asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech made on Saturday 5th July at Leeds which concerned economic affairs.

I was not in Leeds that day and consequently I made no speech there. The speech I made in Brecon I have already placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech delivered to the NUM conference at Scarborough on 7th July on inflation.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on inflation on 7th July to the National Union of Mineworkers at Scarborough.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on inflation delivered at the NUM conference in Scarborough on 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on the economic situation to the NUM conference at Scarborough on Monday 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on incomes policy to the National Union of Mineworkers at Scarborough on 7th July 1975.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on incomes policy to the National Union of Mineworkers at Scarborough on 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on economic matters to the National Union of Mineworkers conference in Scarborough on Monday 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the public speech he made to the NUM at Scarborough on 7th July on economic matters.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on economic matters to the NUM annual conference on 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on wage restraint at the NUM conference at Scarborough on 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his speech on the economy made at the NUM conference on 7th July.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley).

asked the Prime Minister if he remains satisfied with the progress towards implementing the policies outlined in Her Majesty's Gracious Speech.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he will give an instruction to all departmental Ministers concerned to carry out an immediate review of, and a check on, the necessity for the requests for regular information of all sorts sent out by their Departments and other bodies and organisations for which they are responsible.

No. Ministers and their advisers already accept that information should be sought only when it is essential to the fulfilment of their duties.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 22nd July.

In addition to a number of meetings with my colleagues and others throughout the day, I hope to speak in the debate on the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation" later this afternoon and to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen this evening.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to take the chair at the NEDC.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 24th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his last meeting with the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his last meeting with the TUC and the CBI.

I refer my hon. Friends to the statement which I made to the House on 11th July.

asked the Prime Minister what further official meetings he intends to have in the next month with the CBI and the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to discuss the Government's White Paper on the economic situation with the TUC and the CBI.

There have been and will continue to be extensive discussions between the Government, TUC and CBI on the proposals contained in the White Paper. I met both bodies on the evening before its publication.

asked the Prime Minister when next he expects to meet Signor Rumor.

I last saw Signor Rumor, the Italian Foreign Minister, on 16th July at the European Council Meeting and I shall probably see him again in Helsinki at the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to meet the Governor of the Bank of England.

I have no immediate plans to meet the governor, but my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer maintains close contacts with him.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will either set up an energy research and development agency comparable to the one established in the United States of America or urge the European Economic Community to do so.

No. There are already effective arrangements for coordinating research and development in this field. Within the Community, the present need is for the co-ordination of the Community funded programme with those of member States.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish a detailed analysis to explain the increase in the general expenses of the Cabinet Office from £227,000 to £352,000 in one year.

The increase is wholly accounted for by provision for the study of the United Kingdom motor industry, to which I referred in my Written Answer to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden) on 12th June.

asked the Prime Minister if he will consider giving equal status to Ministers in the Department of Education dealing with higher and further education and schools, respectively.

As I have made clear to the House, I do not intend to make any further ministerial changes unless and until I make a statement to the contrary.

asked the Attorney-General how many divorce petitions were issued during the first six months of 1974 and in the first six months of the preceding five years; and what are the percentage differences between them.

For the years up to and including 1974 the information is available only on an annual basis. The details for the years 1969 to 1974 are as follows: PETITIONS FOR DIVORCE, INCLUDING NULLITY AND JUDICIAL SEPARATION Year Number Percentage Change 1969 … … 61,445 — 1970 … … 71,892 +17 1971 … … 111,106 +55 1972 … … 111,052 Nil 1973 … … 116,376 +5 1974 … … 131,662 +13

asked the Attorney-General how many petitions for divorce have been issued by or on behalf of husbands and wives, respectively, during each of the last five-year periods for which records are available; how many and what percentage have been withdrawn before hearing and defended, respectively; how many and what percentage of defended and undefended petitions, respectively, have resulted in the granting of decrees to the petitioner and, where appropriate, to the respondent respectively; and in how many and what percentage of such cases were orders made relating to children.

In Court Period Undefended Defended Disposed of otherwise than by trial 1965 to 1969 … … 216,810 13,851 3,978 1970 to 1974 … … 480,160 12,690 12,468

(iii) It is not possible to relate the petitioners' decrees or respondents' decrees to the numbers of defende or undefended

Decrees granted For petitioner For respondent Period Husband Wife Husband Wife Dismissed or otherwise disposed of in court 1965 to 1969 … … 68,434 133,457 5,657 3,866 1,798 1970 to 1974 … … 173,088 306,730 4,669 3,499 6,150

(iv) The number of cases in which decrees were made, and orders were also made, in relation to children is not known.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions the matter of the publication of a poem in a recent issue of the Community Relations Commission's journal with a view to prosecution of the editor for offences under the Race Relations Act.

No. I have studied the poem in question, and I do not consider that proceedings under the Race Relations Act against those responsible for its publication would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can make an estimate of the cost to public funds

The available information is as follows:

(i) Number of petitions filed for dissolution or nullity of marriage or judicial separation.

Period By husbands By wives 1960 to 1964 … 73,511 101,407 1965 to 1969 … 98,216 159,778 1970 to 1974 … 190,090 351,998

(ii) A petition can only be withdrawn before it is served. This rarely happens and no records are maintained. The following table shows how suits set down for hearing were disposed of in the periods 1965 to 1969 and 1970 to 1974. Earlier figures are not available:

causes. The following table gives details of decrees granted to petitioners and respodents for the same periods.

of the extra police employed for traffic control purposes in connection with the Royal Garden Party on 15th July.

The police officers concerned were on normal tours of duty, and their deployment for this occasion entailed no additional costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute an official inquiry into the practice of the police in detaining persons for questioning, with a view to introducing a code of model rules on this subject.

Police powers of arrest and the grounds on which they may be exercised are defined by law, and remedies exist for any wrongful exercise of those powers. We are willing to look into any case, not currently the subject of court proceedings, about which my hon. Friend may be concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many escapes have occurred from Northeye Prison. Bexhill-on-Sea, during the last three months; what are the standards by which prisoners are placed in category C; and if these are being rigidly maintained.

During the last three months there have been seven escapes from Northeye Prison, involving nine prisoners. Prisoners placed in category C are those who cannot be trusted in open conditions but who are considered not to have the ability or resources to make a determined escape attempt. In making judgments on individual cases, staff at classification centres are applying this definition. The working of the classification system is subject to regular monitoring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the final recommendations of the Working Party on Vagrancy and Street offences.

I expect to receive the working party's final recommendations in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider bringing in legislation to

1st January 1972 1st April 1973 1st April 1974 1st January 1975 £ £ £ £ Permanent Secretary … … … 15,750 16,000 16,350 18,675 Deputy Secretary … … … 10,500 10,750 11,100 14,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when was the last occasion on which painful tests were carried out on prisoners under Section 17 of the Prison Act 1952.

We have no record of any painful tests ever being carried out under Section 17 of the Prison Act 1952.

asked the Secretary of of State for the Home Department (1) what is the cost to the Television Licensing Organisation during the last year and the estimated cost for the current financial year of the sending of recorded

allow the Police Federation to affiliate to the TUC.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the working party reviewing adjudicative procedure in Prison Department establishments.

I have received the report and I hope that it will be published about the end of August.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the five top paid civil servants in his Department; what salaries they now receive; what they were receiving in January 1972; and what increases they have received on the stated dates since January 1972.

The top Civil Service posts in the Home Office are at Permanent Secretary and Deputy Secretary level. The salaries for these grades at 1.1.72, 1.4.73, 1.4.74 and 1.1.75 are as follows:

delivery reminders to licence holders; and if he can estimate the saving which would be effected if this reminder were sent by ordinary letter post;

(2) how many recorded delivery reminders were sent in the last two years by the Television Licensing Organisation; and how many were subsequently found to have been sent to people who had already paid.

The cost for the year 1974–75 of sending recorded delivery reminders to licence holders was £100,000. It is not possible to estimate the cost for the year 1975–76 because the number of final reminders that need to be sent is declining. The cost for the year 1974–75 would have been reduced by £26,000 if final reminders had been sent by second class letter post. Recorded delivery is used to ensure that the licensee receives the final reminder and is aware of his responsibility to replace his licence. 2 million recorded delivery reminders were sent in 1973–74 and 1,900,000 in 1974–75. Records are not kept of recipients who are subsequently found to have paid before the final reminders reached them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that in some cases the Television Licensing Organisation cannot check that a television broadcasting licence has been bought without the co-operation of the purchaser; and if he will take steps to strengthen the collection system to deal with this problem.

We are aware that this has been known to happen, but not often. The possibilities for further improvements in the operation of the licence system are kept under review, and the problem raised by my hon. Friend will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much revenue has been received from broadcasting receiving licences for each of the last three years; what is the estimated revenue for the current financial year; and what is the estimated loss for each of those years due to licence evasion.

Following are the figures of total revenue from broadcast receiving licence fees for the last three financial years and the estimated total revenue for the current year: £ million 1972–73 … … 137.6 1973–74 … … 149.0 1974–75 … … 162.9 1975–76 (estimated) … … 234.4

The estimated loss of revenue due to licence evasion is about £5 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will explain the differences between the separate unit for prisoners under punish- ment or segregated under Rule 43 at Gartree Prison, Leicestershire, and a prison control unit.

There is a segregation unit for prisoners removed from association in accordance with Rule 43 of the Prison Rules 1964 and for prisoners undergoing punishment involving cellular confinement at each of the seven dispersal prisons including Gartree. They were established following the Report of the Advisory Council on the Penal System on the Régime for Long Term Prisoners in Conditions of Maximum Security.

The control unit at Wakefield is a central unit which was designed to relieve dispersal prisons for limited periods from the pressures and strains imposed by the activities of those few prisoners who determinedly and persistently set out to undermine and disrupt prison life and make conditions intolerable both for staff and other prisoners. The criteria and safeguards governing allocation to this central unit were set out in the reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Graham) on 14th November 1974.—[Vol. 881, c. 195–6. ]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escaped from Gartree Prison, Leicestershire, in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and to the most recent practicable date in 1975.

Four in 1972. None in any of the other years mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Shops Act 1950 to allow Asian traders to carry out their business at various Sunday markets.

We are giving careful consideration to the ways in which this anomaly in the law can best be corrected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by local authority areas in England and Wales, the number of hotels which have ( a ) applied for a fire certificate, ( b ) been inspected by the fire officer and ( c ) not applied for a certificate in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Precautions Act.

Fire certificate applications (1) Premises inspected (2) Estimated number of premises that have not applied (3) Fire authority Avon … … … … 662 167 — Bedfordshire … … … … 71 69 — Berkshire … … … … 124 106 — Buckinghamshire … … … … 141 38 15 Cambridgeshire … … … … 136 122 — Cheshire … … … … 167 122 40 Cleveland … … … … 135 91 5 Clwyd … … … … 567 238 50 Cornwall … … … … 4,205 705 5,000 Cumbria … … … … 1,565 612 250 Derbyshire… … … … 227 222 30 Devon … … … … 4,550 408 200 Dorset … … … … 2,873 175 2,000 Durham … … … … 74 69 — Dyfed … … … … 834 222 400 Essex … … … … 401 315 — Mid Glamorgan … … … … 80 70 8 South Glamorgan … … … … 106 94 25 West Glamorgan … … … … 171 157 — Gloucestershire … … … … 453 154 — Gwent … … … … 160 40 20 Gwynedd … … … … 1,579 266— Hampshire … … … … 929 158 72 Hereford and Worcester … … … … 354 133 48 Hertfordshire … …… … 149 59 — Humberside … … … … 697 199 1,200 Kent … … … … 1,412 463 100 Lancashire … … … … 3,438 1,765 500 Leicestershire … … … … 181 66 1 Lincolnshire … … … … 355 275 100 Greater London … … … … 1,475 1,422 500 Greater Manchester … … … … 237 212 — Merseyside … … … … 392 316 52 Norfolk … … … … 1,178 462 500 Northamptonshire … … … … 73 72 10 Northumberland … … … … 246 246 9 Nottinghamshire … … … … 139 106 — Oxfordshire … … … … 229 92 — Powys … … … … 283 34 100 Salop … … … … 176 98 — Isles of Scilly … … … … 71 16 — Somerset … … … … 658 50 — Staffordshire … … … … 189 160 — Suffolk … … … … 397 198 200 Surrey … … … … 166 163 — East Sussex … … … … 1,207 443 — West Sussex … … … … 413 124 270 Tyne and Wear … … … … 191 190 20 Warwickshire … … … … 170 162 — West Midlands … … … … 325 234 — Isle of Wight … … … … 932 136 2,000 Wiltshire … … … … 238 54 — North Yorkshire … … … … 1,697 398 85 South Yorkshire … … … … 109 91 — West Yorkshire … … … … 269 212 30 Totals … … … … 38,256 13,271 13,840

(i) The figures in columns (1) and (2) do not include premises found on inspection to be outside the scope of the Fire Precautions (Hotels and Boarding Houses) Order 1972 or subsequently taken outside the scope of the order.

(ii) Fire authorities have no precise information about cases of failure to apply for a fire certificate and the figures in column (3) should be regarded as only rough estimates.

According to information provided by fire authorities the position as at 31st December 1974 was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the inadequacy of the present law to deal effectively with the problem of organised squatting, he will introduce appropriate legislation to provide that those remaining in premises after the true and lawful owner has demanded that they be vacated commit a criminal offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present state of the law on squatters; what inquiries are presently being conducted in this matter; and when he expects them to be completed.

Grade 1st January 1972 1st April 1973 7th November 1973 £ £ £ Principal* … … 3,478–4,708 3,635–4,908 4,075–5,425 Principal Information Officer … … 3,478.4,708 3,635.4,908 4,075.5,425 Grade 1st January 1974 1st January 1975 1st April 1975 £ £ £ Principal* … … 4,360–5,775 5,416–7,115 5,680–7,450 Principal Information Officer … … 4,360–5,775 5,416–7,115 5,680–7,450

Notes:

(1) Both grades quoted received threshold additions from 1st June 1974–1st January 1975.

(2) Both grades are in receipt of an inner London allowance at the following rates: up to 6th November 1973 £175 p.a., up to 31st March 1974 £228 p.a., with effect from 1st April 1974 £410 p.a.

* This officer was in receipt of a Private Office allowance at the following rates: up to 30th December 1973 £680 p.a., with effect from 1st January 1974 £952 p.a.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the five top paid civil servants in his Department; what salaries they now receive; what they were receiving in January

Grade 1st January 1972 1st April 1973 7th November 1973 1st January 1974 £ £ £ £ Clerk of the Council† … 9,000 10,750 — 11,100 Deputy Clerk of the Council* … 5,350–7,276 5,550–7,476 5,950–7,988 6,300–8,338 Registrar, Judicial Committee* … 5,564–7,276 5,764–7,476 6,232–7,988 6,582–8,338 Principal*‡ … 3,478–4,708 3,635–4,908 4,075–5,425 4,360–5,775 Principal Information Officer* … 3,478–4,708 3,635–1,908 4,075–5,425 4,360–5,775

Grade 7th November 1974 1st January 1975 1st April 1975 £ £ £ Clerk of the Council† … 9,000 12,000 — Deputy Clerk of the Council* … 6,700–8,850 8,260–10,570 8,650–11,000 Registrar, Judicial Committee* … 7,050–8,850 8,636–10,570 9,033–11,000 Principal*‡ … — 5,416–7,115 5,680–7,450 Principal Information Officer … — 5,416–7,115 5,680–7,450

Notes:

(1) All grades quoted received threshold additions from 1st June 1974–1st January 1975.

(2) All grades marked * are in receipt of an inner London allowance at the following rates: up to 6th November 1973 £175 per annum, up to 31st March 1974 £228 per annum, with effect from 1st April 1974 £410 per annum.

† The post of Clerk of the Council was regraded from Deputy Secretary to Under Secretary on 1st July 1974. The Deputy Secretary's salary did not attract inner London allowance.

‡ This Officer was in receipt of a Private Office allowance at the following rates: up to 30th December 1973 £680 per annum, with effect from 1st January 1974 £952 per annum.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave on 17th July to Questions from the hon. Member for Hornsey (Mr. Rossi).—[Vol. 895, c. 581–2. ]

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the persons who were employed in his office or Department in January 1972 at salaries around £4,500 per annum and what increases they have received to date.

The information is as follows:

1972; and what increases they have received on the stated dates since January 1972.

The information is as follows:

asked the Lord President of the Council on how many days the House of Commons sat in each calendar year from 1964 to 1974, and in the first six months of 1975.

The information is as follows: Calendar Year Number of Sittings 1964 … 166 1965 … 169 1966 … 155 1967 … 162 1968 … 176 1969 … 165 1970 … 142 1971 … 184 1972 … 182 1973 … 164 1974 … 150 1975 (to end of June) … 105

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will agree to meet representatives of the trade unions to which Members of Parliament belong to discuss salaries in the light of

SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT FACILITIES IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE AT 10TH JULY 1975 Location Number of disabled people employed Number of vacancies Remploy Factory (i) Botany Avenue, Mansfield, NG18 5QN … 94 2 (ii) Stanley Street, Anston Avenue, Worksop, S81 7HX … 31 4 Nottinghamshire County Council's Sheltered Workshop Sherwood Industries, Rainworth, Mansfield, NG21 0HW … 51 Nil Royal Midland Institution for the Blind Chaucer Street, Nottingham, NG1 5LO … 41 Nil Portland Training College for the Disabled Harlow Wood, Nottingham Road, Mansfield, NG18 4TJ … 14 Nil Nottinghamshire County Council's Schemes in the City of Nottingham (i) Street cleaning … 7 Nil (ii) Gardening … 7 Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average wage paid to workpeople in each of the regions of the United Kingdom at the most recent convenient date.

The following estimates of average weekly earnings in October

the Boyle Committee Report and the Government's proposals thereon.

It would seem more appropriate for hon. Members to put forward their own views on this matter.

asked the Lord President of the Council what representations have been expressed by which Civil Service unions on the proposal that the salary of Members of Parliament should be linked to that of a rank in the Civil Service; and if he will make available to the House the text of any such representations.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details of sheltered employment facilities for disabled persons in Nottinghamshire including location of premises, numbers employed and numbers of existing vacancies at the latest possible date.

Following is the information:

1974 are taken from my Department's regular annual inquiry into the earnings and hours of manual workers. They relate to full-time manual men aged 21 and over and women aged 18 and over in all the industries and services covered by the inquiry—manufacturing industries; mining and quarrying, except coal mining; construction; gas, electricity and water; transport and communication, except railways and sea transport; certain miscellaneous services; and public administration. They include those whose pay was affected by absence or short-time working. Differences in average earnings between regions include the effects of different industrial and occupational structures; they do not therefore give a precise indication of differences in earnings for comparable work.

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS (£) Region Men Women South East 50.57 27.86 East Anglia 46.56 26.97 South West 45.98 26.19 West Midlands 49.40 27.36 East Midlands 46.44 26.07 Yorkshire and Humberside 46.69 25.84 North West 47.91 26.85 North 47.77 26.33 Wales 47.55 26.99 Scotland 48.37 27.63 Northern Ireland 44.80 24.69 United Kingdom 48.63 27.01

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date the Manpower Services Commission submitted proposals for a work creation scheme.

The commission submitted detailed proposals for a work creation scheme on 2nd July, following discussion with local authority associations and at local level in three areas. The commission originally submitted proposals for the adoption of work creation as a means of combating rising unemployment on 31st October 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in arriving at the £8,500 limit for application of the agreed maximum of an extra £6 a week, a deduction can be made in respect of a retirement annuity premium paid in respect of non-pensionable earnings as a self-employed person.

The White Paper makes no provisions for any deductions from the £8,500 limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the cost in a year of the agreed maximum of an extra £6 a week if given in full to all the workers in Great Britain other than those in receipt of incomes of £8,500 or more.

About £5,600 million, for full-time workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people in the United Kingdom who earn £8,500 or more, and their earnings in total.

It is estimated, from New Earnings Survey data, that there are now about 120,000 employees in Great Britain earning more than £8,500 per annum from employment. Their earnings total about £1,300 million per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the way in which the Community Industry Scheme is developing; what proposals he has for improving and expanding the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's continued support for Community Industry demonstrates their conviction of the scheme's value. I am considering both the organisation and the adequacy of the present capacity of Community Industry, but am not yet in a position to make a public statement on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the position of existing employees in jobs which it is decided should be dock work under the proposals for extending statutory regulation contained in the consultative document published in March.

I am aware that anxieties are being expressed by some employees who fear that they might lose their jobs. Their continued employment will, however, be safeguarded by our proposals for legislation and it is no part of our intention that their jobs should be put at risk.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many engineering companies pay a training levy; how many are exempted; how many offer apprenticeship schemes; and what, in each case, is their proportion of the total.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 39], gave the following information: —

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Engineering Industry Training Board estimates that in respect of the training year which commenced on 1st September 1974 about 3,100 firms within scope of the board are likely to be liable to pay a training levy, in addition a further 2,400 may be exempted from the levy under Section 4B of the Industrial Training Act 1964 as amended by the Employment and Training Act 1973, on the grounds that they meet the Board's criteria for exempting employers who satisfactorily meet their own training needs, and an estimated 17,300 firms are likely also to be exempted in view of the smaller number of their employees. It is also estimated that there were 9,900 firms where 1st year off-the-job training of craft and technician apprentices was in accordance with the recommendations of the Engineering ITB. Other firms operate apprentice training schemes which do not meet these standards. It is not possible to say what proportion of these were levy payers or exempted firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report of the committee of inquiry set up to investigate the circumstances of the fire on 15th December 1974 at Fairfield Old People's Home, Edwalton, Nottinghamshire, is to be published; and whether she will make a statement.

The committee of inquiry's report has been published today as a Command Paper (Cmnd. 6149). Copies are available in the Vote Office. I should like to pay tribute to the committee under the chairmanship of Mr. K. G. Jupp, MC, QC, for the thorough and expeditious manner in which it carried out the inquiry and for the impressively clear and balanced report it has produced.

The committee concluded that the death of 18 people at Fairfield could not be ascribed to any single cause. It found that the fire was started by smoking in a bedroom but that the coincidence of a number of factors was necessary for its rapid and fatal spread through the building. My officers are urgently reviewing the content and scope of building design guidance for new buildings, and of advice on measures to reduce fire risks in existing homes, particularly where the method of construction has resulted in extensive voids in the roof space or other parts of the structure, to take account of the conclusions of the committee. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will be consulted about the preparation of a comprehensive code of guidance on fire precautions for residential homes. But, as the committee itself argues convincingly, we must not, in our anxiety to reduce the risk of fire, create an institutional atmosphere in such homes either by the nature of the physical precautions or by arbitrary imposition of restricting and humiliating rules on the residents; and we cannot insist on standards of safety the cost of which we cannot afford to meet. In the last resort, there will always be some degree of risk.

The report will, I believe, be helpful not only to the Nottinghamshire County Council but to all who are concerned with the provision of residential homes, or other premises which may be subject to similar fire risks, and to local authorities not only as social services authorities but also as fire authorities. The committee's conclusions have been brought to their attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of secure accommodation places that will be provided for juveniles by the grant of £2 million per year to local authorities.

It is very difficult to estimate a total number, for this will depend on the applications to be made by individual local authorities and on the detailed arrangements which we shall be agreeing with the authorities.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish in the Official Report the dispersal locations of

Department Location Approximate number of Posts Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food … … … Cambridge … 43 Merseyside … 1,250 Agricultural Research Council … … … Merseyside … 160 Civil Service Department … … … Sunningdale … 50 Norwich … 360 Basingstoke … 300 H.M. Customs and Excise … … … Southend … 500 Countryside Commission … … … Cheltenham … 100 Ministry of Defence … … … Bath … 154 Cardiff … 5,000 Glasgow … 6,000 Ministry of Defence (Procurement Executive) … … … Portsmouth … 125 Portland … 14 Department of the Environment Property Services Agency … Bristol … 1,160 Teesside … 3,000 (Plus 1,000 to be decentralised to Regional Headquarters). Export Credits Guarantee Department … … … Cardiff … 800 Foreign and Commonwealth Office … … … Merseyside … 500 Department of Health and Social Security … … … Southampton … 79 … … … Newcastle … 500 Blackpool … 980 Home Office … … … Corby … 47 Merseyside … 1,000 Inland Revenue … … … Pontypridd … 32 Leeds … 45 Manchester … 250 Department for National Savings … … … Glasgow … 2,353 Natural Environment Research Council … … … Swindon … 190 Royal Mint … … … Llantrisant … 400 Ministry of Overseas Development … … … Glasgow … 1,000 Office of Population Censuses and Surveys … … … Southport … 500 Science Research Council … … … Swindon … 380 H.M. Stationery Office … … … Norwich … 380 Departments of Trade and Industry … … … Cardiff/Newport … 1,790 West Cumbria … 360 Poole … 35

In addition, the headquarters of the Manpower Services Commission and its agencies (750) will go to Sheffield; Employment Service Agency to Basingstoke (44), Colchester (43) and Eastbourne (31), and the Training Service Agency (147) to Basingstoke.

The table does not include the headquarters of the Health and Safety Commission, or the Inland Revenue dispersal announced on 30th July 1974, on which decisions about locations have yet to be taken, or the Child Benefit Care Centre which, subject to parliamentary approval of the Child Benefit Bill, will be located at Washington New Town.

The figures given are in terms of posts, since it is not yet possible to estimate how

London Civil Service departments, transferred and projected between 1974 and 1984, giving in each case the number of staff involved.

The information is as follows:

many staff will move with posts. The figures do not include posts established or to be established under the policy of setting up new work away from London.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the new courses planned to begin in October at the Civil Service College for those thought likely to be top civil servants of the future.

One group of the Civil Service College's wide range of courses aims to develop the abilities of promising young civil servants. Within this group, the courses for administration trainees are now being further developed as part of the process of regular review and updating. The new pattern comprises two 10-week courses. The first, offered after one year in the grade, is already established and covers statistical analysis and techniques; the principles of economics and their application to government; and much of the framework of government. The second, taken a year later, will be introduced this October and will teach staff management and the organisation of Government Departments; the better understanding of the ever-changing environment of government as a factor in policy making; and some practical aspects of the formulation, implementation and review of new policies.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total expenditure of Her Majesty's Stationery Office on manufactured goods in the last available year; and what proportion of this expenditure was to companies in development or special development areas.

The provisional total expenditure of Her Majesty's Stationery Office on manufactured goods in 1974–75 was £84,712,000, of which 15.6 per cent. was paid to firms in development or special development areas.

1st January 1972 1st April 1975 £ £ Principal … … 3,478–4,708 5,680–7,450 Principal Professional and Technology Officer … … 4,010–4,760 6,280–7,450 Principal Scientific Officer … … 3,317–4,387 5,514–7,205

There were 150 officers in these grades in January 1972 and 180 in April 1975.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the five top paid civil servants in his Department; what salaries they now receive; what they were receiving in January 1972; and what increases they

1st January 1972 1st April 1973 1st January 1974 1st January 1975 £ £ £ £ Permanent Secretary in the CSD … 16,750 17,000 17,350 20,175 Second Permanent Secretary … 14,750 15,000 15,350 17,175 Deputy Secretary … 10,600 10,750 11,100 14,000

Note: All grades quoted received threshold additions from 1st June 1974 to 1st January 1975.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list of chairmen, vice-chairmen and members of nationalised boards and their salaries at January 1972 and the various increases they have received to the latest stated date.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 14th January 1975.—[Vol. 884, c. 80–4. ]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the persons who were employed in his office or Department in January 1972 at salaries around £4,500 per annum and what increases they have received to date.

The three main grades employed in the Civil Service Department with salaries around £4,500 per annum in January 1972 are Principal, Principal Professional and Technology Officer and Principal Scientific Officer.

The annual salary scales for these grades in January 1972 and April 1975 are as follows:

have received on the stated dates since January 1972.

The five most highly paid civil servants in the Civil Service Department fall into the grades of Permanent Secretary, 2nd Permanent Secretary and Deputy Secretary. Since January 1972 the salaries of these grades have moved as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of elderly households in Scotland were

Estimated number of persons receiving meals during a typical week Year Estimated population in Scotland of persons 65 years of age and over at 30th June Home Help Service Households receiving help for persons 65 and over At home* In a Day Centre* 1970 … … 634,995 27,461 † Not available 1971 … … 648,023 28,818 12,100 Not available 1972 … … 657,752 32,778 13,800 Not available 1973 … … 668,990 36,392 14,500 15,600 1974 … … 680,749 Not available Not available Not available * Some persons under 65 included. Separate figures not available for persons 65 years of age and over. † Reliable figures for number of persons not available for 1970; the number of meals served in 1970was estimated at 1.23 million, the 1971 figure being 1.28 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many elderly persons in Scotland ( a ) in total, ( b ) aged 65 to 69 years, ( c ) 70 to 79 years, and ( d ) 80 or over, live in accommodation built before 1919; and what proportion this represents of the total number of elderly persons in each age group;

(2) how many elderly persons in Scotland ( a ) in total, ( b ) aged 65 to 69 years, ( c ) 70 to 79 years and ( d ) 80 years or over live in accommodation (i) without a fixed bath, (ii) without an inside toilet and (iii) without central heating; and what proportion this represents of the total number of elderly persons in each age group;

Head of household aged Proportion of households headed by person of age shown living in 25–44 years (per cent.) 65–69 years (per cent.) 70–79 years (per cent.) 80 years and over (per cent.) 65 years and over (per cent.) Accommodation built before 1919 … 18.4 27.7 29.6 32.1 29.3 Accommodation without fixed bath … 5.0 10.4 8.2 8.5 9.1 Accommodation without inside toilet … 1.1 0.9 2.3 4.9 2.1 Accommodation without central heating … 54.7 73.2 76.1 74.4 74.8 Number of households in sample … 737 220 305 82 607

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the total number of houses built for disabled people under Section 3 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act by Scottish local authorities, to the most recent available date;

receiving ( a ) home-help service, ( b ) meals in the home and ( c ) meals at centres in each year 1970 to 1974.

I do not have the information in the precise form requested. The information available is set out in the table below.

(3) how many persons aged 25 to 46 years in Scotland live in ( a ) accommodation built before 1919, ( b ) in accommodation without a fixed bath, ( c ) an inside toilet and ( d ) central heating; and what proportion these numbers represent of the total number of persons aged 25 to 44 years.

The information is not available in the form requested. The table below is derived from the General Household Survey 1973, which used a sample of some 2,400 persons in Scotland, and relates to households headed by persons of each age group. As the number of households sampled is small, particularly of those headed by persons of 80 years or over, allowance should be made for large sampling errors.

(2) how many houses have been built under Section 3 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act by the cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee, respectively.

This information is not available centrally. Since the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 came into operation I have approved plans for the provision by local authorities of 438 purpose-built houses for disabled people. These include two for disabled people in Glasgow, eight in Edinburgh and 13 in Aberdeen. Dundee has submitted no plans for the provision of such housing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have built, or have submitted plans to build, houses for disabled people under Section 3 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

54 before reorganisation. None of the new authorities has as yet submitted plans to build houses for disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have responded to his recent circular on housing for the disabled.

No immediate response was called for. The circular urged local authorities to give greater priority to the needs of physically handicapped people in allocating their housing resources. I hope that, in the longer term, the response will take the form of a substantially increased provision of housing suitable for occupation by handicapped people.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report all nursery building projects proposed to him for loan sanction by each local education authority in Scotland for 1975–76, indicating how many he has approved, and how many will now be deferred.

In Scotland the nursery education building programme for 1975–76 is for the period of 12 months commencing 1st October 1975, and no applications for capital expenditure consent in respect of proposed projects have yet been received from education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will recommend to the Scottish Development Agency, when set up, that the Oceanspan plan produced by the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) should be put into effect by the agency.

I have no doubt that in considering its strategy the agency will take into account this and other ideas which have been canvassed in the past for Scotland's industrial development. I do not regard this as a matter for specific recommendation by me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level per capita of public expenditure in Scotland.

Identifiable public expenditure in Scotland per head of home population was £524 in 1973–74. The figure for 1974–75 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by local authority areas, the number of hotels which have ( a ) applied for a fire certificate, ( b ) been inspected by the fire officer and ( c ) not applied for a certificate, in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Precautions Act.

According to information provided by the fire authorities the position is as follows: Fire Brigade Area Number of Hotels ( a )* ( b ) Central … 231 165 Dumfries and Galloway … 496 225 Fife … 195 155 Grampian … 869 498 Lothian and Borders … 746 481 Northern … 1,457 313 Strathclyde … 1,430 650 Tayside … 497 497 The number of hotels which have not applied for a fire certificate is not recorded. * This does not take account of applications made and later withdrawn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of local authority employees in all grades in Scotland during 1974; and what is the comparable figure to the latest available date in 1975.

The latest date for which figures are available is June 1974. At that time the total number of local authority employees in all grades in Scotland was 253,351. This figure includes the total staff of police forces which was 11,543. Figures for 1975 are not expected to be available for some months.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the mileage allowance granted to civil servants in his Department and those institutions, offices and research establishments for which he is responsible, respectively, indicating variations for the different grades of seniority and type of car permitted.

The car mileage allowances are the same for all grades. They are payable according to circumstances as follows: Standard rates Car engine size: 501 cc to 1,000 cc … 7.9p a mile 1,001 cc to 1,750 cc … 9.4p a mile 1,751 cc and over … 10.2p a mile Public Transport rate … 3.7p a mile

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) when it is proposed to make grants available to the foundry industry pursuant to the Budget Statement and the recommendations of the National Economic Development Council for the Ferrous Foundry Industry; and whether the aid will be contingent upon rationalisation of plant;

(2) in view of the probable cost of anti-pollution plant and equipment for the foundry industry under Government regulations, whether it is intended that the grants to the industry should cover the whole or only part of the outlays involved;

(3) of the £50 million per annum required by the foundry industry to modernise, what is the percentage thereof which he estimates will be needed to provide for anti-pollution plant and equipment.

A scheme of financial assistance to encourage the modernisation of the ferrous foundry industry is now being finalised after consultation with appropriate representatives of the industry and the NEDO office. I shall be making a statement about the scheme shortly, after which detailed queries can be dealt with.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry for what purposes sperm whale oil is used; and what research is being undertaken to find a substitute for it.

Sperm whale oil is used in a number of industrial processes, principally in the engineering and leather industries. Research into substitutes is being undertaken by industrial research bodies including individual companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he proposes to place copies of the accounts for Appledore Ship Builders Limited, Sunderland Ship Builders Limited and North East Coast Ship Repairers Limited, for the year ended 30th September 1974, in the Library of the House.

A copy of the accounts of these companies for the year to 30th September 1974 will be lodged in the normal way with the Registrar of Companies, but for the convenience of Members, I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the amounts and value of pulp and paper imports, respectively, from January to the nearest available date; and if he will give the figures for the first quarters of 1973, 1974, and also show figures for the full 12 months in each of these years.

This information is published under SITC(R) 251, 641 and 642 in Table II of Volume I of the Annual Statement of Overseas Trade of the United Kingdom for the year 1973 and in Table III of the March 1973, March and December 1974 and May 1975 issues of the Monthly Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of the under-recording of export figures since the autumn of 1973, referred to in the Press Notice issued jointly by the Central Statistical Office and his Department on 14th July, if he will take action to improve the monitoring of export documentation and the lodgment of documents; and if he will make a statement on this matter.

Action on both these aspects is being taken by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise who are responsible for the compilation of the export statistics. The results of the monitoring of export documentation now extend up to the beginning of 1975—the Press Notice reference was not as up to date as it could have been—and confirm the continuation of a shortfall averaging about half of 1 per cent throughout 1974. The response of exporters to the action taken by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise will, it is hoped, improve the lodgment of documents and be reflected in the results of the continuing monitoring.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied that imported chestnut palings and spikes from France are produced without the advantage of a subsidy from the French Government, hidden or otherwise.

IRAN U.S. $million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 159.24 321.60 67.32 82.44 326.40 178.80 1971 … … 191.64 367.56 91.56 121.44 481.56 237.48 Percentage change … … 20.3 14.3 36.0 47.3 47.5 32.8 1972 … … 290.52 412.56 121.32 144.12 558.48 321.72 Percentage change … … 51.6 12.2 32.5 18.7 16.0 35.5 1973 … … 414.24 719.52 204.24 177.12 771.48 484.20 Percentage change … … 42.6 74.4 68.3 22.9 38.1 50.5 1974 … … 653.52 1,139.16 257.40 282.24 1,733.64 1,014.24 Percentage change … … 57.8 58.3 26.0 59.3 124.7 109.5 1973— … … First quarter … … 84.30 134.43 39.30 23.43 185.34 98.25 Second quarter … … 96.15 144.21 54.45 44.73 189.42 104.91 Third quarter … … 126.78 218.88 51.99 55.11 172.98 122.97 Fourth quarter … … 105.69 221.82 58.47 53.88 223.77 160.29 1974— … … First quarter … … 92.07 213.18 49.89 48.00 236.55 149.28 Second quarter … … 148.65 258.63 57.60 58.50 345.72 216.00 Third quarter … … 179.37 288.54 68.64 91.23 451.53 287.01 Fourth quarter … … 208.71 380.58 81.27 84.45 700.44 361.95 1975— … … First quarter … … 237.24 373.11 125.58 100.02 745.14 — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 157.6 75.0 151.7 108.4 215.0 125.8

Source: OECD series A.

I am informed that any chestnut palings and spikes imported into the United Kingdom from France are produced without the advantage of any subsidy from the French Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish statistics showing the imports of chestnut paling and spikes from France over the last three years, giving the average landed price.

The information is not available, as chestnut paling and spikes are not separately distinguished in the overseas trade statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement and publish figures which show the progress of Great Britain's export achievements in Iran and other Middle East oil producing countries; and if he will show how that progress compares with the United Kingdom's major competitors.

I am encouraged by the general signs of recent improvement in our export performance in the markets for which information is presented below. Data for Bahrain and Oman are not available in the time permitted.

QATAR U.S. $ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 17.8 3.5 2.4 1.5 7.2 5.2 1971 … … 37.7 6.9 2.4 5.3 9.5 8.8 Percentage change … … 111.8 97.1 Nil 253.3 31.9 69.2 1972 … … 32.0 7.8 9.4 3.4 13.5 16.2 Percentage change … … -15.1 13.0 291.7 -35.8 42.1 84.1 1973 … … 47.7 10.4 8.4 4.5 18.9 19.7 Percentage change … … 49.1 33.3 -10.6 32.4 40.0 21.6 1974 … … 51.6 23.1 9.4 10.9 34.0 46.6 Percentage change … … 8.2 122.1 11.9 142.2 79.9 136.5 1973 … … First quarter … … 9.4 2.2 1.2 0.8 4.2 4.5 Second quarter … … 13.1 2.7 2.4 1.1 4.7 5.8 Third quarter … … 14.1 2.4 3.3 1.1 5.2 4.5 Fourth quarter … … 11.1 3.1 1.5 1.5 4.8 4.9 1974— … … First quarter … … 9.0 2.7 2.1 3.1 7.4 5.1 Second quarter … … 9.9 4.3 2.3 2.0 9.2 12.7 Third quarter … … 13.2 8.7 1.8 2.1 10.8 15.7 Fourth quarter … … 19.5 7.4 3.2 3.7 6.6 13.1 1975— … … First quarter … … — — — — — — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year. … … 75.7 138.7 113.3 146.7 37.5 167.3

Source: OECD series A.

IRAQ U.S.$ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 57.12 19.20 35.16 15.36 22.20 15.96 1971 … … 60.60 29.52 47.16 25.56 32.28 24.60 Percentage change … … 6.1 53.8 34.1 66.4 45.4 54.1 1972 … … 66.84 32.40 73.68 31.56 23.28 31.08 Percentage change … … 10.3 9.8 56.2 23.5 -27.9 26.3 1973 … … 66.24 42.84 83.28 31.68 55.92 49.08 Percentage change … … -0.9 32.2 13.0 0.4 140.2 57.9 1974 … … 142.95 373.32 214.20 95.88 284.76 474.36 Percentage change … … 115.8 771.4 157.2 202.7 409.2 866.5 1973— … … First quarter … … 17.76 7.17 22.02 5.19 6.21 5.88 Second quarter … … 16.71 10.17 18.84 6.39 6.69 12.51 Third quarter … … 15.99 10.11 19.05 10.11 17.31 13.20 Fourth quarter … … 15.15 15.33 23.37 9.96 25.71 17.55 1974— … … First quarter … … 25.62 27.99 40.47 15.51 39.04 25.14 Second quarter … … 25.62 48.21 59.76 21.81 33.36 87.36 Third quarter … … 43.26 72.18 49.65 24.06 100.47 145.11 Fourth quarter … … 48.45 225.06 64.32 34.50 111.87 216.81 1975— … … First quarter … … 64.71 294.15 84.66 56.28 89.07 — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 152.6 950.9 109.2 262.9 128.2 1,135.4

Source: OECD series A.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES U.S. $ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 58.9 — — — 37.6 31.7 1971 … … 63.9 — — — 49.9 53.8 Percentage change … … 8.5 — — — 32.7 69.7 1972 … … 77.7 13.7 5.2 4.3 69.2 96.4 Percentage change … … 21.6 — — — 38.7 79.2 1973 … … 121.5 28.2 103.6 15.7 121.1 162.0 Percentage change … … 56.4 105.8 1,892.3 265.1 75.0 68.0 1974 … … 227.0 90.0 68.8 37.0 230.0 308.6 Percentage change … … 86.8 219.1 -33.6 135.7 89.9 90.5 1973— … … First quarter … … 22.0 5.6 2.8 1.8 23.8 29.6 Second quarter … … 37.0 7.1 58.4 3.2 23.8 42.9 Third quarter … … 29.9 7.7 10.7 4.2 28.7 39.0 Fourth quarter … … 32.6 7.8 31.7 6.5 44.8 50.5 1974— … … First quarter … … 31.6 12.3 18.3 6.1 56.2 54.0 Second quarter … … 51.0 20.1 23.6 5.9 52.3 75.3 Third quarter … … 63.0 36.0 10.4 9.5 61.1 90.0 Fourth quarter … … 81.4 32.9 16.5 15.5 60.4 89.3 1975— … … First quarter … … — — — — — — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 149.7 321.8 47.9 138.5 34.8 76.8

Source: OECD series A.

SAUDI ARABIA U.S. $ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 84.60 65.04 33.72 34.68 140.76 83.76 1971 … … 94.92 54.36 37.08 41.64 164.04 134.28 Percentage change … … 12.2 -16.4 10.0 20.1 16.5 60.3 1972 … … 112.68 81.60 50.64 53.76 314.16 237.84 Percentage change … … 18.7 50.1 36.6 29.1 91.5 77.1 1973 … … 142.92 126.00 56.04 77.76 441.96 388.80 Percentage change … … 26.8 54.4 10.7 44.6 40.7 63.5 1974 … … 280.92 285.96 120.12 133.32 835.20 677.28 Percentage change … … 96.6 127.0 114.3 71.5 89.0 74.2 1973— … … First quarter … … 29.73 25.47 11.70 11.01 100.44 81.03 Second quarter … … 38.79 27.93 11.22 19.35 101.28 104.76 Third quarter … … 35.49 34.20 11.43 18.66 103.89 103.44 Fourth quarter … … 39.21 38.46 21.69 28.71 136.35 99.81 1974— … … First quarter … … 52.47 46.95 21.12 22.77 138.39 99.45 Second quarter … … 73.74 67.53 30.21 38.13 214.44 146.07 Third quarter … … 72.24 79.74 34.77 35.10 229.23 181.26 Fourth quarter … … 83.91 91.65 33.99 37.35 253.05 250.47 1975— … … First quarter … … 86.73 105.03 40.53 53.28 273.12 — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 65.3 123.7 91.9 134.0 97.4 150.9

Source: OECD series A.

ALGERIA U.S. $ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 40.32 99.00 562.44 93.60 61.80 20.16 1971 … … 67.80 125.04 498.96 104.04 82.20 42.00 Percentage change … … 68.2 26.3 -11.3 11.2 33.0 108.3 1972 … … 84.60 221.04 466.44 159.36 97.68 23.28 Percentage change … … 24.8 76.8 6.5 53.2 18.8 -44.6 1973 … … 92.40 312.00 753.72 177.48 160.56 50.76 Percentage change … … 9.2 41.2 61.6 11.4 64.4 118.0 1974 … … 128.16 482.88 1,296.48 325.44 315.12 154.44 Percentage change … … 38.7 54.8 72.0 83.4 96.3 204.3 1973— … … First quarter … … 23.91 60.93 152.19 33.24 30.06 6.60 Second quarter … … 22.62 86.28 195.90 46.83 41.79 8.04 Third quarter … … 19.77 81.39 206.28 45.84 36.81 16.02 Fourth quarter … … 25.83 83.43 199.32 51.60 51.90 20.10 1974— … … First quarter … … 26.40 82.77 212.31 51.03 85.14 21.03 Second quarter … … 28.33 102.69 277.41 60.57 67.38 34.65 Third quarter … … 41.79 133.68 354.90 99.30 64.32 35.07 Fourth quarter … … 32.19 163.08 451.89 114.54 98.28 63.99 1975— … … First quarter … … 45.69 145.74 529.46 98.70 124.64 — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 73.1 76.1 149.4 93.4 46.4 218.4

Source: OECD series A.

LIBYA U.S. $ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 58.44 45.96 42.72 133.56 104.40 31.32 1971 … … 75.84 60.12 96.24 175.80 77.76 43.08 Percentage change … … 29.8 30.8 125.3 31.6 -25.5 37.5 1972 … … 116.16 110.52 130.32 310.44 85.08 57.12 Percentage change … … 53.2 83.8 35.4 76.6 9.4 32.6 1973 … … 149.52 210.24 199.56 452.64 103.68 110.16 Percentage change … … 28.7 90.2 53.1 45.8 21.9 92.9 1974 … … 146.76 402.36 362.40 854.04 139.44 234.24 Percentage change … … -1.8 91.4 81.6 88.7 34.5 112.6 1973— … … First quarter … … 30.84 47.67 38.40 65.28 28.20 19.62 Second quarter … … 35.37 55.05 46.05 117.15 31.50 22.83 Third quarter … … 51.21 45.27 43.77 116.61 24.00 29.91 Fourth quarter … … 31.56 62.25 71.31 153.54 20.04 38.34 1974— … … First quarter … … 27.72 78.12 82.16 156.12 21.42 46.83 Second quarter … … 37.44 102.03 87.00 192.27 31.53 59.40 Third quarter … … 40.29 108.99 89.25 233.61 35.97 64.95 Fourth quarter … … 41.82 113.19 104.07 272.04 50.49 63.03 1975— … … First quarter … … 56.13 115.62 111.29 290.04 74.22 — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 102.5 48.0 35.5 85.8 246.5 64.4

Source: OECD series A.

KUWAIT U.S. $ million Imports from United Kingdom Germany France Italy U.S.A. Japan 1970 … … 87.00 42.36 45.96 25.92 62.40 100.08 1971 … … 85.80 41.88 49.20 26.52 83.76 83.64 Percentage change … … -1.4 -1.1 7.0 2.3 34.2 -16.4 1972 … … 78.36 54.00 37.80 36.60 111.24 116.28 Percentage change … … -8.7 28.9 -23.2 38.0 32.8 39.0 1973 … … 88.08 70.32 45.48 39.12 119.28 166.80 Percentage change … … 12.4 30.2 20.3 6.97.2 43.4 1974 … … 140.04 159.96 63.96 65.52 208.56 279.24 Percentage change … … 59.0 127.5 40.6 67.5 74.8 67.4 1973— … … First quarter … … 23.91 14.07 12.09 6.84 32.34 31.50 Second quarter … … 21.57 16.02 10.41 8.28 26.4043.29 Third quarter … … 18.84 13.62 9.42 7.56 25.08 47.25 Fourth quarter … … 23.76 20.58 13.59 16.41 35.40 45.03 1974— … … First quarter … … 20.91 29.58 11.10 9.78 35.79 46.53 Second quarter … … 28.50 42.12 17.37 11.16 49.05 68.01 Third quarter … … 40.86 36.45 12.60 17.22 44.67 79.26 Fourth quarter … … 49.26 51.78 22.83 27.30 78.96 85.50 1975— … … First quarter … … 46.98 52.11 22.17 24.57 74.52 — Latest available quarter percentage change on same quarter of previous year … … 124.7 76.2 99.7 151.2 108.2 89.9

Source: OECD series A.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the mileage allowance granted to civil servants in his Department and those institutions, offices and research establishments for which he is responsible, respectively, indicating variations for the different grades of seniority and type of car permitted.

The car mileage allowances are the same for all grades. They are payable according to circumstances as follows: Standard Rates Car engine size … 501 cc to 1,000 cc … 7.9p a mile 1,001 cc to 1,750 cc … 9.4p a mile 1,751 cc and over … 10.2p a mile Public Transport rate … 3.7p a mile

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress she has made regarding further agreements with foreign Governments for the provision of free medical treatment on a reciprocal basis for United Kingdom nationals visiting their country.

Reciprocal health care agreements aim to provide United Kingdom nationals visiting other countries with any necessary medical care on the same terms as nationals of the country visited. Agreements with the USSR and Malta came into force earlier this year. An agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany, which will provide for urgent medical treatment for those United Kingdom nationals not already covered by the EEC Social Security Regulations, is in process of ratification. Negotiations on reciprocal health care agreements are at present taking place with Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and discussions are in train with Japan. We are also currently engaged in discussions with our Community partners on the possibility of extending to the self-employed and non-employed the scope of the reciprocal medical treatment arrangements under EEC regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is aware of the sale of sweets, masquerading as cigarettes, to children; and whether she considers that this will hinder the Government's campaign to persuade people to reduce smoking.

Yes, I am aware of this, but I do not consider that this is a major factor when compared with other forms of promotion of cigarettes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons receiving an invalidity pension in Great Britain received supplementary benefit; and what proportion this represented of all invalidity pensioners in 1974.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on 26th June.—[Vol. 894, c. 202–3. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of family allowances as a percentage of the average full-time male manual weekly earnings in 1974 for two-, three-and four-child families.

On the basis of the gross average full-time weekly earnings of adult male manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries the required information is: Two-child family … 1.9 per cent. Three-child family … 3.9 per cent. Four-child family … 6.0 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is aware of the unsatisfactory conditions for patients and staff in the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester arising from the outdated and outmoded buildings; whether she will allocate funds to maintain the programme for rebuilding this hospital; and if she will make a statement.

I am aware of the problem of maintaining satisfactory standards in old buildings during this period of financial restraint but I am satisfied that the Wessex Regional Health Authority and the Hampshire Area Health Authority are doing all they can to ease the problem; plans for some upgrading of wards at an estimated cost of £115,000 are under consideration. Other plans for improvements will depend very much on future levels of public expenditure and the implications of this for National Health Service expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will seek to amend the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 to require area health authorities to make provision for dental inspection and treatment of pupils in attendance at non-maintained schools on the same basis as that for maintained schools.

Area health authorities at present have the power, but not the duty, to make arrangements with the proprietors of non-maintained schools for the provision of medical as well as dental inspection or treatment of pupils. In considering applications by proprietors of independent schools, health authorities must have regard to the staff and other resources available to them. All too frequently they are already short of staff in their school dental services. I do not think, therefore, that it would be reasonable to require all area health authorities to make provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she proposes to take in the case of Mrs. Fleming of the Knares, Basildon, details of which have been sent to her, who is suffering from subcutaneous cellulitis of the hands, has lost four fingers, and wishes to obtain industrial injury compensation.

I am writing to my hon. Friend about Mrs. Fleming's case.