asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times he has visited Dublin for discussions with members of the Eire Government; and if he will make a statement.

I have visited Dublin twice, in May and September. Statements about the discussions were made at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to recruit more prison staff.

Every means of recruiting prison officers is being used. Advertisements are inserted daily in Ulster newspapers and a television publicity campaign has been continuously mounted since August 1973. A special exhibition has been designed and will be displayed at appropriate public gatherings, and plans are being made to extend the recruiting campaign to Great Britain in the near future. The co-operation of prison officers in running prisons is essential and their work, particularly during the riots in the Maze, deserves great praise.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what wage offer has been made to the employees of Northern Ireland Railways; and if it is on a parity with British Railways.

Wage negotiation is a matter between the staff and their employer, the Northern Ireland Railways Company. I understand from the company that negotiations are in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the dates and places of crimes using bombs or other explosive devices that have taken place in Northern Ireland in the past 12 months resulting in death or personal injury; and if he will list the casualties and the number of convictions that have been secured.

During the last 12 months 59 people have died and 726 have been injured in Northern Ireland as a result of 194 incidents involving bombs or other explosive devices. Of these casualties 12 and seven respectively are thought to have been terrorists. During this period 105 people have been convicted of causing explosions.I will write to the hon. Member giving details of the dates and places of the explosions and the casualties caused.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement of his progress to date in dealing with the shortage of fodder and its consequent cost.

The failure of the hay crop is very serious for some livestock farmers. There is no easy solution to the physical shortage of fodder. But cereal feed is in adequate supply. The higher returns for beef, which my right hon. Friend announced last week, will help some cattle farmers to pay for feed. They should also encourage some movement of cattle to areas where supplies of feed are less short. Following completion of the regional fodder survey we are discussing with the Farmers' Unions whether any other measures would be practicable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure full employment in the United Kingdom cane sugar refineries.

The agreements we have reached in the Community on Protocol 22 sugar have the aim of maintaining supplies to the cane refineries, and therefore employment, at the highest level possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to prohibit the sale of unsterilised bone-meal to the general public; and if he will make a statement.

I am not persuaded that a ban on the sale of unsterilised bone-meal to the general public would be justified at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide further assistance to horticulture to offset the high cost of oil, and, if so, what form this will take.

We have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest estimates of the percentage of milk production that is taken up by human consumption.

In the 12 months ended September this year 58 per cent. of all milk sold through the Milk Marketing Boards was used for human consumption in the form of liquid milk. The remaining 42 per cent. was used in the manufacture of butter, cheese and other milk products mainly for human consumption.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what percentage the costs of milk production have increased during the last 12 months.

The information requested is not available. Aggregate cost changes for agriculture as a whole are assessed annually and will be announced as part of the conclusions of the 1975 Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the provisions which can currently be made for the export of livestock to New Zealand.

It has been possible hitherto to make satisfactory arrangements. Recently, there has been some initial difficulty with accommodating a consignment of cattle at the Liverpool quarantine station. This difficulty is likely to be overcome by providing suitable accommodation elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will have an early meeting with the President of the National Farmers' Union.

I keep in close touch with Sir Henry Plumb and have had several meetings with him recently.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage of output which derives from farms of 0 to 49¾ acres; 50 to 149¾ acres; 150 to 299¾ acres; 300 to 499¾ acres; 500 to 999¾ acres and 1,000 acres and over.

I regret that this information is not available for total output.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give further details of the arrangements for the new variable premium scheme for beef; and what are the target prices for the period from 18th November 1974 to 31st January 1975.

The target prices for the United Kingdom are as follows:

Week beginning		£
1974
18th November	…	18·00
25th November	…	18·45
2nd December	…	18·90
9th December	…	19·35
16th December	…	19·80
23rd December	…	20·30
30th December	…	20·30
1975
6th January	…	20·80
13th January	…	21·30
20th January	…	21·81
27th January (until 31/1/75)	…	21·81

Payments will be made in respect of cattle which meet the standards of the beef premium scheme and the same certification and administrative procedures will be used. Unlike the headage payment made under the beef premium scheme, the variable premium will be paid on the basis of weight. First payments of the variable premium will be made in mid-December. The rate of payment in Northern Ireland will be greater than the rate of payment in other regions of the United Kingdom by a maximum of 70p per live cwt to make allowance for differences in market prices, taking into account transport and related costs.The terms of the scheme require that beef exported from the United Kingdom will be subject to an export charge whose level will be derived from the level of variable premium. Responsibility for administering the scheme will lie with the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce which will publish weekly the levels of variable premia and export charges.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to ensure that any refund of tax due to a married woman on the termination of her employment is paid to the woman and not to her husband.

Refunds made through PAYE during the tax year in which the employment ends are paid to the wife. Refunds arising from an assessment after the end of the tax year must, however, be made to the husband, since in law the husband is assessable on the couple's joint income. If, however, an application is made for separate assessment, any tax overpaid on the wife's income is repaid to her. Similarly when a married couple elect for separate taxation of the wife's earnings, any repayment of tax in respect of these earnings is made to the wife.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the official definition of a "working farmer".

I assume that the hon. Member is concerned about the capital transfer tax. Details will be published in the forthcoming Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up a commission to consider the dispersal of the headquarters staff of the nationalised industries from London, along the lines of the inquiry made by Sir Henry Hardman.

No. The Government expect the nationalised industries and private concerns to be alert to the opportunities for dispersal and to take advantage of these whenever it is in their interest to do so. We intend that when the British National Oil Corporation is set up its main location will be in Scotland and that the headquarters of the nationalised shipbuilding organisation will be in an assisted area.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the total gross wage and salary payments needed if the employed population of the United Kingdom at the latest convenient date is to maintain the real income under 15, 20 and 25 per cent. rises in the cost of living.

Income tax liabiliity depends on an individual's total income from all sources and there is no fully satisfactory basis for allocating the tax attributable to, for example, income from employment in order to estimate post-tax wages and salaries. On the arbitrary method of allocation employed in Table 49 of the 1974 National Income Blue Book, however, it is estimated that commencing from current income levels and with 1974–75 tax rates and allowances the percentage increases in gross wages and salaries required to maintain the real value of aggregate post tax-wages and salaries under rises of 15 per cent., 20 per cent. and 25 per cent. in the cost of living are approximately 17 per cent., 23 per cent. and 30 per cent. respectively. These figures do not take account of changes in national insurance contributions.These estimates assume that pre-tax wages and salaries all increase in the same proportion.While the aggregate of post-tax employment incomes would thus be maintained in real terms, their distribution as between individuals would not remain unchanged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, for greater understanding of his Budget Statement, he will define the level of unemployment which becomes "mass unemployment", referred to in column 258, OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th November 1974.

The severity of an unemployment situation depends upon a wide range of factors, including the numbers of unemployed not on the register, the regional distribution and the average duration of unemployment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will propose exemption from income tax in respect of travelling expenses refunded to local government employees whose place of work changed as a result of local government reorganisation.

I do not think it would be right to single out these payments for special tax exemption.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value, at the latest convenient date, of the new halfpenny piece, compared with the value of the former halfpenny coin at the date it was phased out of usage.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the new halfpenny piece as 1·2 old pence in August 1969, the month in which the former halfpenny coin was demonetised, it is estimated to have been 073 old pence in October 1974, the latest date available. This estimate is based on the change in the General Index of Retail Prices between these two months.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the effects of inflation and the higher interest rates now prevalent, he will bring forward proposals to increase the rate of interest on 3½ per cent. War Loan.

It is a fundamental principle of the Government's operations in the market that, once a stock is issued, its terms are never varied. There is no provision in the prospectus of this stock for altering the rate of interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will use his discretion under Section 5A(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948 to register as United Kingdom citizens those civil servants who are currently citizens of Pakistan and therefore face dismissal.

There is now only one such person facing dismissal. He was not registered under Section 5A(2) of the Act of 1948 because he did not satisfy the statutory requirement, and, while I have reconsidered the cast, I remain of the opinion that it would be wrong to grant this application for registration. I am writing to the hon. Gentleman about the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to take emergency action to prevent the removal from the country of children and other persons forcibly abducted by foreigners.

Where the abduction of a child would constitute a criminal offence powers already exist to arrest the person seeking to remove him. Where one parent or guardian seeks to remove a child against the will of another, the question of taking action to prevent removal overseas arises only where an order has been made by a competent court in England or Wales restraining the child's removal from the jurisdiction; arrangements already exist in such cases for the Home Office to take whatever action may be practicable to prevent evasion of the order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will move to appoint a Select Committee of Privy Councillors to examine the manning, resources, deployment, efficacy and related aspects of the Special Branch in relation to terrorism in the country.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether changes in the security situation have led him to change his announced provisional intention to move the Price sisters to Northern Ireland by the end of the year.

Yes. I made it clear in answer to Questions on 13th June—[Vol. 874, c. 607–2.]—that the proposal for their removal to a prison in Northern Ireland was subject to there being, in the meantime, no great outbreak of violence

Year			Recruitment (including transfers from other police forces)	Wastage (including transfers to other forces)	Net Gain/Loss in force strength
1971	…	…	1,169	947	+297
1972	…	…	1,226	1,260	-50
1973	…	…	1,116	1,628	-522
1974 (to 31st October)	…	…	1,017	1,208	-197

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the total manpower of the Metropolitan Police

			Police officers (strength for ordinary duty)	Cadets	Traffic wardens	Civilians
31st October 1974	…	…	20,585	730	1,728	10,970
31st October 1963	…	…	18,333	752	442	5,427
Gain/Loss	…	…	+2,252	-22	+1,286	*
* Figures for civilian employees in 1963 were calculated on a different basis from that now in use, and are not strictly comparable with the 1974 figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Eire Government concerning the use of their territory for launching attacks on Northern Ireland.

We have been in close and regular contact with the Government of the Irish Republic about the problem of IRA attacks across the border and the measures necessary to prevent them. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department told the House on Monday, we are now urgently seeking further discussions in the light of the most recent developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now state whether Her Majesty's Government accept the United Nations declaration that the Republic of South Africa is unlawfully occupying the territory of Namibia.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave on 27th November—[Vol. 882, c. 157.]—to a Question about our policy on Namibia from my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdare (Mr. Evans).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the advice which he gave to the Tunisian authorities concerning the liberation of terrorists during the recent hijacking of the British Airways VC10.

We were in close contact with the Tunisian authorities throughout, and discussed a number of options with them. However, we made it clear that we regarded the handling of the negotiations as entirely a matter for them.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if, in view of the present economic situation, he will reduce Ministerial salaries by 5 per cent. over the next two years as an example to the nation.

There are at present no plans to do so.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Government establishments undertaking original scientific research are located, respectively, in England, Scotland and Wales.

There has been no past need to maintain comprehensive records of this kind and I regret that the information requested is not available from any central source. In order to provide an answer it would be neces- sary to make inquiry of a large number of Government Departments and to provide definitions of the terms "Government establishments" and "original scientific research". This would involve many Departments in expenditure of time and effort and the answer could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many scientists employed on original scientific research in Government establishments are based, respectively, in England, Scotland and Wales.

On 1st January 1974 the number of scientific staff employed in the non-industrial Civil Service was as follows:

England	…	…	…	14,500
Scotland	…	…	…	1,050
Wales	…	…	…	210
				15,760

Figures for scientists employed on original scientific research in Government establishments are not available centrally and could not be ascertained without incurring disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many people are employed in Wales by each Department or service under the heading "Civilian Employment by Central Government" (Blue Book Table 13).

Totals of staff by each Department or service under the heading "Civilian Employment by Central Government" (Blue Book Table 13) by location are not available and could not be ascertained without incurring disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will introduce the basic pension increases announced in the recent Budget Statement before April 1975.

No. We would regard it as indefensible to introduce the basic pension increases before the corresponding increases in supplementary benefits, and in giving effect to all the increases in the week beginning 7th April 1975 we shall be working to the shortest practicable timetable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will bring forward proposals to end the system of double taxation which operates in respect of State retirement and graduated pensions.

I assume my right hon. Friend has in mind that retirement and graduated pensions are subject both to income tax and to the operation of the earnings rule and that he is proposing that the earnings rule should be abolished. In view of the cost—an estimated £175 million a year at the pension rates to be

County (or Scottish City)			Enumerated Population April 1931 Census	Mid-year Home Population 1973	Percentage Change 1931 to 1973
			(thousands)	(thousands)
Hertfordshire	…	…	373·3	939·5	151·7
Sussex West	…	…	223·0	506·5	127·1
Buckinghamshire	…	…	269·0	604·5	124·7
Essex	…	…	643·4	1,397·8	117·3
Bedfordshire	…	…	223·0	481·1	115·8
Berkshire	…	…	311·4	662·8	112·8
Surrey	…	…	506·8	1,012·2	99·7
Huntingdon and Peterborough	…	…	110·5	218·1	97·3
Oxfordshire	…	…	209·8	403·5	92·3
Midlothian (excluding Edinburgh)	…	…	87·3	152·0	74·1
Rutland	…	…	17·4	30·1	73·2
Suffolk West	…	…	106·1	179·3	68·9
Worcestershire	…	…	420·0	708·3	68·6
Wiltshire	…	…	303·2	501·2	65·3
Dunbarton	…	…	147·7	242·1	63·8
Flintshire	…	…	112·9	183·6	62·7
Dorset	…	…	239·4	379·7	58·6
Hampshire	…	…	1,014·3	1,608·7	58·6
Northamptonshire	…	…	309·5	487·9	57·7
Kent	…	…	958·7	1,435·0	49·7
Somerset	…	…	470·3	702·4	49·4
Leicestershire	…	…	541·6	794·2	46·6
Cheshire	…	…	1,087·6	1,578·8	45·2
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely	…	…	218·4	315·4	44·4
Clackmannan	…	…	32·0	45·9	43·5
Shropshire	…	…	244·1	347·8	42·4
Sussex East	…	…	546·9	762·7	39·5
Gloucestershire	…	…	790·5	1,092·3	38·2
Nottinghamshire	…	…	712·7	984·2	38·1
Warwickshire	…	…	1,533·2	2,090·6	36·4
West Lothian	…	…	81·4	110·8	36·1
Lincolnshire (Lindsey)	…	…	355·6	478·7	34·6
Lincolnshire (Kesteven)	…	…	176·7	236·0	33·5
Suffolk East	…	…	295·0	390·8	32·5
Yorkshire (North Riding)	…	…	553·8	733·2	32·4
Staffordshire	…	…	1,433·9	1,875·8	30·8
Moray	…	…	40·8	52·6	29·0
Ayr	…	…	285·2	367·5	28·8
Lanark (excluding Glasgow)	…	…	497·6	635·6	27·7
Stirling	…	…	166·4	210·9	26·7

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list, in order of percentage change, the increase or decrease in population in Great Britain between 1925 and 1973, broken down by counties as they existed prior to the Local Government Act 1972.

Figures are not available for the year 1925. The table below shows the changes in population between 1931 and 1973 for the counties as they existed prior to 1st April 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were in the 15 to 65 year age group in each of the last 10 years; and how many people, on current projections, will be in the 15 to 65 year age group in each of the next 10 years.

The information is as follows:

PERSONS AGED 15–64: UNITED KINGDOM
mid-year					"thousands"
1964	…	…	…	…	35,060
1965	…	…	…	…	35,110
1966	…	…	…	…	35,150
1967	…	…	…	…	35,110
1968	…	…	…	…	35,050
1969	…	…	…	…	35,000
1970	…	…	…	…	34,940
1971	…	…	…	…	34,960
1972	…	…	…	…	34,980
1973	…	…	…	…	35,050
1974	…	…	…	…	35,110
1975	…	…	…	…	35,180
1976	…	…	…	…	35,290
1977	…	…	…	…	35,430
1978	…	…	…	…	35,570
1979	…	…	…	…	35,730
1980	…	…	…	…	35,890
1981	…	…	…	…	36,090
1982	…	…	…	…	36,320
1983	…	…	…	…	36,570

NOTES:(i) The figures are the "total" population, viz. the "home" population (ie the population actually in the United Kingdom) plus members of Her Majesty's Forces belonging to the United Kingdom and serving overseas, minus the forces of other countries temporarily in the United Kingdom.(ii) Figures for the years 1964–73 are the latest estimates.(iii) Figures for the years 1974–83 are projections based on the mid-1973 estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will increase the 50p a week payment made to handicapped persons who attend adult training centres to a figure which more closely approximates to the average national weekly wage.

Adult training centres cater for those mentally handicapped adults unable to take up open or sheltered employment. The payment they make is not a wage and its primary purpose is to provide an incentive for improved effort both in social development and industrial skills. The amount paid is at the discretion of the local authority, though any payment of more than £2 per week gross would affect a trainee's entitlement to supplementary benefit.Increases have already been announced in the rates of supplementary benefit and earnings disregard which will come into effect next year. This will increase the income of many mentally handicapped adults in training centres. A review of sheltered employment is also being undertaken by the Department of Employment and discussions are currently being held with interested parties including local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to bring to the notice of the public that the employment services office in Ulverston acts as her Department's agent in Ulverston for the transmission of messages to the all-purpose Department of Health and Social Security office in Barrow-in-Furness.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when forms NP18 relating to contributions from the self-employed will be available to the public in Harrogate.

Leaflet NP18, relating to class 4 contributions, has been available at the Harrogate social security office for the last six weeks. The leaflet will also be available in local tax offices from mid-December. I am not aware that anyone has experienced difficulties in obtaining this leaflet from our local offices, but if the hon. Member knows of any difficulties I should be grateful if he would let me have details.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list all the means-tested benefits, subsidies, rebates and allowances which at the moment are available to taxpayers above the tax threshold for income tax.

The means-tested benefits, rebates and allowances which are available at the moment to taxpayers above the tax threshold for income tax are listed below. There are no means-tested subsidies.

1. Supplementary Benefit.

2. Family income supplement.

3. Free welfare milk and foods.

Relief from National Health Service charges:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she expects to make a decision concerning the recommendation of the Finer Committee on long-term supplementary benefit rates for one-parent families.

The question of reducing the qualifying period for the long-term supplementary benefit scale rates for families with children, as recommended by the committee, will be considered

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in respect of those benefits paid out of the National Insurance Fund which are available only partially to self-employed contributors, what were the amounts paid in respect of the part of the benefit not available to the self-employed, and the percentage these payments represented of total payments out of the fund, in the years 1970 to 1974.

The graduated part of retirement pension, the earnings-related supplement to sickness benefit and the earnings-related addition to widow's allowance are the parts of those national insurance benefits only partially available to self-employed contributors which are not payable in respect of class 2 contributions. Graduated retirement pension will cease to accrue in respect of class 1 contributions paid from 6th April 1975. The amounts are as follows:along with other improvements in the supplementary benefit scheme as resources permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether there has been any measurable change in the rates of recruitment and resignation of nursing staff since the announcement of increased salaries.

It is too early for any assessment to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the membership in England and Great Britain, respectively, of each of the five socio-economic groups numerically and

		Great Britain		England
		Number	As percentage of total	Number	As percentage of total
Social Class I	…	953,860	3·6	836,030	3·6
Social Class II	…	4,760,540	17·8	4,103,650	17·8
Social Class III (non-manual)	…	5,651,420	21·1	4,940,540	21·5
Social Class III (manual)	…	7,626,950	28·4	6,512,140	28·3
Social Class IV	…	5,604,250	20·9	4,792,740	20·8
Social Class V	…	2,212,070	8·3	1,833,720	8·0
Total	…	26,809,090	100·0	23,018,820	100·0

A further 3,558,840 persons in Great Britain and 3,126,430 in England aged 15 and over were classified as economically active or retired, but were not classified to a social class owing to lack of information.These figures refer to men and women combined. The percentage distribution of men by social class differs significantly from that of women. The percentages for men—17,278,710 in total—and women— 9,530,380—in Great Britain were:

		Men	Women
Social Class I	…	5·0	1·0
Social Class II	…	18·0	17·4
Social Class III (non-manual)	…	11·9	37·7
Social Class III (manual)	…	38·5	10·3
Social Class IV	…	18·1	26·0
Social Class V	…	8·6	7·6
These figures exclude 908,800 men and 2,650,040 women who were not classified to a social class.

The distribution of social classes also varies from one age group to another.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much research is being carried out, whether from private or public funds, into causes, treatment and prevention of multiple sclerosis; if she will investigate, as a matter of urgency, all claims made regarding possible cures; if she will consider the resumption and further support of cancelled multiple sclerosis research programmes; and if she will make a statement.

According to a 10 per cent. sample from the 1971 Census, economically active and retired persons aged 15 and over in each of the social classes were:

Research into multiple sclerosis is sponsored chiefly by the Medical Research Council and by the university medical schools. The Council is supporting several teams, including the MRC demyelinating diseases unit at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. A substantial amount of research effort is being devoted to the study of this condition, and basic scientific research supported by the council may also prove to have a bearing on the problem. Research over the whole field is planned by the Medical Research Council and the Health Departments under arrangements which provide for systematic periodic review and also for taking advantage of opportunities when they occur. I am not able to say to what extent private funds are devoted to this area of research.Neither my Department nor the Medical Research Council normally undertakes the initial investigation of claims made regarding possible cures for diseases. The usual procedure would be for any claim relating to an advance in knowledge including a new and effective treatment for a disease to be published in a medical or scientific journal. It would then be for the scientific community as a whole to appraise and evaluate this work and for members of the medical profession to determine, by the exercise of their clinical judgment, whether to adopt the method in the treatment of their patients. Where a person wishes to conduct research into a possible cure for a disease he may apply to the Medical Research Council or my Department, as appropriate, for support.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now allow doctors to prescribe on the National Health Service a gluten-free diet for multiple sclerosis and other patients, where, in their clinical opinion, it is in the interest of the patients; and if she will make a statement.

Doctors providing general medical services are free to prescribe drugs according to their clinical judgment but may be asked to justify their decisions. Gluten-free products are regarded as foods except for certain conditions specified by the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances which do not include multiple sclerosis. If they are prescribed for conditions not so specified the prescribing doctor may be surcharged.Neither the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances nor the recent conference on multiple sclerosis organised by the Medical Research Council in association with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain has been able to find scientific evidence that gluten-free diet is an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations her Department has received on behalf of blind people about the Christmas bonus; what replies she was able to give them about the bonus and blind people who may, or may not, qualify for it; and whether there are any categories of blind people who do not qualify for the Christmas bonus.

A few representations have been received on behalf of individual blind persons, and the replies have varied according to their individual circumstances. Blindness was not of itself a qualifying condition for the £10 payment, but those blind persons who were entitled to one of the qualifying benefits, listed below, during the week commencing 18th November were eligible for the payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements there are for people becoming pensioned after 28th November to qualify for the £10 bonus.

As in previous years, it was necessary for administrative reasons to link the payment of the bonus to entitlement to a qualifying benefit during a particular week which, this year, was the week beginning 18th November. Persons becoming entitled to one of the qualifying benefits after that week are not, therefore, eligible for the bonus.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recreational and exercise facilities exist for blind in-patients at the Rainhall Hospital, Rainhall, Merseyside.

Facilities available to blind patients include the hospital radio system, occupational and diversional therapy, braille books, excursions and instruction on mobility within the hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what commitment to NATO exists for the provision by the United Kingdom of task forces requiring the existence of (a) the Paratroop Regiment and (b) the Royal Marines.

The Parachute Regiment provides the Army element of the United Kingdom Joint Airborne Task Force which is earmarked for assignment in war to NATO, and the Royal Marines provide the landing force element of the United Kingdom Amphibious Forces which are similarly earmarked.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in which NATO exercises the Paratroops and Royal Marines have taken part during the last 10 years.

Major NATO exercises in which the Parachute Regiment, including the TAVR, and the Royal Marines have taken part are listed below. In addition to these, elements of the Parachute Regiment have participated in approximately 25 smaller scale exercises with one or more of our NATO allies since 1964. The Royal Marines did not take a full part in NATO exercises until 1968. Prior to then the bulk of Commando Forces were deployed east of Suez.ROYAL MARINES1968