…	…	…	368	1,812	—†	—
Manchester	…	…	…	…	…	350	1,686	320	1,844
Sheffield	…	…	…	…	…	240	2,188	—†	—
Leeds	…	…	…	…	…	150	3,349	—†	—
Bristol	…	…	…	…	…	200	2,132	270	1,579
Teesside	…	…	…	…	…	120	3,427	—†	—
Coventry	…	…	…	…	…	75	4,470	55	6,095
Nottingham	…	…	…	…	…	170	1,768	—†	—
* Private hire cars not licensed. Estimate based on one given in the report of the Maxwell Stamp Committee (Cmnd. 4483).
† Private hire cars not licensed, or licensing not fully operative; no information available on which an estimate can be based.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the present lack of uniformity in sentencing, he will now consider appointing a commission to look at the present tariffs and to review the whole subject of sentencing.

No. Subject to the maximum penalties prescribed by law, the sentence to be imposed in any particular case is entirely a matter for the court to decide, in the light of the particular circumstances of the offence and the offender. But consistency in sentencing is the subject of training exercises, seminars and lectures and of material circulated by the Magistrates' Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will now give revised figures for the number of licensed taxis he estimates that there are proportionate to population in the 10 largest conurbations in England and Wales;(2) how many private hire vehicles he estimates that there are, proportionate to population, in the 10 largest conurbations in England and Wales.

The following are the current estimates relating to the Metropolitan Police District and to the nine largest county boroughs:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Joseph Sewell, who tried to escape from Gartree, was awarded 760 days' loss of privileges, 390 days' loss of association and 56 days' loss of earnings.

These awards—the second of which was 392 days' exclusion from associated labour—were made by the board of visitors in respect of seven offences against prison discipline including one of attempted escape and three of gross personal violence to prison staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of offences recorded as known to the police and the number cleared up in the L Division of the Metropolitan Police in 1972; and how these figures compare with 1970 and 1971.

The following is the information:

METROPOLITAN POLICE DISTRICT—L DIVISION
	1970	1971	1972
Offences recorded as known to the police	16,037	16,444	18,111
Offences cleared up	4,531	4,784	5,152

Figures for all three years include offences of thefts of property valued under £5 and offences of criminal or malicious damage to property where the amount involved was £20 or over.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the current usage of the out-patient clinics at Holloway and Brixton prisons for medical reports; whether he intends any action to encourage more extended use; and whether he will make a statement.

We are keeping the general position about out-patient facilities for medical reports for the courts under review. In the meantime every opportunity is being taken to remind courts of the facilities available at Brixton and Holloway prisons.

Morrison asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the strength of the police force in England and Wales on 31st December 1972 and on 30th March 1973.

On 31st December 1972, 99,680, and on 31st March 1973, 100,190.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the size of the probation service at the latest convenient date; and how this figure compares with that for June 1970.

On 30th April 1973 there were 4,093 whole-time and 103 part-time probation officers, compared with 3,321 and 84 respectively on 30th June 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of civilians working in support of the police on 31st December 1972; and what was the equivalent number in June 1970.

The numbers were:

	Traffic Wardens	Other Civilians	Total
31st December 1972	6,360	29,320	35,680
30th June 1970	4,670	25,140	29,810

Morrison asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the amount spent on the prison building programme, the number of new prison places on which work was begun, and the number of new prison places becoming available; and if he will also publish any available forecasts of these figures for the future.

The following table shows the capital expenditure on prison building in England and Wales in the financial years 1963–64— 1973–74. The expenditure includes that on additions and improvements to existing establishments, and on staff quarters, in addition to expenditure on new penal establishments:

Financial Year		£m.
1963–64	…	5·7
1964–65	…	4·4
1965–66	…	3·5
1966–67	…	3·8
1967–68	…	5·2
1968–69	…	7·0
1969–70	…	8·1
1970–71	…	7·7
1971–72	…	9·6
1972–73	…	14·2
		(provisional)
1973–74	…	25·1
		(Budget Estimate)

The White Paper on Public Expenditure to 1967–77, Cmnd 5178, made provision for capital expenditure on prison building in England and Wales as follows:

				£m. at 1972 Survey Prices
1974–75	…	…	…	…	29
1975–76	…	…	…	…	29·9
1976–77	…	…	…	…	31·1

I am obtaining the other information for which my hon. Friend asks and shall write to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factories were inspected under the Factories Acts in Kidsgrove urban district in each of the past five years.

The number of factories in the area of Kidsgrove urban district which received a general inspection under the Factories Act 1961 in the period 1968–1972 is as follows:

1968	…	…	…	…	…	12
1969	…	…	…	…	…	20
1970	…	…	…	…	…	10
1971	…	…	…	…	…	17
1972	…	…	…	…	…	9

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions occurred between his Department and the board of directors of Lonrho concerning payments to serving members of the board in respect of salaries, expenses and allowances, including provision for accommodation, rent-free or otherwise, and what dispensations, if any, were granted to such directors to nego- tiate terms of salaries and allowances outside the scope of the wages and incomes standstill policy of Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has had no communication with the company about such matters since the counter-inflation policy was introduced on 6th November 1972. The enforcement of provisions relating to remuneration which apply to directors of companies as to other individuals, is now the responsibility of the Pay Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is now able to announce a date for the introduction of charges to employers who recruit staff through the professional and executive recruitment service.

Yes. From 1st June, fees on the scale previously announced will be charged to employers for all vacancies notified to, and filled by, PER.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will establish an inquiry under section 165 of the Companies Act into the affairs of Lonrho Limited, including every aspect of disposal of funds by the present directors, including the acquisition of properties, which were subsequently tenanted by such directors for a peppercorn; and whether he will make a statement.

I am considering the allegations made in the course of the hearings but I have not reached a conclusion at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all the applications for price rises so far presented to the Price Commission, together with the percentage increase in prices requested, and indicate which ones have been granted, refused, and not yet determined.

The information requested by my hon. Friend is a matter for the Price Commission whose initial two-month and subsequent quarterly reports will be laid before Parliament. I understand, however, that the Price Commission will be publishing information about all price increases for pre-notifying firms which it accepts as being within the limits set by the code.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for industrial development certificates were refused for Biddulph urban district in 1972; and how this figure compares with the figures for 1970 and 1971.

No IDCs were refused in the Biddulph employment exchange area in 1970, 1971 or 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for industrial development certificates were refused for Leek rural district in 1972; and how this figure compares with the figure for 1970 and 1971.

No IDCs were refused in the Leek employment exchange area in 1970, 1971 or 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many supplyFor 1960 and 1961 the figures are:

£ million
						Imports c.i.f.		Exports f.o.b.
						1960	1961	1960	1961
Soviet Union	…	…	…	…	…	77·5	91·1	53·3	69·8
Poland	…	…	…	…	…	35·9	37·0	14·9	23·5
Eastern Germany	…	…	…	…	…	6·3	6·7	8·4	9·8
Hungary	…	…	…	…	…	4·3	4·3	4·6	5·9
Czechoslovakia	…	…	…	…	…	11·2	13·6	8·9	11·2
Romania	…	…	…	…	…	3·9	6·1	4·3	14·8
Other countries*	…	…	…	…	…	2·3	3·3	2·6	1·8
Total	…	…	…	…	…	141·4	162·1	97·0	136·8
* Bulgaria and Albania; trade with the latter is negligible.

Mongolia is also a member of COMECON, but imports amounted to only £128,000 and exports to £29,000 in 1972.For 1962, corresponding information is given under "Soviet Union and Eastern Europe" in Tables 274 and 275 in the 1971 Annual Abstract of Statistics, for 1963 to 1970 in Tables 285 and 286 of

It was estimated in the IMEG report that in 1972 there were around 80 supply vessels operating in all sectors of the North Sea in connection with oil and gas exploration. It is not known how many of these vessels were constructed in Scottish yards.There are 50 supply boats on order for service in the North Sea and an estimated requirement for a further 100 or more by 1975. As yet only one firm order has been placed in a Scottish yard but it is hoped that the substantial incentives provided by the Government's ship construction grant and home credit schemes will enable Scottish yards to secure further orders in the near future.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the Queen versus Swabey (No. 2); and whether he intends to introduce amending legislation to ensure that the Courts Martial Appeals Court has a discretion to award to a successful appellant under a reference from the Secretary of State.

The question of amending the Courts Martial (Appeals) Act 1968 is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the full-pay and the half-pay entitlements during illness of career teachers employed by local education authorities in England and Wales.

Teachers' conditions of service are not the responsibility of my right hon. Friend. I understand, however, that the position is as follows. Sick pay regulations are made by the local education authority. The model scheme provides for a scale of allowances under which a teacher with four or more years' service is entitled to receive in any period of one year full pay for 100 working days and half pay for 100 working days; local education authorities have discretion to extend the application of the scale in any individual case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of the provision of a single runway at Maplin with the necessary terminal facilities and road and rail access network.

In the debate on the Second Reading of the Maplin Development Bill I gave a figure of £440 million for expenditure on the Maplin project up to 1980. Of this about £320 million would be attributable to the provision of a one-runway airport and access routes.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will move to refer to the Select Committee on Procedure the suggestion that the Adjournment debate should be transferred from the last half-hour of the sitting of the House to a time half an hour in advance of the time of the beginning of the day's sitting and that it should be held in Committee Room 14 or some other room capable of accommodating those hon. Members who wish to take part, together with representatives of the Press and broadcasters.

The Select Committee on Procedure will no doubt have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion, which is already within its terms of reference, but I am not aware of any general wish in the House for such a change.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Government received the Snow Report on the terminal building extension at Aldergrove airport.

A copy of the recommendations made by Sir Frederick Snow and Partners to the Northern Ireland Airports Company was sent to the Ministry of Development on 15th October 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many men in Scotland have made application for legal aid in order to institute divorce proceedings in the years 1965 to 1972, inclusive; and what is the total sum of money involved;(2) how many women in Scotland have applied for legal aid in order to institute divorce proceedings in the years 1965 to 1972, inclusive; and what is the total sum of money involved.

Information is not available in precisely this form. The number of legal aid certificates granted to men and women respectively for the purpose of instituting divorce proceedings in Scotland during the year ended 31st March in the period 1965–66 to 1971–72 was as follows:

	Men	Women
1965–66	816	2,695
1966–67	877	2,862
1967–68	812	3,074
1968–69	816	3,621
1969–70	717	3,939
1970–71	653	3,885
1971–72	1,093	5,202

Payments made from the Legal Aid (Scotland) Fund during the same period in settlement of accounts rendered by solicitors acting for assisted pursuers—men and women—in divorce proceedings were as follows:

			£
1965–66	…	…	221,787
1966–67	…	…	294,154
1967–68	…	…	295,070
1968–69	…	…	423,006
1969–70	…	…	472,094
1970–71	…	…	482,279
1971–72	…	…	599,337

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 4-year-old children attend nursery school in Scotland at present; and what proportion this is of all four-year-old children in Scotland.

It is provisionally estimated that at January 1973 10,260 four-year-old children were receiving nursery education in education authority and grant-aided schools in Scotland, representing approximately 11·5 per cent. of the total four-year-old population.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of goods and services provided under the National Health Service by dentists in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Comprehensive figures are not available. The annual cost of the provision of general dental services in England—including charges to patients under the National Health Service Acts 1951, 1952 and 1961 and under Regulation 25 of the General Dental Services Regulations 1967, and also employers' superannuation contributions—was as follows:

				£ million
1968–69	…	…	…	72·3
1969–70	…	…	…	78·0
1970–71	…	…	…	93·3
1971–72	…	…	…	103·3
1972–73 (provisional)	…	…	…	111·8

Hospital Authority				General Surgery
				1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
Hillingdon	…	…	…	11·0	10·9	9·4	10·5	10·4	11·0	10·8
Northwick Park	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	9·7	10·0	9·3
North London	…	…	…	14·1	14·4	13·7	13·2	11·2	10·1	10·7
Staines	…	…	…	12·2	12·7	13·0	11·6	9·8	9·9	9·4
Regional Average	…	…	…	12·6	10·5	10·1	9·9	9·6	9·6	N.A.
Hospital Authority				General Medicine
				1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972
Hillingdon	…	…	…	15·6	17·9	16·3	17·5	15·5	16·1	16·1
Northwick Park	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	17·4	16·2	13·1
North London	…	…	…	19·9	21·1	19·0	18·1	18·1	17·9	17·2
Staines	…	…	…	22·7	22·3	20·6	19·7	17·4	15·0	14·9
Regional Average	…	…	…	17·0	18·2	17·6	16·8	16·2	16·0	N.A.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of goods and services provided under the National Health Service by dentists in Staffordshire in each of the last 5 years for which figures are available.

The annual cost of the provision of general dental services by dentists in contract with executive councils in Staffordshire—including charges to patients under the National Health Service Acts 1951, 1952 and 1961 and under regulation 25 of the General Dental Services Regulations 1967, and employers' superannuation contributions—was as follows:

				£ million
1968–69	…	…	…	1·9
1969–70	…	…	…	2·0
1970–71	…	…	…	2·5
1971–72	…	…	…	2·8
1972–73 (provisional)	…	…	…	3·1

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the average length of stay in days during the years 1966 to 1970, and since 1970, respectively, inclusive, for in-patients, in medical and surgical cases, respectively, in the Hillingdon, Northwick Park, North London and Staines groups and also the averages for the regions in which those hospitals are situated.

Following are the figures for the four groups—averaged over all the hospitals in each group— and for the North-West Metropolitan Region. Northwick Park Hospital Management Committee was not established until September 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will issue a directive to hospital management committees that nurses should not be debarred from employment on the grounds of height.

No. The selection and recruitment of nurses are the responsibility of local hospital authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many payments of industrial injury benefit were made in each year from 1966 to the latest date for which figures are available.

ESTIMATED AVERAGE DURATION (DAYS) OF SPELLS TERMINATED
			Accidents		Prescribed Diseases
			Males	Females	Males	Females
Year ended 4th June 1966	…	…	25	32	29	43
Year ended 3rd June 1967	…	…	25	30	32	39
Year ended 1st June 1968	…	…	26	30	33	40
Year ended 31st May 1969	…	…	26	31	31	41
Year ended 30th May 1970	…	…	26	31	33	38
Year ended 5th June 1971	…	…	26	32	32	40

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he refused to meet a deputation from the London borough of Brent to discuss the operation of National Health Service family planning services; what evidence his Department has assembled from the experience of family planning in that borough; and if he will make a statement.

The London borough of Brent wrote to me on 4th April requesting a meeting on 18th April to protest at the ending of its free service and to present the statistics indicative of its successful use.I had announced to the House on 26th March the result of the Government's reconsideration of the position on charging which followed the conclusion of the House of Lords that family planning supplies should be entirely free; this decision had been taken after my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State and I had met representatives from other local authorities which provide a free service and from the Family Planning Association. I am sure it will be understood that Ministers do not always find it possible

The following are the available figures of new spells for which injury benefit was paid:

Year ended 4th June 1966	919,000
Year ended 3rd June 1967	890,000
Year ended 1st June 1968	882,000
Year ended 31st May 1969	864,000
Year ended 30th May 1970	860,000
Year ended 5th June 1971 (a)	736,000
(a) 53 week period.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average period of incapacity of claimants of industrial injury benefit for each year from 1966 to the latest date for which figures are available.

The following is the available information:to undertake all the meetings that are requested, and in this case an entirely new situation was created by the Government's conclusion that the maximum charge for family supplies should be the prescription charge, an arrangement that does not exist in any local authority area at present.Officers of my Department however had already arranged to visit those responsible for the provision of the family planning service in Brent as part of a series of such visits which has been undertaken. This visit took place on 26th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to amend the National Health Service Acts to enable National Health Service spectacle lenses to be supplied to children free of charge irrespective of the type of frame chosen.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the results are of the evaluation by his Department of the Renault 4L as a suitable car for disabled drivers.

The Renault 4 has, uniquely in its class, a number of characteristics that are advantageous to the disabled. Exploratory trials and subsequent experience in service have shown that it is generally suitable for those eligible disabled people who are unable to manage a Mini and for whom a reconditioned Minor 1000 is either not available or not suitable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the countries in which the engine, torque convertor, and the suspension and transmission parts for the P70 invalid tricycle, issued under the National Health Service, are purchased.

The engines are purchased from Austria. The transmission unit, which includes the torque converter, is made from parts purchased from America and Italy as well as some purchased in the United Kingdom. The rear suspension assemblies also include some parts purchased from Italy as well as some purchased in the United Kingdom. The design of the vehicle called for the use of components not available from a United Kingdom source.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the small four-wheeled continental or other foreign motor cars which have been evaluated for use by eligible disabled drivers, other than the Renault 4L.

My Department has carried out limited user trials of the DAF 33. Other foreign cars that have been appraised include the Volkswagen, Fiat 500, 600 and 850; Opel Kadett, Skoda 100 and Citroen Dyane, none of which offers the advantages of the R4 for a disabled driver.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total number of adapted four-wheeled cars on issue by his Department to disabled war pensioners and eligible groups of National Health Service patients, listing the total numbers of Minor 1000s, Mini Travellers, Mini automatic saloons, standard Mini saloons, and other makes and models, respectively.

The total numbers of cars provided by my Department on issue in England and Wales are as follows:

Mini Saloon	4,325
Mini Automatic	910
Mini Estate	76
Mini Estate with automatic transmission	65
Minor 1000	2,394
Minor 1000 Traveller	134
Ford Anglia (supplied before 1968)	46
Viva (supplied before October 1970)	73
R4	27

About two-thirds of the cars issued have adapted controls.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total number of disabled war pensioners, with disabled drivers and disabled passengers shown separately, who have been unable to have a car provided by his Department because an adapted Mini Minor had proved unsuitable for their requirements for the year 1971 and 1972, respectively.

Records are not kept to show those cases where a motor car within our range is unsuitable but in nearly all instances eligible war pensioners are able to manage, with a nominated driver if necessary, in the available alternatives to a Mini-Minor, namely, a reconditioned Minor 1000 or R4.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average annual cost per head involved in the issue to the disabled of motorised invalid tricycles, including insurance, maintenance, petrol allowance, garaging, spares and capital value.

About £225 in the 1972-73 financial year including the cost of servicing, repairs, modifications, reconditioning, insurance, making good accident damage, petrol allowance, carriage and driving tuition, maintaining a fleet of some 2,000 reserve vehicles and the capital cost of new vehicles supplied as first issues or replacements during the year.

Morris asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total number of electrically-propelled invalid tricycles on issue to National Health Service patients by his Department in England and Wales; and if he will estimate how many of these patients would be able to drive the P70 invalid tricycle.

In England and Wales there are about 1,850 electrically propelled three-wheelers provided by my Department on issue to eligible disabled people for whom this particular type of vehicle with its restricted speed and simplicity of control has been medically recommended. A few drive this type of vehicle by choice but most by necessity and each individual would have to be medically reassessed in order to determine his ability to control a model 70 safely.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the main types of disabilities suffered by National Health Service patients in receipt of motor invalid tricycles from his Department in England and Wales, together with the numbers involved.

Information in the form required is not immediately available but I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether servo-assisted brakes have yet been fitted to the P70 invalid tricycle to cope with the increased engine power afforded by the 500 cc Steyr Puch engine.

Servo-assisted brakes are fitted to the model 70 in individual cases where there is a medical need.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ensure that general practitioners who can now fill in assessment recommendation forms for the provision of invalid tricycles are provided with full information on such vehicles to enable them to assess their suitability.

No. General practitioners may recommend that a vehicle be supplied but it is for departmental doctors to decide, with technical advice, on the type of invalid three-wheeler most suitable for an individual.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if Baroness Sharp has yet presented her completed report to him for consideration.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will undertake an official drive in a P70 invalid tricycle in urban traffic conditions, so as to obtain an impression of its suitability.

This would serve no useful purpose. I took an early opportunity to drive one of these vehicles but in order fully to appreciate its performance it would be necessary to drive it regularly under a variety of conditions. Some of the Department's engineers do so as part of a continuous test and development programme and I have the benefit of their advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the gross sum allocated by the Dental Estimates Board to dentists in inner London for each month of 1971, 1972 and 1973.

Gross amounts scheduled by the Dental Estimates Board for payment to dentists by the Inner London Executive Council are shown below.

		1971 £	1972 £	1973 £
January	…	622,600	450,600	493,900
February	…	553,200	443,700	544,000
March	…	630,300	984,600*	555,600
April	…	644,400	513,100	566,800
May	…	647,200	491,200
June	…	626,400	527,000
July	…	628,700	555,800
August	…	563,300	503,500
September	…	505,000	441,900
October	…	489,200	1,006,900*
November	…	514,500	563,100
December	…	519,700	543,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of amalgamated silicate fillings, plastic dentures, metal dentures and gold crowns, respectively, made by the average dentist for 1970, 1971 and 1972.

	1970	1971	1972 (Provisional)
Number of principals in contract with Executive Councils at 30th September	9,988	10,162	10,420
Fillings (in amalgam and silicate) in permanent and deciduous teeth:
Total	33,572,700	33,608,110	33,477,505
Average per principal	3,361	3,307	3,213
Acrylic dentures:
Total	1,444,840	1,600,020	1,365,329
Average per principal	145	157	131
Metal dentures:
Total	57,780	60,080	65,754
Average per principal	6	6	6
Gold crowns:
Total	42,350	53,240	56,347
Average per principal	4	5	5

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the proposal by the British Medical Association that people should be allowed to sign their own sickness absence certificates, subject to the vetting of a panel of doctors.

I am convinced as was the Fisher Committee in its recent report, that there is no satisfactory alternative to the general lines of the present arrangements whereby medical advice is obtained from the general practitioner who is treating the claimant. The details of the present certification arrangements are however under discussion with the British Medical Association.