asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the effect on food prices in the United Kingdom in 1974 of the adoption of the common agricultural policy.

The average annual increase in food prices over the transition as a whole is still estimated to be about 2 per cent. The precise effect in any one year will depend on a number of uncertain factors including movements in world prices and future decisions on Community farm prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all foodstuffs on which new import taxes will be levied as from 1st January 1974, stating the appropriate tax levels, as a result of the adoption of the common external tariff.

A large number of changes in import duties on foodstuffs, both up and down, are due on 1st January 1974. Some of these are not yet settled because of continuing negotiations, but orders will be laid before the House within the next few weeks setting out the new rates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the financial difficulties of the National Proficiency Test Council.

Yes. The council has been in touch with me and I have agreed that, pending a study to determine a viable long-term basis for proficiency testing in agriculture, funds should be provided to enable the council's work to continue. Assistance will be limited to the financial years 1973–74 and 1974–75 and will be subject to a ceiling of £35,000. Payment will rest on the authority of the Appropriation Act and a Supplementary Estimate will be presented to Parliament in due course. Meanwhile with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer recourse will be made to the Contingencies Fund.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, despite the recommendations of the recently published Report on the Dispersal of Government Work from London, he will favourably consider the dispersal of smaller Government departments to the several locations in North Wales that are considered suitable for this purpose.

The Government will consider the report in the light both of the criteria of operational efficiency and regional needs and of the many views expressed to them by interested parties, including my hon. and learned Friend. While the Government have in principle endorsed Sir Henry Hardman's view that few rather than many locations should be selected, they will take account of the claims from many different parts of the country, including North Wales.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, now that the Government have announced an increase of £250 per annum retrospective to April 1973 in the salary of the Head of the Home Civil Service, he will now increase the salaries of all civil servants in the Home Department by the same amount, retrospective to April 1973.

No.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many members each battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment had on 24th March 1972; and how many men are in the same battalions at the last available date.

To provide my hon. Friend with this information would disclose the detailed strengths of the Ulster Defence Regiment and, as I told my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Stratton Mills) on 20th November 1972, it is not the practice to provide details of deployment of our forces.

However, the total number of those serving in the Ulster Defence Regiment on 29th March 1972—the nearest relevant date to 24th March 1972—was 8,160 and the total number serving on 1st October 1973, was 7,717.—[Vol. 846, c. 312–3. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why, in appointing members of the new Technician Education Council, she appointed 22 men and only two women members, in view of the growing numbers of women involved in science and technology and in view of the need to encourage even more women to practice such careers.

Members were appointed to the council on a personal basis as recommended by the Haslegrave Committee. The council's concern is with technician students as a whole and the aim was to reflect in its membership the main relevant fields of interest. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the interests of women students, no less than those of men students, will be well covered by the council, whose members collectively provide a wide range of experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery places on a full-time equivalent basis she expects to allocate to Derbyshire County Council for the years 1974–76.

The block allocations to Derbyshire County Council under the nursery building programmes for 1974–75 and 1975–76 were £305,000 in each year. These allocations should be sufficient to provide at least 1,250 full-time equivalent places. The actual figure could be a good deal larger, depending on the number of places which the authority is able to provide by adapting existing accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will allocate sufficient additional money to Derbyshire Education Committee to remove all outside toilets in the Derbyshire schools over the next 12 months.

No. The 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1975–76 building programmes include 48 major projects for the improvement or replacement of primary schools in Derbyshire. These projects, together with minor works projects determined by the local education authority,

RATIO OF INSPECTORS TO PREMISES FOR WHICH FACTORY INSPECTORATE IS RESPONSIBLE Year (31st December) Number of Inspectors in Post Registered Premises Ratio 1950 … … … … … … 322 308,533 1:958 1951 … … … … … … 340 328,448 1:966 1952 … … … … … … 358 335,945 1:938 1953 … … … … … … 364 343,738 1:944 1954 … … … … … … 361 346,062 1:959 1955 … … … … … … 361 338,852 1:939 1956 … … … … … … 375 327,974 1:875 1957 … … … … … … 388 299,469 1:772 1958 … … … … … … 407 294,930 1:725 1959 … … … … … … 409 298,549 1:730 1960 … … … … … … 416 304,343 1:732 1961 … … … … … … 426 270,496 1:635 1962 … … … … … … 447 259,715 1:581 1963 … … … … … … 464 256,083 1:552 1964 … … … … … … 474 390,602 1:824 1965 … … … … … … 496 405,172 1:817 1966 … … … … … … 482 422,339 1:876 1967 … … … … … … 495 408,193 1:825 1968 … … … … … … 576 426,812 1:741 1969 … … … … … … 618 428,517 1:693 1970 … … … … … … 700 426,907 1:610 1971 … … … … … … 703 429,880 1:611 1972 … … … … … … 682 440,884 1:646

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the categories of workers and professions with annual holiday entitlements of three, four and more weeks, respectively.

May I refer the hon. Member to Appendix III of the volume "Time Rates of Wages and

will reduce by 43 the number of schools using outside toilets.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors have been in post for each year since 1950; and for each of these years what has been the average ratio per inspector to the total number of premises for the supervision of which the Factory Inspectorate is responsible.

There is considerable variation in the work of individual inspectors and in the number of premises assigned to any one inspector.

Following is the information:

Hours of work, April 1973" published earlier this month. It is estimated that about three in every four full-time manual workers covered by collective agreements and statutory wages regulation orders now have basic holiday entitlements of three weeks or more, in addition to public holidays. I regret that systematic information relating to current holiday entitlements of non-manual workers is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those industries that pay additional shift entitlements for working unsocial hours at a rate of time and one-fifth and above.

A comprehensive list is not readily available but the volume "Time Rates of Wages and Hours of Work, April 1973", published

Manual workers National collective agreements in the following industries provide for annual increments:— Industry Categories of Workers Duration Merchant Navy … Ratings … … 5 year scale Post Office … Postmen higher grade … … 2 year scale Certain engineering grades … … 4–6 year scales Civil Air Transport … All grades … … 3–4 year scales according to grade Prison Service … All grades … … 3–9 year scales according to grade Non-manual workers Comprehensive information is not available about the conditions of service of non-manual workers. The salaries of such workers in the private sector are not usually determined by national agreements but are commonly the outcome of arrangements at individual establishments. In the public sector age-scales and/or incremental progressions are a common feature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the names and numbers of members of the Water Council and of the various water authorities stating how many are men and women, respectively.

MEMBERS OF REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITIES Appointed Members Regional Water Authority Local Authority Members Chairman Other Appointed Members Total Appointed Members Grand Total North West … 14 1 12 13 27 Northumbrian … 10 1 8 9 19 Severn—Trent … 22 1 16 17 39 Yorkshire … 13 1 11 12 25 Anglian … 18 1 16 17 35 Thames … 36 1 16 17 53 Southern … 10 1 8 9 19 Wessex … 8 1 6 7 15 South West … 8 1 6 7 15 Total of Regional Water Authority Members 247

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL WATER COUNCIL Appointed Members Chairman Other Appointed Members Total Appointed Members Water Authority Chairmen Grand Total 1 10 11 10 21 Total of National Water Council Members 21 Grand Total Members of Regional Water Authorities and National Water Council 268

earlier this month, gives a large number of examples of provisions for shift work included in collective agreements and statutory wages regulation orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the categories of workers and professions with annual service increments.

Following is the information:

I attach a table showing the numbers of members. Of the total members, eleven are women, eight of whom were appointed by my right hon. and learned Friend and three by local authorities.

For the names I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Acton (Mr. Spearing) on 16th October, 1973.—[Vol. 861, c. 68–79. ]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual cost of compensation payable by Her Majesty's Government to British Rail under EEC Regulation 1192/69 where methods of financing discriminate against railways in favour of roads; what aspects are included; and if he will make a statement.

This will depend on the outcome of the Rail Policy Review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the criterion for road safety pedestrian provision that must be met, before approval is given to increase speed limits in the Greater London Council area.

The number of pedestrians and facilities for them are important criteria for determining speed limits. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the advice about criteria which has been given to local authorities from 1969 onwards. If he wishes to make general suggestions as to how we can improve the consideration of these matters we shall be very pleased to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request the GLC to make a survey on the number of people and the age groups who use Burntwood Lane, and Blackshaw Road, S.W.17, before any consideration is given to the GLC's proposals to increase the speed limits in these roads.

The Greater London Council is the traffic authority for these roads. It has powers to change the speed limit without the consent of my right hon. and learned Friend. The hon. Member should therefore address his suggestion to the Greater London Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will expedite action to alleviate noise nuisance and pollution suffered by residents adjacent to the A19 Teesside diver- sion works in particular, by double glazing the houses of those worst affected, under the provisions of the Land Compensation Act 1973.

The contractor is taking all reasonable steps to keep dust nuisance to a minimum. Formal offers to the householders badly affected by construction noise will be made in the very near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the extension of the 30 miles per hour speed limit at Bloxham to a suitable place beyond the Warriner School; and if he will make a statement.

We have yet to receive proposals from the Oxfordshire County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from local authorities that council house building projects have been halted or delayed because of the shortage of materials; and if he will make a statement.

I have had some reports of difficulties in the supply of certain materials. I am in close touch with manufacturers and their associations in order to ensure that everything possible is done to overcome delays.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider the reduction of the fixed price period to 12 months, with fluctuations thereafter, for council house building; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's Circular 132/73, issued to local authorities on 10th October, indicated that following the Prime Minister's statement on 8th October discussions would be starting with the construction industry and public authorities to consider contracting practices. The discussions are now taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the staffing arrangements and waiting period for driving tests in the north-east of Scotland are adequate to cope with demand; and if he will make a statement.

No. By the middle of November, more examiners will be available and there should be a gradual reduction in waiting periods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals from the decisions of planning authorities in Bedfordshire affecting the use of land for the extraction of sand and gravel are awaiting decision.

At present there are no appeals concerning sand and gravel extraction in Bedfordshire awaiting decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received about the expansion of Stevenage; and how many are opposed to expansion.

183 letters have been addressed to my right hon. and learned Friend. All but four expressed opposition to the expansion proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present number of miles of motorway; and how many miles have been provided with a central barrier.

There are approximately 957 miles of trunk road motorway in England, of which it is estimated that about 800 have been provided with a central barrier.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the current waiting period for applicants for driving tests at each of the Bristol, test centres respectively; and what the corresponding waiting period was at each of the centres 12 months ago.

Waiting periods (in weeks) were as follows: Test Centre 12th October 1973 13th October 1972 Bristol (Henleaze) 15 9 Bristol (Clifton Down) 22 7 Bristol (St. George) 26 9 Bristol (Ashton Gate) 23 9

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to permit 16-yearolds to ride motor cycles of up to 100 cc.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the requirements for compulsory passenger insurance for motor cycles so as to exclude machines incapable of carrying passengers such as trials cycles and mopeds.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he estimates to be the current market value of the assets of the three leading companies in the road haulage industry operating in the private sector.

It is not for me to make such an estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when work will begin on improving the access to Wood Lane on the A52.

During the first half of 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he estimates to be the current market value of the assets of all ports and docks in the United Kingdom.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking with regard to the proposed route of the A46 in and around Newark, in view of the urgency of such decision with regard to planning in Newark and district.

Investigations into solutions for improving the A46 at Newark are not yet complete but it is hoped to have alternative routes for public comment by the middle of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when last the option mortgage scheme ensured that a man buying a £9,000 house had his interest repayments effectively covered in full for the purposes of tax relief for each successive month: and since then by how much his interest repayments have risen.

This would depend on the rate of interest under the mortgage and on the borrower's taxable income.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many option mortgagors there are at the present time, what is their current average income, and how many have defaulted since interest rates rose above the ceiling for their receipt of full effective tax relief.

About 540,000 option mortgages had been taken out up to 30th June 1973, although some may have been terminated. No information is available about the current incomes of all existing option mortgagors. As existing mortgagors have to be given notice of an increase in repayments, the new mortgage rate recommended by the building societies is not yet in force. The issue of default on that score does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider assisting mortgagors with the implementation of the Merrett-Sykes proposals and of the Australian system.

The proposals made by A. J. Merrett and A. Sykes in 1965 in their book "Housing Finance and Development" have been to a considerable extent overtaken by the introduction of option mortgages, the proposal announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 8th November for a deferred interest scheme which is being discussed with mortgage lenders, the Government's support of local authority building for sale announced in the White Paper "Widening the Choice" (Cmnd. 5280) in April, and the Government's encouragement of the sale of council houses to sitting tenants at restricted market value.

As far as the Australian system is concerned, the circumstances are entirely different from this country, where mortgages can already obtain tax relief on mortgage interest or the equivalent option mortgage subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the latest information on the take-up of rent allowances as a proportion of those believed to be entitled thereto.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar question from the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 18th October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the take-up of rent allowances in Putney and in Wandsworth compares with the rest of the country.

For the average take-up of rent allowances in England and Wales I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 18th October. Information for an individual local authority should be sought from the council concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the latest information on the proportion of rent allowance applications which have been refused and the reasons for refusal.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions the pedestrian footbridge on A40 Western Avenue between Western Circus and Gypsy Corner has been hit by vehicles in the past 10 years; and what steps he intends taking to prevent repetitions of such incidents.

Four times since it was opened in April 1965. Attention is periodically drawn to the need for care in the transport of high loads.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now announce his proposals for the construction of the Haslingden bypass and its continuation northwards in the direction of the Calder Valley trunk road.

We hope to be in a position to make an announcement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision on the public inquiry into the development of a new town at Catthorpe, Leicestershire.

My decision will be announced at the earliest possible date consonant with the very careful and detailed consideration which must be given to the complex and far-reaching issues raised by the proposed development, but I am not yet able to give any firm indication when this will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment under what circumstances his Department can refuse its consent to the siting of oil depots on railway land.

Railway undertakings have a general permission under the planning Acts to carry out on operational land certain development required in connection with the movement of traffic by rail. This permission can be withdrawn by a direction which requires my approval. Until 1st March 1973 this permission was available to lessees of a railway undertaking. However the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1973 (SI 1973, No. 31), which came into force on that date, withdrew the permission in relation to future development by lessees.

A commercial operator proposing to develop railway land is now required to seek permission from the local planning authority in the same way and in the same circumstances as for development of non-railway land. If a proposal came to me on appeal from the decision of the local planning authority, or because I had required it to refer the application to me, I would decide the matter on the planning merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of British aid is given in the form of food; and what nutritional criteria are applied.

In the financial year 1972–73 Britain spent £0.7 million, which was 0.2 per cent. of British aid. In the current financial year, expenditure may rise to about £6 million, including a direct contribution to the World Food Programme (WFP) but excluding the British share of the cost of European Community food aid financed from the EEC budget.

The World Food Programme seeks to ensure that the nutritional content of food given under its auspices to developing countries is suited to the projects for which the food is made available. The commodities contributed by Britain to the WFP have a high protein content. Commodities given as British food aid outside the WFP are given because they are both desired by the countries receiving them, both because they are nutritionally valuable and acceptable to local consumers, and are available at the right time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any discussions have taken place with the Government of Eire about the formation of a common law enforcement area.

The problems of security in the border area have been raised on many occasions with the Government of the Republic of Ireland, but no proposals for a common law enforcement area have been discussed with them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will issue a warning to all Governments buying tanks from Great Britain that, in the event of their being involved in hostilities, he will place an embargo on spares and ammunition for such tanks.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there has been any change in the United Kingdom's representation on the North Atlantic Assembly.

Lord Hughes has replaced Baroness Llewelyn-Davies as a member of the United Kingdom delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage the development of ventures such as the European Pioneer Village which are designed to promote international youth movements in their concern for regional improvement throughout Europe.

As my right hon. and learned Friend the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 6th March 1972, Her Majesty's Government have made available additional funds to promote youth exchanges and contacts between British and West European youth. These funds are mainly administered by the British Council, which has assisted projects concerned with regional improvement, as, for example, the Conference on Youth and Community Services in the Island Communities of the EEC held in the Orkney and Shetland Islands from 22nd to 30th June 1973. The council has no record of any approach to it on behalf of the European Pioneer Village. Her Majesty's Government are also a major contributor to the European Youth Foundation which promotes multilateral European youth activities.—[Vol. 832, c. 222–4. ]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is able to give an estimate of the number of overseas students who have attended courses at educational institutions in the United Kingdom during the past five years and who have remained in this country after the expiration of their visas.

In the five years ended 31st December 1972, 12,153 Commonwealth citizens originally admitted as students had their conditions of stay revoked and were allowed to remain here.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to publish a Green Paper following the publication of the report of the Kilbrandon Royal Commission on the Constitution.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the Government statement which will be made when the report is published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when information on the numbers of electors on the 1973 register for each constituency will be available.

A summary of this information is in the Library of the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has ceased giving estimates every two years or so of changes in income distribution in view of the increasing amount of estimation required to produce calendar year figures on a national accounts basis, when the constant drop of the tax threshold since 1938 relative to average earnings has continually reduced the number of incomes below the tax threshold level about which estimates have to be made.

, pursuant to his reply [OFF1CAL REPORT, 18th October, 1973], gave the following information —

Figures for successive financial years of the distribution of personal incomes above the tax deduction card limit are published in "Inland Revenue Statistics". Estimates for calendar years on the national accounts basis were discontinued because data was insufficient to estimate the distribution of incomes below the tax deduction card limit, which has increased over the years from £3 per week in 1948–49 to £11.50 per week in 1973–74 and to allocate to ranges of income certain social security benefits which are not liable to tax.

As a proportion of the total population over school leaving age—counting married couples as one—the number of incomes covered in the available Inland Revenue estimates of income distribution has remained in the region of 75–80 per cent., and has shown no persistent tendency either to increase or to decrease.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of gross domestic fixed capital formation as a percentage of gross national product for each year since 1960 in Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and each EEC country.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the number of cases of tax evasion detected in 1972, how many were prosecuted, and what was the average penalty and the range of penalties imposed.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates has been, respectively, the level of purchase of goods and services and the level of borrowing by central and local government from the private sector for each year since 1945.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates has been the net post-tax profits, after depreciation allowances, accruing to private industry for each year since 1946 from respectively gross fixed capital formation and purchases of goods and services by nationalised industries.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the interest payments, mainly from compensation, paid to, respectively, the Treasury and to private interests by nationalised industries for each year since 1946.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the loss in revenue resulting from the abolition of the fuel oil tax.

The yield in the current financial year is expected to be about £160 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which occasions since 1948 any of the nationalised industries has made application to raise prices but been refused permission by the relevant Minister; and on each of those occasions by how much he estimates that the income receipts of each industry were reduced over immediately succeeding years as a result of such decisions.

Information of this kind is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has regarding the prevalence of transfer pricing by international companies; and, in view of the Monopolies Commission's revelations regarding the pricing structures of Roche Products, what plans he has to survey the comparable activities of other similar companies.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what rates of payment for overtime are made per hour to constables, sergeants and inspectors. respectively, in the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and what was the total amount of overtime paid to each category in the years ending 31st March 1973 and 31st March 1972, respectively.

The overtime rates applicable to RUC personnel are the same as those for all provincial police forces in Great Britain. The range of hourly rates, effective from 1st September 1973, is:—

AT TIME AND A HALF FOR REST DAYS Minimum Maximum £ £ Constable: Men 0.9207 1.5785 Women 0.9251 1.5009 Sergeant: Men 1.6065 1.7898 Women 1.5290 1.7015 Inspector: Men 1.8869 2.1940 Women 1.7964 1.9904 Chief Inspector: Men 2.1522 2.3592 Women 2.1465 2.2428

AT TIME AND A THIRD FOR OTHER DAYS Minimum Maximum £ £ Constable: Men 0.8184 1.4031 Women 0.8222 1.3341 Sergeant: Men 1.4280 1.5909 Women 1.3591 1.5124 Inspector: Men 1.6772 1.8613 Women 1.5968 1.7692 Chief Inspector: Men 1.9131 2.0971 Women 1.8191 1.9936

The total amounts of overtime paid to each category in the years ended 31st March 1972 and 31st March 1973 are:—

Year ended 31st March 1972 Year ended 31st March 1973 £ £ Constables 3,202,991 3,444,487 Sergeants 854,400 1,118,183 Inspectors 279,912 400,981 Chief Inspectors 123,552 150,989

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many recruits accepted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the two years ended 31st March 1973 had previously served in the British Forces in the last two years prior to their recruitment by the RUC.

Fifty-eight recruits to the Royal Ulster Constabulary during the two years ended 31st March 1973 had previously served in Her Majesty's Forces. Whether such service occurred during the two years prior to their recruitment into the Royal Ulster Constabulary is not recorded centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on increased pay for the RUC during phase 3 of the Government's pay policy, in special recognition of the particular circumstances in which the force operates at present.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his Question on 19th July. The Consultative Document (Cmnd. 5444) contains the Government's proposals for pay policy in stage 3, including a general limit on increases in pay, a flexibility margin and other new provisions. Any proposals formulated by the Police Council will be subject to the current statutory pay code. [Vol. 860, c. 693–4. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for the supply of piped water for Rathlin Island.

The feasibility of providing a public water supply on Rathlin Island is currently being examined by the Northern Ireland Ministry of Development which on 1st October assumed responsibility for all water services in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will issue a general direction to the Post Office Corporation that it should avoid retrospective rulings affecting the right of its customers to use approved computer terminal devices other than those supplied by the corporation.

No. The Post Office is fully aware of the need to give advance notice before withdrawing approval from equipment which is already in use. If, however, my hon. Friend has a particular complaint against the Post Office, I know it would gladly investigate the matter for him.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what is his estimate of the cost to the Post Office of abolishing the television licence charge for all retirement pensioners in Great Britain.

Nothing. The cost would be about £30 million a year, but it would not fall on the Post Office. As to the ways in which this cost might be borne, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the debate in the House on 21st February 1973. [Vol. 851, c. 488–577.]

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications how many representations he has received from local authorities in Wales in support of abolishing the television licence charge for retirement pensioners.

Eight, including representations from three authorities made through hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the enforcement of fire regulations in Scottish hospitals.

New hospital construction must conform with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regula- tions, which include provision for structural fire safety and means of escape from fire. All hospital authorities have received guidance on the general fire precautions which should be observed in hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hotels have been aided in the installation of anti-fire equipment, under the scheme to help hotels of under 25 beds.

None since the scheme took effect last month, though I understand a number of Inquiries have been made by hotel owners to local authorities which administer the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions have been brought by fire authorities during 1973, against hotel owners who have not complied with their advice.

There have been no prosecutions yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further action he proposes to take about museum charges in the Scottish national museums and galleries.

In view of the representations which have been made to me by hon. Members and others about the variation of a private will in the order which I made on 16th July under the powers conferred upon me by the Museums and Galleries Admission Charges Act 1972, I have given further consideration to the matter and have withdrawn that order and made a new order under the Act. The new order, which is being laid before Parliament today, has been made after consultation with the governing bodies of the institutions concerned. It will provide, as the previous order did, for variation of the Treasury Minute of 1858 and the Act of 1855 which affect the collections of the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland and Royal Scottish Museum respectively, but it will not provide for variation of the will of Henry Vaughan and the Torrie Agreement both of which concerned the National Galleries of Scotland. I have asked the Trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland to show the collections in their galleries at the Mound, including the Vaughan Bequest, free in the month of January each year. The loss of income, together with that resulting from the Trustees scheme of one free day a week from mid-September to mid-June, will be met by an extension of the period of extra charges in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 so as to enable all abandoned children to be registered instead of only new-born children.

This proposal has been considered by the Registrar-General and is one of a number of desired changes in registration law. I cannot at present say when an opportunity for legislation will arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that some general practitioner principals in contract with local health executive councils interview the wives of partners to consider whether they are acceptable; and if he will inquire into this practice, in view of the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to sex discrimination.

If general medical practitioners wish to make social or informal contacts before deciding on the acceptability of a new partner this is a private matter for them as independent practitioners, and neither I nor the executive councils with whom they are in contract have any right to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has studied the report by Margaret Wynn and Arthur Wynn, "Some Consequences of Induced Abortion to Children Born Subsequently"; and whether he will act upon its recommendations.

I am aware of this report, which was submitted by the authors as evidence to the Committee on the Working of the Abortion Act. The views expressed will no doubt be taken into account by the committee. I will consider if further action is needed when the report of the committee is received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent general practitioners are refusing to allow their patients to attend Family Planning Association and local authority clinics for free family planning services; and whether he will issue advice to family doctors on this matter.

I do not know how many general practitioners have raised objections to their patients attending Family Planning Association or local authority clinics for free family planning services. I cannot prevent their doing so, but it is implicit in the arrangements for the provision of family planning under the National Health Service, which are being discussed with the medical profession, that the patient should be free to choose where she gets advice and treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows are at present receiving ( a ) widow's allowance payable for the first 26 weeks of widowhood, ( b ) widow's supplementary allowance payable for the first 26 weeks of widowhood and what is the average payment of this allowance, ( c ) widowed mother's allowance, ( d ) widow's reduced rate pension, payable to widows aged between 40 and 50 years, ( e ) widow's full rate pension, and ( f ) retirement pension, respectively.

The information is not available in the precise form requested. The latest figures available are as follows: ( a ) 38,000 at the end of 1971; ( b ) 21,000 at the end of 1971, with an average weekly payment of £5.10; ( c ) 133,000 currently; ( d ) 100,000 currently; ( e ) 320,000 currently; and ( f ) 2,100,000 currently.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows have been disqualified from receiving a widow's benefit or receive a reduced one because of their husband's inadequate contribution record.

The personal element of widow's benefit is payable according to the late husband's yearly average of contributions, 50 being required for full benefit. In November 1972, about 35,500 widows were receiving reduced rates of personal benefit based on yearly averages of between 13 and 49. About 15,500 of these were widowed mothers who were however getting full increases for their dependent children. It is not known how many claims are disallowed because the yearly average was less than 13, but the figure is unlikely to be substantial.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up a research project into the need for a scheme whereby widows, who wish to do so, may pay an increased national insurance stamp in order to receive sickness and unemployment benefit.

No. I do not think that there is a case for such a project.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will direct regional hospital boards to consult with trade unions representative of the workers concerned before taking firm decisions about the reorganisation of ambulance services.

Decisions relating to the reorganisation of the ambulance service will rest with the new regional and area health authorities, but the problems are being examined and recommendations will be made by the joint liaison committees representing existing National Health Service and local authorities in each region and area. The need to consult staff, individually or in groups, and directly or through their trade unions, on all matters connected with reorganisation which which affect them has been repeatedly emphasised to existing authorities and the joint liaison committees and the new authorities will be expected to do so before making final decisions on recommendations made by those committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Adoption of Children.

The report as a whole raises complex issues which the Government are considering in the light of the comments they have received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the degree of wastage among dental auxiliaries at present, he will take steps to ensure that their employment should not be limited to local authority or hospital service but should be extended to general dental practices.

Not at present. The Working Party on Dental Services is considering the need of trained dentists for ancillary help of all kinds.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the take-up of the butter subsidy tokens each week since 2nd July, and what has been the breakdown each week by class of recipient, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of each total group entitlement.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. It is estimated that in mid-August about 4.7 million people in Great Britain—including children—qualified for tokens. Each beneficiary is entitled to two tokens a month. Details of tokens received from retailers since the scheme began are as follows: Number Percentage of Available tokens 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 those months but not yet used (each token is valid for two months); or not yet returned to the Department by retailers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the proposed Buxton ambulance station as submitted to his Department by Derby County Council has been deferred; and if he will make a statement.

The number of ambulance schemes submitted by local authorities for loan sanction approval exceeded the resources available for 1973–74 and this scheme was among others that had to be deferred.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the value of the £1 and £2 disregards worth at the latest date in comparison to when they were last raised in 1966.

66p and £1.32 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken in the light of the pilot studies on social security abuse, undertaken by his Department at Cowdenbeath and elsewhere.

The special drives during the summer were undertaken against working while drawing benefit and supplemented the normal continuous efforts to counter this type of fraud, which accounts for more than half of the benefit fraud discovered each year. About 800 cases of fraud were detected and about 200 prosecutions have so far been authorised. The experience gained is being used in assessing the effectiveness of measures to deal with this form of abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give any conveniently available figures of the amount recovered from the estates of deceased people by his department, as a result of overpayment of social security payments during the lifetime of the deceased: and if he will make a statement.

In the financial year ended March 1973 overpayments of supplementary benefit and national assistance amounting to £717,207 were recovered from the estates of 3,589 deceased claimants. These came to light almost entirely from the discovery after death that all capital assets had not been disclosed during the claimant's lifetime.

In addition there were some recoveries of known overpayments of other social security benefits outstanding at recipients' deaths, but, as the possession of capital does not affect the amount of contributory benefits, the number would be small and no separate records are kept.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the report of the "Inquiry into the Mobility Needs of the Disabled" to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 16th October.—[Vol. 861, c. 30. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much is spent on mental health as a percentage of the total resources devoted to the Department of Health and Social Security.

Precise figures are not available because it is not practicable to segregate fully expenditure on mental health from that on other health and personal social services. However, it is estimated that expenditure in England on services primarily concerned with mental health accounts for 13 per cent. of the total resources devoted to the health and personal social services programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to extend the £10 Christmas bonus to pensioners to include the handicapped, the disabled, the chronic sick, war widows, peace-time widows and others in a similar predicament but under the age of retirement; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to hon. Members yesterday.

asked the Attorney-General if he will propose legal aid for those appearing at social security tribunals.

The Lord Chancellor's Legal Aid Advisory Committee is considering the question of the desirability of extending legal aid for representation before some or all of the tribunals under the supervision of the Council on Tribunals; this includes Social Security Appeals Tribunals. The Committee expects to report in the New Year.

asked the Attorney-General what was the number of defended divorce cases heard in England in 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972, respectively.

The number of defended divorces heard in England during the years in question was: 1969 2,482 1970 2,441 1971 2,430 1972 2,171

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to strengthen the laws relating to auction sales of works of art in this country.

If the hon. Member has evidence that existing laws relating to auctions do not adequately protect buyers and sellers I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1), whether he will ascertain from the United States Government, and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, the terms of their approval of the forthcoming sale by auction in London on 31st October of paintings from the collection of Mr. Jack R. Dick;

(2) whether he will initiate an inquiry into the proposed auction of pictures the property of Mr. Jack R. Dick to be held at Sothebys on 31st October.

I am seeking further information but I have at present no evidence on the basis of which I could or should intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what official discussions he has had on the joint venture in the United Kingdom for an ethylene plant of some 500,000 tons per annum capacity involving ICI, Shell Chemicals and BP Chemicals International; whether special provision has been sought for investment or other grants; what discussions have taken place on pricing; and whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy on these matters.

I am aware that discussions are taking place between the companies about a possible project of this kind but have so far had no detailed discussions with them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his present assessment on the trend of commodity prices.