asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have an official meeting with representatives of the Government of Gibraltar.

My right hon. Friend and I last met the Governor and Chief Minister officially during their visit to London in March this year. We are of course in regular contact through the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the preparations being made by the Government on the part it will play in the conference to be held as part of the World Population Year 1974.

The United Kingdom contribution is being prepared through the normal interdepartmental machinery. We are also participating in the international preparatory meetings for this conference.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that widows of Foreign Service personnel always have a pension.

Pensions for the widows of officers in the Diplomatic Service, into which the former Foreign Service was incorporated, are now provided under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme 1972. Widows' pensions had previously been provided under the Widows' and Children's Pension Scheme, introduced in 1949. Such pensions are payable subject to the conditions of these schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will approach other member countries of Western European Union to consider establishing a skeleton planning staff to collect information about reserve stocks of food and medical supplies and availability of certain engineering and communication and transport facilities which would enable early action to be taken jointly with, and within, all countries of the EEC; and, with their prior agreement, to help the associate members of the EEC in the event of disasters such as flood, earthquake or famine.

The Government attach great importance to contingency planning against disasters. We support the work of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator whose office we played a major part in establishing. We also contribute to the European Community's food aid programme. I am not clear as to what could be the advantages of creating yet another agency on the lines my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take part in joint action with the United Nations specialised agencies to combat the effect of drought in India's western states.

I have already announced a British contribution to the expanded UNICEF programme for drilling wells. I would be prepared to consider contributing to any similar projects by specialised agencies of the United Nations, which had the support of the Government of India.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to help those West African countries which are afflicted with drought; and if he will make a statement.

The countries affected are Senegal, Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Upper Volta. The area is not one with which hitherto we have had close ties. I therefore decided that the most effective way Britain could help would be to supply the aid we were able to provide multilaterally rather than bilaterally. Her Majesty's Government therefore responded quickly to the appeal of the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation with a contribution of £300,000 to his 15 million dollar Sahelian Zone trust fund. We were one of the first Governments to do so. This money has already been paid to the Food and Agriculture Organisation and will be used as the Director-General judges best. In addition, the British Government, as a member of the European Community, are playing their full part in the relief efforts which the Community is making in the Sahelian Zone. The British share of the cost of this is likely to be about £435,000. Very substantial relief measures are also being mounted by the World Food Programme, to which Britain is contributing £1·2 million this year.According to my information, considerable relief supplies are now available in the area and more are on the way. There is a problem of internal transport and I am considering whether we can help, particularly by providing aircraft for the transport of food grain from West African ports.It is already clear that the problems created by this drought situation will call for long-term as well as short-term measures. Their solution will require the help of a number of donors, both multilateral and bilateral, as well as considerable efforts by the Governments of the area. In the view of Her Majesty's Government, some machinery is needed to co-ordinate these efforts, so that the resources available can be best adapted to the needs of the area as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek mutual recognition by Her Majesty's Government and the Government of North Vietnam.

I have nothing to add to what I told the House on 5th March.—[Vol. 852, c. 32–36].

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will break off diplomatic relations with the Government of President Thieu in Saigon.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received an answer to his communication of 12th April to the Libyan Government concerning the "Claudia" arms shipment to Eire.

Her Majesty's Ambassador raised this with the Libyan Government once again on 24th May, but no reply has yet been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will promote action in the Security Council resolutions designed to tighten sanctions against the Smith régime in Southern Rhodesia.

We shall continue to participate fully in the work of the United Nations Sanctions Supervisory Committee. As we have made clear, we are prepared to consider any practical proposals for the more effective enforcement of existing sanctions. However, whilst these are not being enforced fully we see no purpose in introducing new measures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that an adequate supply of various types of car seat belts is available to meet customers' choice.

I am not aware of any difficulties with the supply of belts but I believe there is room for improvement in their design and installation. I am in touch with the manufacturers about this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the working of the measures he has taken to expedite decisions on planning applications and to reduce the time between the lodging of appeals and decisions by his inspectors or himself.

Since the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend on 7th March—[Vol. 852, c. 402–3.]—a draft circular on streamlining planning and appeal procedures has been prepared and new guidelines for housing applications and appeals have been sent to the local authority associations for comment. The inspectorate has been increased by over 60 per cent. in the last six months and recruitment is continuing, though this in itself is not a complete answer. The intake of appeals continues to rise and it will be some time before the action taken and in prospect will show an improvement in overall performance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is now the average time between the lodging of a planning appeal and a decision thereon: (a) when it goes to inquiry and (b) when it is decided on written representations.

The average time taken on those appeals decided in April 1973 after a local inquiry was 56 weeks where the decision was taken by my right hon. and learned Friend, and 41 weeks where the decision was taken by an inspector. Comparable figures for appeals decided by the written method were 50 weeks and 36 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will defer any decision to commence construction on any section of the M40/M42/M5 motorway complex until all the routes have been published and the public inquiries held.

No. These schemes, though inter-related, are not dependent upon one another.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in order to assist his consideration of plans for the proposed new airport at Foulness, he will seek to obtain information about the construction of the new airport at Roissy, France.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many incidents have been reported to his Department of the dumping of poisonous wastes; what action was taken in each instance; and whether he will make a statement.

The local authorities which are responsible for enforcing the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act are not required to make any regular reports on the number or nature of dumping incidents. Officers of my Department are always ready to offer advice and assistance to them when called upon to do so. I am glad to say that there has been a marked reduction in the number of reported dumping incidents since the passage of the Act which contains severe deterrent penalties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of public sector housing starts for the latest available month, and the comparable figure for 12 months ago.

10,700 and 11,300 respectively in Great Britain for the month of April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will arrange that when there are road mending operations on motorways special warning signals are always placed before the previous junction so that those using the motorway may be able to make the choice between using the motorway at reduced speed or using another route.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will repossess Agar House, Strand, and restore Holden's building and Epstein's statues, and relet the premises for an appropriate use.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he anticipates making the regulations referred to in Section 20 of the Land Compensation Act 1973; and whether, and in what way, it is possible for claims for soundproofing to be lodged in the interim.

It is intended that the regulations should be laid before the Summer Recess once consultations with the local authority associations and other interested organisations have been completed. In view of this time scale and the need to establish agreed specifications for sound insulation and ventilation I am not considering special interim arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has declined to receive a deputation from Coventry City Council to discuss both his refusal to grant exemption from the provisions of the Caravan Sites Act which would require a site within the city boundary for itinerant travellers, and the application for approval to a joint provision for such a site at Baginton with the county council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for his Department to receive a deputation from Coventry City Council to discuss his refusal to grant an exemption within the provisions of the Caravan Sites Act in relation to provision of an itinerant travellers parking site within the city boundary.

The Department sought certain information before agreeing to the Coventry City Council's request to receive a deputation. The council's reply has recently been received and an answer to its request to send a deputation will be sent shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to decide on the application under the Caravan Sites Act by Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council to provide a site for itinerant travelers at Baginton.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will revise his circular on maximum allowable costs for improvements under smoke control regulations; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend intends to introduce an immediate increase of 10 per cent. in the cost limits of those smokeless appliances which were not formerly liable for purchase tax but which are standard rated for VAT. The last general review took place in May 1971, when the new cost limits included margins for a measure of future inflation. We are considering a further review, but I would reiterate that local authorities have discretionary powers to pay additional grant up to 100 per cent. in exceptional and deserving cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he plans to open the river terrace of Somerset House as a public promenade;(2) what plans he has to clear the central courtyard of Somerset House of parked cars and open it for public use;(3) what plans he has to clear the river block of Somerset House of its present users and open it for public use.

Studies on the feasibility of these schemes are not yet complete, and I am not yet ready to make an announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will initiate a major road scheme to relieve the parish of Aston-cum-Aughton from the present high volume of traffic on the A57.

Relief will be provided by the Sheffield to Rotherham link road which is under construction from Sheffield to the Howarth Hall interchange on the M1. Further major schemes under consideration are the Mosbrough Expressway from Sheffield to the M1 at Barlborough and an east-west link from the proposed expressway to the M1 at Aston interchange.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in order to prevent damage to the rural character of Epping Forest, he will decide against the placing of arc lights along the A11 in the area of Theydon Road and Wake Arms.

No. I am satisfied that this lighting, agreed in principle by the Conservators of Epping Forest, is essential for safety.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a progress report on the action being taken by his Department to ensure that sewage and other debris no longer fouls any British bathing waters or coastline.

Local authorities are at present responsible for sewage disposal but my right hon. and learned Friend authorises borrowing for that purpose only when he is satisfied that there would be no risk of fouling bathing waters or beaches.The Water Bill now before Parliament would make the proposed new regional water authorities responsible for sewage disposal, and the recently published report of a survey of coastal discharges of foul sewage should help them to decide what improvements are needed and to determine priorities.The Government support the work of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation, which will be tackling at its next conference in the autumn the problem of debris jettisoned from ships.Local authorities are responsible for clearing any debris which comes ashore.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the £15 million subsidy for the building societies will be shared amongst nonmembers of the Building Societies Association;(2) if building societies which offer interest rates above the base rate will be rendered ineligible for the anticipated share of the £15 million subsidy.

The temporary bridging grant is available to any building society, whether or not it is a member of the Building Societies Association, provided it satisfies the criteria for payment of grant. In order to qualify a society must have an investment rate of not more and not less than 6·75 per cent. net for ordinary paid-up shares for at least three months ending between 31st July 1973 and 30th November 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what passport Mr. Said Hamami, London representative of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, entered the United Kingdom.

A Jordanian one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he has taken of the fact that the Green Paper on the Control of Firearms in Great Britain is in short supply in many parts of the country, in requesting that observations on its contents should be sent to him by the end of June.

I have made inquiries about the availability of the Green Paper, and I am assured by Her Majesty's Stationery Office that adequate stocks are available for sale at all Government bookshops. Although there are delays at the London mail-order department of Her Majesty's Stationery Office caused by an industrial dispute earlier this year, special steps have been taken to give priority to mail orders for the Green Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of his decision to allow two professional Romanian-born cyclists to enter and remain in Great Britain, who have stated that their purpose is to increase their incomes, if he will now allow other applicants entry into Great Britain on the same basis.

In cases of this sort the decision depends on the particular circumstances, and I cannot usefully make any general statement of the kind indicated by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now ensure that any police officer against whom a complaint is made by a member of the public is given immediate sight of the terms of the complaint; and if he will make a statement.

The Police (Discipline) Regulations already provide that an officer against whom a complaint is made is to be informed of the substance of the complaint and that if as a result of the complaint he is charged with a disciplinary offence he is to be supplied with a copy of the complaint. The proposal that a copy should be supplied in every case will be examined by the working group now reviewing the complaints procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to reviewing Rule 5(b) of the Police Federation Fund rules; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will give careful consideration to any representations he receives; but none is before him at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is aware of the difficulties for police officers that have arisen from the interpretation by police authorities of the expression

"shall have regard to the members' wishes"

Unless a recommendation to amend police regulations were made to my right hon. Friend by the Police Council, he would regard this as a matter to be settled between individual police authorities and members of their forces. I understand that the Police Council has agreed that its joint secretaries should use their good offices where the matter is in dispute and I hope that this will prove effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement clarifying the Government's policy towards the right to remain in the United Kingdom of immigrants who entered the United Kingdom legally usually as visitors, but who overstayed the period granted by the Home Office.

A person who has limited leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom and remains beyond the time limit is liable to deportation under Section 3(5)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971. My right. hon. Friend exercises his powers of deportation, subject to the right of appeal, whenever necessary as a means of enforcing the departure of a person who persistently fails to comply with his conditions of entry. A person who overstays also commits an offence under Section 24(1)(b) of the Act and on conviction may be recommended for deportation. My right hon. Friend normally acts upon the recommendation of the court. A Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland who was ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom on 1st January 1973 is not liable to deportation for overstaying when he has completed five years' ordinary residence.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will now implement the recommendations of the Russell Report on Adult Education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she now expects to implement the proposals in the Russell Report on Adult Education; and if she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is giving this full and detailed report careful consideration but, before reaching decisions on the recommendations addressed to her, she intends to have discussions with the local authority associations, the relevant teachers' associations and representatives of the other main interests in adult education. She hopes to arrange these discussions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps for the national acquisition of the Old Hall manuscript containing settings of the Mass and Motets used by the Chapel Royal in the early fifteenth century.

It is for public collections to consider whether they wish to acquire this manuscript, which cannot be exported without an export licence. If an application for a special purchase grant is received it will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make arrangements with the Crown Estate Commissioners for the public display of frescoes by G. F. Watts which have been removed from the walls of No. 7 Carlton House Terrace.

These frescoes are the property of the Crown Estate Commissioners and it is for them to consider whether they can be shown to the public. I understand that the galleries they have approached were not enthusiastic.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made towards the replacement of the National Council for Educational Technology by a new representative body.

I am pleased to announce that Mr. F. J. Hill, Chief Education Officer of West Suffolk, has agreed to be the first chairman of the new body, which will be called the Council for Educational Technology for the United Kingdom.A draft scheme for replacing the existing council by the new body was published on 15th May 1973 and I intend, subject to the consideration of any representations made to my Department by 21st June 1973, to establish the new council on 1st October next.

asked the Prime Minister if he has yet completed his consideration of the Hardman Report on the dispersal of Government offices; and if he will make a statement.

I am presenting Sir Henry Hardman's report today, together with a statement explaining the Government's attitude towards it. The report reviews 86,000 posts in central Government and related organisations in London and recommends that some 30,000 of them might be dispersed. The report also recommends how these posts might be located in a number of different places.The Government are grateful to Sir Henry for his report, which they believe to be cogently and authoritatively argued. The Government will now consider the report's proposals about the scale and location of dispersal. The only decision which the Government have so far made is to give their approval to the dispersal of the Natural Environment and Science Research Councils to Swindon, following consultation between the management and staff sides of these bodies.Before taking decisions on the rest of the report later this year, the Government wish to consider further the evidence presented about the effect of dispersal upon the main type of work reviewed, namely the formulation of policy and its implementation at higher levels; the implications of dispersal for staff; and any other views which may be put forward. The report is being sent to the national and departmental staff sides, which we are inviting to comment on the various proposals made by Sir Henry Hardman. In addition to the interests of the staff and their families, the Government will take account, on the one hand, of operational efficiency and, on the other, of the benefits of easing recruitment and accommodation problems in London and of creating new office work opportunities elsewhere. In the latter connection my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industrial Development is today announcing improved arrangements for removal grants for offices in the private sector moving to the assisted areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the policy of the British Government towards the proposal, advocated by French agricultural interests, that milk production should be included in the proposed Common Market grant aid for hill and marginal areas.

The hill and marginal areas of the United Kingdom are mainly suitable for livestock rearing. We would not want to support proposals for aid to dairy farming in those areas which would aggravate the surplus of milk production in the Community as a whole.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what percentage of live horses exported for slaughter during the past 12 months has been under 12 years old.(2) what is the total export of live horses for slaughter to the Common Market countries for the latest available 12 months; how this compares with the corresponding preceding three years; what is the estimated percentage used for human consumption; and if he is satisfied that no unnecessary cruelty is involved in the shipment and slaughter of these animals.

My Department has no evidence of shipments of horses for slaughter during the last few years. Consequently the other questions do not arise.

asked the Attorney-General if he will introduce legislation to ensure that newspapers, while they would be restricted from comment or discussion of the issues once a case has been set down for trial, are not made to cease all inquiry and reporting of a prima facie case when a writ for libel has been issued; what is the longest period in any particular case between the issue of a writ and the setting down for trial; and if he will make a statement.

This matter is being considered by two committees, Lord Justice Phillimore's Committee on Contempt of Court and Mr. Justice Faulks' Committee on Defamation. The Government will consider the advisability or otherwise of legislation in the light of the reports of these committees when they are received. I regret that the information sought in the latter part of the hon. Member's Question is not available.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the consumption of alcohol by junior and senior ratings in ships of the Royal Navy.

Junior ratings are allowed to buy up to three 12-oz cans of beer per day. There are no direct restrictions on the amount of beer which may be purchased by senior ratings who may, in addition, buy an average of one-eighth of a pint of proprietary spirits per day. Under no circumstances may alcohol be purchased in Her Majesty's ships by ratings under the age of 18.Commanding officers have the authority to limit or stop the sale of alcohol whenever this may be desirable.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the plans for the next refit of HMS "Bulwark" with special regard to the need to improve eating, sleeping, washing and other amenities for her crew.

HMS "Bulwark" will be taken in hand for her next refit at Devon-port in February 1974. It is scheduled to last 26 weeks.Living conditions for the ship's company aboard "Bulwark" are below the best current naval standard and "hard lying" money is paid to the crew members. It has been necessary in planning the refit to take into account the length of operational service envisaged for this ship; the refit will, of course, provide for operational improvements but much of the work will be aimed at bringing safety and habitability standards up to date. This will include new furnishings in the dining halls and improvements to the galleys.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what study has been undertaken on the long-term effects of new gases produced by his Department for riot control.

A programme of evaluation of CR has been in hand for several years and has included studies to determine whether there might be any long-term effects. The results have given no cause for concern.

asked the Minister for State for Defence whether he will seek to import the new safer rubber bullets from Spain now being used by the Spanish police.

No. My Department maintains a close interest in new riot-control devices, but I have no reason to believe that the missile reportedly being provided for the Spanish security forces would he suitable for use in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many fatalities or other major or minor injuries have been caused by rubber bullets in Northern Ireland.

I am advised that comprehensive figures cannot be provided because people who receive injuries in riot situations do not necessarily attend hospital.However, a report produced by surgeons in Northern Ireland last year mentioned two persons killed; 17 with permanent disfigurements or disabilities; and 23 others requiring hospital admission, making a total of 40 with substantial injuries; and 49 who attended as out-patients.The report also compared the number of casualties with the number of rubber bullets which had had to be fired in riot situations during the period under review, which amounted to 33,000.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish a list of places in South-West England where land is held by his Department which is surplus to requirements.

The disposal of land which has been declared surplus to defence requirements is the responsibility of the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment. There is at present no land held by the Ministry of Defence in South-West England which is scheduled to be declared surplus.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he is now able to announce the results of the review of land owned by the Ministry of Defence.

As announced in the House on 10th May, arrangements are now being made for the Defence Lands Committee's report to be published.—[Vol, 856, c. 815–6.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the number of United States Service men now at Brawdy and the numbers expected to be serving there at the end of September 1973, December 1973, March 1974 and June 1974, respectively.

Fifteen American Service men are at present stationed at Brawdy. The numbers expected to be serving there on the dates mentioned by my hon. Friend are: 60, 120, 180 and 240 respectively.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the estimated cost of the modernisation of installations at RAF Brawdy, excluding the Oceanographic Research Unit; and whether the work is affected by the recently announced expenditure cuts.

The estimated cost is £2·75 million. The work is not affected by the recently announced expenditure cuts.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the estimated completion date of the principal installations now under construction for the Oceanographic Research Unit at Brawdy, and the cost of these installations falling on the defence budget.

The estimated completion date is September 1973. The cost falling on the defence budget is expected to be about £1·5 million.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many interceptions of foreign vessels fishing illegally off the coast between Dungeness and Beachy Head have been made in the last 12 months.

A large number of foreign vessels have been boarded along this stretch of the coast in the past year. However, no evidence has been found of illegal activities and no arrests have been made.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what contractual items still remain to be agreed with the suppliers of goods and services to the MRCA project.

Most of the development work for the MRCA and for early preparatory work for production is already under contract. Development contracts for two major equipments, the flight simulator and automatic test equipment, and a few minor items remain to be placed.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has for the development of the Rolls-Royce Adour jet engine for use in hot climates.

The Adour jet engine has been designed from the outset to be suitable for use in hot climates and we are considering carrying out the normal testing of the engine under such conditions.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the future policy for cooperation between the British and Libyan navies with special reference to the current difficulties being encountered by Royal Naval personnel involved in training members of the Libyan Navy.

Our policy on co-operation with the Libyan Navy is kept under review. As to suggestions in the Press that Royal Naval personnel are encountering difficulties in training members of the Libyan Navy, I have had the matter investigated but I have discovered no foundation for these suggestions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current salary of the President of the International Monetary Fund; what element of this is tax-free; and what a person would need to earn in Great Britain, before tax, to give him an equivalent income.

The salary of the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, as set out in the byelaws of the Fund, is 50,000 dollars per annum. The whole amount is tax-free. The amount a person in the United Kingdom would need to earn to give him the sterling equivalent of this salary, if liable to tax, would depend on the recipient's individual circumstances. At an exchange rate of £1 equals 2·57 dollars, the sterling equivalent would be £19,455. For a married man, taking account only of the personal allowance, the gross figure would be £57,895.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing Schedule E income (principal source) classified by range of income for all persons for the latest available period.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the distribution of personal incomes in numbers and amounts before and after tax for the latest available period and also for the year 1962–63.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the Inland Revenue statistics for 1973.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement about the visit of the EEC Commissioner for Regional Policy, Mr. George Thomson, to Northern Ireland.

Mr. George Thomson visited Northern Ireland on 24th and 25th May to see at first hand its special problems. Ministers had most useful discussions with him about the Northern Ireland economy and the development of the Community's regional policy. Mr. Thomson also had discussions in Belfast and Londonderry with leading figures from industry, commerce and the trade unions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT current details showing the nature of the various medical services included in the new district general hospital being built at Airdrie, the estimated cost of the project, and the approximate date when the hospital will be ready for use.

The following services will be provided at the new district general hospital at Airdrie:—1. Ward units including provision for medical, surgical, orthopaedic, ear, nose and throat, gynaecological, dermatological, paediatric, short-stay psychiatric and infectious diseases patients and for geriatric assessment.2. A consultative out-patient department including provision for short-stay patients and for oral surgery.3. An accident and emergency unit.4. Operating theatres.5. A nurse training school.In addition there will be facilities for physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy and X-ray, as well as a pathology department, a medical photography unit, a pharmacy and other facilities.The total cost is currently estimated at £7,256,000 of which £5,522,000 is for building, £774,000 for fees and £960,000 for equipment. The Western Regional Hospital Board expects that the first patients will be admitted in the early months of 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the latest available figures for the percentage take-up of family income supplement, and the total sums paid out.

Figures showing the number of families in receipt of family income supplement at the end of April are not yet complete but it is provisionally estimated that the number was about 83,000. Expenditure is estimated to be currently at the rate of about £11 million per annum. I regret that data is not yet available on which to make an estimate of the present percentage take-up of the benefit. In addition, families whose supplementary benefit is subject to the wage-stop provision receive increased amounts of supplementary benefit because of family income supplement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he expects the Medical Research Council to report upon the need for an Institute of Hearing Research, consequent upon Section 24 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970;(2) what research he considers should be undertaken within the sphere of deafness, which falls outside the scope of the Medical Research Council.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 25th May.—[Vol. 857, c. 208.] The Medical Research Council has not recommended the establishment of a centralised institute, but it has recommended instead the establishment of an overall mechanism to co-ordinate and improve research into deafness. This will include the setting up of working groups to foster research over the whole field of deafness. My Department will be represented on these working groups. The main strategy for research in this field must evolve from the systematic examination of all the problems by the working groups, but this will not preclude the commissioning and support of individual projects, in the meantime.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek powers to make a special grant available to offset costs incurred by wives dependent on supplementary benefit to enable them to make the maximum permitted number of visits to their husbands in prison.

The Supplementary Benefits Commission, as agent of the Home Office whose financial responsibility it is, already pays the costs of prisoners' wives receiving supplementary benefit to enable them to visit their husbands every four weeks when a sentence exceeds three months. When there is a special reason, the cost of additional visits may be met.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will define the criteria for the installation of a telephone service in a private house when such installation is required in connection with the implementation of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Minimum criteria recommended to their members by the local authority associations were published in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 11th July, 1972.—[Vol. 840, c. 270–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he accepts the figures given by the Disabled Drivers Action Group on the relative costs of invalid vehicles provided by his Department and adapted or modified production line vehicles; whether he proposes to modify his Department's policy on vehicles for the disabled in the light of these figures; and if he will make a statement.

No, but I am considering them with interest. Whatever the view I were to take of them, changes of the service must await the outcome of Lady Sharp's inquiry. I expect her report later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many technical experts, inventors and development experts in the production of vehicles for the disabled were consulted by Lady Sharp; how many were invited to give practical demonstrations of their expertise and equipment; if the names of these witnesses will be published; and if be will make a statement;(2) How many types of modifications for disabled people on production cars were shown to Lady Sharp by his Department in the course of her inquiry; on how many types of vehicles these adaptations were shown; and if he will make a statement.

Although all the resources of my Department are at her disposal, Lady Sharp is nevertheless conducting an independent inquiry and is making whatever arrangements she sees fit to acquaint herself with opinions and facts, including details of equipment, relevant to her task.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will refer the supply of graphite for electric arc furnaces, nuclear fuel elements, and chlorine production, to the Monoplies Commission for examination and report, in view of the dominant position of the Union Carbide Corporation's British subsidiary which controls more than 50 per cent. of supplies.

I will keep the right hon. Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his estimate of the repercussions on the Concorde project of the recent Soviet supersonic air crash at the Paris Air Show.

The development of Concorde and the TU-144 have proceeded independently. Concorde is being subjected to the most rigorous tests of structural and flight safety ever undertaken for a civil aircraft. I do not believe that its prospects should in any way be affected by the tragic accident to the TU-144.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the publication of the final reports and accounts of the area gas boards for the nine months ended 31st December 1972.

The first accounts of the British Gas Corporation will relate to the activities of the industry as a whole for the year to 31st March 1973, including the nine months in respect of which accounts for each area board must also be published.In these special circumstances there are advantages in harmonisation of the separate auditing arrangements, which I am satisfied justify a modest consequential delay in the appearance of the area board reports. Despite this I now expect the reports and accounts of the corporation and of the area boards to be published simultaneously at the beginning of September, more than a month earlier than the annual Gas Council and the area boards reports have emerged in previous years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for consulting with other peripheral areas of the European Community on regional development matters.

I look forward to growing contact between Wales and regions of the European Community on a variety of subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a White Paper giving as full details as possible of the cuts in public expenditure, recently announced by Her Majesty's Government, which affect expenditure within the control of his Department.

I have already given the details in my reply of 25th May to my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen).—[Vol. 857, c. 217–218.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he received the Welsh Council's report on Mid-Wales.

6th April 1973.