asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about future economic and social prospects in Scotland, in view of recent developments in the economic situation.

With the achievement of steady economic growth, and the good response to the present system of regional incentives, the prospects for Scotland are promising.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect of phase 3 on school building.

The rephasing of public building works announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 8th October applies to the school building programme. Broadly the effect will be to defer contracts which would otherwise have been placed between early October and the end of December. Existing contracts are not affected. Arrangements designed to produce an orderly resumption of new orders on the construction industry after the end of the year will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost to the taxpayer of the public inquiry at Raasay.

The direct cost of the inquiry—some £400—will be met, as is the usual practice, by the planning authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will report on the progress being made towards co-operation with European Community countries on energy policy.

The Council of Energy Ministers on 22nd May agreed that the Commission's paper on guidelines and priorities could be used as the basis for proposals for a Community energy policy. Subsequent detailed proposals by the Commission have been under discussion by officials of member States and further proposals are awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will initiate discussions with Commonwealth Governments about an extension of the scheme of Voluntary Service Overseas.

I do not think there is any need for special discussions about this. I consult Commonwealth countries each year about the size and nature of the British Volunteer Programme for the following year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has fixed a date for further discussions with the Spanish Foreign Minister about the future of Gibraltar.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he is giving, in the course of his review of the affairs of the Crown Agents, to hiving off their financial investment operations to a separate agency.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement at the end of Questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received the report on the tuna fishing project at Christmas Island; and when a decision may be expected on the steps which he proposes to take as a result.

Fisheries and commercial advisers have just returned from a visit to the colony for detailed discussions about this project. I now await their report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the steps taken, and the results achieved, by the British Government towards the fulfilment of the declaration of intent to strengthen and extend trade links between the EEC and the Asian Commonwealth.

The EEC Commission recently sent a communication to the Council (COM(73)1801 final of 24th October) about the first stage in the implementation of the Joint Declaration of Intent. Copies of this are available to Members in the Vote Office.The communication consists chiefly of detailed recommendations for improvements in the Community's Generalised Scheme of Preferences, designed to be of special benefit to the Asian countries concerned. The Government welcome these proposals and are pressing strongly for their acceptance.We have also noted with satisfaction the Commission's intention to take up certain problems not dealt with in the first stage document—such as those affecting Singapore—after they have been given further study.An agreement between the Community and India on jute and coir products was initialled at the beginning of this month. This will provide for reductions of up to 60 per cent. on the common customs tariff for these products. It is expected that a similar agreement with Bangladesh will be negotiated shortly.Negotiations between the Community and India about a commercial co-operation agreement are at an advanced stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a list of major items now awaiting decisions by the EEC Council of Ministers, and show how long each matter has been before the Council.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th November 1973; Vol. 864, c. 336–7], circulated the following information:In addition to those items already listed the following important questions are now before the Council for decision:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the required order for the Kielder Reservoir will be laid; if he is satisfied that the arrangements covering the tenders being asked for in the autumn will allow work to commence in the spring; and if he will make a statement.

The order will be laid before Parliament as soon as discussions with the river authority's parliamentary agents on the detailed drafting of the order have been completed. The timing of placing contracts must depend upon the completion of the necessary parliamentary procedures, but it should be possible to complete these in time to enable the river authority to start work in the early summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions his Department has held during the past 12 months on the conduct of motor rallies; and what action he proposes to take in this connection.

I have had discussions with the RAC and am considering modifications to rally control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will devise and seek powers to put into practice retrospectively a tapering scheme in connection with the Land Compensation Act 1973 for the benefit of private persons affected before 17th October 1972.

I understand the Question to relate to home loss payments. The answer is "No".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now consider the setting up of a small claims court to deal with small compulsory purchase claims as recommended in the report of the Borner Committee.

I expect to announce the Government's view on this and other matters in the report before long now.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of his working party on camping.

It is not yet possible to say when legislation might be introduced, but the working party report is freely available and local authorities have been invited to implement the recommended standards wherever possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the interest of road safety, he will inquire into the need to introduce periodic eyesight tests for holders of driving licences in order to ensure that drivers possess unimpaired vision to a prescribed standard.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will carry out an investigation into the consequential damage arising from motorway construction in the Swanage Road and other areas of Eccles; if he will examine the delays in carrying out improvement works; and if he will make a statement on what additional help has been offered to these householders.

No. The motorway in the Eccles area—the Eccles Bypass-M602—is a principal road. The hon. Member may wish to discuss these matters with the Lancashire County Council which is the highway authority concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the evidence in the report of the Association of Public Health Inspectors in regard to noise complaints from the public; and what action he intends, if necessary, by legislation, to take in regard thereto.

The Government welcome this valuable report and have consulted the Association of Public Health Inspectors on the evidence it contains in the preparation of the noise part of the Protection of the Environment Bill. This would enable local authorities to establish noise abatement zones. Within these zones existing noise levels from designated classes of premises would be measured and registered; they would not then be allowed to be increased without consent. Local authorities will also have the power to specify noise requirements before work starts on a construction site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department has received from the Noise Advisory Council in relation to the need for a third London airport as soon as possible to alleviate nuisance to people on the ground.

At its meeting on 25th September the Noise Advisory Council adopted a resolution drawing attention to the severity of noise disturbance at Heathrow and to the increasing problems at other London airports, and recording its view that, in addition to the quietening of aircraft engines, a third London airport is needed solely on noise grounds, as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following representations made to him by the hon. Member for Bedfordshire. South on the question of parish status for the borough of Dunstable, he will reconsider his decision not to grant such status; and if he will make a statement.

On 17th August my right hon. and learned Friend asked the Local Government Boundary Commission to consider further representations made to him in support of unsuccessful applications for the establishment of successor parishes.The commission has now submitted to him its report containing further recommendations for the constitution of parishes. He expects to announce his decision on these recommendations in a few days. Of course, in considering the case of Dunstable he has in mind the representations made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, South.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current instructions to local authorities in regard to the acceptance of the lowest tender for public works contracts.

Model standing orders are issued by my Department for the guidance of local authorities. The model requires that a tender other than the lowest shall not be accepted until the council has considered a written report from an appropriate officer. Where a local authority requires my consent to expenditure on works it is required to justify any proposal to accept a tender other than the lowest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many compulsory purchase orders from the borough of Islington are now awaiting his decision; and in how many cases the order was formally made by Islington Council before 21st May 1972.

The figures for compulsory purchase orders made under the Housing Acts 1957–69 are 35 and I respectively. 17 inquiries have so far been held.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to make his decision on the compulsory purchase order on Housing Development Area 68 in Islington.

Very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware of the concern in Nottinghamshire and elsewhere that bridlepaths and lanes, some of which have existed since the Domesday Book was compiled, will disappear if his proposals to reclassify public rights of way are approved; what representations he has received; and whether he will reconsider his proposals.

The Countryside Act 1968 makes provision for the reclassification by county councils of "roads used as public paths" as by-ways open to all traffic, bridleways or footpaths. It also lays upon my right hon. and learned Friend the duty, if objections or representations are duly made within a four-month period in respect of reclassification proposals and not subsequently withdrawn, of causing a local inquiry to be held before taking a decision.I am aware that there have been objections to reclassification proposals published by Nottinghamshire County Council on 26th July 1973. The four-month period has not yet expired.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the cost of acquiring all road haulage companies owning five or more lorries.

I could not make such an estimate without first undertaking an unduly expensive amount of research.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what future plans his Department has for hiring fishing vessels for the exploration of new fishing grounds;(2) how many vessels have been chartered by his Department for exploration of new fishing grounds in the last five years; which they were; and what was their cost.

My Department in co-operation with the White Fish Authority recently chartered the "Swanella" to undertake exploratory work in deep water in the North-East Atlantic at a cost of some £60,000. I am considering the possibility of exploring the area further with a chartered trawler.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the estimated annual loss on the production of HANSARD and of other Parliamentary papers; what steps are being taken to reduce or eliminate such a loss; and if he will make a statement.

The annual loss in 1972–73 on the production of debates was £591,000. No separate trading accounts are maintained for other Parliamentary papers; they are included in a general publishing account for all Her

CIVIL SERVICE STAFF IN POST
1st October 1973
Executive Functions
Ministerial Responsibilities		Central Administration	Public Services	Trading and Repayment Services	General Support Services
CABINET OFFICE
Secretariat and central support staff	…	420	—	—	—
Central Statistical Office	…	179	—	—	—
		599	—	—	—
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food policy	…	1,655	—	—	—
Agricultural Development and Advisory Service	…	—	4,921	—	—
Other technical staff	…	—	115	—	—
Regional and divisional offices	…	—	4,811	—	—
Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place	…	—	470	—	—
Fisheries, Pest Infestation, Food Science and Torry Research Laboratories	…	—	1,009	—	—
Central Services	…	1,741	376	—	—
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce	…	129	271	—	—
		3,525	11,973	—	—
CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
Treasury	…	965	—	—	41
Customs and Excise:
Collection of indirect taxes and control of imports and exports	…	1,892	21,505	—	—
Import and export statistics	…		974	—	—
Inland Revenue:
Collection of direct taxes etc.	…	2,486	58,953	85	1,793
Land and property valuation services	…		5,911	—	—
Department for National Savings:
Receipt and repayment of savings	…	267	—	12,780	—
Support of voluntary savings movements	…		495	—	—
Small Departments:
Exchequer Office, Scotland	…	16	—	30	10
Government Actuary	…	—	—	—	56
National Debt Office	…	12	22	18	—
Paymaster General's Office	…	63	—	—	599
Registry of Friendly Societies	…	17	76	13	—
Royal Mint	…	—	—	1,198	—
Treasury Solicitor	…	75	34	—	266
		5,793	87,970	14,124	2,765

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will provide an analysis of Civil Service staff in post on 1st October 1973 on the same basis as the analysis for 1st July 1973 published on 24th October 1973.

The analysis is as follows:

asked the Minister of State for Defence what are the numbers employed by the Defence Sales Organisation on promoting exports of arms; what is its present manpower in each of the past five years; and what is its annual expenditure.

The establishment of the Defence Sales Organisation including staff transferred from the Ministry of Aviation Supply was as follows:

1970	274
1971	273
1972	272
1973	276

This excludes about 50 personnel engaged on disposal of surplus stores and equipment. A figure for 1969 is not immediately available.The manpower costs including salaries, non-effective benefits, travel and subsistence expenses, accommodation, heating, lighting, office equipment and stationery are estimated to have been as follows:

	£ million
1970	0·60
1971	0·85
1972	0·95
1973	1·06

asked the Minister of State for Defence what was the estimated cost and what is the present cost of "Amazon"-type frigates for the Royal Navy; and why the cost of engines has increased from £8 million to £12 million.

It is not the practice to disclose estimates of cost for warships before their acceptance into service.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, giving as much information as may be available, details of the type of fuel used in the Royal Yacht "Britannia"; what, on either a daily, hourly or mileage basis, is the estimated fuel consumption; and what is the estimate of the fuel consumption during the next four weeks of this yacht and its accompanying vessels.

At normal cruising speed Her Majesty's Yacht "Britannia" uses one ton of furnace fuel oil about every seven miles. Consumption is calculated on cost for financial years: the estimate for petrol, oil and lubricants for 1973–74, including overheads such as the use of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels in support, is £35,000.

asked the Minister of State for Defence which warships in the last 30 years have been built by the Navy to a largely commercial design.

Fast patrol boats and the "Amazon" class of frigates.

asked the Minister of State for Defence why there were, on 1st April 1973, 160 information officers in his Department compared with a total of 107 in the three Service Departments and Defence Department on 1st July 1963.

The figures are not comparable because of the reorganisation of Service and procurement Departments since 1963 and because of the absorption of the greater part of the Ministry of Aviation Supply into the Ministry of Defence. The number of information officers employed by the Ministry of Defence is the minimum required to inform the public through all the media of the activities of the Services and of all aspects of defence policy and to support recruiting.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated cost for the provision of free school milk in England and Wales for 1973–74.

£7·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current estimated cost to both the Exchequer and to local authorities of the provision of free school meals in England.

In 1972–73 the gross cost of providing tree school meals in England was estimated to be £31·5 million. Complete figures on which to base an estimate for 1973–74 are not yet available. In 1972–73 58 per cent. of local authority relevant expenditure was met from rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many RAF other ranks were paid grants by local education authorities for the maintenance of children in boarding schools during the last 12 months for which figures are available;(2) how many RAF officers were paid grants by local education authorities for the maintenance of children in boarding schools during the last 12 months for which figures are available.

There is no central record of these grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new schools have been built since 1945; and what proportion of schoolchildren is now attending schools that were built within this period.

By the beginning of 1973, 12,324 maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools and departments had been completed since 1945, providing 47·8 per cent. of all places in schools of these types in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the total annual expenditure from public funds on education is spent on educational research; and whether or not this proportion is to be increased.

In 1972–73 the identifiable proportion of public expenditure on education in England and Wales devoted to educational research was approximately 0·1 per cent. This comprised expenditure from the Department's Vote, contributions by local authorities to the Schools Council and the National Foundation for Educational Research and expenditure on educational research by the Social Science Research Council. It does not include other expenditure on educational research in schools, colleges and universities which cannot be identified. My right hon. Friend has no plans to make any significant change in the proportion of educational expenditure devoted to educational research.

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

No special schools have been set up specifically for dyslexic children. The Department's Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children stated in a report last year that

"there is general agreement among teachers, psychologists and neurologists … that the best way of dealing with specific reading difficulties is through appropriate remedial education".

This can be provided either in the child's ordinary school or by part-time or full-time attendance at a remedial centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of licences issued for experiments on live animals under the 1876 Act was for medical purposes.

All experiments under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 must be performed with a view to the advancement by new discovery of physiological knowledge or of knowledge which will be useful in saving or prolonging life or alleviating suffering, but I regret that within this definition the figures are not subdivided so that "medical purposes" can be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will obtain and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details giving, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of police officers in the Metropolitan Police who have been found guilty of offences against the police disciplinary code; in how many cases those found guilty were advised, requested or compelled to resign; and

METROPOLITAN POLICE
Number of officers					1969	1970	1971	1972	1973*
Found guilty of disciplinary offences				…	137	160	214	198	116
Dismissed from the force		…	…	…	8	12	12	15	5
Required to resign	…	…	…	…	9	1	15	11	6
Prosecuted for criminal offences†			…	…	16	18	24	26	‡
Convicted of criminal offences†			…	…	9	11	12	15	‡
Resigned before the completion of a criminal or disciplinary inquiry		…	…	…	18	43	36	80	54
* From 1st January to 30th September.
† Excluding traffic offences.
‡ Not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the granting of work permits, on completion of their studies, to United Kingdom medical students from developing States so that they can work as doctors in the United Kingdom.

Normally an application by an overseas student to stay here in practice or employment would be granted if he had qualified as a doctor in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the concentration of industrial fire hazards in the Thames Estuary, and the number of major fires at industrial establishments in Thurrock and Canvey Island since 1968, he will now propose an interdepartmental committee to inquire into the totality of risk to the environment with special reference to areas such as Benfleet and Canvey Island where additional oil refineries are to be built close to residential population, and new jetties will be installed for handling hazardous cargoes.

Information for each of the four years 1969–72, and for the first nine months of 1973, is given in the following table. The officers shown as required to resign are those found guilty of disciplinary offences on whom this punishment was imposed as an alternative to dismissal. Officers are not "advised" to resign in connection with disciplinary proceedings: those who resigned before the completion of criminal or disciplinary inquiries did so voluntarily.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Development in the course of a debate on the motion for the adjournment of the House on 16th November.—[Vol. 864, c.903–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many small hotels and holiday establishments have not yet complied with the Fire Precautions Act 1971.

It is estimated that on 31st August 1973 about 30,000 hotels and boarding-houses had not applied for fire certificates. Separate figures for small establishments are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is satisfied that there are sufficient fire prevention officers available to inspect all premises which are in need of the hotel fire certificates; and if he will make a statement;(2) in view of the prospective increase in the cost of holidays abroad and the resultant pressure on small hotels and holiday establishments for holidays at home, if he will consider ways and means of enlarging the inspectorate of all these premises for hotel fire certificates before the 1974 holiday season.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply which I gave to similar Questions by the hon. Members for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), and Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. John Tilney) on 18th October.—[Vol. 861, c. 276–77.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is prepared to declare an amnesty period for all those small hotels and holiday establishments which have not yet been able to comply with the Fire Precautions Act 1971 due to the shortage of fire precautions officers and which have not been able to obtain the assistance of the local fire authorities.

The offence in question arises from the failure of those concerned to apply to the fire authority for a fire certificate and not from any shortage of fire prevention staff. My right hon. Friend does not therefore consider that an amnesty would be appropriate. I take this further opportunity of urging all hotel keepers who have not already done so to apply for certificates without delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many summonses for motoring offences were issued during each of the past three years against foreign drivers which were not served due to the absence abroad of such drivers.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiries are being made into the recent fire at the Shellhaven Oil Refinery; and what arrangements there are for ensuring that any conclusions reached are made known to Benfleet and Canvey Island Urban District Councils, in whose area two additional oil refineries are being constructed.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will give the cost of operating and staffing the House of Commons for a period of 12 calendar months prior to the last convenient accounting date.

Expenditure charged to the House of Commons Vote (Class 1, Vote 2) for the year 1972–73 was £6,786,888. Additional expenditure borne on the Votes of other Departments in connection with the operating costs of the House of Commons is estimated at £3,589,500 for the same period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of excluding the basic retirement pension from liability to income tax.

The estimated cost for 1973–74 is about £200 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the latest estimate for the cost of tax relief on mortgage interest in England and Wales for 1972–73; and what is the average mortgage interest rate for the period to which the cost of tax refers;(2) what is the latest estimate of the cost of tax relief on mortgage interest for 1972–73; and what is the average mortgage interest rate for the period to which the cost of tax refers.

Estimates of the cost of tax relief on mortgage interest payments for 1972–73 are as follows:

	£ million
England and Wales	373
Scotland	13
Northern Ireland	4
United Kingdom	390

The average rate of interest on all mortgages is not known; the average rate received by building societies on mortgage advances was about 8¼ per cent. Information for separate countries is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long the computer at London Airport used by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to record imports was out of action owing to industrial action last month.

The computers involved in the operation of the London Airport Cargo EDP system were out of use from midnight on 15th October to midnight on 2nd November. Fall-back procedures were operated as far as possible during this period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now propose increasing petrol tax and changing the current flat rate annual car tax into a variable tax, as measures to encourage oil conservation and to assist the balance of payments.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to abolish the granting of tax relief on the payment of a maintenance allowance by the man, and instead make the maintenance allowance received by the woman free of tax, on the grounds that payments tantamount to a housekeeping allowance should not be taxed.

No. I do not accept the analogy drawn by the hon. Member between payments under court orders, or other legal binding agreements, and housekeeping money.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a general direction to the Bank of England to inform him of all cases in which it authorises trade unions to place their funds outside the sterling area.

No. The bank would not give consent for any transaction that did not satisfy normal exchange control requirements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether for tax purposes war disability pensions are treated as compensation or as income.

War disability pensions are exempt from tax, because they are regarded as compensation for injury suffered.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the total burden of taxation on industry has been reduced since June 1970, broken down by individual taxes.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 15th November 1973; Vol. 864, c. 216], gave the following information:I regret that it is not possible to estimate the extent to which industry generally has benefited from reductions in taxation. But if the rates of tax and capital allowances in force in June 1970 were still in force the company sector would be paying about £1,000 million more in corporation tax in 1973–74.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those private companies or undertakings in which the Government have a financial interest, or to which they have made grants; if he will state the amount and percentage of the holding and of the grants, respectively, and under what legislation such was made; what representations he has on the boards or controlling body of such companies; and whether he considers such to be adequate in relation to the amount of public money invested.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the rate of increase in the money supply (M2 definition) in the latest available 12-months' period and in the previous corresponding 12-months' period.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the increase, or decrease, in Government expenditure during the next five years.

I must ask the hon. Member to await publication of the annual Public Expenditure White Paper in about a month's time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the inadequate level of hospital provision in Nottinghamshire and of the problem of recruiting and retaining nursing staff; what action he is taking in Nottinghamshire to resolve these problems; and what further plans he has for using the recommendations of the Briggs Report to this end.

Yes. The regional hospital board, with my right hon. Friend's approval, is implementing plans for a major expansion of hospital services serving Nottinghamshire. Nursing staff has been considerably increased in the past three years in step with these developments and the regional hospital board is taking action to improve the situation in some specialties where there are still shortages.Consultations have been taking place on the recommendations of the Briggs Committee and my right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the applications for admittance under Sections 25, 26 and 29 of the Mental Health Act 1959 was made by mental welfare officers for each of the years from 1960 to 1972.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the approximate saving in public expenditure if all pensions, supplementary benefits, etc., were handled by a single Department.

I have been asked to reply.The Department of Health and Social Security is at present responsible for all social security pensions and benefits, except for the payment of unemployment benefit which is dealt with by the Department of Employment. I have seen no evidence to suggest that a significant saving in public expenditure would result from the transfer of this responsibility to the Department of Health and Social Security.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total amount of aid given to the British ball-bearing industry in the past two years; under what legislation it has been provided and for what projects; and how much has been estimated for the next financial year.