asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the chairmen of the nationalised energy industries, at a forum on energy policy.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Normanton (Mr. Roberts) on 16th February—[Vol. 905, c. 474–5]— I intend to work towards developing an integrated energy policy in consultation with the management, unions and consumers in the fuel industries and through public discussion. The coal-electricity consultations on 20th February, which were widely reported at the time, were an important step in this process. I also intend to follow this initiative with an Energy Forum involving those directly concerned in all the fuel industries, probably in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will confirm that agreements on participation are to be fully voluntary.

Our declared policy is to secure participation by voluntary negotiations, and we are confident that this aim will be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on State participation in the ownership and control of North Sea oil.

The conclusion of participation agreements with Gulf and Conoco was announced to the House on 26th February, and with Tricentrol on 16th March. The Government's agreement with Burmah concerning the purchase of its North Sea assets was announced to the House on 10th March. Negotiations with other companies are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the conclusion of participation agreements will increase the British Government's revenue from known fields in the North Sea.

The Government have already made it clear that participation in commercial fields under existing licences is not designed to increase Government revenue.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a general direction to the CEGB to cease the construction of new work shops intended to increase its capacity to undertake servicing and spares provision for electric generators and turbines.

This would not be appropriate. The provision of repair facilities must be a matter for the Board's commercial judgment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consideration has been given to the relative prices of gas and electricity in the formulation of energy policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consideration has been given to the relative prices of gas and electricity in the formulation of energy policy.

The implications of relative price levels are amongst the many factors which must be taken into account in formulating energy policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the current state of the United Kingdom nuclear programme and the viability of investment in this sector.

Yes. The programmes are to implement the Government's nuclear reactor policy set out in Cmnd. 5695.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what criteria he proposes to apply in awarding the next round of licences for the exploration of oil and gas in the North Sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the next round of licensing in the North Sea to be announced.

I hope to be in a position to invite applications for offshore production licences within the next few months. I will announce details of the licensing arrangements, including the criteria to be applied, at the time of the invitation. Arrangements will contain provision for majority State participation in commercial fields.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what the estimated income of the National Oil Account will be in 1976.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the statements in respect of financial years of the National Oil Account which my right hon. Friend will be presenting to Parliament in accordance with Section 40 of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has had with petrol retailers as to the feasibility of a two-tier pricing system for petrol; and if he will make a statement.

My Department last had discussions with representatives of the petrol retailers on this matter 12 months ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to promote and secure increased coal exports from the United Kingdom.

The National Coal Board is making every effort to expand exports to existing outlets and to secure new ones and in this it has my full support.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total volume of coal exports and imports during each of the last seven years; and what is his estimate for the year 1976–77.

Statistics of coal imports and exports are published in the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics available in the Library of the House. For convenience the following are the figures:

			Exports	million tons Imports
1969	…	…	3·4	Negligible
1970	…	…	3·3	"
1971	…	…	2·7	4·2
1972	…	…	1·7	4·9
1973	…	…	2·7	1·6
1974	…	…	1·8	3·5
1975	…	…	2·1	5·0

In addition there are substantial net exports of coal products from the United Kingdom.It is not possible at this stage to give precise estimates for the years 1976–77. Broadly, expectations are that imports will decline substantially as contracts entered into during the 1974 shortage expire, and that export opportunities will increase as economic activity picks up and the market strengthens.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when next he intends to meet the Chairman of the BNOC.

I see Lord Kearton very frequently.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from Burmah shareholders about a decision on the disposal of the BP shares acquired by the Bank of England from the Burmah Oil Company; and what has been his response.

My Department has received letters from Burmah shareholders, including some passed on by hon. Members. I have replied to say that no decision has been taken on the disposal of the BP shares.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many of the oil production platforms now located in British North Sea oilfields have been built in the United Kingdom; and how many have been built abroad.

Seven of the 10 oil production platforms now installed on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf were constructed in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many orders he expects to be placed for oil platforms at British yards during the present year; and if he will report on the progress of the committee seeking such orders.

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet). As for the new offshore Tripartite Committee, one of its main concerns will be to seek ways of ensuring continuity of employment in the offshore industry. In particular it will be doing all it can to alleviate the problems caused by the present hiatus in platform ordering. It is not intended that the Committee will produce formal reports, but Press statements will be issued from time to time as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent meeting of EEC Science Ministers held to discuss the siting of the Joint European Torus nuclear fusion experiment.

The Council of Research Ministers on 24th February was unable to reach agreement on the site for JET, and decided to return to the subject at their next meeting, scheduled for 18th June. They agreed to release funds for the 1976 non-JET fusion programme pending a decision on JET. The United Kingdom pressed strongly the case for Culham on scientific and technological grounds and will continue to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the occasions when he has discussed exploitation of North Sea oil resources, including the next round of licences in the North Sea with overseas Governments.

Since taking my present office I have met representatives of foreign Governments both at home and overseas on a number of occasions. None of these meetings has been for the sole purpose of discussing the exploitation of North Sea oil resources but as appropriate I have described progress being made in developing our offshore petroleum resources and informed them of my intention to hold a further round of offshore licences this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what research is being carried out into the remote control of underground coal mining machinery.

The National Coal Board regards the automation of the coal winning process as the next major step forward in mining technology, and it forms the principal objective of the current mining R. and D. programme. The Annual Report of the Mining Research and Development Establishment, which is placed in the Library of this House, lists the areas in which attention is being concentrated.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the observance of existing legal provisions establishing maximum charges for reselling electricity supplied by the Electricity Council; and whether he will make a statement.

The Director of Fair Trading is collecting information to determine whether persistent overcharging is widespread but has not received sufficient evidence to justify regulations under the Fair Trading Act 1973 to make overcharging a criminal offence. The matter is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated financial effect on area electricity boards measured on an annual basis if disconnections for arrears were disallowed and the separate boards were urged to proceed by way of county court procedure for the recovery of their debt.

The Boards would lose through the delay in recovering debt through the courts, the cost of continuing to supply electricity to debtors without payment and the administrative costs involved. If all domestic electricity credit consumers were to delay payment by an average of four weeks the increase in borrowings for working capital would approach £250 million, assuming present tariff levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total number of domestic electricity disconnections for arrears of debt for the most recent year for which figures are available and the percentage the figure represents of the total customers of the area boards in England and Wales.

The total number of disconnections in the year ending 31st March 1976, including an estimated figure for March, is expected to be 138,399. This represents 0·8 per cent, of the total number of credit consumers of all types in England and Wales. Figures for domestic consumers are not available separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the nuclear waste to be reprocessed at Wind-scale will be from overseas countries.

Future overseas contracts for reprocessing nuclear fuel will contain provision for the radioactive wastes arising to be returned to the customer. Assuming contracts to reprocess a further 6,000 tonnes of oxide fuel for overseas customers, it is expected that by 1990 foreign fuel would represent some 20 per cent, of all the fuel reprocessed at Wind-scale.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what dangers arise from the storage of nuclear waste prior to its being reprocessed.

The safety standards required in the design, construction and operation of all storage facilities for radioactive waste and irradiated fuel elements provide effective safeguards for workers and the public. The permitted levels of exposure to radiation are based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, which are endorsed in this country by the Medical Research Council, and they are set to ensure that no harm should be suffered by anyone. The safety standards are imposed by conditions attached to nuclear site licences granted by the Health and Safety Executive under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 and en-enforced by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to keep to a minimum the amount of nuclear waste to be reprocessed until it is established that the new processing technique is safe; and if he will consider holding up the signing of overseas contracts until this is proved.

My right hon. Friend will of course keep watch on the development of overseas fuel reprocessing business, but he does not think it necessary to impose specific restrictions. If reprocessing could not be carried out with an acceptable standard of safety it would not be undertaken. Oxide fuel received from overseas would be handled in plant similar to that used for reprocessing such fuel for the United Kingdom generating boards. The plants will be subject to safety requirements imposed by the Nuclear Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Eexecutive and I have no reason to doubt that they will be able to meet them.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will consider introducing more stringent regulations, similar to those being considered in the United States of America, to cover the reprocessing of nuclear waste.

A comprehensive regime of safety control at all sites, including reprocessing plants, licensed under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, is already operated in this country. Under the Act the Health and Safety Executive is empowered, in the interests of safety, to attach conditions to nuclear site licences granted by the Executive and may impose, vary or revoke conditions at any time. The safety standards at licensed sites are kept uder continuous review and are modified as required. They are no less stringent than those applied or envisaged in the USA or elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken to ensure that accidents like the blowback incident at Windscale in 1973, will not arise from the reprocessing of nuclear waste.

The recommendations made in the report (Cmnd. 5703) by the Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations on the Windscale incident in September 1973 are being implemented on existing reprocessing plants and will be applied to all new plants. The incorporation of these safety measures should ensure that accidents of this kind do not occur in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will next meet the heads of the nationalised industries.

I make it a practice of meeting the chairmen of the fuel industries regularly, and have suggested a meeting with all the nationalised industry chairmen.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will outline her plans for the introduction of the invalid care allowance.

The administrative arrangements for the introduction of this new allowance have now been completed, and the intention is to start payments in the week beginning 5th July, 1976. My right hon. Friend has accordingly laid before the House today:

i. the Social Security (Invalid Care Allowance) Regulations (SI 1976 No. 409), which have been made under the Social Security Act 1975 and complete the legislative details;

ii. the Report (House of Commons Paper No. 271) of the National Insurance Advisory Committee which gave careful consideration to the regulations in draft form and recommended one alteration which we have accepted: and

iii. the Social Security Act 1975 (Commencement No. 2) Order (SI 1976 No. 408), which appoints 5th July 1976 as the first pay day and secures that claims for the allowance can be made in advance from 12th April onwards.

A combined leaflet and claim form (NI 212) will be available shortly at local social security offices. My Department will be sending copies of the leaflet and claim form, together with an explanatory letter, to households identified from our records which could include single women and men who are caring full-time for a severely disabled relative receiving an attendance allowance and who might, therefore, also qualify for invalid care allowance.In addition, I shall be seeking the help of many organisations and bodies representing disabled people in encouraging claims from eligible people who may not be known to the Department. Advertisements will be placed in a number of periodicals which circulate among professional and voluntary workers in the disablement field. I shall also be grateful for the help of hon. and right hon. Members in giving all the publicity they can to this important new allowance and bringing its availability to the attention of any individual constituents who might qualify.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list the contributory benefits to which a self-employed married woman is entitled in her own right, assuming that she opts out of paying Class 2 contributions, but pays Class 4 contributions to the full value of £160 a year.

The effect of her choosing not to pay flat-rate Class 2 contributions is explained in detail in Leaflet NI 1. In addition to residual rights derived from standard rate contributions paid before she exercised her option, she continues to have cover, based on her husband's contribution record, for maternity grant, retirement pension, widow's benefits, child's special allowance and death grant. Her Class 4 contributions on profits or gains over £1,600 a year, like the earnings-related contributions she would have been required to pay if she had been an employed earner and had exercised her option to pay at the reduced rate, are a contribution towards the general cost of the scheme, including the cost of those benefit rights of married women and widows which are derived from the contribution record of the husband.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she has any further announcement to make on the use of safety packaging for the dispensing of prescribed medicines dangerous to small children.

In my replies to Questions from my hon. and learned Friend on 23rd April and 7th August 1975 I said that representatives of the pharmaceutical profession and of dispensing doctors were being consulted about the implications for them of introducing a statutory requirement to use dark-tinted child resistant containers when dispensing for children preparations of aspirin and paracetamol which are not in unit packaging.I am glad to say that the representatives of the two professions have now expressed willingness to introduce voluntary schemes, which will be wider than the statutory requirement I proposed and will allow more flexibility. Under the schemes all solid dose preparations consisting of, or containing, aspirin or paracetamol, and not simply those for children, will be dispensed in recloseable child-resistant containers unless, first, they are already in unit packaging; secondly, the patient is elderly or handicapped and will have difficulty in opening a child-resistant container; or, thirdly, the person specifically asks that a product shall not be dispensed in such a container. In the latter two limited cases, the patient will be advised to keep the medicines well out of the reach of children.The professions' voluntary schemes will apply to both National Health Service and private prescriptions. They will operate from 1st April 1976.My right hon. Friends the Health Ministers, while reserving the question of making a statutory requirement in the light of experience, welcome the introduction of the voluntary schemes and believe that the scope to exercise professional initiative to meet patients' individual circumstances will be in the public interest. The extra cost of containers for NHS prescriptions, limited for the present to preparations containing aspirin and paracetamol, has been taken into account in negotiations with their representatives. Guidance has been issued to health authorities on similar arrangements for outpatients.Further developments in the field of safety packaging of other dispensed medicines will depend upon experience of the arrangements for aspirin and paracetamol and, in so far as extra costs may be involved, on the degree of priority which can be accorded to them within the resources available.—[Vol. 890, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates she has made of the comparative costs of providing the necessary support for women's aid centres and of making alternative provision for such families, whether by taking children into care, providing Part III accommodation, or by any other exercise of statutory powers in that behalf.

I think local authorities, as I am, are well aware that voluntary accommodation normally costs less than accommodation or care provided by local authorities, but we are considering the examination of comparative costings as a quantified aid to future planning.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many mental patients have been discharged from hospital to unregistered hostels and hotels.

In 1974, the last year for which information is available, there were 3,016 recorded discharges from mental illness hospitals and units and 304 from mental handicap hospitals and units to mental nursing homes, convalescent and after-care homes and local authority residential accommodation, but my information does not show how many of these were to unregistered hostels or homes. Separate information on discharges to other types of non-hospital accommodation is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the detailed guidance on the design of homes, hostels and day centres for the mentally ill in England and Wales will be published.

I am not yet able to say. Work on the preparation of guidance is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the official definition of the terms an area of "average need" and "high need" when applied to the provision of hostels for the mentally ill in England and Wales.

In suggesting provisional guidelines for levels of local authority day and residential services for the mentally ill, DHSS Circular 35/72 asked authorities to discuss with the then hospital authorities the needs of each health district. It was suggested that higher than average needs might be found associated with high suicide and attempted suicide rates, high delinquency rates, multi-occupied housing and poor environmental conditions generally. But the level of need in a particular area can only be fully determined in the light of local knowledge and experience. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Circular.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of the 31 local authorities in England and Wales which in March 1974 had no residential accommodation for the mentally ill have subsequently commenced provision;(2) how many of the 63 local authorities in England and Wales which in March 1974 had no day facilities for the mentally ill have subsequently commenced provision.

Reorganisation prevents pre- and post-1st April 1974 comparison of the number of local authorities.On 31st March 1975 of the 108 local authorities in England nine had no residential accommodation and 27 no daycare facilities for the mentally ill. Detailed Questions about comparable facilities for Wales should be addressed to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the equivalent full-time number of consultant psychiatrists with clinical responsibility for the menally ill in mental hospitals in England and Wales for the years 1970. 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974.

The figures are as follows:

Year					Number (Whole-time Equivalent)
1970	…	…	…	…	760
1971	…	…	…	…	800
1972	…	…	…	…	851
1973	…	…	…	…	920
1974	…	…	…	…	990

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the total number of day centre places for the mentally ill in England and Wales have been provided by the voluntary organisations in each year since 1962.

The percentage of day centre places for the mentally ill provided in voluntary centres and available to local authorities in England and Wales in each year since 1966 was as follows:

December 1966	…	…	…	9·0
December 1967	…	…	…	7·8
December 1968	…	…	…	8·9
December 1969	…	…	…	10·4
December 1970	…	…	…	9·7
March 1972	…	…	…	9·0
March 1973	…	…	…	13·2
March 1974	…	…	…	14·4
March 1975	…	…	…	8·9

Comparable information for years prior to 1966 is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the total number of residential homes and hostels for the mentally ill in England and Wales have been provided by the voluntary organisations in each year since 1962.

The percentage of the total number of residential places provided in homes and hostels for the mentally ill by private and voluntary organisations in England and Wales in each year since 1967 was as follows:

December 1967	…	…	32·9
December 1968	…	…	34·5
December 1969	…	…	37·5
December 1970	…	…	35·6
March 1972	…	…	34·3
March 1973	…	…	35·0
March 1974	…	…	37·0
March 1975	…	…	34·3

Comparable information for places in earlier years and for the number of homes prior to 1975—when the percentage was 21—is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local general hospitals in England and Wales do not possess specialist psychiatric services.

The information requested is not readily available, but I am having it extracted and I shall circulate it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she has any evidence of the number of chronic mental patients in England and Wales being discharged from hospital without

	From Mental Illness Hospitals and Units	From Mental Handicap Hospitals and Units
Total Number of Discharges	172,031	12,586
To psychiatric bed in:
Hospital	5,125	1,191
Mental Nursing Home	164	44
Convalescent or After-Care Home	371	45
Local Authority Residential Accommodation	2,644	234
Probationary Discharge Leave	423	147
Guardianship	216	617
Day Patient Care	14,864	718
Day Patient Care and Local Authority Social Services Care	449	127
Day Patient Care and other psychiatric after-care	229	3
Out-Patient Care	75,399	534
Out-Patient Care and Local Authority Social Services Care	4,524	352
Out-Patient Care and other psychiatric care	984	3
Local Authority Social Services Care	6,386	4,959
Local Authority Social Services and Other Psychiatric After-Care	327	15
Other Psychiatric After-Care	3,640	223
Non-psychiatric hospital treatment	5,106	229
Absconded whilst subject to detention under the Mental Health Act	104	37
Discharged against medical advice	8,302	128
No details given	3,517	687
None of the above	39,257	2,293

It is thought that most of those in the category "None of the above" are referred to their General Medical Practitioner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many admissions there have been to mental hospital in England and Wales in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 for personality and behaviour disorders.

The information is as follows for admissions to psychiatric hospitals and units in England and Wales—including teaching hospitals:

1970	…	…	…	16,951
1971	…	…	…	17,469
1972	…	…	…	17,973

The Mental Health Inquiry gives information about arrangements made for further care after discharge from hospital, but by its nature this cannot indicate the adequacy of the after-care arrangements in each case.The following table gives the information recorded for England and Wales in 1974. I regret that the information further categorised by length of stay is not readily available: but of the total number of discharges from mental illness hospitals and units, 148,728 had been in hospital for less than three months, and 6,598 for one year or over. In mental handicap, the relevant numbers were 9,207 and 2,491 respectively.

1973	…	…	…	17,895
1974	…	…	…	18,296

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will specify the number of large mental hospitals in England and Wales still below the minimum standard for domestic staffing set by her Department for achievement by March 1973.

On 30th September 1974, the most recent date for which information is available, 25 of the 92 mental illness hospitals in England and Wales with 500 or more beds were below the recommended standard for domestic staffing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now add the Co-operative Union, the Co-operative Women's Guild and the Woodcraft Folk to the list of bodies competent to submit names for appointment to health authorities.

The Co-operative Union and the Co-operative Women's Guild will be invited to make recommendations for the limited number of appointments to be made to regional health authorities from 1st August 1976. The next general round of appointments to area health authorities is due in 1977 and we shall be considering what advice should be given to regional health authorities about consultation on those appointments to area health authorities which the regional health authorities are responsible for making. We have decided however that the Co-operative Union and Co-operative Women's Guild should be consulted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings she estimates would accrue if distribution of baby food, including baby milks, were undertaken through community pharmacies.

Proprietary baby foods are already sold by community pharmacies. I regret that information is not available to me on which to estimate whether or not savings would accrue if welfare foods now available at maternity and child health clinics and distribution centres were distributed through community pharmacies.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations she has had from bodies representing pharmacists about her proposal that all maternity and child health clinics in Great Britain should sell proprietary modified baby milks.

Representatives of retail pharmacists—the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, National Pharmaceutical Union, Company Chemists Association, Co-operative Pharmaceutical Technical Panel and the Pharmaceutical General Council (Scotland)—have suggested that retail pharmacies are the proper place for distribution of infant foods. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I are considering these representations and will be in touch with representatives of retail pharmacists about them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is her intention to include in draft agreements for health centres provision entitling general practitioners to carry on private practice from such centres.

Yes. I have agreed that a family doctor at a health centre should be entitled on request to use for the purpose of his private practice the facilities available to him for general medical services, subject to arrangements to ensure that no disadvantage to NHS patients would result. My officials are discussing with the representatives of general medical practitioners how this entitlement might be expressed in the health centre model licence (agreement).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of reprinting and posting the statement of fees and charges for general ophthalmic services as from 1st January 1976; why a second reprint was needed within 10 days; and what was the cost.

Amendments No. 4 and 5 to the general ophthalmic services statement were sent out on 12th December and 22nd December 1975. respectively. No amendments have been issued since 1st January 1976.Amendment No. 4, which gave details of new patients' charges and other changes, was isued urgently to ensure that practitioners were informed of the new details before they took effect on 1st January 1976. Unfortunately, information about increases in prices, and therefore payments to opticians for the supply of lenses and frames, was received too late for inclusion in that amendment. This information had to be issued in Amendment No. 5.Information is not yet available regarding the cost of these amendments. I will write to the hon. Member when it is received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of those convicted for abuse of social benefits in the latest year for which figures are available have had previous convictions of abuse.

Details of any previous convictions are normally available in individual cases at the time of consideration for proceedings, but records are not kept in a form which would enable total figures to be provided without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether, in view of evidence from research studies that linoleic acid preparations administered to multiple sclerosis sufferers reduce the number of attacks they suffer, she will reconsider her decision not to allow naudicelle sunflower oil tablets to be prescribed under the National Health Service;(2) what are the policy guidelines under which placebos may be prescribed under the National Health Service;(3) whether she is prepred to allow naudicelle sunflower oil preparation to be prescribed as a placebo for the treatment of multiple sclerosis patients.

Independent medical experts have reviewed, carefully, the scientific evidence on the dietary management of multiple sclerosis. I am informed that they concluded, reluctantly, that the evidence was insufficient to justify regarding dietary supplements such as linoleic acid, the basic ingredient of naudicelle capsules, as having a therapeutic effect on multiple sclerosis. If my hon. Friend has fresh scientific evidence I will ensure that it is submitted to the Advisory Committee for its consideration.A doctor providing general medical services under the National Health Service can only prescribe "proper and sufficient drugs and medicines and listed appliances": I am advised that naudicelle capsules are a dietary supplement and not a drug, and for this reason it would not be appropriate for them to be prescribed under the general medical services.The use of placebos is not something on which the Department would wish to lay down policy guidelines.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will reconsider the arrangements whereby supplementary benefit can be paid for the two weeks after starting employment on the grounds that wages or salaries are paid monthly.

No. When a person resumes work after a period of unemployment in which he has had to rely on supplementary benefit it is necessary for benefit to continue until he receives a payment from his employer. This applies both to those paid monthly and to weekly paid people whose employers keep a week's wages in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will give an estimate of the cost of paying supplementary benefit for the first two weeks after starting work where payment of wages or salary is on a monthly basis.

No figures are available, but it is likely that the cost of paying benefit during the first two weeks of employment is largely balanced by a saving incurred in not paying benefit when a person's final payment of wages or salary on leaving employment meets his requirements for two weeks or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans she has to replace the existing invalid tricycle with a single-seater four-wheeled invalid vehicle.

There are no such plans. There has been no change in the Government's decision making a cash allowance the main mobility benefit for disabled people with the invalid tricycle as an alternative for those who prefer it and can drive the vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the cost of her Department's wheelchair service in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The approximate cost of purchasing new chairs and maintaining those on issue for England in each of the past five financial years was as follows:

Year ending			£ million
31st March 1971	…	…	1·2
31st March 1972	…	…	1·9
31st March 1973	…	…	2·6
31st March 1974	…	…	3·0
31st March 1975	…	…	3·8

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will review the regulation which prevents local authorities from paying the first £10·65 of any residential care costs for married women who have no State income support; and if she will make a statement.

Persons provided with residential care by local authorities are required by the National Assistance Act 1948 to pay for their accommodation. If their resources do not enable them to meet the full economic cost, the local authority may charge such lesser amount as they may determine subject to a prescribed minimum which is currently £10·65 per week. The Act requires spouses to support each other and local authorities will therefore normally aggregate the resources of a married couple in assessing the ability of residents to pay.Subject to its normal rules the Supplementary Benefits Commission will award sufficient benefit to enable a resident to pay the prescribed minimum charge. In certain circumstances the Commission may regard a couple as no longer living in the same household and consequently make a separate assessment of a resident's resources which could assist in meeting the local authority's charge.If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will provide details I will be happy to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria were adopted in deciding that additional supplementary benefits are payable to help with heating costs where central heating is installed whereas no extra payment is available to those having an open coal fire.

Extra heating additions for supplementary benefit recipients occupying centrally heated accommodation were originally introduced because many had no direct control over their heating—e.g. in high rise flats or district heating schemes—and were being obliged in consequence to spend more on heating than they would normally have done. Extra heating additions were more recently extended to all beneficiaries occupying centrally heated accommodation on the broad generalisation that it was more expensive than heating a part of one's accommodation, and as an encouragement to the elderly and infirm to use these facilities where they were available, rather than to use unsatisfactory alternative, but cheaper, methods of providing warmth.Extra heating additions are available to other beneficiaries, regardless of the type of fuel or heating system in use, if they satisfy any of the criteria set out in the Department's leaflet OC2, a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations her Department has received from the Birmingham area concerning the provision of secure places for young offenders.

On 3rd March I met my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Silverman), Sir Stanley Yapp, leader of the West Midlands County Council, and representatives of the Glenthorne Residents Association to discuss the plans for the new youth treatment centre which is being built on the site of a redundant hospital in Erdington, Birmingham. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the letter that I sent to my hon. Friend the Member for Erdington following this meeting.Youth treatment centres are establishments for the care, control and treatment of disturbed and disruptive young people. Three such centres are being established under Section 64 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will keep a register in the section of her Department responsible for the voluntary price regulation scheme for medicines used by the National Health Service containing the names of all medical representatives employed to call on doctors together with other relevant information as a means of assessing the overall cost to the taxpayer of this form of sales promotion.

The annual financial return which all major pharmaceutical companies submit contains a schedule showing the cost breakdown of the various sales promotion and information activities, and representatives are separately specified in this schedule. We therefore know what each company spends on representatives. Maintaining a nominal roll of all medical representatives, would involve substantial bureaucratic effort, and not add much to our existing information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the truancy rate in secondary schools in Inner London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow, respectively.

My Department does not collect information in this form.Schools in Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the figures for the intake of children into primary schools for each of the last five years, and the forecast figures for 1976. 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980.

Statistics are not available in a form which would show the numbers of children entering primary schools in a particular year. The numbers of children aged 5 attending maintained primary schools in England and Wales in January of each year from 1971 to 1975, together with estimates for each year from 1976 to 1980 are as follows:

At January			Pupils aged 5(Thousands) (Age at 31st December of preceding year)
1971	…	…	794
1972	…	…	783
1973	…	…	768
1974	…	…	755
1975	…	…	736
1976	…	…	724(projected)
1977	…	…	723(projected)
1978	…	…	670(projected)
1979	…	…	625(projected)
1980	…	…	593(projected)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any land between Bisley Road and West Crescent, Amble remains in the ownership of his Department; and what use is proposed for it.

The Ministry of Defence does not own any land in the area referred to. I understand that the land in question is owned by the North of England Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association; that it is for disposal, but that certain legal difficulties are delaying the sale.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any declarations of family interest by Army band directors of music have been made to him in connection with the Fion Mace Publishing and Recording Company; when such declarations were made; and by whom.

An Army band director officially declared a family connection with a music publishing company of that name in February 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the proportion of female to male employees in senior grades in his Department.

The proportion of female to male employees in senior grades in the three main groups, Administration, Science, and Professional and Technological is 1 to 92.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further warship contracts the Government expect to put out to tender in 1976 and 1977.

The warship contracts which we expect to place in the next financial year are set out in the recently published Defence White Paper. Ordering plans for the later part of 1977 have not yet been finalised.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence it he will make a statement on the supply of Centurion tank spares and equipment to South Africa by Aviation Jersey Ltd.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18th March 1976.—[Vol. 907, c. 1540–1].

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what official restrictions are placed on the freedom of retiring senior military officers to accept paid employment with foreign business organisations engaged in the production and sale of armaments;(2) what official limits are placed on the freedom of retiring senior military officers to accept paid employment or directorships in business organisations engaged in the production and sale of armaments.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 4th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Brown).—[Vol. 907, c. 691–3]—The rules referred to there apply equally to appointments to foreign and to domestic business organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which items of Army equipment were involved in the decisions to reduce, defer or cancel plans referred to in Command Paper No. 6432.

It would not be in the public interest to publish the full list, which runs to more than 40 items. The number of items involved and the wide area over which they fall have enabled us to avoid seriously impairing any single one of thee Army's capabilities.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions before and after 5th June 1975, respectively, when he stated that in his opinion continued membership of the European Community entailed acceptance of direct elections to the Assembly of the EEC.

The commitment to direct elections contained in the EEC Treaty has been public knowledge for many years. I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served in listing the occasions on which I have referred to it.

asked the Prime Minister when he last paid an official visit to Cheshire.

Not during this Administration.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to the oral reply of the Lord President of the Council on 18th March, he will make arrangements for supplies of the Draft Convention on Direct Elections to the European Assembly, which is to be considered at the next Heads of Government meeting, to be available no later than the Thursday prior to the relevant debate in the House of Commons on Monday 29th March.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply to a similar question which my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary is giving him today.

asked the Prime Minister on what past examples he bases his practice of refusing to answer Questions about the operations of private foreign agencies directed against private United Kingdom individuals.

I am not aware of any previous Questions of precisely the kind the hon. Member mentions. My answer on 15th March referred to the accepted practice of not revealing the sources or details of information in cases of this kind.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will dismiss the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will estimate the total current and capital costs of the Civil Service, including salaries and wages, pensions, employers' national insurance contributions, redundancy fund contributions, accommodation, equipment, postage, telephone, etc.; and if, on the basis of this figure, he will show the average cost to the taxpayer of each civil servant.

Figures are not regularly collected in this form for management purposes. However, at the beginning of the financial year 1975–76, a summary was prepared indicating the order of magnitude of Civil Service costs, including the cost of allied services such as accommodation, etc. The total amounted to £3,135 million. This represents something of the order of £4,380 per head. More up-to-date figures cannot be made available without disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether it is the policy of the Government to answer Questions about the salaries of civil servants, with the exception only of the salaries of special advisers.

Ministers will continue to answer questions relating to the pay of civil servants, including special advisers; and indeed a great deal of information has been given to the House about the pay of special advisers.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the special advisers to Ministers receive a salary in excess of £5,000 a year.

Sixteen.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the part-time special advisers to Ministers receive salaries in excess of £3,000 a year.

Eight.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the special advisers to Ministers, in addition to two of the seven special advisers to the Prime Minister, are covered by the principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Eleven.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the ages of each of the 29 special advisers to Ministers.

There are now 28 advisers whose names and ages are as follows:Mr. G. R. Richardson, 35.Mrs. S. Greenall, 49.Dr. F. Cripps, 32.Mrs. F. Morrell, 37.Mr. D. Lipsey, 28.Mrs. A. Carlton, 33.Mr. T. McNally, 33.Mr. D. G. Grennan, 48.Professor B. Abel-Smith, 48.Mr. J. Straw, 29.Mr. A. Lynes, 46.Mr. G. Alltimes, 27.Mr. M. A. Oakeshott, 29.Mr. A. P. Lester, 39.Professor M. J. Artis, 37.Mr. R. Darlington, 27.Mr. J. Lyttle, 43.Dr. J. E. Mitchell, 56.Miss V. Kidd, 27.Lord Kaldor, 67.Mr. G. Prys-Davies, 52.Dr. B. Donoughue, 41.Mr. J. C. Carr, 27.Mr. A. W. Graham, 33.Mr. D. F. Piachaud, 30.Mr. R. G. Smethurst, 35.Mr. G. Davies, 25.Mr. J. R. Graham, 36.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service which of the 29 special advisers to Ministers, in addition to Mr. A. W. M. Graham, Mr. D. F. J. Piachaud, Mr R. G. Smethurst, and Mr. G. R. J. Richardson, are part-time advisers.

The information is as follows: Dr. F. Cripps, Professor B. Abel-Smith, Mr. A. Lynes, Mr. A. P. Lester, Professor M. J. Artis, Dr. J. E. Mitchell, Mr. G. Prys-Davies.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the special advisers who have ceased their appointments since 5th April 1975, to whom he referred in his written reply to the hon. Member for Eastbourne on 3rd March 1976.

The special advisers who have ceased their appointments since April 1975 are as follows: Mr. A. Banks, Mr. P. Chapman, Mr. K. J. Griffin, Mr. A. Ham^*, Dr. S. Holland, Dr. T. Josling, Professor Peston.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether temporary civil servants are permitted to participate in Press conferences and other canvassing activities on behalf of candidates for the leadership of the Labour Party.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has given instructions that unless they are in the politically free category, civil servants—including special advisers to Ministers—who wish to take part in activities of this nature must first resign their civil service appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals there are to provide new and additional court buildings in the next 10 years; what is the estimated cost; and how these will be financed.

The White Paper on Public Expenditure to 1979–80 (Cmnd. 6393) deals at page 78 with magistrates' courts and coroners' courts as well as with the higher courts for which my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is responsible. Capital expenditure on magistrates' courts and coroners' courts will provide for completion of new courthouses already under construction and a small programme of new works in 1976–77. This includes 12 magistrates' courthouses, all of which will replace existing buildings. The total estimated cost is £8 million and the providing authorities are reimbursed as to 80 per cent, of their expenditure by specific grant.The building programme for the Supreme Court and the county court is designed to provide more courtrooms to deal with the growing work load, particularly in the Crown court, and to replace unsatisfactory court accommodation. The estimated cost of the programme to 1979–80 is set out at page 82 of the White Paper. The costs are borne on the Votes of the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment.Building programmes for years after 1979–80 will be decided upon in the context of subsequent White Papers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislation to lay down adequate minimum standards of performance for fire extinguishers offered for sale for domestic use.

I do not consider that the prescription of a statutory performance standard for such appliances is justified in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consultations with Scottish organisations will be carried out prior to decision making on the EEC draft directive on harmonisation of summertime, in view of the special problems arising from Scotland's northerly and westerly location in relation to the Central European countries which are members of the EEC;(2) what steps he will take to oppose the EEC draft directive on harmonisation of summertime in view of the difficulty of applying its proposals to north west Atlantic nations such as Scotland.

The problems which the draft directive presents for the United Kingdom will be discussed with all interested departments, including that of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, before we take any final decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to the Exchequer of employing traffic wardens in the United Kingdom in 1975.

For the financial year 1975–76 the cost of salaries and related employer's expenses for traffic wardens in England and Wales is estimated to be £14,100,000, of which 50 per cent, is met by direct payments of police grant, and about 15 per cent, is included in the total of the rate support grant for the year. Estimates of other expenses are not available centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Home Office Advisory Committee on the administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 met during 1975.

Three times.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last published details of precautions that the householder should take to minimise the effects of nuclear fall-out.

These details were published in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has issued any guidelines which may be considered in the construction of new dwellings and public buildings to secure better protection from nuclear fall-out.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the date for the replacement of the Lawfords Gate Magistrates' Court at Staple Hill in the Kingswood constituency; and what immediate action he will take to replace the house used as a magistrates' clerk's office there.

A new building is needed to replace the existing courthouses at Staple Hill and Chipping Sodbury and to provide accommodation for the justices' clerk and his staff. In the present financial situation, we are unable to say when it may be possible to authorise the necessary expenditure but we should be prepared to consider modest proposals for improvement or replacement of the clerk's office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total amount spent from his Department's Vote on support of community relations councils and their work.

Excluding urban aid, it is estimated that the Home Office grant-in-aid to the Community Relations Commission in 1975–76 will amount to about £2 million and that some £700,000 of this will have been spent by the Commission in direct support of local community relations councils and their work. In addition, one community relations council has received a direct grant from the Voluntary Services Unit amounting to £4,000 in 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what part of urban aid programme expenditure is spent through community relations councils or on community relations projects.

About 1 per cent, of urban programme expenditure in 1974 was spent through community relations councils. Although many other urban programme projects are designed to benefit community relations more or less directly, it is not possible to identify the proportion of total urban programme expenditure spent specifically on "community relations" projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the figures of Commonwealth citizens admitted for settlement on arrival include all those holding work permits on arrival.

No. Since 1st January 1973 Commonwealth citizens who have been given leave to enter when holding work permits on arrival have been admitted subject to a time limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Commonwealth citizens in each of the last three years have had their conditions of stay revoked by him after they had exhausted their statutory rights of appeal.

Records are kept, by category, of the numbers of Commonwealth citizens allowed to remain by removal of time limit after initial entry subject to conditions, but it is not possible to distinguish which of these have previously gone through the appeal machinery.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has confirmed as accurate the statistics of net inflow—arrivals minus embarkations—from the new Commonwealth in Command Paper No. 5285.

I have no reason to believe that the figures for 1972, pub-fished in Command Paper No. 5285, were affected by double counting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the setting up of Mr. Speaker's Conference on Electoral Reform.

It is hoped that consultations with party leaders will be initiated very soon.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he would consider assisting North Vietnam with the technology and information for the construction of a chemical plant to produce fertilisers from coal.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he will consider providing grants and long-term loans to North and South Vietnam to facilitate the purchase of goods for industrial development from Great Britain.

I have received no requests from the Vietnamese authorities to provide major aid of this kind, and I have no present plans to provide it. I am, however, currently considering the possibility of a small technical assistance programme for English language teaching in Vietnam.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will give details of Great Britain's financial contribution to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) projects in Vietnam.

We gave £1 million in 1974–75 to the UNICEF appeal for its programme in Indo-China. In 1975 we gave £250,000 to the joint appeal by UNHCR and UNICEF for emergency relief in Indo-China, and £150,000 to the UNHCR appeal for refugees from Indo-China. These appeals were mainly devoted to North and South Vietnam.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether he has considered sending scientific and medical literature to Vietnam on a continuing basis.

Following the gift of medical and scientific books made to Vietnam last year our Ambassador in Hanoi has been authorised to offer a further gift for 1976. The Vietnamese authorities have asked for books on agriculture, agronomy and chemical engineering.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what steps he is taking to consult with Directorate VIII of the European Community on special programmes for overseas students, in the light of the Tindemans Report and proposals for the pooling of aid.

The proposal in the Tindemans Report for the pooling of aid has not yet been discussed or accepted by the nine Community member States. We are, however, in touch with Directorate General VIII of the Commission on the placing and administration of students from the developing countries who will be coming to Britain to take up training awards financied under the fourth Euroepan Development Fund.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what account was taken in allocating aid to Mozambique of British property there expropriated; and what assurances of compensation have been obtained.

This factor has been taken into account when considering future British development assistance for

		Appointed by Minister of Overseas Development
Name of Body	Total Membership	Civil Servants	Non-Civil Servants
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Centre for International Briefing (Farnham Castle) (Governing Body)	12–32	1	1
Commonwealth Development Corporation	6–12	—	11
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission	10–15	—	15
Crown Agents	8	—	7
	maximum
Imperial Cancer Research Fund (Representative Governors)	12	1	1
Indian Pension Funds
Civil Service Family Pension Fund (Transferred) Scheme	5	2	2
Military Service Family Pension Fund (Transferred) Scheme	5	2	2
Military Widows' and Orphans' Fund (Transferred) Scheme	5	2	2
The Superior Services (India) Family Pension Fund (Transferred) Scheme	5	2	2
Institute of Development Studies (Governing Body)	25	2	16
	maximum
Lomdom School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (Court of Governors)	37	1	1
Overseas Service Pensions Scheme	4	3	1
Overseas Students Fees Award Scheme	3	1	1
Queen Elizabeth House (Oxford) (Governing Body)	14	2	2
	maximum
Technical Education and Training Organisation for Overseas Countries (Board of Governors)	3	2	1
Tropical Medicine Research Board	10	—	5