asked the Minister of State for Defence how many civilian personnel are employed full time at Royal Air Force, St. Mawgan; what is their average working week; what is their average gross weekly pay; and what is the average gross weekly pay of the lowest paid 10 per cent.

The number of civilians currently employed full time by the Ministry of Defence at Royal Air Force St. Mawgan is 209, comprising 146 industrial employees, 37 weekly paid non-industrial and 26 salaried non-industrial staff. In a recent pay week the average working week for industrials was 45 hours net, and for non-industrial 42 hours gross; the average gross weekly pay was £28.39 (industrial), £27.26 (non-industrials), with a combined average of £28.10; and the average gross weekly pay of the lowest paid 10 per cent. was £21.37.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will pay an official visit to RAF, Brize Norton.

I have at present no plans to visit Brize Norton.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many Chilean military personnel are currently being trained by Her Majesty's Forces.

About 200 Chilean military personnel are currently undergoing training in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will consider holding joint discussions with the Greater London Council and London boroughs to examine the possibility of land held by his Department being made available to the local authorities.

My right hon. Friend is always prepared to consider representations about the possibility of land held by his Department being made available to local authorities. We keep all our property requirements in the London areas continuously under review, and surplus property is already made available to the local authorities whenever possible.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will review the decision of the Defence Lands Committee to relinquish only a portion of the land at Wormwood Scrubs for open space and amenities for the local communities; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have not yet reached a decision on the recommendations of the Defence Lands Committee. As announced in the Explanatory Memorandum on the Report (Cmnd. 5364) a period has been set aside for public comment and discussion and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister stated in response to a Question on 16th October—[Vol. 861, c. 27–8.]—that it was hoped that an announcement could be made early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of State for Defence, in view of his announcement that the RAF intends to transfer its air-to-ground activities from Theddlethorpe to Donna Nook, when the transfer will now take place.

The RAF's use of Theddlethorpe range will cease by the end of this year. It is expected that use of Donna Nook will begin in the spring of 1974.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he is taking to assist time-expired Service men and their families with their housing needs in their return to civilian life.

We provide officers and Service men in their last year of service with an interest-free loan against the terminal grant payable on retirement, to help them buy a house for their return to civilian life. We also encourage Service personnel to save money for house purchase during their time in the forces. And we are urgently considering further measures.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what representations he has received in connection with the Defence Lands Committee recommendations about the ranges at Castlemartin.

My Department has received 57 communications from the public, most of them from local residents and organisations, about the recommendation that more intensive use should be made of Castlemartin as a result of moving the RAC Gunnery School from Lulworth. This figure includes letters from 12 local authorities and the Countryside Commission. We have also received 44 Press cuttings on the subject, and, of course, my hon. Friend will know that a deputation from the Castle-martin Action Committee was received in my Department on 19th September 1973.

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the three-ship through-deck cruiser project, costing £110 million per vessel.

The construction of the first cruiser, HMS "Invincible", which was ordered in April, is going according to plan.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the amount of pay, allowances and emoluments of a married captain in the Regular Army.

The pay scale for a captain, whether married or unmarried, is £2,814 to £3,489 per year. The rates of allowances very greatly with the circumstances, but if the hon. Member has any particular problem in mind I will consider whether I can give him the information.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a progress report on the Government's review of the working of the Dockyard Incentive Bonus Scheme and other related matters.

Final conclusions have not been reached on these matters. Any proposals for change will in any case be the subject of negotiation with the appropriate trade unions in the first instance.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a progress report on measures by the Royal Navy to combat pollution of coastal and open waters by its ships and installations.

Arrangements are already made in Her Majesty's ships to prevent them from causing oil pollution in coastal and open waters. Measures taken to prevent other forms of pollution include the fitting of biological sewage disposal plants in the newer classes of vessels. Various other items of equipment including incinerators and macerators have also been installed in ships. New devices are evaluated as they become available.Appropriate measures are also taken in shore establishments to prevent the pollution of nearby waters, including special arrangements for the disposal of noxious forms of waste. Facilities are constantly being improved as establishments are modernised.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how long he expects the Ulster Defence Regiment to remain in being.

The Ulster Defence Regiment was established by Act of Parliament as a permanent feature of the security arrangements for Northern Ireland. It will continue in being for the foreseeable future.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many full-time members there are in the Ulster Defence Regiment; if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the CON rate at which they are paid and to what extent they are understaffed; and if he will consider reviewing the rates of pay.

The number of non-Regular permanent staff serving in the Ulster Defence Regiment at 30th September 1973 was 810 against an establishment of 1,302.As regards pay, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16th October.—[Vol. 861, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has yet completed its investigation into the unemployment statistics; and when, and in what form, the results will be published.

The unemployment statistics were the subject of a White Paper published in November 1972 (Cmnd. 5157). Further studies of the characteristics of the unemployed are being carried out by a working group set up as recommended in the White Paper. I will arrange for any results of general interest to be published in the Department of Employment Gazette, and I am hoping that we shall be able to publish the first article shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the number of persons attending Government training centres on Merseyside.

The number of people attending Government training centres on Merseyside is 709. This compares with 555 in 1970. Many additional places have also been provided on Merseyside in colleges and in approved employers' establishments under the Training Opportunities Scheme. There are now some 1,700 training places on Merseyside compared with fewer than 700 in 1970, and further expansion is planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider the appointment of a committee to work directly to him for the employment of handicapped people.

My right hon. Friend already has such a committee—the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons were unemployed and what was the percentage in Sunderland at the latest available date.

On 8th October 1973, 719 registered disabled people, or 22·7 per cent. of the total register, were unemployed in Sunderland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest average wage per hour of people employed in catering industries.

Estimates from the New Earnings Survey 1973 will become available and be published in my Department's Gazette later this month. I will arrange for them to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT on about 29th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many immigrants are involved in night shift duties in the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons have left the steel, coal mining, and textile industries in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region during the past 12 months.

The precise information requested is not available, but between June 1971 and June 1972 the numbers of employees in employment in the Yorkshire and Humberside region fell by 8,200 in iron and steel, including steel tubes; by 3,700 in coal mining; and by 6,700 in textiles.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the regulations under the Employment Agencies Act will be laid before the House; and on what date they will begin to operate.

I appreciate the interest which my hon. Friend has in this Act which he presented so successfully to Parliament. However, I can only repeat what I said whilst the Bill was being debated. I hope to see it become effective at about the same time as the new local authorities outside London come into existence next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of domestic or localised strikes and days lost as a result thereof in shipyards and other constructional yards, manufacturing oil rigs and complementary oil exploration or handling equipment, in the last 12 calendar months to the latest convenient date.

The official series of statistics of stoppages of work is compiled on the basis of the Standard Industrial Classification 1968, which does not separately identify the manufacture of oil rigs and ancillary equipment. I regret, therefore, that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will issue regulations to require manufacturers of Ferrotone and PC6 germicide to put these in different coloured containers clearly labelled on the tops, following an incident at Mawney swimming pool in the London borough of Havering on 17th October when a number of swimmers were injured by poisonous gas given off by a mixture of Ferrotone and bleach.

No. The many problems associated with labelling of chemicals are under discussion both in a United Kingdom working group and in connection with EEC directives. The facts of this incident will be made known to the working group and officials will discuss with the manufacturers of Ferro-tone what could be done to make a future mistake less likely.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received as to the inadequacy of the facilities at the Manor Hospital, Walsall, for the delivery and care of premature babies; and what action he proposes to take.

I have received letters from my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Sir H. d'Avigdor-Goldsmid) and the Walsall Executive Council. Facilities were restricted for about three months while repairs and redecoration were undertaken to the existing accommodation but are now operating normally. The regional board is planning a new purpose-built unit at the Manor Hospital providing 20 special-care baby cots which it is hoped to start building in 1974–75.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further steps he intends to take during the present parliamentary Session to bring the dangers of smoking to the attention of the public and to discourage the use of tobacco.

Early in the new year I shall be publishing a revised list of the tar and nicotine yields of brands of cigarettes on sale in the United Kingdom and the Health Education Council will be giving additional publicity to this list. The list will be banded in categories according to tar yield, and I hope this will help the council in its publicity. The council is also producing a new antismoking film designed for schoolchildren and will be mounting a campaign next year emphasising in particular the dangers of smoking during pregnancy. Next April I shall be opening a national conference in London which is being organised jointly by the Health Education Council and Action on Smoking and Health at which the whole problem of drawing people's attention to the dangers of smoking will be publicly discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the outcome of the review of supplementary benefits to strikers to be announced.

I have nothing to add to my replies to my hon. Friend on 5th November—[Vol. 863, c. 81.]—and my hon. Friend the Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 6th November.—[Vol. 863, c. 160.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the situation affecting hospitals in the Stockport area which will have to restrict the intake of patients, particularly in geriatric wards, unless there is an improvement in the recruitment of nursing staff, and on steps that are being taken to remedy the situation.

There are now 1,366 nurses serving in hospitals in the Stockport area, which is close to the establishment for which finance has been approved. There is no intention of restricting the intake of patients to geriatric or other wards.The Stockport and Buxton Hospital Management Committee and Manchester Regional Hospital Board are making a special recruiting effort as a result of which there has been some improvement recently in nursing strength.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make more money available for staffing resources in the reorganised health service.

Additional funds made available by the Department to National Health Service authorities each year are not allocated for particular types of expenditure. Allocations for 1974–75 will reflect the wider scope of the National Health Service, and it will be for health authorities themselves to decide, in the light of priorities, how much of the funds available to them are devoted to staff resources and to other purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the payment of compensation to children, or their parents, blinded as a result of their being placed in oxygen tents when born prematurely; and if he will take steps to enable such compensation to be backdated to include all cases occurring since 1947;(2) how many children have been blinded as a consequence of being put into oxygen tents when born prematurely; how many of that total were as a consequence of the malfunctioning of the machine; and how many as a consequence of human error.

The information is not available, but an analysis of records of registered blind people in England and Wales for the period 1951 to 1968, the last year for which figures are available, showed that in 480 cases the cause of blindness was recorded as retrolental fibroplasia. This is a condition statistically associated with oxygen therapy given to premature babies. Available statistics do not, however, establish whether all these were cases of that kind, nor whether there is an exclusive relationship between the condition and that therapy, nor whether, positively or negatively, the cases reported arose from either malfunctioning of equipment or human error. But any question of compensation would be a matter for the courts and in the absence of negligence does not arise.While there is no question of this representing compensation, it is open to the parents of children in this group below age 16 to apply for assistance to the Family Fund, administered on my behalf by the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust. I cannot say whether help could be given in a particular case, but I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the trust's explanatory leaflet.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent, and in what way, the county borough of Halifax has conformed with the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

I assume my hon. Friend to be referring to Sections 1 and 2 of the Act. As regards Section 1, I am advised that the authority has carried out a sample survey from which it will be possible to form an estimate of the numbers and needs of handicapped people in the area as required by the section.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current total amount of supplementary benefits paid to retirement pensioners.

Current expenditure is at the rate of £214 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give an estimate of the number of retirement pensioners living alone;(2) what is the number of one-person retirement pensioner households and of two-person retirement pensioner households, respectively.

I regret that the precise information for which my hon. Friend has asked is not available. However, at the time of the 1971 Census there were 2,127,000 persons over pensionable age in one-person households. There were 1,181,500 two-person households which included one person over pensionable age and 1,510,300 two-person households which included two persons over pensionable age.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the annual increased cost to the Exchequer of granting a fixed pension of £18 per week to all of pensionable age.

The cost to public funds would be about £5,150 million more than the cost of retirement pension and other social security benefits now paid to people over pension age.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is his policy to establish in each region a regional audiology centre similar to the Wessex Centre; what is his estimate of the funds needed for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is engaged in consultation with hospital authorities on how services for the hard of hearing should be developed. Considerable interest has been shown in centres like that in Wessex and their value is accepted. I regret, however, that an estimate of the funds needed for such centres in each region could not be made without undue inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement relating to the testing of food supplies to regional hospital boards under contract.

For contracts arranged by my Department factories are inspected and products are tested before and periodically after the award of contracts. Hospital purchasing authorities are responsible for exercising quality control of the contracts they place.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has discussed with the drug company concerned the employment of attractive young female representatives to call on family doctors for sales promotion of drugs prescribed in the National Health Service, information about which he has received from the hon. Member for Willesden, West; and what is his policy on this form of drug promotion, in the light of the operation of the voluntary price regulation scheme.

I have had no such discussions, nor do I intend to. I expect to see the reasonable cost of sales promotion, including the cost of representatives of either sex, in the returns I receive under the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now give the necessary six months' notice to terminate the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme in order that it may be renegotiated with a view to obtaining terms more favourable to the taxpayer.

I am precluded by the provisions of the scheme in the absence of major changes in the pharmaceutical services from giving such notice before 1st March 1977. I would in any case see no reason to seek to terminate the scheme, because it is working as intended in providing a fair balance between the interests of the manufacturers and of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled National Health Service patients in England who have been issued with motor invalid tricycles with manually-operated gearbox;(2) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled National Health Service patients in England who have been issued with motor invalid tricycles, Model 70, with automatic gearbox;(3) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled National Health Service patients in England who have been issued with electrically-propelled invalid tricycles;(4) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled National Health Service patients in England who have been issued with four-wheel cars and travellers with manually-operated gearbox;(5) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled National Health Service patients in England who have been issued with four-wheel cars and travellers with automatic gearbox;(6) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled war pensioners in England who have been issued with motor invalid tricycles with manually-operated gearbox;(7) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled war pensioners in England who have been issued with motor invalid tricycles, Model 70, with automatic gearbox;(8) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled war pensioners in England who have been issued with electrically-propelled invalid tricycles;(9) if he will list the age groups and social status of the disabled war pensioners in England who have been issued with four-wheel cars and travellers with manually-operated gearbox;

An analysis by age groups would call for a disproportionate effort, and information as to social status, a term which can be interpreted variously, is not available. Certain information was provided in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 5th November.—[Vol. 863, c. 86–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the recognised establishment figures for radiographers in the various hospitals of the new Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority; and how many radiographers are actually in post;(2) what are the recognised establishment figures for physiotherapists in the various hospitals of the new Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority; and how many physiotherapists are actually in post.

In terms of whole-time equivalents the following are numbers of radiographers and physiotherapists currently employed by hospital authorities within the area to be covered by the Nottingham Area Health Authority:

Hospital Management Commitee	Radio-graphers	Physiotherapists
Nottingham University	35½	28½
Worksop and Retford	6½	3½
Nottingham and District (part)	21	30½
Mansfield	15	14
Trent Vale	N.A.	0

I understand that the Nottingham University Hospital Management Committee would like to employ 4 more radiographers and 8½ (equivalent) more physiotherapists; the Worksop and Retford Committee another ½ (equivalent) radiographer and another physiotherapist; the Nottingham and District Committee 5½ (equivalent) more radiographers and 6 more physiotherapists in the relevant hospitals; the Mansfield Committee 3½ (equivalent) more radiographers and 16 more physiotherapists; and the Trent Vale Committee three physiotherapists. The deployment of staff between individual hospitals in a group is a matter for the hospital authority concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many geriatric beds are in use in the Stockport and Buxton Hospital Management Committee area; what is the earliest date by which he expects additional beds to be available; and how many additional beds there will be.

390 beds are now in use. Fifty-six new beds are expected to be available early next year to replace 49 in substandard accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will make provision through Her Majesty's Inspectorate for in-service training of teachers in writing and spelling, in view of the evidence contained in letters recently received by Members of Parliament of the need for such training.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will institute research into the provision of boarding facilities in secondary schools.

Her Majesty's inspectors are already engaged in a pilot survey of boarding facilities at maintained secondary schools. It will be for consideration in the light of its results whether any further investigation should be undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what estimate of the average expenses of students at the Scottish universities, the present rate of student grants is based.

Estimates of expenses for students in Great Britain as a whole are revised every three years. In addition this year there was an interim increase of £20 in the main rates of grant which, together with the increases already agreed for 1973–74, gave students an additional 8–9 per cent. as from September.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the independent schools within the area covered by the Cheshire County Education Authority, indicating those which are recognised as efficient.

The following schools are "registered"; those "recognised as efficient" are marked with an asterisk.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the independent schools in the area covered by the Macclesfield divisional executive of the Cheshire County Education Authority, indicating those which are recognised as efficient.

The following schools are "registered"; those "recognised as efficient" are marked with an asterisk.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list those 26 polytechnics having purpose-built halls of residence for students, and state how many polytechnics have plans to build such halls.

The following is the list:

• City of Birmingham Polytechnic
• Brighton Polytechnic
• Bristol Polytechnic
• Polytechnic of Central London
• Glamorgan Polytechnic
• Hatfield Polytechnic
• Huddersfield Polytechnic
• Kingston Polytechnic
• Lanchester Polytechnic
• Leeds Polytechnic
• City of Leicester Polytechnic
• Liverpool Polytechnic
• Middlesex Polytechnic
• Newcastle Upon Tyne Polytechnic
• Polytechnic of North London
• North Staffordshire Polytechnic
• Oxford Polytechnic
• Plymouth Polytechnic
• Portsmouth Polytechnic
• Sheffield Polytechnic
• Polytechnic of the South Bank
• Sunderland Polytechnic
• Teesside Polytechnic
• Thames Polytechnic
• Trent Polytechnic
• Wolverhampton Polytechnic

All of the 30 polytechnics either have new residential accommodation under construction or have proposals under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied with the liaison between her Department, county education authorities and planning authorities in so far as assessing the need for new primary and secondary schools is concerned.

Yes. Most county education authorities already indicate the priorities they attach to the projects in their proposed programmes. Liaison with local planning authorities is a matter for local education authorities.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to the West Midlands.

Yes. I have accepted an invitation to address the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in Birmingham on 31st January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to St. Columb Major.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to seek to pay an official visit to the United States of America.

I have no plans at the present time to pay an official visit to the United States of America.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co- ordination between the Scottish Office and the Department of Education and Science on the introduction of museum charges to national galleries and museums.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the implementation of the October 1972 European summit decision.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister what further plans he has to meet officials of the National Union of Mineworkers.

I met them on 23rd October. There are no arrangements at present for a further meeting.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends to engage in another televised phone-in programme.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Leslie Huckfield) on 8th November.—[Vol. 863, c. 231.]

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Trade and Industry in regard to the Government's policy on prices.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware of the practice by his Secretaries of State of issuing Command and other Government Papers to the Press marked "confidential", forbidding approaches to anyone about their contents before publication, and specifically embargoing reporters from consulting informed sources when preparing their news stories, until the item is, in many cases, stale; and if he will prohibit this practice.

This is a longstanding practice and, in accordance with Standing Orders, it also applies to certain House of Commons Papers such as Select Committee reports. Such prior release of information to be given to Members can only be made on a strictly confidential and limited basis.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Trade and Industry concerning exports to Chile.

Yes. There has been close consultation between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Trade and Industry on all aspects of British exports to Chile.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with President Pompidou.

The President and I had wide-ranging discussions on matters of common concern, including European Community affairs, transatlantic relations and the situation in the Middle East.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the President of the United States of America.

I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply which I cave to the hon. Member for Brent-ford and Chiswick (Mr. Barnes) on 13th November.—[Vol. 864, c. 74.]

asked the Prime Minister what position is held by a civil servant, whose name has been supplied to him, at No. 10 Downing Street; why he was disciplined for writing to a local newspaper; and whether he will make a statement.

The man concerned is an executive officer on the staff at 10 Downing Street. He answered a number of questions about his duties, knowing that his answers were to be reported in a local newspaper, without first having sought permission in accordance with the rules governing all civil servants. He has apologised, and has undertaken to comply with the rules in future. No other disciplinary action has been taken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the price of cheese has risen since June 1970; what are the import figures from Australia, Canada and New Zealand taking the latest available figures as compared with 1970; and if he will make a statement on the effect of the Common Market variable levy on cheese.

The Department of Employment's General Index of Retail Prices indicates that the average retail price of cheddar cheese increased by 13 ·2 pence per lb. in the period June 1970 to June 1972. Since that date it has risen by less than 1p per lb. United Kingdom imports of cheese for the year ending September 1973 compared with the same period in 1969–70 are as follows:

'000 tons
	1969–70	1972–73
Australia	13·8	0·8
Canada	12·7	4·8
New Zealand	67·8	57·8
Other sources	61·1	86·7

In the same period there has been a 42 per cent. increase in home production of cheese. The retail price of cheddar cheese has remained virtually unchanged since Common Market variable levies were introduced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will explain the reason for the retail price of cheddar-type cheese having risen by 78 per cent. since 18th June 1970; and whether any of the causes have been within the control of the Government.

Almost the whole of the increase occurred in the two years ending June 1972 and was a reflection of the general shortage of milk products, a factor outside the Government's control.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest estimates of the completion dates of the flood defences downstream of the Thames flood barrier on the Kent and Essex sides, respectively.

The plans of the Kent and Essex River Authorities continue to be to complete, before the barrier becomes operational in time for the 1978–79 flood season, the necessary improvements to the downstream defences for those areas of comparable importance to London and those areas where there is appreciable risk of loss of life or damage to property.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the flood defences downstream of the Thames flood barrier are affected by the cutbacks in public expenditure announced recently by the Prime Minister.

Some work on the defences downstream of the Thames barrier has already started. The remainder of the contracts to be placed by the Greater London Council and the Essex and Kent River Authorities are planned to be let after 1st January 1974. Progress of the scheme will not be affected by the measures referred to.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the preparatory work for the flood defences downstream of the Thames flood barrier on the Kent and Essex sides, respectively; whether the work in one county is more advanced than in the other; and for what reason.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Trew) on 18th April 1973.—[Vol. 855, c. 126–7.] Since then preparatory work has progressed and currently tender documents are being prepared. The problems of the Kent and Essex sides are different, and so it is not possible to make a simple comparison of the rates of progress.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to improve co-ordination between his Ministry, the Greater London Council and the river authorities in Kent and Essex in the planning and construction of the flood defences downstream of the Thames flood barrier.

I am satisfied with the co-ordination that has so far been achieved between my officials and those of the Greater London Council and the Kent and Essex River Authorities in the planning of the Thames downstream defences. As the work develops the need for co-ordination will inevitably increase, and I shall take any necessary steps as appropriate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made towards international agreement either on the limitation of transporting animals for slaughter, or for improving standards of transport and slaughter.

Agreement has been reached within the EEC that all member States able to do so should simultaneously ratify the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport on 1st January 1974. In addition we have taken part in discussions in the Community at expert level on possible further measures to protect the welfare of animals in transit and to ensure their humane treatment at slaughterhouses.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide figures to show how average agricultural wages have compared with average industrial wages for each year since 1968 to the latest available date.

The comparison of average earnings is as follows:

	Average Earnings £ per week Agriculture*	United Kingdom Industry†
1968	15·99	23·00
1969	17·42	24·83
1970	19·04	28·05
1971	21·30	30·93
1972	24·05	35·82
* Total earnings include overtime, piecework, bonuses, premiums perquisites valued, where applicable, in accordance with the agricultural wages orders. Earnings relate to hired regular whole-time men, 20 years and over, and are based on April/March years, October being the midpoint.
† Information on industrial earnings includes bonuses and incentive payments. The earnings relate to full-time manual male workers, 21 years and over in a single pay week in October. The figures relate to all industries and services covered by the Department of Employment's regular October inquiry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that some farm workers are paid fortnightly; and if he will encourage weekly payments in order to assist their families.

As in all other industries, this is a matter for determination between individual employers and workers or their representatives and it would not be proper for me to intervene.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the report of the committee set up to review the export trade in live animals destined for slaughter.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 25th October.—[Vol. 861, c. 583–4.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of regular whole-time workers in agriculture for each year since 1960, and the annual percentage variation; and what is the farm labour force as a percentage of the national labour force.

In 1972, and including self-employed persons in either case, the farm labour force represented about 2·9 per cent. of the United Kingdom civil employment. The following are the further statistics requested:

REGULAR WHOLE-TIME WORKERS IN AGRICULTURE AT JUNE (UNITED KINGDOM)
	Number ('000)	Percentage reduction since previous year
1960	505	—
1961	480	4·9
1962	460	4·2
1963	444	3·5
1964	414	6·8
1965	388	6·3
1966	364	6·2
1967	345	5·2
1968	324	6·1
1969	308	4·9
1970	269*	Not applicable*
1971	262*	2·6
1972	259*	1·1
1973	253*	2·3
* Numbers for 1970 onwards are not directly comparable with earlier years because they:
(a) include managerial and clerical workers previously excluded;
(b) are based upon a specific definition of "whole time" viz. 40 hours or more per week; and
(c) exclude junior partners previously reckoned as regular whole time male workers (they are now returned under farmers, partners and directors).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage of gross national product produced by agricultural workers; and what action he is taking to encourage more workers to enter agriculture and to remain in it.

Agriculture accounted for 2·8 per cent. of the gross national product in 1972. It would be unrealistic to attempt to apportion this between the industry's employers, self-employed and employees. It is for the industry to recruit and retain the manpower that it needs. My Department is giving all possible assistance notably by directly administering the agricultural sector of the Training Opportunities Scheme; by servicing the Agricultural Wages Board and its county committees, especially in relation to the Wages Structure Scheme; by furthering the work in the Agricultural Training Board which will shortly become the responsibility of Agricultural Ministers; and—as will be apparent from the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Ralph Howell) on 19th October—by supporting the service which the National Proficiency Tests Council renders to the industry as a basis for payment of the statutory premium rate for craftsmen.—[Vol. 861, c. 318–19.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm workers were evicted from tied cottages in each of the past three years.

There are no official statistics of evictions but the hon. Member may be able to get some general information on the subject from the journal of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about former tied

FATAL ACCIDENTS TO CHILDREN ON FARMS 1972*
Causes of fatality							Number	Children concerned Ages
Drowning		…	…	…	…	…	5	2 years (3); 3 years (2)
Falling from field machines					…	…	5	3 years (1); 6 years (1); 7 years (1); 12 years (1); 13 years (1)
Run over by tractors				…	…	…	3	2 years (2); 3 years (1)
Overturning tractors				…	…	…	2	10 years (1); 13 years (1)
Burns	…	…	…	…	…	…	2	4 years (1); 6 years (1)
Knocked down by fork lift truck					…	…	1	2 years
Asphyxiated in stored grain					…	…	1	14 years
* The basis for compiling departmental accident statistics is set out in the Annual Report rendered to Parliament.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to improve safety on farms and encourage compliance with safety regulations.

I would refer to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr) on 15th February 1973.—[Vol. 850, c. 1432.] Since then the Government have announced their proposals for implementing the Robens Committee's Report on Safety and Health at Work; and my Department is already engaged in consultations with all interests concerned to ensure fully effective application of these proposals to agriculture.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate from the safety point of view

No such case has been brought to my notice. The hon. Member will be aware that under Section 99 of the Agriculture Act 1970 an owner may be liable to pay compensation where it appears to the court that he has obtained possession through the court of a tied cottage through misrepresentation or concealment of material facts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for the most recent year, how many children were killed on farms; and if he will categorise the causes of these fatalities and the ages of the children.

The details are as follows:the prevalence of farmers' wives taking their children with them when helping on farms, with a view to revising the present safety regulations.

No. I believe that this is a matter for the good sense of the farmers' wives concerned rather than for regulations. Our farm safety inspectorate is very much aware that there can so often be a risk situation where any young children accompany any persons engaged on farm work; and they will continue to publicise both the hazards that can arise and the need for the utmost care.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the figures for fatal and other accidents to workers employed in agriculture for each year since 1960; and if he will express them as a percentage of the workers so employed.

AGRICULTURAL WORKERS IN ENGLAND AND WALES—ACCIDENT STATISTICS*
					Fatal Accidents		Non-fatal Accidents
Year					Number	As percentage of all agricultural workers	Number	As percentage of all agricultural workers
1960	…	…	…	…	43	·008	12,233	2·17
1961	…	…	…	…	65	·012	10,869	2·03
1962	…	…	…	…	54	·010	11,879	2·32
1963	…	…	…	…	51	·010	12,550	2·53
1964	…	…	…	…	53	·011	11,455	2·41
1965	…	…	…	…	41	·009	10,128	2·25
1966	…	…	…	…	62	·014	9,352	2·17
1967	…	…	…	…	46	·011	8,572	2·16
1968	…	…	…	…	52	·014	7,389	2·01
1969	…	…	…	…	58	·016	7,387	2·09
1970	…	…	…	…	31	·008	6,291	1·79
1971	…	…	…	…	49	·014	5,711	1·64
1972	…	…	…	…	42	·012	5,755	1·69
* The basis for compiling departmental accident statistics is set out in the Annual Report rendered Parliament.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the collective average percentage rise in food prices between the summer of 1972 and the summer of 1973 in, respectively, those member States of the

CHANGES IN PRICE INDICES FOR FOOD IN PAST AND PRESENT MEMBER COUNTRIES OF EFTA
					Period of each year to which measurement relates						Percentage increase 1972 to 1973
Past Member Countries
United Kingdom		…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	14·2
Denmark	…	…	…	…	June, July		…	…	…	…	13·7
Irish Republic		…	…	…	May	…	…	…	…	…	19·9
Present Member Countries
Austria	…	…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	7·5
Finland	…	…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	13·6
Iceland	…	…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	28·1
Norway	…	…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	7·1
Portugal	…	…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	8·2
Sweden	…	…	…	…	June, July		…	…	…	…	6·5
Switzerland	…	…	…	…	June to August		…	…	…	…	5·0
Sources: United Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics.
Department of Employment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what communication he has had from the British Trawlers' Federation regarding the estimated loss to the industry due to some 30 trawlers from Hull, Fleetwood and Grimsby no longer fishing off Iceland, following the interim agreement in Reykjavik on 13th November; what is his estimated figure for this loss; whether he is to have any discussions

The information is as follows:former EFTA which joined the Common Market and those which did not.

The information for each of the countries is as follows. Owing to differences between countries in the coverage of items included in the indices and the period to which the changes relate, averages of the two groups of countries are not available.with the vessel owners; and if he will make a statement.

The estimated catch of 130,000 tons on which the interim agreement is based would represent a reduction of the order of 30,000 tons. We were in very close consultation with the industry throughout the negotiation of the agreement but I have received no specific communication from the British Trawlers' Federation on this point. The cost to the industry will depend upon a number of factors which cannot at this stage be foreseen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will enlarge the membership of the Local Government Boundary Commission to enable it to proceed simultaneously with re-warding and with the consideration of possible boundary changes;(2) if he is satisfied that the Local Government Boundary Commission is able to fulfil its function adequately.

The commission expects to report to me and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary shortly on its future programme of work. The points raised by the hon. Member will be taken into account when the commission's report is considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will classify the Ellesmere Port motorway as a trunk road.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the cost and earliest starting date of the M56 Hapsford to Lea-by-Buckford extension, the Chester southerly bypass, and the southern extension of the Ellesmere Port motorway to the A56 at Hoole for onward connection by the A41 to the northern end of the Chester southerly bypass.

The Chester southern bypass should receive authorisation to proceed to start of work early in 1974–75. The estimated total cost when programmed was about £5 million.M56 Hapsford to Lea-by-Buckford is being reviewed for a place in the firm roads programme. The estimated cost and possible starting date are included in this consideration.The Ellesmere Port motorway extension to A56 at Hoole is a principal road scheme and was recently transferred into the firm roads programme at an estimated cost of about £5 million. My right hon. and learned Friend is reviewing the future principal road programme and as yet the timing of this scheme has not been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members of the North West Water Authority who have been appointed by the Secretary of State or elected by the local authority in the Greater Manchester area.

The Greater Manchester County Council has appointed Messrs. J. A. Foster and J. Horrocks to the North West Water Authority; and the district councils within Greater Manchester have appointed Messrs. T. Hourigan and H. Lees. Two member appointed by the Secretary of State reside in the Greater Manchester area. They are Messrs. A. E. Hall and A. Richardson.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware that many local authorities which, following local government reorganisation, will become part of larger district councils are now seeking to complete contracts for large sums of money on local projects which they are now able to authorise; and if he will, therefore, take immediate steps to hold up all projects over £25,000 prior to next April, so that the new district councils may scrutinise these schemes, in the interests of all ratepayers in the new districts.

I have already urged authorities to consult with their neighbours with whom they will be merged before undertaking substantial capital expenditure. I have no evidence that they are not doing so. Nor have I any evidence that authorities are not heeding the Government's call for restraint in expenditure on any construction which is not essential. I have no reason therefore, even if it were possible, to require schemes, such as those referred to, to be stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will encourage local authorities to build houses for farm workers.

In the exercise of their general responsibilities for assessing local housing needs it is open to local authorities to have regard to any particular needs arising in their areas and to make provision accordingly. I ask local authorities to make such provision wherever they see a need.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer and to local authorities of the provision of accommodation provided or subsidised by local authorities in England in terms of the National Assistance Act for 1973–74.

I have been asked to-reply.Revenue expenditure, including loan charges but excluding administration costs, on the provision in England of accommodation under Sections 21 and 26 of the Act is estimated at £85 million for 1973–74.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress made with the harmonisation of professional qualifications within the EEC.

Draft directives for the mutual recognition of qualifications are under consideration in the European Community over the range of professions and occupations listed in my reply of 8th February 1973 to the hon. Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall).—[Vol. 850, c. 171–2.]Discussions are continuing. Professions and educational interests are being brought into full consultation at every stage.I would also refer my hon. Friend to the reply by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 2nd November 1973 to the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt).—[Vol. 863,

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will institute a register of concessionary United Kingdom passports to enable this information to be available in future.

No. I am not convinced that the extra work and cost of maintaining a separate statistical record would be justified by the purpose served.