asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will set out in HANSARD the pay and allowances of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and when they were last reviewed.

Part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment receive Regular Army rates of pay for all periods of full-time duty and training. These rates are set out in Appendices I and II of the Second Report of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay (Cmnd. 5336). These rates were effective from 1st April 1973. In addition tax-free bounties are payable in recognition of their training obligation and call-out liability ranging from £25 to £35 a year depending on service. These bounties were fixed at their present level in 1970. The rates of pay of the non-regular permanent staff of the Ulster Defence Regiment are set out in Appendix IV of Cmnd. 5336. These rates were effective from 1st April 1973.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has to make up the pay of civilian members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who lose pay when they are on a call-out basis or at camp, particularly when their employers do not make up their pay.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23rd May.—[Vol. 857, c. 81. ] If he has any particular examples in mind, perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he intends to take to improve the pay and allowances of the Ulster Defence Regiment, which are now out of line with those of the Police Reserve and other part-time bodies.

The emoluments of the Ulster Defence Regiment are reviewed whenever Regular Army pay is reviewed. There is no recognised pay link between the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Police Reserve.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has for improving the public relations presentation of the role of the Ulster Defence Regiment, both to show that it is a first-class regiment and to help with morale.

The Ulster Defence Regiment is regularly publicised by a variety of means as a highly efficient force. Emphasis is placed both on the operational roles it shares with Regular troops and its own special character as a part-time and non-sectarian force. These efforts will be maintained and where possible intensified in all appropriate fields of public relations including pamphlets and the regimental news-sheet, and Press, radio and television features.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will recommend that the Ulster Defence Regiment be given a Royal Cypher.

It is open to any regiment or corps to apply for this distinction and every application is considered on its individual merits. As a general rule, the distinction is granted to a regiment or corps to mark an important national or royal occasion.

asked the Minister of State for Defence for what reasons he has put back for two years the Wavell battlefield command and control system.

The project has not been put back.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why he has cancelled the Haig and Trenchard computer projects.

These projects in their original form were judged too complex and expensive, but we are studying modified schemes for exploiting computers to assist operational planning.

Total Satellites and debris Balloons Celestial objects Meteorological and natural phenomena Aircraft Miscellaneous 1967 … … 362 57 42 26 19 150 22 1968 … … 280 65 10 36 3 114 30 1969 … … 228 37 9 27 19 101 17 1970 … … 181 9 8 31 16 97 5 1971 … … 379 28 11 33 62 160 27 1972 … … 201 7 28 17 2 128 5

In the remaining cases insufficient information was provided for the likely cause to be ascertained. I do not think there is any aspect of this subject which merits a statement at present.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many low-level flights were carried out by military aircraft over Wales in the months of August and September 1973.

1,144 and 1,084 respectively.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the

asked the Minister of State for Defence what progress is being made in the development of the short-range air-to-air missile.

This weapon system, now known as QC434, has completed initial development and we are now considering whether it should go into full development.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many reports of unidentified flying objects were received for each year since 1967, categorised into numbers of satellites, debris, balloons, celestial objects, meteorological and natural phenomena, &c. how many were shown to have a natural explanation; what action his department takes to monitor UFOs; and if he will make a statement.

All reports of sightings of unidentified flying objects received from Service and civilian sources alike are studied for any possible air defence implications. Reports received in the period 1967 to 1972 are considered to have originated in the following ways:

number of low-level flights by military aircraft per million people in ( a ) Wales and ( b ) Great Britain as a whole in 1972.

2,980 and 2,070 respectively.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if, in view of the heavy concentration of low-level flights by military aircraft over Wales in the last 12 months, he will undertake to have the volume of these flights reduced by 50 per cent.

No. There has been no unusual concentration of low-level flying over Wales.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, in view of his proposal to carry out at Farnborough all work hitherto undertaken at Pershore, he will make a statement on the available air space over and around Farnborough; what steps he is taking in response to the representations of the RRE Pershore Staff and Trade Unions Joint Council about consequent redundancies; and what is his revised figure of redundancies now anticipated.

As my hon. Friend will know from my letter of 7th September, some of the flying which it was intended to move from Pershore to Farnborough will now in fact go to Bedford. The increase in flying at Farnborough will therefore be even less than was expected. However, the question of available air space around Farnborough is primarily a matter for my hon. Friend the Minister of Aerospace and Shipping.

Staff who will be affected by the moves are being approached individually about their future and because the eventual number of redundancies will depend on the exercise of personal choice I am not yet able to give the likely total. As I said in my letter of 27th November, the number of non-mobile posts that will be created in the Malvern area will exceed the number of posts moved out, thus offering job opportunities to many of those who would otherwise be declared redundant.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the report of the Donaldson Committee of Inquiry into the financial control of catering for the Armed Services.

The report of the Donaldson Committee was published on 29th August, 1973. The Government welcome the report and are most grateful to Lord Donaldson and his colleagues for the careful consideration they gave to it and for their hard work. All the recommendations in the report have been accepted in principle with the exception of those in paragraphs 121, 123 and 125, whose implementation would require additional manpower and which are still being studied. The main recommendation in the report that food supplies for the Services should normally be obtained from Service or NAAFI sources has been accepted and will be put into effect. We are examining how to overcome the practical difficulties, which the committee recognised, in order to adjust the prices of NAAFI messing items on the lines suggested by the committee. The new system will naturally be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, now that the Government have decided to give a second increase in 12 months to top paid State servants in receipt of incomes up to £27,500 per annum, of £250 per annum, retrospective to April last, he will reconsider his decision not to increase pensions above those announced for next October and give a further increase of £5 per week retrospective to April 1973.

No. The increase in pensions from the beginning of this month represented an improvement of almost 15 per cent. over the rates introduced in October 1972 which more than covered the rise in prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for changing the procedure whereby self-employed persons are not covered by reciprocal arrangements within the European Economic Community although they have paid national insurance contributions in the same way as employed persons.

The United Kingdom has bilateral reciprocal agreements on social security with each of the countries of the Community. These cover self-employed persons for cash benefits. We shall endeavour to widen this cover, where possible, to include medical benefits either through bilateral arrangements or by an extension of the scope of the EEC Social Security Regulations, but this will undoubtedly take some time to achieve because most EEC countries at present exclude self-employed people from their medical benefit schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be, today, the gross cost of increasing family allowances by 50p per week for each child for whom such allowances are currently received; what would be the net cost using the clawback procedure as adopted in 1968; and what were the comparable gross and net costs for each year since 1960.

The gross annual cost from 1960–61 and the gross and net annual costs from 1968–69 are in the following table. For the years before the introduction of clawback in 1968–69, the Board of Inland Revenue's data do not enable the net figures to be provided without undue expenditure of time and resources. If other social security benefits had been fully adjusted by reference to a 50p increase in the family allowances, the savings on those benefits since 1968–69 would have reduced the net cost shown below by about £24 million a year.

£ million Year Gross annual cost of 50p increase of family allowance Net annual cost 1960–61 150 — 1961–62 155 — 1962–63 155 — 1963–64 160 — 1964–65 165 — 1965–66 170 — 1966–67 170 — 1967–68 175 — 1968–69 180 55 1969–70 180 40 1970–71 180 30 1971–72 180 40 1972–73 180 30 1973–74 185 25

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications he has now received for the lower-rate attendance allowance; how many he has granted; how many he has rejected; and how many are still pending.

Applications are made simply for the allowance, not for the higher or lower rate. Between 15th November 1972, when the first lower-rate awards were made, and 2nd October 1973, 101,000 applications were received. There have been 33,000 higher-rate awards, 18,000 lower-rate awards, 23,000 rejections and 27,000 claims are pending. These figures do not indicate the long-term pattern because of the phased take-on for the lower rate, with initial pay dates this year of 4th June for those of working age, 1st October for children and 3rd December for the elderly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations and requests for help and advice he has received from Portsmouth City Council about the nature, treatment and containment of the disease known locally as the "Portsmouth Bug"; what action he has taken; and whether he will make a statement.

The Medical Officer of Health of Portsmouth informed my Department in July that his council had decided to use its powers under Section 52 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to make an order providing that a disease defined as "acute non-bacterial gastro-enteritis" should be locally notifiable. The order was operative from 4th August to 28th September. The medical officer of health's action in publicising the symptoms and recommending dietary and hygienic precautions was taken with the support and advice of my Department's medical officers and my Department has received regular reports on the progress of the epidemic. Its origin remains unknown, but investigation is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to see that butter vouchers are not being sold; and if he will make a statement.

The Butter Subsidy Regulations provide that butter tokens may be used only by, or on behalf of, people entitled to them, and only for buying butter. All beneficiaries are made aware of this. The regulations also empower the Secretary of State to recover from the person concerned the value of any tokens which are misused.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available statistics, in absolute figures and as a proportion of those eligible, for the takeup of butter tokens in, respectively, the country as a whole and the city of Manchester.

Following are the number of butter tokens submitted by retailers since the scheme began and the proportion they represent of the available tokens in Great Britain: July 543,000 6 per cent. August 4,209,000 45 per cent. September 5,289,000 56 per cent. These figures do not include tokens issued for the months in question but not yet used—each token is valid for two months—or not yet returned to the Department by retailers. Corresponding figures for the city of Manchester are not available as retailers' catchment areas cannot be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children were treated in hospital due to

MEMBERSHIP OF REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES Regional Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Northern 17 2 — Yorkshire 17 3 — Trent 19 4 1 East Anglia 15 4 — North West Thames 17 6 1 North East Thames 16 4 3 South East Thames 16 3 — South West Thames 15 3 1 Wessex 15 1 — Oxford 15 4 — South Western 16 3 — West Midlands 17 3 — Mersey 15 3 — North Western 17 4 — Totals 217 47 6

MEMBERSHIP OF AREA HEALTH AUTHORITIES

NORTHERN REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Newcastle 19 4 — North Tyneside 15 4 — Gateshead 15 5 — South Tyneside 15 4 — Sunderland 15 2 — Cumbria 15 5 — Cleveland 15 4 — Durham 17 4 — Northumberland 15 6 2 Totals 141 38 2

accidental poisoning caused by eating the pods of laburnum trees, in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the total number of members which he has recently appointed to the boards of the new area and regional health authorities of the National Health Service and how many of them are women; if he will give the totals and the number of men and women for each area and regional authority, respectively; and what regard he paid to the fact that the majority of people in the United Kingdom are women.

The tables below show details. Appointments to the area health authorities are the responsibility of the shadow regional health authorities. Members are appointed after consultation with a wide range of interests.

YORKSHIRE REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies North Yorkshire … … … … 17 2 2 Humberside … … … … 15 4 1 Bradford … … … … 15 2 1 Leeds … … … … 20 2 1 Calderdale … … … … 15 2 1 Kirklees … … … … 15 3 1 Wakefield … … … … 15 1 1 Totals … … … … 112 16 8

TRENT REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Barnsley … … … … 15 2 1 Doncaster … … … … 15 7 1 Rotherham … … … … 15 4 1 Sheffield … … … … 20 6 3 Derbyshire … … … … 15 4 2 Leicestershire … … … … 18 5 1 Lincolnshire … … … … 15 3 1 Nottinghamshire … … … … 20 4 1 Totals … … … … 133 35 11

EAST ANGLIA REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Cambridgeshire … … … … 18 8 2 Norfolk … … … … 15 3 1 Suffolk … … … … 15 3 — Totals … … … … 48 14 3

NORTH WEST THAMES REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Bedfordshire … … … … 15 4 1 Hertfordshire … … … … 17 1 1 Barnet … … … … 15 3 2 Brent and Harrow … … … 18 3 5 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow … 23 8 1 Hillingdon … … … … 15 3 — Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster 22 6 3 Totals … … … … 125 28 13

NORTH EAST THAMES REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Essex … … … … 19 5 2 Barking and Havering … … … 15 3 3 Camden and Islington … … … 22 5 7 Enfield and Haringey … … … 15 4 3 City and East London … … … 25 2 7 Redbridge and Waltham Forest … 15 4 3 Totals … … … … 111 23 25

SOUTH EAST THAMES REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies East Sussex … … … … 15 3 1 Kent … … … … 21 4 3 Bromley … … … … 15 4 — Greenwich and Bexley … … … 17 3 2 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham … 26 4 2 Totals … … … … 94 18 8

SOUTH WEST THAMES REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Surrey … … … … 21 6 — West Sussex … … … … 15 4 — Croydon … … … … 15 8 — Kingston and Richmond … … … 15 3 — Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth … 24 9 — Totals … … … … 90 30 —

WESSEX REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Hampshire … … … … 20 3 — Dorset … … … … 15 5 — Wiltshire … … … … 15 4 4 Isle of Wight … … … … 15 4 1 Totals … … … … 65 16 5

OXFORD REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Oxfordshire … … … … 18 6 — Berkshire … … … … 15 3 — Buckinghamshire … … … … 15 6 — Northamptonshire … … … 15 3 — Totals … … … … 63 18 —

SOUTH WESTERN REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Avon … … … … 21 3 — Cornwall … … … … 16 4 — Devon … … … … 17 5 — Gloucestershire … … … … 15 3 — Somerset … … … … 15 4 — Totals … … … … 84 19 —

WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Hereford and Worcester … … … 17 4 2 Salop … … … … 15 1 — Staffordshire … … … … 15 3 — Warwickshire … … … … 15 3 1 Birmingham … … … … 21 4 — Coventry … … … … 15 3 1 Dudley … … … … 15 5 — Sandwell … … … … 15 1 1 Solihull … … … … 15 1 2 Walsall … … … … 15 3 1 Wolverhampton … … … … 15 3 2 Totals … … … … 173 31 10

MERSEY REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Cheshire … … … … 19 2 — Liverpool … … … … 20 3 — St. Helens and Knowsley … … 15 4 — Sefton … … … … 15 4 — Wirral … … … … 15 4 — Totals … … … … 84 17 —

NORTH WESTERN REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Area Health Authority Number of members plus chairman Number of women Number of vacancies Lancashire … … … … 21 5 — Bolton … … … … 15 5 — Bury … … … … 15 2 — Manchester … … … … 22 5 — Oldham … … … … 15 3 — Rochdale … … … … 15 5 — Salford … … … … 18 3 — Stockport … … … … 15 4 — Tameside … … … … 15 3 — Trafford … … … … 15 3 — Wigan … … … … 15 3 — Totals … … … … 181 41 —

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cause the pay of hospital secretaries on Scale 4 to be reviewed, as they received no increase in their salaries in the review of 1972.

The grading applicable to various kinds of hospital secretary post is a matter for the Administrative and Clerical Staffs Whitley Council which has the grading of hospital secretary posts now on Scale 4 under review. I am arranging for my staffing advisers to report on the responsibilities of a number of these posts selected by the council to help them with their review.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children under the age of five years have died since 1965 after swallowing weed killer known as paraquat;

Aged under 5 years Aged 5–14 years Aged over 15 years Total persons all ages Male Female Male Female Male Female 1965 … … … — — — — — — — 1966 … … … — — — — — 1 1 1967 … … … — — — — — — — 1968 … … … — — — 1 1 2 4 1969 … … … — 1 — — 8 2 11 1970 … … … — — — — 2 1 3 1971 … … … — 1 — — 8 2 11 1972 … … … 1 — — — 10 3 14 Total … … 1 2 — 1 29 11 44

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cause an inquiry to be carried out into the dangerous effects of paraquat upon human beings.

No. The effects of paraquat on human beings are already well known. The Advisory Committee on Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals has taken the dangers fully into account when advising the Government that the substance should be cleared under the Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme, and there should be no risk if it is used and kept as recommended.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the aggregate cost to date of supplementary benefit payments made to those involved in industrial disputes, and to their dependants, including payments made after resumption of work and not subsequently recovered, since the coming into force of the Government's counter-inflation legislation.

Approximately £3,400 and £458,000 respectively by 25th September. Since 3rd April 1972 any payments made following resumption of work are fully recoverable under Section 2 of the Social Security Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the aggregate cost to date of supplementary benefit payments made to

(2) how many men and how many women have died since 1965 after swallowing the weed killer known as paraquat.

The numbers of deaths from paraquat poisoning recorded in England and Wales are as follows:

those involved in industrial disputes arising from the refusal of employers to accord wage increases deemed to be in excess of the limits indicated by the Government in their counter-inflation legislation, and to their dependants, including payments made after resumption of work and not subsequently recovered.

I regret that the precise information requested is not available. It is estimated that about £40,000 has been paid during disputes involving pay claims which, if awarded, might have contravened counter-inflation legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the aggregate cost of supplementary benefit payments to those involved in disputes in the motor car industry over the past three months, and to their dependants, including payments made after return to work and not recovered, and administrative arrangements necessitated thereby.

Because the disputes have been small in scale, the information requested has not been reported by my Department's local offices and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if tie will carry out a review of the system whereby doctors are permitted to charge for certain immunisations, including some given in connection with travel abroad; and if he will make a statement.

Patients travelling to an infected area or to a country requiring an international vaccination certificate as a condition of entry can obtain immunisation without charge under the National Health Service. Doctors can only charge patients for other immunisations in connection with travel abroad and for providing certificates. I see no reason to review the arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will now provide free prescriptions to women pensioners at age 60 years;

(2) if he will now allow free prescriptions to women aged under 60 years being dependent upon, and the wives of, male pensioners aged over 65 years.

We see no reason to alter the existing arrangements under which everyone who is aged 65 or over or who is under 65 and cannot afford to pay the charge is entitled to exemption.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will allow the free provision by prescription of support tights.

No. My Department has no evidence that support tights provide adequate treatment for clinical conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recommendations the Joint Superannuation Consultative Committee has made following the report by the Government Actuary on the National Health Service superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Boscawen) I said on 12th April—[Vol. 854, c. 363–4. ]—that proposals arising from the report of the Government Actuary on the National Health Service superannuation scheme would be referred to the Joint Superannuation Consultative Committee.

The committee has considered these proposals and I have now received its second supplementary report containing three major recommendations. The first is that the additional | per cent. employee contribution that was introduced from 1st October 1972 should be discontinued and that the employer's contribution should not, in future, be a fixed percentage but should be at whatever rate is advised by the Government Actuary as necessary to keep the scheme in balance.

The second recommendation is that the rate of a widow's benefit in respect of her husband's service before 25th March 1972 should be raised from one-third of his accrued pension to one-half, which is the same rate as for service after that date. The present provision for reduction of the lump sum retiring allowance or death gratuity in respect of service before that date will remain, but the amount of the reduction will not be increased by reason of the one-half rate widow's pension being provided.

The third recommendation is for the introduction for the first time of an element of widow's pension cover for those members who, on transfer to the National Health Service, elected to remain subject to earlier terminal salary superannuation arrangements which provided no such facility; and for an increase in the cover provided where this was only minimal.

I have accepted all these recommendations. The reduction in the contribution rate has, in fact, already been implemented with effect from 1st August this year and statutory authority is contained in the National Health Service (Superannuation) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 1973 which were laid before the House on 9th October. The other two changes will be incorporated in further amending regulations and will be applied retrospectively to the widow of any member who has retired or died in service since 25th March 1972. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has accepted that the Committee's recommendations should apply equally to the Scottish scheme and is making corresponding regulations.

The effect of these changes, and of the improvements previously introduced, is to convert the valuation surplus of £288 million as at 31st March 1969 as revealed by the Government Actuary's report into a deficit of about £5 million to be carried forward into the current valuation period. Normally this would not be advisable: indeed, retention of a "working balance" is customary; but as some further surplus will have arisen between 31st March 1969 and the operative date of most of the changes—25th March 1972—the Government have agreed that the whole of the surplus, and a little more, might be absorbed on this occasion.

This report, together with the two previous ones, completes what is undoubtedly the most comprehensive review of the provisions of the superannuation schemes for the National Health Service since its inception 25 years ago. The joint committee will remain in existence to provide a means for consultation on superannuation and allied matters but I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of my right hon. Friend and myself, of thanking the members of the committee for the work they have done in

NUMBERS OF DEATHS IN ENGLAND AND WALES FROM DROWNING (EXCLUDING SUICIDES AND MURDERS) (ICD E.929 for 1963–1967) (ICD E.910 and E.984 for 1968–1972) Age 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 0 … … … 8 11 10 4 5 10 1 … … … 17 24 19 28 19 21 2 … … … 12 27 25 34 27 23 3 … … … 12 26 21 28 18 28 4 … … … 18 21 25 25 16 24 5 … … … 11 20 16 9 19 17 6 … … … 25 14 26 20 26 21 7 … … … 13 21 19 22 27 20 8 … … … 30 20 19 30 20 16 9 … … … 12 12 9 15 17 8 10 … … … 14 19 11 10 10 10 11 … … … 8 11 10 14 9 7 12 … … … 2 13 11 10 6 8 13 … … … 7 11 11 8 8 7 Total 0–13 … … … 189 250 232 257 227 220

Age Total Swimming pools Sea Inland waters Other and unspecified places 1969 0 … … … 11 1 1 1 8 1 … … … 26 2 — 9 15 2 … … … 33 4 — 16 13 3 … … … 14 4 — 7 3 4 … … … 18 1 — 13 4 5 … … … 20 3 1 14 2 6 … … … 15 — 2 13 — 7 … … … 27 1 1 19 6 8 … … … 25 4 3 17 1 9 … … … 21 4 4 11 2 10 … … … 13 — 1 9 3 11 … … … 12 3 3 3 3 12 … … … 8 2 — 5 1 13 … … … 8 — 1 7 — Total 0–13 … … … 251 29 17 144 61 Percentage … … … 100 12 7 57 24

carrying out the review and producing the three reports. A copy of the second supplementary report has been placed in the Library, as were copies of the earlier reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children aged 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 years respectively have been drowned during each of the last 10 years for which records are available; how many and what percentage of such drownings were in swimming pools, lakes or rivers or streams, or in the sea, respectively; and in how many and in what percentage of such deaths at each of the ages the drowned child was wearing a mask and snorkel.

Available information is as follows:—

Age Total Swimming pools Sea Inland waters Other and unspecified places 1970 0 … … … 2 — — — 2 1 … … … 23 — 1 6 16 2 … … … 22 3 — 11 8 3 … … … 19 2 — 11 6 4 … … … 24 1 1 16 6 5 … … … 17 2 — 11 4 6 … … … 21 3 — 16 2 7 … … … 16 2 1 10 3 8 … … … 12 1 2 8 1 9 … … … 17 5 2 5 5 10 … … … 9 1 2 5 1 11 … … … 7 4 — 3 — 12 … … … 10 1 — 7 2 13 … … … 7 2 — 4 1 Total 0–13 … … … 206 27 9 113 57 Percentage … … … 100 13 4 55 28

Age Total Swimming pools Sea Inland waters Other and unspecified places 1971 0 … … … 3 — — — 3 1 … … … 25 — — 5 20 2 … … … 31 2 — 7 22 3 … … … 28 3 1 15 9 4 … … … 23 1 2 14 6 5 … … … 19 3 4 8 4 6 … … … 27 6 1 15 5 7 … … … 21 3 3 14 1 8 … … … 12 2 1 8 1 9 … … … 18 3 4 9 2 10 … … … 9 2 2 4 1 11 … … … 6 2 — 3 1 12 … … … 8 4 1 1 2 13 … … … 3 1 — 2 — Total 0–13 … … … 233 32 19 105 77 Percentage … … … 100 14 8 45 33

Age Total Swimming pools Sea Inland waters Other and unspecified places 1972 (Provisional) 0 … … … 11 — — 1 10 1 … … … 27 2 — 2 23 2 … … … 29 2 — 4 23 3 … … … 28 2 — 4 22 4 … … … 17 — — 7 10 5 … … … 18 — — 6 12 6 … … … 18 2 2 5 9 7 … … … 5 2 — 1 2 8 … … … 11 2 2 6 1 9 … … … 16 5 1 3 7 10 … … … 10 2 — 1 7 11 … … … 7 3 1 1 2 12 … … … 6 1 1 1 3 13 … … … 6 1 — 3 2 Total 0–13 … … … 209 24 7 45 133 Percentage … … … 100 11 3 22 64

In the four years 1969 to 1972, there has been only one death, that of a 9-year-old boy in a swimming pool in 1969, when the coroner mentioned the wearing of a mask, although there may have been other cases where this fact was not recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to publish the results of the analysis of the census of residential accommodation provided by local authorities and voluntary bodies in England and Wales for elderly, younger physically handicapped and mentally ill and handicapped people.

Tables extracted from the census results have already been sent to local authorities and a copy has been placed in the Library. These are available from my Department on request and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member. A further set of tables will be issued to authorities shortly.

I hope to publish a report containing further tables and a commentary on the results of the census early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to publish the statistical information regarding the help given by local authorities under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act in respect of the year ending 31st March, 1973, as promised in his reply of 20th July.

The information which relates to help given under other powers as well as Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act will be generally available on 25th October, and I will place copies of the tables in the Library on that day. I will also send the hon. Member a copy direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has received from local authorities in Nottinghamshire under Section 19 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; what categories are given priorities in the provision of chiropody services; and what action he has in mind to develop the service.

Nottingham County Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council give priority in the provision of chiropody services to the elderly, the physically handicapped and expectant mothers. The county borough council provided treatment for 50 physically handicapped or otherwise disabled persons under age 65 in 1971 and for 42 in 1972. The county council provided treatment for 165 such persons in 1971 and for 190 in 1972. Under National Health Service reorganisation, area health authorities will be given responsibility on 1st April, 1974 for co-ordinating and developing chiropody services within their areas and I am confident that under the new administrative arrangements recent improvements in chiropody services will continue. I would also also refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 23rd May, 1973.—[Vol. 857, c. 103–4. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he can now say when he expects to receive and to publish the Lane Committee's Report into the working of the Abortion Act.

We hope to receive its report before the end of the year and publication will follow.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements he has made to ensure that women whose pregnancies have been legally terminated receive the after-care, both psychological and medical, which they are likely to need.

This is largely a professional matter but I would expect the normal arrangements to apply. These usually take the form of one or more postoperative checks and a letter to the patient's own doctor who will then decide what further action may be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions notified in England and Wales in 1972 were performed on girls under 16 years of age; and what percentage this was of the total number of abortions in 1972.

3,320, that is, 2.1 per cent. of the total.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to improve the pay and prospects of dieticians employed in the public sector; and whether he will keep in mind the difficulty of attracting recruits to the profession during phase 3 of the Government's pay policy.

The pay of dieticians employed in the National Health Service is primarily a matter for the Whitley Council, which reached agreement in principle in June on pay improvements for dieticians, amongst others, within the limit laid down in stage 2 of the counter-inflation programme: I am sure that difficulty of recruitment is a factor that enters into Whitley Council consideration whenever it arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will pay retired people a Christmas bonus this year.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has announced, a special payment of £10 is, subject to Parliament's passing the necessary legislation, to be made to retirement pensioners and certain other categories of pensioners; in general payment will be made in the week beginning 26th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ban the sale of medicines in supermarkets and general stores if those medicines bear warnings that the maximum dosage must not be exceeded.

The desirability of such a limitation is one of a number of matters being examined in the light of representations that have been received about the Medicines Commission's recent recommendations for a proposed general sale list of medicines that could with reasonable safety be sold otherwise than under the supervision of a pharmacist

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the salient facts, given to the hon. Member for Willesden, West in a letter from the Under-Secretary of State dated 4th October 1973, regarding a Press release of a report which has proved non-existent purporting to be that of a scientific committee for the study of fluoridation hazards and which received wide publicity.

A Press release was put out on 1st August 1973 by the Honorary Secretary of the Scientific Committee for the Study of Fluoridation Hazards, on behalf of the committee, which described certain inquiries it had made into the safety and effects of fluoridation of public water supplies. Subsequently several newspapers stated that the committee had published a report, but the Chief Medical Officer to my Department learned from the secretary that no document had been published and no date had been set for publication. My Department has for some time been aware of the existence of the committee but has no knowledge of a list of members having been published. I cannot agree, in the light of the relevant factual and scientific data available, with the views and arguments put forward by this committee against the fluoridation of public water supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what office buildings in what locations have been examined during 1973 with a view to transferring further Department of Health and Social Services work outside London.

The only building examined in this period is an office in Southampton, to which the office of the Chief Insurance Officer—a group of 70 staff—is due to move next year.

The dispersals recommended for my Department in "The Dispersal of Government Work from London", Cmnd. 5322, have not yet matured to the stage of examining buildings. A representative management/staff group recently paid a reconnaissance visit to the Central Lancashire New Town, one of the locations recommended for the Department of Health and Social Security.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have been made upon his grant of £3 million available to parents of seriously congenitally handicapped children; and how much money is still available.

I am informed that up to 30th September the Rowntree Trust had received applications from 3,314 families and made 523 payments totalling £54,712 in grants and £18,040 in loans. It had also promised to help at least 500 additional families, and was due to make the payments as soon as it knows the cost of the goods and services concerned. Having regard to interest accrued, some £3 million is still available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of those mentally disabled he estimates is living at home.

National statistics are not available in terms of mental disablement. In England it is estimated that at any one time about 270,000 people are under the care of hospitals and local authorities on account of mental illness and that about 110,000 suffer from severe mental handicap. Of these some 60 per cent. and 55 per cent. respectively live at home.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) excluding those disabled by industrial injury, and those mentally disabled, how many disabled persons over the age of 16 years he estimates are living at home;

(2) what proportion of disabled persons over the age of 16 years living at home, other than those disabled through industrial injury and those mentally disabled, he estimates to be over the age of 65 years.

It is not possible directly to correlate the figures in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' report "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain" (1971) and those for industrial injury, but available information suggests that there are of the order of 900,000 such persons in Great Britain and that of these approximately 75 per cent. are over 65.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now received the report of Lady Sharp's inquiry into the vehicle service for the disabled; and when the report will be presented to Parliament.

Yes. The report will be published as soon as possible: on publication copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further consideration has been given to the request by the Union of Women Teachers for representation on the Teachers' Panel of the Burnham Committee.

My right hon. Friend has received and is carefully considering a number of requests in this matter. On 6th November she will be meeting members of the Union of Women Teachers. She has no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps she is taking to safeguard the mental, physical and financial wellbeing of unmarried mothers undertaking courses of higher education whose dependants' grant has recently been abolished.

Authority School Pupils Total by local education authority Essex Brays Grove, Harlow 194 Gable Hill, Corringham, Thurrock 484 Grays, Thurrock 431 1,109 Norfolk Gaywood Park, King's Lynn 900 900 I.L.E.A. Abbey Wood Mixed In mid-September about 12,500. Christopher Marlowe Girls Daneford Boys Ernest Bevin Boys Friern Girls Holloway Boys Kingsdale Mixed Notre Dame R.C. Girls, Battersea Samuel Pepys Boys Scott Lidgett Boys Sedgehill Mixed Silverthorne Girls South Hackney Mixed Stockwell Manor Mixed Wandsworth Boys Bootle Warwick Bolam High 1,067 1,067 Croydon Tavistock High 222 222 Liverpool Croxteth Comprehensive 35 35

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many universities have Russian language depart-

The dependants' grant for unmarried mothers has not been abolished. My right hon. Friend has set up a scheme to cover cases of hardship for those students, including unmarried mothers, who do not qualify for dependants' allowances under the Awards Regulations, and who formerly relied on discretionary grants from their local education authority or on the Supplementary Benefits Commission. Under this scheme the allowance for the first child of an unmarried woman student with no adult dependant was £2.02 a week in respect of term time. It has now been increased to £4.81 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT under the headings of the relevant local authorities the names of those schools where pupils were attending for less than the normal hours for most of September due to shortages of staff, with the number of pupils concerned at each school and within each authority.

Local education authorities have reported 22 schools:

ments and how many award degrees in Russian.

Thirty universities in Great Britain have degree courses in which Russian language is an essential element; of these, 18 have Departments of Russian or of Slavonic Studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students were taking courses in Russian at universities in each of the last 10 years for which statistics are available.

Statistics are available only for the years 1965–71. The number of full-time students taking courses in Russian at universities in Great Britain for these years are as follows: Under-graduate Post-graduate Total 1965 368 49 417 1966 450 72 522 1967 560 97 657 1968 653 91 744 1969 637 86 723 1970 631 100 731 1971 619 59 678

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many A-levels have been awarded in the Russian language in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

The number of passes in the summer examinations have been: 1964 347 1965 490 1966 480 1967 581 1968 633 1969 614 1970 619 1971 705 1972 655 1973 568 (provisional figure)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, since during the first six months of 1973 there have been 40 large fires involving schools, she will issue a circular to education authorities on fire detection devices and alarm systems.

I am most concerned at the increasing numbers of fires in schools. It is for local education authorities, which are in the best position to do so, to decide, after consultation with their fire officers and insurers, what equipment is appropriate in the circumstances of each school. A number of authorities have already installed various types of fire detection and alarm devices.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to how many schools in the south-east of England she distributed a questionnaire concerning the turnover of teachers; what conclusions she has drawn from this survey with particular reference to the problems of housing; and if she will make a statement.

To 1,485 schools in the South-East Region. Analysis of the replies is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information she has requested and received from local authorities on the provisions that they are making for the education of the deaf-blind, of children suffering from autism and other forms of early childhood psychosis, and of those suffering from acute dyslexia as required by Sections 25(1), 26(1) and 27(1), respectively; and if she will give the numbers of children who are still waiting for suitable places.

Information was collected from LEAs in 1970 about children with defects of both sight and hearing and in 1971 about the autistic. The numbers reported were 460 and 1,468. From January 1974 information will be collected annually about the numbers of these children provided with education by LEAs or awaiting places in special schools. My right hon. Friend asked her Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children in 1971 to advise her about the education of children suffering from dyslexia. The committee was unable to accept the view that a syndrome of "developmental dyslexia" with a specific underlying cause and specific symptoms had been identified. It believed that there was a continuum spanning the whole range of reading abilities. Accordingly, no returns for dyslexic children have been asked for.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action her Department is taking to combat the rapid growth of "Japanese Seaweed" to avoid serious blocking of the British coastline.

The Natural Environment Research Council has given grants to Portsmouth Polytechnic for a preliminary study of the distribution of Sargassum Muticum and, through the Nature Conservancy, for continued work on eradication. The council is at present considering a further proposal from Portsmouth Polytechnic for a more extensive study of this seaweed and the factors leading to its establishment around the British coastline. Any interference with fishing, shipping and coastal amenities is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry and the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is satisfied that the allowances for books for primary and secondary schools remain adequate.

These allowances are settled by each local education authority for its own schools and it is for each authority to satisfy itself that the allowances are adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid out to businessmen in relation to the employment grant scheme for city centre traders; how many applications are pending; if he will investigate means of speeding up the scheme without waiting for a full year's annual accounts; and if he will make a statement.

A total of £33,885 has been paid to traders under the Employment Grant Scheme. Four applications are at present under consideration. The scheme was introduced for one year only and as the relevant accounting year—31st August 1972 to 30th August 1973—has now passed, all applicants who qualify for grant should soon be in a position to furnish the required accounts. Little purpose would therefore be served by reducing the accounting period.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement about security in Northern Ireland.

Despite some appalling incidents, the general level of violence has declined, especially in Belfast. The security forces continue to recover large quantities of arms and explosives from both sections of the community. This year up to 15th October, a total of 1,169 people have been charged for a variety of terrorist-type offences. As my hon. Friend will know, the number of troops serving in the Province is to be reduced by about 1,000 men before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been advanced on mortgage by the Housing Executive to the nearest convenient date; how many mortgages are involved and what is the average size of each; how many applications are pending and what is the average time taken to process them; if there is a limit as to the total amount of money available under the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Up to 30th September 1973, the Housing Executive had advanced £5,340,330 on mortgage to 1,578 applicants for home loans. The average size of mortgage was £3,384. In addition, offers had been made to 278 applicants and a further 593 applications were under consideration. The average time taken to process a normal application was six to eight weeks. No limit has so far been imposed on the total amount of money available under the home loans scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest report of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and what steps are being taken to speed up recruitment.

The latest report of the Chief Constable to the Police Authority, which related to the year ended 31st December 1972, reflected the extraordinary difficulties of the force in the face of prolonged violence and disregard for the law. Since that time there has been encouraging evidence of the substantial improvement in the detection rate which was forecast by the chief constable. The average number of people arrested and charged per month for offences under the Firearms Act, the Explosives Act, and for murder, attempted murder, theft and other offences for the last five months of 1972 was 106.2; for the first nine months of 1973 it was 121.3.

This improvement has been greatly helped by increased co-operation from the public. Confidence in the RUC by all sections of the community is the most important step towards better recruitment and the chief constable, the police authority and the Government are making every effort to develop closer links between the police and community leaders as well as using conventional recruiting techniques.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses have been purchased by the Housing Executive under the civil disturbances purchase scheme recently announced; and if he will make a statement.

Purchase prices for 31 houses have been agreed. Legal formalities have been completed in respect of one of these.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the amount spent on the restoration of ancient buildings in Northern Ireland during the last financial year; if he will indicate the amount spent on each building; what plans there are for future developments in this field in the forthcoming year; and if he will make a statement.

The total expenditure on conservation works at his- toric monuments during 1972–73 was £149,000. This relates to the 85 monuments under the care of the Ministry of Finance and includes expenditure of £49,250 on the central depot organisation and general day-to-day maintenance.

The main conservation works during 1972–73 were as follows: £ Inch Abbey 13,720 Dunlunce Castle 11,815 Devenish Monastic Site 8,205 Castle Caufield 7,380 Hillsborough Fort 7,030 Londonderry City Walls 6,720 Hillsborough Courthouse 6,655 Beaghmore Stone Circles 6,285 Ossian's Grave 6,045 Greencastle 5,845 Carrickfergus Castle 4,880 Rough Fort 3,785 Dalways Bawn 3,285 Dundrum Castle 3,240 Banagher Church 2,600 Dromore Mound 1,645

As well as conservation work the historic monuments service covers archaeological surveys, rescue "digs" and scheduling of monuments in need of protection. Recently a further 48 monuments were taken over by the Ministry from county council ownership.

The staff and administration are at present under review and the projected expenditure for 1973–74 shows an increase of £22,500 over 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of persons currently withholding payment of rent for publicly-owned housing as a result of participating in a rent strike.

Approximately 13,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount outstanding for rent arrears, and rates arrears, respectively, as a result of rent and rates strikes.

Tenants of public authority housing pay a single weekly sum which covers rent and rates. The total arrears attributable to rent and rates strikers amount to about £1,600,000. The total arrears of other ratepayers amount to about £800,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount recovered under the Payments for Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland).

About £3¼ million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy towards the conclusions of the third report of the Select Committee on Science and Technology on Tracked Hovercraft Ltd.

The Government are carefully considering the Committee's report and will respond as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts for semi-submersible drilling rigs for use in the North Sea have been placed since July; what is the total value of the work involved; and how many of these contracts have been awarded in Scotland and the United Kingdom.

No new contracts have been placed in the United Kingdom since July 1973 for semi-submersible drilling rigs for use in the North Sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce his next advance factory building programme.

Work on the nineteenth advance factory programme, which was announced in January of this year, is planned to continue until the end of the financial year 1974–75. I have no present plans for announcing another similar programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what office buildings in what locations have been examined during 1973 with a view to transferring further Department of Trade and Industry work outside London.

In the light of the dispersal recommendations for my Department in the Hardman Report consideration has been given, with the co-operation of the Property Services Agency, to a number of new and existing buildings in the North-East and in the Cardiff area for the work concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the latest estimate he has made of the proportion of travellers likely to use London area airports, including Maplin, if built, who have origins and destinations outside South-East England; what is the current figure; and on what study it is based.

The Civil Aviation Authority conducted a sample survey of passengers at London area airports in 1972, the preliminary results of which will soon be available in its publication "Monthly Statistics". These show that 17 per cent. of terminal passengers at those airports had origins and destinations outside South-East England. Our forecasting assumes that this figure will fall slightly and we are re-examining this assumption in the studies being carried out for the promised report on the Maplin project.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the increase in world commodity prices over and above that prevailing a year previously using the most appropriate comprehensive index available, during each month since January 1960.

Coverage of the term "world commodity prices" is often restricted to goods traded on the organised exchanges that conduct international business, and to the prices ruling on those exchanges. Index numbers of these prices are not compiled by my Department but may be obtained from publications such as the Economist on whose figures the first table is based. If the coverage is extended to include all primary commodities and non-ferrous base metals, and to take into account not only prices on the exchanges but other prices at which these goods are sold throughout the world, the best source is the Statistical Office of the United Nations. The second table is based

First Table "WORLD COMMODITY PRICE INDEX" (Published by the Economist ) Compiled in terms of U.S. dollars Percentage changes compared with corresponding month of preceding year January February March April May June 1960 … … + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 1961 … … - 6 - 5 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 3 1962 … … - 1 2 - 4 - 4 - 5 - 3 1963 … … + 5 + 6 + 7 + 10 + 16 + 16 1964 … … + 15 + 13 + 14 + 11 + 4 + 3 1965 … … + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 1966 … … + 5 + 5 + 5 + 7 + 11 + 11 1967 … … - 4 - 3 - 4 - 6 - 8 - 8 1968 … … - 2 + 1 + 2 - 3 - 6 - 5 1969 … … + 2 + 1 + 1 + 7 + 10 + 11 1970 … … +10 + 9 + 11 + 9 + 8 + 5 1971 … … - 2 - 3 - 3 - 2 - 3 - 3 1972 … … + 4 + 6 + 7 + 4 + 8 + 8 1973 … … + 47 + 52 + 58 + 55 + 66 +77 July August September October November December 1960 … … + 2 + 1 — - 2 - 5 - 6 1961 … … - 3 - 4 - 4 - 2 - 1 — 1962 … … - 3 - 2 - 2 - 2 — + 1 1963 … … +15 + 9 + 12 + 22 + 25 + 18 1964 … … + 6 + 13 + 11 + 5 + 1 + 3 1965 … … + 1 + 2 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 1966 … … + 11 + 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 1 1967 … … - 11 - 9 - 4 - 3 - 1 - 2 1968 … … - 3 - 2 - 2 - 1 — + 2 1969 … … + 12 + 14 + 12 + 12 + 11 + 11 1970 … … + 6 + 5 + 5 + 1 - 1 - 2 1971 … … - 2 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 4 — 1972 … … + 9 + 14 +23 + 34 + 35 + 42 1973 … … + 83 + 84 + 66

Second Table WORLD EXPORT PRICES OF PRIMARY COMMODITIES AND NON-FERROUS BASE METALS (U.S. dollars) Percentage changes compared with corresponding quarter of preceding year 1st quarter 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter 1960 … … … … + 3 — - 1 - 3 1961 … … … … - 4 - 2 - 2 - 2 1962 … … … … - 1 - 2 - 1 + 1 1963 … … … … + 1 + 4 + 3 + 7 1964 … … … … + 9 + 5 + 4 + 1 1965 … … … … - 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 1966 … … … … + 4 + 3 + 3 + 1 1967 … … … … - 3 - 5 4 - 3 1968 … … … … - 1 -1 - 1 — 1969 … … … … + 2 + 5 + 8 + 8 1970 … … … … + 5 + 4 + 2 — 1971 … … … … + 3 + 5 + 6 + 6 1972 … … … … + 11 + 10 + 11 + 15 1973 … … … … +21 +29 [+ 49]* * DTI estimate of change in UN figures.

Source: Statistical Office for UN.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, following the export of military equipment by

on its figures, which are compiled quarterly. Both the Economist and the United Nations express their indices in terms of United States dollars.

Rolls-Royce to South Africa, he will reconsider his policy of not intervening in the management of the company, and forbid such sales in future.

I am not yet in a position to give a full answer to the hon. Member's Question but will do so tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on his official visit to Kellingley Colliery and Drax Power Station on 21st August 1973.

I found the visit interesting and valuable. At Kellingley I was given a first-hand account by the National Coal Board of its potentially very important coal find at Selby.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the criticisms of the Committee on Regional Policy and Transport and the Committee on Budgets of the European Assembly, particularly on the inadequacy of the data on which the European Commission has based its proposals for regional policy, Her Majesty's Government will ensure that the Council of Ministers does not agree to such proposals until they are based upon more realistic data.

No. While there are always difficulties in comparing statistics derived from different national sources, those available are adequate for considering the Commission's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the main design criteria for airports which have changed since the construction of London Heathrow; and what relevance these design changes have to the stated shortage of handling capacity at Heathrow.

I am advised that many of the design criteria for airports have changed in the last 25 years, notably the need for cross runways. At Heathrow the scope for expanding the ground facilities is limited by the original incorporation of cross runways. There have also been very significant changes in environmental factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will give, from international sources available to him, the figure for total movements at the following 10 airports, namely, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles International, Atlanta Municipal, Dallas Love Field, Denver Stapleton, Miami International, New York Kennedy, San Francisco International, Washington National, and London Heathrow;

(2) if he will give, from international sources available to him, the total number of passengers handled at the following airports in the latest year for which figures are available, namely, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles International, New York Kennedy, Atlanta Municipal and London Heathrow.

The latest information available is that collated by the British Airports Authority and published in its Annual Report for 1972–73 (on page 87). The numbers of domestic and international air transport movements and passengers on air transport flights in 1972 were as follows:—

ATMs (thousands) Passengers (thousands) Chicago O'Hare 671 33,455 Los Angeles International 372 22,078 Atlanta Municipal 420 21,233 Dallas Love Field 291 — Denver Stapleton Field 218 — Miami International 240 — New York J. F. Kennedy 291 20,726 San Francisco International 297 — Washington National 219 — London Heathrow 257 18,679

Figures of total movements and passengers, including general aviation, are not available for all these airports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with Turkish Airlines about the request that the Turkish national carrier (THY) should establish its London terminal for scheduled services at Gatwick and not Heathrow.

There have been no discussions with Turkish Airlines about the possibility of using Gatwick since it re-established its services to London in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at which cities in the world BOAC is required to use more than one airport for its regular scheduled services.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many professionally qualified accountants are currently employed by the Price Commission.

Thirty-four.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, for the purposes of comparative study of current United Kingdom developments, he will ascertain the reasons why the French Government have decided to close Le Bourget when the new Roissy airport is fully commissioned.

I understand that, in view of the close proximity of Roissy to Le Bourget, it will no longer be possible to integrate the conflicting patterns of airline traffic from the two airports when the second runway is opened at Roissy in 1978. It is therefore part of the planned development of Roissy that upon commission of the second runway Le Bourget will be closed to public transport movements. Le Bourget will, however, continue in operation for general aviation purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under what piece of legislation Her Majesty's Government possess powers to compel foreign airlines to use specific British airports.

Powers exist in Article 77 of the Air Navigation Order 1972 to grant or withhold permits to foreign airlines to use specific British airports. These powers are naturally used compatibly with our international obligations, and the Government will continue to use them after consultation with the aviation interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those foreign carriers which have, since the opening of London Gatwick Airport been approached by Her Majesty's Government or its agencies to move their main United Kingdom operations from London Heathrow to London Gatwick; and how many have done so.

So far as can be ascertained from the records, the only foreign carriers which have been asked to move their main United Kingdom operations from Heathrow to Gatwick since Gatwick Airport opened in 1958 are Loftleidir and Bulgarian Airlines. Both of them did so at the time but have subsequently returned to Heathrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the volume of export of steel and steel products during the first six months of 1973, as recorded by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, and by the steel industry, respectively; and what explanation his Department has established as to any discrepancy between the two figures.

The figures are as follows: H.M. Customs and Excise Steel Producers ( million tonnes ) Export of steel and steel products recorded by: January-June 1973 2.18 1.87

Tonnages recorded by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise commonly exceed those of the steel producers. The discrepancy reflects the inclusion in Customs' figures of exports of steel by organisations other than steel producers and may also result from occasional differences of definition and dates of recording.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Zaprega tyres have been imported from Yugoslavia in each of the last five years for which records are available, and how many of the same have been marked as being suitable for farm tractors or horse-drawn vehicles only.

The information is not available. Import statistics are not compiled for individual brands of tyres.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Concorde already meets the noise level requirements for operations into and out of the John F. Kennedy International Airport at New York.

The noise characteristics of the production standard Concorde are still being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the location of the Concorde flight simulator in this country.

Under the arrangements currently being considered the Concorde simulator would be situated at BAC's Filton factory.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a comparison between the estimated costs of the work on Concorde given on 29th November, 1962 to cover research, development and production tooling and the actual costs so far incurred plus the estimates to completion, on the same items, all at 1962 prices.

The information is as follows:— £M at 1962 economic conditions Estimated costs on 29.11.62 150–170 Actual costs incurred up to 30.9.73 460 Estimated costs for remaining programme from 1.10.73 120

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the reasons for the six months' delay in the Concorde airworthiness certification programme.

In any project of the technical sophistication of Concorde there is a continuing review of the work necessary to complete development. Their most recent reappraisal of the outstanding tasks has led the manufacturers to revise their forecast for a certification of airworthiness to early 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the relevant experience of each of the United Kingdom and French contenders for the Concorde flight simulator contract, giving the total number of simulators made by each company and the aircraft types which they represent.

Arrangements are being discussed for the British simulator manufacturers, Link-Miles and Redifon, to supply jointly a flight simulator to the British Aircraft Corporation. There is no French contender for this contract. The orders for civil airline simulators received by the United Kingdom manufacturers of the Concorde simulator since 1967 are as follows: Boeing 747 2 Douglas DC 10 8 Lockheed 10–11 3 Boeing 707 6 Boeing 727 4 Boeing 737 7 HSA Trident 2 HSA 748 1 Douglas DC9 2 BAC 1–11 2 37