asked the Prime Minister if he will now make an announcement about the latest report of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body.

The Review Body's Fifth Report on the remuneration of NHS Doctors and Dentists is published today as a Command Paper. Copies are available in the Vote Office. The Government are most grateful to Sir Ernest Woodroofe and his colleagues for the thoroughness of the report and the rapidity with which it has been produced.The background to the report is that a year ago the net remuneration of the doctors and dentists concerned was increased by about 7½ per cent., plus thresholds, following the recommendations in the Review Body's Fourth Report. That report, like the Third Report in 1973, was carried out within the framework of the statutory counter-inflation policy, and this is, therefore, the first review of doctors' and dentists' pay for three years which has not been carried out within the context of a statutory policy.The report recommends increases from 1st April 1975 which add on average 30 per cent. to current rates—including threshold payments—equivalent to increases of 35 per cent. on the rates introduced following the last general review a year ago. The recommendations on the pay of junior hospital doctors and dentists relate to the existing contract which will be superseded by a new contract operative from 1st October this year. The Review Body indicates that it intends to consider the remuneration under the new contract in due course as an extension of the present review, in the light of its current recommendations.The Government welcome the decision of the Central Committee for Hospital Medical Services to advise consultants to lift sanctions.The Government are ready to accept the recommendations subject to the staging of increases at the highest salary levels referred to below. In considering the report, the Government have recognised that this is the first full review of doctors' and dentists' pay since 1972, and that the relative position of the two professions has deteriorated. They have also had regard to their own commitment to the independence of the Review Body and their undertaking to accept the recommendations unless there were clear and compelling reasons for not doing so. But the Government consider that at this time of critical economic difficulty for the country their acceptance of the recommendations should be subject to staging the increases at the highest salary levels in the same spirit and way as the increases for the public services recommended by the Top Salaries Review Body last year, and as foreshadowed by the Secretary of State for Social Services' statement following her meeting with the general medical practitioners' representatives on 8th January.Accordingly:

asked the Prime Minister if the public speech the Secretary of State for Industry made at Glasgow on 13th April concerning the effect of membership of the EEC on the working of his Department represents Government policy.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Woodall) on 17th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many visits were paid by Home Office inspectors to research establishments under the control of the Ministry of Defence in regard to the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 in 1974 and in each of the preceding five years.

The number of visits was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the numbers of animals in each species used in experiments in research establishments under the control of the Ministry of Defence in 1974 and in each of the preceding five years;(2) how many experiments on living animals were carried out in research establishments under the control of the Ministry of Defence in 1974 and in each of the preceding five years.

The information is as follows:effects of CR gas, and the effects of crystal violet dye, respectively, in 1974 and in each of the preceding five years.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of experiments on living animals carried out in research establishments under the control of the Ministry of Defence in 1974 for which licences were not obtained under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.

None.

asked the Attorney-General what proposals he has in the light of the Moorgate Underground disaster to amend the Fatal Accident Acts to give the spouse of a deceased victim not merely the right to claim damages for loss of dependency but also for loss of comfort and company.

The nature and extent of compensation in fatal accident cases falls within the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury. The Government have no present intention to seek to change the law relating to damages for death before receiving the report and recommendations of the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the national average wage for manual workers.

The most recent figures available come from this Department's inquiry, in October 1974, into the earnings and hours of manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries. Average gross weekly earnings of full-time manual men, aged 21 and over, in the United Kingdom were then £48·63. The corresponding figure for women manual workers, aged 18 and over, was £27·01. The industries covered are manufacturing, mining and quarrying—except coal mining—construction, gas, electricity and water, transport and communication—except railways and sea transport—public administration and certain miscellaneous services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to set up an advisory service for young women wishing to undertake professional careers.

No. Such services are already available. The Employment and Training Act 1973 required all local education authorities to provide a careers service for people attending educational institutions, and empowered them to offer the service to others who seek their help. The employment offices and occupational guidance units of the Employment Service Agency also provide advisory services for those in need of such assistance. Both careers officers and officers of the Employment Service Agency are well aware of the need to encourage young women to take a wide view of the careers opportunities open to them, including those in the professions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide, on the basis of the figures contained in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1975–76. an estimate of what the public sector borrowing requirement would now be assuming full employment conditions, in the same way in which the Chancellor provided in his Budget Statement an estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement on full employment conditions in 1976–77.

The reference in the Budget Statement as to how the borrowing requirement would be affected by full employment brought about by higher exports was in general terms only. It can be applied to 1975–76 and to 1976–77.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage of the average national weekly wage taken in the total of income taxes, indirect taxes, Customs and Excise duties and vehicle excise duties, following the spring Budgets of 1964, 1970, 1973, 1974 and in the Chancellor's Budget Statement.

The percentage of the average earnings, of a married man with two children under 11, taken in the total of direct and indirect taxes, following the spring Budgets of the specified years, is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the value of the £ sterling has depreciated by comparison with the average value of the currencies of the original six members of the EEC since 1st January 1973 and 1st January 1974, respectively; and by what estimated percentage this movement of currencies has made British goods more competitive.

Since 1st January 1973 and 2nd January 1974 the value of sterling, in comparison with the average value of the currencies of the six original members of the EEC, has depreciated by 10 per cent. and 2½ per cent. respectively. The depreciation of sterling in terms of both this particular group of European currencies and the more appropriately weighted basket of all major currencies, including the US dollar and the yen, is an important influence on the relative competitiveness of British exports, but there are, of course, many other factors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would be lost per annum by reducing the maximum rate of income tax to 65 per cent., 60 per cent., 55 per cent., and 50 per cent, respectively.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th April 1975; Vol. 890, c. 145], gave the following information:On the basis of the tax allowances and rates of tax proposed for 1975–76 the figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are currently in hospital at Bangor and Newtownards; how this compares with figures for 1970 and 1965; and what was the size of the waiting list for admission to both hospitals in 1965, 1970 and today.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with regard to the number of general medical practitioners in practice in North Down; whether there has been an increase or decrease in the number of general practitioners in the area in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the present position having regard to the growth in population and the increase in the number of elderly people in the population.

Yes. There has been an increase in the number of general practitioners in the North Down and Ards District of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board in recent years. The average number of patients on the general practitioners' lists is lower than that in Great Britain. I am content with the provision of primary medical care for the people in the district.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of rates goes towards remuneration of local authority employees; and how this compares with 1970, 1965 and 1960.

It is regretted that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount of (a) rent and (b) rates owed on Housing Executive houses in each housing district of the executive in Northern Ireland.

This matter is the direct responsibility of the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of state for Social Services if she will publish a table showing the ratio between the average price in the EEC, and to the National Health Service, respectively, exclusive of VAT, at the latest convenient date, of the following drugs; penbritin, inderal, butazolodin, aldomet, and fucidin.

The information is not immediately available. I will write to the right hon. Gentleman when I have obtained it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken to increase the number of nurses in the casualty department at Harold Wood Hospital, Romford; how many patients are being diverted to other casualty departments; and if she will make a statement.

There is no present under-staffing of trained nurses in the casualty department of Harold Wood Hospital. All emergencies are being covered, and no patients are being referred to other casualty departments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the criteria for the making of improvement grants, in particular to raise substantially the rateable value over which grants are not applicable.

The Department is keeping a close watch on the effect of the grant provisions introduced in the Housing Act 1974, but my right hon. Friend sees no reason at this stage for increasing generally the rateable value limits applying to improvement grants for owner-occupiers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is satisfied that the disposal of chemical waste along the western coastline of Great Britain is not in excess of the permitted level;(2) if he is satisfied that the influx of mercury compounds into the Irish Sea does not exceed the acceptable limits.

I have been asked to reply.The dumping of all wastes into all sea areas round the United Kingdom is in

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the purpose of the recent visit by the Premier of Belize to the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement on his discussions with him.

The Premier of Belize was invited to London from 18th to 20th March for discussions with United accordance with the Dumping at Sea Act 1974 and our international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence there is of a decline in the orders by local authorities for waste handling equipment.

I regret that this information is not available because local authorities are not required to inform my Department of orders for waste handling equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many vacancies there are for British representatives on the Economic and Social Committee of the EEC; in which categories; for how long they have existed; what representations he has received to fill the vacancies; and if he will now take urgent steps to nominate for the vacancies.

There are 11 vacancies, two in Group I (Employers) and one in Group III (Other Interests) which have been unfilled since 23rd August 1974, and eight in Group II (Employees) which have been unfilled since the United Kingdom's accession to the EEC. Several organisations and individuals have made proposals about nominations to the Committee. The Government's view remains that it is not appropriate at present to consider the nomination of new members to fill the vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the value of imported machine tools from the USSR and the German Democratic Republic for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement about credit facilities for these imports.

Figures of imports under SITC(R) 715·1 are published for year 1972 in Table II of Volume I of the "Annual Statement of the Overseas Trade of the United Kingdom" and for years 1973 and 1974 in Table III of the respective December issues of the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom". I am not aware of any special credit facilities. Credit arrangements are a matter between buyer and seller.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has any plans for further restriction or prohibition of all-night movement of aircraft in and out of Heathrow Airport, in view of continued public concern about the matter.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 30th January last to my hon. Friend the Membr for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Sandelson)—[Vol. 885, c. 309–310]—which showed that the permitted number of night jet movements at Heathrow from 1st April to 31st October this year would be about 21 per cent. less than in the corresponding period of 1974. The level of restriction which might be appropriate in future is under review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the difficulties currently being experienced by United Kingdom exporters of goods containing sugar as a result of the cost of their raw materials under the United Kingdom price equalisation scheme; and what steps he proposes to take thereon.

The price equalisation scheme was introduced on 4th November last year as a result of the rising price of supplies of Commonwealth raw sugar with the objective of avoiding distortions of competition in the food industry and inequity between different groups of consumers. The scheme has achieved this objective, but recent price and supply developments have resulted in a situation in which there has been distortion of the competitive position of United Kingdom exporters of sugar-containing goods. The Government are, therefore, taking steps, in agreement with the other parties to the scheme, to adjust the operation of the scheme so as to remove this distortion. Pending future decisions on the management of the price equalisation scheme the arrangement I have mentioned will be funded by means of an advance through the Sugar Board which administers the price equalisation scheme. In making this advance I shall be relying on the authority of the Estimates and the confirming Appropriation Act. Supplementary Estimates will be presented in due course, and meanwhile I shall have recourse to the Contingencies Fund. The Government are also having active discussions with the industry to encourage and facilitate the use of inward processing arrangements to help in removing this distortion of competition.