asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had from the NFU and from horticulturists in connection with possible adverse effects on horticultural production of the restrictions on the holding of petrol in cans ; and if he will make a statement

There has been no change in the restrictions on the storage of petrol in cans imposed by the Petroleum-Spirit (Motor Vehicles etc.) Regulations 1929 and I have had no representations about these restrictions. if my hon. Friend has in mind the acquisition of petrol in cans, I would refer him to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Mr. John Wells) on 22nd November.—[Vol. 864, c. 507.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consult representatives of consumers and taxpayers before a final decision is taken by the EEC Council on proposals to amend the common agricultural policy.

I am, of course, ready to receive representations on the review of the common agricultural policy from any interested organisation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in relation to each food price increase between 16th June 1970 and 16th October 1973, as listed in the OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd November, Written Answers, c. 527–30, he will estimate the extent to which the increase was due to changes in world prices.

It is not possible to isolate the effect of changes in world commodity prices from the many other factors which influence the movements of individual retail prices. While, however, retail food prices rose by 45 per cent. between June 1970 and October 1973, the average price of our food imports rose by 71 per cent. (to September 1973).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the total effect of Dutch elm disease during the last three years.

The Forestry Commission estimates that of the 23 million elm trees in the area mainly affected by the disease, some 2·1 million (9·1 per cent.) have recently died or are dying. There are also roughly 0·8 million other dead elms in the area, the majority of which have been killed by elm disease in the last three years. The number of elms felled because of elm disease during this period is estimated to be of the order of 0·3 million.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, in the interests of fuel conservation, he will suspend all RAF low-flying exercises.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether his Department's arrangements for fuel economy include reducing the number of low-flying military exercises over Great Britain during the period of the shortage.

As has been stated, the Royal Air Force is making its contribution to the national effort to conserve fuel supplies. Economies are being made where they will have least effect on operational capability, and the effect on low-flying training, which is a high priority task, will be small.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether, in the interests of fuel conservation, he will abolish civil airspace restrictions associated with gunnery or bombing ranges unless these areas are actually in use.

This matter is already being studied.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what sums of subsidy have been granted to the Mass Spectrometry Data Centre by the Office for Scientific and Technical Information in each of the years 1966 to the present year.

The Office for Scientific and Technical Information has given support to the Mass Spectrometry Data Centre for research into data handling and experimental development of services during the financial years 1966–67 (£25,730), 1967–68 (£32,624), 1968–69 (£31,248), 1969–70 (£20,368), 1970–71 (£14,810) and 1971–72 (£10,640). No payments have been made since April 1972, when the period of research and experiment ended.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the total amounts of public money spent on each of the OSTI supported specialised information centres ; and what proportion this is of the total income of each.

The following grants have been made available for support of experiments in specialised information centres :

	£
Rock Mechanics, Imperial College	7,600
Ergonomics, Birmingham University	10,900
High Temperature Processes, Leeds University	23,400
Biodeterioration, Aston University	41,000
Intestinal Absorption, Sheffield University	37,100

This grant aid was tapered off as services became operational and has now ceased.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will detail the number of different indexed references made available from each OSTI supported specialised information centre through the indices or equivalent which it supplies to users, in such a way that unit costs per reference comparable to those of the Mass Spectrometry Data Centre can be obtained for comparison with comparable costs for other indexing media.

The information could not be obtained except at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied that she is receiving value for money from OSTI's specialised information centres.

OSTI does not itself operate specialised information services. To assess whether specialised information centres would have a significant place in the United Kingdom information network, OSTI has supported five centres for a limited and experimental period, now concluded. A review of the work of some centres and an assessment of their experience has been made independently by ASLIB and a report has been published.I would also refer the hon. Member to my answer to one of his other Questions today—No. 87.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will announce before Christmas her decision on the application of Hampton Grammar School to become independent.

Richmond-upon-Thames local education authority has proposed under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, as amended, to cease to maintain the Hampton Grammar voluntary aided school for boys. I expect to announce my decision on this before Christmas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he received representations from the hon. Member for Manchester, Openshaw about the rates of pay earned by 15-year-old Carole Street during the course of her part-time employment with the Gladstone Supply Company ; and if he will indicate when the hon. Member may expect to receive his comments on the substance of these representations.

The hon. Member's representations were received on 10th September. I am having extensive inquiries made, and expect to write to the hon. Member within the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give either a detailed list or summary of the rules, regulations, directives, duties and levies as imposed by the Common Market which affect his Department in any way ; and to what extent these have increased or decreased prices and costs or made any difference to the expenditure of his Department, the consumer, or taxpayer for which he has ministerial responsibility.

No. The English texts of Community secondary legislation adopted before the enlargement of the Community are published in the Special English Edition of the Official Journal. An index to this edition has been published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Secondary legislation adopted since 1st January 1973 is listed on the front pages of the issues of the Official Journal in which the texts are published. All of these publications are available in both the Vote Office and the Library. The second part of the Question could only be answered, in so far as this is practicable, at an unjustifiable cost to public funds.

BELGIUM
1, In built-up areas :
(a) Vehicles exceeding 15 tonnes capacity	…	…	…	30kph (18½mph)
(b) Other vehicles	…	…	…	60 kph (37 mph)
2. Outside built-up areas :
(a) All-purpose roads, vehicles exceeding 5 tonnes permitted gross weight	…	…	…	60 kph (37 mph)
(b) Motorways, all vehicles	…	…	…	90 kph (56 mph)
Minimum motorway speed	…	…	…	70 kph (43½ mph)
DENMARK
Vehicles exceeding 3·5 tonnes permitted gross weight	…	…	…	60 kph (37 mph)
FRANCE
1. Vehicles first used before 1st January 1966 and vehicles carrying dangerous substances, on all roads; vehicles first used after 1st January 1966 on all-purpose roads :
(a) Vehicles from 10 tonnes to 15 tonnes gross weight	…	…	…	85 kph (53 mph)
(b) Vehicles from 15 tonnes to 19 tonnes gross weight	…	…	…	75 kph (46½ mph)
(c) Vehicles from 19 tonnes to 26 tonnes gross weight	…	…	…	65 kph (40 mph)
(d) Vehicles exceeding 26 tonnes gross weight	…	…	…	60 kph (37 mph)
2. Vehicles first used after 1st January 1966, on motorways and main through roads :
(a) Vehicles from 10 tonnes to 19 tonnes gross weight	…	…	…	90 kph (56 mph)
(b) Vehicles exceeding 19 tonnes gross weight	…	…	…	80 kph (50 mph)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation making it an offence for a chairman or any other member of a rent scrutiny board to discuss, other than for official purposes, any visits to, or conversations with, tenants made in the course of their duties.

I see no reason for singling out rent scrutiny boards in this way. If, however, the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will let me have details, I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest position in respect of the proposal to establish a 40 mph speed limit on the A162 at Brotherton.

I do not think such a limit can be justified at present. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what speed limits apply to lorries, and at what weights, in countries of the Common Market ; and what speed limits apply to such lorries in the United Kingdom.

The information, which may not be up to date in all cases and which refers to goods vehicle speed limits, is as follows :

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a firm date for the replacement of the Nine Arches Bridge at Thropston, Northamptonshire.

No. The replacement is a principal road scheme and Northants County Council is responsible for its

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many roads were marked with kerbside markings in rural areas in 1972 ; and how many local authorities asked for roadside or kerbside markings in 1972.

The information is not available. Local authorities need no permission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department has taken on the report of the Road Research Laboratory on kerbside markings.

The findings are taken into account in advice to highway authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants are available for kerbside markings to local authorities.

Markings in an approved principal road scheme qualify for 75 per cent. grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the mini-roundabout to be installed at the junction of the A614 and A1041 trunk roads at Gyme Corner will be constructed.

This roundabout will be in the form of road markings. Along with the associated regulatory signs it should come into operation during December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest position in respect of the choice of site for a motorway service area on the West Moor—North Ings section of the M18.

The Department has now concluded its consultations and the local planning authority has advised that it has no objection to the Department's preferred site at Hatfield subject to adequate screening and access arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has sent to the Camden Council regarding the compulsory purchase order submitted to him in 1972 in respect of 36 flats in Centre Point which have been vacant for 10 years.

A public inquiry into this compulsory purchase order will be held by Peter Boydell, Esq., QC, with W. J. N. Oswald. Esq., FRICS, acting as assessor, on 15th January 1974.

asked the Secretary of State of the Environment if he will write to residents of Loncinmead Avenue and Pinewood Avenue, New Haw, advising them whether their houses are to be demolished to make way for the M25 motorway.

The route of this section of the motorway is not yet fixed, but the Department is prepared to consider sympathetically requests to purchase properties in Loncinmead Avenue and on the north side of Pinewood Avenue from owners who have been unable to sell at a reasonable price on the open market.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will decide on the Wisley-Chertsey section route of the M25 motorway.

Before a decision is made the public are to be consulted and, if necessary, the public inquiry reopened. I will make a further announcement when the various options have been fully evaluated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has taken two years to publish the inspector's report on the proposed Addlestone-New Haw section of the M25 motorway.

The Chertsey-Wisley and Wisley-Leatherhead sections of the M25 motorway were considered at joint public inquiries. Some extremely difficult and complex issues arose out of the inquiries. These had to be very carefully considered before decisions could be taken or an announcement made. An overlap of interests precluded the release of either part of the inspector's report in advance of the other.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now call for the figures from local authorities in respect of additional staff employed by reason of the Housing Finance Act and the total additional cost incurred for salaries paid to them and other costs of administering the Act.

I am reluctant to call for this information when housing authorities are extremely busy with reorganisation. Moreover, once the initial peak of work arising from the introduction of the Act has passed the numbers should decrease.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has held with the Greater London Council and certain London borough councils on the machinery for co-ordinating the redevelopment of the dockland area of East London ; and if he will make a statement.

I have had two meetings with representatives of the Greater London Council and the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Southwark, Greenwich and Lewisham to discuss the machinery for securing the best redevelopment of this area. There have been other discussions between officials.At a meeting on 26th November 1 welcomed the local authorities' proposal to set up a joint committee in the New Year. While I believe there may indeed be a future need for some other form of statutory long-term machinery, a joint committee offers the best immediate prospect of co-ordinated action in preparing an overall plan and acquiring land for development, thus alleviating uncertainty about future planning and, accordingly, checking undesirable land speculation. It was agreed that I would put proposals to the local authorities about the co-option of non-local authority members of suitable experience to the committee and that the local authorities should consult me about the election of a chairman.I intend to hold further talks with the local authorities on the future operation of the committee and on the issue of long-term machinery. I also hope to pursue discussions with right hon. and hon. Gentlemen whose constituencies include parts of this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many shares, and of what nominal value, in the First National Finance Corporation were held by the Crown Agents on 13th June 1973 ; and what was the largest holding of the company's shares ever held by the Crown Agents.

I welcome this opportunity of amplifying the oral answer I gave on 28th November.—[Vol. 865, c. 392–3]. On 13th June 1973 the Crown Agents held 6,883,250 shares (5·86 per cent. of the equity) in their own name through their wholly owned subsidiary Four Millbank Investments Limited. They also held 3,009,635 shares (2·56 per cent.) on behalf of their principals. The shares had a nominal value of 10 pence. The largest number of FNFC shares ever held was 10,602,885 (9·33 per cent.) on 28th September 1972 consisting of 7,605,000 (6·69 per cent.) in their own name and 2,997,885 (2·64 per cent.) on behalf of principals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why applications by overseas medical students to practise in the United Kingdom as doctors are granted by his Department.

The Immigration Rules (HC 79 and 81) provide for the admission without work permits of doctors coming to take up professional appointments, and it is consistent with this that, in the normal course, an overseas student who qualifies as a doctor in the United Kingdom is allowed to stay here in practice or employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many demonstrations, involving extra duties for police officers, took place in the area of the Metropolitan Police force in the year up to and including 11th November 1973 ; if he will list the dates and purposes of the demonstrations ; and what was the number of police officers who were involved in extra duties in consequence of each demonstration.

Date		Purpose	Number of Police Employed
12th November 1972	…	Anti-Internment League against detention in Northern Ireland	337
20th December 1972	…	British Campaign for Peace in Vietnam	803
28th January 1973	…	Anti-Internment League and Irish Liberation Solidarity Front to mark Anniversary of "Bloody Sunday"	348
10th February 1973	…	Briant Colour Printing Workers March and Mass Lobby of Parliament	706
21st February 1973	…	National Union of Students demand for increased student grants	641
5th March 1973	…	Trades Union Congress Mass Lobby of Parliament about economic situation	697
5th March 1973	…	Transport and General Workers' Union against Value Added Tax
21st March 1973	…	One-day Strike by Greater London Teachers and Mass Lobby of Parliament	912
1st April 1973	…	Covent Garden Community Association against plans for the re-development of Covent Garden
1st April 1973	…	Save the London Theatres Group	377
1st April 1973	…	Irish Civil Rights Association
1st April 1973	…	Universities Committee for Soviet Jewry
1st April 1973	…	Iranian Students' Society
5th April 1973	…	National Union of Public Employees Meeting, March and Mass Lobby of Parliament	604
1st May 1973	…	Trades Union Congress against Industrial Relations Act	1,129
18th May 1973	…	Building Workers' March and Mass Lobby of Parliament	639
19th May 1973	…	Orangemen's March in support of Loyalist Cause in Ulster
19th May 1973	…	Canvey Island Oil Refinery Resistance Group March	482
21st May 1973	…	National Union of Students' Picket of Department of Education and Science and Mass Lobby of Parliament	461
15th July 1973	…	Irish Civil Rights Association March	704
15th July 1973	…	End the Alliance Campaign against Anglo-Portuguese Alliance
22nd July 1973	…	Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants against laws on Immigration	613
29th July 1973	…	Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament against French Nuclear Tests	377
29th July 1973	…	People's Democracy against detention in Northern Ireland
12th August 1973	…	Pakistan Solidarity Front against the retention of Pakistani prisoners in India	569
12th August 1973	…	Anti-Internment League against detention in Northern Ireland,
16th September 1973	…	Belfast Ten Defence Committee against trial of the "Belfast Ten"
16th September 1973	…	"Liberation" protest against Military Junta in Chile	1,434
16th September 1973	…	International Socialists against shooting of coloured miners in South Africa
13th October 1973	…	Ad Hoc Committee against Fascism Lobby of National Front Conference	368
14th October 1973	…	Pakistan Solidarity Front in support of General Union of Arab Students against American and Israeli action in the Middle East	1,019
14th October 1973	…	Zionist Federation of Great Britain support of Zionist cause in Middle East
20th October 1973	…	Universities Committee for Soviet Jewry against imprisonment of Jews in Russia	359
4th November 1973	…	Chile Solidarity Campaign Committee	825
5th November 1973	…	Confederation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Unions	264
7th November 1973	…	National Union of Students' support of increased student grants	286
11th November 1973	…	Israel Solidarity Campaign support of Israel in Middle East conflict	691

There were 447 demonstrations requiring more than 50 officers in the 12 months ended 11th November 1973. Information about the principal demonstrations is as follows :

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the amounts already spent, and future projections, for (a) the urban programme and (b) community development projects for each year since their inception.

Following is the information, derived from the 1972 White Paper on Public Expenditure (Cmnd. 5178), omitting the £6·3 million authorised in 1971–72 under the infrastructure programme to create extra jobs for the unemployed.

	£million (Great Britain)
Public Expenditure at 1972 Survey Prices	Urban Programme (including Community Development project action programmes)	Community Development Project (research and social action staff costs)
1968–69	0·1	—
1969–70	2·2	—
1970–71	9·0	0·1
1971–72	10·0	0·2
1972–73	11·7	0·3
1973–74	13·5	0·3
1974–75	13·1*	0·3
1975–76	14·7*	0·3
1976–77	16·3*	0·3
* Reduction after exclusion of nursery education which will be the subject of other provision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the question of a national lottery.

This was one of the matters considered in the recent review of the lotteries law, about which I hope to be able to make a statement very shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give either a detailed list or summary of the rules, regulations, directives, duties and levies as imposed by the Common Market which affect his Department in any way ; and to what extent these have increased or decreased prices and costs or made any difference to the expenditure of his Department, the consumer, or taxpayer for which he has ministerial responsibility.

No. The English texts of Community secondary legislation adopted before the enlargement of the Community are published in the Special English Edition of the Official Journal. An index to this edition has been published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Secondary legislation adopted since 1st January 1973 is listed on the front pages of the issues of the Official Journal in which the texts are published. All these publications are available in both the Vote Office and the Library. The second part of the Question could only be answered, in so far as it is practicable, at an unjustifiable cost to public funds.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual percentage increase in real personal disposable income each year since 1945, both on a year-to-year basis and cumulatively since 1945 ; and how much of this increase each year was accounted for by dividends and interest payments.

Estimates of real personal disposable income are not available before 1948. The year-to-year percentage increases in the period 1948 to 1951 are given in the table below. Corresponding percentage increases for the period 1951 to 1972 will be found in the October 1973 edition of Economic Trends (Table 11A, page 1x). Over the whole period from 1948 to 1972 the annual average rate of increase (compound) was 2·9 per cent.

Real personal disposable income Percentage increase over preceding year
1949	+ 2·8
1950	+ 2·5
1951	- 1·3

There is no satisfactory basis for allocating taxes on income, which are assessed on the basis of the total income of individuals, to components of this income, in order to estimate what part of personal disposable income might be said to be derived from dividend and interest payments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what correspondence he has received from local authorities concerning interest rates prescribed by the Treasury for loans from the Public Works Loan Board ; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from a number of local authorities. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20th November to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars).—[Vol. 864, c. 399.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been paid or pledged to Messrs. Harland and Wolff Limited from Exchequer resources by way of grants and loans, respectively, in each of the last two financial years and during the current financial year to date ; and if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the terms and conditions attached to each tranche of financial assistance to date, and the legislative provision under which it was made.

The information is as follows :

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the cost of maintaining the supplementary benefit allocation branch to date.

The estimated cost of the benefit allocation scheme from 25th October 1971 to 30th September 1973 is £590,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of qualified staff as recognised by the Council for Training in Social Work ; and what is the percentage of qualified and unqualified staff by this criterion in each local authority social service department.

The numbers of headquarters and field work staff employed in local authority social work departments at 31st December 1971 are shown in Table 3.12 of "Scottish Social Work Statistics 1971". The returns for 1972 are at present being processed, and I shall send the figures to the hon. Member as soon as possible. About 50 per cent. of all headquarters and field work staff in Scotland held professional qualifications in 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those secondary schools in Scotland which at 31st October 1973 or latest available date had teacher shortages of (a) 10 or more teachers ; (b) 20 or more teachers, and (c) 30 or more teachers.

There are at present no prescribed or generally agreed staffing standards by which to judge whether a school is short of teachers. The following is, however, an indication of the numbers of schools in which at September 1973 the teaching staff fell short of the complements proposed in my Department's report on secondary school staffing for progressive attainment over the next few years.

Number of teachers short	Number of schools
10–19	68
20–29	16
30 or over	1

Since the standards are still the subject of consultation with the interested bodies, I do not think it desirable to name the schools concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the shortage of speech therapists in Nottinghamshire ; what vacancies exist ; what action he is taking to ensure better speech therapy facilities for the mentally handicapped and others, especially in Newark and district ; and what action he is taking following publication of the report of Professor Randolph Quirk.

In the absence of generally accepted staffing standards need is difficult to quantify, but I understand that employing authorities in Nottinghamshire would currently like to employ five more speech therapists. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced in May—[Vol. 856, c. 276]—the Government's acceptance of the Quirk Report's recommendations that the speech therapy service should be unified and organised under area health authorities in England and Wales and under health boards in Scotland. The report's other wide-ranging recommendations, including those relating to the provision of speech therapy facilities, are being studied in the light of comments received from many interested organisations and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services hopes to make a statement next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the projected increase in the number of medical students by 1981 will enable the United Kingdom to manage without using doctors from developing countries.

The planned increases should reduce the dependence of the National Health Service on an inflow of overseas doctors, but many of these doctors will continue to come and serve during periods of postgraduate training in British hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he does not arrange for the collection of statistics of social security benefits drawn in areas smaller than departmental regions.

Statistics of social security benefits are mainly derived from the records of national insurance contributions and claims to benefit dealt with either locally or centrally. In order to provide statistics for relatively small areas of varying definition, the addresses of individuals would need to be coded precisely so that figures could be aggregated for different areas. The maintenance of up-to-date address codes on the records would, however, be extremely costly. Moreover, in order to economise on the work involved many of the existing statistics are obtained by using sampling techniques, which could not generally be used to provide reliable information about small areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on the suggestions on supplementary benefits put to him recently by the Director of the Child Poverty Action Group.

My right hon. Friend is considering the Child Poverty Action Group's representations sent to him on 23rd November and will be replying to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the current position whereby a woman can be deprived of supplementary benefit on the grounds of cohabitation, yet the man is not entitled to claim family income supplement on the grounds that he is not living with the woman, nor can he claim tax relief on his dependants on the grounds that he is not legally responsible for them ; and if he has any proposals to rectify this anomaly.

When a man and woman are cohabiting the woman cannot normally receive supplementary benefit but the man can claim family income supplement. The question of income tax relief is for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but I understand that a cohabiting couple are not necessarily precluded from claiming the income tax child allowance for the woman's children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many occupational therapists are employed by each local authority social services department in England ; how many such employees work principally in day centres for the physically or mentally handicapped ; how many are attached to social work teams for the purpose of domiciliary visits ; what steps he is taking to encourage and enable local authorities to increase their establishments for occupational therapists ; and if he will make a statement.

	1967		1968		1969
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
Total number of written complaints	450	100	416	100	488	100
Investigated by :
Officers only	434	96	397	95	478	98
Members	14	3	18	4	10	2
Independent Inquiry	2	*	1	*	—	—

	1970		1971		1972
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
Total number of written complaints	554	100	598	100	752	100
Investigated by :
Officers only	547	99	580	97	746	99
Members	7	1	17	3	6	*
Independent Inquiry	—	—	1	*	—	—
*Less than one per cent.

The latest figures available to my Department are for 30th September 1972. It is known that there has been a considerable increase in the number of occupational therapists employed by local authority social services departments since then, and the 1972 figures are, therefore, of Utile value. My Department hopes to discuss shortly with local authority associations the question of employment of occupational therapists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has considered ways of including self-employed persons in the State Reserve Pension Scheme since the passing of the Social Security Act 1973.

The position remains that it would not be practicable to set up a system of collecting fully earnings-related contributions for all the self-employed, comparable with that for employed earners and their employers, and for this reason they cannot be included in the Reserve Pension Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of written complaints received by the South Western Regional Hospital Board for the years 1967 to 1971 and the latest year for which figures are available ; and, of these, what percentage and number were investigated by officers only, members and independent inquiry, respectively.

The available figures include complaints received by hospital management committees as well as the regional hospital board. They are :

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the increase in the price of many diabetic foodstuffs ; and if he will consider raising supplementary entitlements to offset these increases in appropriate cases.

Supplementary benefit scale rates were substantially increased with effect from 1st October 1973, thus allowing for greater expenditure on food generally. The standard amounts allowed by the Supplementary Benefits Commission for the additional expenses of special diets are kept under review by the commission and are increased periodically in the light of movements in the food component of the retail prices index.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up a review into the possibility of paying to self-employed persons social security benefits, including rent rebates, which are not at present available to them.

I do not think such a review is called for. Flat-rate national insurance benefits, other than unemployment benefit and industrial injury benefits, are already payable to the self-employed ; and they are also eligible for rent rebates in the same way as employed people. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind perhaps he will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware of the difficulties of recruiting and holding ancillary, para-medical and junior clerical grade staff in hospitals in Suffolk ; and if he will give the representations of the West Suffolk Hospital Management Committee and the hon. Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge immediate attention.

I have received my hon. Friend's letter referring to the representations of the West Suffolk Hospital Management Committee which are now under consideration by the East Anglian Regional Hospital Board. I shall examine with them whether any special steps can be taken to improve the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review with the East Anglian Regional Hospital Board the general situation regarding the number of dwellings it has standing empty, in view of the position at Fox Cottages, Wiston, Nayland, where three houses have been empty for two years.

I am informed that the only such dwellings are Fox Cottages, disposal of which has been delayed but which are now in the hands of agents for sale.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the saving to public funds from successful appeals against awards of pneumoconiosis benefits by local tribunals.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the qualifications required for local insurance officers who handle appeals against awards of pneumoconiosis benefits by local tribunals.

Appeals against awards of benefit by local tribunals are handled not by local insurance officers but by the office of the Chief Insurance Officer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has withheld approval for the Leeds Regional Hospital Board to buy land off Woodland Avenue, Goole, for building a new general hospital.

Purchase of a site for the hospital the Leeds Regional Hospital Board plans to build in due course at Goole would be premature at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many physiological measurement technicians (audiology) are at present employed in the National Health Service.

At 30th September 1972, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of physiological measurement technicians (audiology), inclusive of training grades, employed in the hospital service in Great Britain was 376, in whole-time equivalent terms. While it is not possible to make a meaningful central assessment of vacancies I am aware that many hospital authorities would like to employ more and that a marked expansion is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on progress in making appointments of senior staff to the regional health authorities and area health authorities.

The 14 regional health authorities have all appointed their administrators, nursing officers and treasurers, and are currently filling their regional medical officer posts. The posts of regional works officer have been advertised and the closing date for applications is 14th December. Short listing for the posts of regional personnel officer has been completed and interviews will take place between 3rd and 20th December.In the 90 areas appointments have been made of 80 area administrators, 64 area nursing officers, and 73 area treasurers. Details of the posts still vacant have been circulated to all eligible candidates who have not secured posts and advice on the short-listing arrangements was issued by the Staff Commission to AHA chairmen on 15th November. Short listing for the posts of area medical officer has been completed : interviews have already started and will be completed on 20th December. Advertisements for area dental officer posts will be published as soon as possible. Short listing for the posts of administrator, family practitioner services, has been completed and interviews start on 7th December. Short listing for the posts of area personnel officer is in progress.Applications have been received for the posts of regional ambulance officer and chief ambulance officer and the short listing arrangements have started.In accordance with advice issued by the Department, regional appointments units have been set up in all regions to handle for the new authorities the processes leading to the selection by the authorities of officers on the district management teams and other senior officers for early appointment. Advertisements for the posts of district administrator, finance officer and nursing officer were published on 22nd and 23rd November ; those for posts in community medicine will be published shortly.I shall be issuing guidance to RHAs and AHAs on the arrangements for filling other posts by transferred staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what specific proposals of the IMEG Report are being implemented by the Government.

The position is briefly as follows :1.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take action as a matter of urgency designed to ensure that those farmers in Derbyshire without diesel fuel will be given priority supplies.

My Department has arranged with the oil industry for the oil companies to alleviate local shortages which have occurred in some parts of the country including Derbyshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to improve supplies of newsprint ; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing further to add to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Mr. Sydney Chapman) on 19th November—[Vol. 864, c. 942]—and the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 12th November.—[Vol. 864, c. 2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total sum allocated to the English Tourist Board for hotel improvements and extensions ; what is the total sum so far expended ; and how many projects involving what sum are still under consideration.

Information about payments made under the Hotel Development Incentives Scheme is a matter for the national tourist boards which are responsible for its administration and publish details in annual reports which are laid before Parliament. Expenditure in England, however, is expected to amount to rather more than £50 million when all valid applications have been approved and settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when projects concerning financial assistance from the European Regional Fund should be made to Her Majesty's Government for presentation to the EEC.

Agreement has not yet been reached on the detailed arrangements for the Regional Development Fund but we hope to forward our initial applications for assistance early in the new year. If my hon. Friend has any particular project in mind perhaps she will write to me giving full details.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial assistance has been given from the European Economic Community towards the development of iron ore necessary for the steel complex on Tees-side.

The European Investment Bank signed an agreement with the British Steel Corporation on 31st October 1973 for a loan of £14·7 million at a rate of interest of 8½ per cent. per annum towards the cost of new burden preparation facilities for the new integrated steel-making complex to be built at Teesside. These burden facilities include facilities for the preparation of iron ore.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage share of world trade held by, respectively, the United Kingdom, United States of America, France,

				United Kingdom Per cent.	United States Per cent.	France Per cent.	German Federal Republic Per cent.	Italy Per cent.	Japan Per cent.	Sweden Per cent.
1954	…	…	…	20·2	25·3	9·1	14·9	3·2	4·7	2·7
1955	…	…	…	19·9	24·4	9·3	15·4	3·3	5·1	2·6
1956	…	…	…	19·4	25·2	7·8	16·3	3·5	5·6	2·7
1957	…	…	…	18·4	25·3	8·0	17·5	3·8	5·9	2·8
1958	…	…	…	18·3	23·2	8·6	18·5	4·1	6·0	3·0
1959	…	…	…	18·0	21·1	9·2	19·0	4·4	6·7	3·0
1960	…	…	…	16·5	21·6	9·6	19·3	5·1	6·9	3·1
1961	…	…	…	16·5	20·5	9·4	20·2	5·7	6·8	3·2
1962	…	…	…	15·5	21·9	9·0	19·5	5·8	7·2	3·3
1963	…	…	…	15·3	21·3	9·0	19·8	6·0	7·5	3·4
1964	…	…	…	14·2	21·5	8·7	19·4	6·3	8·2	3·4
1965	…	…	…	13·8	20·3	8·8	19·2	6·8	9·4	3·3
1966	…	…	…	13·2	20·2	8·6	19·4	6·9	9·7	3·3
1967	…	…	…	12·2	20·4	8·5	19·6	7·0	9·8	3·3
1968	…	…	…	11·3	20·2	8·2	19·5	7·3	10·6	3·2
1969	…	…	…	11·2	19·3	8·2	19·6	7·3	11·2	3·2
1970	…	…	…	10·6	18·6	8·8	19·9	7·2	11·7	3·4
1971	…	…	…	10·9	17·0	8·8	20·1	7·3	13·0	3·3
1972	…	…	…	10·1	16·2	9·3	20·3	7·6	13·2	3·3

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amount of subsidy, including the full value of overheads and all computer resources used, has been granted to the Mass Spectrometry Data Centre in each of the years 1966 to date by the Departments responsible for the AWRE ; and what proportion of total income all subsidies together represented in each of these years.

I am looking into this matter and shall let the hon. Member have this information as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with average cost of production Germany, Italy, Japan and Sweden for each year since 1950.

The table below sets out the share of each of the countries in the total value of exports of manufactures by the world's 12 main manufacturing countries for each year since 1954. Figures for years earlier than 1954 are not readily available. For 1969 it has been estimated that exports of manufactures by these 12 countries accounted for 76 per cent. of the total world trade in manufactures.of the 35,000 indexed references made available by the Mass Spectrometry Data Centre Bulletin up to 1972 ; and how this compares with the £1 to £2 per reference normal in other printed science indices.

I am looking into this matter and shall let the hon. Member have this information as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will give either a detailed list or summary of the rules, regulations, directives, duties and levies as imposed by the Common Market which affect his Department in any way ; and to what extent these have increased or decreased prices and costs or made any difference to the expenditure of his Department, the consumer, or taxpayer for which he has ministerial responsibility.

No. The texts of Community secondary legislation adopted before the enlargement of the Community are published in the Special English Edition of the Official Journal. An index to this edition has been published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Secondary legislation adopted since 1st January 1973 is listed on the front pages of the issues of the Official Journal in which the texts are published. All of these publications are available in both the Vote Office and the Library.The second part of the Question could only be answered, in so far as this is practicable, at an unjustifiable cost to public funds.