asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local education authorities to assist them in curbing the problem of truancy following consultations earlier in the year on behaviour problems.

None. The consultations to which the hon. Member refers are still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total of Government expenditure over the last 10 years in preventing important works of art from leaving the United Kingdom.

All purchases of works of art by the public collections safeguard the objects from export. It is impossible to guess whether had those purchases not been made, the works would have been acquired by those who might have wished to export them either immediately or later. It is not, therefore, possible to say how much it has cost the Government to prevent works from leaving the United Kingdom, and the only indication I can give to the hon. Member is the total of purchase grants of all kinds provided by the Exchequer for museums and galleries in the United Kingdom which amounted to £16,698,690 from 1965–66 to 1974–75.

Total of purchase grants provided by the Exchequer for museums and galleries in the United Kingdom
Year	£
1965–6	824,195
1966–7	969,218
1967–8	949,794
1968–9	935,259
1969–70	1,466,691
1970–1	2,090,116
1971–2	2,088,581
1972–3	3,072,602
1973–4	2,484,799*
1974–5	1,817,435*
Total	16,698,690

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue a general circular to local authorities advising them that when inviting local people to serve in youth committees regard should be had to their age.

No. Local authorities are aware of the desirability of encouraging participation by young people who have been represented in current discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice his Department is giving to the local education authorities regarding the establishment of special school-based training courses for unemployed school leavers.

I do not at present consider that advice on school-based courses for unemployed school leavers is called for. Indications are that the numbers of leavers wishing to return to school are not significant and that their needs are being met within existing courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now invite local education authorities to submit to him their comments on the Bullock Report.

My right hon. Friend has already received some expressions of opinion and would welcome further comments from representatives of local education authorities, teachers and others with responsibilities in the educational services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received from university teachers with regard to the Government's policy towards their pay claim: and if he will make a statement.

I have received approximately 200 letters. The Government have offered, with effect from 1st October 1975, new salary scales which both honour the recent arbitration award and fall within the counter-inflation policy. A reply to that offer is awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds are made available through rates and taxes to the National Union of Students and to students' unions through Great Britain, respectively; if he is satisfied that the expenditure of such money is being adequately controlled as regards the purposes for which it is granted; and if he will outline the administrative procedures currently in use to ensure this.

My Department makes no contribution to the funds of the National Union of Students, and I have no information about funds made available from other public sources. Individual student unions are financed in a variety of ways, but mainly through union subscriptions. The cost of the subscription is included in a mandatory award when union membership is compulsory. In the academic year 1971–72, the latest year for which my Department has figures, the total cost of union subscriptions for universities in Great Britain and polytechnics in England and Wales was about £2·5 million.In general, responsibility for approving the constitution of student unions and the level of subscriptions lies with the authorities of universities and colleges: and they are expected to see that union funds are properly spent. Union accounts are generally subject to independent audit.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if a decision has yet been reached concerning the future of the Normal College, Bangor; and if he will make a statement.

I have already announced my decision that the Normal College, together with St. Mary's College, Bangor, should seek a merger with the University College of North Wales to form a school of education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet reached a decision on the recommendations of the Working Party on School Transport; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he can now make a statement with regard to school transport arrangements.

I would refer the hon. Members to the replies I gave earlier today to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall) and the hon. Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider extending eligibility to use school buses to young children who live within the statutory walking distance and whose parents are unable to accompany them to and from school because one or both is disabled.

This is already possible within the discretion of local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total annual cost of providing holiday play centres and meals for children in the Inner London Education Authority area; how many children benefit from this facility; and what is the total number of staff employed to look after them.

This information is not collected by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will name all the local education authorities who have been unable to commit themselves to total comprehensive secondary education reorganisation before the end of the decade.

The following local education authorities have been unable, in their replies to Circular 4/74, to assure my right hon. Friend that on the basis of the likely availability of resources they could end selection and complete secondary reorganisation by the end of the decade:

• Avon.
• Bolton.
• Bromley.
• Calderdale.
• Cambridgeshire.
• Cheshire.
• Cornwall.
• Cumbria.
• Derbyshire.
• Devon.
• Doncaster.
• Dorset.
• Durham.
• Gloucester.
• Hereford and Worcester.
• Hertfordshire.
• Kent.
• Lincolnshire.
• Liverpool.
• Norfolk.
• Nottinghamshire.
• Shropshire.
• Somerset.
• South Tyneside.
• Suffolk.
• Warwickshire.
• Wigan.
• Wiltshire.
• Wirral.

In addition, as the hon. Gentleman is aware, there are seven authorities, Bexley, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Kingston-upon-Thames, Redbridge, Sutton and Trafford, which have been unable to commit themselves to comprehensive reorganisation at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of secondary education in Essex.

Essex is one of the few authorities that, in response to Circular 4/74, refused to commit themselves to the complete abolition of selection for secondary education. The great majority of secondary schools in the former county of Essex are reorganised on comprehensive lines. My Department is in close contact with the local education authority about proposals to reorganise most of the remaining schools including those in the Chigwell area, and my right hon. Friend understands that fresh proposals for the reorganisation of certain of the schools in that area, revised in the light of the availability of building resources, will be submitted to him shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the implications of the decision by the Council of the London borough of Bromley not to take up the £2,500,000 school building programme sanctioned by his Department.

I met representatives of the Bromley authority last month at their request, and I understand that the authority will reconsider its school building needs in the light of a review of provision which it is urgently undertaking. Meanwhile my Department's authorisation of £1,215,000 and £682,000 for school building starts in 1974–75 and 1975–76 respectively is being kept open.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is able to quantify in financial terms the value to the education service of the school broadcasts of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

No, but in so far as such a judgment is possible, I am satisfied that the broadcasts represent good value for the costs involved.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to the Isle of Wight.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements abroad during the recess.

I paid an official visit to Romania from 16th to 18th September at the invitation of President Ceausescu and Prime Minister Manescu.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 14th October.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham).

asked the Prime Minister how many meetings he has had with the TUC during the Summer Recess.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister how many meetings he held with the TUC during the Summer Recess.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the TUC and the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister if he met the TUC or the CBI during the parliamentary recess.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet with representatives of the TUC General Council.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet TUC leaders.

I refer my hon. Friends and learned hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence).

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet submitted his evidence to the Royal Commission on the Press; and, if so, whether he will publish it in the Official Report.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet submitted his evidence to the Royal Commission on the Press; and if he will publish it.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson).

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech delivered in Helsinki on 30th July.

A copy of the speech which I made at Helsinki has been placed in the Library of the House and the text has been published as Cmnd. Paper 6197.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider devoting 1 per cent. of the £535 million a year spent on military research and development to peace research similar to that instituted by the Swedish Government.

SIPRI is an international foundation funded directly by the Swedish Parliament. To divert defence resources for a similar purpose would not be to act in parallel.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to ensure that the BAOR is given adequate facilities for regular manoeuvres.

We shall continue to take all reasonable steps. As my hon. Friend may know, a full scale exercise involving two divisions is currently under way in BAOR.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the increased capacity of 1,000 places for Community Industry will be allocated to Merseyside.

My right hon. Friend has approved the allocation to particular areas of part of the increased capacity for Community Industry announced on 5th August, and I am glad to be able to confirm that Liverpool is one of the areas concerned. The details are set out below. The Community Industry National Management Board is preparing recommendations for further allocations.

EXPANSION AUTHORISED
Area	Present Capacity	Additional Places
Cleveland	150	30
Liverpool	100	50
Manchester	50	50
North humberside	60	40
South and west yorkshire	150	100

A New Unit Of 50 Places At Dunfermline Has Also Been Authorised.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents at work have been reported during the latest 12-month period for which figures are available attributable to the use of nail guns.

I am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that 43 of the notifications of accidents under the Factories Act in the first six months of 1975 have been identified as attributable to the use of hand-held pneumatic nailing and stapling guns.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will consider prohibiting the use of nail guns on building sites.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that Her Majesty's Inspectors of Factories are at present investigating accidents reported to them involving these guns. From their findings consideration will be given to what action is necessary. At present I have no plans to prohibit their use on building sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the safety regulations governing the design and use of nail guns.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the commission is satisfied with the existing provisions governing the design and use of nail guns. Section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 places a duty on the designer and supplier of such equipment to ensure that the article is so designed and constructed as to be safe and without risks to health when properly used.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will propose the formation of a national organisation to provide opportunities for employment on community service projects, in return for subsistence allowances only, for those in receipt of unemployment benefit.

The Community Industry Scheme, which is supported by my Department, and the Manpower Services Commission's Job Creation Programme both offer employment on wages to people who would otherwise be unemployed on projects providing some amenity or service to the community.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now give further details of the measures to be made available through his Department to help reduce the level of unemployment.

When my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced his proposals for dealing with the unemployment problem on 24th September he mentioned in particular a number of items intended to operate directly on the labour market. These were:

(i) A further allocation of £20 million to the Manpower Services Commission for the extension of the training activities of the Training Services Agency.

(ii) A provision of £3 million further to extend the employment transfer scheme;

UNEMPLOYED ON 14TH JULY 1975
Numbers unemployed
		Males		Females		Percentage rates of unemployment
		Aged under 18	Aged 18 and over	Aged under 18	Aged 18 and over	Males	Females
South-East	…	9,096	175,270	5,612	37,852	4·1	14
East Anglia	…	912	18,817	697	4,273	4·6	1·8
South-West	…	3,180	58,536	2,358	13,695	6·6	2·6
West Midlands	…	5,505	76,307	4,449	21,769	5·8	30
East Midlands	…	3,654	44,336	2,955	11,206	5·2	2·4
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	4,481	65,963	3,579	15,151	5·6	2·4
North-West	…	11,111	122,587	7,721	26,787	80	3·1
North	…	6,189	61,272	4,939	15,601	8·2	4·2
Wales	…	3,692	46,139	2,898	12,193	7·7	4·0
Scotland	…	13,503	84,390	8,486	25,025	7·5	3·8
Northern Ireland	…	4,393	30,235	3,714	13,378	10·9	8·3

The rates of unemployment include certain fine adjustments which are not made to the figures for age groups.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement in respect of AHG concentrate, the effect of the shortage on haemophilia and what action she is taking to meet that shortage.

Factor VIII in the form of cryoprecipitate can usually be supplied

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the number of males and females over and under 18 years of age, respectively, registering for employment in each of the regions of the United Kingdom at the most recent convenient date; and what these figures represented as a percentage of the total insurable population.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st July 1975; Vol. 896, c. 71], gave the following information:in sufficient quantities to meet requirements but at present not enough anti-haemophilic globulin (AHG) concentrate is produced within the NHS. We have allocated additional funds so that regional blood transfusion centres can provide more plasma for increased production of this material. I hope that in about a year we shall be able to meet some two-thirds of the present requirements and that within two years we may be able to reach the target recommended

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now consider a reduction of the period of six months for the qualification of constant attendance allowance after medical practitioners have been satisfied that the medical conditions for a higher rate allowance have been met, in view of the correspondence forwarded to her by the hon. Member for Rye, one of whose constituents died during the intervening period.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Mr. Hall-Davis) on 10th June.—[Vol. 893, c. 147.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the cost to the National Health Service of medical treatment provided to overseas visitors during the last convenient annual period; and whether any recovery of cost is made from any foreign country or person;(2) what is her best estimate of the cost of medical services provided by foreign countries for United Kingdom residents; and whether any payment is made by the United Kingdom in consideration therefor.

Information about the cost to the National Health Service of medical treatment provided to overseas visitors is not available as details are not compiled and it would be too expensive to do so. Costs are recovered from patients receiving private treatment, and from other countries in the European Economic Community in respect of certain of the patients treated under European Economic Community regulations.No estimate of the cost of treatment provided by foreign countries for United Kingdom residents is possible and I have no general powers to reimburse such costs. However, under the European Economic Community Social Security Regulations payments are made in certain circumstances for medical care provided by member countries for persons normally resident in other member countries. The net cost of such arrangements to this country is estimated at about £½ million in the current year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what decision she has now reached about the future of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital.

The regional health authority having considered the proposals made, I am now examining them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many one-parent families are in receipt of supplementary benefits; and what proportion of supplementary benefit claimants this figure represents.

In November 1974, the latest date for which figures are available, 269,000 heads of one-parent families were in receipt of supplementary benefit. They constituted about 10 per cent. of the total number of supplementary benefit claimants.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many one-parent families will benefit in real terms from the new family allowance to be introduced in April 1976.

On the latest estimates, something over a quarter of a million one-parent families stand to gain financially from child interim benefit to be introduced next April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the maximum social security benefit for a single parent with one child, exclusive of rent and rates, and assuming no other resources; and what would be the maximum permitted income inclusive of family income supplement for such a person assuming earned income of £15 per week.

For supplementary benefit purposes the requirements of a single parent who is a householder with one child under 5 would amount to £12·35 weekly—£14 from 17th November—if he or she had received benefit for less than two years. For a claimant who had received benefit continuously for two years, the scale would be £14·75—£16·80 from 17th November. As well as an addition for rent and rates, which would usually be met in full, the claimant might also be entitled to additions—with no maximum level laid down—to meet any special expenses.Assuming an earned income of £15 a week such a person would be entitled to FIS at the maximum rate of £7 a week, making in all an income of £22 a week. In many cases rent and rate rebates or allowances might be due.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she intends to answer the two letters sent to her recently by the Association of Liberal Trade Unionists concerning the circular sent out by the Department's chief medical officer on the employment of doctors in National Health Service hospitals.

I regret the delay in replying to the Association of Liberal Trade Unionists. An answer was sent today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions were notified as being carried out in England and Wales in the second quarters of 1973, 1974 and 1975 on women whose normal place of residence was, respectively, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Eire, France, West Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy and other countries.

The numbers of abortions were as follows:

Country of woman's normal residence	June quarter
	1973	1974*	1975*
England and Wales	27,113	27,613	26,544
Northern Ireland	249	248	281
Eire	287	362	392
France	8,664	8,736	3,774
West Germany	2,752	1,663	928
Spain	377	676	1,067
Belgium	395	153	85
Italy	255	387	1,227
Other countries	838	836	794
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what replies have been given to the representations received by the Prime Minister on 20th and 21st June about the Abortion (Amendment) Bill from organisations demonstrating against the Bill—National Abortion Campaign and a Woman's Right to Choose Campaign—and from those supporting it—Order of Christian Unity, Nation-wide Festival of Light and the Salvation Army.

Copies of the replies sent on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on the progress of the work on the geriatric day hospital at the Kingston General Hospital in Hull.

The design work on this hospital was completed early in 1975 but financial constraints prevented it from being included in the 1975–76 capital programme. It was due to have been considered for inclusion in the 1976–77 capital programme, but a recent decision of the Humberside County Council to widen the road adjacent to the site will have the effect of seriously reducing the land available for the hospital. The Yorkshire Regional Health Authority is currently having discussions with Humberside County Council and Hull District Council regarding the road widening scheme and the possibility of alternative sites for the hospital. In these circumstances I am unable to say when the building of the hospital will be able to start.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she has received the report of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on viral hepatitis; and if she will make a statement.

Yes. The council's report, published today (Cmnd. 6257), recommends the prescription of viral hepatitis as an industrial disease. My right hon. Friend has accepted the council's recommendations, and regulations will shortly be introduced to prescribe the disease for people in occupations involving: (a) close and frequent contact with human blood or human blood products; or (b) close and frequent contact with a source of viral hepatitis infection by reason of employment in the medical treatment or nursing of a person or persons suffering from viral hepatitis or in a service ancillary to such treatment or nursing.Cover under the industrial accident provisions of the Social Security Act is already available for those who contract viral hepatitis in the course of employed earners' employment and this cover will continue to be available for those employed earners who do not qualify for benefit under the new disease provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many civil servants in his Department are paid more than the various Ministers within it.

So far as the Secretary of State is concerned, the hon. Member's attention is drawn to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mr. Tomlinson) on 1st August 1975.As regards the Minister of State, there are 28 civil servants known to receive greater salaries. However, his salary also falls within the limits of scales applicable to 41 other officials a proportion of whom are being paid more than the Minister; exactly how many cannot be ascertained without incurring disproportionate costs. The salaries of the two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State are known to be exceeded by those of 31 civil servants. Their salaries also fall within the limits of scales applicable to 59 other officials a proportion of whom are being paid more than the Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the current and planned future sources of fuel for United Kingdom atomic power stations and any contractual or treaty obligations of the Government in respect of such supplies.

The United Kingdom's requirements for uranium until the early 1980s are covered by existing stocks and supplies contracted for Canada and Southern Africa. British Nuclear Fuels Limited, as agents for the Electricity Generating Boards, are seeking to place further contracts on a world-wide basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he took following the deaths of two divers on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf on 9th September; and if he will make a statement.

The Senior Diving Inspector of my Department conducted an immediate investigation into the accident which led to the deaths of two divers on the drilling rig WAAGE II on 9th September to establish how the accident happened and also to discover as quickly as possible what lessons could be learned and applied elsewhere in the diving industry.The actual cause of death was established as hyperthermia. This is the first time in North Sea diving operations that hyperthermia has been found to be a hazard to divers. Consequently, the Senior Diving Inspector telegraphed diving companies throughout the world alerting them to the necessity of maintaining a diver in a safe thermal balance whilst in a decompression chamber.

asked the Attorney-General if he will circulate the text of the address by Lord Hailsham on the rights of an Englishman to bail to all magistrates.

The text of the address given by Lord Hailsham on 11th September 1971 on the right to bail was published in February 1972 in The Magistrate, the official journal of the Magistrates' Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what date he proposes to review the Rent Acts, in relation to private sector rents.

Conditions in the private rented sector are under active examination as part of the housing finance review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what improvements to the A6 road in Northamptonshire have been authorised; and what will be the likely cost.

Following is the information. Proposed improvements are:

Title	Approximate Cost
	£m.
Kettering relief road and bypass	7·2
Rushden relief road	2·5
Bypasses of Burton Latimer, Irthling borough and Higham Ferrers	4·5
Burton Latimer railway bridge	0·2

None of these road improvements is currently planned to start over the next few years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members of the Construction Exports Advisory Board; and how many of the members have direct personal experience of construction exports.

As I indicated in my reply of 7th August to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Shaw)—[Vol. 897, c. 378–9.]—I hope to be announcing the membership of the board very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many officials there are in his new Directorate for Overseas Construction Exports; how many of them have served either in construction firms or professional partnerships of architects, surveyors or engineers; and how many of them have direct, commercial experience of overseas exports in the construction industry.

The Construction Industry Overseas Directorate of my Department is responsible for all aspects of sponsorship of the construction industry and associated professions in an international context. It is not solely concerned with exports, though this important subject will be one of its main responsibilities. The present number of officials in the directorate concerned wholly or partly with construction exports is six. All are career civil servants and have not, therefore, served in professional or contracting firms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount spent weekly on food for each guard dog at Brixton Prison.

There are 12 dogs at Brixton. Each of them is provided with 1½ lb of meat bought by the dog handler and 1lb of biscuits daily. During the financial year 1974–75 the cost of this food for each dog amounted to about £3·45 per week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the number of individual urinal places provided in C wing at Brixton Prison and the total number of prisoners using them;(2) what is the number of water closets available to prisoners in C wing of Brixton Prison and the average number of prisoners held in this wing;(3) what is the number of showers available for prisoners in C wing at Brixton Prison; and what is the total number of prisoners and the number of times each prisoner can use a shower.

There are eight urinals, eight water closets and four showers in C wing, and a further three urinals and six water closets in the C wing exercise yard. Priority in the use of showers is accorded to prisoners who are due to appear in court the next day and to those engaged in cleaning and comparable work, but every prisoner should have the opportunity of at least one shower a week. The number of prisoners accommodated between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. is significantly less than the overnight population owing to the absence of prisoners at court. The average daily population between those hours in August and September was 274 and 255 respectively, and the average overnight population was 325 and 295 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of Her Majesty's prisons he has visited and when in the latest convenient period.

In the past year only Glen Parva Borstal, which is not technically an Her Majesty's prison, although my hon. Friends the Ministers of State and Under-Secretary have between them paid six visits during this period, and I have paid at least five previous official visits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities exist for members of the Press to visit Her Majesty's prisons.

Facilities are given to journalists to visit Prison Department establishments to prepare material for publication about the establishment or the prison system in general. This may, at the discretion of the governor, include an opportunity to speak to individual inmates—with their consent—about the prison regime, on the understanding that personal cases must not be discussed and the prisoners must not subsequently be named.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when permission was last given for a television documentary to be made about conditions in Her Majesty's prisons.

In 1975 facilities have been granted to producers of nine television programmes to film various aspects, according to their own requests, of prison conditions and treatment. These have taken place at Winchester Remand Centre—January; Chelmsford Prison-two visits, February; Canterbury Prison—March; Liverpool Prison—March; Acklington Prison—May; Styal Prison—May; Wormwood Scrubs—June: and Gloucester Prison—June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why VHF radios are not allowed to prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons.

VHF radios can be used to monitor police and prison radio transmissions, knowledge of which could prejudice the security of prisons. In general prisoners are allowed to have personal radio sets provided they are capable of receiving only medium- and long-wave transmissions, and that they are battery operated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the accommodation available at Brixton Prison based on the original concept of single cell occupancy; and what was the total number of prisoners actually in residence on 1st August 1975 or latest convenient date.

There are 520 cells at Brixton Prison and in addition 15 rooms designed to accommodate 129 persons. On 30th September, 966 persons were accommodated at Brixton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the time allowed for exercise for prisoners held on remand in Brixton Prison.

One hour; normally in two periods of 30 minutes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total staff employed at Brixton Prison and the average hours worked weekly.

The number of staff on the strength of Brixton Prison on 4th October was 543. The prison also employs varying numbers of staff on loan from other prisons. I regret that it is not practicable to provide a meaningful figure of average weekly hours worked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the prisons in the United Kingdom, the accommodation for which they were designed and the actual prison population at the latest available date.

The information requested in England and Wales is contained in the following table. The designed accommodation at each establishment is conventionally expressed in terms of its certified normal accommodation (CNA) which represents the number of offenders that the institution will hold without overcrowding of cells or dormitories.

ENGLAND AND WALES ESTABLISHMENTS FOR MALE OFFENDERS
Establishment	CNA	Population at 30th September 1975
Remand Centres
Brockhill	177	185
Low Newton	159	197
Risley	559	861
Thorp Arch	101	165
Ashford	400	498
Latchmere House	130	149
Cardiff	67	128
Exeter	46	67
Pucklechurch	115	91
Winchester	61	100
Local Prisons
Bedford	170	275
Birmingham	602	914
Leicester	238	380
Lincoln	354	532
Shrewsbury	170	217
Durham	665	853
Leeds	592	975
Liverpool	1,066	1,384
Manchester	948	1,295
Brixton	649	968
Canterbury	242	357
Lewes	321	368
Norwich	314	462
Pentonville	931	1,051
Wandsworth	1,197	1,497
Wormwood Scrubs	1,007	1,387
Camp Hill	12	5
Bristol	389	600
Cardiff	271	438
Dorchester	164	235
Exeter	279	443
Gloucester	218	337
Oxford	161	266
Swansea	266	303
Winchester	424	621
Training Prisons
Aylesbury	293	312
Gartree	289	233
Long Lartin	328	270
Nottingham	207	256
Ranby	399	373
Stafford	574	723
Swinfen Hall	182	181
Onley	180	169
Acklington	204	194
Haverigg	457	473
Hull	318	288
Lancaster	158	206
Northallerton	146	192
Preston	427	589
Wakefield	783	703
Albany	359	335
Blundeston	418	387
Camp Hill	323	441
Chelmsford	240	207
Coldingley	296	271
Standford Hill	177	169
Grendon	275	147
Kingston (Portsmouth)	140	80

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will invite a panel of experts in penology from Sweden to advise his Department on prison methods adopted in that country.

The Home Office has ready access to information and views about the Swedish penal system. There is frequent exchange of visits and correspondence between the two countries by people working in or connected with prison administration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will tabulate in the Official Report the categories and numbers of unconvicted defendants who were kept on remand in Her Majesty's prisons after being refused bail and were subsequently acquitted or not given prison sentences during the last 12 months.

23,791 persons are known to have been intially received into prison on remand awaiting trial in 1974 and subsequently acquitted or not given immediate custodial sentences. It is not known how many of these were refused bail or did not apply for bail; nor how many of them were awaiting sureties and were subsequently bailed before trial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted defendants have been held on remand without bail in Her Majesty's prisons after being charged with smoking in non-smoking compartments during the past 12 months.

If my right hon. Friend knows of any such case and will let me have details I will inquire into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted defendants have been held on remand in Her Majesty's prisons after being charged with loitering or other minor suspect offences during the last 12 months.

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, but I have no reason to believe that the numbers would be more than minimal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why unconvicted defendants on remand are not allowed to receive hard-cover books from families and friends;(2) how unconvicted defendants on remand can receive hard-cover books which are essential reading for the preparation of their cases against criminal or civil proceedings.

An unconvicted prisoner may receive a reasonable number of hard-cover books provided they are in good and clean condition and do not deal with medical matters likely to affect the prisoner adversely and are not likely to facilitate the commission of crime. Prisoners may also purchase books or borrow them from the prison library. The regulations governing the receipt of books are set out in Sections 4 and 7 of the Prison Standing Orders, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what period of time during 24 hours on a normal weekday is a prisoner on remand expected to be in his cell, excepting prisoners employed on special duties.

In Brixton Prison for 20½ hours, during four of which he would not be locked in and would have access to prisoners in other cells. In practice these periods are often shorter, since a remand prisoner may receive daily social visits, visits as necessary from his legal adviser, and may also be involved in interviews with staff. The periods at other establishments vary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners are on remand at Brixton Prison unconvicted and awaiting trial; and how many rooms are available for private interviews with defending solicitors or counsel;(2) at what hours defending solicitors may visit unconvicted prisoners on remand at Brixton Prison.

On 30th September, 748 unconvicted prisoners and 114 convicted but unsentenced prisoners were held in Brixton Prison. There are 13 interview rooms available in a special block for solicitors or counsel, and occasionally another room is made available. Solicitors may visit between 9 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays, and between 9 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. on Saturdays. These periods may be extended by 15 minutes to enable interviews to be concluded and in special circumstances interviews may continue during the lunch break. In the first eight months of this year 14,952 visits were held in the solicitors' visits block and, although it was sometimes necessary to ask a solicitor to wait until an interview room became available, at no time was a solicitor refused a visit because of lack of facilities. There are plans for new accommodation for legal visits and I hope that it will be possible to make a start on this provision next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of maintaining foreign and Commonwealth nationals as prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons during the last 12 months.

It is not possible to isolate the cost of maintaining these particular prisoners. Over the prison system as a whole we estimate that the average cost of maintaining one inmate during the last financial year was about £62 per week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps he proposes to take to reduce the prison population.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 3rd July to a Question by the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Irving).—[Vol. 894, c. 537.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he sent to the Probation Officers' Association following its suggestions made in August 1975 for reducing the prison population.

I am sending a copy to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the provision of extramural courses for prisoners wishing to pursue studies at local universities in their areas.

University courses are frequently arranged for prisoners, and Open University facilities are available in 11 establishments. Because of security considerations it would be impractical to release more than a few carefully selected prisoners to attend courses at universities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount spent weekly on outside bought food and prison farm food, respectively, for each prisoner at Brixton Prison.

The amount spent weekly on food in the financial year 1974–75 at Brixton Prison was approximately £2·60 including food to the estimated value of £0·50 supplied from the Department's own farms. These figures reflect the competitive prices available under centrally arranged contracts and the economic production within the prison system of items such as vegetables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue instructions to Scotland Yard not to oppose bail in all cases of first offenders except when serious acts of violence are alleged.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last official advice was issued to magistrates on the matter of granting bail to first offenders.

No official advice specifically on this matter has been issued to magistrates, but the previous record of a defendant is one of a number of factors taken into account by the courts in deciding whether to grant bail. The major consideration for the magistrates is whether an accused will respond to his bail and in deciding this the court has to consider not only any previous convictions but also his past history.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiries he is making into the allegations of corruption by officers of the Scotland Yard vice squad made by Mr. Humphries and Mr. Silver formerly of Soho.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who is responsible for inquiring into these allegations, arranged for them to be investigated by a senior officer. A number of reports on the investigation have been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions; further inquiries remain to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of Scotland Yard have been demoted or prematurely retired following allegations of corruption during the past 12 months.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that the number of officers so dealt with during the 12 months from October 1974 to September 1975 was seven. They were all dismissed or required to resign after conviction in criminal proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now appoint an independent commission of inquiry into allegations of bribery and corruption of officers of Scotland Yard which will be empowered to hear evidence in camera and which will report directly to him.

No.