asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek powers to ensure that a proportion of the staff at State schools is trained in first aid on the same lines required for factories.

Advice on first aid is given in several of my Department's publications and it is for local education authorities to ensure that there are adequate arrangements in maintained schools for first aid to be given. I see no need to seek powers on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what applications for consents for school building have been made to him by the Warwickshire education authority in respect of the Nuneaton area.

Thirteen Nuneaton primary and secondary school projects have been submitted for inclusion in the authority's major building programme for 1976–77:

• Bedworth, Leicester Road, CE Middle, Completion as 2 form-entry.
• Exhall, St. Gile's Middle, Extend to 3 form-entry.
• Attleborough, Whitestone First, 2 form-entry.
• St. Joseph's, RC Middle, Completion as 3 form-entry.
• Attleborough, Whitestone Middle, 2 form-entry.
• Ash Green High, Extend to 8 form-entry.
• Attleborough Secondary, 4 form-entry instalment.
• King Edward Sixth Form College, Extensions and adaptations.
• George Eliot Secondary, Extensions and adaptations.
• Alderman Smith Secondary, Extend to 8 form-entry.
• Hartshill Secondary, Extend to 8 form-entry.
• Nuneaton, Galley Common First, 2 form-entry replacement.
• Nuneaton, Abbey CE Junior, 2 form-entry replacement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what pro- gress is being made to convert part of Somerset House into a theatre museum.

A Keeper has been appointed and will take up his duties in September. He will be responsible to the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum for the running of the theatre museum. His first task will be to settle the design brief for the new museum in consultation with my Department and the Department of the Environment, who will jointly be funding the project. It is hoped to open the theatre museum before the end of 1975.

asked the Secretary o State for Education and Science if he will expedite his consideration of an application for approval of the redevelopment of St. Mary's School, Selby, consequent upon the decision to develop the Selby coal-find.

The Coal Board's development plans are not yet sufficiently far advanced to indicate whether any additional primary school places for Roman Catholic children will be needed in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice his Department has given to local education authorities to deter them from building open plan schools on grounds of financial cheapness rather than educational preference.

The aim of my Department's advice on the design of schools is to achieve maximum educational advantage within the money available. It has never advocated particular planning arrangements solely on grounds of economy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take about the education of maladjusted deaf children.

I wrote to my hon. Friend about this on 18th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be in a position to give the results of the Department's survey on violence and indiscipline in schools.

INFORMATION FROM 100 LEAS OF INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE CAUSING CONCERN REPORTED TO THEM BY SCHOOLS IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 1971–72
Violence
		Pupil to Pupil			Pupil to Teacher			Parent to Teacher
Type of School		Number of incidents	Incidents per 100,000 pupils	Percentage of schools involved	Number of incidents	Incidents per 100,000 pupils	Percentage of schools involved	Number of incidents
PRIMARY	…	591	20·5	2·2	144	5·0	0·9	44
SECONDARY
Incidents involving pupils of:—
13 and under	…	400	76·8	13·4	691	16·8	5·1	30
14 and over	…	682			153
both age groups		404			91
TOTAL	…	2,077			457			74

		Threats of Violence
		Pupil to Pupil			Pupil to Teacher			Parent to Teacher
Type of School		Number of incidents	Incidents per 100,000 pupils	Percentage of schools involved	Number of incidents	Incidents per 100,000 pupils	Percentage of schools involved	Number of incidents
PRIMARY	…	189	6·6	0·7	31	1·1	0·2	96
SECONDARY
Incidents involving pupils of:—
13 and under	…	238	39·6	5·3	39	1·1	2·6	99
14 and over	…	403			127
both age groups		94			15
TOTAL	…	924			212			195

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any arrangements are being made to provide instruction in teacher training colleges on methods of dealing with cases of indiscipline.

The maintenance of order and good behaviour rests essentially on the relationship between teacher and pupils. The study of these relationships is an important element of initial teacher training courses, and teacher practice within the course provides the necessary test of experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what statistics he has relating to acts of violence in primary, middle and high schools.

Figures on violence were collected in a survey conducted last year by the Association of Education Committees on behalf of the Department. A summary of this information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will seek to meet the Inner London Education Authority to discuss matters which require his decision.

I am ready to meet the authority's representatives if the occasion requires, and in fact my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary met the Chairman of the Inner London Education Authority only yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to encourage research into and the development of programmed learning techniques; and if he will make a statement.

The development of educational technology, of which programmed learning is one part, is co-ordinated by the Council for Educational Technology for the United Kingdom, which is funded by my Department. The Government have also mounted a five-year National Development Programme in Computer Assisted Learning, and an element in this is the role of programmed learning.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will have a meeting with local education authorities to discuss means by which parents may be better informed about new teaching methods and the use of new equipment in schools; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter best left to the individual authorities in view of the differences from area to area in the use and type of new methods and equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had from local education authorities regarding amendments to the raising of the school leaving age.

The Inner London Education Authority was among the bodies—which also included the local authority associations—that expressed views to my Department on the possibility of an early leaving date in the summer term.

asked the Secretary for Education and Science what representations he has received asking that students should be released from secondary schools before they reach the official school leaving age if they wish to complete their education in the Armed Forces.

I am aware of none from members of the public. But I would draw attention to the remarks of my hon. Friend in the debate on 8th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in his consideration of the school building programme in the Chingford area of the London borough of Waltham Forest, he will take account of the increased burden expected to be placed on the public sector of education by the proposed closure of Normanhurst School.

My right hon. Friend understands that the Waltham Forest Education Authority is currently investigating the likely effects of the closure of this school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the result of the consultations between his Department and the Trafford authority in regard to the future of St. Bride's School, Old Trafford.

My Department's consultations with the Trafford authority about this case are not yet completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further study is he making concerning the turnover of teaching staff in greater London.

The survey conducted last year has thrown useful light on this problem and has provided data for further analysis. I have no immediate plans to conduct a further survey.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his consultations on the report of the Working Party on School Transport have now been completed.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the present primary school rebuilding programme.

My Department's Circular 10/74, issued last Friday, announced that a reserve had been held back from the 1974–75 school building allocations to enable a limited number of primary school improvement and replacement projects to go ahead in areas of special social need.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now in a position to say when he will announce the Government's response to the Russell Report on Adult Education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for the expansion of adult education.

As my right hon. Friend stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewis

GCE ADVANCED LEVEL RESULTS (SUMMER EXAMINATION) 1968–1972
(BY SUBJECT ENTRIES)
					Passes as a percentage of entries
					Grades
		Number of entries	Number of passes	All passes	A	B	C	D	E	Granted Ordinary level passes
										Per cent.
1968	…	417,822	286,633	68·6	8·9	14·1	10·8	14·3	20·0	17·5
1969	…	428,927	291,038	67·9	8·7	13·4	11·7	13·9	19·9	17·7
1970	…	441,898	303,326	68·8	8·7	13·6	11·7	14·5	20·2	17·2
1971	…	456,996	315,240	69·0	8·9	13·8	11·4	14·6	20·3	17·0
1972	…	467,257	325,003	69·6	9·1	14·0	11·6	14·6	20·2	16·4
Figures for 1973 are not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations within the Burnham Committee on the London allowance.

The Management Panel of the Burnham Primary and Secondary Committee offered, on 5th July, to increase the London allowance to £325 for teachers in the ILEA and £200 for teachers in the rest of the Metropolitan Police District. This offer, which is in line with the Pay Board report, has been rejected by the teachers. The Burnham Committee met again on 13th July but did not more any nearer an agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the trend in the number of A-level entries and passes over the past five years.

The answer is as follows:Both sides agreed to adjourn and to meet again at a later date.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he will not agree to the publication of the letter which he received from the Director of Education of the London borough of Newham sent to him under date of 3rd July on London weighting, together with the reply which he has sent to this communication, in view of the fact that the director has no objection.

It is not my practice to publish correspondence addressed to me. I have no objection if the director wishes to publish his letter and my reply, which was to the effect that London weighting for teachers is a matter for negotiation in the Burnham Committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what opportunities there will be for parents to put their objections to him concerning local plans for secondary school reorganisation.

Public notice must be given in prescribed form of proposals in respect of individual schools under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944. The section provides for objections to be submitted to my right hon. Friend within two months of publication of the notices.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received from the Writers' Action Group concerning public lending right; and what replies he has sent.

I received a letter dated 1st July jointly from four members of the Writers' Action Group and the Society of Authors, to which I replied on 4th July, repeating the Government's intention, as announced in my reply to a Question on 9th May—[Vol. 873, c. 241–42]—from my right hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Mr. Strauss), to introduce legislation this year. Technical discussions are in progress and I have called for an interim report by the end of the month.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will initiate a national campaign to explain the health hazards of cigarette smoking to schoolchildren.

There has been much effort in this area in recent years, and in most if not all secondary schools the hazards of smoking are discussed with pupils. Advice was given in the Department's publication "Smoking and Health in Schools", 1972, and assistance is available through the Health Education Council, who has recently made a film for use by teachers. There may be limits to what the schools can achieve in the face of strong countervailing pressures in society at large which present smoking in attractive terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students are studying at Scottish universities; and what estimate he has made of student numbers in the session 1975–76.

The number of full-time students attending Scottish universities in the academic year 1973–74 is about 39,300. Regarding the second part of his Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question of 25th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on his policy towards streaming in secondary schools.

No. Streaming is a matter for decision by local education authorities and school governors.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places are available in colleges of education for the academic year commencing September 1974; and how this compares with each of the years 1970 to 1973 inclusive.

Thirty-two thousand places are available in September for non-graduates and 6,900 for graduates. The total of 38,900 places compares with admissions of 39·6, 42·4, 43·2 and 41·2 thousand students in the years 1970 to 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the numbers of students at colleges of education who are expected to complete courses in languages other than French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian at the end of the present academic year; and if he will provide the corresponding figures for 1959, 1964, 1969, 1972 and 1973 specifying the language in each case;(2) what are the numbers of students at colleges of education in England and Wales who are expected to complete courses in French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian at the end of the present academic year; and if he will provide the corresponding figures for 1959, 1964, 1969, 1972 and 1973.

The number of students completing courses by subject

Main subject of course							1961	1966	1969	1970
French	…	…	…	…	…	…	376	370	1,612	1,444
German	…	…	…	…	…	…	3	34	179	186
Spanish	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	6	10
Russian	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	9	15	8
Classics	…	…	…	…	…	…	2	6	50	54
Welsh	…	…	…	…	…	…	126	44	128	137

There will, in addition, be languages graduates completing postgraduate teacher training courses in each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how soon he will be able to announce his decision on the establishment of comprehensive schools for Catholic children in Stockport.

No statutory proposals designed to achieve the reorganisation of Roman Catholic secondary education in Stockport have yet been made. The Department is considering with the local education authority and the Diocesan Schools Commission certain questions concerning the possible use, in this connection, of premises now occupied by independent schools. It is hoped that a decision on the points at issue will be reached in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimates his Department has made of the demand for places in higher education in each of the years 1975 to 1981; and on what basis the calculations have been made.

The future demand for higher education is being considered in relation to recent trends in the numbers qualified for different courses and wishing to pursue them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children were denied a first, second or third choice of secondary schooling for September 1973.

The allocation of places at maintained schools is a matter for local education authorities and is not normally reported to the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the standards laid down as regards pupil-teacher ratios and ancillary help for ESN(S) schools.

Pupil-teacher ratios and standards for ancillary help for ESN(S) schools are not prescribed by regulation. The Department's Circular 4/73 recommended that the work of special schools should be organised in flexible teaching groups of sizes varying according to the severity of handicap and to the activity. In day schools for ESN(S) children a teaching group of not more than 10 was considered generally suitable. The circular stressed the importance of adequate numbers of ancillary staff and suggested that, with very severely handicapped children, it might be desirable to have as many ancillary staff as teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the teachers' claim for reduced superannuation contributions to be made retrospective to April 1972; and whether he will make a statement.

I am aware of the teachers' claim, which is made on the grounds that the higher rate of contribution payable from 1st April 1972 had been based on actuarial estimates which differed from the final determinations. The reduction to 6 per cent. has, however, been made not on actuarial grounds but on the basis of apportioning costs between employer and employee in such a way that the amount of the employees' contribution is related to the level of the benefits provided rather than to their cost. In accordance with normal practice for variations in conditions of service, however, the reduction in contribution is made from a current date, which is nor-ally interpreted as the date when the change in question is accepted by all the parties concerned. Although an agreement has not yet been reached I have nevertheless told the teachers that I am prepared to regard as a current date 1st December 1973, which is the nearest practicable date to 28th November 1973 when the matter was debated in the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now arrange for finance to be made available for the extension to Calver Primary School in Derbyshire during 1974–75 owing to overcrowding and unsuitability of the nineteenth century building.

It is now for the Derbyshire Education Authority to decide whether the need for additional school accommodation in the area is sufficient to justify a start on this project within the authority's lump sum allocation for 1974–75.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, under the replacement of primary schools which he announced on 16th July, he will now authorise the London borough of Bromley to proceed with the replacement programme for the Parish Church of England Primary School.

It is for the London borough of Bromley to consider whether to submit a proposal for this school's replacement to the Department under the arrangements announced in Circular 10/74 dated 19th July 1974. If such a proposal is submitted the project will be considered on its merits and in relation to the needs of other areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a grant to the Arts Council this year to meet the impact of inflation

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer earlier today to a question by the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the requirements for the recognition of independent establishments teaching English.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of my Department's statement of the conditions for recognition as efficient. About half the colleges that have been granted recognition teach English as a foreign language.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what new proposals he is putting forward for the safety of works of art in public collections.

I am writing to the hon. Member, as it is not in the public interest to give details of security measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of staff in his Department that he considers could be dispersed to the regions, irrespective of the Hardman Report's recommendations.

Dispersal in excess of that recommended by the Hardman Report could not be achieved without unacceptable loss of efficiency. About one-third of the Department's staff is already based outside London and no further dispersal is proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue a circular to local authorities regarding the maximum size of classes in secondary schools.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so, but he has already expressed the intention of working to a situation in which no maintained school is obliged, through lack of teachers, to have classes of over 30 pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if elected governors of the British Film Institute will henceforth hold office for a biennial period.

The Governors of the British Film Institute are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. Elections by the members are held in order to nominate two persons for consideration by the Secretary of State for appointment. What should be the normal term of such governors is one of a number of matters which I am discussing with the chairman of the institute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the total cost of restoring free milk in schools.

It is estimated that it would cost £7 million a year to restore free milk in schools in England and Wales to the junior pupils from whom it was withdrawn in 1971 and an additional £6 million to restore it to the seniors who lost their entitlement in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gurkhas are serving in Her Majesty's Forces, and if he will make a statement concerning their long-term future with particular reference to career future for officers wishing to serve in the Gurkha Brigade.

There are 6,891 Gurkhas serving in Her Majesty's Forces. The House will not expect me to make a statement about the future of any particular element of the Armed Forces in advance of decisions on the Defence Review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist between Her Majesty's Government and the French Government for the use of facilities, provided in France for Anglo-French aircraft projects, by French companies to enable them to produce defence equipment for sale to countries to which the sale of similar British equipment is banned by Her Majesty's Government.

The understanding between Her Majesty's Government and the French Government is that the use to which jointly-funded facilities are put in support of any sale to a third country is a matter for consultation and agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what financial penalties are to be extracted from the German contractors responsible for the three-month delay to the first flight of the multi-rôle combat aircraft.

The circumstances which led to a delay in first flight are being investigated. Any question of contractual liability which may arise is a matter for consideration in the first instance by the international procurement agency, NAMMA.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the costs of the multi-role combat aircraft programme so that British taxpayers may receive officially the information already available to West German and Italian taxpayers from their own Governments as partners in the programme.

Despite widespread speculation and many unofficial estimates, I am not aware that the West German and Italian Governments have published more information on the costs of the MRCA project than the United Kingdom Government. As I said in the Defence Debate on 13th May—[Vol. 873, c. 1106–7.]—we are considering, with our partners, what additional information might be released.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost in the current year of the mounted troops of (a) the Household Cavalry and (b) the Royal Artillery.

It is estimated that running costs in the current year are about £1·3 million for the Household Cavalry and £0·7 million for the Royal Horse Artillery.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost in the current year of the British forces of all three Services stationed in the following areas: (a) Germany, (b) Cyprus, (c) Gibraltar, (d) Malta, (e) Hong Kong, (f) Singapore, (g) Indian Ocean and the Far East and other than Hong Kong and Singapore and (h) elsewhere abroad.

Estimated local expenditure by the three Services for 1974–75 is as follows:

	£ millions
(a) Germany	294
(b) Cyprus	36
(c) Gibraltar	13
(d) Malta	15
(e) Hong Kong	25
(f) Singapore	12
(g) Indian Ocean, Gulf and other Far East	6
(h) Other areas	33
Total	434*
* Excludes equipment costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of Army and Air Force units per annum visiting the following countries for training purposes (a) Malta, (b) Cyprus, and (c) the Far East.

The number of training visits from the United Kingdom to Malta, Cyprus and the Far East by Army and Royal Air Force Regiment units of company size and above and Royal Air Force detachments of two or more aircraft planned for 1974–75 is as follows:

	Army	Royal Air Force and Royal Air Force Regiment
Malta	—	10
Cyprus	25	40
Far East	10	15

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now initiate discussions with the Government of China concerning the sale of Harriers to that country.

No. We will, however, give careful study to any proposals which might be put to us.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States bases in the United Kingdom provide educational facilities for the education of the children of United States' forces personnel.

Eighteen.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider improved benefits for cases of invaliding and death of members of the reserve forces who are primarily civilians and whose next of kin are debarred from making a claim against the Crown owing to Section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.

I appreciate the concern which exists in the House and I am already considering the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the reserve forces have died while on duty; and how many have died arising out of accidents received while on duty during each of the last five years.

The numbers of volunteer members of the Reserve Forces, excluding members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, who have died while on duty, since 1969 are:

1969	2
1970	3
1971	5
1972	6
1973	11
1974 (to date)	5

The available information does not distinguish those who died while on duty as a result of accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the estimated yield of an accommodation charge of £5 per week levied upon all hospital patients with the exception of retirement pensions and those in receipt of supplementary benefit.

Around £45 million annually for England.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to stop the projected closure of the DSS offices at Larkhall.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the transfer of the backroom work of the Larkhall National Insurance Office to an all-purpose office in Hamilton. As far back as 30th May 1968—[Vol. 765, c. 273–4.]—my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development, then Minister of Social Security, informed the House of her plans for a network of local offices, each of which would be able to provide a comprehensive service to the public over the full range of social security business for the area covered. This reorganisation produces larger office units than in the past, many of the smaller existing offices being merged to provide this service. The process of integration is well advanced and many people are already being satisfactorily served by these offices. The plan to provide an all-purpose office in Hamilton is fully in line with this policy. We shall however continue to maintain a public inquiry office in Larkhall for those who prefer to make a personal call.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on the decline of the British birth rate.

Figures showing the current birth rate in England and Wales were given last week in the Registrar General's Weekly Return. The annual total number of live births in England and Wales is estimated to have fallen by 7 per cent. in 1973–74, and shows no sign of levelling out. From the mid-1950s births increased on average by 3 per cent. a year until their post-war peak in 1963–64, but after that they fell by 2 per cent. per annum until 1969–70, then increased a little in the following year, only to decline more steeply at an average rate of about 6 per cent. per annum since 1970–71.The provisional estimate of 13·3 births per 1,000 population of all ages in the year to mid-1974 is the lowest ever recorded; it compares with a previous post-war low of 15·0 in 1955 and with the pre-war low figure of 14·4 in 1933. However this rate—the crude birth rate—is considerably affected by the age and sex composition of the population. The fertility rate, which relates births to the number of women of childbearing age, is estimated at 69 per 1,000 women aged 15–44 for the year ended mid-1974, considerably higher than the comparable figure of 59 per 1,000 in 1933 and only slightly lower than the fertility rates of 72 to 73 per 1,000 of the early 1950s.The factors which have caused the decline in the birth rate are highly complex and we need to know more about them. My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Civil Service Department, in his reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 22nd July, announced that the Government therefore propose to give higher priority to survey and research work to study fertility, as well as to mortality and migration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is aware of the fact that the Wessex Regional Health Authority receives less money per head than any other region; and if she will take action to rectify this state of affairs.

Yes, I am aware of the position. Existing allocation arrangements are designed to reduce disparities between regions as quickly as practicable. The arrangements take account not only of total population but also of differences in the utilisation of health services, for instance by different age groups. I am considering possible improvements in the ways of comparing the needs of different areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the additional £40 million allocated to health expenditure will be allocated to projects in Dorset and Wessex, respectively.

I am consulting representatives of regional health authorities on the allocations, so the amounts have not yet been assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she is taking to prevent the decline of geriatric beds to 5·9 per 1,000 in 1981 in the Colchester Hospital District.

The regional and area health authorities' present plans provide for 54 geriatric assessment and rehabilitation beds to be included in the first phase of the new district general hospital at Colchester. An additional 84 geriatric beds are planned in Clacton and Harwich. These plans would also enable acute beds in existing hospitals to be reallocated for geriatric purposes so that the requirement for 10 geriatric beds per 1,000 may be met in 1981.The health authorities would consult the Community Health Council for the Colchester Health District on these developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present number of geriatric beds available for the Colchester Hospital District; and what is the number per 1,000 of population, so as to contrast this with the national goal of 10 beds per 1,000.

373 beds, which represent 8·3 beds per 1,000 population over the age of 65. In addition, two day hospitals, which will relieve the pressure to some extent, have been provided at St. Mary's Hospital, Colchester and at Clacton and District Hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement about present hospital building progress, and plans in the Colchester Hospital district, including future plans for the Clacton Hospital.

Plans for phase I of the development of Colchester Hospital as a district general hospital are well advanced. The North East Thames Regional Health Authority is considering a proposal that Clacton Hospital should be developed in the future as a community hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make treatment for handicapped children of the type devised by the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia available under the provisions of the National Health Service.

I could not regard this as justified, as I am advised that there is no proven theoretical basis to suggest that more effective results can be expected from this method of treatment than from any other active regime which can be offered within the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will consider updating the National Insurance (Computation of Earnings) Regulations 1967 (SI No. 760, 1967) and, in particular, regulation S(F) which only allows 15p for any meal token during the hours of employment; and if she will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Dr. Winstanley) on 18th June—[Vol. 875, c. 81].

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures of people on the waiting lists for treatment in hospitals in England and Wales.

545,396 at 31st December 1973. This compares with 509,884 in 1972; 525,892 in 1971; 555,883 in 1970; 561,365 in 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the duration of delay currently experienced in awaiting hospital attention in South Yorkshire and how this compares with the national average.

Waiting periods for admission in these specialties are as follows:
			0–3 months	4–6 months	7–12 months	Over 12 months
Barnsley AHA
General Medicine	…	…	2	2	—	—
General Surgery	…	…	214	125	68	24
Orthopaedic	…	…	73	8	1	—
Ear, Nose and Throat		…	176	107	176	164
Gynaecology	…	…	103	76	97	73
Doncaster AHA
General Medicine	…	…	1	—	—	—
General Surgery	…	…	347	225	276	520
Orthopaedic	…	…	142	127	129	244
Ear, Nose and Throat		…	318	97	3	—
Gynaecology	…	…	192	91	100	237
Rotherham AHA
General Medicine	…	…	1	2	—	5
General Surgery	…	…	239	190	113	487
Orthopaedic	…	…	48	45	46	176
Ear, Nose and Throat		…	40	70	48	115
Gynaecology	…	…	57	25	36	315
Sheffield AHA
General Medicine	…	…	36	1	1	1
General Surgery	…	…	606	247	296	366
Orthopaedic	…	…	495	341	483	835
Ear, Nose and Throat		…	249	143	263	481
Gynaecology	…	…	600	100	20	4
National statistics of this type are not available. Waiting time varies according to the circumstances of each case, and averages over broad categories of medical work would have little meaning.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting period currently applying for those requiring hospital attention in South Yorkshire.

Waiting time for new non-urgent out-patient appointment varies according to speciality and area. Maximum waiting times for certain specialties in South Yorkshire are shown below:

	Maximum Waiting Time (Weeks)
Barnsley AHA
General Medicine	6
General Surgery	4
Orthopaedic	20
Ear, Nose and Throat	10
Gynaecology	3
Doncaster AHA
General Medicine	8
General Surgery	15
Orthopaedic	21
Ear, Nose and Throat	3
Gynaecology	6
Rotherham AHA
General Medicine	6
General Surgery	11
Orthopaedic	13
Ear, Nose and Throat	10
Gynaecology	2
Sheffield AHA
General Medicine	4
General Surgery	8
Orthopaedic	18
Ear, Nose and Throat	13
Gynaecology	3

The problem of long waiting times for admission exists in many parts of the country and I am considering what can best be done about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average number of hospital beds provided annually for the years between 1966 and 1973.

The average daily number of available beds in the National Health Service in England in the years 1966 to 1973 was as follows:

Year	Number
1966	434,846
1967	434,378
1968	432,140
1969	428,737
1970	423,621
1971	419,612
1972	412,664
1973	403,526

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds per thousand population are available as an average in the United Kingdom and in the South Yorkshire area, respectively.

In 1973 the average number of hospital beds per 1,000 population was: England, 8·69; Wales, 9·11; South Yorkshire, 7·41.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds are available for maternity, geriatric and mentally sick cases in the South Yorkshire area; and how this provision compares with the national opposition in terms of hospital beds per thousand population.

On average, 734, 1,685 and 1,633 beds respectively, representing 0·56, 1·28 and 1·24 beds per 1,000 population in the South Yorkshire area compared with a national average of 0·47, 1·21 and 2·34.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many severely disabled people have been granted attendance allowance; how many long-term sick people have been granted invalidity pension; and what is the estimate of the cost, respectively.

At 5th July 1974, 165,000 severely disabled people were drawing attendance allowance and at 2nd June 1973 the latest date for which figures are available, 436,000 people were drawing invalidity benefit. The estimated cost for the current financial year is £60 million and £292 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will undertake a review of the criteria governing the awarding of the attendance allowance for disabled persons requiring frequent attention.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on 7th May.—[Vol. 873, c. 74.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications were made for attendance allowance in Wales in 1973; and how many were rejected.

In Wales during 1973, when the lower rate attendance allowance was introduced in stages by age groups, 10,900 claims were decided, of which 3,800 were rejected. During the first six months of 1974 throughout which the lower rate was available to all age groups 5,200 claims were dealt with, of which 1,400 were rejected.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what authority Mrs. Brookstone, acting in her capacity as a member of the shop stewards' committee, London West ABTA Branch, NUPE, has used official envelopes and free postage to conduct her correspondence concerning her views on the National Health Service from Charing Cross Hospital.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to prevent doctors from charging National Health Service patients for coal certificates.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 4th April—[Vol. 871, c. 420–1]—to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Mudd). If the hon. Member is aware of cases of difficulty perhaps he will write to me and I will look into them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was for each of the years 1970 to 1973, the numbers of illegitimate births in England and Wales.

Following is the information:

Illegitimate live births, England and Wales
1970	64,744
1971	65,678
1972	62,511
1973 (provisional)	58,100

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she proposes to take to improve facilities and treatment in the National Health Service particularly in areas of need such as South Yorkshire.

I am considering the extent to which present methods of allocating resources to regions can be adjusted to make them more responsive to the needs of different parts of the country, particularly areas of health deprivation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total budget for the National Health Service during each year from 1966 to 1973; and what proportion of this for each year was for wages and salaries.

The information is as follows:

Financial year	Expenditure on National Health Service	Wages and salaries
	£ million	Per cent.
1966–67	1,404	49
1967–68	1,537	48
1968–69	1,660	48
1969–70	1,757	47
1970–71	2,049	45
1971–72	2,345	46
1972–73	2,682	47
1973–74 (estimated)	3,030	48

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what reply she has sent to the letter sent to her on 4th July by the Greenwich Health District Community Health Council;(2) why she has decided to approve only four of the 20 capital schemes submitted by the Greenwich Borough Council for the years 1974–75 and 1975–76.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him about capital projects in Greenwich on 21st June. I am sending him a copy of the Department's reply to the Greenwich Health District Community Health Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in light of the inadequate residential accommodation for the mentally handicapped in Kent, she will give immediate approval for the building of a new residential home for the mentally handicapped on a site which has already been acquired, in Folkestone, for this purpose.

Kent County Council have asked for loan sanction for this scheme during the financial year 1975–76, and due consideration will be given to its request.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of gross national product was spent on health services in each of the member countries of the EEC, in Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of America in 1960 and 1970 and the most recent year for which figures are available.

The latest available estimates, so far as I am aware, are those produced by the Social Security Administration of the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare relating to 1969 and covering some of the countries concerned, as follows:

Per cent. of Gross National Product
Netherlands	5·9
France	5·7
United Kingdom	4·8
Sweden	6·7
United States of America	6·8
West Germany	5·7

I regret that no information is available for the years 1960 and 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the annual expenditure on the health services, per capita, in the eight standard English regions during the latest year for which figures are available.

I regret this information is not readily available, but the per capita expenditure for regional health authorities is given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 5th April.—[Vol. 871, c. 489.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total sum spent in Wales, in 1972 and 1973 on advertising family income supplement.

The totals were, respectively £24,000 and £16,000 for the financial years 1972–73 and 1973–74. They

					Where the rate of invalidity allowance is the
Year					Higher rate	Middle rate	Lower rate	Where invalidity allowance is not payable
1971	…	…	…	…	64·2	62·7	61·5	60·3
1972	…	…	…	…	62·2	60·7	59·5	58·4
1973	…	…	…	…	65·2	63·4	61·9	60·4

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the level of unemployment benefit as a percentage of average industrial earnings in each year from 1966 to 1973;(2) what was the level of sickness benefit as a percentage of average industrial earnings in each year from 1966 to 1973.

The information requested is set out in the following table. It represents sickness benefit—including appropriate earnings-related supplement—plus family allowances as a percentage of net average earnings plus family allowances, for a man with a dependent wife and two dependent children and relates to both unemployment and sickness benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the level of invalidity allowances as a percentage of average industrial earnings in each year from 1966 to 1973;(2) what was the level of invalidity pensions as a percentage of average industrial earnings in each year from 1966 to 1973.

The following table shows standard rate invalidity pension plus invalidity allowance plus family allowances as a percentage of net average earnings plus family allowances for a man with a dependent wife and two nden t children:

1966	68·6
1967	73·2
1968	72·8
1969	71·0
1970	72·7
1971	77·9
1972	73·7
1973	70·6

NOTE.—The average earnings used are those of male, adult, full-time manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries as determined by the Department of Employment's regular October inquiry. The benefit rates used are those applicable at the same times.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the mortality rate, the infant mortality rate, the pre-natal mortality rate per 1,000 total births and the maternal mortality rate per 1,000 births in the eight English standard regions.

Standard Region				Crude death rate per 1,000 population	Infant death rate (deaths of infants under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births)	Perinatal death rate (still births and deaths of infants under 1 week of age per 1,000 total live and still births)	Maternal death rate (principal and associated maternal causes of death, including abortion per 1,000 live and still births)
North	…	…	…	12·6	18	22	0·09
Yorkshire and Humberside			…	12·3	19	22	0·10
North West	…	…	…	12·8	19	24	0·07
East Midlands		…	…	11·2	16	20	0·10
West Midlands		…	…	10·9	19	24	0·08
East Anglia	…	…	…	11·6	14	18	0·20
South East	…	…	…	11·5	15	19	0·13
South West	…	…	…	12·7	15	19	0·17
The variations in the regional rates in the last column are a reflection of the very small numbers of maternal deaths and little significance should be read into them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost of providing a flat rate widow's pension as of right for widowed women under 50 years of age.

If widows at present receiving no pension, and those receiving reduced rate pensions, were awarded a £10 a week flat-rate pension the cost to she National Insurance Fund would be £30 million a year. There would be some taving of supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average life expectancy for males and females in the eight English standard regions.

I regret that the data are not available.

asked the Secretary of Stxte for Social Services (1) what is the approamate number of children who have been registered for injections against poliomyelitis since 1st January 1974; and what will be the total cost of these inoculations;(2) what action she is taking to encourage the registration for poliomyerlitis vaccination of children who have no egistered for treatment.

The provisional rates for 1973 in the eight standards regions of England are as follows:

Returns of the number of persons vaccinated are made annually by area health authorities and those for 1974 are not yet available. In 1973, 1,350,891 children under 16 in England received polio vaccinations. The cost of different types of vaccination is not recorded separately.Reminders and follow-up by health staff and school medical officers help to encourage those who do not respond to initial invitations.

asked the Prime Minister whether the broadcast by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on BBC Radio Leeds on the problems of government on 6th July represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister if the Chancellor of the Exchequer's broadcast on Radio Leeds on problems of government on Saturday 6th July represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 6th July in an interview on BBC Radio Leeds on future policies represents the policy of the Goevrnment.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer at Leeds on Saturday 6th July on economic matters represents Government policy.