asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people, who qualified by occupation, have been refused benefits under the occupational deafness scheme; and if she will give the figures on a regional basis;(2) how many people have applied for benefit under the occupational deafness scheme and have been rejected because they were not in the correct category of occupation; and if she will give the figures on a regional basis;(3) how many shipbuilding and ship repairing workers in the United Kingdom have been refused benefits under the occupational deafness scheme because they were not in the defined occupations;

		Failed on occupational tests	Failed on medical tests	Awaiting medical examination	Awarded benefit
Northern	…	263	32	112	80
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	68	12	31	32
East Midlands and East Anglia	…	49	1	7	9
London North	…	10	1	1	4
London South	…	5	4	9	0
London West	…	19	1	10	5
South West	…	34	44	28	22
Wales	…	24	0	4	0
West Midlands	…	209	32	220	123
North West (Manchester)	…	49	5	3	6
North West (Merseyside)	…	39	17	20	23
Scotland	…	100	40	70	50
TOTALS	…	869	189	515	354

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish results of the latest tests on the roadworthiness of various types of invalid tricycles; what is the frequency of such tests; and if she will make a statement.

There are standing arrangements for the continuous monitoring of the in-service record of three-wheelers provided by the Department, through a well established procedure for the investigation of reports of possible defects in design or manufacture and complaints about the performance of the vehicles. These are appraised in

The information available about the new occupational deafness scheme is summarised in the table below, giving the position at 20th May 1975. It is not possible to give a breakdown of figures between shipbuilding and ship repairing workers and the other workers covered by the scheme.dividually and it would not be practicable to publish the results of the numerous tests and investigations that have been carried out on this basis.As my hon. Friend will know, the formal reports, with appropriate deletions to preserve commercial confidentiality relating to the noise level and wind gust tests commissioned by the Department at MIRA, have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what plans she has to increase the number of oto-laryngologists employed by the National Health Service;

The number of otolaryngologists employed in October 1974 was 796, including 352 consultants, with 67 senior registrars and 132 registrars in training. The regional distribution—on a basis of whole-time equivalents—was as follows:

Region	Number in Whole-Time Equivalent)
Northern	35·9
Yorkshire	46·5
Trent	47·9
East Anglia	20·2
North West Thames	55·6
North East Thames	57·1
South East Thames	64·1
South West Thames	35·8
London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals	36·0
Oxford	34·8
South Western	46·2
West Midlands	76·9
North Western	61·8
Mersey	36·9
Wessex	40·5
England Total	696·1
Wales	43·6
England and Wales Total	739·7

The numbers in the training grades should allow for some development.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures for induced births, as a percentage of all hospital births; and how many are induced for purely medical reasons.

31·5 per cent. of all hospital births were induced in England and Wales in 1972, the latest year for which figures are available. It is not possible to state how many were induced for purely medical reasons but the studies announced by my center hon. Friend in her reply to the center hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Surrey, East (Sir G. Howe) on 19th December 1974—[Vol. 883, c. 552–3.]—include work which will provide information on the balance of medical and social factors involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions she has had with the area health authority regarding the future use of Hanley Road Maternity Hospital, London, N.4; and if she will give an undertaking that this hospital will not be closed.

Although the pattern of obstetric services is under consideration within the authority, no approach has been made to my center hon. Friend. No discussions either informal or formal have been held on the future of this particular hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many geriatric specialists are employed in hospitals in the Thanet area.

In the Canterbury/Thanet Health District there are four consultants in geriatrics and one medical assistant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied that her Department is making the best use of volunteer help; and if she will make a statement.

The Department encourages the use of voluntary help both in the health service and in the personal social services, and it has given guidance as necessary to the responsible health and local authorities.In the health service, it has for example encouraged the employment of voluntary help organisers to develop the effective use of volunteers. Over 250 organisers are employed at present and play a major part in recruiting, training and deploying individual volunteers. In addition there are many voluntary organisations in the health field receiving support and encouragement from health authorities, through grants and in other ways.In the social services too, local authorities work closely with voluntary organisations and individual volunteers, and most authorities have appointed an officer to co-ordinate voluntary effort in the area. Local authorities also make grants to voluntary organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations she has received about the deteriorating level of treatment to patients at the VD clinic in the Birmingham General Hospital; and what help she can promise to give.

None. The Birmingham Area Health Authority (Teaching) is considering a proposal to move the clinic to more satisfactory accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase or decrease in take-up of family income supplement has been experienced in each year since its inception; and what proposals she has for intensification of the advertising campaign to publicise the availability of the benefit in areas which have been designated under the national average of earnings in the recent report of the Low Pay Unit.

It is estimated that during 1972 FIS was claimed by about half the families entitled to the supplement. During 1973 and 1974 take-up had increased to about two-thirds and three-quarters respectively. No estimate is available for the first months of the scheme in 1971.A national Press and television advertising campaign which will cover the areas referred to in the recent report of the Low Pay Unit will be undertaken at the time of the next uprating in July 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she can now give an estimate of the extent to which the emigration of doctors is increasing.

I cannot at present add to my replies to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Hooson) on 29th April and the hon. Member for Reading, South (Dr. Vaughan) on 10th June.—[Vol. 891, c. 77; Vol. 893 c. 151.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a further statement on improvements in the provision of help for elderly, sick people living on their own in Salford.

A health care planning team has been formed by the Salford Area Health Authority (Teaching) to examine the provision of services for the elderly and to propose improvements. It includes representatives from the social services and housing departments of the local authority. Some improvements may result from a current review of the hospital admission and discharge policy for the elderly sick but developments which would depend on capital building schemes or additions to staff will inevitably be limited in present economic circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes in practice have recently been made by the Supplementary Benefits Commission on the direct payment of rent for beneficiaries; and whether she will make a statement about the effect of such changes.

Direct payment is now authorised more readily where beneficiaries are defaulting; hitherto this had been used only as a last resort. I understand there is already a general increase in the numbers paid by this method.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1964 the proportion of gross national product spent by each member of the EEC on health and social services.

Information in the form requested is not available because of differing definitions of expenditure on health and social services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list the proportion of gross national product spent on health services by each of the EEC countries, the USA, Canada and Sweden.

Apart from the United Kingdom, the latest available information in the terms requested is published by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare. It does not cover all EEC countries. The figures are as follows:

Country		Year	Percentage of GNP (at market prices)
United Kingdom	…	1973	4·2
France	…	1969	5·7
Netherlands	…	1969	5·9
West Germany	…	1969	5·7
United States of America	…	1969	6·8
Canada	…	1969	7·3
Sweden	…	1969	6·7

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many old and disabled people have been helped with telephone installations and rentals in the various Scottish local authorities; and how the total in proportion to population in Scotland compares with the total for the same period in England.

I have been asked to reply.In the year ended 31st December 1973 544 persons were helped by local authorities with telephone installations and 449 with rentals. The numbers helped by each authority were as follows:

	Numbers
Area	Installation	Rental
Burgh of Inverness	—	—
Counties of:
Caithness	2	2
Inverness	13	4
Ross and Cromarty	2	2
Sutherland	12	11
Highland Region	29	19
City of Aberdeen	26	12
Counties of:
Aberdeen and Kincardine	7	1
Banff	1	3
Moray and Nairn	5	5
Grampian Region	39	21
City of Dundee	35	9
Burghs of:
Arbroath	14	—
Perth	1	4
Counties of:
Angus	3	2
Perth and Kinross	6	1
Tayside Region	59	16

	Numbers
Area	Installation	Rental
Burghs of:
Dunfermline	10	8
Kircaldy	4	2
County of Fife	5	5
Fife Region	19	15
City of Edinburgh	145	180
Counties of:
Midlothian, East Lothian and Peebles	13	12
Lothian Region	158	192
Counties of:
Berwick	1	—
Roxburgh	1	—
Selkirk	2	—
Borders Region	4	—
Burghs of:
Falkirk	—	—
Stirling	—	—
Counties of:
Clackmannan	2	—
Stirling	12	11
Central Region	14	11
City of Glasgow	40	—
Burghs of:
Airdrie	—	—
Ayr	—	1
Clydebank	20	17
Coatbridge	3	1
Dumbarton	—	—
East Kilbride	23	7
Greenock and Port Glasgow	32	8
Hamilton	1	—
Kilmarnock	—	—
Motherwell and Wishaw	—	—
Paisley	1	—
Rutherglen	—	—
Counties of:
Argyll	6	2
Ayr	37	30
Bute	—	—
Dunbarton	10	3
Lanark	23	95
Renfrew	10	2
Strathclyde Region	206	166
Burgh of Dumfries	—	—
Counties of:
Dumfries	1	—
Kirkcudbright	4	5
Wigtown	—	—
Dumfries and Galloway
Region	5	5
Orkney	3	—
Zetland	8	4

The total numbers assisted represented, in relation to the population in Scotland aged over 65, 0·8 per 1,000 as regards installations and 0·7 per 1,000 as regards rentals: these proportions compare with 3·43 and 4·53 respectively in England during the year ended 31st March 1974, the nearest comparable period for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if she has any intention of increasing dental charges.

I have no proposals to announce concerning dental charges to patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total number of dentists working in the National Health Service, and the number

Available information for England is set out in the following Table:—
Year		Dentists providing GDS (at 30th September)	Cast Gold Crowns	"Anterior" Crowns*	Full Dentures(Synthetic Resin)†	"Anterior" Fillings in (Permanent Teeth)‡
1968	…	10,182	39,280	174,860 (265,960)	784,600	Not available
1970	…	10,426	42,350	220,230 (280,120)	672,400	5,723,471
1971	…	10,527	53,240	235,270 (310,060)	795,620	5,868,777
1972	…	10,750	56,340	244,130 (328,550)	603,830	5,775,344
1973	…	10,886	68,380	380,970 (494,590)	624,760	6,621,780
1974	…	11,023	65,310	494,060 (581,310)	610,520	6,858,590
* Data on crowns are collected in terms of materials used not location of teeth. However to give an indication of the numbers of anterior crowns, the figures in this column are for treatments involving materials which, by reason of their appearance, are generally used only for anterior teeth. The total numbers of all types of crowns provided are shown in brackets.
† A small proportion of full dentures (less than 10 per cent. is metal-based). These are not included because available statistics do not differentiate between partial and full metal dentures.
‡ As with crowns data on location of fillings are not available. To give an indication of the numbers of anterior fillings, the figures in this column are for treatments involving materials which by reason of their appearance, are generally used only for anterior teeth. Because of a change in the basis of collecting statistics the figures for 1973 and 1974 are for numbers of fillings whereas those for earlier years are for numbers of teeth filled. As a result the figures for 1973 and 1974 are not directly comparable with those for earlier years but in general there are 10 per cent. more fillings than teeth filled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the proportion of expenditure on the health and social services which is spent on preventive work; what plans she has to increase this proportion in the next five years; and if she will make a statement.

Prevention is an integral part of a wide range of services provided within the health services and as such is not readily quantifiable in financial terms. A great deal of preventive work and associated research is already being carried out. However, for both humanitarian and economic reasons the Government are anxious that where practicable greater priority should be given to the development of preventive services and with this in view we intend to issue a consultative document on preventive medicine at the end of this year or at the beginning of 1976. We hope that by provoking constructive discussion throughout the health services and among members of the public interested in health matters and by drawing attention to those areas of preventive medicine where increased invest-

Following is the information:ment in the broadest sense might appear most rewarding, this document will stimulate a greater awareness of the possibilities for developing preventive services and will lead to the strengthening of these services as resources permit.On the side of the local authority personal social services, prevention is a main aim of much of the relevant legislation, and the resources allocated to it are again not separately identifiable. Current and likely future financial constraints mean inevitably, however, that local authorities must concentrate much of their effort on dealing with acute and immediate need. This is not ideal, but until resources improve the development of specifically preventive services and new initiatives is bound to be limited by the pressure of current needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what, for the last three years for which statistics are available, was the financial value of imports of all spectacle frames and the number involved; and what was the value and number of spactacle frames exported for the corresponding years from the United Kingdom;(2) what, for the last three years for which figures are available, was the total number of spectacle frames, other than National Health Service frames, supplied, and the percentage of those manufactured in the United Kingdom; what were the four principal countries from which these spectacle frames were imported and the quantities involved; what was the number and value of those spectacle frames imported from Australia.

United Kingdom imports of all types of spectacle frames and mountings and parts thereof were valued at £4·219 million in 1972, £6·598 million in 1973 and £7·964 million in 1974; corresponding exports from the United Kingdom were £0·284 million, £0·511 million and £0·527 million. Information as to the number of frames imported and exported is not available.Exact figures are not available of the total number of spectacle frames, other than National Health Service frames, supplied, but on the basis of statistical sampling of the general ophthalmic services and excluding frames supplied under arrangements made by the Hospital Eye Service it is estimated that 3·7 million were supplied in 1972, 4·0 million in 1973 and 4·3 million in 1974. Information as to the percentage of those frames manufactured in the United Kingdom or the quantities imported is not available.By value the four principal countries from which all types of spectacle frames and mountings, and parts thereof were imported into the United Kingdom during the years 1972 to 1974 were:

		£ million	Percentage of imports
1972—
West Germany	…	1·562	37·0
France	…	0·841	20·0
Australia	…	0·302	7·2
Italy	…	0·277	6·6
1973—
West Germany	…	2·487	37·7
France	…	1·467	22·2
Italy	…	0·472	7·2
Austria	…	0·334	5·1
1974—
West Germany	…	2·326	29·2
France	…	2·023	25·4
Italy	…	0·885	11·1
Switzerland	…	0·484	6·1

Similarly imports from Australia were £0·302 million (7·2 per cent.) in 1972, £0·256 million (3·9 per cent.) in 1973 and £0·322 million (4·0 per cent.) in 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) by what percentage average incomes for salaried workers employed in the National Health Service have increased in the last four years;(2) by what percentage average wages for workers employed in the National Health Service have increased in the last four years.

Approximately 105 per cent. in each case including special increases for certain groups, for example nurses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will confirm that any health service worker, of whatever rank, who refuses to participate in abortion operations, will not jeopardise his or her position or application for appointment to any position inside the National Health Service.

Section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967 gives any person the center to establish a conscientious objection to participating in treatment for termination of pregnancy—except where such treatment is necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman. It would therefore be unlawful to attempt to deprive any person of his position because he refused to participate in such therapeutic abortions.As regards applications for appointments, health authorities have a duty to provide a full range of services to patients under the NHS. Where therefore, in a locality, consultants have exercised their centers not to participate in abortions it may on occasions be necessary for the appointments committee to he satisfied that a new appointee is professionally prepared to participate in the full range of duties including providing treatment for termination of pregnancy under the Abortion Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the text of the letter sent by Dr. Henry Yellowlees, the Chief Medical Officer in her Department, to regional medical officers concerning the performing of abortions.

Copies have been placed in the Library of the House, and I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will announce her decisions about the renewal of approvals under the Abortion Act 1967 which expire on 30th June.

Yes. Approval of the Avenue Clinic, Hove, has been renewed until 31st December 1975. The number of beds approved for use for abortion has been reduced and the clinic is no longer mainly involved in abortion.Approval has been renewed until 31st December 1975 for the following nursing homes which have agreed to quote in advance to all patients a fee for total care—

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost, on average, of training a doctor.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my center hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Davies) on 10th June. —[Vol. 893 c. 224–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of doctors in British hospitals who are not British born have qualifications from British medical schools.

In 1971, the last year for which this information is available, 27 per cent, of hospital doctors in British hospitals who were born outside Great Britain and Ireland had a British first registrable qualification. Some other overseas doctors, who obtained a first registrable qualification abroad, may also subsequently have obtained a British qualification.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many doctors there are currently in hospitals in the United Kingdom, compared with the numbers in each of the last five years;(2) what proportion of hospital posts is filled by doctors who were born outside the United Kingdom; what proportion of junior posts is filled by such doctors; what were the comparative figures for the last five years; and what are the regional variations.

Information in respect of the United Kingdom is not readily available and the figures below refer to doctors in hospitals in England and Wales at 30th September of each year.

		All places of birth	Born outside Great Britain or Ireland (percentages)
Year		(numbers)	All staff	Junior doctors
1970	…	24,775	32·2	48·0
1971	…	25,669	32·7	46·8
1972	…	26,908	33·5	47·7
1973	…	28,135	34·6	49·0
1974	…	29,018	34·9	49·2

The most recent information available on regional variations relates to 30th September 1973. Figures below are percentages.

		Doctors horn outside Great Britain or Ireland
Region		All staff	Junior doctors
Northern	…	41·0	60·3
Yorkshire	…	37·8	56·2
Trent	…	37·8	55·5
East Anglia	…	32·6	54·3
North West Thames	…	39·3	55·8
North East Thames	…	48·1	70·6
South East Thames	…	41·9	64·7
South West Thames	…	35·2	51·2
Oxford	…	29·2	41·5
Wessex	…	24·1	33·5
South Western	…	19·9	29·3
West Midlands	…	37·3	56·0
North Western	…	40·7	58·6
Mersey	…	30·3	46·5
London Teaching	…	19·9	25·0
Wales	…	31·0	47·1
Total	…	34·6	49·0

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what commitments have been made in the preliminary discussions with the authorities in Mozambique about future British aid to that country.

Following the offer made last month by my center hon. Friend's predecessor to Senhor Machel, the then President-elect of Mozambique, I hope that discussions with the newly independent Government about the terms and content of an aid agreement will be held at an early date.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans the Government have to increase official aid through voluntary relief agencies in order to help the world food shortage.

I very much hope that under my Department's new scheme for helping to fund development projects undertaken overseas by voluntary agencies, many of the projects will be connected with food production and thus make a major contribution to increasing food supplies.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans he has to increase financial and technical aid to Bangladesh.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my center hon. Friend gave on 19th June in which, in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy), he gave details of a new pledge of up to £52 million of financial aid to Bangladesh.—[Vol. 893, c. 520.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will outline the report which he has received from the team from his Disaster Unit relating to its visit to the drought affected zones of the Somali Democratic Republic; and whether he will now announce further amounts of emergency aid for drought relief in that country.

The member of my Disaster Unit who visited the Somali Democratic Republic at the end of April reported that the Government of the republic had responded well to the drought situation, and had established an effective organisational structure for relief measures at central, regional and district levels. Some 250,000 people seriously affected by the drought had been brought into well-organised camps to facilitate feeding and medical treatment. Useful support and advice had been given by international agencies such as WHO, FAO and UNICEF. The United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation had monitored the situation and advised donors on relief supplies. The international donor response had been generous and sufficient food and other supplies have been provided or pledged to meet expected requirements over the coming months. The emergency phase appeared to be coming to an end and the Somali Government were now embarking on a policy of resettling some of the nomadic people affected by the drought in other parts of the country.The largest donor of relief assistance in the current famine situation has been the EEC, and Her Majesty's Government's likely contribution through the EEC budget will be about £0·46 million. In addition to this, the British Government have provided bilateral assistance amounting to £140,000. This includes a gift of a 50-bed field hospital which was handed over to the republic earlier this month.I am currently considering making a contribution to a UNICEF appeal for a special programme of assistance for mothers and children in the aftermath of the drought.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when he intends to publish his White Paper on overseas aid policies.

I hope to do so as soon as possible after the Summer Recess.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will review British aid policy towards Brazil.

Following recent talks between my officials, Brazilian officials and our respective embassies, our aid programme is being reviewed with the aim of concentrating our resources where they can be most usefully deployed in furthering the Brazilian National Development Plan for 1975–79, bearing in mind our own strategy of increasingly directing our aid to the poorest people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in view of the decrease in orders for cavity wall insulation by 70 per cent., what steps he will take to implement his policy for the conservation of energy by encouraging the use of this method of saving fuel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to encourage the installation of wall cavity foam thermal insulation in domestic dwellings, in view of his policy of national energy conservation.

All Government publicity on domestic fuel saving makes it clear that cavity-fill wall insulation, properly applied effectively reduces householders' fuel bills.I outlined the steps taken to minimise the effect of relaxing building regulations for this process in my replies to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Cant) and the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Normanton) on 19th June.—[Vol. 893, c. 513, 514.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the standardisation of lighting-up time.

In my view lighting-up time should, as at present, be related to the times of sunset and sunrise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to prevent local authorities from offering less than market value when purchasing a house in private ownership when that local authority is simultaneously making alternative council housing available to the vendor.

I do not see that the question of legislation is relevant since I assume that the transactions which the hon. Member has in mind have been on an agreed basis between the vendor and the purchaser. If, however, he would like to elaborate the problem, perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land within the Home Counties are at present being actively worked for the extraction of minerals.

According to the returns made by local authorities for the recent survey of derelict and despoiled land, the total area affected by surface mineral working and mineral waste tipping in the South-East Economic Planning Region, including Greater London, at 1st April 1974 was 31,620 acres (12,796 hectares).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will restrict the extraction of minerals in the Home Counties.

Planning control of mineral working in the Home Counties as elsewhere in the country, is primarily the responsibility of county planning authorities. Each application for permission for extraction needs to be considered on its merits having regard to all material considerations including the need for the mineral and the likely environmental effects of the proposed operations. Minerals worked in the Home Counties are used mainly by the construction industry and any curtailment of production would have serious consequences for that industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what proportion of local authority dwelling in the United Kingdom have no gas supply.

I regret that this information is not available, but it is estimated that about 2 million local authority and new town tenants, one-third of the total in Great Britain, do not have a gas meter; in some cases this will be because the tenant has chosen not to use gas although a service to the dwelling may be available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what proportion of tenants in local authority dwellings in the United Kingdom effectively have no alternative to the use of electric heating.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for an exhibition by Members of both Houses to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I have arranged with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Wait- ing Hall from 7th to 18th July 1975. I am grateful to the hon. Member for his efforts in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received a letter from the hon. Member for Darlington asking him to receive a deputation from the council to discuss council house improvement grants for a revitalisation scheme at Cockerton; and when he can expect a reply.

My hon. Friend should by now have received the reply to this letter which was sent on Tuesday 24th June 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times in each of the last three years sewage has overflowed into the House of Commons police mess by St. Stephen's entrance; when was the last such occasion; and what was the longest average time taken before the sewage was cleared from the floor.

Sewage overflowed into the police mess once in 1973 and once in 1974. It took two hours to clear the floor in 1973. There is no record of how long clearance took in 1974. The drain was also blocked four times in 1972, 1973 and 1974 without seepage. Clearance started in all cases within 15 minutes of the incident being reported. I am informed that when the drain was blocked on Thursday 19th June, a slight amount of water leaked from underneath the manhole cover in the police mess but there was no sewage.After the last incident of actual spillage of sewage in 1974, the Westminster Hall canteen was disconnected from the run of drains under the police mess and reconnected to the new drainage in New Palace Yard. When this work was done, all the drains under the police mess were taken up and relaid, and since then no blockages occurred until Thursday 19th June. This involved a slight seepage of water, but no spillage of sewage, probably caused by a temporary lavatory set up for the use of the PBC during the experimental recording of parliamentary sessions. This will be removed in two weeks' time and further trouble is not expected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures showing the average rents charged by each local authority in Kent for a two-bedroomed house and a three-bedroomed house, respectively.

This information is published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting, aided by my Department, in its "Housing Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library. However, not all authorities reply to the institute's annual questionnaire, and for these the information may be obtained from the authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new council houses were completed by each local authority in Kent between April 1974 and March 1975.

The number of dwellings reported as being completed during 1974 for each local authority and its predecessors appear on page 11 of Local Housing Statistics No. 33; copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects the pelican crossing on the A18 trunk road at Dunsville to be installed.

Providing that there are no further delays in the delivery of essential equipment from the supplier, now promised by the end of July, I anticipate that this crossing could be in operation by the end of August.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to bring British coastal waters to the bathing standards envisaged in the EEC draft directive.

The standards envisaged in the draft directive remain at this stage proposals for discussion. Water authorities are naturally concerned to improve unsatisfactory discharges of sewage effluent to coastal waters, within the financial resources available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds he intends to make available for emergency archaeological recording of antiquities from historic wrecks.

None. My responsibilities for rescue archaeology do not extend to historic wrecks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made with the arrangements for the discussions between building societies and local authorities on a regional basis which he announced on 9th June.

My Department's regional offices have put in hand the urgent collection of information about those local authority lending schemes where building society participation could be most beneficial. Each of the regional discussions to which the hon. Member refers will be set up as soon as this essential information is obtained. My objective will be to ensure that building society help is directed where it is most needed. Meanwhile, I would request local authorities not to approach building societies on an individual basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many accidents have taken place in which vehicles and pedestrians have been involved together in the St. James's and Green Parks during the last six months.

Twenty, of which none was fatal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply has been sent, or is proposed to be sent, to the letter dated 16th June to his Department from the Hertfordshire County Council; and whether he will give favourable consideration to the reception of a deputation from that council as requested in respect of the projected Stanstead Abbotts bypass.

I am sending the center hon. and learned Member a copy of the reply sent to Hertfordshire County Council. I do not think a deputation from the council would serve any useful purpose at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) by what percentage average incomes for salaried workers employed in local government have increased in the last four years;(2) by what percentage average wages for workers employed in local government have increased in the last four years.

For all employees, average earnings in money terms rose by just over 100 per cent. between 1970–71 and 1974–75. Comprehensive separate figures for wage earners and for salary earners are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority dwellings with more than one bedroom are occupied by one person.

The 1971 Census counted 339,000 one-person households renting housing from local authorities and new towns in England and Wales who had four or more rooms. I regret that information on the numbers of bedrooms is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about British Rail's finances following the recent pay settlement.

Last year we provided £1,500 million in the Railways Act 1974 for support to the railway passenger business. We also took powers to support railway pensions. It was then thought that the £1,500 million might last for five years or so. But the steep increases in the railway wage bill through two consecutive large settlements mean that the money will run out much sooner unless strong counter-measures are taken to increase revenue and reduce costs.The board now needs total support of about £480 million a year. Of this, about £90 million is attributable to the pension payments referred to above. I anticipate that State and local authority support for the passenger system will provide about £330 million of the balance. There remains a gap of about £60 million attributable to losses on freight which the 1974 Act does not cover.With my agreement, the board is therefore considering urgently how it can reduce its dependence on Exchequer support. In the short term, relief must come mainly from higher fares and charges. The board has already applied to the Price Commission for an increase of 15 per cent. from 7th September in passenger fares and charges. Substantial increases in freight and parcels charges are also in prospect.Next, the board has already taken action to reduce working expenses. It has also instituted urgent studies of its passenger and freight businesses aimed at identifying more precisely the worst loss makers and securing economies. The studies will cover questions of productivity, manning and the level and extent of services. The trade unions will, of course, be consulted.For my part, I have set the board a short-term target of limiting passenger support payment for 1976 to no more than the present level in real terms. For the longer term I propose to set ceilings for the total level of support and borrowing within which the board will have to manage the railways.On freight services, the Government view most seriously deficits for which there is no statutory provision. I have therefore requested the board to examine urgently ways and means by which these can be eliminated. I shall be making a further announcement about this as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council if arrangements can be made to make available accommodation where visitors to the Houses of Parliament, especially those in school places, can consume packed meals in comfort.

The Services Committee will certainly keep this request in mind, but at the moment there is an acute shortage of accommodation for various House facilities, including facilities for Members themselves.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to make fresh air available in the vicinity of Members' desks in the Cloisters.

I have been asked to reply.Arrangements are being made for the ventilation system in this area to be investigated. I shall write to the hon. Member again when this has been completed.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the financial expense allowances, housing and other benefits receivable by Ministers in addition to their ministerial and Parliamentary salaries; and what is the estimated worth of these benefits on an annual basis.

No special allowance, other than the London supplement, is payable to Ministers. The supplement is paid to Ministers whose posts are based in London and who do not have an official residence. It is worth £228 per annum at present. In the case of the Prime Minister's salary, £5,000 is allowed free of tax for special expenses.Official cars are provided for the use of Ministers for journeys in connection with official business, but it is not possible to quantify the annual worth of this facility in terms of personal benefit to Ministers.There are four Crown properties available for occupation by Ministers. These are Numbers 10 and 11 Downing Street, 1 Carlton Gardens, and Admiralty House. It is not possible to give the estimated worth of these properties on an annual basis because a freehold market value cannot be placed on them.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the British Armed Forces have received any samples of the Israeli manufactured Galil assault rifle for testing and evaluation purposes; and whether an order has been placed for supplies of this weapon.

Naturally we keep in touch with weapon developments all over the world, but we have no plans to procure this weapon.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to make a statement on how the £110 million cuts announced as part of the Budget will be divided between the Army, the Navy and the RAF, respectively.

As I said in the defence debate, I shall make a further statement about the cut when I have firm proposals available. The cut will be made in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now estimate the total cost of the 385 multi-rôle combat aircraft, including research and development, following the depreciation of the pound against the deutschemark and the dollar since 1971, and stating separately the addition for the RAF version.

I am not at present prepared to go beyond the information which has been given on previous occasions, notably in my center hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Evans) on 27th February.—(Vol. 887, c. 225–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to purchase the United States Boeing AWACS aircraft for the RAF.

The final choice of system to meet our requirement for airborne early warning will not be made for some time. Meanwhile we are taking an active part in the NATO study of the Boeing AWACS aircraft, but are also continuing with our national studies of the alternative AEW aircraft based on Nimrod.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to deal with the safe keeping and disposal of goods of suspects in Northern Ireland.

This is entirely a matter for the Chief Constable. I have no reason to believe that the procedures are unsatisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will establish a consumer advice centre and an office of fair trading in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The adequacy of existing consumer advisory services is under review, in consultation with the newly formed Northern Ireland Consumer

					Northern Ireland		England and Wales
					Solicitors	Counsel	Solicitors	Counsel
					£	£	£	£
Magistrates' courts	…	…	…	…	47·25	—	47·25	—
Trial courts	…	…	…	…	78·75	63·00	78·75	64·50
Appeal courts	…	…	…	…	78·75	63·00	78·75	64·50

Thus the maximum limits of fees payable differ only marginally in two respects.Expenditure on legal aid in criminal proceedings in Northern Ireland during 1973–74 amounted to £68,346 in respect of proceedings in magistrates courts and £210,137 in respect of proceedings in the higher courts. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my center hon. Friend the Home Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 23rd June in respect of comparable expenditure in England and Wales.—[Vol. 894, c. 45.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how costs in criminal legal aid cases in Northern Ireland compare with cases in England; and if he will make a statement.

The maximum fees payable to solicitors and counsel on legal aid in criminal proceedings in Northern Ireland compared with England and Wales are as follows:in the

Industrial training boards, industrial tribunals—in consultation with the Lord Chancellor—local employment committees and disablement advisory committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many shipbuilding and ship repairing workers there are in the United Kingdom; and if he will list the figures under their appropriate industrial definitions.

At April 1975, the latest date for which information is available, there were in fly, United Kingdom 186,700 employees in employment in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industries. The figure is provisional. Separate estimates for shipbuilding and shin repairing are not available.An annual survey held in May each year provides occupational analyses for most of the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry and, separately, for marine engineering. The survey relates to Great Britain and the most recent results—for May 1974—are published on page 211 of the March 1975 issue of the Department of Employment

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the current method of indicating the figures for unemployment and job vacancies is a reliable guide to the labour market; what study he has made of alternative methods; and if he will make a statement.

The present detailed presentation of the statistics gives a comprehensive picture of labour market conditions, and particularly of changes in these conditions. I would refer the hon. Member to the article "The Unemployment statistics and their Interpretation" in the March 1975 issue of the Department of Employment Gazette. The regular unemployment statistics are already supplemented by results from household surveys. I am considering possible methods of collecting additional information on the number of vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1955, on a quarterly basis, the number of individuals who were on short-time working.

The following table shows the available information which relates to manufacturing industries.

NUMBER OF OPERATIVES ON SHORT-TIME IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES: GREAT BRITAIN
	Week ended
1955—	26th February	40,000
	28th May	59,000
	27th August	55,000
	26th November	34,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers in Golborne, Manchester, are as yet unemployed in their first jobs.

13, including 12 who left school at Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many school leavers in Haydock, Merseyside, are as yet unplaced in their first jobs;(2) how many school leavers in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, are as yet unplaced in their fist jobs;(3) how many school leavers, in the former Warrington rural district areas, now incorporated into Warrington Borough Council, are as yet unplaced in their first job;(4) how many school leavers in Irlam, Manchester, are as yet unplaced in their first job; and how this compares with the national average and the average for the North-West.

The following table shows the total number of unemployed school leavers, aged under 18, recorded at the careers offices which cover each area together with the numbers in Great Britain and the North-West Region.

	Number of school-leavers aged under 18, unemployed at June 1975
Ashton-in-Makerfield (which covers Haydock)	30
Newton-le-Willows	58
Warrington	137
Irlam	5
Great Britain	18,367
North West Region	4,110

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many firms in the Medway employment area with a quota obligation at present employ 3 per cent. or more of registered disabled people; and how many employ less than this figure;(2) how many firms in the Gravesend employment area with a quota obligation at present employ 3 per cent. or more of registered disabled people; and how many employ less than this figure.

195 firms in the Medway area, including 33 in the Gravesend area, with quota obligations employ their quota; and 290, including 35 in the Gravesend area, do not.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many extra jobs for disabled people would be provided if those firms in the Medway employment area which at present do not do so employed 3 per cent. of disabled people in their work force;(2) how many extra jobs for disabled people would be provided if those firms in the Gravesend employment area which at present do not do so employed 3 per cent. of disabled people in their work force.

If all the firms with quota obligations in the Medway area fulfilled their quota, at least a further 1,000 jobs would be provided for registered disabled people. Of these about 70 would be in the Gravesend area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the highest weekly amount so far paid in weekly earnings related unemployment benefit to any individual claimant.

The maximum weekly amount of earnings-related supplement is currently £9·37. This amount is payable to persons entitled to flat-rate benefit when their reckonable earnings in the appropriate tax year are £2,400 or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the total number of vacancies for employment as notified to him from the employment exchanges in the Leek parliamentary constituency; and what were the comparable figures in 1973 and 1974;(2) how many people were unemployed at the most recent count in the employment areas in the Leek parliamentary constituency; and how the figures compare with those obtaining in the same month of 1973 and 1974.

The following table shows information for the area covered by the Leek, Cheadle, Biddulph and Kidsgrove Employment Offices. The vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices and are not a measure of total vacancies.

	Leek, Cheadle, Biddulph and Kidsgrove
	Notified vacancies
	remaining unfilled
	Employment Offices	Careers Offices	Unemployed
June 1975	223	114	1,205
June 1974	601	249	593
June 1973	524	184	715

Because of possible duplication, the vacancy figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial accidents there were in the Leek parliamentary constituency in each of the past five years.

I am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the total numbers of industrial accidents occurring in the Leek parliamentary constituency which have been notified to Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate during the past five years were:

1970	…	…	…	…	539
1971	…	…	…	…	309
1972	…	…	…	…	325
1973	…	…	…	…	339
1974	…	…	…	…	323