asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now reconsider the possibility of helping slate quarrymen who suffer from silicosis and associated lung diseases in view of the delay in the likely completion of the Pearson Commission's report on civil liability and personal injury.

No. I have nothing to add to what my hon. Friend said in the Adjournment debate on 1st March 1976.—[Vol. 906, c. 1061–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the applications from Scotland for temporary employment subsidy showing the number of jobs and the total amount of the subsidy in each case.

I give below, the information required, as on 23rd April, by establishments. It is not the practice of the Department to make public the names of firms applying for the temporary employment subsidy. The total amount of subsidy authorised for Scotland is £3,456,510; relating to 4,836 jobs covered by 53 applications.

Industry	Number of jobs	Amount of subsidy authorised assuming 12 months payment£
Textiles	95	7,920*
	54	6,970*
	117	67,925
	125	85,410
	69	52,260
	136	43,680
	66	43,680
	188	76,050
	122	91,650
	128	111,020
	119	81,900
	171	145,145
	27	21,840
	67	58,240
	27	24,570
	235	‡
	95	†

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Manpower Services Commission to open its proposed job shop in Ramsgate; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in its opening.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Employment Service Agency has encountered unexpected difficulties in the negotiations and legal formalities connected with the acquisition of a lease for the premises proposed for a jobcentre in Ramsgate. It is hoped that the negotiations and legal formalities will be successfully concluded in the near future and the jobcentre should be opened about six months thereafter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of repossession orders in agriculture in England at the latest date for which the figures are available.

I understand from the Lord Chancellor's Department that the appropriate figure for England within the figures shown in Civil Judicial Statistics for 1974 was 1,170.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the percentages of agricultural workers in service houses in England since the Second World War.

There are no official and separate figures for England and Wales in the form requested. Figures taken from sample inquiries carried out by my Ministry covering England and Wales jointly show the following approximate percentages of regular whole-time male workers receiving payments-in-kind in respect of a house in the years specified:

Year Ending	Percentage
31st December 1974	55
30th September 1964	50
30th September 1954	45
30th September 1948 (first available)	34

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the percentages, by category of employment, for full-time male agricultural workers in England housed in service houses at the latest date for which the figures are available.

I regret that information is not available separately for England and for Wales. A sample inquiry carried out by my Ministry in 1974 showed the following approximate percentages, by employment category, of hired regular whole-time male workers in England and Wales receiving payments in kind in respect of a house:

	percentage
Foremen	71
Dairy cowmen	80
Other Stockmen	62
Tractor Drivers	63
General farm workers	48
Horticultural workers	22
Other farm workers	50

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage of men housed in agricultural service houses in England at the latest date for which the figures are available.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested, nor separately for England and for Wales. A sample inquiry carried out by my Ministry in 1974 showed that approximately 55 per cent. of hired regular whole-time male agricultural workers in England and Wales received payment in kind in respect of a house.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the approximate number of full-time hired agricultural labourers living in service houses in England at the latest date for which the figures are available.

In the consultative document "Abolition of the Tied Cottage System in Agriculture" issued last August, an estimate was given of some 63,000 cottages in England and Wales being occupied by hired regular whole-time farm workers. Of this number, it seems likely that rather more than 61,000 are in England.

asked the Minisster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average annual decline in the regular whole-time labour force in agriculture in England for which the latest figures are available.

The average annual decline in the regular whole-time labour force in agriculture in England between June 1971 and June 1975 was approximately 2½ per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total full-time agricultural hired labour force in England at the latest date for which the figures are available.

The June 1975 agricultural returns showed that there were 138,827 regular whole-time hired workers employed in agriculture in England.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the level of food surpluses held by Common Market intervention.

According to the latest information available, the following quantities are currently held in official intervention stocks within the Community:

	Metric tones
Cereals
Wheat	1,824,000
Durum wheat	317,000
Rye	192,000
Barley	532,000
Milk products
Butter	117,186
Skimmed milk powder	1,189,677
*Cheese	14,570
Beef	220,000
Olive oil	66,000
Oilseed (rape seed)	6,000
*The figure for cheese relates only to Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano which are the only types of cheese brought in by the intervention agencies in Italy.

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of royalties on vegetable and glasshouse seeds received by the National Seed Development Organisation during the last financial year.

The total amount of royalties on vegetable and glasshouse seeds received by the National Seed Development Organisation during the last financial year ended 30th June 1975 was £14,011.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's attitude towards the EEC negotiations with the cane sugar producers, with particular reference to Her Majesty's Government's support for the Commonwealth producers.

The EEC's negotiations with the cane sugar producers are being conducted by the EEC Commission on behalf of member States in accordance with an agreed negotiating mandate. I cannot comment on the possible outcome of these negotiations.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the special advisers to each Minister on 14th April 1976.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on Monday 26th April by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.— [Vol. 910, c. 34.]

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the regular disclosure of official reports and public information to the media prior to the circulation of this information to Members of Parliament, he will move to appoint a Select Committee to investigate all aspects of circulation of Government information and reports, and the extent to which such information should deliberately be kept from Members of Parliament to enable the media to publicise it.

I have at present no plans to do so. However, I am considering whether any changes would be justified in the system of distribution of documents to the Press and Members of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the lease of the London Centre Civil Service College was first signed; what was the rent at that time; what was the date when the lease expired; if it is to be renewed; what is the estimated amount of the revised rent; and what that would represent as the cost per square foot.

The lease for the London Centre Civil Service College was first signed on 29th September 1969 and it runs until 28th September 1997. Whether it will be renewed or not will be considered in the light of circumstances nearer the date of its expiry. Information about the rent cannot be provided, because to do so would breach a commercial confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now received the report of the working party of the National Association of Youth Clubs and the National Council for Social Service on relief for vehicles run by voluntary organisations.

No. I understand that this report is not yet ready.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the Devlin Committee on evidence of identification in criminal cases will be published; and if he will make a statement.

The report is published today. I should like to express my thanks to Lord Devlin and his colleagues for their thorough and constructive work. I am studying the report and intend urgently to consult those with an interest in identification evidence and procedures before making proposals for change.I had to consider whether it was right that the published report should include the name and photograph of a man who is said in the opinion of the Committee to have committed offences in respect of which Mr. Laszlo Virag was convicted in July 1969 and subsequently received a free pardon. Only in wholly exceptional circumstances would I think it right not to publish the report in full and my conclusion, after consultation with the chairman, was that the Committee's view that the photograph is essential for a proper understanding of the report should be accepted, and that it would be artificial to withhold the name but to publish the photograph, or vice versa.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when the Metrication Board was set up; who constitutes the board; who are the chairman and vice-chairman of the board; what salary or expenses are drawn; and what has been the total cost to the board to date.

The decision to set up the Metrication Board was reported to Parliament in a statement made by the Minister of Technology on 26th July 1968.—[Vol. 769, c. 1167–71.] The board came into existence in May 1969. The decision was endorsed in the White Paper on Metrication of February 1972 (Cmnd. 4880).The members of the board are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans she has for further reference to the Price Commission.

I am asking the Price Commission to carry out a study of the charges for funerals, including associated charges. I have had a number of letters on this subject from hon. Members and from members of the public, and I know that the bill for a funeral often comes as a shock to the bereaved and represents a considerable outlay for many people. I am sure that a study of the cost of funerals will be generally welcomed.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what study she has made of the evidence of the 400 per cent. addition to potato prices in one year submitted to her by the hon. Member for Cannock; and if she will now reconsider her decision not to fix maximum prices for potatoes.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26th April 1976; Vol. 910, c. 12], gave the following information:I have carefully considered this evidence and have written to my hon. Friend explaining why the Government continue to believe that fixing maximum prices for potatoes would not be in the consumers' best interests. This would stimulate consumption, while making the United Kingdom market less attractive to the imports which are essential to supplement the reduced United Kingdom stocks remaining from last season.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the sums paid for overtime work in the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and the Northern Ireland Ministry of Agriculture in each financial year since 1968–69.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, Vol. 910, c. 37], gave the following answer:The information sought is not readily available and could not be obtained with. out disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if water rates are charged for garages to which no water supply exists.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the Question by the hon. Member for Clack-mannan and East Stirlingshire (Mr. Reid) on 4th March 1976.—[Vol. 906, c. 706.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to introduce legislation to ratify the European Patent Convention.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr Shersby) yesterday.—[Vol. 910, c. 18–19.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average annual decline in the regular whole-time labour force in agriculture in England for which the latest figures are available.

I assume that the hon. Member intended to refer to Wales. The average annual decline in the regular whole-time labour force in agriculture in Wales between June 1971 and June 1975 was approximately 2½ per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total full-time agricultural hired labour force in Wales at the latest date for which the figures are available.

The June 1975 agricultural returns showed that there were 5,587 regular whole-time hired workers employed in agriculture in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the percentages of agricultural workers in service houses in Wales since the Second World War.

There are no official and separate figures for England and Wales in the form requested. Figures taken from sample inquiries carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food covering England and Wales jointly show the following approximate percentages of regular whole-time male workers receiving payments-in-kind in respect of a house in the years specified:

Year Ending	Percentage
31st December 1974	55
30th September 1964	50
30th September 1954	45
30th September 1948 (first available)	34

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the percentages, by category of employment, for full-time male agricultural workers in Wales housed in service houses at the latest date for which the figures are available.

I regret that information is not available separately for England and for Wales. A sample inquiry carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1974 showed the following approximate percentages, by employment category, of hired regular whole-time male workers in England and Wales receiving payments-in-kind in respect of a house:—

	Per cent
Foremen	71
Dairy cowmen	80
Other stockmen	62
Tractor drivers	63
General farmworkers	48
Horticultural workers	22
Other farmworkers	50

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of men housed in agricultural service houses in Wales at the latest date for which the figures are available.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested, nor separately for England and for Wales. A sample carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1974 showed that approximately 55 per cent. of hired regular whole-time male agricultural workers in England and Wales received payment-in-kind in respect of a house.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the approximate number of full-time hired agricultural labourers living in service houses in Wales at the latest date for which the figures are available.

In the consultative document "Abolition of the Tied Cottage System in Agriculture" issued last August, an estimate was given of some 63,000 cottages in England and Wales being occupied by hired regular whole-time farm workers. Of this number, it seems likely that rather less than 2,000 are in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of repossession orders in agriculture in Wales at the latest date for which the figures are available.

I understand from the Lord Chancellor's Department that the appropriate figure for Wales within the figures shown in Civil Judicial Statistics for 1974 was 13.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the proportion of doctors in the National Health Service to each 10,000 of the United Kingdom population at the most recent available date; how this compares with the first full year of the service; and what, from international sources available to him, is the current proportion of practising doctors in the population of Czechoslovakia, France, Canada, New Zealand and Denmark, respectively.

In 1974 it is estimated that there were some 12 National Health Service doctors per 10,000 population, the number of hospital doctors and GPs per head being about 50 per cent. greater than 1949. In 1972, the proportions were Czechoslovakia 22·5, France 14·1, Canada 15·8, New Zealand 11·8 and Denmark 16·3.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of emigration of United Kingdom-trained doctors; and what action he proposes to take in this regard.

No. I am naturally concerned when skilled people leave the country. Sometimes doctors are attracted by superior facilities that may be available elsewhere. Thus it is important to strengthen the National Health Service, and, despite the standstill in public expenditure as a whole from 1976–77 to 1979–80, there is provision for growth in current expenditure on the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidance on treatment policy for chronically sick mental patients.

The White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill" issued last October discusses the care of the chronic mentally ill and stresses the need to improve services to meet the needs of long-stay patients in mental hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the child interim benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the child interim benefit.

Payment of child interim benefit of £1·50 a week began on 6th April. Up to that date 185,582 claims had been received. The benefit will continue to be paid through the year to April 1977, when it will be absorbed within the general child benefit scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to encourage United Kingdom-trained doctors serving abroad to return to the National Health Service.

There are arrangements for health authorities to pay the expenses of British-trained doctors attending interviews, and to pay the travel expenses for them and their families when they take up a post. Authorities may also advertise posts overseas in certain cases. I should add that several hundred British doctors return to this country each year without any special arrangements being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how he plans to encourage more United Kingdom-trained doctors to practise in the United Kingdom.

The great majority of United Kingdom-trained doctors already practise in this country and the programme of medical school expansion provides the capacity to increase these numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on his consultation document about staff elections to health authorities.

In total, 115 letters on this subject have been received. Each is being carefully analysed and any summary I could give at this stage would be incomplete.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent consultations he has had with the Royal College of Nursing.

My predecessor met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing at the end of January and discussed with them the college's paper on "Priorities in the National Health Service", and I am arranging to meet them shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many speech therapists are now in training; and if he will make a statement on future speech therapy provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take on the Quirk Report on speech therapy.

Most of these major recommendations of the Quirk Report for which my Department is responsible have already been implemented. Further progress will depend largely on the degree of priority accorded to this important service by health authorities, within the resources available to them. About 700 speech therapy students are at present in training. This is an increase of 60 over the number of students in training in January in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the withdrawal of invalid vehicles from haemophiliacs and disabled mothers.

My right hon. Friend received representations last year from the Joint Committee on Mobility for the Disabled, the Central Council for the Disabled and other bodies representing disabled people about provision for haemophiliacs and disabled mothers in the new Mobility Allowance Scheme. I explained the reasons for the Government's policy decisions affecting these groups in my reply to the hon. Member on 25th November 1975. [Vol. 901, c. 146.] The new scheme does not entail withdrawing cars from existing holders.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what date he expects to phase out prescription charges

We have already taken limited steps to phase out these charges, but the date will depend on economic circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will relax the earnings limit for those eligible for the invalid care benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute an annual review of the earnings stop for recipients of the invalid care allowance.

I would refer the hon. Members to paragraphs 16 to 22 of the recent Report of the National Insurance Advisory Committee (House of Commons Paper No. 271) on the draft Social Security (Invalid Care Allowance) Regulations, S.I. 1976 No. 409. The committee considered with great care both the level of earnings which would be consistent with the receipt of a benefit intended for people who have taken on a full-time caring rôle and the question of reviewing that level. The committee's recommendation that the level should be set at £6 a week, instead of £4 as proposed in the draft Regulations, will be implemented when invalid care allowance begins in July. Moreover, the level will be reviewed from time to time as the committee advised.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about his plans for the future development of the pharmaceutical industry.

I am still in negotiation with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry about advertising practice and promotion costs. As to the development of the industry, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my speech during the debate on the Medicines (Fees) Regulations on 7th April.—[Vol. 909, c. 582–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to meet representatives of the Royal College of Midwives.

I have no plans at present to see representatives of the Royal College of Midwives but I am always ready to see them when the need arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what means he plans to attract greater revenue to the National Health Service.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Harrow. East (Mr. Dykes) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has recently received from the Society of Pharmacists.

Shaw asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from pharmacists in the United Kingdom recently.

I am considering a number of representations from the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on matters concerning the provision of pharmaceutical services. Perhaps the hon. Members would inform me which aspects they have in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service employees will be unable to vote or stand as staff representatives in regional health authorities and area health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

We are still receiving the views of National Health Service employing authorities and staff organisations on which employees should be eligible to vote for, or stand as, staff members of regional health authorities and area health authorities. We have received suggestions that only members of unions affiliated to the TUC should be eligible to participate in the electoral process, and also that all members of staff should be eligible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many suicides were committed by patients in mental hospitals last year; and if he will make a statement.

In 1974, the latest year for which figures are available, the number of deaths of in-patients by suicide reported by mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units in England and Wales for the mental health inquiry was 86.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to provide suitable accommodation for young offenders.

Local authorities are responsible for providing accommodation for the juveniles, including offenders, in their care and it is for them, acting through childrens regional planning committees, to plan the accommodation needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he remains satisfied with the salary differential that exists between school nurses and tuberculosis visitors with the health visitor's certificate and school nurses and tuberculosis visitors without the certificate.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mrs. Castle), when Secretary of State, stressed that future consideration of these and other salary questions arising from the Report of the Halsbury Committee of Inquiry is for the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council in the normal course of its negotiations against the background of the general principles recommended by the Committee. The council is currently carrying out job evaluation of the nursing and midwifery structure and expects to have relevant information on the duties carried out by school nurses and TB visitors without the health visitor certificate later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress he has made towards the creation of a new merit award scheme for doctors and others in the National Health Service.

The Government's counter-inflation policy rules out the introduction of a new scheme for the time being, but I intend to hold further discussions about the principles of a scheme for career structure supplements with the professions before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated difference in cost if a worker over 60 years of age who is made unemployed draws retirement pension instead of benefits to which his unemployment entitles him.

It is estimated that at current benefit rates the average annual value of payments in respect of unemployment—unemployment benefit and supplementary allowance—per man unemployed over age 60 would be about £770, whereas the average, before-tax, annual value of retirement pension—including supplementary pension—if payable to such men as they are to men aged 65 or over, would he about £1,120.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to strengthen the Hospital Advisory Service.

As my hon. Friend told the House in reply to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) on 31st March—[Vol. 908, c. 1307]—we have, after consultation, decided to change the remit and functions of the Hospital Advisory Service. A circular outlining these changes has been sent today to health and local authorities and a copy has been placed in the Library.In the reorganised NHS, the limitation of their work to hospitals is manifestly unsatisfactory and their remit is now being extended so that it also includes the community health services and the links between hospital and community services. To mark this change, the advisory service will in future be called the Health Advisory Service (HAS).In addition, the HAS will in future collaborate with the Department's Social Work Service (SWS) by establishing joint visiting teams who can review in a comprehensive way the complementary services provided by the health service and the social service departments of local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any of his officials or medical advisers have visited the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia; if so, when these visits took place and what advice he has received about the treatment prescribed by this institute; and if he will make a statement.

This institute has not been visited by officials of my Department. They have, however, studied such evidence as is available about the basis and practical results of the Doman-Delecato method.The question of commendation or otherwise of the method is a matter for the professional organisations concerned. My right hon. Friend has no plans to make special services available to provide this treatment under the NHS.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many psycho-surgery operations have been performed in the National Health Service in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of these operations has been effective in improving the patient's condition; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on 21st January 1976.—[Vol. 903, c. 512.] Comprehensive information as to the general effectiveness of such operations is not available; but I am sending my hon. Friend an article from the British Journal of Psychiatry about a follow-up study on stereotactic limbic leucotomy. Arrangements are being made in future statistical returns to collect more precise information about numbers of psycho-surgery operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if lie will take steps to make possible the payment of supplementary pensions direct to bank accounts at the request of pensioners, thus removing the need for them to attend a post office each week or to make arrangements for the pension to be collected on their behalf.

Entitlement to supplementary pensions, as to other social security benefits, is subject to certain continuing conditions, and before each payment is made recipients have to confirm that these conditions are satisfied. This prevents automatic payment by the Department into a bank account. Supplementary pensioners are not obliged to cash their orders each week but may, if they wish, wait up to 13 week and then cash a number together.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make a statement on the progress being made in publishing a national advisory scale for payments to foster parents in respect of foster children in their care.

The Working Party on Fostering Practice, which considered the question of boarding-out allowances, did not recommend a national advisory scale but suggested that my Department should discuss with the local authority associations the basis of calculating these allowances. The working party also suggested a number of other matters relating to boarding-out for discussion with it. A discussion paper is being prepared in consultation with the other Departments concerned. A meeting will be arranged with the local authority associations as soon as it is ready.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the effect of Command Paper No. 6440, "Cash Limits on Public Expenditure", upon the continued implementation of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

The effect of cash limits on local authority current expenditure in 1976–77 is described in paragraph 11 of Cmnd. 6440. For subsequent years, no cash limits have yet been set. I would expect that the programme for the personal social services shown in the Public Expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 6393, would allow for continuing progress in the implementation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. The hon. Member will have seen in my Department's recent consultative document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England" the rate at which expansion is suggested for certain key services provided under Section 2 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to increase the number of chemists' shops and other centres for the dispensing of medical prescriptions in Bristol.

I am not aware of exceptional circumstances in Bristol which might justify the intervention of my right hon. Friend, but I should be glad to receive details of any special difficulties which patients have in getting prescriptions dispensed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from consultants, working in the National Health Service, concerning the renegotiation of their contracts.

None recently.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons have applied for mobility allowances; and, of those, what was the number rejected.

Our planning was on the basis that perhaps twice as many people would claim as were entitled. In fact, excluding those who have claimed but are not within the currently eligible age group, the ratio of successful to unsuccessful claims is now expected to be of the order of 3:1. To date, nearly 28,000 claims have been received from people in the eligible age groups. Of these, over 13,000 have been determined, about 11,000 being successful, including some which succeeded under the appeal machinery of the new scheme, and 2,000 rejected. Those claims which have been decided so far include a high proportion where existing medical evidence enabled an award to be made without further medical examination; and it is not yet possible to give an accurate success rate for the whole of the currently eligible age group.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the amount of money which was disregarded when calculating supplementary benefits paid to people over pension age was increased to £l; on what date it was further increased and by what amount; and, in each case, if he will give the present day value.

The amount of miscellaneous income to be disregaded in assessing supplementary benefit was set at £1 a week at the inception of the supplementary Benefit scheme in November, 1966. The present equivalent would be £2·46. The disregard was increased to £4 in November 1975 for all income except occupational pensions and redundancy payments, the disregard for which remains at £1. The present equivalent of £4 in November 1975 would be £4·16.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to reach a decision about the production of an anti-viral serum or vaccine for the control of the swine influenza virus.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet), the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) and my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman) on 6th April.—[Vol. 909, c. 147–49.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for the further extension of the Family Fund and its research projects.

The scope of the Family Fund was extended in October 1974 to include all families in which there is a severely handicapped child irrespective of the origin of handicap. There are at present no plans for a further extension, but I have already announced that I have decided to provide money for the fund to continue its work at a level of £2 million a year.As regards research associated with the fund, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 5th April.—[Vol. 909, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with interested parties about providing a right in law to private medical treatment.

Any patient may already seek private treatment from any doctor entitled to engage in private practice. The use of NHS hospitals for this purpose is at present subject to the provisions of the NHS Acts, under which accommodation and services may be authorised, as pay beds or otherwise. Proposals announced on 15th December, following consultation with the medical and dental professions, for separation of private pay beds from the NHS hospitals included proposals for legislation to renew the provision in the NHS (Amendment) Act 1949 which maintains the right to private practice by entitling doctors and dentists to work both privately and in NHS establishments. The proposals are embodied in the Health Services Bill, which received First Reading on 12th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to introduce proposals to limit the prescription of certain proprietary drugs.

No. The great majority of commonly used drugs, particularly the most modern drugs, are available only in proprietary form. To limit the prescription of proprietary drugs would thus deny patients the benefits of the latest scientific advances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the workings of the Whitley Council machinery.

Lord McCarthy of Heading-ton has been reviewing the workings of the NHS Whitley Councils, and we look forward to receiving his report in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of the planned increased public expenditure for 1976–77 is due to anticipated increases in unemployment.

Cmnd. 6393, Table 2.12, shows that, compared with 1975–76, the Government have provided for expenditure on national insurance unemployment benefit in 1976–77 to be increased by £132 million. In addition a substantial proportion of the projected £69 million increase in expenditure on supplementary allowances for 1976–77 over 1975–76 is accounted for by assuming a higher level of unemployment. As the footnote to Table 2.12 points out, the figures for unemployment benefit in future years represent a working assumption and not a forecast of unemployment levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to secure the removal of children with minor mental handicaps from National Health Service hospitals and place them in alternative accommodation.

The consultative document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services" suggests as a Government view that local authorities' strategies should be to give sufficient priority to the provision of residential accommodation for children to enable them to be kept out of hospital care unless there is a need for specialist medical and/or nursing care.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the present rate of maternity grant was fixed; and what is the current purchasing power compared with that date.

Maternity grant was last increased, to £25, in November 1969. Its current value, taking account of the subsequent movement in the Retail Price Index up to March 1976, is £11·55.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total number of discharges from hospitals of patients who have undergone abortions for each of the years 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.

pursuant to his reply[OFFICIAL REPORT, 26th April 1976; Vol. 910, c. 51–2], circulated the following additional information:The numbers of abortions notified as carried out in National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales were as follows:

1971	53,706
1972	57,086
1973	55,637
1974 (provisional)	55,859
1975 (provisional)	51,825

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has recently had with those local education authorities which have not submitted plans for comprehensive reorganisation.

None: but my right hon. Friend should be happy to meet any authorities which wish to consider their position on secondary reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the annual per capita cost of: (a) primary. (b) secondary, (c) university and (d) technical education, respectively, for the last available period, taking local authority and central Government expenditure into account.

In the financial year 1974–75, net institutional recurrent unit costs were as follows:—

England and Wales 1975 Survey Prices
	£
Primary School pupils	215
Secondary School pupils	345
University students (GB)	1,750
Polytechnic students	1,610
Students in other major FE Establisments	740

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what his plans are for training chiropodists over the next five years.

Within available resources, courses are normally mounted in further education establishments in response to demand. There are five of these centres in England and Wales, with a total of 430 students. One new school of chiropody opened at Durham Technical College last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers and Defence Ministry civil servants have joined firms with contracts to supply arms to the Ministry of Defence in the last five years to date; and if he will consider making it a requirement on becoming a senior officer or senior civil servant that joining such firms after retirement or resignation is prohibited without specific Government sanction.

The number of officers and Defence Ministry civil servants who have been granted permission to do so is as follows:

Serving Officers
1971–72	14
1972–73	15
1973–74	34
1974–75	13
1975–76	21
Civil Servants
1971–72	7
1972–73	21
1973–74	30
1974–75	22
1975–76	6

(includes officers down to Lieutenant-Commander, Major, Squadron Leader, Executive Officer and equivalents).The requirement to seek approval exists. 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.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if Government permission was sought and obtained by British Marconi for the contract for several million pounds to refurbish and update the South African defence system.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the contract for refurbishing the NASSAU early warning system. The export of the necessary items for this refurbishing contract, which was completed in 1971, was allowed by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that firms seeking contracts to supply arms to his Department will be disqualified if they have former Government Ministers as directors or employees.

The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957 removed the bar against enjoyment of benefit from public service contracts by former Government Ministers. Any amendment to the Act would be a question for my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the military flying accident rates for 1975.

The military flying accident rates per 10,000 flying hours for the calendar year 1975, together with the total assessed costs, were as follows:

	Accident rate (per 10,000 flying hours)	Assessed Cost £m.
Royal Navy	1·00	1·94
Army	1·00	0·30
Royal Air Force	0·49	19·2

For this purpose an accident is defined as an occurrence where the aircraft is missing, damaged beyond repair or is not repairable on site.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether HMS "Bulwark" is to be laid up in reserve or scrapped.

HMS "Bulwark" was removed from the active list on 31st March 1976: her material condition is being maintained until decisions can be taken about the Royal Navy's antisubmarine capability before HMS "Invincible" is introduced into service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many copies of the brochure "Sub-Contract QA25" were printed; at what total cost and at what cost per brochure; and whether he will publish a breakdown of the distribution between Government Departments, defence sub-contractors and others.

45,000 copies of the brochure "Sub-Contract OA" were printed at a total cost of £9,000—a cost of 20p per brochure. 5,000 copies are for Ministry of Defence use and 10,000 have been sent to main defence contractors. The remaining 30,000 are for defence sub-contractors on request.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what criteria he uses when deciding if a foreign country is eligible to receive aid from the United Kingdom.

A full discussion of the criteria used for allocating United Kingdom aid is contained in Chapter II of the White Paper, "Overseas Development: The Changing Emphasis in British Aid Policies—More Help for the Poorest" (Cmnd. 6270), of which there is a copy in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will list each of the countries in receipt of aid from the British Government showing (i) the total aid given to each country in 1975 and (ii) whether this aid was given in the form of grants or loans.

The information for 1975 is not yet available. "British Aid Statistics", of which there is a copy in the Library of the House, contains the information for 1974.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what is the total amount of aid to be given to foreign countries for 1976.

The aid programme, like all public expenditure, is planned on the basis of our financial year. For the financial year 1976–77, the net aid programme is planned to be £515·8 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the respective rates of VAT on (a) general service charge to properties connected to main sewerage, (b) charges by district councils or private contractors for the emptying of septic tanks or cesspools and (c) charges by water authorities for the disposal of sewerage waste collected under (b).

Water authorities have not been regarded as carrying on a business in respect of their sewerage services. The charges under (a) and (c) are therefore outside the scope of VAT. The charges under (b) attract VAT at the standard rate of 8 per cent.