asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in costs milk producers have experienced over those assumed by his Department at the last Price Review; what effect he expects this to have on the level of milk production; and what action he intends to take.

Reliable estimates of the sort requested are not available. My right hon. Friend has discussed with the President of the National Farmers' Union the current situation of the dairy industry against the background of the measures taken by the last Government following the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the number of calves in respect of which beef calf subsidy was paid in each year since 1968.

The number of live calves on which calf subsidy has been paid annually since 1967–68 is as follows:

	'000 Head
1967–68	2,197
1968–69	2,465
1969–70	2,504
1970–71	2,596
1971–72	2,799
1972–73	2,931
1973–74 (11 months)	2,830

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the amounts of food grains fit for human consumption destroyed under the direction of the Intervention Board, and the estimated value thereof.

None has been destroyed. In the year ending 31st January 1974, subsidy was paid on 2,430,624 tons of wheat denatured in this country, of which 317,787 tons were treated with fish oil or dye and used for animal feeding and 2,112,837 tons were incorporated direct into animal feedingstuffs by manufac- turers. On 10th February 1974 the denaturing subsidy was reduced to nothing and no denaturing of wheat has taken place since that date.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has considered the future scale of afforestation in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Cordle) on 19th March 1974.—[Vol. 870, c. 76.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed by the Potato Marketing Board in each of the past 10 years; and what was the total expenditure on staff salaries in each of those years.

These are matters for the Potato Marketing Board but I understand from it that the number of permanent and temporary staff employed on 30th June in each of the years concerned was:

30th June 1964	773
30th June 1965	819
30th June 1966	804
30th June 1967	636
30th June 1968	689
30th June 1969	656
30th June 1970	578
30th June 1971	751
30th June 1972	807
30th June 1973	744

and that the total expenditure on staff salaries, wages and staff pensions schemes was:

Year ended	£
30th June 1965	601,700
30th June 1966	665,602
30th June 1967	613,751
30th June 1968	653,377
30th June 1969	679,921
30th June 1970	696,063
30th June 1971	832,561
30th June 1972	933,029
30th June 1964	571,993
30th June 1973	986,758

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the revenue of the Potato Marketing Board in each of the past 10 years.

This is a matter for the Potato Marketing Board, but I understand from it that the board's total income—excluding payments from the Government in respect of market support operations and deficiency payments—was:

Year ended	£
30th June 1964	2,510,999
30th June 1965	2,507,147
30th June 1966	2,431,066
30th June 1967	2,194,227
30th June 1968	2,463,030
30th June 1969	2,346,697
30th June 1970	2,358,707
30th June 1971	2,809,230
30th June 1972	3,363,809
30th June 1973	3,342,490

						Initial Estimate	28th February 1974	Percentage Change
						£ million	£ million
Annual Salary Bill	…	…	…	…	…	1·755	3·225	+83

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of persons now employed by the Pay Board and Price Commission; and what is the percentage change in these numbers since these two bodies were first established.

						Initial Estimate	28th February 1974	Percentage Change
Number of staff	…	…	…	…	…	700	1,067	+52

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to publish the White Paper on the leaking of personal information from Her Majesty's Government files.

I am not aware of any need to publish a White Paper on this subject, but if my hon. Friend has some particular point in mind, perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimate for the transfer of flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the current annual salary bill for the Pay Board and Price Commission; and what is the percentage change in this bill since these two bodies were established.

Based on the initial estimates of the salary for the total number of staff required for the Pay Board and Price Commission and that for the number of staff in post on 28th February 1974, the information for both bodies combined is as follows:

Based on the initial estimates of the total number of staff required for the Pay Board and Price Commission and the number of staff in post on 28th February 1974 the information for both bodies combined is as follows:to Bedford and Farnborough; and how this estimate is made up.

The transfer of flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern to Bedford and Farnborough is part of a complex of moves. The cost cannot therefore be realistically considered except as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the administrative costs to date of organising the transfer of flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern to Bedford and Farnborough, including meetings, travel expenses and part-time effort.

It is not possible to identify these costs without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what, if any, items in the original plan to transfer flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern to Bedford and Farnborough are being deferred until a later date; and what will be their costs.

It remains the intention to transfer all the flying and associated work away from Pershore. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the latest reliable estimates for the actual savings incurred by transferring flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern to Bedford and Farnborough.

The transfer of flying and other work from RRE Per-shore and Malvern to RAE Farnborough and Bedford will contribute towards overall savings of about £1½ million a year from the first stage of rationalisation of R & D Establishments. Further savings will arise from the merger of the RRE and RAE fleets of aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the fact that not more than 12 craftsmen are willing to transfer from RRE Pershore and that the RAE Farnborough have been advertising for craftsmen for months without success, if he is satisfied that sufficient staff will be available to perform the additional work implied by transfering flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern to RAE Farnborough.

The task to be transferred from Pershore to Farnborough represents an addition of only 5 per cent of that establishment's strength of skilled craftsmen and I do not think that an insuperable problem will arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost in time and money of putting new work, as a result of the transfer of flying and work from RRE Pershore and Malvern to Bedford and Farnborough, out to private contractors; and what is the current cost of putting similar work out to contract from RAE Farnborough.

It is not planned to put additional work out to contract as a result of the move from Pershore and Malvern to Bedford and Farnborough.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the staff at RRE Pershore were not consulted about the decision to move a large proportion of the aircraft and work to Bedford instead of Farnborough, despite official assurances that full consultation would take place at every stage.

I understand that there was full consultation about the closure of Pershore and the proposed move of work to RAE Farnborough. The need to modify the plan to move some of Pershore's work to RAE Bedford was notified to the staff, and to the hon. Member's predecessor, in September 1973 and there have since been a number of discussions with the staff when the reasons for the change which will not take effect for two years, were fully explained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the results of the current review of the TAVR.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Money) on 28th March.—[Vol. 871, c. 180.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will include in the Defence White Paper details of the East—West military balance in Europe.

I will bear the hon. Gentleman's point carefully in mind when I consider publishing a Defence White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he intends to implement the recommendations of the Russell Report on Adult Education; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will consider what action to take on this report when he has had time to consider its resource implications in the light of our present economic problems and of the prospects for public expenditure on education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery nurses were trained in each of the years 1964 to 1973; and what information he has about their subsequent employment.

The following numbers obtained the certificate of the National Nursery Examination Board. No records are kept of their subsequent employment.

Year
1964	1,731
1965	1,820
1966	1,973
1967	1,966
1968	2,379
1969	2,420
1970	2,684
1971	2,761
1972	3,003
1973	3,095

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of trained nursery nurses still remains employed as nursery nurses.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the purchase by a national institution of the Thomas Heywood manuscript "Tom a Lincoln" has been concluded; and which institution will hold the manuscript.

An offer to purchase was made on behalf of a public collection on 11th March, and as a consequence no export licence will be granted. It is for the owner to decide whether to accept the offer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy towards help for the Royal Photographic Society to prepare a register of existing photographic collections in a central catalogue.

The Government's support for the arts, including the photographic arts, is channelled through museums and galleries, the Arts Council, the British Film Institute and other similar bodies, and for archives primarily through the British Library and the museums. I do not envisage any direct support to the Royal Photographic Society for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he intends to grant additional money to the Arts Council.

The grant in aid for the Arts Council of Great Britain published on 26th March in the Civil Estimates for 1974–75 is £18·835 million. This is a significant increase in real terms after allowing for the effects of inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of recent incidents at the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, he is satisfied with the arrangements for the safety of works of art in national collections; and whether he will make a statement.

On 10th March a vase at the British Museum was kicked by a visitor and smashed. On 24th March at the Victoria and Albert Museum a visitor threw a pot of paint into a display cabinet containing stem glasses, damaging 54 of them. In each case a person has been charged and is currently before the courts. Except for the Victoria and Albert and Science Museums, which are the direct responsibility of my right hon. Friend, security arrangements of the national museums and galleries in England are the responsibility of the Trustees. All the institutions may call upon the advice of the Security Adviser to the National Museums and Galleries who is on the strength of the Department of Education and Science. In general, I am satisfied that the security arrangements are as good as can be achieved, but it is hardly practicable in a public place to guarantee complete protection against acts of wilful and irrational damage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the reasons for prolonging museum admission charges for one week after his announcement on 22nd March that decisions to terminate them had been agreed with all parties concerned, bearing in mind their effect upon numbers of visitors during that week.

It would not have been practicable to deal earlier with the problem of redundant staff and 29th March was the earliest date which avoided accounting difficulties due to the consequential changes in the liability of the institutions for VAT. The agreement announced after consultation was to terminate charges after 29th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the actual manpower situation in the National Coal Board compared with the budgeted strength; and what were the figures over the last 12 months.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board and I am asking the Chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is now able to make a further statement giving detailed figures on the actual costs or estimates of the cost of the recent fuel and energy shortage and miners' strike on a weekly or monthly basis; and what has been the saving to the economy since the ending of the miners' strike.

No further assessment, beyond the broad indications already given to the House—most recently by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26th March—has been made of the cost to the nation of the energy shortage and miners' dispute. By honouring our election pledge and getting the country back to work, we have removed the constraints on production imposed by the last Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to propose alterations to the law relating to the mandatory wearing of crash helmets by motor cyclists.

I have no plans at present to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the report on transport will be completed; and whether it is his intention to analyse the transport needs of Wales in one separate section of the proposed report.

Our policies on transport are set out in our election manifesto. As they are developed, I shall report to the House in whatever way seems most appropriate. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I will ensure that the needs of Wales are fully taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce his Bill to provide security of tenure for tenants of furnished lettings; when he intends it to operate; and if he will seek to provide security of tenure for such tenants who may receive notice to quit or be evicted before the law comes into operation, whether or not this is after six months' stay on eviction has run out before the Bill becomes law.

I hope to make an announcement shortly. I have my hon. Friend's last point very much in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to announce a definite timetable for the construction of the Market Harborough bypass.

As the hon. Member is aware, decisions on a Market Harborough bypass depend on the results of the A1/M1 link feasibility study. The report of the study is now under consideration. I will let the hon. Member know the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates the proposed line of the M20 from Swanley to Wrotham Heath will be put on display at Wrotham; and on what date there will be a public meeting at which those living at Wrotham will be able to question representatives of the South-Eastern Road Construction Unit about the proposed line.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly. The public will be given full opportunity to consider any fresh proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reexamine the possibility of a motorway

								Distance travelled due to driver reaction feet	Vehicle Stopping Distance feet	Total Distance feet
30 m.p.h.	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	30	67	97
40 m.p.h.	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	40	119	159
50 m.p.h.	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	50	185	235
60 m.p.h.	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	60	267	327
70 m.p.h.	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	70	364	434

In practice many vehicles will give 10–15 per cent. better performances than the minimum legal requirements provided the vehicles are properly maintained and tested on road surface of good adhesion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in tabular form the numbers of private dwellings within the new West Midlands metropolitan county, by district, which lie within 300 metres of a motorway.

I regret that the information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in tabular form the numbers of private dwellings in the English counties

No. Improvements now under way for the M40, M3 and A34 should meet the need for high quality roads between the Midlands and Southampton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the stopping distances of each size of road haulage vehicle under load, including trailers, when travelling at 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 mph, respectively.

The information requested is not available for all sizes of heavy vehicles. However the minimum legal braking performance requirements for heavy vehicles and trailers is prescribed in regulations in terms of braking efficiency which must not be less than 0·5.The equivalent stopping distances are as follows:which lie within 300 metres of a motorway.

I regret that the information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many observations were made at Perry Beeches and Great Barr, Birmingham, on Fridays between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in order to prepare the noise contour map for the M6.

None. The prediction method of calculating noise levels is being used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the noise contour map for the M6 motorway at Perry Beeches and Great Barr, Birmingham, to be published.

Within three months, it is hoped.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now answer questions relating to the details of grants dispensed by the Sports Council.

I am considering this and will make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Mr. and Mrs. Donald Mackay, who have been in prison in Malawi since September 1973, to be released; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. and Mrs. Mackay are legally detained under a Presidential Detention Order of indefinite duration. The British High Commission have repeatedly made representations that the Mackays should be charged and brought to trial, or released. They will continue to press for a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received in connection with the proposal by the Departmental Civil Service Committee that there should be a 10 per cent. cut in the budget of the BBC's External Services; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from the Association of Broadcasting Staff and the National Union of Journalists in connection with this alleged proposal. I must, however, make it clear that no such proposal has been made. The Government have of course to keep under review the cost of the BBC external services, like all other items of public expenditure. I am very conscious of the importance of the BBC external services, and this will be borne in mind in considering any savings which may be thought necessary in the overall expenditure under the control of my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the impending trial of a British passport holder in Rhodesia.

If my hon. Friend is referring to the case of Mr. Kenneth McIntosh, I understand that he has pleaded guilty to a charge under the Rhodesian "Emergency Powers (Sanctions Counter-Espionage) Regulations, 1970" at a hearing in the Rhodesian High Court on 26th March; and that his plea of not guilty to a charge under the Rhodesian "Official Secrets Act 1970" was accepted by the prosecution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will make a statement at the Council of Ministers of the European Communities about the United Kingdom position on renegotiation of the United Kingdom's terms of entry to the EEC.

I intend making a statement in the council at the meeting in Luxembourg on Monday 1st April. The text of my statement will be published in a White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry who is responsible for establishing the selling price of a Concorde aircraft.

The manufacturers propose to British and French Governments the selling price to be offered to airlines. The actual sales price, which is also subject to the approval of Governments, can only be established after negotiation with individual airlines.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to obtain and list the loans made to British industry by the European Investment Bank in the year 1973.

The following loans for United Kingdom industrial projects were announced by the European Investment Bank in 1973:

(1) A loan of £3·5 million to the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation Ltd. towards the cost of financing small and medium-scale projects in the development areas of the United Kingdom.

(2) A loan of £14·7 million to the British Steel Corporation towards the cost of new burden preparation facilities at Teesside.

(3) A loan of £14·7 million to the British Steel Corporation towards the cost of a third blast furnace and other supporting plant at Llanwern, South Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he has had with the British Steel Corporation regarding the Corporation's pricing schedules; and with what result.

The corporation discussed its prices with me and, with effect from 28th March, has increased by an average of 25 per cent. the price of steel products covered by the ECSC Treaty; the increase in the price of tinplate used in canning food for human consumption is 15 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has for the re-establishment of the joint steering group for the British Steel Corporation.

None. I am, however, reviewing the corporation's closure plans, and will look again at planned capacity levels.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he expects to receive the report of the Boyle Committee on the Second Review of Mem- bers of Parliament's salaries and conditions; and whether, as a matter of urgency, he will request the committee to consider pension rights of Members of Parliament being placed on the same basis as civil servants.

No reference on Members' salaries has yet been made to the Top Salaries Review Body, and the Government will have to consider the possibility. If a review is undertaken it will be for the Review Body to decide whether to recommend any changes in the Members' pension scheme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT Table 4 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1974–75 on the same basis as Table 4 was published in the corresponding document for 1973–74, with a similar breakdown for various time periods in absolute and percentage terms.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates will be the effect of the increases in nationalised industry prices announced in his Budget speech on the retail price index by July, October and December 1974 and April 1975.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates the effect of all the changes mentioned in his Budget speech will be on the retail price index by July, October and December 1974 and April 1975.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the total subsidies paid by central and local governments to aid rail and road services during each of the past five years.

I have been asked to reply. Within my Department's area of responsibility, the figures are estimated to be:

	£ million.
1969–70	150
1970–71	124
1971–72	130
1972–73	238
1973–74	279

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement the recommendation of the Melville Committee Report on Handicapped Children.

I am at present studying the recommendations in the light of the views of interested bodies, but I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the resources of the chiropody services are being curtailed by the simultaneous

					Less than 3 months	3–6 months	6–12 months	Over 12 months	Total
31st March 1970	…	…	…	…	111	79	131	189	510
31st March 1971	…	…	…	…	87	103	100	192	482
31st March 1972	…	…	…	…	140	74	96	123	433
31st March 1973	…	…	…	…	143	57	107	78	385

During the above period both the total patients awaiting admission and the time waited have progressively been reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate she has made of the number of disabled drivers, other than war pensioners, now running three-wheel vehicles, or receiving an annual allowance instead, who would, on the basis of Baroness Sharp's Report on Mobility of Physically Disabled People, become eligible neither for a car nor for an allowance.

The recent reductions in public expenditure applied across the whole field of health services. In the past, local health authorities had discretionary powers to charge for chiropody and to exempt from charges, and practice varied widely; some authorities did not charge at all. Income from chiropody charges was small and uneconomic to collect. Those who use this service are those least able to pay charges. We are about to issue guidance to the new health authorities on the provision of chiropody services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for an operation for the removal of tonsils at Nottingham Children's Hospital; how this compares with the average waiting time in the last four years; and if she will take steps to reduce this waiting time.

Waiting periods for admission for non-acute conditions vary with specialty, patient's condition, availability of beds and emergency case load. Thus average waiting times are not meaningful. The time waited by patients at the Nottingham Children's Hospital in the last four years for which figures are available are:

Precise information is not available, but I have no reason to question the estimate of 13,500 which Lady Sharp herself makes in paragraph 139 of her report. I am however having this figure checked and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether the merged pension schemes under the reorganisation of the National Health Service are to be funded and self-invested;

The National Health Service Superannuation Scheme for England and Wales is centrally administered in accordance with the National Health Service (Superannuation) Regulations 1961 to 1974 and no question of merging funds therefore arises. The scheme is notionally funded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services approximately how many concessionary broadcasting licences have been given to pensioners by local authorities under Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.

Figures for the year ending 31st March 1973, which do not distinguish between elderly and handicapped people, show that local authorities in England met in whole or in part the cost of televison licences in respect of 4,289 households under Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 and Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970. In the same period, in 2,242 cases assistance was given towards the installation of a television set, and in an unknown number of these cases this assistance will have included help towards the cost of the licence.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will take steps, in the light of the Sharp Report, to bring the existing arrangements for the provison of vehicles or private car allowances to the attention of disabled people throughout the country.

Leaflet NHS 5 about the vehicle service has had a wide circulation and is shortly to be re-issued to all general practitioners. The booklet "Help for Handicapped People", of which more than 2 million copies have been distributed so far, and which includes information about the service, is continuing to be issued through many channels. Furthermore, the provisions are widely known to organisations representing disabled people and those professionally responsible for their welfare. I will, however, consider whether further publicity is needed in the light of my overall review of the vehicle service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the approximate number of pensioners living on their own and in receipt of supplementary benefit after the proposed increase in pensions has taken place.

About the present number, that is roughly 1 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures for cost of food and drink per patient per week in mental hospitals, in chronic sick hospitals and general hospitals; and how those figures compare with the 1970 figures.

No classification of "general hospital" or "hospital for the chronic sick" is used for costing purposes, and separate costs of feeding patients and staff are not identified. The cost of provisions per person fed per week—patients and staff combined—in 1969–70 and 1972–73 in hospitals of the nearest types in England was as follows:

	1969–70	1972–73
	£	£
Mental Illness Hospitals	1·66	2·25
Mental Handicap Hospitals	1·44	2·18
Acute Hospitals with more than 100 beds	2·09	2·74
Long Stay Hospitals	1·69	2·20

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how soon the first issue of behind-the-ear hearing aids will take place; in what quantities they will be released; and in what way the allocations will be made.

Issues are expected to begin in November 1974 and during the following year should amount to some 60,000 for the priority groups specified in the statement made to the House on 9th July 1973.—[Vol. 859, c. 1035–42.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the additional annual cost of exempting from payment of prescription charges all persons under the age of 21 years.

This cannot be estimated precisely but, for persons aged 16 to under 21 years, it is thought to be about £2½ million in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take measures to provide financial assistance for persons disabled by illness along the same lines as that given to those disabled by injury.

I must ask the hon. Lady to await the outcome of our review of the whole question of cash benefits for the disabled. I would, however, refer the hon. Lady to my right hon. Friend's speech during the debate on the Address on 15th March.—[Vol. 870, c. 523–33.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average wage of a nurse in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively.

The information is not available, but the basic salary scales for the various grades of nurse are the same in Scotland, England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what proportion the resources necessary to pay for the increases in pensions and other social security and supplementary benefits are to be raised from (a) employers' contributions, (b) employees' contributions, and (c) the Exchequer.

Of the total extra cost of the increased benefits, about 47 per cent. will be met by higher contribution rates for employers, 10 per cent. by higher contributions for employees and 3 per cent. by higher contributions for the self-employed and non-employed. The cost of increases in benefits paid from the Consolidated Fund, together with the increased Exchequer supplement to the Insurance Funds will amount to 23 per cent. of the total. The balance of 17 per cent. will be met from the growing income of the Insurance Funds under existing legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she intends to publish the Lane Report on the Working of the Abortion Act.

I would refer the hon. Member to my speech during the debate on the Budget yesterday.—[Vol. 871, c. 653.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the projects and schemes in the United Kingdom which received financial help from the EEC Social Fund in the year 1973.

I have been asked to reply. The following schemes in Great Britain received financial assistance from the European Social Fund in 1973:

• Training of unemployed workers in the assisted areas;
• Other Government expenditure on training;
• Transfer of workers from and within the assisted areas;
• Training and resttlement of workers leaving agriculture;
• Training of workers in or leaving textiles;
• Training of disabled persons;
• Industrial rehabilitation of disabled persons.

Similar schemes in Northern Ireland also received assistance from the Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will specify the total grants made to specific industries under the Industry Act 1972 and the name of companies in which the state has acquired a shareholding since the inception of the Act.

I have been asked to reply.The only grants so far made to specific industries under the Industry Act 1972 are to the shipbuilding industry under Section 11. Payments up to 28th February 1974 totalled £26·6 million.Provision exists under schemes formulated under Section 8 for grants to be made to the wool textile industry and to United Kingdom firms which provide offshore supplies. But no payments have so far been made.The shareholdings taken under the Act are:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the present situation relating to the Carmarthen, St. Clears, Whitland, Llandeilo and Llandovery bypass schemes.

I am currently considering an alternative route suggested by objectors to the published proposals for the Carmarthen southern bypass which, if adopted, would have repercussions for planned trunk road improvements over a wide area. I shall then resume preparation of the bypass proposals for Carmarthen and Llandeilo. Llandovery bypass is the subject of a feasibility study with a view to the possible inclusion of a suitable scheme in my trunk road preparation pool. Preparatory work is proceeding satisfactorily on the St. Clears and Whitland bypass schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Ipswich area were registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 at the last date for which figures are available; and how many of these were in employment at that date.

1,327 people in the area of the Ipswich Employment Office are currently registered under the Act. Of these 48 were known to be unemployed in February. Most of the remainder were probably in employment, but it is impossible to give a specific figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will made a statement regarding proposed redundancies at the BXL research and development station at Lawford in Suffolk.

My information is that BXL of Lawford Place, Manning-tree, Essex, is making 20 employees redundant on 5th April. Local officers of my Department have already interviewed those concerned and will give every assistance in finding alternative employment.

asked the Secreretary of State for Employment (1) what is the average wage in England for males and females, respectively;(2) what is the average wage in Scotland for males and females, respectively.

The following estimates of average gross weekly earnings of full-time men and women in England and Scotland whose pay for the survey reference period in April 1973 was not affected by absence were obtaind from the New Earnings Survey.

	England	Scotland
	£	£.
Full-time men aged 21 and over:
Manual	38·20	37·10
Non-manual	48·40	46·80
All	42·10	40·40
Full-time women aged 18 and over:
Manual	19·80	19·50
Non-manual	24·80	23·70
All	23·20	22·20

The estimates are subject to sampling error. They include overtime pay, bonuses etc. Full-time means expected to work for more than 30 hours in a normal week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the European Communities Social Fund was paid in respect of Scotland, England and Wales in the year 1973.

Of the £23·9 million allocated to the United Kingdom, £5·4 million was in respect of Scotland and £4 million in respect of Northern Ireland. Separate figures for England and for Wales are not immediately available but I will send them to the hon. Member as soon as they can be extracted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of Government training centre places in each of the economic planning regions of England as a ratio of the total insured working population of each region.

The information which relates to my Department's administrative regions is as follows:

NUMBER OF OPERATIONAL PLACES IN GOVERNMENT TRAINING CENTRES BY TRADE AND BY DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AT 28TH FEBRUARY 1974
			Operational Places
			N	Y&H	E&S	L&SE	SW	MIDS	NW
TOTAL NUMBER OF PLACES	…	…	1,857	1,153	1,519	2,416	941	1,665	1,640
GRAND TOTAL	…	…				11,191
Construction
Bricklaying	…	…	160	85	180	224	96	131	160
Carpentry and joinery	…	…	80	48	120	176	134	80	160
Heating and ventilating fitting		…	32	32	32	32	—	16	48
House painting	…	…	—	—	12	12	12	48	—
Pipe fitting (Petro-chemical industry)			—	—	—	—	3	—	—
Plastering	…	…	32	—	16	3	—	—	64
Plumbing	…	…	64	32	64	160	64	48	96
Slating and tiling	…	…	—	—	—	16	—	—	—
Street masonry and paving	…	…	24	—	—	12	—	—	48
Woodcutting machining	…	…	16	8	24	8	—	16	24
Welding—Pipe CITB	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	8	—
TOTAL	…	…	408	205	448	643	309	347	600

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of Government training centre places in each of the economic planning regions of England; and if he will indicate the principal trades for which provision is made in each region.

The information, which relates to my Department's administrative regions, is as follows: