asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many lone parents in the last year claimed supplementary benefit and/or family income supplement; how many of these were investigated for possible breach of the cohabitation rule; how many of these cases were proved; and how many resulted in prosecution.

The number of lone parents who claimed supplementary benefit in the last year is not known; but it is provisionally estimated that some 300,000 were receiving supplementary benefit in December 1975. About 31,000 were receiving family income supplement at the end of 1975.Special investigations took place in about 10,000 supplementary benefit cases, resulting in withdrawal of benefit in about 4,000 cases and prosecution in about 550. A sample enquiry in 1974 showed that benefit is withdrawn or refused in a further 4,000 cases a year where special investigation is not necessary. During 1975 three claimants were prosecuted for falsely claiming family income supplement as lone parents and of a further 11 claims investigated benefit was withdrawn in three cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will consider a sliding scale supplementary benefit disregard for one-parent families.

The use of sliding scale supplementary benefit disregards has been considered but has been rejected because of the additional complication it would introduce into supplementary benefit assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will list each of the recommendations of the Finer Report which has yet to be accepted in principle by her; and if she will make a statement detailing each such recommendation and reasons why the same has yet to be accepted; (2) if she will list each of the recommendations of the Finer Report which she now accepts and proposes should be put into effect, together, in each case, with the date upon which it is proposed each shall be put into effect.

The recommendations in the Finer Committee's Report involve both local authorities and a number of Government Departments. Of the recommendations for which my right hon. Friend is responsible, the following is the information requested (the numbers refer to the recommendation number in Part 9 of the Report):

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will review pensions to take into account recent price increases due to the EEC negotiations and other factors.

As my hon. Friend knows, pensions are regularly reviewed and each review has to take account of price increases, whatever the reason for them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she regards the present number and distribution of speech therapists as satisfactory.

No. More speech therapists are needed and there are wide disparities between numbers employed in the National Health Service in different parts of the country. The numbers being trained, however, are increasing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will undertake a re-appraisal of the rôle of pharmacists in the United Kingdom, in view of the experience of other EEC countries.

I have no proposals for reappraising the rôle of pharmacists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will set up a departmental inquiry into the desirability of accepting "injury by process" on a more general scale as an industrial accident.

This matter already falls within the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on the facts that have been sent to her, whereby an employer guarantees his employees £45 a week and yet unemployment pay for these same employees can be equivalent to £42·50 a week.

I have written to the hon. Member asking him to let me have details of how the sum of £42·50 is made up. It seems fairly certain, however, that this sum consists by no means solely of unemployment benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further plans she has to establish (a) detoxification centres and (b) other services for alcoholics.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my replies to him on 4th November 1975 and 8th March 1976. The Alcoholism Advisory Committee, which was set up last year to advise Health Ministers on services for alcoholics, has set up a sub-group to review and comment on the present pattern of services for alcoholics and their inter-relationship and to make recommendations. I understand that it hopes to report back to the main Committee by the end of this year. Meantime, soundly based schemes for hostels and other services for alcoholics will continue to be considered for grant support on the conditions set out in the Department's Circular 21/73.—[Vol. 899, c. 102; Vol. 907. c. 117–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals she has to establish further separate adolescent units for young mentally disturbed patients.

My Department is preparing a consultation paper on the future pattern of mental health services for the young. Consideration will be given to the particular needs of mentaly disturbed adolescents and to the extent to which further separate psychiatric units are required.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further action she proposes to take to implement the White Paper on Better Services for the Mentally I11.

I have emphasised that the White Paper is a long-term strategic document and must not be regarded as setting out a specific programme. The consultative document we shall be issuing on priorities in the health and personal social services in England will include proposals for the development of services for the mentally ill.Draft guidance will also shortly be issued for consultation with local authority and health authority interests on a joint care approach to planning including arrangements for joint financing.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she next intends to visit oil-producing countries to discuss co-operation with the United Kingdom in health matters.

I was intending to visit Nigeria at the end of this month in support of a medical equipment exhibition and seminar but this has had to be postponed. I have not yet arranged other visits to oil-producing countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reactions she has had from governments of oil-producing countries to her proposals for admitting their nationals to National Health Service hospitals.

Only one oil-producing country, Kuwait, has approached me about continued access for its nationals to National Health Service hospitals for specialised treatment after the phasing out of pay beds. I am considering what arrangement could be made in accordance with the proposals I made in my statement of 15th December that are to be embodied in legislation.—[Vol. 902, c. 971–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she expects her detailed proposals for the first stage of phasing out of pay beds to be published; and what opportunity will be given for representations to be made on the details before they are finalised.

I have asked health authorities and others concerned to let me have by 7th April comments on the contents I have proposed for inclusion in a Bill, to be published before Easter, of a schedule of the 1,000 beds to be phased out within six months of Royal Assent. Consultation on the actual location of these beds will continue after publication of the Bill.A copy of the proposed reductions and of my Department's letter of 27th February 1976 to health authorities is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether each of her four special advisers has a full-time appointment; on which dates and for how long each has been appointed; and what representations she has received that their salaries should be paid by the Labour Party rather than out of public funds.

Professor Abel-Smith, Mr. Straw and Mr. Lynes were appointed in March 1974 and have now completed two years' service. Mr. Alltimes commenced his duties approximately six months ago on 1st October 1975. Only Mr. Straw and Mr. Alltimes are employed on a full-time basis. I am not aware of receiving any representations that salaries of special advisers should be paid by the Labour Party.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will reconsider her policy on the payment of a seasonal bonus to pensioners before Christmas 1976.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Mr. O'Halloran) on 13th January.—[Vol. 903, c. 118.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied that all severely disabled persons in the Greater London area in need of extra assistance or equipment are now registered with their local authorities.

No. But approximately 50,000 names were added to the registers by the London boroughs during the two years ended 31st March 1975, the most recent date for which figures are available. In the same period, some 29,000 names were removed from the registers due to death and other causes. This suggests that these authorities have generally been making progress in registering severely disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she will announce her decision on quantity licensing of private medicine outside the National Health Service.

I have nothing at present to add to my reply to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) on 1st March.—[Vol. 906, c. 478–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government's proposals to limit the quantity of private medicine outside the National Health Service will be referred to the Royal Commission.

I am continuing my consultations with the medical and dental professions and other interested bodies on the control of development in the private sector of medicine. The position of the Royal Commission in this matter remains as stated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister when he announced its setting up on 20th October.—[Vol. 898, c. 35–45.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she will next meet the British Medical Association.

I am due to meet representatives of the British Medical Association and the British Dental Association tomorrow to receive their views about the future of the incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans she has to persuade patients to return surplus unused drugs to their doctor or pharmacist after treatment is concluded.

None. I welcome locally organised campaigns for the return of surplus medicines but their return is not essential. Patients can obtain advice on safe disposal from pharmacists and doctors. Surplus dispensed medicines are not suitable for re-issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions she has given to ensure that no lone parent is worse off by claiming the child interim benefit.

Because of the interaction between taxable and non-taxable, and means-tested and non-means-tested benefits, it is not possible to assess the effect of claiming child interim benefit in every individual case; but it would only be in relatively unusual circumstances that, over the year, a person could be worse off as a result of now claiming the interim benefit. Any lone parent in doubt about his or her position should consult the appropriate benefit paying authority. My Department has advised lone parents in receipt of supplementary benefit or family income supplement of the effects on those benefits of claiming child interim benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied that the child interim benefit will assist those lone families most in need.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she last met the representatives of the Home Helps Association.

I have not met representatives from the Institute of Home Help Organisers or the National Council of Home Help Services.I provisionally accepted an invitation to address a study course for home helps, which the National Council had hoped to hold in April, 1976, but the course has been deferred. My hon. Friend the Minister for the Disabled addressed the 1975 weekend school of the Institute of Home Help Organisations for which the theme was the care of the handicapped in their own homes.In addition, my officials have attended and addressed conferences run by the organisations and have met representatives of the Department.I have a great admiration for the home help service which I see as an essential part of domiciliary care provision, particularly in these days of scarce resources and restricted capital expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further action is contemplated in the matter of the sterilisation of children under the age of 16 years in the light of replies to her discussion paper issued on 31st October 1975.

As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend on 23rd February, we had asked organisations to submit their views on the discussion paper by the end of February if possible. To date a total of 246 replies have been received but replies are still awaited from several organisations including some representing professions who would be expected to be closely involved in decisions about the sterilisation of children under 16. We are asking them to let us have their views as quickly as possible.Meanwhile the analysis by the Department of the replies received on this complex issue is proceeding.—[Vol. 906, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are her plans for the provision of more secure accommodation, as a result of the Government's review of the working of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans she has for the provision of further secure accommodation for juveniles in 1976, 1977 and 1978.

A circular inviting local authorities to apply for grants under Section 71 of the Children Act 1975 to meet the initial cost of providing secure accommodation will be issued shortly. In addition local authorities have been invited to give priority to schemes for providing secure accommodation in 1976–77 and subsequent years.Finally, a second youth treatment centre with 54 secure places is being built and work is to begin this year on 12 additional places at the original centre and next year on a third centre with 72 places.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pairs of National Health Service spectacles were supplied in 1975.

The number of pairs of wholly National Health Service glasses supplied through the general ophthalmic services in Great Britain in 1975 was 1,844,758.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect the raising of school meals charges will have on the expenditure of the Supplementary Benefits Commission.

Increases in schools meals charges have no direct effect on supplementary benefit expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is satisfied with the agreement between the Supplementary Benefits Commission and the fuel boards on fuel debts and disconnections.

I am satisfied that this agreement represents a step forward in the liaison arrangements which exist between the Supplementary Benefits Commision and the fuel authorities to avoid disconnections of fuel supplies, and as such I welcome it.The Commission recognises that the operation of this agreement will need to be kept under review, and it would wish to be informed of any cases in which the new arrangements are claimed not to be working well, in order, after investigation, to consider whether modifications might be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will consider ensuring the entitlement to a mobility allowance for those suffering from severe agoraphobia and who are dependent on their own transport to enable them to live a normal life.

The basis of the mobility allowance scheme, as of the vehicle service which in effect it now supersedes, is that entitlement depends on inability or virtual inability to walk because of physical disablement. We have no present plans for changing the medical criterion of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will study new ways of raising finance for the National Health Service.

I am always ready to consider proposals for increasing the resources available to the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement about geriatric hospital bed provision in the Nuneaton area.

The need for additional geriatric beds in Nuneaton is recognised by the West Midlands Regional Health Authority, and a scheme to provide 56 beds is included in its outline capital programme for the next 10 years. The exact priority to be accorded to the Nuneaton scheme within the programme period is to be further discussed with the Warwickshire Area Health Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now instruct regional health authorities to ensure a more even distribution of financial resources between area health authorities.

I have already asked regional health authorities to observe as far as possible, in determining their allocations to area health authorities for 1976–77, the principles I have followed in distributing resources to regions, having regard to relative deprivation. I expect to receive in the middle of this year advice from the Resource Allocation Working Party on matters which it is further considering, including factors which they conclude should be taken into account in the distribution of resources to area health authorities in subsequent years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will consult her EEC colleagues about bringing forward proposals for harmonising pension provisions and the age of retirement within the Community.

The Heads of Government at their meeting in December 1974 made it their objective to harmonise the degree of social security afforded by the various member States, but without requiring that the social systems obtaining in all member States should be identical. This objective is being pursued through the normal processes of consultation between member States arising out of the functioning of the Treaty of Rome.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will visit the hostels for former mental patients in Birmingham.

I visited Birmingham on 3rd March and saw hostel accommodation for the mentally disordered provided privately, as well as facilities provided by the Salvation Army and the City Council. My right hon. Friend has no plans for a similar visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she will next meet representatives of the Royal College of Nursing.

I met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing at the end of January. No date has been fixed for a further meeting but I am always ready to see them when the need arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now raise the present limits of earnings-related benefit.

The range of earnings on which earnings-related supplements are calculated is determined by the lower and upper earnings limits for contribution liability in the tax year relevant to the claim. From 4th January 1976 the maximum supplement payable rose to £10·27, based on average weekly earnings of £54 or more in the 1974–75 tax year; from 2nd January 1977 the maximum rate will rise to £12·18, based on average weekly earnings of £69 or more in the 1975–76 tax year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many qualified doctors left the National Health Service and emigrated during 1973, 1974 and 1975, respectively.

Figures for the number of temporarily registered doctors emigrating are not available. 990 fully or provisionally registered doctors left the National Health Service and emigrated during 1973; of these 540 were born outside the United Kingdom and Irish Republic. The information requested is not available for 1974 and 1975, but I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Mr. Davies) on 18th March for the total number of doctors who emigrated from Great Britain in those years.—[Vol. 907, c. 629.]

asked the Seccretary of State for Social Services when she next proposes to meet representatives of the junior doctors to discuss their pay and conditions.

The forum for such discussion is the Joint Negotiating Committee for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff, on which I am represented by my officials. The Committee met on 17th March. Other meetings between officials and junior doctors' representatives take

asked the Secretary of Stale for Social Services what is the current shortage of nursing staff at each of the mental hospitals in Surrey; and what steps she is taking to deal with this situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the weekly pay of hospital consultants with merit awards of each category and consultants without merit awards on 1st January for each of the last five years, respectively.

The information is as follows:

Following are figures by district for the mental illness and mental handicap hospitals managed by the Surrey AHA as at 30th September 1975. Hospitals situated in Surrey but managed by other AHAs are excluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in arranging for a study of the Unification Church and similar organisations covering all aspects of possible harm from them as announced in his letter to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley on 19th September 1975.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information is available to her on wards of hospitals in the Greater London Area which are empty because of lack of staff; and what action she proposes to deal with the situation.

The following hospitals within the Greater London Area had wards closed on 16th March 1976 because of lack of staff:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current shortage of nursing staff at each of the general hospitals in Surrey; and what steps she is taking to deal with this situation.

The figures for general geriatric and maternity hospitals managed by Districts of the Surrey Area Health Authority were as follows on 30th September 1975:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much additional room space is being sought for administrative work in the hospital service in the Greater London Area since the reorganisation of the Health Service.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the distribution of money allocated to the hospital service in the Greater London area; and if she will make a statement.

The revenue allocations for 1976–77 to the Thames regional health authorities, and to the boards of governors of the postgraduate teaching hospitals as a whole, have been based on a revised distribution formula, adopted following advice from the Resource Allocation Working Party, which has regard to relative deprivation. We have asked all regional health authorities, in distributing resources to area health authorities, to follow as far as possible similar principles.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report details of all preparatory arrangements undertaken by her Department for dealing with the Australian variety of flu (A virus); what representations were made to her between August and December 1975 by the World Health Organisation Influenza Centre and other related bodies; and what advice she sought from them and when.

An Advisory Group on Influenza met on 30th September to review influenza vaccination in the light of recent experience in the United Kingdom and other parts of the World, including Australia and the Far East where a new strain of influenza A Virus has appeared. In recommendations, which were endorsed by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, were incorporated in a letter from the Chief Medical Officer to doctors in November. I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.World Health Organisation reports to member States on the international surveillance of communicable disease, including influenza, are published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record. This information was available to the Advisory Group.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what numbers and percentage of the total population were vaccinated against flu between September 1975 and the latest date for which figures are available.

Influenza vaccine is not recommended for general use. Certain groups at special risk may benefit from vaccination, but this is a matter for individual assessment by doctors. We have no record of the number of vaccinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her latest estimate of the number of children for whom child benefit will become payable when it is introduced.

Nearly 14 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the percentage by which child benefit would have to be reduced in order to pay an additional benefit of twice the reduced figure to an estimated 100,000 severely handicapped children.

For a particular group of 100,000 children to receive, on top of the child benefit payable to all other children, an additional benefit equal to twice that amount, the general rate would have to be reduced by 1·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what number of beds is available for geriatric and psycho-geriatric patients in the Wigan Metropolitan area; and how this figure, expressed as a percentage, compares with the regional and the national average.

414 geriatric beds were available in Wigan Area on 30th June 1975, representing approximately 10·9 beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and over. The comparable ratios for North Western Region and England are, respectively, 8·8 and 8·7.There are 87 beds in Wigan specifically available for elderly patients suffering from severe mental infirmity. These are in addition to the 414 geriatric beds. In England generally, such patients are mainly cared for in psychiatric hospitals and beds for them are not separately enumerated regionally or nationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she proposes to take in connection with the action of the International Chemical Company in advising retail pharmacists not to support the proposals of her Department to limit the size of packs and display methods of analgesics, against the advice of the Pharmaceutical Society.

My Department has recently invited comments on proposals to bring Part III of the Medicines Act 1968 fully into operation. The proposals are based on recommendations by the Medicines Commission, including recommendations on pack size and display methods of analgesics, and will be reviewed in the light of comments made. The proposed pack size restriction does not apply to analgesics sold or supplied by retail pharmacists. I have received no comments from this company.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she remains satisfied with the local working procedures of her Department in checking suspected social security benefit abuse.

The hon. Member's premise is wrong: we are always seeking to improve our procedures for countering fraud and abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current numbers of medical students entering the medical schools; and how much this is expected to rise between now and 1980.

3,459 students were admitted to courses in medicine in Great Britain in 1975. Admissions are expected to rise to about 4,000 in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many times he has had official meetings with the Chairman of the University Grants Committee.

I keep in touch regularly with the Chairman of the University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the Chairman of the Natural Environment Research Council.

On 13th February 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the Chairman of the Medical Research Council.

I have not yet met the Chairman of the Medical Research Council. I met the secretary in July 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many times he has met the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.

Twice, on 24th July and 9th December 1975. My hon. Friend the Minister of State met them on 29th January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the Chairman of the Social Science Research Council.

On 22nd January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the functions and the terms of reference of the Schools Council; who appoints the members; if he will list the members of the Council; and what discussions he has had regarding the standards in CSE and GCE examinations.

The functions of the Schools Council and information about the appointment of members are set out in the Council's constitution. I am sending the hon. Member a copy, together with a list of members of the Council.The Council, amongst other things, acts on my behalf as the central co-ordinating authority for the GCE and CSE examinations and keeps the monitoring and maintenance of standards under review. My Department is kept informed of the results of this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the Chairman of the Computer Board.

I have had no official meetings with the Chairman of the Computer Board, but my noble Friend the then Minister of State met him on 27th June 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the level at which the defence forces of the Crown are being maintained.

The defence policy of Her Majesty's Government is described in Command 6432. We are maintaining the level of forces necessary to support that policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many widows of ex-Service men in each branch of the Armed Forces who left service before 1st September 1950 were not entitled to draw Service widow's pension; and what it would cost to include them within the scheme.

As I have said in reply to previous Questions on this subject, no records are available from which accurate estimates can be made. About two years ago an assumption was made that there were about 30,000 widows in this category for all three Services. To assess the cost of paying pensions under current arrangements to these widows it would be necessary to know the rank held by the husband on his retirement or death and the length of his service; I regret that all this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service personnel are involved in recruitment activities.

A total of 2,647 Service personnel—including 149 retired officers—are currently employed in Armed Services cruitment centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service men have been recruited through advertising campaigns; and how many through recruitment activities.

All applications for entry to the Armed Forces are processed by regional careers information offices or central selection panels. Advertising plays an important part in drawing to the attention of potential applicants the advantages of a Service career, but it is not possible to assess with any degree of accuracy how many successful applications are directly attributable to this factor.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many infantry battalions are at present based in Great Britain; and how many will be so based after the reorganisation of the home-based Army into field forces.

As stated in my reply of 16th June 1975—[Official Report, Vol. 893, c. 344–5] to the hon. Member, there are 29 Regular British infantry battalions statioed in the United Kingdom. The number will remain unchanged after reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is intended to maintain the existence of the Territorial Parachute Brigade; and, if so. what is to be its future rôle.

The three existing TAVR parachute battalions will be retained. The rôle of 44 Parachute Brigade HQ will be taken over by a new formation, the Seventh Field Force, and the HQ will be disbanded.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to which yards the work at present carried out at the Royal Naval Aircraft Yard at Wroughton will be transferred; and how many staff will be saved.

The work on the repair and maintenance of helicopters which is at present carried out at Wroughton will be transferred to the Royal Naval Aircraft Yard at Fleetlands, where the work can be absorbed within the available facilities and with a relatively small addition of staff. Details of the transfer, and the arrangements for storage of the helicopters, are still being worked out, but it is our aim to achieve a net saving of about 200 staff, by 1st April 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether copies of the Defence White Paper, Command Paper No. 6432, were available to the media before 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday 17th March when they were available to hon. Members at the Vote Office; when they were available to the media; how many copies were issued; and to what media organisations they were issued.

The publication time of Command 6432 was 11 a.m. on 17th March 1976. Because of an industrial dispute at Her Majesty's Stationery Office, copies were not available in the Vote Office or to the public at that time. In accordance with long-standing practice, confidential final revises of the document subsequently published as Command 6432 were made available to the lobby and defence correspondents in advance of publication time.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the items of British defence equipment which have been ordered by the United States Government or by United States military contractors following the conclusion of the Anglo/American Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Sales, and also the items of British defence equipment which are currently under consideration for possible American purchase.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Chertsey and Walton (Mr. Pattie) on 25th November 1975.—[Vol. 901, c. 113–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons under the age of 17 years were accommodated in adult prison establishments at the most recent convenient date.

On 29th February there were 24 in local prisons of whom 14 had been sentenced to borstal training.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will advise Her Majesty the Queen to dismiss the Director-General of the BBC.

No. The Director-General of the BBC is appointed by the Board of Governors.

Morrison asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's present policy towards the extension of work permits for foreigners who possess unique skills which are of benefit to the United Kingdom.

The practice followed in considering extensions of stay of foreign nationals who entered the country with work permits is set out in the Statement of Immigration Rules for Control after Entry: EEC and other non-Commonwealth Nationals (House of Commons Paper 1972–73 No. 82). Extensions may be granted if the applicant is still engaged in the employment specified in the permit or other employment approved by the Department of Employment and the employer confirms that he wishes to continue to employ him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department,(1) how many people were taken to court during 1975 for failing to pay a fixed penalty traffic offence; how many of those were prosecuted successfully; how many of those prosecuted failed to pay the fines following conviction; and how many were imprisoned for failing to pay these fines;(2) what was the total amount of fines paid during the year 1975 for fixed penalty traffic offences.

Information relating to 1975 is not yet available.£4,565,674 was paid in fixed penalties in respect of notices issued in England and Wales in 1974. It is not an offence to fail to pay a fixed penalty, but the person concerned is then liable to prosecution for the original alleged offence. 122,981 prosecutions were brought in such circumstances in respect of notices issued in 1974. Information on the outcome of those proceedings is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current outstanding amount of fines for fixed penalty traffic offences, owed but not yet paid, allowing for the 21 day period permitted to pay such fines.

I regret that information about outstanding fixed penalties is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of administering the fixed penalty traffic offences in 1975.

I regret that this cost cannot be separaely identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total of public funds paid each

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds are made available to the National Council for Civil Liberties.

W. Lyon: No public funds are, or have been, made available to the National Council for Civil Liberties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of how many sets of circumstances the orders and regulations of the Metropolitan Police, as approved by the Home Secretary under the Act of 1829, give guidance to police commanders that prosecutions should not be brought, comparable to that given with regard to events arising from neighbours' feuds.

Any such guidance would not require my approval under Section 5 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1829.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the orders and regulations of the Metropolitan Police approved under Section 5 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 during January 1976 were examined personally by a Minister.

All approvals under this section are given on my responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel and dependants of the Chilean Navy are resident in Scotland.

This information is not available from immigration records.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any figures are available as to the cost to public authorities and private industries of acts of vandalism and wilful damage; and if he will publish a list of the relative figures for the last 10 years.

W. Lyon: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Aberdeen. South (Mr. Sproat) on 16th February.—[Vol. 905, c. 486–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has authorised any increase in the Derbyshire Constabulary.

An increase of 150–25 sergeants and 125 constables—has been approved from 1st April 1976, bringing the total establishment to 1,709.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients released from Broadmoor under a Home Office restriction order are now living with their families in the community or are attached to hostels.

Of the 66 patients discharged from Broadmoor Hospital who are currently under supervision in Great Britain as a condition of their discharge, 53 are living with their families or in other private accommodation and 13 are in hostels. Information is not available in respect of discharged patients who are no longer subject to supervision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on security arrangements at London underground stations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the security arrangements taken to protect the public travelling on public transport; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional steps he intends to take to protect train crews and passengers from terrorist attacks.

The Metropolitan Police are keeping in close touch with the British Rail and London Transport police on this matter. Police surveillance of stations and trains has been considerably increased, and I understand that transport staff have also increased searches of trains. But, with over 300 stations and 2 million passengers a day on the London underground system alone, the vigilance of the public must be the first line of defence. The police and the transport authorities, with the Government's full support, are using every available means of reminding the travelling public of the importance of their vigilance and of telling them what they should and should not do, and how best they can help to deal with this threat of mindless and indiscriminate savagery.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding access for the disabled and elderly to new buildings.

I have recently been in touch with my hon. Friend the Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Callaghan) about his proposed amendment to the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which deals with these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of efforts to promote the wider use by the community of facilities already available at major football and cricket grounds in urban areas; and what financial support is being made available to develop such schemes.

I understand that the Sports Council has had discussions with more than 20 professional football clubs and county cricket clubs about the wider use of their facilities. Some schemes are already operating with financial support from the Sports Council, local authorities and voluntary bodies. The independent Football Grounds Improvement Trust contributes towards the provision of ground improvements required under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act and, in the longer term, to the provision of facilities at football grounds which will be available to the community as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has that local authorities in England and Wales are making adequate provision for kick-about areas, particularly on their housing estates.

Regional Sports Councils have reported that the provision of "kick about" areas is a high priority in the recreation programmes of a large number of urban authorities, and I understand that many inquiries have been received from local authorities about providing such areas.The position in Wales is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to encourage the wider community use of currently unused private sports grounds in urban areas.

The White Paper on Sport and Recreation published last August (Cmnd. 6200) stated the importance of ensuring that the maximum use is made by the community of facilities already available, and stressed the particular importance of this in a period of financial restraint. This is a principle which I have consistently urged for many years. I look to regional sports councils, local authorities and all who are interested in sports development to be constantly on the look out for means of making better use of existing facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those Sports Council grants made during the past three years towards the cost of partnership schemes designed to provide sports and recreational opportunities for both employees of private firms and the community at large.

I am informed that the Sports Council has offered grants as follows for partnership schemes:

£50,000 offered to Bournemouth Association Football Club in November 1973.

£22,500 offered to The Squash Rackets Association in January 1975.

£50,000 offered to Bristol Squash Rackets Centre Ltd., in February 1975.

£25,000 offered to Sunderland Association Football Club in May 1975.

£50,000 offered to Tranmere Rovers Football Club in September 1975.

£17,500 offered to Durham Squash Club in November 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he gave advice to those carrying out the MOT test that they should use only hand and thumb pressure and that they should not probe with a hammer or with a screwdriver when checking for rust; in what circumstances and by whom such advice was issued; and in what form.

Probing with a hammer or screwdriver is not necessary to determine whether corrosion exists, and may only make the condition of a defective part worse or impair a vehicle's underseal. The Department's advice to nominated testers is based on many years' experience of roadworthiness testing. It will be incorporated in the revised tester's manual, which has been agreed by the technical committees of the Motor Agents' Association and the Scottish Motor Traders' Association, which I hope to publish shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish statistics showing the growth of roll-on—roll-off lorry movements through ports controlled by the British Transport Docks Board, in a form comparable to that adopted by the Dover Harbour Board in the publication of its relevant statistics.

Following is the information for Dover, Hull and Southampton. For reasons of commercial confidentiality separate statistics are not available for other ports controlled by the British Transport Docks Board.Road Goods vehicle movements through Dover, Hull and Southampton: 1969–1974

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to mitigate the consequences to claimants of compensation under the Housing Act 1969 in respect of successive occupation cases following the verdict in the Reeve v. West Hartlepool case.

I intend to propose amending legislation to deal with this point when a suitable opportunity arises. In the meantime I am prepared to consider applications from local authorities for sanction to make extra statutory payments in cases affected by this decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report in tabular form details of the area, location and price paid for all land acquired by the London Borough of Hillingdon for housing purposes for which loan sanction has been granted during each of the past five years.

Local authorities do not require specific loan sanction to acquire land for housing, and therefore this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his consultation paper concerning the water industry; if this will contain any reference to the metering of domestic water supplies; and if he has received any representations from the National Water Council on this matter.

The consultative document initiating the full review of the industry was published last week. It contains only a passing reference to the metering of domestic water supply; my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received no formal representations from the National Water Council on that subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the increases in allotment charges by local authorities, in view of the Government's policy of increasing the production of food from our own resources; and if he will make a statement.

The Allotments Acts require local authorities to charge reasonable rents for their allotments, subject to abatements in cases of individual hardship. My Department has encouraged local authorities to review the charges for services which they provide, and some authorities have increased allotment rents which in many areas had for long been unrealistically low. Despite these increases, the demand for allotments continues to rise.