asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the system under which widows of soldiers not attaining the rank of WO1 and discharged before 1st September 1950 receive no family forces pension after their husband's decease.

As I said on 21st November last in reply to a similar Question—[Vol. 881, c. 497]—I am re-examining this matter but cannot yet forecast the outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in his discussions on the proposed expansion of the base at Diego Garcia; and if he will ensure that any agreement does not conflict with his present policy on arms limitation in the Indian Ocean.

A formal agreement for a relatively modest expansion of the existing facilities will be concluded in due course. We shall naturally ensure that this accords with our policy on arms limitation in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with security at atomic energy research establishments.

There are comprehensive security arrangements at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment and they are kept under continuous review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with present methods of informing relatives of soldiers receiving injuries in the course of their duties.

Yes. Relatives are automatically informed when a soldier is killed or seriously injured, whether or not he was on duty at the time. In cases of lesser injury, when soldiers are able to inform their relatives themselves, they are generally expected to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men and women are at present employed in auxiliary support of the three Services; and how many on defence contract work in private industry.

Civilians directly employed by the Ministry of Defence in support of the Services number about 298,000. In addition, about 18,000 are employed in the Royal ordnance factories. The Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment also employs about 32,000 civilians on defence work. The total numbers engaged on defence contract work in private industry are assessed as about 240,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to commence discussions with the trade unions on redundancies likely to arise from the defence review.

Just as soon as possible, as the detailed implications of the review emerge.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has taken steps to support the sale of Jaguar aircraft to allied air forces, in view of imminent decisions on a major aircraft replacement programme.

Yes. Such steps as have been open to commend Jaguar to the four NATO countries currently considering the replacement of the F104G aircraft have been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will cancel the contracts for new Polaris warheads and tactical nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

No. Our nuclear forces constitute a unique European contribution to NATO to which our allies attach special importance. We can maintain this contribution at relatively modest cost and we propose to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of tactical nuclear weapons in service with the Armed Forces.

I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) earlier this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants he estimates will lose their jobs as a result of his defence cuts.

It is not yet possible to say.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in making cuts in defence expenditure, what account was taken of Great Britain's balance of payments problem, particularly as regards British military forces in Western Germany.

Every aspect of defence expenditure was critically examined during the defence review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what response he has received from the other NATO countries to the Government's proposed cuts in defence expenditure.

I cannot at this stage add to what I told the House in the defence debate on 16th December 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the areas in which the proposed cutbacks in expenditure on research and development will be made as promised in the defence review.

Substantial cuts will be made in administrative support and in the research programme, but it is from the development of specific items of equipment that the bulk of the savings will come.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he can now say by how much in terms of volume and value he expects the traditional work in each of the four Royal dockyards to decline, in the light of the recently announced defence cuts.

The precise effects of the defence review proposals will depend on the outcome of consultations with our allies and further detailed study. However, warship refitting will remain the primary rôole of all four dockyards although further diversification of their work will be introduced where capacity is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the communications systems, air to sea, within NATO; and what progress is being made towards getting a uniformity which would be satisfactory in any future conflict.

The air to sea communications of NATO forces are already basically compatible, but some NATO countries use more advanced equipment than others. Continual efforts are made to maintain compatibility as technology advances.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is now in a position to give further details of the defence cuts announced in 1974.

A White Paper will be published once consultations with our allies have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions he has made about the size and rôole of the Parachute Regiment in the period covered by the defence review.

Since the proposals postulated by the defence review are still subject to detailed study, both within the Ministry of Defence and with our allies, I am unable at this time to give details of any changes that may arise in the size and rôole of any regiment or corps.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the public anxiety expressed over the decision to remove the nerve gas VX from the secret list, if he will now say when he expects to make a statement on the review of declassification procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department proposes to take concerning the decisions of his predecessors in 1962 and 1973, respectively, first to register a patent for the nerve gas VX and then to remove the limitations on public disclosure originally attached to the registered information.

Her Majesty's Government have never patented VX. The patent application made in 1962 covered certain improvements in the chemical processes for making the group of compounds which includes V agents. The classified procedure was followed in view of the potential military applications of some of these compounds.By 1973 much information on V agents had become widely known, partly as a result of a process of disclosure with a view towards the prohibition of chemical weapons. The nature of VX itself had been disclosed in 1971 when all the Western countries concerned had agreed to its declassification. As no justification was seen for retaining the classification of the United Kingdom patent application, it was published in February 1974.However, given present circumstances I am reviewing the procedures relating to declassification to ensure that safeguards are adequate. The case for reclassifying the information related to V agents is also being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many vehicles have been searched by the security forces in Northern Ireland during the period of the so-called truce; and how many members of the IRA were arrested or captured during the same period.

Between 23rd December 1974 and 13th January almost 300,000 vehicles were searched by the security forces. In the same period 45 persons were arrested and charged with offences of a security nature. Some of these may have been members of the IRA.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government will submit themselves to a similar process of consultation with NATO in regard to its defence review as did the Netherlands in 1974; and, if so, whether the Government will permit the publication by NATO of the deliberations of the Defence Planning Committee of the Alliance in the form of an agreed communiqué.

Consultations with our NATO allies on our defence review proposals are being conducted in accordance with the established procedures which I described to the House on 16th December 1974, and which were also followed in the case of the Netherlands earlier last year. I cannot anticipate the results of the Defence Planning Committee's deliberations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give, area by area, the number of complaints received by his Department about low-flying aircraft during the years 1973 and 1974.

In 1973 a total of 1,528 complaints about military low flying in the United Kingdom were received in the Ministry of Defence. The broad geographical incidence of these complaints was as follows:

Northern Scotland	203
Southern Scotland	117
Northern England	215
West Midlands	224
East Midlands and East Anglia	338
Wales	156
South-West England	122
Southern England	153

The complaints received in 1974 are at present the subject of detailed analysis but the total figure is provisionally estimated at between 1,550 and 1,600.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many patents are registered in the name of his Department; how many are classified as secret; and what considerations are taken into account when decisions are taken to declassify previously secret patents.

There are approximately 400 United Kingdom patents at present in force and registered in the name of the Secretary of State for Defence. None of these patents is classified as "secret", since patents are not granted in respect of classified inventions. There are approximately 90 "secret" patent applications in the name of the Secretary of State. In taking a decision whether or not to declassify a "secret" patent application, the Secretary of State is required by Section 18 of the Patents Act 1949 to consider whether publication of the invention would be prejudicial to the defence of the realm.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many beds are now available at the Royal Herbert Military Hospital, Woolwich.

It is a 280-bed hospital with 205 beds currently equipped and staffed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many beds are now available at the Military Maternity Hospital, Woolwich.

It is a 30-bed hospital with 24 beds currently equipped and staffed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide the following information about the new military hospital now under construction at Woolwich Common: (a) the expected completion date, (b) the estimated total cost, (c) the number of general beds to be provided, (d) the number of general beds expected to be needed to meet military requirements, (e) the number of maternity beds to be provided and (f) the number of maternity beds expected to be needed to meet military requirements.

It is planned to commission the hospital for use in May 1977.The estimated cost of the hospital under construction is £6½ million, and further work on staff accommodation and other facilities is planned; tenders for these are expected shortly.The hospital will replace the Woolwich military hospitals and also the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital, Millbank. It will have 209 general—including paediatric—and 30 maternity beds, and a further 240 speciality beds as it will be the Army's reference hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any of the beds to be provided at the new military hospital at Woolwich Common are likely to be made available for the use of the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority.

We shall make a proportion of beds at the new Woolwich Hospital available to National Health Service patients, in accordance with our general practice for military hospitals, and arrangements to this end are under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future use of the site and buildings of the Royal Herbert Military Hospital, Woolwich, after the completion of the new military hospital at Woolwich Common.

No decision has yet been made. However, if there is no future Ministry of Defence requirement for the buildings or site of the hosptal, the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment will follow the usual redundant land and accommodation procedure, offering the hospital first to other Government Departments and then to the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many redundancies he expects within the RAF arising out of manpower reductions in uniformed personnel; and how much of these cuts will be contained by reduction in recruitment.

Until consultations with allies have been completed, it will not be possible to give precise information on manning implications. I expect, however, that the major part of the cuts in uniformed strengths will be effected through reductions in RAF recruitment. Some redundancies will, however, be unavoidable.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of RAF and civilian personnel employed at RAF Innsworth at the present time; and if he can yet say how that number will be affected by the defence review in the immediate future and by 1980.

599 RAF and 1,007 civilian personnel are at present employed at RAF

		31st December 1944	31st December 1954	31st December 1964	30th September 1974
Royal Navy/Royal Marines*
Admiral of the Fleet	…	2	1	1	1
Admiral	…	14	10	8	7
Vice Admiral	…	23	28	17	14
Rear Admiral	…	79	69	55	53
Army
Field Marshal	…	3	1	—	1
General	…	9	12	9	10
Lieutenant General	…	52	19	16	11
Major General	…	245	126	101	82
Royal Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Air Force	…	1	1	1	—
Air Chief Marshal	…	8	6	6	7
Air Marshal	…	16	15	17	15
Air Vice Marshal	…	71	69	65	48
* The figures quoted cover both the Naval ranks listed and the equivalent ranks of the Royal Marines.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men and women were employed in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, respectively, in the years 1944, 1954, 1964 and 1974, respectively.

The information is as follows:

	Males	Females
As at 31st December 1944
RN/RM	792,000	73,000
Army	2,774,000	197,000
RAF	996,000	166,000
Nursing Services	—	21,000
Tri-Service totals	4,562,000	457,000

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men were employed on the active list in the following ranks in Her Majesty's Forces in the years 1944, 1954, 1964 and 1974, respectively: Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Admiral, General, Air Chief Marshal, Vice-Admiral, Lieutenant-General, Air Marshal, Rear-Admiral, Major-General, Air Vice-Marshal.

The information is as follows:

	Males	Females
As at 31st December 1954
RN/RM	128,000	5,000
Army	503,000	8,000
RAF	257,000	8,000
Tri-Service totals	888,000	21,000
As at 31st December 1964
RN/RM	97,000	3,000
Army	215,000	7,000
RAF	127,000	6,000
Tri-Service totals	439,000	16,000
As at 30th September 1974
RN/RM	75,000	3,600
Army	175,000	5,700
RAF	92,000	5,100
Tri-Service totals	342,000	14,400

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the nerve gas known as VX has been taken off the secret list.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cause of the recent fire at Bond and Taplock's premises in Chadwell Heath; and whether his Department's requirements as to the keeping of dangerous inflammable chemicals in their warehouse was being observed.

I am informed by the Health and Safety Executive that a fire occurred at Baird and Taplock's premises at about 11.40 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The firm supplies chemicals to laboratories and large quantities of flammable liquids are stored and used. The premises are licensed under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act.

				Number unemployed for over 26 weeks		Number unemployed for over 26 weeks in the specified age groups as a percentage of the total, males and females unemployed
				Boys aged under 18	Men aged 18 and under 25	Boys aged under 18 (Per cent.)	Men aged 18 and under 25 (Per cent.)
Great Britain
July 1970	…	…	…	673	9,560	0·1	1·7
July 1971	…	…	…	1,636	18,395	0·2	2·5
July 1972	…	…	…	3,390	31,405	0·4	3·9
July 1973	…	…	…	1,296	15,713	0·2	2·8
July 1974	…	…	…	589	12 498	0·1	2·2
Scotland
July 1970	…	…	…	156	2,212	0·2	2·4
July 1971	…	…	…	530	4,574	0·4	3·6
July 1972	…	…	…	1,040	6,564	0·8	4·8
July 1973	…	…	…	372	3,522	0·4	3·6
July 1974	…	…	…	143	2,231	0·2	2·5

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many boys under 18 years of age and how many men between 18 and 25 years of age, respectively, were unemployed for longer than six months during each of the past five years for which figures are available; and what percentage this constituted of the total of all those unemployed in Great Britain as a whole, and in Scotland, respectively.

The most recent analysis of the unemployed register according to age and duration of unemployment relates to 8th July 1974. The following table shows the available information for July each year:on inquiry into underground working conditions in coal mines, in view of the conditions faced by workers in the coal mining industry.

No. Working conditions underground in mines have greatly improved over the last 10–20 years, and this is being maintained by the use of improved equipment and working methods and by the vigilance of Her Majesty's inspectors and both sides of industry. The provisions in the new Coal Mines (Respirable Dust) Regulations, which should be in operation later this year, will improve matters further.I am sure that the Health and Safety Commission will encourage the continuation of the tradition of consultation within the industry which will ensure that these matters continue to be kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will produce a code of conduct laying down terms and conditions on which firms engaging persons as outworkers or home-workers should base their employment practices.

We have been considering this subject generally but have no precise proposals at the moment and would be glad to receive any particular representations my hon. Friend would like to make about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what response he has had from interested bodies over the recommendation in Report No. 89 of the Commission on Industrial Relations to amalgamate wages councils in retail distribution.

Those wages councils, employers' side leaders and workers' side leaders who have so far given their views have agreed to participate in meetings to discuss the CIR's conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to increase all social security payments in view of the recently announced increases in the prices of the nationalised industries and the increased postal and telephone charges to be made by the postal authorities.

As my hon. Friend knows we are proposing to increase benefits substantially from 7th April and have undertaken that there will be a second uprating later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the total number of supplementary benefit claimants for 1974; and if she will break down this information in a similar way to the information on supplementary benefit recipients presented in table 50 of "Social Trends No. 4".

Provisional information relating to November 1974 is as follows:

	Thousands
Retirement pensioners and national insurance widows aged 60 years and over	1,708
Others over pension age	92
Unemployed with national insurance benefit	73*
Unemployed without national insurance benefit	230*
Sick and disabled with national insurance benefit	96
Sick and disabled without national insurance benefit	166
Women under 60 with dependent children	248
National insurance widows under 60	44
Others	23
Total persons receiving supplementary benefit	2,681*
—of whom wage-stopped (unemployed)	7
* Excludes the unemployed who received no payment of supplementary benefit during week of the enquiry made in November 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to speed up the payment of pension increases.

It has been the policy of successive administrations to avoid anomalies by uprating other benefits, and in particular supplementary benefit, at the same time as pensions. The time needed to uprate supplementary benefit cannot be substantially reduced at present because individual reassessments are necessary; although studies are being made of the feasibility of speeding up this operation, it is likely to be some years before we can make any significant improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many students are enrolled for chiropody training; and what criteria are used in determining the number of training places.

During the current academic year 434 students are undertaking chiropody training in England in schools at Birmingham, Chelsea, the London Foot Hospital and Salford. A new school at Durham is planned to open later this year with an intake of 15 students per annum. There are no centrally agreed criteria for determining the number of training places in chiropody, but I am keeping the situation under review in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1), where supplementary benefit is recovered from claimants, what proportions are recovered by deduction from payment of benefit, by repayment upon demand, and by civil action;(2) how much supplementary benefit is recovered from the estates of deceased claimants under Section 26 of the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966;(3) how much supplementary benefit is recovered from living claimants under Section 26 of the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966;(4) how much supplementary benefit is recovered from claimants and their estates other than in reliance on Section 26 of the Supplementary Benefits Act 1966, and on what grounds.

The only figure readily available is that of cash refunds of supplementary benefit and former national assistance which totalled £1,802,254 for the year 1973–74. Of this, a total of £867,964 was recovered from the estates of deceased persons. The other figures required could be obtained only at the cost of a disproportionate amount of staff time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, where national insurance benefit is recovered from claimants, what proportions are recovered by deduction from payment of benefit, by repayment upon demand, and by civil action;(2) where industrial injuries benefits is recovered from claimants, what proportions are recovered by deduction from payment of benefit, by repayment upon demand, and by civil action;(3) how much national insurance benefit is recovered from the estates of deceased claimants under Section 81 of the National Insurance Act 1965;(4) how much national insurance benefit is recovered from living claimants under Section 81 of the National Insurance Act 1965;(5) how much national insurance benefit is recovered from claimants and their estates other than in reliance of Section 81 of the National Insurance Act 1965, and on what grounds;(6) how much industrial injuries benefit is recovered from the estates of deceased claimants under Section 54 of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965;(7) how much industrial injuries benefit is recovered from living claimants under Section 54 of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965;(8) how much industrial injuries benefit is recovered from claimants and their estates other than in reliance on Section 54 of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965, and on what grounds.

The figures required are not readily available and could be obtained only at the cost of a disproportionate amount of staff time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the recent further increase in petrol prices, she will report quickly on the impact of VAT on petrol and oil prices as they affect disabled drivers; and if she will make an urgent statement on her Department's policy towards this problem.

The most recent price increases are mainly due to the rising costs of imported fuel. The £10 allowance to disabled drivers of the Department's vehicles is being introduced to provide a partial exemption from the additional VAT imposed last November as an energy conservation measure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Commercial Travellers' Association can expect a full reply to its letter of 25th October 1974 seeking an interview with her on matters pertaining to the change in the rate of national insurance for the self-employed; and when the hon. Member for Newham, North-West may expect a reply to his letter on the same subject dated 29th December 1974.

I replied to the association on 17th December and my hon. Friend has also now received a reply to his letter. I met my hon. Friend and representatives of the Association on 8th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it has not been possible to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Bridgwater of 6th September 1974 in connection with the letter from his constituent, Mr. H. Sheppard, about the problems of diabetics.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Lord President of the Council what plans he has for strengthening the office of the Leader of the Opposition.

This is one aspect of the Government's proposals for financial assistance to Opposition parties to which I referred in my statement of 19th December. A Government motion covering this matter is at present on the Order Paper. It will, I hope, be brought before the House in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom trade deficit with the EEC between 1970 and 1973 and to the latest date for which figures are available, as a proportion of the United Kingdom total trade deficit.

Following is the information:

VISIBLE TRADE BALANCES WITH EEC(8)
	Balance of payments basis £ million	As a percentage of total trade balance
1970	+93	*
1971	-131	*
1972	-513	76
1973†	-1,131	48
1974† (first nine months)	-1,368	36
* Percentages are inappropriate: the total trade balance was—£9 million in 1970 and + £285 million in 1972.
† Excluding trade in oil the percentages were 76 and 100 respectively; figures for earlier years are not available on this basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, without incurring much expense on publicity, he will inaugurate a campaign to encourage people to buy British.

It is my strong belief that in our present very difficult balance of payments situation all of us, whether as commercial or industrial buyers or as consumers, should give particular consideration to the British goods available before buying from abroad.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to visit Shropshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister how many official visits he made during the recess.

One.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech by the Secretary of State for Education and Science at Sunderland on 7th December, on the rule of law, represents Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech on the rule of law by the Secretary of State for Education and Science at Sunderland on 7th December 1974 represents Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech of the Secretary of State for Education and Science made in Sunderland on 7th December concerning the importance of upholding the rule of law represents Government policy.

In so far as my right hon. Friend was commenting on purely domestic affairs of the Labour Party in the country, no question of Government policy arises. In respect of such parts of the speech as refer to Government policy, the answer is "Yes".

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his discussions at the European summit in Paris.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the EEC summit meeting held in Paris on 9th and 10th December.

I did so on 16th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now arrange to meet the chairman of the STUC at the earliest possible date with a view to discussing the future of Scotland.

I have arranged to visit Scotland on 27th and 28th February when I shall be meeting the General Council of the STUC.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the EEC negotiations in London on 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the public speech he made in London on Saturday 7th December on continued membership of the EEC.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the EEC given to the London Labour Mayors' Association on 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the EEC negotiations in London on 7th December.

I would refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd).

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet Heads of Government from EEC countries.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Huckfield) on 17th December.—[Vol. 883, c. 400.]

asked the Prime Minister whether he will appoint an adviser to the Government on the social contract, along the lines of his recent appointment of an adviser on industry.

No, and the House may assume that, unless and until I make a statement to the contrary, I do not intend to make any further appointments of this kind.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the growing practice of Ministers in holding up ministeral announcements when a parliamentary recess is due so that the announcement cannot be made in the House of Commons; and whether he will arrange for all such announcements to be made when the House of Commons is in recess in a Committee Room at the House at which Members of Parliament may be present to question the Minister.

No. Where possible my colleagues seek to make announcements first to Parliament, but I would be prepared to consider my hon. Friend's suggestion in suitable cases if there was evidence that there was any general demand in the House for it.

asked the Prime Minister if he will elevate the Minister for Transport to Cabinet rank.

No. The House may assume that I do not intend to change the status of any Ministers unless and until I make a statement to the contrary.

asked the Prime Minister if he will cause an investigation to be made into the operation of the American Central Intelligence Agency in the United Kingdom in the field of industrial espionage in order to ensure that its activities do not conflict with British security interests; and if he will make a statement.

No. I have no reason to believe that the CIA has engaged or is engaging in industrial espionage in this country.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet received the report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration on the interim claim of the professions, lodged with the Review Body on 23rd August; and what action he proposes to take about the contents of the report.

Yes. The Government have announced that they are ready to accept the recommendations contained in the Review Body's supplement to its Fourth Report, which was published as a Command Paper (Cmnd. 5849) on 2nd January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pounds of lamb and mutton per head of population in Great Britain were consumed in 1972, 1973 and the first six months of 1974.

Estimates of the total consumption of mutton and lamb are available only for the United Kingdom as a whole. The figures for 1972 and 1973 are 20·4 and 18·2 lb per head per annum respectively and 8·1 lb per head for the first six months of 1974.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish a list in the Official Report showing details of the additional benefits such as use of cars, away from home expenses, pensions, food, uniform, &c., received by those top paid public servants who have recently had their salaries increased, or recommended for increase by the Boyle Committee, and what these benefits are worth in cash payments.

The information is as follows:1.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish a detailed list in the Official Report showing the salary improvements made on the stated dates during the past 15 years for those grades of persons recommended for increases in the December 1974 Boyle Report.

Details of salary improvements for the four groups concerned during the past 15 years are as follows:

NATIONALISED BOARDS
			Increases
	Salary at 1967		1st April 1969	1st April 1970	1st January 1971	1st January 1972	1st April 1973	1st January 1974§
	£		£	£	£	£	£	£
British Steel Corporation:	on-formation
Chairman	16,000		6,500	2,500	—	2,500	250	350
Deputy Chairman	20,000–24,000		—	—	—	1,000–2,000	250	350
Members	15,000–19,000		—	—	—	1,000–2,000	250	350
	Salary at at 1957*	1964
	£	£
Group A Boards:
Chairmen	10,000	2,500	2,500	2,500	2,500†	2,500	250	350
Deputy Chairmen	8,000	2,000–4,000	0–2,000	2,000	2,000†	2,500	250	350
Members	7,500	0–2,000	700–950	1,150–2,275	1,150–2,275	2,000	250	350
Group B Boards:
Chairmen	7,500–10,000	1,000–3,500	2,000	2,000	2,000†	2,000	250	350
Deputy Chairmen	7,500	2,000	1,500	1,000	l,500†	1,500	250	350
Members	7,000	0–2,500	700–950	150–775	150–775	1,500	250	350
Group C Boards:
Chairmen	6,500	500–3,000	700–950	1,150–2,275	1,150–2,275	2,000	250	350
Deputy Chairmen	5,000	500–1,500	50–650	725–1,175	725–1,175	1,500	250	350

THE HIGHER CIVIL SERVICE
	Salary at 1st February 1959	Increases
		1st July 1960	1st August 1963	1st September 1965	1st July 1968	1st July 1969	1st July 1970	1st January 1971	1st January 1972	1st April 1973	1st January 1974§
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Head of the Home Civil Service	7,450	—	1,350	400	—	1,200	2,300	2,300†	1,750	250	350
Permanent Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Cabinet
Permanent Secretary	6,950	—	1,250	400	—	1,200	2,100	2,100†	1,750	250	350
			Salary at 1st August 1963
			£
Second Permanent Secretary	—	—	7,700	400	—	1,200	1,850	1,850	1,750	250	350
Deputy Secretary	4,950	—	850	500	—	800	950	950	1,500	250	350
Under Secretary	3,750	300	650	550	250	500	510	240	1,500	250	500

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons qualify as graduate doctors per annum.

The number of students in Great Britain who obtained a first registrable medical qualification increased from 1,805 in 1964–65 to 2,594 in 1973–74, and current plans envisage a further increase to about 3,700 by the middle of the 1980s.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there is any difference in the qualifications required for United Kingdom residents and foreigners to gain entry into medical schools.

The selection of students for admission is a matter for individual universities. I understand, however, that, as applications for medical courses considerably exceed the number of places available, some medical schools do not consider overseas candidates who are able to study medicine in their own countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has now considered what allocation he will allow for the provision of new schools in Norfolk for the year 1975–76; and if he will make a statement.

The school building allocations for 1975–76 are still being considered. My right hon. Friend expects to announce them soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to ensure that future petrol increases are announced a reasonable time before they take effect in order that self-service petrol pumps may be adjusted to take account of the increase.

I am aware of the problem with some self-service petrol pumps and have noted this request, although the timing of any future petrol price increase will generally be a commercial matter for the oil suppliers and retailers, after taking into account the requirements of the Price Code. Changes in taxation which affect petrol prices are, of course, a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet received the report from the Standing Conference on London and South-East Regional Planning, originally requested by his predecessor, on the potential release of 2,000 acres of green belt land for housing; whether he has yet discussed this matter with representatives of the standing conference; and whether he will make a statement.

No. My projected meeting with representatives of the standing conference has not yet taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet determined the capital allocations for 1975–76 for each of the regional water authorities; and what sums have been authorised for each RWA.

The total capital allocation to water authorities will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper on Public Expenditure, and I cannot anticipate publication of that document. When it is published I will write to the hon. Member with details of the allocations to individual authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the local authorities which have received loan sanction to build dwellings by direct labour since 31st October 1974, naming the scheme in each case, the gross tender price and the number of dwellings involved.

Local authority		Name of scheme		Gross tender price	Number of dwellings
				£
South Tyneside	…	Edinburgh Road, Jarrow	…	23,670	2
		Bilton Hall, Jarrow	…	311,970	39
Sunderland	…	Ward Street	…	221,267	23
		North Hedley Street	…	396,737	59
Easington	…	Station Road, Blackball	…	24,607	3
		Morton Square, Peterlee	…	32,737	4
		Federation Square, Murton	…	186,398	31
		Daphne Crescent, Seaham	…	25,089	1*
Kingston upon Hull	…	Newland Avenue	…	149,142	28
Rotherham	…	Chaucer Road, Herringthorpe	…	69,620	11
Colchester	…	Rudder Grange, St. Johns Road	…	132,510	26
Stoke on Trent	…	Dale Street, Burslem Phase II	…	225,889	30
		Dreaden Phase II	…	321,965	42
Birmingham	…	Hawkesley North	…	2,323,474	258
Sandwell	…	Graingers Lane, Cradley Heath	…	62,486	10
Walsall	…	Holly Lane, Walsall Wood	…	336,503	40
Swansea	…	Llangyfelach Road, Tirdeunaw	…	176,874	21
* The price includes provision of common room and other facilities for old people's housing.