asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the results of the criminological research, supported by him, into the relationship between the excess consumption of alcohol and the commission of crimes of violence; and if he will make the information available in the form of a parliamentary paper.

Studies of specific offences or types of offenders in which this relationship has been noted provide confirmation that alcohol is a contributory factor in crimes of violence. I will write to the hon. Member about these studies; but I do not think they would justify a parliamentary paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of council house tenants who have been refused permission to buy their own council house since June 1970.

I have no information on which to base an estimate, but the number is likely to be substantial, since only 63 of the 234 local housing authorities in Scotland have informed me of completed sales of council houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men, how many women, how many boys under 18 years of age and how many girls under 18 years of age, respectively, were reported as missing during each of the last five years for which records are available; and how many and what percentage in each category were subsequently traced.

The work involved in obtaining this information would place a considerable burden on police forces; and I do not feel justified in asking chief constables to provide it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will sanction grants for the improvement of houses in areas where there is no public water supply, since it is the intention that all areas shall eventually have a public supply available.

I propose now to amend the requirements for improvement grants so that, in exceptional circumstances and with my consent, local authorities may waive the normal requirement that a piped water supply should be available in an improved house.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make proposals for reforming the provisions of the Marriage (Scotland) Acts so as to provide statutory recognition for Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religious marriages.

Proposals to recognise non-Christian religious marriage ceremonies under certain conditions were made by the committee under the chairmanship of Lord Kilbrandon in its comprehensive report on the marriage law of Scotland in 1969. The committee's recommendations are broadly acceptable to the Government, but it is not possible to say when legislation will be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the organisation of the Scottish Office.

I have decided to establish an additional Scottish department, to be known as the Scottish Economic Planning Department. The new department will consist of the present Regional Development Division and some of the closely allied divisions of the Scottish Development Department. The latter will include the divisions responsible for relations with the Highlands and Islands Development Board, the Scottish Tourist Board, the two Scottish electricity boards, the Scottish Transport Group and the new town development corporations. The Scottish Development Department will continue to deal with local government, planning, housing, roads, water and other environmental services at at present.The Scottish Economic Planning Department will provide the necessary support within the Scottish Office to the Minister of State in his new co-ordinating responsibilities in relation to oil development in Scotland. It will also be concerned with the Scottish aspects of regional policies, including those relating to the EEC.At the same time a management group is being formed to strengthen the existing arrangements for the co-ordination of the work of the Scottish departments. This will consist of the five heads of departments under the chairmanship of the Permanent Under-Secretary of State. It will be specially concerned with the allocation of resources and with forward planning, particularly in relation to those policies involving more than one of the departments.The individual responsibilities of the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State in the Scottish Office will continue as at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the effect of the Rhodesian Government's termination of the double taxation agreement with the United Kingdom as from 1st April.

It has no effect in law. Acts of the present Rhodesian authorities are not recognised by Her Majesty's Government. In practice it will have no effect on taxes levied here, but United Kingdom residents with assets in Rhodesia or receiving income from that country may find they are affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will propose that the procedure for extradition be harmonised in the European Community.

We have reciprocal extradition arrangements with all other members of the Community which take account of special features of the legal systems of the countries concerned. The Government will keep these arrangements under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Scotland will be treated as a separate country for the purpose of European Community statistical comparisons.

The institutions of the European Communities can normally be expected to make their statistical comparisons for the United Kingdom on the basis of the United Kingom's standard regions system, in which Scotland forms a separate region.I would, however, also draw the hon. Member's attention to the replies given on 1st February last by my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to Questions from the hon. Member for Farnworth (Mr. Roper) about European Community statistics relating to the United Kingdom.—[Vol. 849. c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has received from Walsall County Borough Council concerning the time limit for the making of fair rent assessments for council houses.

My Department has been asked by the council for an extension of the statutory period within which it must submit its provisional assessment to the rent scrutiny board. The council has been told that there is no power to extend this period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice has been given by his Department to local authorities relating to the maximum rent which will be approved for the purpose of a rent allowance for a single person and a married couple, respectively, in furnished accommodation in the Greater London area and the Reading area, respectively.

None, Sir. A particular case about which the hon. Member has written to me concerned rent allowances for furnished tenants in receipt of supplementary benefit. As these are granted by the Supplementary Benefits Commission and not by local authorities, I have passed his letter to the chairman of the commission to reply to.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many fatalities there were in road accidents in Staffordshire in each of the past 10 years.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 3rd May to his previous Question about road accidents in Staffordshire.—[Vol. 855, c.343.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many projects have been completed under the Operation Eyesore scheme in the Biddulph urban district.

Eleven projects estimated to cost £8,658 have been approved. I have no information about the number completed. No grant claims have yet been received from the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council house starts have been made, or are about to be made, in the city of Gloucester since May 1972 as a result of schemes approved before that date.

Eighty-four, as reported by the local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many schemes for the provision of low-cost housing for sale have received departmental loan sanctions from Gloucester City Corporation since May 1972.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict land, including single plots, has been acquired by Gloucster Corporation since May 1972 for housing purposes.

No derelict land, the reclamation of which would qualify for Exchequer grant, has been acquired for housing purposes by Gloucester Corporation since May 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many schemes for the provision of council housing have received departmental loan sanctions from Gloucester City Corporation since May 1972.

Four.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many empty derelict, semi-derelict, or available properties have been purchased by Gloucester City Corporation for improvement with the aid of Government improvement grants to provide additional local authority housing accommodation since May 1972.

The consent of the Secretary of State is not required for the acquisition of properties for housing purposes and therefore no records of purchases are kept within the Department. But no applications for improvement grants have been received by the Department from the council in respect of these types of property.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will obtain and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the number of specialist staff appointed and of action taken by each of the county boroughs and cities in England and Wales to monitor all forms of lead and other toxic pollution of the environment.

This information is not centrally available, and would involve disproportionate expense to collect. Local authorities and other statutory bodies such as river authorities do, however, undertake extensive programmes of monitoring. Local authorities operate over 1,000 sites in the National Air Pollution Survey. They are responsible for recording authorised dumping of toxic wastes. Most small works using lead come under local authority control, and my Department has recently reminded authorities of the need to monitor lead levels in the environment around such works. River authorities are providing regular updating of the River Pollution Survey which covers the chemical content of their waters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the official establishment strength and of the unfilled vacancies for public health inspectors for each of the county boroughs and cities in England and Wales; and whether he will initiate a study into the relationship between such unfilled vacancies and the need for improved systems of salary weighting to compensate for variations in the cost of living.

The information is not available. The recruitment and remuneration of public health inspectors is entirely a matter for local government itself, although any improvement in the salary structure would, of course be subject to the Price and Pay Code.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the need to secure effective co-operation between local authority housing departments and other local authority specialist services such as the social services, the psychiatric services, the environmental health departments and the public health inspectorate, in the light of the reorganisation of local government.

Advice on the need for co-ordination and co-operation on functions, both within and between authorities, is contained in the Bains Report on management structures after reorganisation. The report was commended by my right hon. and learned Friend's predecessor when it was published last August and a copy is being sent to every member of the new authorities

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he received and from what quarters before deciding to list houses at and near 50 Barnsbury Road, Islington.

Representations have been received from three people—Mr. France, Mr. Pring and Mr. Szemerey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with the Professional Football Association and the Football Authority.

I have frequent contacts with football leaders, but there has been no formal meeting for some time. It is not the Government's policy to interfere in the running of sport in this country. We recognise, however, that there are long-standing differences between players and the authorities which they have apparently been unable to resolve satisfactorily themselves. The Industrial Relations Act and the publication of the Code of Industrial Relations Practice have generated a better climate and the Government feel that the Commission on Industrial Relations could give valuable help.My right hon. and learned Friend, jointly with the Secretaries of State for Employment, Scotland and Wales, has therefore today invited the commission to examine and report on the question of industrial relations between professional footballers and their employers, including the relationship between their respective representatives, in Great Britain, and the promotion of any improvement in those relations that appears to be necessary or desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give a list of all bypass schemes estimated to cost more than £1 million that have been

				Estimated cost and Economic Rate of Return when Programmed
Motorways and other Trunk Roads				£m.	%
A61	Ripley-Swanwick-Alfreton Bypass, Derbyshire	…	…	5·5	18
A12	Ufford and Wickham Market Bypass, East Suffolk	…	…	1·9	21
A30/A38	Bodmin Bypass, Cornwall	…	…	4·2	25
A30	Launceston Bypass, Cornwall	…	…	3·3	30
A40	Gloucester Northern Bypass, Gloucestershire	…	…	7·1	17
A64	York Bypass, East and West Riding	…	…	9·6	50
A64	Tadcaster Bypass, West Riding	…	…	4·2	17·5
A45	Newmarket Bypass, Cambridgeshire	…	…	10·4	39
A69	Hexham and Corbridge Bypass, Northumberland	…	…	6·9	22
A2	Bridge Bypass, Kent	…	…	1·2	28
A614	Arnold Bypass, Nottinghamshire	…	…	5·5	21
M62	Extension of Balkholme-Caves Bypass, East Riding	…	…	6·3	12·8
A40	Witney Bypass, Oxfordshire	…	…	3·8	20·5
A41(M)	Kings Langley Bypass, Hertfordshire	…	…	6·8	38·2
A41(M)	Tring Bypass, Hertfordshire	…	…	2·0	21·7
A41(M)	Berkhampstead Bypass, Hertfordshire	…	…	6·6	32·1
A66	Bowes Bypass, North Riding	…	…	1·6	21·6
Principal Roads
A120	Bishops Stortford North-Western Bypass, Hertfordshire	…	…	1·1	12
A24	Capel Bypass, Surrey	…	…	1·2	30
A413	Amersham Bypass, Buckinghamshire	…	…	2·4	15·4
A329(M)	A321 to A329 at Amen Corner (Wokingham Bypass), Berkshire		…	2·1	24
A458	Bridgnorth Bypass, Salop	…	…	1·7	14·6
A689	Bishop Auckland Bypass, Co. Durham	…	…	2·7	14·7
	Leigh Bypass, Lancashire	…	…	2·5	21

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is his estimate of the economy in operating costs arising from the closure of the Royal Radar Establishment at Pershore, and the commensurate economy in capital expenditure arising from the proposed removal from Pershore, respectively, to Malvern, Farnborough and elsewhere; and what is the intended overall capital economy per annum.

The removal of work from Pershore to the Royal Aircraft Establishment is one of an interrelated series of moves announced in the 1973 Statement on Defence Estimates which in total are estimated to cost a

The following bypass schemes estimated to cost more than £1 million have been added to the firm roads programme in England during the 12 months ending 31st March 1973:net non-recurring £3·5 million and produce an annual saving of £1·3 million.The Pershore site, however, is not to be closed. Part of it will be retained for work being transferred from the Signals Research and Development Establishment at present at Christchurch, Hampshire.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, having regard to the murders by bombing outside the Knock-na-moe Hotel at Omagh, County Tyrone, he is satisfied that sufficient rules have been laid down for the protection of Her Majesty's Forces when away from their units for recreational purposes; and whether he will make a statement.

This vicious booby trap device outside the Knock-na-moe Castle Hotel on 18th May cost the lives of four NCOs, seriously injured another, and could well have killed many civilians.It reinforced the need for constant vigilance, but I believe that the rules for off-duty soldiers are already as stringent as is reasonable in the circumstances in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who are called out on full-time duty do not suffer a financial loss; and if he will make a statement.

Part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who are called out on full-time duty receive Regular Army rates of pay. In most cases employers make up any difference between such pay and a UDR member's usual pay, and where this is not the case efforts have been made by my right hon. Friend to encourage employers to do so. If my hon. Friend has any particular problem in mind, perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what acreage of the Lulworth tank gunnery ranges is leased from the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset and from the Weld Estate Trustees; and what is the rent paid for this land.

One thousand and seventy-seven acres are leased from Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Weld. The rent is a matter between the owner and the lessee.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes on the supply boat problem he identifies in the final paragraph of page 9 of the North Sea oil issue of the Scottish Economic Bulletin.

The bulletin identifies an opportunity rather than a problem. Scottish shipbuilders already benefit from various forms of Government assistance and should be able to take advantage of the current demand for supply vessels.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the plans his Department is making for the establishment of adequate refining capacity in Scotland to refine the estimated production of 100 million tons of North Sea oil in 1980.

Our estimate was that production would probably fall within the range of 70 million to 100 million tons. Decisions on whether to build new refineries or to expand existing plant are for the commercial judgment of individual companies. However, scheduled capacity in the United Kingdom is at present some 120 million tons and it is our policy to encourage home refining, particularly in the assisted areas, including Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of areas licensed for hydrocarbon exploration in the Scottish North Sea Continental Shelf have been allocated to companies registered in Scotland.

At present nine companies registered in Scotland have interests in the licences covering 44 blocks in the Continental Shelf off the Scottish coast.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many gas explosions, causing injury or damage, were reported in 1972; and how this compares with the previous two years.

The latest provisional figures from the British Gas Corporation indicate that during 1972 there were 79 explosions causing fatalities, serious injuries, or serious damage. The comparable figures for 1970 and 1971 were 95 and 68 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library an English translation of the two papers recently produced by the European Commission concerning the development of tourism and tourism policy within the EEC; what contribution his Department has made to current discussion within the EEC on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any papers on tourism produced recently by the European Commission. However if my hon. Friend would care to provide details of such papers I will look into the matter further.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will itemise those regulations and directives accepted by the EEC prior to the United Kingdom becoming a full member which relate to assurance and state their effects upon British practices; and if he will indicate the nature of discussions taking place at the present time which will result in draft regulations and directives being considered.

There are three broad categories of directives relating to insurance:1. Directives already in force before the United Kingdom joined the Community of which there are two:(

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial development certificate applications, approvals and completions were issued in each of the economic planning regions of Wales from 1970 to 1972 inclusive; and in each case what were the number, area in square feet and number of new jobs expected.

Figures are not comparable, due to changes in the scope of industrial development certificate control—see footnotes 1–3 of table. How-

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES
ALL SCHEMES
			Approvals (1)			Completions (2)
Economic Planning Sub-Regions of Wales			Number	Area thousand sq.ft.	Estimated Additional Employment (3)	Number	Area thousand sq.ft.	Estimated Additional Employment (3)
INDUSTRIAL SOUTH WALES
—Central and Eastern Valleys:
1970	…	…	79	2,209	4,800	51	1,621	5,680
1971	…	…	34	1,729	3,200	45	1,653	3,900
1972	…	…	18	469	780	*	*	*
INDUSTRIAL SOUTH WALES
—West South Wales:
1970	…	…	61	1,767	4,100	32	1,296	3,400
1971	…	…	9	252	440	30	1,016	2,270
1972	…	…	4	73	30	*	*	*
INDUSTRIAL SOUTH WALES
Coastal belt:
1970	…	…	74	1,540	2,840	41	886	850
1971	…	…	22	556	1,300	34	623	1,270
1972	…	…	21	1,639	830	*	*	*
NORTH EAST WALES:
1970	…	…	21	2,573	3,680	12	1,188	2,120
1971	…	…	5	113	190	14	402	1,040
1972	…	…	10	347	710	*	*	*
NORTH WEST WALES—
North Coast:
1970	…	…	5	75	40	1+	—	—
1971	…	…	4	94	120	3	33	30
1972	…	…	3	258	700	*	*	*
NORTH WEST WALES—
Remainder:
1970	…	…	22	370	960	7	74	140
1971	…	…	5	90	260	13	1,461	1,600
1972	…	…	2	—	—	*	*	*
CENTRAL WALES:
1970	…	…	8	105	250	10	205	630
1971	…	…	3	58	50	6	136	310
1972	…	…	4	92	190	*	*	*
SOUTH WEST WALES:
1970	…	…	10	125	210	5	40	70
1971	…	…	3	104	90	7	158	330
1972	…	…	Nil	Nil	Nil	*	*	*
The number of applications equals the number of approvals as there were no refusals or withdrawals.
(1) Exemption limits for IDCs were raised in December 1970 and July 1972. Development Areas have been exempt from control since July 1972.
(2) Figures for completions are not at present available for years later than 1971 and do not necessarily correspond to the IDCs approved.
(3) Additional employment which is estimated by the applicants to arise when the projects are complete and fully manned.
* Details cannot be provided because of the risk of disclosing information given by firms in confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make finance available for the development of a stretched version of the Short Brothers and Harland Skyvan; and if he will make a statement.

I have authorised full development of this aircraft. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has also agreed, subject to the negotiation of satisfactory contractual arrangements, to the company's request for a Government contribution of £4¼ million, at October 1972 prices and adjusted with movements in the general price level, towards the project. This contribution will be recovered by a levy on sales of the aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will announce the names of the inspectors appointed under Section 165 of the Companies Act 1948 to inspect the affairs of Lonrho Limited.

The following are being appointed:

• Mr. Allan Heyman, QC.
• Mr Dennis Garrett, FCA.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals for the harmonisation of criminal procedure in the Community countries are to be laid before the Council of Ministers in the next month.

None to my knowledge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons died in Great Britain as a result of violence, excluding by accident, suicide and misadventure, in each year since 1964.

Following is the information:

Offences of Murder, Manslaughter, Infanticide and Child Destruction recorded as known to the Police.
England and Wales 1964 to 1971
1964	300
1965	325
1966	364
1967	413
1968	426
1969	399
1970	393
1971	460

This information is not yet available for 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to prohibit the sale of police uniforms or any parts thereof by surplus stores or mail order firms.

I see no present need to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average sentence for those convicted of robbery with violence of more than £20,000 in value in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1971 and 1972.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were for motoring offences in Cheadle rural district in each of the past five years.

I am obtaining the available information and shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an order under Section 8(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 to change the date of the next London borough elections from May 1974.

Consultations have recently been completed on the issues relevant to an order under this section, and the matter is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to ensure that the form of application to judges in chambers for admission to bail elicits information relevant to the applicant's suitability for bail.

This is one of the matters being considered by the Working Party on Bail Procedures in Magistrates' Courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Law Society to ensure that legally aided defendants in magistrates' courts who apply for bail to a judge in chambers receive assistance with their application from their solicitors.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will confirm that, subject to the passage of the Employment and Training Bill, it is his intention to introduce orders to include self-employed farmers within the scope of the Agricultural Training Board.

Assuming enactment of the Bill as it now stands, and given the necessary commencement orders, no additional orders would be needed to bring self-employed persons within the scope of industrial training boards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of his responsibility for fisheries, whether he is satisfied with the present means for informing fishing interests of oil developments in the North Sea which affect those interests; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Standing arrangements ensure that my right hon. Friend has an opportunity of consulting fishing interests in England about any developments likely to affect them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, to assist in his evaluation of food price increases, he will ascertain and compare the overall percentage increase in national spending on food since 1970 with spending on alcohol, gambling, electrical goods, cars and motor cycles during the corresponding period.

The following table shows the percentage increase in expenditure by consumers in the United Kingdom between 1970 and 1972.

Item	Percentage Increase
Food (household expenditure)	16·5
Alcoholic drink	27·6
Betting and gaming	28·1
Radio and electrical goods, etc.	45·5
Cars and motor cycles	81·0

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received to permit the use of brucellosis vaccine 45/20 against contagious abortion; and if he will make a statement on the comparative advantages of vaccine 45/20 and vaccine S19 and Government policy towards their respective use.

None. Trials in this country and elsewhere have shown that vaccination with 45/20 offers no greater degree of protection against brucellosis than S19. Moreover, S19 is easier to administer, requiring only one visit and injection compared with two separate visits and injections of 45/20.Both strain 19 vaccine and 45/20 may complicate test results. But as S19 can be administered in calfhood vaccinal reaction is minimal by the time the animal reaches normal testable age. Whereas 45/20 is normally administered later in life and may produce complications up to a correspondingly later age.For these reasons, the Government encourage vaccination with S19 by offering a free service to herd owners.The use of 45/20 is permitted in herds outside the voluntary brucellosis schemes. It is often used in this country to control the spread of brucella abortus in infected herds. Because of the possibility of interference with the results of tests, however, it may not be used in scheme herds and it is subject to licensing control in areas scheduled for compulsory eradication.

asked the Attorney-General if it is the general rule that a convicted person who gave testimony in his own defence which was disbelieved and did not, therefore, lead to a miscarriage of justice, should not be prosecuted for perjury.

There is no general rule except, as I informed the hon. Member on 14th May, that in advising whether or not proceedings for perjury should be instituted the Director of Public Prosecutions applies the same broad criteria as for any other alleged criminal offence, namely, whether the evidence is sufficient to justify a prosecution and whether proceedings are required in the public interest.—[Vol. 856, c.264.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps have been taken to increase the supply of teachers for the deaf and speech therapists in each of the last five years.

During this period the number of places in two existing training courses for teachers of the deaf has been increased and a new course of 30 students established. The Department is considering the training and supply of teachers among other issues concerning the education of deaf children. Facilities for training speech therapists have also been expanded. Six extra places are available on an existing course in England and a new course for about 20 students has been established in Wales. The recommendations of the Quirk Report about the training and supply of speech therapists are among those being considered by the four Departments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the average salary for speech therapists; and how this compares with the average salary in the teaching profession;(2) what is the average salary for teachers of the deaf; and how this compares with the average salary for other teachers.

Average salaries paid to speech therapists and to teachers of the deaf are not known. From 1st April 1972 the scales for speech therapists are:

Basic Grade—£1,107 to £1,815 plus, where appropriate, London allowance of £126.

Senior Grade—£1,554 to £2,079 plus, where appropriate, London allowance of £126.

Qualified teachers in special schools for the deaf or in schools or special classes for the partially-hearing are paid on the normal scales but with an additional allowance of £175. Qualified teachers on scale 1 who possess certain special qualifications receive an additional payment of £78, subject to the maximum of the scale not being exceeded.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many speech therapists there are; and how many are exclusively concerned with teaching speech to deaf children.

The equivalent of about 900 full-time speech therapists are employed in the education and hospital services in Great Britain. It is doubtful whether any are exclusively concerned with teaching speech to deaf children.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many years' training is required for a qualified teacher of deaf children.

Graduates and qualified teachers can obtain the specialist qualification for teaching deaf children through one-year full-time courses or by part-time in-service study, normally spread over three years. There is a four-year course of initial training which also leads to a degree and qualified teacher status.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average ratio of teachers to deaf children.

For special schools in England in January 1972 the average was 1:6.3 in schools for the deaf and 1:6·6 in schools catering for both deaf and partially hearing pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers for the deaf have been recruited for each of the last five years; and how many have left.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer on 5th April.—[Vol. 854, c. 135.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what information she has as to the provision which is made for profoundly or totally deaf children in ordinary schools;(2) if she will conduct an inquiry to establish what provision is made for the special problems of deaf children attending ordinary State schools; and if she will explain what guidance she gives.

A small number of deaf children attend ordinary schools while awaiting places in special schools. A minority of these are in units for the partially hearing, and for the remainder help is usually available—for the child and his teacher—from a peripatetic teacher of the deaf. This situation is temporary for any deaf child and an inquiry appears unnecessary. Guidance is given by Her Majesty's Inspectors; and two education surveys have been issued on peripatetic teachers of the deaf and units for partially hearing children.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are waiting for admission to special schools for the deaf.

I have nothing to add to my reply on 3rd April.—[Vol. 854, c. 60.]

					Schools for:
LEA (1)					Deaf (2)	Deaf and Partially hearing (3)	Total Number on roll January 1972 (4)
COUNTIES
Hampshire	…	…	…	…	1	—	73
Staffordshire	…	…	…	…	—	1	113
Surrey	…	…	…	…	2	—	134
Yorkshire, West Riding	…	…	…	…	—	1	30
COUNTY BOROUGH
Birmingham	…	…	…	…	—	2	251
Bolton	…	…	…	…	—	1	119
Bradford	…	…	…	…	—	1	146
Bristol	…	…	…	…	1	—	60
Great Yarmouth*	…	…	…	…	1	—	80
Kingston upon Hull	…	…	…	…	—	1	69
Leeds	…	…	…	…	—	1	131
Leicester	…	…	…	…	—	1	61
Liverpool	…	…	…	…	—	1	175
Manchester	…	…	…	…	1	—	88
Nottingham	…	…	…	…	—	1	99
Plymouth	…	…	…	…	—	1	76
Sheffield	…	…	…	…	—	1	96
Teesside	…	…	…	…	—	1	92
GREATER LONDON
ILEA	…	…	…	…	5	—	322
Haringey	…	…	…	…	1	—	155
Hounslow	…	…	…	…	1	—	167
Newham	…	…	…	…	—	1	61
Waltham Forest	…	…	…	…	—	1	94
					13	16	2,692
*The Great Yarmouth school takes both deaf and partially sighted children.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science: (1) how many places there are for deaf children in special schools for the deaf;(2) if she will list the number of special schools for the deaf provided by each local authority, the number of places available, and the number of children awaiting admission.

Numbers on roll are the best guide to the number of places available since, with few exceptions, schools are full. In January 1972 there were 4,471 children attending 41 special schools in England which catered either for the deaf or for the deaf and partially hearing. Details of such schools maintained by English local education authorities are shown in the table set out below.In January 1972 there were 126 deaf children awaiting places in special schools, 73 of whom were under 5 years of age.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many special schools cater solely for deaf children.

Nineteen in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will conduct an inquiry to establish what provision is made by each local authority for the teaching of lip reading for each deaf child.

Lip reading is taught as an integral part of the special education provided in all special schools for the deaf. Children awaiting places in these schools may receive instruction in lip reading from peripatetic teachers of the deaf.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will conduct an inquiry to establish what is the average reading age of a deaf person leaving school at the age of 18 years.

No. The 1971–72 returns included only five deaf pupils of this age in special schools, and averaging could not lead to valid conclusions. It would be for the schools concerned to compare reading standards over a period.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied that the area in which a deaf child must for practical reasons depend to its educational opportunity.

The nature of the arrangements that can be made for a deaf child must for practical reasons depend on various factors, including the place he lives in. I am satisfied, however, that local education authorities do all they can to ensure equality of educational opportunity for handicapped children and boarding places may help to make this possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to improve medical research into the problems of deaf children.

The Medical Research Council has recently endorsed the conclusions of a sub-committee set up to advise on the future policy for the development of research in deafness. It particularly wishes to encourage further development in clinical and epidemiological studies, fundamental studies relevant to the development of new types of instrumentation to aid hearing, and studies related to education, rehabilitation and social adaptation of the deaf, which are likely to be of benefit to both children and adults. Action is now being directed towards initiating and promoting research in these areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools for the deaf prohibit or discourage the use of sign language in the teaching of deaf children.

A survey carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate in 1970 showed that some form of manual communication was used in at least three quarters of the maintained and non-maintained special schools in England providing for deaf children.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of profoundly deaf children have qualified for a grammar school place in each of the last five years; and how this compares with the proportion of normally hearing children.

The numbers of 11-year-old deaf pupils in the Mary Hare Grammar School expressed as percentages of all deaf pupils of this age and comparable figures for normally hearing children in maintained grammar schools are as follows:

	Deaf	Normally Hearing*
	%	%
1968	3·9	17·2
1969	2·3	16·1
1970	4·9	15·0
1971	5·4	13·9
1972	4·5	12·9
* These figures do not take account of pupils of similar ability in other maintained schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the proportion of persons registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act who were unemployed in Stockport at the latest available date.

On 10th April 1973, 399 registered disabled people, or 16·6 per cent. of the total register, were unemployed in Stockport.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will submit the remuneration of the manager of Everton Football Club to the Pay Board; and by what amount it exceeds the Government's formula.

The details of remuneration applicable to this appointment are not known but the Price and Pay Code which is operated by the Pay Board stipulates that new recruits to existing jobs should not be paid more than those they replace.However, under the Counter-Inflation (Returns and Records of Remuneration) Order 1973 those who employ 10 or more persons are required in respect of each employee to record his terms and conditions of employment, the amounts and dates of payments of his remuneration and how these amounts were made up. It will be for the Pay Board to scrutinise these records and to assess whether any remuneration offends the Price and Pay Code.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in the different employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency, who left school in 1971, have not yet obtained their first job.

Three school leavers were registered as unemployed in the area of the Leek parliamentary constituency in April. The statistics do not distinguish school leavers separately by term or year of leaving, but it is unlikely that any of the three left school as long ago as 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what provision is made for the employment of deaf children when they leave school: and how many deaf school leavers have been left unemployed in each of the last five years.

Special employment provisions is not made for deaf school leavers. In seeking to help them obtain suitable employment careers officers work in close co-operation with disablement resettlement officers of my Department, welfare officers for the deaf and other appropriate voluntary organisations.Information about the number of unemployed deaf school leavers is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many deaths resulted from industrial accidents in Liverpool in each of the past five years.

The numbers of fatal industrial accidents in the county borough of Liverpool which have been notified to Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate during the last five years are:

1968	10
1969	15
1970	10
1971	14
1972	12

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to increase the number of inspectors in Northern Ireland in view of their responsibilities for ensuring compliance with EEC regulations and directives under the common agricultural policy.

It is not possible at present to say whether the operation of the common agricultural policy will require an increase in the number of agricultural inspectors in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest available figure for the average price of a house in the Belfast area; and what is the comparable figure for September 1969.

Separate figures are not available for the Belfast area. For the last quarter of 1972 the average price of houses in Northern Ireland mortgaged to a leading building society was £5,141 compared with £4,033 for the corresponding period in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have obtained bail; how many persons have failed to surrender to bail; and in connection with what offences in 1972 and 1973 to date, month by month.

The information relating to the number of people who have obtained bail is not readily available.Table A below gives a breakdown of the number of people who have failed to surrender to bail from January 1972 to March 1973, and Table B a breakdown

ALLEGED OFFENCES RELATING TO PERSONS WHO HAVE FAILED TO ANSWER BAIL
Month	Possesion of firearms and/or ammunition	Possesion of Explosives	Armed robbery/attempted robbery	Collecting unauthorized information	Riotous behaviour	Theft/burglary	Arson	Others	Total
November 1972	3	1	3	1	—	4	1	5	18
December 1972	1	—	—	—	1	7	—	2	11
January 1973	—	—	1	—	—	5	—	8	14
February 1973	1	—	2	1	2	3	—	5	14
March 1973	1	1	2	—	1	7	—	6	18

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the statutory or other requirements for a hospital management committee or group management committee to satisfy itself that a person is properly medically qualified before being offered a medical appointment or being offered any medical facilities in a hospital operating within the National Health Service.

The Medical Act 1956 requires that no person not being fully registered as a medical practitioner shall of the offences alleged to have been committed by those failing to surrender from November 1972 to March 1973. Information prior to that date is not readily available.

TABLE A
Month	Number of People who have failed to Answer Bail
1972
January	32
February	30
March	17
April	20
May	15
June	20
July	18
August	18
September	24
October	26
November	18
December	11
1973
January	14
February	14
March	18

hold any appointment as physician, surgeon or other medical officer in any hospital not supported by wholly voluntary contributions; it also defines the circumstances in which temporarily or provisionally registered practitioners may hold appointments. The Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 allows authorised accommodation and services to be made available for the private patients of practitioners holding honorary or paid National Health Service hospital appointments.The Human Tissue Act 1961 requires that the removal of any part of a dead body for therapeutic purposes or for the purposes of medical education or research shall be effected only by a fully registered medical practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will classify, according to numbers and types of duty, the current staff shortage at Barncoose Hospital, Redruth, identify the reason for the shortage, outline the effects of this shortage on the manning of the hospital, and indicate the steps that are being taken to restore the hospital to full working capacity.

Current vacancies for staff are as follows:

Nursing staff
Trained	4½
Untrained	6
Domestic staff	21½
Occupational therapists
Senior grade	2
Basic grade	3½

There is a shortage of female nursing staff both trained and untrained in Cornwall and an increase in the availability of jobs in light industry for young women particularly in the Camborne/Redruth area makes recruitment difficult for nursing auxiliary and domestic posts. The hospital management committee has had poor response to nationally placed advertisements for nursing staff and from nursing agencies for trained staff. The shortage of occupational therapists is a national problem.It has been necessary to close one ward of 19 beds because of the staff shortages and some occupational therapy work has been restricted.The hospital management committee will continue to advertise the vacancies as appropriate in the national and local Press. An appeal was made recently to the wives of Servicemen at a nearby naval air station to consider employment at the hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps have been taken by his Department to monitor the effectiveness of co-operation between the hospital service and local authority specialist services, such as the social services, the psychiatric services, the environmental health departments and the public health inspectorate; what advice has been given by his Department in this respect for after the introduction of the new area health authorities; and whether he will make a statement.

The hospital advisory service, in reporting on long-stay hospitals, obtains information about the services the hospital affords to the community and the links it has with the community. In addition, my Department concerns itself with the links between hospital authorities and local authorities as part of its general oversight of the services they provide. Following proposals put forward by the Working Party on Collaboration between the National Health Service and local government, I intend to issue advice shortly on arrangements for collaboration between the new health and local authorities, with particular regard to the personal social services, education services, and public health.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now estimate the date on which he will announce his decision on the request by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South for behind the-ear hearing aids for all deaf people.

As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley), on 3rd April 1973, progress is being made.—[Vol. 854, c. 207–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with the provision for early diagnosis of deafness in children and the availability of treatment for them;(2) how many profoundly or totally deaf children have difficulty in learning to speak;(3) if he will conduct an inquiry w establish how many social service departments employ special advisers for the problems of deaf children;(4) how many children have some kind of hearing impairment;(5) how many children are hard of hearing; and how many are partially or totally deaf.

Figures in the form requested are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the most recent technical devices notified to his Department which have been developed to aid acquiring speech for totally deaf children.

A laryngograph submitted to the Department for evaluation is undergoing trials.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make inquiries about the efficiency of acupuncture in the treatment of deaf children.

I am in touch with a trial of acupuncture in deaf children which is taking place in New York. Results are not expected until next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaf children have been provided with an ear-level hearing aid for each of the last five years; and how many have been refused replacements when they left school.

The supply of ear-level hearing aids for children commenced in 1969. Issues in England and Wales, including replacements, in each of the last four years is as follows:

1969	7,088
1970	6,816
1971	6,376
1972	6,770

No information is available on the number of children who have sought replacements after leaving school.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has so far received from local health authorities under Section 19 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; if he is satisfied with the extent to which chiropody services are available and used for the benefit of disabled persons under the age of 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

Information requested in accordance with Section 19 shows that local health authorities provided chiropody services for 18,660 physically handicapped or otherwise disabled persons under age 65 in 1971 and for 20,430 in 1972. Separate figures for persons under age 60 are not available. Priority in the chiropody services is given to the elderly, the physically handicapped and expectant mothers. In recent years there has been an increase in the total number of persons receiving these services, in the chiropodists employed and in students at schools of chiropody. There is certainly need to develop this service further and I am confident that it will continue to improve.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action has followed his Department's letter of 22nd March 1973 to the Clerk of the Cornwall County Council concerning the discharge of the local authority's statutory duty under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; and if he will make a statement.

The council has informed me that the letter of 13th March, to which I think the hon. Member is referring, will be placed before the next meeting of the Social Services Committee due to be held in June.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will now place in the Library a copy of the report of the fact-finding team he appointed in 1971 to undertake a survey of aids and appliances for disabled people;(2) what were the main deficiencies revealed by his survey of aids and appliances for disabled people;

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him and the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 2nd February. The report as a whole has not been discussed with the local authority associations, but particular aspects have been and will be discussed with them as action develops.—[Vol. 849. c. 490–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress of the research projects in which his Department is involved to prevent incidents in which old persons may be dead for many months before being discovered.

No research projects with which my Department is currently involved are directly concerned with the problem of elderly people whose deaths pass undetected for some period, though a technical evaluation of emergency warning devices is being undertaken by the Loughborough Institute for Consumer Ergonomics. I am not satisfied that the problem of undetected death is susceptible of formal research, though every opportunity is taken by my Department to pursue useful lines of inquiry and to encourage the extension and improvement of community care services, particularly for elderly people who live alone.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many national museums and galleries have not at the present time registered as traders under value added tax.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many national museums and galleries are at the present time qualified as traders for the purposes of value added tax.

They all appear to have activities which would be regarded as supplies in the course of a business for the purpose of VAT.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the total amount of grant now being paid on account of loss-making railway lines in Wales;(2) how many miles of railway track there are in Wales in respect of which grants are paid for passenger services under the Transport Act 1968.

I have been asked to reply.Approximately £4·9 million and 810 route miles.